We all need rest. Matt. 11:28-30 is an invitation to come to Jesus and experience rest. We see Jesus as the Giving Lord. He wants His children to come to Him and learn from Him so that they would live with Him forever. In these verses we see 5 interrelated truths.
1st truth, There is A Precise Call...Come to Me. What does Jesus mean when He says come to Me? There is a tie-in with John 6:35-40 that helps explain it: come and believe point to the same thing, as do hunger and thirst. To come to Jesus means to believe in Him. The call is to come to Jesus. Salvation is not through a church, a ritual, a creed, a pastor, a priest, or any human means, but only through Jesus Christ. This is an invitation to believe in Jesus.
2nd truth, There is A Pre-existing Condition...weary & heavy laden. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden. Weary means to work until you're totally exhausted spiritually, trying to please God and earn eternal life by your own effort. Heavy-laden points to some time in the past when a big burden was put on you. Weary is the internal exhaustion that comes from trying to work your way to God through human wisdom and understanding; heavy-laden is to be weighed down with the external burden of trying to gain righteousness by works. Echoes of the first beatitude 5:3 poor in spirit. Weary from your own sin, and weighed down with other's expectations. The invitation to come to Jesus is given to all who hear in such a way that the only ones who will respond to the invitation are those who are burdened by their own spiritual bankruptcy and the weight of trying to save themselves. Peter said in Acts 10:43, “To Him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”
3rd truth, There is A Promised Certainty...I will give you rest.
Jesus promises to give something to those who come to Him. He says “I will give you rest.” We need to know what that rest is. The word Rest means to calm, comfort & refresh. Reflects the O.T. concept of rest as release from the pressures & tensions of life & the peace that follows. Relief. The rest He gives is eternal life. Heb. 4:9-10, refers to a Sabbath rest for the people of God, who cease from working for eternal life and rest in Christ's finished work on the cross. Peace with God flows from it (Rom. 5:1). Jesus promises to give believers eternal life, true rest.
4th truth, There is A Prescribed Commitment...take My yoke and learn. A yoke is a handmade wooden frame used to join 2 animals together so that they work together. It is used in 11:29 as metaphor to describe a person being subject to another. Yoke stood for submission to an occupation or obligation. For Jews a yoke was a common way to refer to the law. Acts 15:10 speaks of a yoke of legalism. Gal. 5:1 says don't be subject again to a toke of slavery, living under the humanly impossible rules and regulations of the law. Jesus' yoke is commitment to Him. Receiving and accepting His authoritative interpretation of God's truth. To learn from Jesus is to receive His revelation of what the law truly intended, Matt. 5:17-48. Being yoked to Christ means to rely on Him, give Him your burdens, accept the necessity of walking closely with Him. Learn of me. The rabbis used yoke for school. Taking Jesus’ yoke means you are signing up for His school. Learn means grow in Christ. 1st you come to Jesus/believe by faith, then you learn of Him/grow in Christ, grow as a Christian. You will know the truth that brings freedom in Christ now, and eternal freedom forever. We find Christ's rest as we grow in Christ, which happens, as 1 Pet. 2:2 says, as we long for the pure milk of the word, that by it we may grow with respect to salvation. Jesus is not offering the yoke of religus obligation, & neither is He offering freedom from all constraints. Jesus' yoke is a yoke of discipleship to Him. Jesus is gentle and humble in heart and gives rest to all who submit themselves to Him.
5th truth, There is A Perfect Confidence...you will find rest for your souls. You will find rest from the endless, fruitless effort to save yourself by works; permanent rest in the grace of God apart from works. Christ’s yoke is not easy in the way we use the word. It does not mean without effort, simple or something that requires no investment. It means good. Christ’s rest is given and found. It is given in forgiveness; it is found under His yoke and burden; as we learn of Him, aka grow in Christ. Jesus is referring to Jer. 6:16–20 which connects the blessing to a right covenant relationship with God. It says, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it [comparable to Jesus’ “light burden”], and you will find rest for your souls [Jesus’ covenant promise]. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it’ … Hear, O earth, I am bringing disaster on this people”. In Jer. 6, Jerusalem was experiencing disaster as a result of disobedience. History was about to repeat itself. They needed to turn to God. So do we.
If you are not yet a believer you need to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved (Acts 16:31). Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross, shedding His blood for sin, paid the debt of sin for all who will believe. Come to Jesus and find rest for your soul. Believe to the point of submitting yourself to His Lordship. Believe it and live.
If you are a believer maybe you have gotten stagnated, your growth has been stunted, from lack of hearing the Word or maybe you have become spiritually fat and lazy. You hear the Word often but are not a doer of the Word. You deceive yourself.
This is a sacred moment, right now, as you read these words. You can have true rest in Christ. If you already have it it is good to be reminded. If you don't have it, you need it. You need to settle where you stand with Jesus. I suggest you read Rom. 10:9-11 and do what it says.
Soli Deo Gloria
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Freedom to Obey God's Word
Like the Pharisees of old, there are evil men and imposters, who deceive and are deceived. I watched a program the other day that encouraged me & made my stomach turn. The show, A Christmas for Everyone, featured a Christian pastor, a Jewish Rabbi and a Muslim Imam. My soul was edified because God's Word was read and Bible-based Christmas songs were sung. My stomach turned because the pastor twisted, mangled and revised the gospel, and the identity & mission of Jesus. To hear the people read God’s Word and sing was awesome. To hear him speak proved he did not believe what others read and sang. The Word of God was read, great Christmas songs were sung, then he explained it away as something almost secular, no mention of sin, judgment and Christ's substitutionary atonement at the cross. The pastor portrayed Jesus as part-biblical, part-political, part-self-help guru. Nothing like the portrait of Christ you see in Matt. 11. Not the Jesus of the Bible; he had as Gal. 1:6-9 says, a different gospel, a different Jesus. He quoted the 1st part of John 3:16, for God so loved the world...then made something up for the rest of the verse that fit his agenda. Nothing about how God sent His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish, but have eternal life. God's Word changes people, but many people try to change God's Word. 1 Thess. 2:13 says it does its work in those who believe. Jesus sets us free to serve Him, but He does not give irresponsible freedom, He gives freedom under His grace. we do not have freedom to twist Scripture. We have freedom obey it, as the Holy Spirit gives us understanding.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Giving is Godly
I am sitting here in my living room thinking about Christmas. Not an odd thing to do on Christmas Eve, right? It is what we are supposed to do, expected to do. Yet, on a day where the house has been full of family and relatives, at this moment when one part of the family is delivering some gifts to friends and my two youngest daughters are busy making cookies in the kitchen, I find myself in a beautiful moment of quiet reflection.
