“I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent” (1 Tim 1:12-13a). Paul makes a confession to young Timothy, one Timothy already knew, that Paul was not always a believer and disciple of Christ from the beginning. Like most of us in the western world we do not accept Christ as the Messiah, nor as our personal savior, the first time we hear His salvation preached to us. We, like Paul, often place ourselves as enemies of Christ after our first exposure to Him. Granted not everyone has the same level of hostility towards Christ as Paul, but we are still hostile to him, it is just a matter of degrees.
However, one of the blessings in Paul’s life, which is also a blessing in our lives, is that our prior status does not disqualify us for Christ’s service. Despite the fact Paul was one of the most violent opponents of the gospel before his conversion, Paul still became an apostle. An apostle appointed by Christ Himself and chosen as the “instrument of mine (Jesus) to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15b). What an amazing fact! The most violent “blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent” of the fledgling Church of Jesus Christ is given the second greatest position in the early church, the apostle to the Gentiles. It is the man whom oversaw the persecution of Christians and made a career for himself cleansing Judaism of this heresy (Act 9:1-2) that becomes the apostle to the Gentiles. More than that He is the one chosen by Christ Himself to carry Christ’s name before kings also! A privilege not granted to the other apostles, at least not to the degree Paul did.
What does this mean for us? No matter how much of blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent of the Jesus we have been we can still be appointed to His service. We still have a place of service to our Lord. We can never ignore the problems our past bring with us into our service of Christ, especially those areas where we are still prone to fall and disobey God’s Word. Yet, the experiences of our life before salvation are often the very things God uses most to make us useful to His service, both as a testimony of His power and as instruments and means of our service to Him. May God be glorified and His power manifested in our weakness both in our past and present deeds.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Friday, December 14, 2007
The Lord Dealing Bountifully With Us
“I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me” (Psalm 13:6 ESV).
It is good for us to take the time on a regular basis to think about how God has dealt bountifully with us and express our thanks to Him. Just as David in Psalm 13 expresses his praise to God for dealing bountifully with him, so also we should remember when God has been good to us, contemplate God’s goodness to us and thank him for His blessings in our lives.
Set aside a few minutes today and do just this. Even if you are busy take just five minutes to think about God’s goodness to you and thank him for it. It is as simple as making a list of the ways God has dealt bountifully with you. If you are having trouble, think about these specific types of God dealing bountifully with you:
How has God dealt bountifully with you in your family?
How in and through your church?
How about the physical surroundings you are in now?
Some may be tempted to disregard this exercise because they are experiencing difficulty or hardship right now and therefore have very little to thank God for. David did not find difficulty and hardship as justifiable reasons for not thanking God for the way he has dealt with him. If you read the previous five verses of Psalm 13 you will see David was in distress over his current circumstances. Either from an actual enemy or from sickness David was being afflicted and pursed by his enemy with the concern and fear that his enemy would defeat him. Yet despite David’s unpleasant circumstances he still determined that meditating on the ways God had dealt bountifully with him was warranted and despite his circumstances he would sing to the Lord.
David’s example does not only serve to exhort us to be thankful when times are bad, it also reminds us that as difficult and painful as our current circumstances may be we can find ways and see how God has been and is being good to us even in our suffering.
It is good for us to take the time on a regular basis to think about how God has dealt bountifully with us and express our thanks to Him. Just as David in Psalm 13 expresses his praise to God for dealing bountifully with him, so also we should remember when God has been good to us, contemplate God’s goodness to us and thank him for His blessings in our lives.
Set aside a few minutes today and do just this. Even if you are busy take just five minutes to think about God’s goodness to you and thank him for it. It is as simple as making a list of the ways God has dealt bountifully with you. If you are having trouble, think about these specific types of God dealing bountifully with you:
How has God dealt bountifully with you in your family?
How in and through your church?
How about the physical surroundings you are in now?
Some may be tempted to disregard this exercise because they are experiencing difficulty or hardship right now and therefore have very little to thank God for. David did not find difficulty and hardship as justifiable reasons for not thanking God for the way he has dealt with him. If you read the previous five verses of Psalm 13 you will see David was in distress over his current circumstances. Either from an actual enemy or from sickness David was being afflicted and pursed by his enemy with the concern and fear that his enemy would defeat him. Yet despite David’s unpleasant circumstances he still determined that meditating on the ways God had dealt bountifully with him was warranted and despite his circumstances he would sing to the Lord.
David’s example does not only serve to exhort us to be thankful when times are bad, it also reminds us that as difficult and painful as our current circumstances may be we can find ways and see how God has been and is being good to us even in our suffering.
Friday, December 07, 2007
The Importance of Corporate Prayer
“Now while he (Zechariah) was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense” (Luke 1:8-11).
Here in the birth narrative of Jesus Luke gives us the story of the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist by the angel Gabriel to his father Zechariah. Being the excellent historian Luke was he includes little details that appear as background information to the story. We as modern westerners in a fast paced world tend to get impatient with Luke as he tells the story. We often have the attitude, even if we do not verbalize it, “Yea OK, hurry-up and get to the main point!” This attitude is to our shame and detriment in seeing the glory of God and how we should live today.
Imbedded in this narrative Luke gives us are some small details that give us a big picture in how God works and how we should live our lives as Christians today. Tucked away in verse 10 are the words, “And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense” (Luke 1:10). To us the modern reader it seems to not contain much. However, this attitude is because we lack some knowledge Luke assumes his first century readers know.
During the afternoon each day the offer of incense was made as a corporate act of worship by the people as they gathered at the temple. The priest would go into the temple and offer the incense offering on the alter as the people outside were gathered together in corporate prayer. At this point in Jewish history the expectations and hope for the promised Messiah were high. It is during these daily corporate prayers that the people as one body would pray corporately asking God to send the promised Redeemer of Israel.
It was during this period of corporate prayer to Yahweh that the angel Gabriel appeared to announce the birth of the promised messenger that would go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah (Mal 4:5-6; Luke 1:17). The immensity of this fact should not escape us. Gabriel could have come at any time and at any place, but it was during the time when the people were gathered to pray for the promised Messiah to come that the LORD sent Gabriel to announce John’s birth.
