Jesus being our Substitute goes beyond our normal English usage of the word. To us, a sub is not on the first team, a sub is not as good as the regular; a sub is a 'stand in', a 'fill in', an inferior to give the superiors a rest. In sports and in schools, subs get a bum rap. I look back in horror at how I treated subs when I was in junior high and high school.
Not so with Jesus. He is not on the second team. He is not an alternate choice. He was planned to take our place. He is God's plan A. But similar to subs we know He was treated badly and unfairly. "His appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance." He was beaten to a pulp by ungodly men, pawns in the hands of the devil and culpable themselves. He was whipped and thrashed and abused to the point of death. And then He was put on a cross to die, made a spectacle to the world. It was all for love that the Creator of the Universe allowed Himself to be dealt with this way. It was because He planned it that He allowed it (Is. 53:10).
The Substitute. My Savior. My Friend.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
A Preview of Things to Come
Isaiah 52:13-15 is to Isaiah 53 what Palm Sunday is to Easter. It’s a preview; a hint at coming salvation. When you go to the movies, before the feature presentation you usually hear "and now, for a preview of coming attractions". They give you a bit of what the movie is about without giving you everything because they want you to go and see the movie when it comes out. Why is God giving us a preview of Is. 53 in Is. 52? Because He wants us to buy the Book! He wants us to be ready to fully enter into His story & the reality of what Jesus came to do. Our culture tries to sell us lots of stuff, wants us to believe many things - they they want your money. God wants to save your soul. God, because of His great love for you, out of His pure, holy, perfect motives and plans, wants you to know the truth that sets you free to serve Him. He wants you to want Jesus who is the Way, the Truth and the Life; the only name by which you can be saved.
What is the Significance of Palm Sunday?
I grew up going to church, and I remember as a kid that on Palm Sunday they’d give us kids palm branches to wave. That was the wrong thing to give me. You put a palm branch in my hands as a kid and I’d use it as a sword or a gun or bug someone with it. I always found something to do with it that I wasn’t supposed to. I didn’t get what Palm Sunday was all about. I knew it had to do with Jesus and the cross and the empty tomb. Everyone knew that. But in terms of real significance that mattered in my life, not so much. It was like watching someone else’s home movies. I didn’t get it; it didn’t fully register, I didn’t understand. I was in good company, Jesus’ disciples didn’t either! John 12:16.
Is. 52:13-15 reveals the significance of Palm Sunday.
It is rooted in the purpose of God. Is. 52:13-53:12 is the 4th and final Servant Song in Isaiah. [42:1-4, 49:1-6 deals with His task, 50:4-9 deals with His commitment, 52:13-53:12 deals with the completion of His task.] It begins, My Servant will act wisely, prosper – means will accomplish his purpose. Act wisely carries with it the idea of act successfully. He’ll do what He came to do. The triumphal entry into Jerusalem gets all its significance from the reason Jesus came to Jerusalem; He came to die. Mark 10:33-34, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him and spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again”. Jesus had left Jericho for the final approach to Jerusalem, 6-8 hours of uphill walking, 15 miles up a winding road, an ascent of 3000 feet through dry desert. They make the trek to Jerusalem, the center of Israel’s religious life and messianic hope. It is on a Sunday. It starts off Holy Week, or Passion Week (passion coming from the Latin passio meaning “suffering”). Jesus came to Jerusalem to pay our ransom. God’s Word explains to us why we need a ransom, why it had to be Jesus the Son of God, His life and death demonstrating the righteousness of God, setting us free from bondage to the guilt and power of sin through the Spirit.
It’s based on the character of God. There was an implied promise when Jesus rode into town that day that He would accomplish what was spoken of Him. The assurance of the fulfillment of that promise lies in the character of God. Behold brings to a conclusion the revealing of the Servant begun in 42:1. He is the answer, the awaited explanation of the predicted salvation and its related blessings. 52:6 God promised to act on behalf of His people in a way where He was personally present, followed by His personal coming to Zion 52:8 and Him baring His arm of salvation 52:10. It is in the Servant God fulfills the promises. There is a 3-fold exaltation of the Servant in Isaiah 52:13. He will be high and lifted up Used in combo 4x in Is. And nowhere else in OT – each time of God. The faithful One will be exalted Phil. 2:5-11. He is greater than all the earth’s great ones with whom He is brought into contact kings 52:15, the strong 53:12. He is God. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem God was keeping His Word. He said in Zech. 9:9 that Israel’s King would come humbly riding on a donkey. We believe it & receive it because of who we know God to be from His Word and from our own lives, how we have experienced Him being true to His Word. We count on Him. We listen when He speaks because He is good. When He promises we believe because He is trustworthy. He always comes through. Always delivers. Always Sovereign, holy, righteous, loving, kind, unchangeable.
It is for the glory of God. The 3-fold exaltation of the Servant in Isaiah 52:13 is followed by a huge contrast in Isaiah 52:14-15. People are repulsed by Jesus due to His suffering which consumed His humanity. People will find that due to His suffering the Servant has brought their greatest good; their highest benefit. The suffering has world-wide ramifications, Many nations will be affected. They will see and understand Is. 6:10 deaf and blind will believe. It points to the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Since the beginning of time God had planned it and it was almost time. This salvation He purposed would result in God being glorified. The nations will be in awe because they have never before heard of a deliverer who would stoop to such a low position in order to deliver them. And as a result they will glorify Him.
What is the Response to Palm Sunday?
Praise to God. Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord. In Luke 19:37-38, we see that Christ’s followers worshipped Him on account of the mighty works they had seen. If they hadn’t the rocks would have! We are in awe as well. Read Eph. 1:3-10. What else can we do in the presence of God? We were made to worship God.
Reliance on God. They cried Hosanna, Save now! Connected to Ps. 113-118 sung during Passover season, expresses hope of Israel for the Messiah. Linked with Hosanna, Son of David points to Jesus as the promised One. The crowd acknowledges Jesus fulfilling Zech. 9:9. It was obvious they were treating Him like the King. Throwing clothes in the path of he king to walk on was a symbol of submission. Palms symbolized victory. They were saying, we need you Jesus! That is what I need to say every day. God wants us to fully rely on Him.
Misunderstanding God. Many did not understand. In Matt. 21:10-11 the crowds were stirred; some did not know who Jesus was, asked who is this? The crowds said this is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth. They may have been throwing Him under the bus – this is the one who has caused such a ruckus. Others cried out Hosanna in hope of Him bringing political liberation, as former kings had done. In Luke 19:39 Pharisees told Jesus to make His disciples stop praising Him. They did not understand. Highlights man's universal inability and unwillingness to come to God. Some receive Him, some reject Him.
As we see Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a donkey and allow the people to praise Him as king, there are many things we learn. But there is one aspect as it deals with Passover that needs to be pointed out. Passover was only 4 days away which made the day of the Triumphal Entry the 10th day of the month. We see the significance when we read Ex. 12:3, 5-6. As Jesus was riding in and the people were crying Hosanna in the highest, they didn’t realize it but they were selecting the Passover lamb for sacrifice; the only sacrifice that can take away sin & cause death to pass over us.
Soli Deo Gloria
What is the Significance of Palm Sunday?
I grew up going to church, and I remember as a kid that on Palm Sunday they’d give us kids palm branches to wave. That was the wrong thing to give me. You put a palm branch in my hands as a kid and I’d use it as a sword or a gun or bug someone with it. I always found something to do with it that I wasn’t supposed to. I didn’t get what Palm Sunday was all about. I knew it had to do with Jesus and the cross and the empty tomb. Everyone knew that. But in terms of real significance that mattered in my life, not so much. It was like watching someone else’s home movies. I didn’t get it; it didn’t fully register, I didn’t understand. I was in good company, Jesus’ disciples didn’t either! John 12:16.
Is. 52:13-15 reveals the significance of Palm Sunday.
It is rooted in the purpose of God. Is. 52:13-53:12 is the 4th and final Servant Song in Isaiah. [42:1-4, 49:1-6 deals with His task, 50:4-9 deals with His commitment, 52:13-53:12 deals with the completion of His task.] It begins, My Servant will act wisely, prosper – means will accomplish his purpose. Act wisely carries with it the idea of act successfully. He’ll do what He came to do. The triumphal entry into Jerusalem gets all its significance from the reason Jesus came to Jerusalem; He came to die. Mark 10:33-34, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him and spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again”. Jesus had left Jericho for the final approach to Jerusalem, 6-8 hours of uphill walking, 15 miles up a winding road, an ascent of 3000 feet through dry desert. They make the trek to Jerusalem, the center of Israel’s religious life and messianic hope. It is on a Sunday. It starts off Holy Week, or Passion Week (passion coming from the Latin passio meaning “suffering”). Jesus came to Jerusalem to pay our ransom. God’s Word explains to us why we need a ransom, why it had to be Jesus the Son of God, His life and death demonstrating the righteousness of God, setting us free from bondage to the guilt and power of sin through the Spirit.