I am sitting next to a Christmas tree with a few gifts underneath. We, like most families, have downsized our gift-giving the past several years. I think it is better that way. But I am thinking about why we give gifts at Christmas. Several reasons could pass the test: the most popular is because the wise men gave gifts to Jesus. It could also be to show our love for others; to bless those who are in need; to be a blessing to others; to give to the Lord in worship while we give to others; and the capstone, to mirror the glory of God in giving us a Savior, Christ the Lord.
Some celebrate Christmas by perpetuating far-fetched myths about where gifts come from. I won't name names. I do want to take you back to a historical figure that lived in the 4th century. There are many legends surrounding Saint Nicholas, aka Nikolaos of Myra, a 4th-century Greek Christian who became the Bishop of Myra (part of modern-day Turkey). Supposedly, he was hard-nosed when it came to the gospel and tender-hearted when it came to people in need. The story goes that he was thrown in jail as Christians were being persecuted under Diocletian and Maximian. When Constantine became emperor, he was released and returned to preaching only to find a new threat: Arianism. According to one biographer (writing five centuries after Nicholas's death), "Thanks to the teaching of St. Nicholas, the metropolis of Myra alone was untouched by the filth of the Arian heresy, which it firmly rejected as a death-dealing poison." Other biographers claim Nicholas attacked the heresy of Arius (who denied the full deity of Christ) in person by traveling to the Council of Nicea and slapping Arius in the face! That story, is probably just a fable, because there are pretty good records of the council of Nicea and Nicholas isn't mentioned.
Whatever the case, standing for the truth is good. I have also heard that as a pastor he would seek to meet the needs of the people in any way he could, at times sewing blankets for them and giving them whatever he had. Even if these things are legends is is good for us to stand for truth and meet the needs of others for the sake of Christ. It reminds me of Paul's letter to Titus, where he writes "for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior." He encourages Titus to "teach what accords with sound doctrine" (2:1), and to let "those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works." (3:8) He tells him to "let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful" (3:14).
So maybe the best reason to give gifts at Christmas is to worship God as we meet the needs of those in need. If so, as we follow these verses in Titus it ought to transform our giving and our lives. Maybe most importantly we give gifts because we who have received God's grace in Christ, namely Christ Himself (John 1:12), have the most reason to be thankful and generous. Our giving can become a part of our "confession of the gospel of Christ"(2 Cor. 9:13). That beats giving simply because it is expected. That kind of giving is what lead others to say "Thanks be to God for His inexpressible (indescribable) gift!" (2 Cor. 915). Our love for Christ inspires our giving to others. This can change and rearrange both how and what we give and our expectation of receiving. We have received the ultimate gift from God in Christ. We then give out of the overflow of hearts grateful to be forgiven and alive.
Most importantly, Jesus promises to give something to those who come to Him. John 3:16 tells us that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but should have eternal life." God gave. In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest." Jesus promises to give us something. Then it is of utmost importance to know what it means to come to Him and what the rest is that He give. I believe there is a tie-in to John 3:16 here. To come to Jesus means to believe in Him. The rest He gives is eternal life. He gives eternal life, referred to in Hebrews 4:9-10, as a "sabbath rest for the people of God."
When we give we are like God. It is Christ-like to give what is good to others.
I am sitting next to a Christmas tree with a few gifts underneath. We, like most families, have downsized our gift-giving the past several years. I think it is better that way. But I am thinking about why we give gifts at Christmas. Several reasons could pass the test: the most popular is because the wise men gave gifts to Jesus. It could also be to show our love for others; to bless those who are in need; to be a blessing to others; to give to the Lord in worship while we give to others; and the capstone, to mirror the glory of God in giving us a Savior, Christ the Lord.
Some celebrate Christmas by perpetuating far-fetched myths about where gifts come from. I won't name names. I do want to take you back to a historical figure that lived in the 4th century. There are many legends surrounding Saint Nicholas, aka Nikolaos of Myra, a 4th-century Greek Christian who became the Bishop of Myra (part of modern-day Turkey). Supposedly, he was hard-nosed when it came to the gospel and tender-hearted when it came to people in need. The story goes that he was thrown in jail as Christians were being persecuted under Diocletian and Maximian. When Constantine became emperor, he was released and returned to preaching only to find a new threat: Arianism. According to one biographer (writing five centuries after Nicholas's death), "Thanks to the teaching of St. Nicholas, the metropolis of Myra alone was untouched by the filth of the Arian heresy, which it firmly rejected as a death-dealing poison." Other biographers claim Nicholas attacked the heresy of Arius (who denied the full deity of Christ) in person by traveling to the Council of Nicea and slapping Arius in the face! That story, is probably just a fable, because there are pretty good records of the council of Nicea and Nicholas isn't mentioned.
Whatever the case, standing for the truth is good. I have also heard that as a pastor he would seek to meet the needs of the people in any way he could, at times sewing blankets for them and giving them whatever he had. Even if these things are legends is is good for us to stand for truth and meet the needs of others for the sake of Christ. It reminds me of Paul's letter to Titus, where he writes "for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior." He encourages Titus to "teach what accords with sound doctrine" (2:1), and to let "those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works." (3:8) He tells him to "let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful" (3:14).
So maybe the best reason to give gifts at Christmas is to worship God as we meet the needs of those in need. If so, as we follow these verses in Titus it ought to transform our giving and our lives. Maybe most importantly we give gifts because we who have received God's grace in Christ, namely Christ Himself (John 1:12), have the most reason to be thankful and generous. Our giving can become a part of our "confession of the gospel of Christ"(2 Cor. 9:13). That beats giving simply because it is expected. That kind of giving is what lead others to say "Thanks be to God for His inexpressible (indescribable) gift!" (2 Cor. 915). Our love for Christ inspires our giving to others. This can change and rearrange both how and what we give and our expectation of receiving. We have received the ultimate gift from God in Christ. We then give out of the overflow of hearts grateful to be forgiven and alive.
Most importantly, Jesus promises to give something to those who come to Him. John 3:16 tells us that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but should have eternal life." God gave. In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest." Jesus promises to give us something. Then it is of utmost importance to know what it means to come to Him and what the rest is that He give. I believe there is a tie-in to John 3:16 here. To come to Jesus means to believe in Him. The rest He gives is eternal life. He gives eternal life, referred to in Hebrews 4:9-10, as a "sabbath rest for the people of God."