Does this historical fact have any relevance to how we live today? I think so, in a very profound way even. If we really want to see a special pouring out of God’s Spirit in our communities and on our churches, we should pray with the same zeal and community the Israelites did. We must pray earnestly in private for God to send His Spirit to open the doors of the gospel to the lost and to pull back the veil that blinds unbelievers from seeing the glory of God and the gospel (2 Cor 4:3-4). However, we must also gather together intentionally as one body to pray corporately for God to send His Spirit and remove the veil. If God would not send His angel to announce the coming of the promised messenger until God’s people were gathered together to pray for Him to send the Messiah, why should we expect God to send His Spirit in a strong and powerful way without our gathering to pray for that outpouring of the Spirit?
Whether it is an upcoming evangelistic event or a general outreach program of our local Church we should make a time of corporate prayer for God to send His Spirit a major and central part of the plan. Corporate prayer should not be an “add-on” feature at the last minute or as perfunctory duty one must perform to look like we are asking God to participate in this work. Corporate prayer must be viewed and practiced as an integral and essential centerpiece of the event planning.
Take this truth, revealed to us by the Spirit, and meditate upon it. If you are involved in an outreach program, as so many churches will do at Christmas, seek God’s guidance in forming a corporate prayer time for your event. At the very least set apart a time with your group conducting the event for a time of earnest and unhurried corporate prayer for God to send His Spirit and work in your event. If you are the leader in your church or a leader of the group conducting an event at your church I plead with you to call a special time of corporate prayer with the whole Church body. The importance of corporate prayer has been lost on modern evangelicals, now is the time for a recovery of the discipline of corporate prayer.
Here in the birth narrative of Jesus Luke gives us the story of the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist by the angel Gabriel to his father Zechariah. Being the excellent historian Luke was he includes little details that appear as background information to the story. We as modern westerners in a fast paced world tend to get impatient with Luke as he tells the story. We often have the attitude, even if we do not verbalize it, “Yea OK, hurry-up and get to the main point!” This attitude is to our shame and detriment in seeing the glory of God and how we should live today.
Imbedded in this narrative Luke gives us are some small details that give us a big picture in how God works and how we should live our lives as Christians today. Tucked away in verse 10 are the words, “And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense” (Luke 1:10). To us the modern reader it seems to not contain much. However, this attitude is because we lack some knowledge Luke assumes his first century readers know.
During the afternoon each day the offer of incense was made as a corporate act of worship by the people as they gathered at the temple. The priest would go into the temple and offer the incense offering on the alter as the people outside were gathered together in corporate prayer. At this point in Jewish history the expectations and hope for the promised Messiah were high. It is during these daily corporate prayers that the people as one body would pray corporately asking God to send the promised Redeemer of Israel.
It was during this period of corporate prayer to Yahweh that the angel Gabriel appeared to announce the birth of the promised messenger that would go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah (Mal 4:5-6; Luke 1:17). The immensity of this fact should not escape us. Gabriel could have come at any time and at any place, but it was during the time when the people were gathered to pray for the promised Messiah to come that the LORD sent Gabriel to announce John’s birth.
Does this historical fact have any relevance to how we live today? I think so, in a very profound way even. If we really want to see a special pouring out of God’s Spirit in our communities and on our churches, we should pray with the same zeal and community the Israelites did. We must pray earnestly in private for God to send His Spirit to open the doors of the gospel to the lost and to pull back the veil that blinds unbelievers from seeing the glory of God and the gospel (2 Cor 4:3-4). However, we must also gather together intentionally as one body to pray corporately for God to send His Spirit and remove the veil. If God would not send His angel to announce the coming of the promised messenger until God’s people were gathered together to pray for Him to send the Messiah, why should we expect God to send His Spirit in a strong and powerful way without our gathering to pray for that outpouring of the Spirit?
Whether it is an upcoming evangelistic event or a general outreach program of our local Church we should make a time of corporate prayer for God to send His Spirit a major and central part of the plan. Corporate prayer should not be an “add-on” feature at the last minute or as perfunctory duty one must perform to look like we are asking God to participate in this work. Corporate prayer must be viewed and practiced as an integral and essential centerpiece of the event planning.
Take this truth, revealed to us by the Spirit, and meditate upon it. If you are involved in an outreach program, as so many churches will do at Christmas, seek God’s guidance in forming a corporate prayer time for your event. At the very least set apart a time with your group conducting the event for a time of earnest and unhurried corporate prayer for God to send His Spirit and work in your event. If you are the leader in your church or a leader of the group conducting an event at your church I plead with you to call a special time of corporate prayer with the whole Church body. The importance of corporate prayer has been lost on modern evangelicals, now is the time for a recovery of the discipline of corporate prayer.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Remembering Where We Came From
“Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Eph 2:12). The joy of our union with Christ and being fellow heirs with the Jews of the promise is best kept fresh and rich in our minds by remembering where we came from. We must remember everyday that we were once separated from Christ and excluded from the covenant promises. We were without God in this world.
God in his great mercy and love reached out across the chasm of sin and time and touched us with the renewing work of the Holy Spirit, placing in our new hearts a desire and faith in Christ. God circumcised our hearts. We became heirs of the promise by God’s grace and mercy and kindness. We came from lost, blind, dead cold spiritually sinners to living breathing, seeing and knowing the way children of God. Oh how great the Fathers love for us!
God in his great mercy and love reached out across the chasm of sin and time and touched us with the renewing work of the Holy Spirit, placing in our new hearts a desire and faith in Christ. God circumcised our hearts. We became heirs of the promise by God’s grace and mercy and kindness. We came from lost, blind, dead cold spiritually sinners to living breathing, seeing and knowing the way children of God. Oh how great the Fathers love for us!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
The Mystery Given to Paul
“This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Eph 3:6). Paul was appointed by God to be an apostle to the Gentiles, Acts 9:15, 1 Tim 2:7, Paul’s purpose was to bring the message that gentiles are now fellow heirs with the Jews in salvation and reconciliation to God. Why does Paul call it a mystery?