It’s based on the character of God. There was an implied promise when Jesus rode into town that day that He would accomplish what was spoken of Him. The assurance of the fulfillment of that promise lies in the character of God. Behold brings to a conclusion the revealing of the Servant begun in 42:1. He is the answer, the awaited explanation of the predicted salvation and its related blessings. 52:6 God promised to act on behalf of His people in a way where He was personally present, followed by His personal coming to Zion 52:8 and Him baring His arm of salvation 52:10. It is in the Servant God fulfills the promises. There is a 3-fold exaltation of the Servant in Isaiah 52:13. He will be high and lifted up Used in combo 4x in Is. And nowhere else in OT – each time of God. The faithful One will be exalted Phil. 2:5-11. He is greater than all the earth’s great ones with whom He is brought into contact kings 52:15, the strong 53:12. He is God. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem God was keeping His Word. He said in Zech. 9:9 that Israel’s King would come humbly riding on a donkey. We believe it & receive it because of who we know God to be from His Word and from our own lives, how we have experienced Him being true to His Word. We count on Him. We listen when He speaks because He is good. When He promises we believe because He is trustworthy. He always comes through. Always delivers. Always Sovereign, holy, righteous, loving, kind, unchangeable.
It is for the glory of God. The 3-fold exaltation of the Servant in Isaiah 52:13 is followed by a huge contrast in Isaiah 52:14-15. People are repulsed by Jesus due to His suffering which consumed His humanity. People will find that due to His suffering the Servant has brought their greatest good; their highest benefit. The suffering has world-wide ramifications, Many nations will be affected. They will see and understand Is. 6:10 deaf and blind will believe. It points to the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Since the beginning of time God had planned it and it was almost time. This salvation He purposed would result in God being glorified. The nations will be in awe because they have never before heard of a deliverer who would stoop to such a low position in order to deliver them. And as a result they will glorify Him.
What is the Response to Palm Sunday?
Praise to God. Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord. In Luke 19:37-38, we see that Christ’s followers worshipped Him on account of the mighty works they had seen. If they hadn’t the rocks would have! We are in awe as well. Read Eph. 1:3-10. What else can we do in the presence of God? We were made to worship God.
Reliance on God. They cried Hosanna, Save now! Connected to Ps. 113-118 sung during Passover season, expresses hope of Israel for the Messiah. Linked with Hosanna, Son of David points to Jesus as the promised One. The crowd acknowledges Jesus fulfilling Zech. 9:9. It was obvious they were treating Him like the King. Throwing clothes in the path of he king to walk on was a symbol of submission. Palms symbolized victory. They were saying, we need you Jesus! That is what I need to say every day. God wants us to fully rely on Him.
Misunderstanding God. Many did not understand. In Matt. 21:10-11 the crowds were stirred; some did not know who Jesus was, asked who is this? The crowds said this is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth. They may have been throwing Him under the bus – this is the one who has caused such a ruckus. Others cried out Hosanna in hope of Him bringing political liberation, as former kings had done. In Luke 19:39 Pharisees told Jesus to make His disciples stop praising Him. They did not understand. Highlights man's universal inability and unwillingness to come to God. Some receive Him, some reject Him.
As we see Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a donkey and allow the people to praise Him as king, there are many things we learn. But there is one aspect as it deals with Passover that needs to be pointed out. Passover was only 4 days away which made the day of the Triumphal Entry the 10th day of the month. We see the significance when we read Ex. 12:3, 5-6. As Jesus was riding in and the people were crying Hosanna in the highest, they didn’t realize it but they were selecting the Passover lamb for sacrifice; the only sacrifice that can take away sin & cause death to pass over us.
Soli Deo Gloria
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Despised and Forsaken...and full of Grace and Truth
Jesus was spit upon. They treated Him like dirt. He was a "man of sorrows, acquainted with grief" (Is. 53:3). He went to the cross and stayed there and paid it all. He was my Substitute and still is. My representative. It makes me want to go and tell my people what great things God has done in my life - He saved me based on nothing I could ever have done and in spite of all I have done. He rescued me from the power and penalty of sin and someday will free me from the presence of sin. I am alive because of Jesus.
I have been forgiven, justified, reconciled. These are not just cool-sounding theological words - these represent the truth of what Jesus has done for me. They are not just benefits, they are means to an end...God Himself. They draw me close to Him in relationship; one initiated and sustained by Him. Good thing - I wouldn't have the strength or resiliency to keep things going. Praise God He is all-powerful and all-knowing, an ever-present help in times of plenty and want.
He (God) is the center of my universe. He is the reason; the Beginning and the End. Everything revolves around Jesus, "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
I have been forgiven, justified, reconciled. These are not just cool-sounding theological words - these represent the truth of what Jesus has done for me. They are not just benefits, they are means to an end...God Himself. They draw me close to Him in relationship; one initiated and sustained by Him. Good thing - I wouldn't have the strength or resiliency to keep things going. Praise God He is all-powerful and all-knowing, an ever-present help in times of plenty and want.
He (God) is the center of my universe. He is the reason; the Beginning and the End. Everything revolves around Jesus, "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The Cross Affects Everything
A biblically-solid understanding of the cross affects everything in life. An unbiblical understanding of God's program also affects everything. A haphazard, sloppy version of God's will and work leads to a life that is not grounded. It is important that we be grounded solidly in Jesus and His Word, grasping the Gospel message and living it's claims - in God's strength, not our own. That's one of the first things we learn when we contemplate the cross - our inability and Christ's sufficiency (John 15:5).
The cross matters supremely because Jesus died substitutionally. He died in our place so that we might live; so that we could be justified - made right with God - and experience peace with God (See Romans 5:1-2). Jesus took our place so that we could be reconciled to God - we who were at war with Him until He drew us by His love and grace to Himself. The result? We rejoice in God through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:11). We have forgiveness and a freedom we never knew.
As a result of believing in Christ, we become God's children. We are made new - we are transformed (2 Cor. 5;17) - we are new creations in Christ. The old life has gone, we have a new life. We are no longer sentenced to death by our own deeds, we are brought out of death into life by Christ's deeds. We no longer need to live by our own understanding, or man's rules and regulations, we now have a life reoriented by Jesus and centered on the truths of His Word. The Good news of the Gospel changes everything. The cross is the compass by which everything is reoriented.
Jesus is the supreme game-changer. He is the life-changer. He is the life-giver. And He is coming back soon to take us to be with Him where He is. May you rest in His grace and be led by His Spirit today.
The cross matters supremely because Jesus died substitutionally. He died in our place so that we might live; so that we could be justified - made right with God - and experience peace with God (See Romans 5:1-2). Jesus took our place so that we could be reconciled to God - we who were at war with Him until He drew us by His love and grace to Himself. The result? We rejoice in God through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:11). We have forgiveness and a freedom we never knew.
As a result of believing in Christ, we become God's children. We are made new - we are transformed (2 Cor. 5;17) - we are new creations in Christ. The old life has gone, we have a new life. We are no longer sentenced to death by our own deeds, we are brought out of death into life by Christ's deeds. We no longer need to live by our own understanding, or man's rules and regulations, we now have a life reoriented by Jesus and centered on the truths of His Word. The Good news of the Gospel changes everything. The cross is the compass by which everything is reoriented.
Jesus is the supreme game-changer. He is the life-changer. He is the life-giver. And He is coming back soon to take us to be with Him where He is. May you rest in His grace and be led by His Spirit today.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Jesus, Faithful in the Storm
In Matthew 8:23-27, Jesus is in a boat with His disciples going to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. All of a sudden a storm arises. A BIG storm; a violent storm, a fierce gale of wind, shocks the boat so much it feels like an earthquake. They are in danger. The boat is swamped, flooding with water by waves up to 7 feet high. And Jesus is asleep in the back of the boat. His disciples get scared and panic. These veteran seamen feet terror as the boat is thrashed by the waves. They wake Jesus up and ask for help. Jesus does 2 things when He wakes up, He speaks to His disciples then He speaks to the wind and sea. He says to the disciples, while the storm is still raging, why are you afraid, O you of little faith? He questions their faith, not the fact that they asked. He rebuked them for not resting in His power and authority. Then He does a second thing which shows them just how powerful He is. He gets up and rebukes the wind and sea, and there is great calm. The men marvel, “what sort of man is this, that even the winds and sea obey Him?”
There are several things I want you to see this episode shows us.
First, we are not sufficient. “Help us Lord, we are perishing”, is an appropriate request. We are weak, we have insufficient spiritual funds. Self-reliance lulls us into thinking that we are in control. When we are sufficient, we tack Jesus on as an extra in life, a bit player playing bit parts. He has cameo appearances but we run the show. The self-sufficient call Jesus Teacher but they want to teach Him what it means to be a Savior. Others call Him Lord but have no intention of obeying. The Bible paints a different picture. What will the pot say to the Maker? Jesus said, “apart from Me you can do nothing” John 15:5; 2 Cor. 3:5 says “Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God”. When I am not dwelling in the presence of Christ/walking in the Spirit, I am more apt to question or blame God; when I am not walking closely with Him it is easy to find fault in Him and others; it is easy to throw relational bottle rockets that set people off instead of building them up. When I'm in self-sufficient mode I get so fixated on other things I don’t care to have my eyes turned on Christ.