When we give we are like God. It is Christ-like to give what is good to others.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Come to Jesus
In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus issues a gospel invitation. "Come to Me" He says. He isn't inviting people to a religion, or an organization, but to a relationship with Himself. It goes out to "all who are weary and heavy-laden". This does not mean those are simply worn out and need a brief rest so they can get back to their striving. It means that those who are worn out by sin's demands would run to Him for eternal comfort. This is not a quick fix, it is a life change. It is not for those who feel no need, but those who deeply know they are bankrupt. This is for the blessed "poor in spirit". This is for those who like Paul, consider themselves "chief among sinners" because they have gotten a horrifying look at the depths of their depravity. They know their need and now they recognize the only cure. They know that all attempts to be their own savior and lord have miserably failed. So they go to the One who promises to never cast out the one who comes to Him in faith, repentance and obedience.
If that is you today you are in a good place. "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved" Acts 16:31. Call upon His name, the Name which is above every name. Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross, shedding His blood for sin, paid the debt of sin for all who will believe. Come to Jesus and find rest for your soul.
If that is you today you are in a good place. "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved" Acts 16:31. Call upon His name, the Name which is above every name. Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross, shedding His blood for sin, paid the debt of sin for all who will believe. Come to Jesus and find rest for your soul.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Jesus, the Revealing Lord
In Matt. 11:25-27, we see Jesus is the Revealing Savior, the One who reveals God to the world.
Verse 25 is a prayer of praise to the Father. The intimacy of Jesus' relationship with God is revealed as He calls Him Father, 6:9. Lord of heaven and earth is a title of sovereignty that brings comfort and security. Father rpeps us for Son in v. 27. Lord of H&E preps us for a discussion of God’s sovereignty in vv. 25-26. God is merciful. His revelation of saving truths to mankind is our only hope of being saved. The wise & intelligent think they are, yet stubbornly refuse to repent & learn from Jesus, 13:10-16. Little children are those who innocently receive Jesus' revelation of the Father. People will reject Him, but there is another side of the story; a brighter side of the picture that brings joy not gloom; souls that hunger & thirst for salvation will find it in Christ. God has hidden the knowledge of these things, salvation truths, the gospel of the grace of God in Christ, from the prideful & arrogant, who failed to see spiritual reality. The babes come to Jesus with humility and the faith of a child 18:1-4; 19:13-15. Humility is needed for receiving God’s revelation. 1 Cor. 1:21, 27-29 wisdom apart from God is foolishness. We are to be wise and intelligent but not in the worldly sense of human experience and ideas. God chooses the weak and foolish things to frustrate the arrogant and boastful. Those who have the humility to admit their spiritual helplessness receive revelation from God of saving truths, 1 Pet. 5:5, God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Verse 26 shows it is the Father's sovereign prerogative to do as He pleases with those He has made. He owes nothing to anyone and chooses according to His good pleasure alone. He character is perfectly consistent and in harmony...His love, mercy, grace, justice and kindness perfectly fit together. God's revealing and hiding are based on what is good to Him from His perspective, a holy sinless one vs. human perspective, unholy and sinful. God does not need to explain or justify Himslef to mankind concerning His redeeming plan and sovereign work, Rom. 9:20. This concealing and revealing is not an act of injustice, as it would be if we did it, but an act of judgment. The truth is, all are sinful and guilty before God, and He is not obligated to reveal anything to anyone.
Verse 27 shows that one cannot come to God without accepting Christ, 1 John 2:23. Know is epiginosko, which means more than know, involves the most intimate and fullest acquaintance. It is not merely knowing facts about someone, it is firsthand experiential knowledge. Like marriage is meant to be. The Father, by doing what was well-pleasing in His sight, had withheld or revealed the truth about Jesus. Jesus had been given the same authority to reveal the Father to whomever He willed. Such a claim of power & authority was shocking to His hearers. The Father and Son have a mutual, intimate relationship. This led the Jews to accuse Jesus of blasphemy, for making Himself equal to God. They knew He was saying it, and they wouldn't believe it. All things being handed over to Jesus include the power and prerogative to reveal the Father to whomever He wills. Gives greater meaning to Jesus' statement in John 14:6 no one comes to the Father, except through Me. 11:27 Jesus is claiming equality with the Father. These vv. Put a huge emphasis on who Jesus is and what He can do in terms of authority.
Matt. 11:25-27 is all about how Jesus wants us to humbly admit our need for Him so that we would come to know Him. Jesus wants us to know the greatness of the Father is revealed exclusively in the Son so that we would trust in Christ for salvation and not the wisdom of man. I want to point out two important truths that these verses reveal and how we see it played out in the Christmas story and in our lives.
I. God reveals Himself to the humble & hides Himself from the arrogant. 11:25-27 There is a promise here for all who believe. He gives to us. Those who will admit their need of Jesus get it, they understand, those who don't do not. You see it in the Christmas story. To the humble ones...the prophets and people before the time of Christ...entering into the pre-Christmas anticipation. Is. 7:14, 9:4. To Joseph and Mary. Matt. 1:18-25. To shepherds. Luke 1-2. Simeon and Anna. To wise men. Luke a bit more time delayed than most nativity scenes show. From the proud...Herod. Luke. To the world. Luke 2:14. God with us. God incarnate. Savior. Lord. God is sovereign. He came up with the plan. He set it in motion. He arranged the details. He carried it out. You see it in daily life. He reveals Himself through His Word. He assures believers of His presence. He gives general revelation to all, including an inner awareness of His presence, Rom. 1. He has given specific revelation, through the prophets up to John the Baptist He openly proclaimed the coming Messiah. But He only reveals gospel truth to those who admit their need, while hiding it from those who sense no need for His truth. 2 Cor. 4:3-4 the gospel is hidden to the perishing.