False teachers were trying to convince the Ephesians that the true knowledge of God was a “mystery” that was only revealed to those with special knowledge. They also degraded Paul as not being a possessor of secret knowledge, the mystery. In Paul’s absence the Ephesians were easily fooled by these false teachers. So when Paul wrote his letter he addressed this challenge to his apostolic authority and revelation from God.
Paul in answering his opponents also went back to the central message of his preaching, a message that gentiles now are reconciled to God through Christ. While the false teachers sought to imprison new believers with a religion of self effort to reach God, Paul strongly called out to the Ephesians that man cannot reach God by his own works and that the work of Christ is the central focus of their faith.
In our day of pluralism and self-help culture Paul’s message could not be more relevant in our time. Once again Scripture shows its timelessness by speaking directly to the heart of our culture’s sickness and disease. You cannot work your way to God and no amount of meditation, intellectual pursuit or moralistic behavior will reconcile you to God. The only hope for salvation and true happiness is faith in the work and person of Christ, the one giving us the promise in his gospel.
False teachers were trying to convince the Ephesians that the true knowledge of God was a “mystery” that was only revealed to those with special knowledge. They also degraded Paul as not being a possessor of secret knowledge, the mystery. In Paul’s absence the Ephesians were easily fooled by these false teachers. So when Paul wrote his letter he addressed this challenge to his apostolic authority and revelation from God.
Paul in answering his opponents also went back to the central message of his preaching, a message that gentiles now are reconciled to God through Christ. While the false teachers sought to imprison new believers with a religion of self effort to reach God, Paul strongly called out to the Ephesians that man cannot reach God by his own works and that the work of Christ is the central focus of their faith.
In our day of pluralism and self-help culture Paul’s message could not be more relevant in our time. Once again Scripture shows its timelessness by speaking directly to the heart of our culture’s sickness and disease. You cannot work your way to God and no amount of meditation, intellectual pursuit or moralistic behavior will reconcile you to God. The only hope for salvation and true happiness is faith in the work and person of Christ, the one giving us the promise in his gospel.
Saturday, October 06, 2007
God’s Wisdom and Love
“In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him” (Eph 3:12). In verse 11 Paul makes it clear the person in whom we have faith is Christ Jesus. What is it we have access too? It is the mystery Paul talks about in verse 6, “This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” We have access through Christ just like the Jews do, because Christ reconciled both gentiles and Jews (2:16). Again what do we have access to? We have access to the Father, “For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father” (Eph 2:18).
All through this passage, starting with 2:11 and going through 3:13, Paul is describing what Christ has done and why it is so that both Jews and Gentiles are brought to God and reconciled to him. Even more we are reconciled into one people group (2:14-15)! Paul boldly makes the statement, as biblical truth, that all who are in Christ, by receiving Him in faith, are reconciled to God, whom we have been estranged and at enmity with because of the Law (2:14-17), and we are all one body, one church. This is where Paul’s statement in 3:10 starts to take on real force, “so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (Eph 3:10). God’s wisdom is made known, to the heavenly beings, by taking the splintered and fractured people groups of the world, the ones who are also estranged from Him because of our sin, and reconciling them to Himself and making them one people through Christ work on the Cross.
The ironic truth in these statements by Paul is that although we can acknowledge them and begin to understand them with our limited human understanding, we cannot truly see how amazing and dumbfounding they are because we do not see God and know God as the heavenly beings see and know God. Just as a fish does not understand what it means to live outside of water, so we do not understand how amazing it is to be sinners, live in this broken flesh and fallen world and then become reconciled to God. We cannot see how amazing this is because we do not know what it is like to see the universe as heavenly beings see the universe. We do not have the experience of life outside of this temporal world to compare our reconciliation to God to, just like the fish does not have an experience of living outside of his aquatic habitat to compare life in the water to. Just as we look at the fish and say, “You poor thing, you have no understanding of the whole world that exist around you because you cannot live outside of your watery home;” so also the heavenly beings look at us and say, “You have no idea how incredible your reconciliation as one people to God is because you cannot live outside of your fallen world.” We will not genuinely grasp the reality of this truth until we are in heaven. We are living the mystery that angels long to gaze into (1 Pet 1:12) and we don’t even know it.
With the limited understanding we have, let us gaze all the more into the Scriptures to see how special God’s love and wisdom are.
All through this passage, starting with 2:11 and going through 3:13, Paul is describing what Christ has done and why it is so that both Jews and Gentiles are brought to God and reconciled to him. Even more we are reconciled into one people group (2:14-15)! Paul boldly makes the statement, as biblical truth, that all who are in Christ, by receiving Him in faith, are reconciled to God, whom we have been estranged and at enmity with because of the Law (2:14-17), and we are all one body, one church. This is where Paul’s statement in 3:10 starts to take on real force, “so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (Eph 3:10). God’s wisdom is made known, to the heavenly beings, by taking the splintered and fractured people groups of the world, the ones who are also estranged from Him because of our sin, and reconciling them to Himself and making them one people through Christ work on the Cross.
The ironic truth in these statements by Paul is that although we can acknowledge them and begin to understand them with our limited human understanding, we cannot truly see how amazing and dumbfounding they are because we do not see God and know God as the heavenly beings see and know God. Just as a fish does not understand what it means to live outside of water, so we do not understand how amazing it is to be sinners, live in this broken flesh and fallen world and then become reconciled to God. We cannot see how amazing this is because we do not know what it is like to see the universe as heavenly beings see the universe. We do not have the experience of life outside of this temporal world to compare our reconciliation to God to, just like the fish does not have an experience of living outside of his aquatic habitat to compare life in the water to. Just as we look at the fish and say, “You poor thing, you have no understanding of the whole world that exist around you because you cannot live outside of your watery home;” so also the heavenly beings look at us and say, “You have no idea how incredible your reconciliation as one people to God is because you cannot live outside of your fallen world.” We will not genuinely grasp the reality of this truth until we are in heaven. We are living the mystery that angels long to gaze into (1 Pet 1:12) and we don’t even know it.