Second, Jesus is all-sufficient. He has all power and authority. The disciples that day saw a loving, good God who is able to do immeasurably beyond all that we can ask and think. Sometimes we are tempted, like they were, to ask “Lord, why? Do You not care? that I lost my job, that I lost my spouse, that I lost my friends, that I’m losing my health?” I know how you feel. I have felt that way lots of times, but I have found that feelings can play tricks on us, you should not let them drive the bus – facts should. Let truth drive. All-Sufficient means just that. We’ve been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. He who is the Truth is fully able. Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. He was always with God and is God. Through Him all things came into being and were created. He was before all things. In Him all things hold together by the word of His power. He is the only Savior for the sins of the world, who shed his blood and died in our place on Calvary’s cross. He redeemed us from sin, rose bodily from the grave, victorious over death & all powers of darkness. He ascended into heaven where, at God’s right hand, He prays for his people and rules as Lord over all. He is the Head of the Church, and should be adored, loved, served, and obeyed by all as the all-sufficient one. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. John 15:5 and With Him, all things. Phil. 4:13. We are always dependent on Him for everything. I know all that and I still have trouble believing that He can handle my problems! To be IN CHRIST is to know Him as your total sufficiency, as your life. Your life is completely reoriented. You can seek real life answers to your real life questions from the One who is real Life.
This story also shows us that God is worthy of our worship. It gives us a perfect illustration of what true worship is. Matthew says they marveled, Mark tells us they became very frightened (Mark 4:41). They showed reverent fear of God. We tend to define worship by what we do in terms of music style or certain activities we call ‘worship’. Worship is the reverent fear of One whose power and authority exceeds anything we might face; it is the soul’s response of honor and adoration, to God. It is marveling at God whose strength and presence overcomes even the violent forces of nature; it is the sincere acknowledgement of Him whose goodness and greatness calls for humble trust and obedience. It is the pure response of a soul that recognizes God as preeminent over all, above all else. To realize we are in the presence of Him who has absolute power and authority draws worship from the soul. When Jesus’ disciples got into the boat that day – little did they know they would be having a worship service!
The episode on the sea was designed by Jesus as a huge teaching opportunity. What did He want them (and us) to learn? That if Jesus is in the boat with you – if you know Him - you are safe and secure. You don’t have to strain and strive to bail water in your storms; you need to dwell in the presence of Jesus. Troubles may overwhelm us at times but Jesus overcomes. The One who leads beside still waters also leads through the storms of life. He has shown Himself faithful so many times before. God was faithful in Joseph’s storm Gen. 39-50 favored by his father, betrayed by his brothers, accused by his bosses’ wife, forgotten by a man he helped, promoted to power, lied to by his brothers, you do not see him complaining to God. He accepted what God brought into his life graciously; was able to forgive with grace. The storm Job went through was not of his own making. He learned God is faithful no matter what. “naked I came from my mother’s womb, naked I shall return.” “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord”. Jonah went through a storm he brought on himself; & God was faithful in that storm to lead him to repentance. Jonah learned his lesson the hard way, but he learned it because God is loving, faithful and kind.
God wants you to worship Him, not only when He rescues you from storms, but also in the midst of storms. You will know Him as Faithful in the storm when you trust Him in the storms you face. May He who is faithful in the storm be the center of your universe.
Soli Deo Gloria
There are several things I want you to see this episode shows us.
First, we are not sufficient. “Help us Lord, we are perishing”, is an appropriate request. We are weak, we have insufficient spiritual funds. Self-reliance lulls us into thinking that we are in control. When we are sufficient, we tack Jesus on as an extra in life, a bit player playing bit parts. He has cameo appearances but we run the show. The self-sufficient call Jesus Teacher but they want to teach Him what it means to be a Savior. Others call Him Lord but have no intention of obeying. The Bible paints a different picture. What will the pot say to the Maker? Jesus said, “apart from Me you can do nothing” John 15:5; 2 Cor. 3:5 says “Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God”. When I am not dwelling in the presence of Christ/walking in the Spirit, I am more apt to question or blame God; when I am not walking closely with Him it is easy to find fault in Him and others; it is easy to throw relational bottle rockets that set people off instead of building them up. When I'm in self-sufficient mode I get so fixated on other things I don’t care to have my eyes turned on Christ.
Second, Jesus is all-sufficient. He has all power and authority. The disciples that day saw a loving, good God who is able to do immeasurably beyond all that we can ask and think. Sometimes we are tempted, like they were, to ask “Lord, why? Do You not care? that I lost my job, that I lost my spouse, that I lost my friends, that I’m losing my health?” I know how you feel. I have felt that way lots of times, but I have found that feelings can play tricks on us, you should not let them drive the bus – facts should. Let truth drive. All-Sufficient means just that. We’ve been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. He who is the Truth is fully able. Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. He was always with God and is God. Through Him all things came into being and were created. He was before all things. In Him all things hold together by the word of His power. He is the only Savior for the sins of the world, who shed his blood and died in our place on Calvary’s cross. He redeemed us from sin, rose bodily from the grave, victorious over death & all powers of darkness. He ascended into heaven where, at God’s right hand, He prays for his people and rules as Lord over all. He is the Head of the Church, and should be adored, loved, served, and obeyed by all as the all-sufficient one. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. John 15:5 and With Him, all things. Phil. 4:13. We are always dependent on Him for everything. I know all that and I still have trouble believing that He can handle my problems! To be IN CHRIST is to know Him as your total sufficiency, as your life. Your life is completely reoriented. You can seek real life answers to your real life questions from the One who is real Life.
This story also shows us that God is worthy of our worship. It gives us a perfect illustration of what true worship is. Matthew says they marveled, Mark tells us they became very frightened (Mark 4:41). They showed reverent fear of God. We tend to define worship by what we do in terms of music style or certain activities we call ‘worship’. Worship is the reverent fear of One whose power and authority exceeds anything we might face; it is the soul’s response of honor and adoration, to God. It is marveling at God whose strength and presence overcomes even the violent forces of nature; it is the sincere acknowledgement of Him whose goodness and greatness calls for humble trust and obedience. It is the pure response of a soul that recognizes God as preeminent over all, above all else. To realize we are in the presence of Him who has absolute power and authority draws worship from the soul. When Jesus’ disciples got into the boat that day – little did they know they would be having a worship service!
The episode on the sea was designed by Jesus as a huge teaching opportunity. What did He want them (and us) to learn? That if Jesus is in the boat with you – if you know Him - you are safe and secure. You don’t have to strain and strive to bail water in your storms; you need to dwell in the presence of Jesus. Troubles may overwhelm us at times but Jesus overcomes. The One who leads beside still waters also leads through the storms of life. He has shown Himself faithful so many times before. God was faithful in Joseph’s storm Gen. 39-50 favored by his father, betrayed by his brothers, accused by his bosses’ wife, forgotten by a man he helped, promoted to power, lied to by his brothers, you do not see him complaining to God. He accepted what God brought into his life graciously; was able to forgive with grace. The storm Job went through was not of his own making. He learned God is faithful no matter what. “naked I came from my mother’s womb, naked I shall return.” “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord”. Jonah went through a storm he brought on himself; & God was faithful in that storm to lead him to repentance. Jonah learned his lesson the hard way, but he learned it because God is loving, faithful and kind.
God wants you to worship Him, not only when He rescues you from storms, but also in the midst of storms. You will know Him as Faithful in the storm when you trust Him in the storms you face. May He who is faithful in the storm be the center of your universe.
Soli Deo Gloria
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The Name Above All Names
Phil. 2:9-11 says that one day, at the Name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father. But to hear some who claim allegiance to Christ speak, it sounds like it is more important to be Baptist or Lutheran or Grace Brethren; sounds like being a Calvinist or Arminian has more credence; or being known as Evangelical or Reformed, Covenant or Dispensational, trumps simply being "a follower of Jesus Christ." Isn't it all too easy to dismiss someone as not "orthodox" enough if they merely claim to be a Bible-believing Christian? We are suspicious of those types. We quickly brand someone as "liberal" or "conservative", read "not like me, therefore not acceptable", based on their wording. Not "right", like us, based on their version. Sorry and sad that we make such judgments in the presence of the Judge of all who is standing right at the door.
There are some circles in which I run that the simple name of whatever "brand" or "camp" I belong to gets me "in". I am instantly identified as "one of us", not one of "them". My credentials have already been checked at the door. No need to show any more proof of followership, not need to display any fruit of the Spirit. I can recite the doctrine, I know all the code words; leave me alone, I have been triune immersed. If that makes you bristle, maybe you too have over identified with the movement and not the Mover of all. Many have gotten so lost in the "cause" of spreading their wing's views they forget the Great Causer of all is the One who is in charge of His Church. He gets lost in the argument as a "given". The Giver of every good and perfect gift relegated to secondary status? Never under His watch. He is preeminent (Col. 1:18).