II. The humble receive Christ, the arrogant reject Him. We respond to Him. Some come to know Him, others do not. You see it in the Christmas story. God revealed Himself to Joseph and Mary. Mary said be it done to me as you have said. Joseph took Mary to be his wife. Matt. 1:18-25. Shepherds listened to the angels. Luke 2:8-20. Wise men followed the star. Matt. 2:1-12. Herod tried to destroy Jesus, killed many innocent children. Saw only a threat when he should have seen a blessing. You see it in daily life, in all times and places and where we live. 11:20-24 pictured man responding to a holy God. 11:25-27 pictures the electing grace of God. We need to acknowledge both, both are taught in Scripture, believers agree they freely chose to follow Jesus, and also agree that God has chosen and drawn them to Himself. The language of 11:25-27 hidden, revealed, your good pleasure, chooses points to God’s sovereignty. The language of 11:20-24 points to human responsibility, where people are judged for rejecting Jesus. As does 11:28-30 where Jesus offers salvation to those who will respond favorably. God is sovereign in salvation. It is a sovereign act of God. Man is accountable to God for his response to Him. We are called to preach the gospel to all people. Matt. 28:18-20. Calling people to repentance and faith so that they might believe and be saved. Share the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit trusting God with the results. What a person needs to know to come to faith in Christ is God loves them so much He sent His Son to die in their place, Christ shed His blood on the cross to pay the penalty for their sin, He was buried and rose from the dead, securing forgiveness and new life for all who believe.
Jesus reveals Himself to those who admit their need for Him, so that they would come to know Him.
Soli Deo Gloria
Verse 25 is a prayer of praise to the Father. The intimacy of Jesus' relationship with God is revealed as He calls Him Father, 6:9. Lord of heaven and earth is a title of sovereignty that brings comfort and security. Father rpeps us for Son in v. 27. Lord of H&E preps us for a discussion of God’s sovereignty in vv. 25-26. God is merciful. His revelation of saving truths to mankind is our only hope of being saved. The wise & intelligent think they are, yet stubbornly refuse to repent & learn from Jesus, 13:10-16. Little children are those who innocently receive Jesus' revelation of the Father. People will reject Him, but there is another side of the story; a brighter side of the picture that brings joy not gloom; souls that hunger & thirst for salvation will find it in Christ. God has hidden the knowledge of these things, salvation truths, the gospel of the grace of God in Christ, from the prideful & arrogant, who failed to see spiritual reality. The babes come to Jesus with humility and the faith of a child 18:1-4; 19:13-15. Humility is needed for receiving God’s revelation. 1 Cor. 1:21, 27-29 wisdom apart from God is foolishness. We are to be wise and intelligent but not in the worldly sense of human experience and ideas. God chooses the weak and foolish things to frustrate the arrogant and boastful. Those who have the humility to admit their spiritual helplessness receive revelation from God of saving truths, 1 Pet. 5:5, God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Verse 26 shows it is the Father's sovereign prerogative to do as He pleases with those He has made. He owes nothing to anyone and chooses according to His good pleasure alone. He character is perfectly consistent and in harmony...His love, mercy, grace, justice and kindness perfectly fit together. God's revealing and hiding are based on what is good to Him from His perspective, a holy sinless one vs. human perspective, unholy and sinful. God does not need to explain or justify Himslef to mankind concerning His redeeming plan and sovereign work, Rom. 9:20. This concealing and revealing is not an act of injustice, as it would be if we did it, but an act of judgment. The truth is, all are sinful and guilty before God, and He is not obligated to reveal anything to anyone.
Verse 27 shows that one cannot come to God without accepting Christ, 1 John 2:23. Know is epiginosko, which means more than know, involves the most intimate and fullest acquaintance. It is not merely knowing facts about someone, it is firsthand experiential knowledge. Like marriage is meant to be. The Father, by doing what was well-pleasing in His sight, had withheld or revealed the truth about Jesus. Jesus had been given the same authority to reveal the Father to whomever He willed. Such a claim of power & authority was shocking to His hearers. The Father and Son have a mutual, intimate relationship. This led the Jews to accuse Jesus of blasphemy, for making Himself equal to God. They knew He was saying it, and they wouldn't believe it. All things being handed over to Jesus include the power and prerogative to reveal the Father to whomever He wills. Gives greater meaning to Jesus' statement in John 14:6 no one comes to the Father, except through Me. 11:27 Jesus is claiming equality with the Father. These vv. Put a huge emphasis on who Jesus is and what He can do in terms of authority.
Matt. 11:25-27 is all about how Jesus wants us to humbly admit our need for Him so that we would come to know Him. Jesus wants us to know the greatness of the Father is revealed exclusively in the Son so that we would trust in Christ for salvation and not the wisdom of man. I want to point out two important truths that these verses reveal and how we see it played out in the Christmas story and in our lives.
I. God reveals Himself to the humble & hides Himself from the arrogant. 11:25-27 There is a promise here for all who believe. He gives to us. Those who will admit their need of Jesus get it, they understand, those who don't do not. You see it in the Christmas story. To the humble ones...the prophets and people before the time of Christ...entering into the pre-Christmas anticipation. Is. 7:14, 9:4. To Joseph and Mary. Matt. 1:18-25. To shepherds. Luke 1-2. Simeon and Anna. To wise men. Luke a bit more time delayed than most nativity scenes show. From the proud...Herod. Luke. To the world. Luke 2:14. God with us. God incarnate. Savior. Lord. God is sovereign. He came up with the plan. He set it in motion. He arranged the details. He carried it out. You see it in daily life. He reveals Himself through His Word. He assures believers of His presence. He gives general revelation to all, including an inner awareness of His presence, Rom. 1. He has given specific revelation, through the prophets up to John the Baptist He openly proclaimed the coming Messiah. But He only reveals gospel truth to those who admit their need, while hiding it from those who sense no need for His truth. 2 Cor. 4:3-4 the gospel is hidden to the perishing.
II. The humble receive Christ, the arrogant reject Him. We respond to Him. Some come to know Him, others do not. You see it in the Christmas story. God revealed Himself to Joseph and Mary. Mary said be it done to me as you have said. Joseph took Mary to be his wife. Matt. 1:18-25. Shepherds listened to the angels. Luke 2:8-20. Wise men followed the star. Matt. 2:1-12. Herod tried to destroy Jesus, killed many innocent children. Saw only a threat when he should have seen a blessing. You see it in daily life, in all times and places and where we live. 11:20-24 pictured man responding to a holy God. 11:25-27 pictures the electing grace of God. We need to acknowledge both, both are taught in Scripture, believers agree they freely chose to follow Jesus, and also agree that God has chosen and drawn them to Himself. The language of 11:25-27 hidden, revealed, your good pleasure, chooses points to God’s sovereignty. The language of 11:20-24 points to human responsibility, where people are judged for rejecting Jesus. As does 11:28-30 where Jesus offers salvation to those who will respond favorably. God is sovereign in salvation. It is a sovereign act of God. Man is accountable to God for his response to Him. We are called to preach the gospel to all people. Matt. 28:18-20. Calling people to repentance and faith so that they might believe and be saved. Share the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit trusting God with the results. What a person needs to know to come to faith in Christ is God loves them so much He sent His Son to die in their place, Christ shed His blood on the cross to pay the penalty for their sin, He was buried and rose from the dead, securing forgiveness and new life for all who believe.