With the limited understanding we have, let us gaze all the more into the Scriptures to see how special God’s love and wisdom are.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
A Morsel of Future Glory
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, … to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph 1:7, 10b). The purpose of Christ redeeming us was to fulfill God’s plan to unite all things in Christ. Our redemption and being transformed into new creatures is just one part of God’s plan for the world. The ultimate plan is to unite all things, “things in heaven and things upon the earth” in Christ. The phrase “things in heaven and things upon the earth” is Paul's way of saying the whole universe. The angels and beings in heaven, all mankind, all the animals, and all the plants, the whole of creation is to be united in Christ under His Lordship (Rom 8:18-23).
This uniting all things in Christ will not occur until His ultimate glorification at his second coming and the initiation of the new heaven and earth (Rev 21:1). However, we get a foretaste of this future fulfillment here in our union with Christ individually and in our fellowship with believers in our local church. The unity and fellowship we enjoy in our corporate worship and studying the word is just a foretaste of the glory we will enjoy when all things are united in him. So until we can feast at the table in the new heaven and earth, the one with all things united in him, enjoy and drink deep from the sampling you have for you at the weekly assembling of the saints.
This uniting all things in Christ will not occur until His ultimate glorification at his second coming and the initiation of the new heaven and earth (Rev 21:1). However, we get a foretaste of this future fulfillment here in our union with Christ individually and in our fellowship with believers in our local church. The unity and fellowship we enjoy in our corporate worship and studying the word is just a foretaste of the glory we will enjoy when all things are united in him. So until we can feast at the table in the new heaven and earth, the one with all things united in him, enjoy and drink deep from the sampling you have for you at the weekly assembling of the saints.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
The Big picture of Romans 8
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Rom 8:14). In the beginning of chapter 8 Paul connects back to the end of chapter 7 with “Therefore.” The point of the end of chapter 7 is that he serves the law of God with his mind. Now Paul explains that the way to have the mind obeying the law of God is to live under the direction and control of the Holy Spirit. By living in the Spirit we can keep our mind on the things of life and peace (vs 6). When a person is indwelt with the Spirit, and led by the Spirit, he or she is a child of God (vs 14). Because we are children of God we are “fellow heirs with Christ” (vs 17). Because we are fellow heirs with Christ, we will enjoy the future glory of redeemed bodies (vs 23). However, this is no all Paul has in view. Because we are children of God we cannot be separated from the Father, by anything in the universe (vs 39).
With this big picture of Romans 8 we can now see how Paul is building to the secure and everlasting promise; that we are children of God, if the Spirit dwells in us (vs 9), because we are children of God we will enjoy his glorious complete redemption of us in the future (30). Furthermore nothing can deny us this blessing from God (vs 39).
Seeing the promise we have by being united to Christ, let us resolve and completely carry out the discarding of anything hindering our union with Christ and impeding the complete leading and influencing of the Holy Spirit. We must search our hearts for the sin or prideful attitudes which keep us from being completely united to Christ and/or led by the Spirit. Once we find them we must get rid of them. May God send his Spirit to help us do this.
With this big picture of Romans 8 we can now see how Paul is building to the secure and everlasting promise; that we are children of God, if the Spirit dwells in us (vs 9), because we are children of God we will enjoy his glorious complete redemption of us in the future (30). Furthermore nothing can deny us this blessing from God (vs 39).
Seeing the promise we have by being united to Christ, let us resolve and completely carry out the discarding of anything hindering our union with Christ and impeding the complete leading and influencing of the Holy Spirit. We must search our hearts for the sin or prideful attitudes which keep us from being completely united to Christ and/or led by the Spirit. Once we find them we must get rid of them. May God send his Spirit to help us do this.
Saturday, September 08, 2007
The Spirit of Life
“For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” (Rom 8:2). Paul is describing the difference between the law of the Spirit and the law of sin and death, the freedom we have in Christ from the law of sin and death. The law alone leads to sin and death, because it condemns us to judgment. The law of the Spirit of life sets us free, but how?
The Spirit of life is the one that caused Jesus to be conceived in Mary’s womb (Matt 1:18; Luke 1:35). The Holy Spirit becomes the Spirit of life, because he hovers over the darkness of our souls, which are “dead in our trespasses,” (Eph 2:5a) and creates life where no life existed, just as he did in Genesis 1 at creation. Thus we are “made us alive together with Christ” (Eph 2:5b).
It was the Spirit of life that enabled Jesus to live a perfect life in obedience to every command of God the Father. This same Spirit of life is the one that indwells each of us as believers in Christ. Because we have the same Spirit as Jesus had when he walked on this earth, we can walk in obedience to God the Father. This is because of the renewing, transforming work the Holy Spirit does at regeneration, and faith and continues in our sanctification today.
While we will never be able to walk perfectly in obedience as Jesus did on this earth, we are able to walk in obedience sometimes. Before the Spirit of life recreated life in our hearts, souls and minds, we were completely incapable of walking in obedience at anytime. Now we have the capacity to walk in obedience some of the time by living under the influence and directing of the Holy Spirit in our daily living “who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Rom 8:4b).
Living according to the Spirit requires us to have a transformed nature. It is the same Spirit that gave us life, which also transforms us so that we may think not like someone who walks according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. The result of this transformation is that out minds and our emotions become focused on the very things God would have us think on and feel. “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit” (Rom 8:5).
Therefore, with this understanding of the change that must take place within us and the required work of the Holy Spirit to accomplish this work, let us seek and pray for the transforming work of the Spirit by praying earnestly and with deep feeling for God to so order it.
The Spirit of life is the one that caused Jesus to be conceived in Mary’s womb (Matt 1:18; Luke 1:35). The Holy Spirit becomes the Spirit of life, because he hovers over the darkness of our souls, which are “dead in our trespasses,” (Eph 2:5a) and creates life where no life existed, just as he did in Genesis 1 at creation. Thus we are “made us alive together with Christ” (Eph 2:5b).
It was the Spirit of life that enabled Jesus to live a perfect life in obedience to every command of God the Father. This same Spirit of life is the one that indwells each of us as believers in Christ. Because we have the same Spirit as Jesus had when he walked on this earth, we can walk in obedience to God the Father. This is because of the renewing, transforming work the Holy Spirit does at regeneration, and faith and continues in our sanctification today.