While we must hold unswervingly to the truth, and guard against those who misinterpret and misapply the Scriptures in unsound fashion, we must deal lovingly with those who are in the ballpark with us but may not see things the same way. Sincere and intelligent Christians often differ. There is room at the table. If we dig in where God has not dug, we are in danger of polarizing large portions of the Body of Christ over semantics and secondary doctrines. Let's save our energy for core beliefs that we should die for.
Obviously there is some worth to being identified with a "camp". But there is also the inherent danger of obscuring Jesus in the quest for orthodoxy. How often do we cry out to Jesus to save us from ourselves? How often does the conversation center on Christ and Him crucified? Are we hungering and seeking after righteousness, wanting to dwell in His presence, or are we caught up in debating the nuances of our particular brand? Are we of "Paul", are we of "Apollos", or are we of "Christ"?
The name that saves is Jesus. The One who will come again is Jesus. My Advocate with the Father is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word Who became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. May we focus more on the person of Jesus Christ, our Deliverer, our Savior, our Lord, our Friend; than on the other "names" and "labels" by which we may be known. May we be Bible-believing followers of Jesus Christ, who is seated far above "above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come." (Eph. 1:22).
There are some circles in which I run that the simple name of whatever "brand" or "camp" I belong to gets me "in". I am instantly identified as "one of us", not one of "them". My credentials have already been checked at the door. No need to show any more proof of followership, not need to display any fruit of the Spirit. I can recite the doctrine, I know all the code words; leave me alone, I have been triune immersed. If that makes you bristle, maybe you too have over identified with the movement and not the Mover of all. Many have gotten so lost in the "cause" of spreading their wing's views they forget the Great Causer of all is the One who is in charge of His Church. He gets lost in the argument as a "given". The Giver of every good and perfect gift relegated to secondary status? Never under His watch. He is preeminent (Col. 1:18).
While we must hold unswervingly to the truth, and guard against those who misinterpret and misapply the Scriptures in unsound fashion, we must deal lovingly with those who are in the ballpark with us but may not see things the same way. Sincere and intelligent Christians often differ. There is room at the table. If we dig in where God has not dug, we are in danger of polarizing large portions of the Body of Christ over semantics and secondary doctrines. Let's save our energy for core beliefs that we should die for.
Obviously there is some worth to being identified with a "camp". But there is also the inherent danger of obscuring Jesus in the quest for orthodoxy. How often do we cry out to Jesus to save us from ourselves? How often does the conversation center on Christ and Him crucified? Are we hungering and seeking after righteousness, wanting to dwell in His presence, or are we caught up in debating the nuances of our particular brand? Are we of "Paul", are we of "Apollos", or are we of "Christ"?
The name that saves is Jesus. The One who will come again is Jesus. My Advocate with the Father is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word Who became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. May we focus more on the person of Jesus Christ, our Deliverer, our Savior, our Lord, our Friend; than on the other "names" and "labels" by which we may be known. May we be Bible-believing followers of Jesus Christ, who is seated far above "above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come." (Eph. 1:22).
Unity in the Midst of Diversity
One of the beautiful things about life in the Body of Christ, Christ’s Church, is the breadth and depth of unity and diversity God places in each local assembly. There is room for unity amidst diversity. In essentials we are to have unity (because we may be called to die for these), in non-essentials diversity (because we ought not to die for these), in all things charity (because we are called to love Jesus and our brothers and sisters in Christ). Our statement of faith identifies the primary core doctrines of Christian orthodoxy on which we all agree. Beyond that, we have freedom to hold secondary doctrinal views that are not in direct conflict with those and the loving responsibility to respect those who differ.
The challenge comes in identifying essential doctrines and differentiating them from secondary ones. For that, as in everything, we must look to God and trust Him to give us wisdom beyond ourselves.
The challenge comes in identifying essential doctrines and differentiating them from secondary ones. For that, as in everything, we must look to God and trust Him to give us wisdom beyond ourselves.
Friday, March 12, 2010
My Views of How God works to Save
These are my views based on what the Bible says. This is where I "camp" out, and while I hold firmly to these views and preach them, I acknowledge that sincere and intelligent Christians often differ on some of the nuances of these truths. [I also acknowledge that I wrote this quickly and upon further review would surely edit some of it, while not changing the message.:)]
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God chooses who will be saved. All who are in Christ (the elect) were predestined to adoption as sons, foreknown, chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. (I do not believe that “God looked down the corridor of time" and based on what He knew man would choose, chose them. I do not see any scriptural teaching that says that. I believe of His own free will God chose a people for His own possession. It is all of grace. No one deserves to be saved. God can do whatever He wants of His sovereign will. It is His choice of grace.) Eph. 1:3-14, John 15:16, Romans 9:6-24
Man is not utterly depraved (as bad as he can get) but totally depraved (bad enough) and needs God to intervene and initiate the process – which He has done. Romans 1:18-32, 3:9-26.
God draws people to Himself – His grace is prevenient, He works in people to give them the desire to want Jesus. Faith and grace are gifts of God. John 12:30-33; Eph. 2:1-10.
Man is responsible before God. He has a will and it is free to choose – but the key question is ‘what is the will free to choose’ apart from Christ? We do not have the ability to choose what is good and right and true apart from God's working in grace to give us that desire. Only the elect will choose Christ because only in the elect will God's do a work of regeneration.
We are called to preach the gospel to all people. Matthew 28:18-20. We are to call people to repentance and faith so that they might believe and be saved. Ultimately it is between God and each person. We share the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and trust God with the results. Acts 2:14-41, 4:12, 16:31-32; Romans 1:16-17, 10:8-17; John 3:16-21.
God is sovereign in salvation. Salvation is a sovereign act of God. God knows those who are His. 2 Tim. 2:19
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What about 2 Peter 3:9? This verse is often taken out of context and misinterpreted and misapplied. “God is patient towards you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”
A key question is this: who does you, any and all refer to? In context of 1 and 2 Peter, it is the elect (1 Peter 1:1), “those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:1). The immediate context states that the ungodly will be destroyed (2 Peter 3:7), so how could they come to repentance? This verse means that all the elect will come to repentance, that none of them will perish. The “whosoever believes” of John 3:16 means the elect. The elect will not perish, they will be saved.
These views give great confidence in who God is and what He does. It leads us to put no confidence in the flesh but in God alone who justifies the ungodly.
All this has direct ramifications on how a person will “live the Christian life" as well as what they will share with those they preach the gospel to. Those who believe they somehow cast the deciding vote in terms of their salvation, that they hold the keys to their eternal destiny, often fall prey to a works righteousness mentality (This is a danger for all, but especially for those who believe man is sovereign in salvation). While they may say they may acknowledge that it is all of God's grace, if they think they were the decisive factor in coming to faith in Christ, it is easy then to assume that since they are sinful and fallible, they somehow could lose what they have gained. They lack assurance. If they think it is gained by their own choice and not by their response to God's choice of them, the next step is that their continuing relationship to Jesus is based upon their own choice to keep going and not God's faithfulness in keeping us as Jesus clearly states (John 10:27-29).
Many lack assurance of salvation because if they could choose themselves they reason that they could also lose themselves, so it must be up to them to keep themselves in Christ, and knowing how weak and fallen they are – they lack assurance. They live without the knowledge of the security God has given all believers and they lack the assurance He wants each to have. While legalism is a danger for all people who claim faith in Christ, so is licentiousness, where a person says "I am saved by God's grace and I am free in Christ, therefore I can do anything I want". They take a wrong turn at "therefore". Someone who truly is thankful for what God has done for them will say, "I am saved by God's grace, therefore I want to please Him and not bring any dishonor to His name."
All a person needs to know when they come to faith in Christ is that God loves them so much that He sent His Son to die in their place, He shed His blood on the cross to pay the penalty for their sin, He was buried and rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15:1-11), thereby securing forgiveness and redemption for all who believe. It is after people come to faith in Christ that they learn the glorious realities of how the transaction actually took place. They gladly affirm that it was all of God and none of them. It is all due to the glorious grace of our glorious Lord, in doing the glorious work of salvation.
"And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." 1 Cor. 1:30-31
Glory to God.
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God chooses who will be saved. All who are in Christ (the elect) were predestined to adoption as sons, foreknown, chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. (I do not believe that “God looked down the corridor of time" and based on what He knew man would choose, chose them. I do not see any scriptural teaching that says that. I believe of His own free will God chose a people for His own possession. It is all of grace. No one deserves to be saved. God can do whatever He wants of His sovereign will. It is His choice of grace.) Eph. 1:3-14, John 15:16, Romans 9:6-24
Man is not utterly depraved (as bad as he can get) but totally depraved (bad enough) and needs God to intervene and initiate the process – which He has done. Romans 1:18-32, 3:9-26.