Jesus reveals Himself to those who admit their need for Him, so that they would come to know Him.
Soli Deo Gloria
Friday, December 17, 2010
Let the Gospel Launch a Counterattack
More than ever before my inbox and mailbox has been flooded with requests from merchants literally begging me to buy something from them. They are pulling out all the stops. Some will be successful. Many will not. In the midst of this barrage I have to literally force myself to focus on Jesus, and the gospel, or I'll get swept up in the craziness of the moment. Which is exactly what marketers are hoping I will do. Swipe the card now and think later. Which is why I want to 'preach Christ and Him crucified' to myself, my household, and you right now. In hopes that the transforming, life-altering, awe-inspiring, mind-blowing truth of the gospel of the grace of God in Christ will launch a counterattack on the world's hollow wisdom and lead us away from slavery to consumerism and all the other -isms, and into the glorious freedom of the children of God in Christ. Even while we buy presents, cook meals and interact with people, we can be carrying on a secret conversation with God that is pure worship."Thank You Jesus for saving my soul. Thank You for loving me and forgiving me. Thank You for Your presence that comforts, Your Word that teaches and changes me, Your good work of grace in my heart. I need You Jesus."
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Jesus, the Coming Judge
It seems odd to speak of Jesus as the Coming Judge at Christmas but it shouldn’t. We prefer to see Jesus as a gentle babe, lying in a manger. A cute and cuddly baby we can handle, not a Judge whose judgment will be executed on those who refuse to believe? But judgment fits biblically in the context of the Christmas story. It goes with the darker sides of the Christmas story, like Herod’s arrogant dishonesty and his slaughter of the innocents. Simeon saying that the child born in Bethlehem was appointed for the fall and rise in many in Israel. God’s judgments are reserved for those who reject righteousness when it stares them in the face, whose unbelief puts them in line for God’s just wrath against their sin.
According to Matt. 11:20-24 Jesus is the Coming Judge. What He wants is for people to turn to Him so that they would survive the Day of Judgment. It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. He wants us to take Him seriously, to love Him more than life itself, to believe the truth and be saved. There is a logical sequence of events that get set in motion depending on our response to Jesus.
1. The Tragedy of Unbelief. In Matthew 11:20-21 Jesus began to scold, reproach, rebuke...the cities where most of His miracles had been done. Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago. Tyre and Sidon were large Phoenician cities on the Mediterranean, not far away, often denounced by the prophets for their Baal worship. Sackcloth and ashes were a familiar way to signify mourning. Sackcloth rough fabric made from camels hair, worn close to the skin to express sorrow & grief. Ashes expressed deep emotion, put on the head, sat on, lain on, even rolled in. Jesus uses the familiar practice of pronouncing Woe, an exclamation meaning your suffering will be huge. Warnings had been given, now woes were pronounced. Jesus did most of the miracles recorded in Matthew in Capernaum, nearby Korazin, 2 miles away and Bethsaida. But the people refused to turn from their sin & believe in Jesus. Their lack of repentance revealed unbelief. They were indifferent, they ignored Him. They disregarded God as an issue not worth thinking of, didn’t take Him seriously.
Those who will not believe in Jesus refuse to...
Believe God's Word. 2 Pet. 3:1-7.
Acknowledge Jesus. Jude 3-4.
Turn from sin. Jude 10-16.
2. The Reality of Judgment. As Matthew 11:22 says “It will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment. than for you.”
We need to understand that there will be 2 distinct judgments. Believers will be judged at the Judgment seat of Christ, Rom. 14:10-12, we will give account of our actions. Unbelievers will be judged at the Great White Throne of judgment Rev. 20:11-15. Neither determines salvation. Believers are already saved by faith Eph. 2:8-9, unbelievers rejected due to unbelief.
The day of judgment here is the judgment on unbelievers. It is the final judgment Matt 10:15, 12:36, 41-42; Acts 17:31. It refers to the day when Jesus, who has power over life and death, will make a final separation between those who believe and those who do not. Sodom was proverbial for wickedness, the sin city of Bible times. Capernaum had almost made the phrase lifted up to heaven their town motto Capernaum, home of Jesus, they figured they were in, they had Jesus living there. Those in the favored city Capernaum who did not believe, like self-exalting Babylon, will be brought down to Hades – to spend eternity in the torments of hell.
This is one of the most helpful passages for understanding judgment. It reveals several things.
It will happen. It is certain. He will say depart from Me I never knew you. He will separate the sheep from the goats. There will be unmerciful Judgment for those who do not turn from their sin.
There are levels or degrees of judgment in hell, just as there are degrees of blessing in heaven. Jesus is saying that punishment on the day of Judgment takes into account opportunity. The guilt of those who have great opportunity to hear the gospel is intensified. It is better to have heard nothing of Christ than to hear the truth and yet reject Him. The worst sin is unbelief.
God will be fair. His judgment is just. He does not owe anyone anything. An umpire named Babe Pinelli once called Babe Ruth out on strikes. The crowd booed with disapproval. Ruth turned to the umpire & said, "There’s 40,000 people here who know that last pitch was ball, tomato head." The umpire said, "Maybe so, Babe, but mine is the only opinion that counts." We need to realize that God’s judgment is the only one that counts.
Jesus’ message of judgment is not for the contrite, brokenhearted, repentant ones, those who mourn over their sin. It is for the proud and arrogant who refuse to turn to Him and be saved. What the repentant need, want and get is the grace of Jesus. The last thing the brokenhearted need is to be scolded by Jesus or any of His representatives, be it a preacher or a neighbor. Scolding depresses those who are tenderhearted and sensitive to the Holy Spirit. The hard-hearted that need the message of judgment.
3. The Necessity of Repentance. Jesus spoke of those who did not repent. If His miracles of grace and the faith it produces do not lead to repentance, there is judgment. The purpose of Jesus works is changed lives. Lives left unchanged after coming in contact with Jesus the Messiah will give account at the court of Jesus the Judge.
We seem to reserve repentance for special occasions, but God wants us to live a life of repentance, confessing our sins, receiving assurance of forgiveness. In his book I Surrender, Patrick Morley writes of an integrity problem in the church that comes from the faulty idea “that we can add Christ to our lives, but not subtract sin. It is a change in belief without a change in behavior. It is revival without reformation, without repentance.” It’s like Dietrich Bonheoffer said, “Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross.” True repentance is when, by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, a person has a sense of revulsion and Godly sorrow for the condition of sin in his or her heart, and comes, empty-handed and un-defensive, in the most personal and submissive posture he’s ever taken, and from a sincere heart says “I’m sorry”, to the only One who can truly offer forgiveness.