While we will never be able to walk perfectly in obedience as Jesus did on this earth, we are able to walk in obedience sometimes. Before the Spirit of life recreated life in our hearts, souls and minds, we were completely incapable of walking in obedience at anytime. Now we have the capacity to walk in obedience some of the time by living under the influence and directing of the Holy Spirit in our daily living “who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Rom 8:4b).
Living according to the Spirit requires us to have a transformed nature. It is the same Spirit that gave us life, which also transforms us so that we may think not like someone who walks according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. The result of this transformation is that out minds and our emotions become focused on the very things God would have us think on and feel. “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit” (Rom 8:5).
Therefore, with this understanding of the change that must take place within us and the required work of the Holy Spirit to accomplish this work, let us seek and pray for the transforming work of the Spirit by praying earnestly and with deep feeling for God to so order it.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Answering by the Spirit
“"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you (John 15:18) . . . When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth,” (John 16:13a). The Holy Spirit is a part of God’s provision for when the world persecutes us, because, one of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to give us the answers to those who persecute us. Whether it is a martyr facing Islamic militants or a Bible Study leader confronted with a self-righteous student adhering to false teaching. We can and we must rely on the Holy Spirit to give us the answers to our persecutors. We must rely on the Holy Spirit for the right answers because only the Holy Spirit has the responses that God wants the sinner to hear. In our human wisdom and reasoning we will focus on the wrong “point” the rebel needs to hear. We think in our human reasoning the rebel needs to hear this or that; however, what God wants them to hear is probably a different word, the one that will convict them and lead them to see the truth. Only God knows what word they need to hear and what word He wants them to hear. We will only know what that word is by allowing the Holy Spirit to give us the response we are to give them.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Some of the Work of the Holy Spirit
"But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me” (John 15:26). Unless the Holy Spirit bear witness to us of Jesus as our LORD, our redeemer and the Son of God we will never see Jesus as anything more than a good teacher. We are dependant upon the Holy Spirit to see Jesus as our savior and to confess him as our savior. Afterwards we are still dependent upon the Holy Spirit to witness to us the glorious beauty of Christ and the majesty of God the Father. Our veiled eyes are ever darkened to the glorious light shining from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior. Just as sanctification is a process of continuing growth in holiness, so the work of the Holy Spirit continues not just in our sanctification but in witnessing to us the glory of Jesus. Just as the Holy Spirit illumines our minds to the word of truth (1 Cor 1:10) and quickens our hearts to believe on the Lord Jesus (Eph 2:1-5), so also the Spirit illumines our minds to the wonder, the majesty, the beauty, the glories and the joys of our sweet precious Jesus.
Therefore let us all recognize that absences of these revelations in our lives about the nature of Christ are evidence of the Spirit’s inactivity in our hearts, minds and souls (Psa 84:11). Once we recognize the Spirit is inactive in our hearts we must throw ourselves at the mercy seat of heaven and beg for the Spirit’s return. The Spirit’s return will be predicated upon repentance from sin, either known or unknown, that has caused God the Father to withdraw the Holy Spirit from us.
Even this recognition that we are no longer in fellowship with the Father as we have been is a working of the Spirit so that we can be restored in our fellowship. Once we recognize that our awareness of the Spirit’s absence is a work of the Spirit itself, we can confidently and with assurance throw ourselves at the mercy seat of heaven, because the working of the Spirit to make us aware of His absence is the evidence God desires to have us come to him and be restored in fellowship with him. Knowing all this, when we recognize the Spirit is inactive in our lives, let us not hesitate one second to run to the Cross and ask that God lay our sins before us so we can confess them and repent of them. While we are running to the Cross, let us also do so with the confident assurance that God desires that we be reconciled to him and the Holy Spirit restored to us fully again.
Therefore let us all recognize that absences of these revelations in our lives about the nature of Christ are evidence of the Spirit’s inactivity in our hearts, minds and souls (Psa 84:11). Once we recognize the Spirit is inactive in our hearts we must throw ourselves at the mercy seat of heaven and beg for the Spirit’s return. The Spirit’s return will be predicated upon repentance from sin, either known or unknown, that has caused God the Father to withdraw the Holy Spirit from us.
Even this recognition that we are no longer in fellowship with the Father as we have been is a working of the Spirit so that we can be restored in our fellowship. Once we recognize that our awareness of the Spirit’s absence is a work of the Spirit itself, we can confidently and with assurance throw ourselves at the mercy seat of heaven, because the working of the Spirit to make us aware of His absence is the evidence God desires to have us come to him and be restored in fellowship with him. Knowing all this, when we recognize the Spirit is inactive in our lives, let us not hesitate one second to run to the Cross and ask that God lay our sins before us so we can confess them and repent of them. While we are running to the Cross, let us also do so with the confident assurance that God desires that we be reconciled to him and the Holy Spirit restored to us fully again.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Living Life
“For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing” (Luke 12:23). This seems like an odd statement. What kind of life do we have if we do not have food and clothing? Almost all of our working life is spent trying to provide food and clothing for our family. In the time which Jesus was on this earth food and clothing, daily needs, consumed almost everyone’s whole day. For Jesus to say something like this he must be crazy, out of touch with reality or know something we don’t. Once again we see the words of Scripture, God’s words, pointing us to a reality which is foreign to our way of thinking; life on this earth is not what life is all about. Jesus is describing a view of life with an eternal perspective, not the temporal one we normally operate with.
Many will read this verse and see Jesus describing a way of living on this earth, an attitude, in which material possessions are not the main focus of life, but the joy of living in harmony with one’s neighbors and with nature. However, even this view of Jesus intended meaning is linked to the temporal not the eternal perspective. It is a view still concerned with life on this earth. Because Jesus links this passage to the rich fool (12:13-21), he is clearly pointing us to view the way we live this life on earth with how it will affect life in eternity. While there is no single verse or passage that says this, we can glean Jesus’ intention by viewing all he is saying in the gospels and the NT. Life is more than food and the body more than clothing. Life is living out your called purpose to do the will of God for your life, so that you may enter into his kingdom after this life is over (Matt 25:14-30, John 4:34). The body is more than clothing because it is a reflection of the glory of God, by being made in his image and the temple of the Holy Spirit (John 2:19-21, 1 Cor 6:19).