God draws people to Himself – His grace is prevenient, He works in people to give them the desire to want Jesus. Faith and grace are gifts of God. John 12:30-33; Eph. 2:1-10.
Man is responsible before God. He has a will and it is free to choose – but the key question is ‘what is the will free to choose’ apart from Christ? We do not have the ability to choose what is good and right and true apart from God's working in grace to give us that desire. Only the elect will choose Christ because only in the elect will God's do a work of regeneration.
We are called to preach the gospel to all people. Matthew 28:18-20. We are to call people to repentance and faith so that they might believe and be saved. Ultimately it is between God and each person. We share the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and trust God with the results. Acts 2:14-41, 4:12, 16:31-32; Romans 1:16-17, 10:8-17; John 3:16-21.
God is sovereign in salvation. Salvation is a sovereign act of God. God knows those who are His. 2 Tim. 2:19
---
What about 2 Peter 3:9? This verse is often taken out of context and misinterpreted and misapplied. “God is patient towards you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”
A key question is this: who does you, any and all refer to? In context of 1 and 2 Peter, it is the elect (1 Peter 1:1), “those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:1). The immediate context states that the ungodly will be destroyed (2 Peter 3:7), so how could they come to repentance? This verse means that all the elect will come to repentance, that none of them will perish. The “whosoever believes” of John 3:16 means the elect. The elect will not perish, they will be saved.
These views give great confidence in who God is and what He does. It leads us to put no confidence in the flesh but in God alone who justifies the ungodly.
All this has direct ramifications on how a person will “live the Christian life" as well as what they will share with those they preach the gospel to. Those who believe they somehow cast the deciding vote in terms of their salvation, that they hold the keys to their eternal destiny, often fall prey to a works righteousness mentality (This is a danger for all, but especially for those who believe man is sovereign in salvation). While they may say they may acknowledge that it is all of God's grace, if they think they were the decisive factor in coming to faith in Christ, it is easy then to assume that since they are sinful and fallible, they somehow could lose what they have gained. They lack assurance. If they think it is gained by their own choice and not by their response to God's choice of them, the next step is that their continuing relationship to Jesus is based upon their own choice to keep going and not God's faithfulness in keeping us as Jesus clearly states (John 10:27-29).
Many lack assurance of salvation because if they could choose themselves they reason that they could also lose themselves, so it must be up to them to keep themselves in Christ, and knowing how weak and fallen they are – they lack assurance. They live without the knowledge of the security God has given all believers and they lack the assurance He wants each to have. While legalism is a danger for all people who claim faith in Christ, so is licentiousness, where a person says "I am saved by God's grace and I am free in Christ, therefore I can do anything I want". They take a wrong turn at "therefore". Someone who truly is thankful for what God has done for them will say, "I am saved by God's grace, therefore I want to please Him and not bring any dishonor to His name."
All a person needs to know when they come to faith in Christ is that God loves them so much that He sent His Son to die in their place, He shed His blood on the cross to pay the penalty for their sin, He was buried and rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15:1-11), thereby securing forgiveness and redemption for all who believe. It is after people come to faith in Christ that they learn the glorious realities of how the transaction actually took place. They gladly affirm that it was all of God and none of them. It is all due to the glorious grace of our glorious Lord, in doing the glorious work of salvation.
"And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." 1 Cor. 1:30-31
Glory to God.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Discipleship 101: “Christ, Our Faithful Leader”
In Matt. 8:18-22 Jesus is approached by two would-be followers; one makes a statement, the other a request. One states his intentions to follow Jesus anywhere; the other asks for an exemption; for permission to not follow Jesus! Christ’s response to them is nothing short of amazing. Jesus denied both requests and in so doing set the bar for what it means to really follow Him.
What is clear in this text is that following Jesus is no casual matter – it is something of utmost importance that requires our utmost for Christ. Following is something we do because God empowers us to do so – it is only by God’s grace, based solely on His truth, enabled exclusively by & resting completely on the sovereignty and faithfulness of God. And God expects our cooperation.
The 1st man who approached Jesus that day was a scribe (a Bible teacher, an expert, a pro at handling Hebrew documents; not just someone who read and copied, but who taught, interpreted and applied the law). The scribe said "Teacher, I will follow you anywhere". Jesus knew his heart and knew he was saying one thing but was not fully on board with the kind of master-disciple relationship common in those days. A person would check out all the local teachers, choose one, seek them out and then ask to follow them – if accepted he’d commit to them completely. Being a disciple in those days was all-consuming, your life revolved around your teacher. This scribe was not in line with that way of thinking and Jesus knew it. In answer to him Jesus talks of foxes and birds, to make the point that He, the maker of the world, God-in-the-flesh, did not have a pillow of His own. What’s He saying? In effect - You really want to follow; you think it is all going to be all these healings and popularity? Soon enough the crowd’s admiration will turn into cursing and persecutions. If you come with Me you will have no comfort, no place to call home. Jesus did not come to make a comfortable place for Himself – He came so that His sheep might have life and have an eternal home with Him someday in Heaven.
Another would-be disciple came to Jesus and said, "Lord, first let me bury my father." Sounds like he really wants to follow Jesus but he needs to care for his family, but what he is really saying is, "I won’t follow You until my parents die and I get my inheritance". He called Jesus Lord but didn't want to follow Him. He had no intention of following Jesus. To this man Jesus says "follow Me and let the dead bury their own dead". Basically, let the spiritually dead bury the physically dead.
What do we make of these 2 encounters? What was Jesus getting at? He spells out the cost, the rules, and in them we see the evidence of following Jesus & also some deep implications for our lives.
1st, the cost of following Jesus is your life. Jesus consistently made it clear that it costs everything to follow – pearl of great price, buying the field, denying self. It makes perfect sense since it cost Jesus His life for you to be able to follow. Jesus is warning the over-eager of the commitment He requires of His people & challenging those who make Him too low a priority to get their priorities straight. Both men let other things get in the way. John Piper "When humans forsake their Maker and love other things more, they become like the things they love---small, insignificant, weightless, inconsequential, and God-diminishing." C.S. Lewis said "the almost impossible thing, is to hand over your whole self -all your wishes and precautions- to Christ...until you have given up your self to Him you will not have a real self."
2nd, the rules of following Jesus are you don’t stipulate the terms. God calls the shots, He stipulates the terms. Many today downplay the gospel message and offer what Bonhoeffer called "cheap grace". Down-playing the gospel message, trying to make it look less demanding or not demanding at all – puts us in danger of being guilty of twisting God’s Word & deceiving those we are to witness to. Jesus said things like “I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves”; “you will be hated by all on account of My name”; “they will make you outcasts”. Paul said “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” 2 Tim 3:12.
Not following looks free and leads to slavery and death; following is hard and leads to life because it is based on grace and it rests on God not us. The Gospel of the grace of God in Christ is where Jesus, for God's glory and our good, substituted Himself for us, taking our sin and suffering our shame, so that we might live while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly Rom. 5:6; calls us to act now. Now is the day of salvation. We sign on His terms. They are simple, they cover everything: He leads, we follow & trust without reservation. He speaks, we listen & obey without question. He expects us to count the cost of following and not following. Follow Me doesn’t mean causal, maybe, later, someday, if I feel like it- it means get going!
In the early church there were expectations: Acts 2:42, they devoted themselves to teaching, prayer, breaking of bread, fellowship. There were instructions, creeds, they ascribed to a body of beliefs. At Grace Church there are expectations. Every church has them. We expect that you get connected with God in Christ by faith and live as part of God’s family; get in a group and get out and serve. There are no lone rangers, no independent contractor Christians – we are called to community – to identify and link arms together. So if you are a part of Grace and you haven’t yet done so, we'd like you to join the church - it is our way of acknowledging our common commitment and life together). Align yourself with the statement of faith and our mission, vision, values and goals. Get engaged at Grace. Get in a group so you can connect with people and then go and serve the Lord wherever He sends you.
3rd, the evidence of following Jesus is a loving, yielded heart that is willing to do whatever, whenever, wherever, and however Jesus chooses. Yielded. Put no confidence in the flesh; a true sense of our own weakness; God’s grace and not our ability. It didn’t happen for the 2 men who came to Jesus. It doesn’t happen for many who call themselves Christians. George Barna has found that only 9% of born-again believers have a Biblical worldview. John Piper said "Wimpy worldviews make wimpy Christians. And wimpy Christians won't survive the days ahead... Those who will be left standing are those who have built their houses on the rock of great, objective truth with Jesus Christ as the origin, center, and goal of it all." John Stott said "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". Jesus allowed Himself to be the scapegoat so we could go free.