4. The Joy of Life with Jesus. Jesus said that even Sodom, if they had witnessed His mighty works, would have remained. They would have repented of thier sin. There are untold blessings for those who will repent and believe. No one should ever rejoice that others receive judgment; but all who receive blessing in Christ should rejoice that they’ve been spared from judgment. God did not spare His own Son so that we might be spared and receive the adoption as sons.
According to Matt. 11:20-24 Jesus is the Coming Judge. What He wants is for people to turn to Him so that they would survive the Day of Judgment. It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. He wants us to take Him seriously, to love Him more than life itself, to believe the truth and be saved. There is a logical sequence of events that get set in motion depending on our response to Jesus.
1. The Tragedy of Unbelief. In Matthew 11:20-21 Jesus began to scold, reproach, rebuke...the cities where most of His miracles had been done. Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago. Tyre and Sidon were large Phoenician cities on the Mediterranean, not far away, often denounced by the prophets for their Baal worship. Sackcloth and ashes were a familiar way to signify mourning. Sackcloth rough fabric made from camels hair, worn close to the skin to express sorrow & grief. Ashes expressed deep emotion, put on the head, sat on, lain on, even rolled in. Jesus uses the familiar practice of pronouncing Woe, an exclamation meaning your suffering will be huge. Warnings had been given, now woes were pronounced. Jesus did most of the miracles recorded in Matthew in Capernaum, nearby Korazin, 2 miles away and Bethsaida. But the people refused to turn from their sin & believe in Jesus. Their lack of repentance revealed unbelief. They were indifferent, they ignored Him. They disregarded God as an issue not worth thinking of, didn’t take Him seriously.
Those who will not believe in Jesus refuse to...
Believe God's Word. 2 Pet. 3:1-7.
Acknowledge Jesus. Jude 3-4.
Turn from sin. Jude 10-16.
2. The Reality of Judgment. As Matthew 11:22 says “It will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment. than for you.”
We need to understand that there will be 2 distinct judgments. Believers will be judged at the Judgment seat of Christ, Rom. 14:10-12, we will give account of our actions. Unbelievers will be judged at the Great White Throne of judgment Rev. 20:11-15. Neither determines salvation. Believers are already saved by faith Eph. 2:8-9, unbelievers rejected due to unbelief.
The day of judgment here is the judgment on unbelievers. It is the final judgment Matt 10:15, 12:36, 41-42; Acts 17:31. It refers to the day when Jesus, who has power over life and death, will make a final separation between those who believe and those who do not. Sodom was proverbial for wickedness, the sin city of Bible times. Capernaum had almost made the phrase lifted up to heaven their town motto Capernaum, home of Jesus, they figured they were in, they had Jesus living there. Those in the favored city Capernaum who did not believe, like self-exalting Babylon, will be brought down to Hades – to spend eternity in the torments of hell.
This is one of the most helpful passages for understanding judgment. It reveals several things.
It will happen. It is certain. He will say depart from Me I never knew you. He will separate the sheep from the goats. There will be unmerciful Judgment for those who do not turn from their sin.
There are levels or degrees of judgment in hell, just as there are degrees of blessing in heaven. Jesus is saying that punishment on the day of Judgment takes into account opportunity. The guilt of those who have great opportunity to hear the gospel is intensified. It is better to have heard nothing of Christ than to hear the truth and yet reject Him. The worst sin is unbelief.
God will be fair. His judgment is just. He does not owe anyone anything. An umpire named Babe Pinelli once called Babe Ruth out on strikes. The crowd booed with disapproval. Ruth turned to the umpire & said, "There’s 40,000 people here who know that last pitch was ball, tomato head." The umpire said, "Maybe so, Babe, but mine is the only opinion that counts." We need to realize that God’s judgment is the only one that counts.
Jesus’ message of judgment is not for the contrite, brokenhearted, repentant ones, those who mourn over their sin. It is for the proud and arrogant who refuse to turn to Him and be saved. What the repentant need, want and get is the grace of Jesus. The last thing the brokenhearted need is to be scolded by Jesus or any of His representatives, be it a preacher or a neighbor. Scolding depresses those who are tenderhearted and sensitive to the Holy Spirit. The hard-hearted that need the message of judgment.
3. The Necessity of Repentance. Jesus spoke of those who did not repent. If His miracles of grace and the faith it produces do not lead to repentance, there is judgment. The purpose of Jesus works is changed lives. Lives left unchanged after coming in contact with Jesus the Messiah will give account at the court of Jesus the Judge.
We seem to reserve repentance for special occasions, but God wants us to live a life of repentance, confessing our sins, receiving assurance of forgiveness. In his book I Surrender, Patrick Morley writes of an integrity problem in the church that comes from the faulty idea “that we can add Christ to our lives, but not subtract sin. It is a change in belief without a change in behavior. It is revival without reformation, without repentance.” It’s like Dietrich Bonheoffer said, “Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross.” True repentance is when, by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, a person has a sense of revulsion and Godly sorrow for the condition of sin in his or her heart, and comes, empty-handed and un-defensive, in the most personal and submissive posture he’s ever taken, and from a sincere heart says “I’m sorry”, to the only One who can truly offer forgiveness.
4. The Joy of Life with Jesus. Jesus said that even Sodom, if they had witnessed His mighty works, would have remained. They would have repented of thier sin. There are untold blessings for those who will repent and believe. No one should ever rejoice that others receive judgment; but all who receive blessing in Christ should rejoice that they’ve been spared from judgment. God did not spare His own Son so that we might be spared and receive the adoption as sons.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Jesus as a Baby, Mind-blowing
My son Michael and I are out for dinner, talking and the subject of the incarnation just came up. So we decided to blog about it. It's hard to think of Jesus as a baby, God as a human. Even if you know it is true it is still the craziest thing to think of, still mind-blowing regardless. Still makes you worship Him because of how Great His love is. I think of the song "O Holy Night", my favorite line goes like this, "long lay the world in sin and error pining, til He appeared and the soul felt it's worth".
Jesus Christ came into the world because of sin and God is glorified through His entrance into a world of sin, all because of sin and all because of His good purposes that were determined before the foundation of the world, before any sin had been done. He created Adam and Lucifer with the knowledge that they would sin.