Having grasped this truth about our lives and our bodies, let us live with a view of eternity in mind. Let our actions, our plans for each day and our lives as a whole be guided by the will of God for our service to him here and reflecting his glory into the world we live in.
Many will read this verse and see Jesus describing a way of living on this earth, an attitude, in which material possessions are not the main focus of life, but the joy of living in harmony with one’s neighbors and with nature. However, even this view of Jesus intended meaning is linked to the temporal not the eternal perspective. It is a view still concerned with life on this earth. Because Jesus links this passage to the rich fool (12:13-21), he is clearly pointing us to view the way we live this life on earth with how it will affect life in eternity. While there is no single verse or passage that says this, we can glean Jesus’ intention by viewing all he is saying in the gospels and the NT. Life is more than food and the body more than clothing. Life is living out your called purpose to do the will of God for your life, so that you may enter into his kingdom after this life is over (Matt 25:14-30, John 4:34). The body is more than clothing because it is a reflection of the glory of God, by being made in his image and the temple of the Holy Spirit (John 2:19-21, 1 Cor 6:19).
Having grasped this truth about our lives and our bodies, let us live with a view of eternity in mind. Let our actions, our plans for each day and our lives as a whole be guided by the will of God for our service to him here and reflecting his glory into the world we live in.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Understanding Possessions
“And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on” (Luke 12:22). It is very easy to look at this passage that begins with verse 22 and believe the only point Jesus is making is, “trust God to provide for you.” However, that is a result of reading this passage (12:22-34) disconnected from the rest of chapter 12. Notice how verse 22 begins, “Therefore” is connecting this passage to the previous verses (13-21). This is the parable of the rich fool, who stores up great treasures on earth only to die and never enjoy those treasures and also to be held accountable for his self-centeredness and short-sightedness.
How was he short-sighted, didn’t he make plans for long term security? Even in the way we ask the question we can betray our own failure to understand what is short-sighted and what is long term thinking. By earthly temporal standards the rich fool was thinking long term, because he made plans for financial security for many years. However, Jesus sharply points out that long term temporal thinking is short-sightedness. It is short sighted because the focus is about acquiring and having for oneself with no regard for God and what he values. It is a focus on only what happens in this life not what will happen in eternity. Look at how Jesus responds to a question for him to get involved in a squabble between to brothers over an inheritance, “And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). Then he starts the parable. Now look at how Jesus summarizes the meaning of the parable, “So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21). Temporal only thinking is short sighted because it does not give thought to what God desires and what will happen after this life is over.
Our clue that 22-34 is connected to them also comes from the way Luke records Jesus ending this passage, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Luke 12:34). Once we see verses 22-34 are connected to and a continuation of verses 13-21, then we can begin to see that trusting God to provide for our needs is manifested in how we handle our possessions.
Let us read the passage on worry and anxiousness with new eyes, eyes enlightened and illuminated by the word of God through the Spirit. Eyes that see we should not worry about our needs while we are being generous to others and God; including fear that our acknowledgement of Christ publicly and doing the will of the Father will lead to losses in our possessions.
How was he short-sighted, didn’t he make plans for long term security? Even in the way we ask the question we can betray our own failure to understand what is short-sighted and what is long term thinking. By earthly temporal standards the rich fool was thinking long term, because he made plans for financial security for many years. However, Jesus sharply points out that long term temporal thinking is short-sightedness. It is short sighted because the focus is about acquiring and having for oneself with no regard for God and what he values. It is a focus on only what happens in this life not what will happen in eternity. Look at how Jesus responds to a question for him to get involved in a squabble between to brothers over an inheritance, “And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). Then he starts the parable. Now look at how Jesus summarizes the meaning of the parable, “So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21). Temporal only thinking is short sighted because it does not give thought to what God desires and what will happen after this life is over.
Our clue that 22-34 is connected to them also comes from the way Luke records Jesus ending this passage, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Luke 12:34). Once we see verses 22-34 are connected to and a continuation of verses 13-21, then we can begin to see that trusting God to provide for our needs is manifested in how we handle our possessions.
Let us read the passage on worry and anxiousness with new eyes, eyes enlightened and illuminated by the word of God through the Spirit. Eyes that see we should not worry about our needs while we are being generous to others and God; including fear that our acknowledgement of Christ publicly and doing the will of the Father will lead to losses in our possessions.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Souls That Obey
“So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Phil 2:10). In this passage Paul links Jesus lordship to his humble obedience to God even taking on human form and dying on the cross (vs. 6-9). Paul then explains some of the implications of Christ lordship in the next passage. Paul connects verses 12-18 to verses 9-11. “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence,” (Phil 2:12). Just as Christ was obedient to the will of God the Father, so also should we be obedient to God’s will even if it is not what we would want to do. Paul says, “Do all things without grumbling or questioning,” (Phil 2:14) but why? Because Christ did not grumble or complain but he did the will of the Father.
In addition to Christ example we have the insightful statement, under the revelation of the Holy Spirit, in verse 13, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” We can see that, even in the activities or task we do not desire to do, by being obedient to God’s calling in our life he works in us to desire and to do his will. It is in the process of doing what we do not desire to do, (what he has called us to do that is, contrasted to Rom 7:19-20) that God can mold and shape our hearts and our understanding of him, so that we are more trusting and obedient to him in our hearts and minds. This is the ultimate form of bowing our knee to Jesus, to have our hearts, minds and wills molded and shaped into souls that obey without grumbling or complaining.