Jesus is our Truly Faithful Leader. Everything about Him is remarkable. There is so much love in Christ’s words to us. It is the same love that sent Him to the cross. CJ Mahaney said, “God’s love is revealed on the cross, crushing His Son with our sin and His righteous wrath against us, revealing His love for sinners like us.” Jesus loves us, works with us – challenges us strongly, lovingly, upholding the dignity of people made in His image to reflect His glory. So that we would do what God wants and please Him. If you believe make sure you believe what the Bible teaches. Be sure you know the Gospel story – for your own sake and the sake of those whom you are called to reach. If you don’t believe come to faith in Christ, you are in danger of dying in your sins. He wants you to follow, He will enable it. Grace draws us, His love is like a magnet, God takes us who were polar-opposites to Him, diametrically opposed, and makes us His friends by grace through faith.
Soli Deo Gloria
What is clear in this text is that following Jesus is no casual matter – it is something of utmost importance that requires our utmost for Christ. Following is something we do because God empowers us to do so – it is only by God’s grace, based solely on His truth, enabled exclusively by & resting completely on the sovereignty and faithfulness of God. And God expects our cooperation.
The 1st man who approached Jesus that day was a scribe (a Bible teacher, an expert, a pro at handling Hebrew documents; not just someone who read and copied, but who taught, interpreted and applied the law). The scribe said "Teacher, I will follow you anywhere". Jesus knew his heart and knew he was saying one thing but was not fully on board with the kind of master-disciple relationship common in those days. A person would check out all the local teachers, choose one, seek them out and then ask to follow them – if accepted he’d commit to them completely. Being a disciple in those days was all-consuming, your life revolved around your teacher. This scribe was not in line with that way of thinking and Jesus knew it. In answer to him Jesus talks of foxes and birds, to make the point that He, the maker of the world, God-in-the-flesh, did not have a pillow of His own. What’s He saying? In effect - You really want to follow; you think it is all going to be all these healings and popularity? Soon enough the crowd’s admiration will turn into cursing and persecutions. If you come with Me you will have no comfort, no place to call home. Jesus did not come to make a comfortable place for Himself – He came so that His sheep might have life and have an eternal home with Him someday in Heaven.
Another would-be disciple came to Jesus and said, "Lord, first let me bury my father." Sounds like he really wants to follow Jesus but he needs to care for his family, but what he is really saying is, "I won’t follow You until my parents die and I get my inheritance". He called Jesus Lord but didn't want to follow Him. He had no intention of following Jesus. To this man Jesus says "follow Me and let the dead bury their own dead". Basically, let the spiritually dead bury the physically dead.
What do we make of these 2 encounters? What was Jesus getting at? He spells out the cost, the rules, and in them we see the evidence of following Jesus & also some deep implications for our lives.
1st, the cost of following Jesus is your life. Jesus consistently made it clear that it costs everything to follow – pearl of great price, buying the field, denying self. It makes perfect sense since it cost Jesus His life for you to be able to follow. Jesus is warning the over-eager of the commitment He requires of His people & challenging those who make Him too low a priority to get their priorities straight. Both men let other things get in the way. John Piper "When humans forsake their Maker and love other things more, they become like the things they love---small, insignificant, weightless, inconsequential, and God-diminishing." C.S. Lewis said "the almost impossible thing, is to hand over your whole self -all your wishes and precautions- to Christ...until you have given up your self to Him you will not have a real self."
2nd, the rules of following Jesus are you don’t stipulate the terms. God calls the shots, He stipulates the terms. Many today downplay the gospel message and offer what Bonhoeffer called "cheap grace". Down-playing the gospel message, trying to make it look less demanding or not demanding at all – puts us in danger of being guilty of twisting God’s Word & deceiving those we are to witness to. Jesus said things like “I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves”; “you will be hated by all on account of My name”; “they will make you outcasts”. Paul said “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” 2 Tim 3:12.
Not following looks free and leads to slavery and death; following is hard and leads to life because it is based on grace and it rests on God not us. The Gospel of the grace of God in Christ is where Jesus, for God's glory and our good, substituted Himself for us, taking our sin and suffering our shame, so that we might live while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly Rom. 5:6; calls us to act now. Now is the day of salvation. We sign on His terms. They are simple, they cover everything: He leads, we follow & trust without reservation. He speaks, we listen & obey without question. He expects us to count the cost of following and not following. Follow Me doesn’t mean causal, maybe, later, someday, if I feel like it- it means get going!
In the early church there were expectations: Acts 2:42, they devoted themselves to teaching, prayer, breaking of bread, fellowship. There were instructions, creeds, they ascribed to a body of beliefs. At Grace Church there are expectations. Every church has them. We expect that you get connected with God in Christ by faith and live as part of God’s family; get in a group and get out and serve. There are no lone rangers, no independent contractor Christians – we are called to community – to identify and link arms together. So if you are a part of Grace and you haven’t yet done so, we'd like you to join the church - it is our way of acknowledging our common commitment and life together). Align yourself with the statement of faith and our mission, vision, values and goals. Get engaged at Grace. Get in a group so you can connect with people and then go and serve the Lord wherever He sends you.
3rd, the evidence of following Jesus is a loving, yielded heart that is willing to do whatever, whenever, wherever, and however Jesus chooses. Yielded. Put no confidence in the flesh; a true sense of our own weakness; God’s grace and not our ability. It didn’t happen for the 2 men who came to Jesus. It doesn’t happen for many who call themselves Christians. George Barna has found that only 9% of born-again believers have a Biblical worldview. John Piper said "Wimpy worldviews make wimpy Christians. And wimpy Christians won't survive the days ahead... Those who will be left standing are those who have built their houses on the rock of great, objective truth with Jesus Christ as the origin, center, and goal of it all." John Stott said "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". Jesus allowed Himself to be the scapegoat so we could go free.
Jesus is our Truly Faithful Leader. Everything about Him is remarkable. There is so much love in Christ’s words to us. It is the same love that sent Him to the cross. CJ Mahaney said, “God’s love is revealed on the cross, crushing His Son with our sin and His righteous wrath against us, revealing His love for sinners like us.” Jesus loves us, works with us – challenges us strongly, lovingly, upholding the dignity of people made in His image to reflect His glory. So that we would do what God wants and please Him. If you believe make sure you believe what the Bible teaches. Be sure you know the Gospel story – for your own sake and the sake of those whom you are called to reach. If you don’t believe come to faith in Christ, you are in danger of dying in your sins. He wants you to follow, He will enable it. Grace draws us, His love is like a magnet, God takes us who were polar-opposites to Him, diametrically opposed, and makes us His friends by grace through faith.
Soli Deo Gloria
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Stem Cells the World Needs
In Matthew 8:18-22, the Holy Spirit has Matthew inject some discipleship teaching into miracle accounts. Why? as Frederick Dale Bruner put it, “To teach that faith in Jesus must be united with obedience. If healings were the only content here the church might get the impression that her main mission is to comfort, console and heal. While the Church of Christ is used by Him to comfort, she is to be more involved in proclaiming truth." We are to be about challenging and discipling. Relationships are the means to that end, not the goal. Therefore, we value loving one another with grace and truth.
Many churches think they exist to comfort – an error that has led to many to reject the Bible in favor of pop psychology and worldly wisdom, making some churches little more than glorified social clubs. The church is to be ‘the pillar and support of the truth’. Healing helps the body, making disciples helps the soul, spirit and body.
Bruner also said: “real disciples are the world’s healthiest reality and evil’s major antibodies. Real Christian people are the stem cells the world most needs.” Salt and light. He is not ignoring the physical, he is doing a teaching miracle, reaching past the body to the spirit and soul.
That idea of believers being the stem cells the world needs has really got me. God uses us to inject life into dead spots it the world. He uses us to make an eternal difference. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.
Many churches think they exist to comfort – an error that has led to many to reject the Bible in favor of pop psychology and worldly wisdom, making some churches little more than glorified social clubs. The church is to be ‘the pillar and support of the truth’. Healing helps the body, making disciples helps the soul, spirit and body.
Bruner also said: “real disciples are the world’s healthiest reality and evil’s major antibodies. Real Christian people are the stem cells the world most needs.” Salt and light. He is not ignoring the physical, he is doing a teaching miracle, reaching past the body to the spirit and soul.
That idea of believers being the stem cells the world needs has really got me. God uses us to inject life into dead spots it the world. He uses us to make an eternal difference. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Jesus as Teacher and Lord
Jesus, in Matthew 8:18-22 was approached by two would-be disciples. One came with a statement of intent to follow not matter what or where. The other came with a request for exemption from following; he didn't want to follow - yet. Both had it wrong. Jesus as Teacher and Lord is in charge; He calls the shots, He makes the rules. He stipulates the terms.
It is striking, almost shocking, what sinful humanity does with Jesus Christ – what they presumptuously try to make Him out to be. Someone who will help you get through the day; a gentle friend who would never tell you what you do not want to hear, never tell you what to do, maybe give a few suggestions but you don’t have to follow them if you don’t want to; just be His friend, His buddy, His pal, anything goes. Pick and choose off the buffet table He sets up for you but don’t ever feel obligated to enter in, do only what is comfortable for you. To hear some talk and preach you'd think you had the right to make Him in your own image.