Back to Jesus as a baby. The One who made the world independently came into that world as a dependent. The One who spoke the world into existence had to learn a language. And the One to Whom all worship and obedience is due learned obedience through the things He suffered. Crazy stuff and totally true.
Jesus Christ came into the world because of sin and God is glorified through His entrance into a world of sin, all because of sin and all because of His good purposes that were determined before the foundation of the world, before any sin had been done. He created Adam and Lucifer with the knowledge that they would sin.
Back to Jesus as a baby. The One who made the world independently came into that world as a dependent. The One who spoke the world into existence had to learn a language. And the One to Whom all worship and obedience is due learned obedience through the things He suffered. Crazy stuff and totally true.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Reaching Repentance
We need to understand what repentance is. Some think it is merely feeling bad about your sin. Some think it is feeling so bad about it that you are willing to go to great lengths to receive forgiveness for what you have done by doing penance. That is not it. Repentance is more than that. It is recognizing your sin and turning away from it to God. It is a complete change of life. It is transformation. It is not something only the super spiritually sensitive do, it is something all Christians are to do. It is to be as natural a part of our lives as crying is for a baby, as breathing is to anyone who is alive. The Christian life starts and continues with it. We won't need to do it in heaven, but it is an absolute necessity on earth. Confession and repentance go together. Romans 2:4 tells us God's kindness leads us to repentance. God grants it. This is the perseverance of the saints.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Comfort in Judgment
There ought to be great comfort in Matthew 11:20-24 for all who believe. No one should ever rejoice that others receive judgment but all who receive blessing in Christ should rejoice that they have been spared from judgment. God did not spare his own son so that we might be spared and receive the adoption as sons. Jesus wants you to turn from sin to Him so that you might escape the day of judgment and receive the joy of life in Christ that the Christmas season truly ought to celebrate. Which is why we are to constantly remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, according to the gospel.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
The Lord's Supper and 1 Cor. 11:27-29
In 1 Cor. 11:17-34, Paul, while he had commended them previously, was now correcting abuses in the Lord’s Supper in the Corinthian church. See v. 17, this starts the immediate context. In v. 20 he gives the reason he cannot endorse their conduct, which was selfish and not taking the body of Christ among them into account. In the context of v. 27 the unworthy eating of the bread and drinking of the cup may have had to do with their sinful attitudes and actions towards each other, which was sin against God. The examination of v. 28 in their context had to do primarily with whether they were harboring sin in their hearts and lives – most likely in the form of an attitude of a party spirit or lack of compassion towards others in the body who were not as well-off (I understand they often celebrated in the homes of the wealthier members – bigger place to meet) – and therefore against what the Lord and His sacrifice had purchased with His blood – a basic discrediting of Christ’s sacrifice for us and others by bringing sin into the gathering and celebration of the very thing meant to kill sin and eliminate man-made distinctions between people. “The ground is level at the foot of the cross” and all that. Hence the “in an unworthy manner” means “not in accordance with its worth”. V. 29, failure to recognize the body of the Lord – either what it meant to their salvation or their community life – and therefore the body of believers among them - which ought to have resulted in their judging themselves and coming back in line with God and what He wants to do in and through His family.
The interesting thing to me is we are being called to do all this while in community with other believers. Our corporate gatherings have individual aspects to be sure – we are people, who live in households, who operate in many spheres and it must first be applied in our own hearts and then in the larger body. Re: 1 Cor. 11:27-29 and the larger context in which it is found, these verses actually lean away from being individualistic, if by that we mean just me and Jesus in a vacuum, which is easy to do in our Western individualized mindset. The issue being addressed by Paul, and corrected, was actually their attitudes and actions that were causing a break in fellowship and worship. Paul is writing to a group of people. Each in the group was to examine himself individually, and correct any sinful attitudes and actions that might be present so fellowship can be restored and the family that was created due to Christ’s death for sin could operate as it was intended to operate. They are being called to look within, so that they might realize they are a part of a body, where order and unity were to be preserved, not broken. If they were guilty of breaking fellowship with any in the body, especially those present, they needed to repent.
At the same time and in the same moment, there can be present intensely corporate and personal applications. We are never instructed in Scripture to celebrate the Lord’s Supper alone. We are called to celebrate the Lord’s Supper together because we are interconnected and related by faith.
The interesting thing to me is we are being called to do all this while in community with other believers. Our corporate gatherings have individual aspects to be sure – we are people, who live in households, who operate in many spheres and it must first be applied in our own hearts and then in the larger body. Re: 1 Cor. 11:27-29 and the larger context in which it is found, these verses actually lean away from being individualistic, if by that we mean just me and Jesus in a vacuum, which is easy to do in our Western individualized mindset. The issue being addressed by Paul, and corrected, was actually their attitudes and actions that were causing a break in fellowship and worship. Paul is writing to a group of people. Each in the group was to examine himself individually, and correct any sinful attitudes and actions that might be present so fellowship can be restored and the family that was created due to Christ’s death for sin could operate as it was intended to operate. They are being called to look within, so that they might realize they are a part of a body, where order and unity were to be preserved, not broken. If they were guilty of breaking fellowship with any in the body, especially those present, they needed to repent.
At the same time and in the same moment, there can be present intensely corporate and personal applications. We are never instructed in Scripture to celebrate the Lord’s Supper alone. We are called to celebrate the Lord’s Supper together because we are interconnected and related by faith.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Genuine Followers of Christ follow Christ
Genuine followers go with God's program over their own opinions. They are governed by the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus. they have the same inclinations as others, but they exercise Spirit-enabled and produced self-control and so they resist going their own way. They, as Prov. 3:5-6 says, trust in the Lord with all their heart and lean not on their own understanding. In all their ways they seek to acknowledge Him, and He leads them. Genuine followers are those who align themselves with Jesus. They are the poor in spirt, who mourn over their sinfulness, who cling to Jesus. They are, as 1 Peter 1:3 says, born again to a living hope through the reserruction of Jesus Chrsit. They agree with 1 Cor. 1:29, knowing that by God's doing they are in Christ, they are saved. They realize that as Jesus said, God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever beleives in Him should not perish but have eternallife. they believe, therefore they live in light of that belief here on earth, just as they will not perish, they will live forever with God in heaven. They are those who, as Jesus said, deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Him. They die to themselves, and live to God.
Friday, December 3, 2010
It's Tough to be a Christian at Christmas
"it's tough to be a Christian at Christmas." That's what a friend of mine said the other day. Or something like it. He added that during other times of the year where things that are blatantly not God-honoring are paraded in front of us, it is easier to stand up for our convictions and live what we believe.