In addition to Christ example we have the insightful statement, under the revelation of the Holy Spirit, in verse 13, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” We can see that, even in the activities or task we do not desire to do, by being obedient to God’s calling in our life he works in us to desire and to do his will. It is in the process of doing what we do not desire to do, (what he has called us to do that is, contrasted to Rom 7:19-20) that God can mold and shape our hearts and our understanding of him, so that we are more trusting and obedient to him in our hearts and minds. This is the ultimate form of bowing our knee to Jesus, to have our hearts, minds and wills molded and shaped into souls that obey without grumbling or complaining.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Possessing True Humility
“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Phil 2:3). To get a clearer understanding of what Paul is saying in this verse it is necessary to contrast this command to what Paul says in 1:17, “The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.” Paul is referring to the individuals preaching Christ, but seeking to advance themselves in the process while Paul is in prison. These individuals are proclaiming the gospel, but they are doing it out of wrong motives. Once again, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, the biblical writer goes to the heart of the hearer. The attitude of our heart does matter (Matt 15:18-19). It is not just enough to moralistically perform the letter of the command Paul gives here in Philippians 2:3. If we act with humility on the outside but all the while have pride and conceit in our hearts over what we are doing, then we are no better than the individuals in 1:17 that were preaching the gospel.
To explain what I mean by acting with humility on the outside let’s say that while at church I am holding the door for all those coming in and saying, “Let me have the privilege of holding the door open for my brother and sister to enter into the house of the Lord.” Yet while I am watching them going in I am thinking and saying in my mind, “What a good example of piety and humility and service I am to these people. Now they can see me for the righteous good man that I am.” This pride in my heart denudes the humility I am displaying outwardly; it is being a lot more like a Pharisee than like a child of God.
This kind of conceit is so easy to have and so hard to fight against. It is such a difficult attitude because we can fool ourselves by the outward actions we are taking. Realizing this difficulty we begin to see why having Christ like humility, that Paul refers to in verses 6-8, is so critical to living out this command. For the deceitfulness of our human hearts makes living this way virtually impossible. To live like this requires the work of the Holy Spirit in our heart, mind and soul. Because only after the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit can we ever hope to live with humility on the outside generated from humility on the inside. May God do so in our hearts and minds today.
To explain what I mean by acting with humility on the outside let’s say that while at church I am holding the door for all those coming in and saying, “Let me have the privilege of holding the door open for my brother and sister to enter into the house of the Lord.” Yet while I am watching them going in I am thinking and saying in my mind, “What a good example of piety and humility and service I am to these people. Now they can see me for the righteous good man that I am.” This pride in my heart denudes the humility I am displaying outwardly; it is being a lot more like a Pharisee than like a child of God.
This kind of conceit is so easy to have and so hard to fight against. It is such a difficult attitude because we can fool ourselves by the outward actions we are taking. Realizing this difficulty we begin to see why having Christ like humility, that Paul refers to in verses 6-8, is so critical to living out this command. For the deceitfulness of our human hearts makes living this way virtually impossible. To live like this requires the work of the Holy Spirit in our heart, mind and soul. Because only after the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit can we ever hope to live with humility on the outside generated from humility on the inside. May God do so in our hearts and minds today.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Jesus Will Posses What is His
“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:9-11).
This reality given to us by the apostle Paul is a reaffirmation by the Holy Spirit of a promise God made to Abraham in Gen 22, and Jesus claimed for himself in the gospel of Matthew. When Abraham and Isaac are on Mt. Moriah with Isaac bound and Abraham ready to sacrifice Isaac, the Lord stops him and then says, “I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies,” (Gen 22:17). The last phrase is the one that connects to Philippians 2, “your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies.” It is a promise of ownership and victory in conquest. It is foreshadowed in Joshua’s leading the Israelites in taking the Promised Land.
However, it is Jesus who ultimately fulfills this promise by crushing the power of sin and death at his crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus ultimate fulfillment is in his Lordship over all, he says “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt 16:18). He establishes his kingdom and he is the irresistible Lord that will posses what is rightfully his. The final fulfillment of this is seen in Rev 11:15 “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." Jesus Lordship is assured because God promised it himself to Abraham and the whole Bible points to the assurance that God keeps his promises and fulfills them completely. Let us submit to our Lord and follow him.
This reality given to us by the apostle Paul is a reaffirmation by the Holy Spirit of a promise God made to Abraham in Gen 22, and Jesus claimed for himself in the gospel of Matthew. When Abraham and Isaac are on Mt. Moriah with Isaac bound and Abraham ready to sacrifice Isaac, the Lord stops him and then says, “I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies,” (Gen 22:17). The last phrase is the one that connects to Philippians 2, “your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies.” It is a promise of ownership and victory in conquest. It is foreshadowed in Joshua’s leading the Israelites in taking the Promised Land.
However, it is Jesus who ultimately fulfills this promise by crushing the power of sin and death at his crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus ultimate fulfillment is in his Lordship over all, he says “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt 16:18). He establishes his kingdom and he is the irresistible Lord that will posses what is rightfully his. The final fulfillment of this is seen in Rev 11:15 “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." Jesus Lordship is assured because God promised it himself to Abraham and the whole Bible points to the assurance that God keeps his promises and fulfills them completely. Let us submit to our Lord and follow him.
Monday, June 11, 2007
The Safety In Christ’s Reign
“So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,” (Phil 2:10). What comfort this reality gives the believer under persecution for faith and adherence to God’s Word. No matter what the outcome of our individual situations and lives on this earth under persecution, we will have the final victory through Jesus complete Lordship over all. We may experience the victorious King of all Kings taking victory over our adversaries and vindicating us in this life. Or we may suffer under our persecution to the point of death. If the latter, then we will experience victory in the next life as we watch the King of all Kings vindicate us before our tormentors and all the host of eternity.
If we feel the temptation to shrink back (Heb 10:39) from the exhortations of Scripture in the face of persecution, in any form, let us commit this truth to our minds and burn it upon our hearts, so that we will not shrink back for fear of man, but boldly stand firm for the glory of God and the good of our souls. Remembering that God has given Christ “the name above all names” (Phil 2:9), “so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.”
If we feel the temptation to shrink back (Heb 10:39) from the exhortations of Scripture in the face of persecution, in any form, let us commit this truth to our minds and burn it upon our hearts, so that we will not shrink back for fear of man, but boldly stand firm for the glory of God and the good of our souls. Remembering that God has given Christ “the name above all names” (Phil 2:9), “so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.”