Some call Him Teacher but don’t want to learn from Him. They don’t want Him to teach them, they want to teach Him what it means to be a Savior. Others call Him Lord but don’t want to bow to Him. No intention of obeying the One they call Master. What will the pot say to the Maker? Jesus says following will cost you your life, you can’t call the plays, you must simply trust and obey. He is the Teacher, we are His students; He is the Lord, the King, we are His subjects. As Tozer once wrote, He didn’t give opinions, He is Truth itself, truth personified. He is truth, He speaks truth. That’s leadership you can follow.
Praise God Jesus won’t let our error go unchecked. Other so-called leaders will say they accept you on your terms but the bait and switch will ruin you. It will actually cost you your life whichever way you choose. Choose to follow Jesus and you will receive life, He becomes your life. You loose nothing but your sin and self-centeredness with Jesus. You gain heaven, you gain fellowship with God. The exchange doesn’t make sense – all our filthy rags for all His riches? Praise God that is what we receive in Christ, all of it undeserved. We deserved hell, we deserved wrath. Jesus took that upon Himself and offers to give us life.
Do you have that life?
It is striking, almost shocking, what sinful humanity does with Jesus Christ – what they presumptuously try to make Him out to be. Someone who will help you get through the day; a gentle friend who would never tell you what you do not want to hear, never tell you what to do, maybe give a few suggestions but you don’t have to follow them if you don’t want to; just be His friend, His buddy, His pal, anything goes. Pick and choose off the buffet table He sets up for you but don’t ever feel obligated to enter in, do only what is comfortable for you. To hear some talk and preach you'd think you had the right to make Him in your own image.
Some call Him Teacher but don’t want to learn from Him. They don’t want Him to teach them, they want to teach Him what it means to be a Savior. Others call Him Lord but don’t want to bow to Him. No intention of obeying the One they call Master. What will the pot say to the Maker? Jesus says following will cost you your life, you can’t call the plays, you must simply trust and obey. He is the Teacher, we are His students; He is the Lord, the King, we are His subjects. As Tozer once wrote, He didn’t give opinions, He is Truth itself, truth personified. He is truth, He speaks truth. That’s leadership you can follow.
Praise God Jesus won’t let our error go unchecked. Other so-called leaders will say they accept you on your terms but the bait and switch will ruin you. It will actually cost you your life whichever way you choose. Choose to follow Jesus and you will receive life, He becomes your life. You loose nothing but your sin and self-centeredness with Jesus. You gain heaven, you gain fellowship with God. The exchange doesn’t make sense – all our filthy rags for all His riches? Praise God that is what we receive in Christ, all of it undeserved. We deserved hell, we deserved wrath. Jesus took that upon Himself and offers to give us life.
Do you have that life?
Friday, March 5, 2010
The All-Sufficiency of Christ
As much as we would like to think we are, we are not self-sufficient. We rely on God for everything, even if we do not acknowledge Him. He is the One we look to to meet our daily needs for food, shelter, companionship and every other sustenance.
2 Cor. 2:16 asks a piercing question "And who is adequate for these things?", in the context of overcoming Satan's schemes to fracture Christian fellowship and witness. The answer lies in 2 Cor. 3:5, where God is pinpointed as the source of adequacy or sufficiency.
In Christ alone our hope is found. We stand only by His grace and in His strength. If you don't believe me, try doing something as simple as breathing without Him.
2 Cor. 2:16 asks a piercing question "And who is adequate for these things?", in the context of overcoming Satan's schemes to fracture Christian fellowship and witness. The answer lies in 2 Cor. 3:5, where God is pinpointed as the source of adequacy or sufficiency.
In Christ alone our hope is found. We stand only by His grace and in His strength. If you don't believe me, try doing something as simple as breathing without Him.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
The Danger of Self-Reliance
People want to make the faith man-centric and make God serve our purposes. It is the other way around. The Gospel is God-centric and we serve His purposes. We serve at His pleasure. We are weak, He is strong. We are inadequate, He is our adequacy. We are insufficient, He is all-sufficient. It is the danger of self-reliance.
Self-reliance lulls us into thinking, quite deceptively, that we are in control. We make it happen, we hold the keys to our destiny. While we are called by God to dependently and decisively take action in the realms in which we operate, we are not to go independent from Him. We are always dependent on Him for everything. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. Jesus said, "apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)
"Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God." (2 Cor. 3:5)
Self-reliance lulls us into thinking, quite deceptively, that we are in control. We make it happen, we hold the keys to our destiny. While we are called by God to dependently and decisively take action in the realms in which we operate, we are not to go independent from Him. We are always dependent on Him for everything. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. Jesus said, "apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)
"Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God." (2 Cor. 3:5)
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Love in Action, Episode 3: “Loving to Serve”
In Matt. 8:14-17 we see Jesus serve Peter’s mother-in-law and she in turn serving Jesus as He heals her and many others. Take a look at the Facts:
Jesus served Peter’s Mother-in-law. She was sick, lying in bed with a fever. Fever in those days was considered a disease, not a symptom. Most likely Peter’s MIL was suffering from Malaria. (there were tons of mosquitoes where the Jordan River connected to the Sea of Galilee and Malaria was very prevalent in Capernaum). Jesus had just come from the synagogue to Peter’s house (Mk. 1:29-34; Lk. 4:38-41). Peter was married (1 Cor. 9:5) and had moved with his brother Andrew from their home in Bethsaida (John 1:44) to Capernaum, possibly to remain near to Jesus (Matt. 4:13). It is possible that Simon and Andrew took over their parent’s home, and lived there with their extended families. Simon’s father-in-law had probably passed away, and he and his wife took care of her mother in their home. In those days adult children were expected to care for their aging parents. Mark tells us that Peter, Andrew, James and John were with Jesus, and when they got to the house they told Him about her. Jesus went into the room where she was and touched her hand & He healed her. Luke 4:39 says Jesus rebuked the fever. Her healing was effective and immediate. Jesus’ power and authority transcends things like sickness and legalistic culturally-imposed norms. He was giving evidence of His deity, that He was the Messiah/the Deliverer – showing His power and authority. Jesus makes some of the benefits He would provide available in advance of the Cross. There is healing in the Atonement, there is promise of a resurrection body some day, which we will inherit when Christ returns. The Cross is the basis for all the benefits we receive. But why are some healed and some not? While God heals now, and chooses many ways to do so, the greater application is for later. John MacArthur said: ‘Disease and death cannot permanently be removed until sin is permanently removed, and Jesus’ supreme work, therefore, was to conquer sin. In the atonement He dealt with sin, death and sickness; and yet all three of those are still with us’. Whoever trusts in the work of Christ is immediately delivered from the penalty of sin & will one day be delivered from the power and presence of sin & its consequences.
As soon as she was healed Peter’s Mother-in-law served Jesus. She waited on Him (Greek diakoneo, to serve, wait upon, minister, emphasis is on the work being done to benefit others). He had most likely saved her life & with gratefulness she served Him, not to pay Him back, she could never do that, but out of love she simply served. Her one desire was to use her new found health to be of use and service to Him and others.
This story shows us two things that apply to us in understanding who Jesus is as well as our relationship to God and our response to Him.
Jesus is the Servant who saves and as such He deserves and desires our careful attention. Matthew 8:17 says what Jesus did in healing was to fulfill Is. 53:4, where the Servant, who performs God’s call, engages sickness and disease on behalf of the people. It is generally understood that when the NT quotes a brief OT passage it often refers to the entire context of the quote. So we must take into account the thrust of the entire Servant song and look for a deeper connection. At 1st glance it looks like Matthew is referring to bodily healing not His death but Is. 53 is important to New Testament writers to show the significance of Jesus’ death. The verbs took up and carried in Is. 53:4 show the idea of substitution, referring to the Servant taking the diseases of others upon Himself through His suffering and death for their sin. The way He bears the sickness of others is through His suffering and death on their behalf. In using the words took up and carried, Matthew is also making a connection between Jesus’ healing ministry and the Cross. Our standing in Christ hinges on Christ taking our sin upon Himself. In essence Jesus’ healing ministry is itself a function of His death in our place, by which He lays the foundation for ultimately destroying sickness. In the Kingdom of God one day, where there will be no more death and sickness, made possible by the shed blood of Christ. The healings He did were not only a foretaste of His kingdom but a fruit of His coming death. For Matthew, healing miracles pointed to the Cross. The miracles highlighted Jesus’ authority. He never used it for His own benefit, but only for the benefit of others and the glory of God. When He gave His life as a ransom for many, it was an extension of that same authority directed to the good of others. Jesus is the Servant who saves; He went to the Cross for His glory and our good.