Why is it difficult to be a Christian in America at Christmastime? Because there are so many temptations that can pull us away from worshipping Jesus. There are so many unbiblical influences that saturate our souls at Christmas that are the antithesis of the Savior. So many subtle ways to get sucked into things that dishonor Christ. The magnet pull of the lust of the flesh and of the eyes, and the boastful ride of life being what they are, so enticing and deceptive, it takes large amounts of Spirit-produced self-control to not get swept up in loving the world (1 John 2:15-17). In our consumeristic-saturated context in which we live, we must remember that our life (as Jesus said in the context of being on guard against greed) does not consist of the things we possess (Luke 12:15).
In order to pull this off we must do what does not come naturally to us. We may be tempted to only treat the symptoms rather than the true disease of soul that the worldly trappings of Christmastime expose. We fool ourselves if we do not acknowledge that it is as much an inward battle and as outward one. The response of some is to boycott anything that is not explicitly Biblical, but we risk eliminating some implicitly Biblical things or cutting ourselves off from purposeful engagement with people for the purpose of living and giving the gospel in the process.
In order to resist the riptide that threatens our souls at Christmastime we must exercise wisdom, knowing that we can engage in idolatry even if we have nothing. We must exercise caution, knowing that our adversary is a deceived. We must exercise discernment as we engage with others during the season. And above all we must rest in Jesus who is our true life (Col.3:4).
Why is it difficult to be a Christian in America at Christmastime? Because there are so many temptations that can pull us away from worshipping Jesus. There are so many unbiblical influences that saturate our souls at Christmas that are the antithesis of the Savior. So many subtle ways to get sucked into things that dishonor Christ. The magnet pull of the lust of the flesh and of the eyes, and the boastful ride of life being what they are, so enticing and deceptive, it takes large amounts of Spirit-produced self-control to not get swept up in loving the world (1 John 2:15-17). In our consumeristic-saturated context in which we live, we must remember that our life (as Jesus said in the context of being on guard against greed) does not consist of the things we possess (Luke 12:15).
In order to pull this off we must do what does not come naturally to us. We may be tempted to only treat the symptoms rather than the true disease of soul that the worldly trappings of Christmastime expose. We fool ourselves if we do not acknowledge that it is as much an inward battle and as outward one. The response of some is to boycott anything that is not explicitly Biblical, but we risk eliminating some implicitly Biblical things or cutting ourselves off from purposeful engagement with people for the purpose of living and giving the gospel in the process.
In order to resist the riptide that threatens our souls at Christmastime we must exercise wisdom, knowing that we can engage in idolatry even if we have nothing. We must exercise caution, knowing that our adversary is a deceived. We must exercise discernment as we engage with others during the season. And above all we must rest in Jesus who is our true life (Col.3:4).
Thursday, December 2, 2010
My Signature Line
My favorite topic in all the world is the Lord Jesus Christ.
My signature line is this: All praise to Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. I have been saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as revealed in God's Word alone, for God's glory alone.
Soli Deo Gloria
My signature line is this: All praise to Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. I have been saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as revealed in God's Word alone, for God's glory alone.
Soli Deo Gloria
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
What is God calling me to do?
That is a question many are asking every day. Just yesterday three people I know were each seeking guidance as to which way to go in life. These three, in vastly different arenas of life, are expressing that they need, want and desire an answer for this question. This is not surprising. All three are believers. They want what God wants. The answer is not within their grasp at this point. But they are trusting God to provide one in His perfect time.
I shared something with one of them that I learned four and half years ago while praying about whether to accept the call to pastor Grace Church of Orange. It is simple, profound and something I am a bit embarrassed to admit I had not been doing my entire Christian life up to that point. It has to do with prayer. I think I have always, as a believer, prayed for God's will to be done. We pray it in the prayer Jesus taught His disciples to pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:9-10). There it is, asking for God's will to be done. We desire it to be revealed. "It" being the unanswered question that eludes us. All three of my friends are seeking the same.
Something changed for me as I prayed earnestly in 2006, trying to discern if God was indeed calling us away from a church family we dearly loved, to shepherd another we barely knew. Here is what changed: instead of praying for God's will for me alone, or even our family alone, I began to pray with a bigger field in view. I began to pray, "Lord, which course of action will be best for Your kingdom? Which avenue will further Your purposes for all involved?" It became less about me and more about my part in the bigger picture that God is painting. It ceased being merely about me and became about you and me and them and us. God expanded my vision. It became less self-centered and more Christ-centered and when God got me to that place the fog lifted, the sky cleared and I could see the direction God was taking me. The decision then became a much less laborious one and a considerably more joyful one.
What are you seeking direction for in this season of your life my friend? Is it beyond you? Is it bigger than you? Does it keep you awake wondering? Try tying God's kingdom purposes to your request, the way He tells us to pray, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done" and see what God will do. I think you will be supernaturally surprised. God in His mercy and grace in Christ "is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we can ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Soli Deo Gloria
I shared something with one of them that I learned four and half years ago while praying about whether to accept the call to pastor Grace Church of Orange. It is simple, profound and something I am a bit embarrassed to admit I had not been doing my entire Christian life up to that point. It has to do with prayer. I think I have always, as a believer, prayed for God's will to be done. We pray it in the prayer Jesus taught His disciples to pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:9-10). There it is, asking for God's will to be done. We desire it to be revealed. "It" being the unanswered question that eludes us. All three of my friends are seeking the same.
Something changed for me as I prayed earnestly in 2006, trying to discern if God was indeed calling us away from a church family we dearly loved, to shepherd another we barely knew. Here is what changed: instead of praying for God's will for me alone, or even our family alone, I began to pray with a bigger field in view. I began to pray, "Lord, which course of action will be best for Your kingdom? Which avenue will further Your purposes for all involved?" It became less about me and more about my part in the bigger picture that God is painting. It ceased being merely about me and became about you and me and them and us. God expanded my vision. It became less self-centered and more Christ-centered and when God got me to that place the fog lifted, the sky cleared and I could see the direction God was taking me. The decision then became a much less laborious one and a considerably more joyful one.
What are you seeking direction for in this season of your life my friend? Is it beyond you? Is it bigger than you? Does it keep you awake wondering? Try tying God's kingdom purposes to your request, the way He tells us to pray, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done" and see what God will do. I think you will be supernaturally surprised. God in His mercy and grace in Christ "is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we can ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Soli Deo Gloria
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