Believers are Christ’s servants. Peter’s mother-in-law was served by Jesus then got up and served Him, the imperfect tense (diaknei) portraying the ongoing nature of her service. William Barclay said: ‘Peter’s wife’s mother used the gift of her health restored to serve Jesus and to serve others. That is the way in which we should use every gift of God’. Healing and restoration lead to a grateful response in service. In a similar way, Jesus has saved the life of every one of us who believe. And we can never pay Him back, nor are we to try, but oh what loving service His gift of salvation generates in us. Darrell Bock said: Service is what naturally follows God’s grace. God’s grace motivates us to serve Him. Some people serve to be loved, others love to be served, others love to serve. The 1st do it for approval and security, the 2nd to gain comfort and feelings of superiority; the 3rd serve simply because they have been loved. I jump back and forth among the 3 groups, or develop a hybrid of my own. Why I do what I do, is so important because it reveals the condition of my heart before God and others. Matt. 20:28 Jesus came not to be served but to serve and give His life a ransom for many. In order for us to truly love to serve it needs to be rooted in the grace of God in Christ; as He serves us, we in turn serve Him. It must be rooted in the self-sacrificing substitution that Christ entered into on the cross – where He loved us so much He went to the cross. How can you know if your serving flows from God’s grace in your life? You will know by the extent to which you are willing to be inconvenienced, misunderstood or hurt for the sake of others; to the extent that you are willing to give up your reputation for kindness, your 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. As Tim Keller wrote: All life-changing love toward people with serious needs is a substitutional sacrifice. That is the heart of the true gospel story. Substitution. Christ's life for ours…because of His love. We can serve because of what we will get out of it, such as a free day at a theme park if you volunteer; or a paycheck if you are an employee – we can do it to gain security or approval or acceptance of a subculture, be it our family, the church or a community organization that expects it. But we are called to so much more: To do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but in humility of mind think of others as more important than ourselves. We are called to serve God’s purposes. We will be blessed as we do but all the glory goes to God. He is the One who frees people from the effects of sin.
Everybody who has been changed by Jesus has a story to tell of being freed: Peter’s mother-in-law healed of a fatal disease, a leper given his life back, a servant able to walk again, the once-demon-possessed freed and in their right minds; and more…of marriages put back together, of scars healed, of pain relieved, a heart replaced, of sin forgiven, of guilt removed, of hope restored, life reborn. I’ve got one and so have you if you know Him; how Jesus rescued us from the brink of hell, and in love gave us life. In love the Son became our suffering Servant so we could single-mindedly serve Him. Right this moment, Jesus is loving you; so that you might love to serve Him. If you know Him, you will find avenues to serve Him at home, in the church and out in the community. If you don’t know Him I appeal to you right now to be reconciled to God.
Soli Deo Gloria
Jesus served Peter’s Mother-in-law. She was sick, lying in bed with a fever. Fever in those days was considered a disease, not a symptom. Most likely Peter’s MIL was suffering from Malaria. (there were tons of mosquitoes where the Jordan River connected to the Sea of Galilee and Malaria was very prevalent in Capernaum). Jesus had just come from the synagogue to Peter’s house (Mk. 1:29-34; Lk. 4:38-41). Peter was married (1 Cor. 9:5) and had moved with his brother Andrew from their home in Bethsaida (John 1:44) to Capernaum, possibly to remain near to Jesus (Matt. 4:13). It is possible that Simon and Andrew took over their parent’s home, and lived there with their extended families. Simon’s father-in-law had probably passed away, and he and his wife took care of her mother in their home. In those days adult children were expected to care for their aging parents. Mark tells us that Peter, Andrew, James and John were with Jesus, and when they got to the house they told Him about her. Jesus went into the room where she was and touched her hand & He healed her. Luke 4:39 says Jesus rebuked the fever. Her healing was effective and immediate. Jesus’ power and authority transcends things like sickness and legalistic culturally-imposed norms. He was giving evidence of His deity, that He was the Messiah/the Deliverer – showing His power and authority. Jesus makes some of the benefits He would provide available in advance of the Cross. There is healing in the Atonement, there is promise of a resurrection body some day, which we will inherit when Christ returns. The Cross is the basis for all the benefits we receive. But why are some healed and some not? While God heals now, and chooses many ways to do so, the greater application is for later. John MacArthur said: ‘Disease and death cannot permanently be removed until sin is permanently removed, and Jesus’ supreme work, therefore, was to conquer sin. In the atonement He dealt with sin, death and sickness; and yet all three of those are still with us’. Whoever trusts in the work of Christ is immediately delivered from the penalty of sin & will one day be delivered from the power and presence of sin & its consequences.
As soon as she was healed Peter’s Mother-in-law served Jesus. She waited on Him (Greek diakoneo, to serve, wait upon, minister, emphasis is on the work being done to benefit others). He had most likely saved her life & with gratefulness she served Him, not to pay Him back, she could never do that, but out of love she simply served. Her one desire was to use her new found health to be of use and service to Him and others.
This story shows us two things that apply to us in understanding who Jesus is as well as our relationship to God and our response to Him.
Jesus is the Servant who saves and as such He deserves and desires our careful attention. Matthew 8:17 says what Jesus did in healing was to fulfill Is. 53:4, where the Servant, who performs God’s call, engages sickness and disease on behalf of the people. It is generally understood that when the NT quotes a brief OT passage it often refers to the entire context of the quote. So we must take into account the thrust of the entire Servant song and look for a deeper connection. At 1st glance it looks like Matthew is referring to bodily healing not His death but Is. 53 is important to New Testament writers to show the significance of Jesus’ death. The verbs took up and carried in Is. 53:4 show the idea of substitution, referring to the Servant taking the diseases of others upon Himself through His suffering and death for their sin. The way He bears the sickness of others is through His suffering and death on their behalf. In using the words took up and carried, Matthew is also making a connection between Jesus’ healing ministry and the Cross. Our standing in Christ hinges on Christ taking our sin upon Himself. In essence Jesus’ healing ministry is itself a function of His death in our place, by which He lays the foundation for ultimately destroying sickness. In the Kingdom of God one day, where there will be no more death and sickness, made possible by the shed blood of Christ. The healings He did were not only a foretaste of His kingdom but a fruit of His coming death. For Matthew, healing miracles pointed to the Cross. The miracles highlighted Jesus’ authority. He never used it for His own benefit, but only for the benefit of others and the glory of God. When He gave His life as a ransom for many, it was an extension of that same authority directed to the good of others. Jesus is the Servant who saves; He went to the Cross for His glory and our good.
Believers are Christ’s servants. Peter’s mother-in-law was served by Jesus then got up and served Him, the imperfect tense (diaknei) portraying the ongoing nature of her service. William Barclay said: ‘Peter’s wife’s mother used the gift of her health restored to serve Jesus and to serve others. That is the way in which we should use every gift of God’. Healing and restoration lead to a grateful response in service. In a similar way, Jesus has saved the life of every one of us who believe. And we can never pay Him back, nor are we to try, but oh what loving service His gift of salvation generates in us. Darrell Bock said: Service is what naturally follows God’s grace. God’s grace motivates us to serve Him. Some people serve to be loved, others love to be served, others love to serve. The 1st do it for approval and security, the 2nd to gain comfort and feelings of superiority; the 3rd serve simply because they have been loved. I jump back and forth among the 3 groups, or develop a hybrid of my own. Why I do what I do, is so important because it reveals the condition of my heart before God and others. Matt. 20:28 Jesus came not to be served but to serve and give His life a ransom for many. In order for us to truly love to serve it needs to be rooted in the grace of God in Christ; as He serves us, we in turn serve Him. It must be rooted in the self-sacrificing substitution that Christ entered into on the cross – where He loved us so much He went to the cross. How can you know if your serving flows from God’s grace in your life? You will know by the extent to which you are willing to be inconvenienced, misunderstood or hurt for the sake of others; to the extent that you are willing to give up your reputation for kindness, your 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. As Tim Keller wrote: All life-changing love toward people with serious needs is a substitutional sacrifice. That is the heart of the true gospel story. Substitution. Christ's life for ours…because of His love. We can serve because of what we will get out of it, such as a free day at a theme park if you volunteer; or a paycheck if you are an employee – we can do it to gain security or approval or acceptance of a subculture, be it our family, the church or a community organization that expects it. But we are called to so much more: To do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but in humility of mind think of others as more important than ourselves. We are called to serve God’s purposes. We will be blessed as we do but all the glory goes to God. He is the One who frees people from the effects of sin.
Everybody who has been changed by Jesus has a story to tell of being freed: Peter’s mother-in-law healed of a fatal disease, a leper given his life back, a servant able to walk again, the once-demon-possessed freed and in their right minds; and more…of marriages put back together, of scars healed, of pain relieved, a heart replaced, of sin forgiven, of guilt removed, of hope restored, life reborn. I’ve got one and so have you if you know Him; how Jesus rescued us from the brink of hell, and in love gave us life. In love the Son became our suffering Servant so we could single-mindedly serve Him. Right this moment, Jesus is loving you; so that you might love to serve Him. If you know Him, you will find avenues to serve Him at home, in the church and out in the community. If you don’t know Him I appeal to you right now to be reconciled to God.
Soli Deo Gloria
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