Friday, June 01, 2007
Concern for Others
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 2:5). What mind is it we are to have? Part of the answer comes from verse four, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” So the mind Paul is commanding us to have is one that looks not only to our own interest but also to the interest of others. (From the grammar of the original language we know this is a command and not a suggestion.) This is a daunting challenge for any moral person, to look after not only his own interest but also the interest of others! In fact it is impossible for even a moral person to live-up to this standard.
Even the most moral person will put his or her own interest first, then the interest of others in their daily life. Just think about your drive to work each day. How often do you place your own interest first at a stop light or a lane merging? Our self-centered nature has us hardwired to place our own interest ahead of others.
What hope is there then for living-up to such a command in Scripture? The hope of faith in Christ and the life changing work that the Holy Spirit brings when one believes in Christ. Notice the last half of verse five, “which is yours in Christ Jesus.” The mind of looking out for not only your own interest but the interest of others comes from Christ. Why? Because only a change in our hearts and minds, done by the Holy Spirit as part of the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in a believer, can empower us to follow Christ example and give-up everything for the sake of others (the other part of what mind we are to have).
The proof of what I say is found not only in Scripture through the life of Christ and then the apostles, but it is also found in the biographies of God’s servants. Read the biographies of Hudson Taylor, Adoniram Judson and Lottie Moon. In them you will see the evidence of Philippians 2:5. You will also see how such obedience to this command came only through the transforming of their heart, mind and soul by the gospel of Jesus Christ. May God grant us the gift of His Holy Spirit capturing our entire beings as it did those heroes of the faith.
Even the most moral person will put his or her own interest first, then the interest of others in their daily life. Just think about your drive to work each day. How often do you place your own interest first at a stop light or a lane merging? Our self-centered nature has us hardwired to place our own interest ahead of others.
What hope is there then for living-up to such a command in Scripture? The hope of faith in Christ and the life changing work that the Holy Spirit brings when one believes in Christ. Notice the last half of verse five, “which is yours in Christ Jesus.” The mind of looking out for not only your own interest but the interest of others comes from Christ. Why? Because only a change in our hearts and minds, done by the Holy Spirit as part of the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in a believer, can empower us to follow Christ example and give-up everything for the sake of others (the other part of what mind we are to have).
The proof of what I say is found not only in Scripture through the life of Christ and then the apostles, but it is also found in the biographies of God’s servants. Read the biographies of Hudson Taylor, Adoniram Judson and Lottie Moon. In them you will see the evidence of Philippians 2:5. You will also see how such obedience to this command came only through the transforming of their heart, mind and soul by the gospel of Jesus Christ. May God grant us the gift of His Holy Spirit capturing our entire beings as it did those heroes of the faith.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Living By Christ's Example
“Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” (Philippians 2:2). The first thing we must understand from this statement Paul gives us is the completing of Paul’s joy by the Philippians is not a request or a plea. From the original language we know that Paul is commanding them to complete his joy. Paul is commanding the Philippians (and us) to have the same mind, love and corporate unity, same as what? The remainder of the passage tells us about Christ and His example. Paul is commanding us to have the same mindset and servant humility that Christ had.
What was that servant humility Christ had? “He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). Christ servant humility was obedience to the Father’s plan despite the “unpleasantness” of the plan. However, if we stopped here with our understanding of Christ’s servant humility we quite miss the point.
Christ was obedient to death even though he was God and had all the rights, privileges and authority that go with His divinity. Yet Jesus willingly laid all those rights and privileges aside to take on human flesh and become fully human, (while still remaining fully God). All through the gospels we see a Jesus that never demanded nor asserted the rights and privileges he was due as the Son of God in Human flesh for His own needs but only for others. He humbly served humanity as the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the world (Matt 20:28; John 1:29).
So what Paul is commanding you and I is to humbly accept our role in the Kingdom of God following Christ’s example. Not demanding our rights and privileges as children of God (John 1:12), but humbly being obedient to God’s plan and call in our lives, even to the point of death if God so wills it. Or being obedient in the more difficult task, to live a faithful and godly life, being “doers of the word, and not hearers only,” (James 1:22). Nothing but living under and in the power of the Holy Spirit makes such a life possible.
What was that servant humility Christ had? “He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). Christ servant humility was obedience to the Father’s plan despite the “unpleasantness” of the plan. However, if we stopped here with our understanding of Christ’s servant humility we quite miss the point.
Christ was obedient to death even though he was God and had all the rights, privileges and authority that go with His divinity. Yet Jesus willingly laid all those rights and privileges aside to take on human flesh and become fully human, (while still remaining fully God). All through the gospels we see a Jesus that never demanded nor asserted the rights and privileges he was due as the Son of God in Human flesh for His own needs but only for others. He humbly served humanity as the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the world (Matt 20:28; John 1:29).
So what Paul is commanding you and I is to humbly accept our role in the Kingdom of God following Christ’s example. Not demanding our rights and privileges as children of God (John 1:12), but humbly being obedient to God’s plan and call in our lives, even to the point of death if God so wills it. Or being obedient in the more difficult task, to live a faithful and godly life, being “doers of the word, and not hearers only,” (James 1:22). Nothing but living under and in the power of the Holy Spirit makes such a life possible.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
The Ruler of the Universe
“No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known” (John 1:18). Was Jesus at the Father’s side before he came to earth or after he came? Why can’t it mean both? The context of John’s passage is pointing to the eternity of Christ in the opening verses, then John moves to talking about Christ physical presence on the earth. The paragraph ending with vs. 18 is focusing on God the Son being revealed to us. It would seem to suggest that John is referring to Christ position before he came to earth. However, later in John’s gospel he recounts Jesus saying he was about to return to the Father (John 16). It is not beyond the realm of reasonableness to conclude John is also making a statement of where Jesus is now during his introduction.
So many places in the NT speak of Jesus being at the right hand of the Father, Mark 16:19; Acts 2:33-4, Acts 7:55-56; Rom 8:34; Col 3:1; Heb 1:13, 10:12; 1 Pet 3:22. Then we have Jesus himself describing this scene in Matthew (22:44), Mark (12:36) and Luke (20:42).
Because several of these are quotations or references to Psalm 110:1 we must see that while John may have only been referring to where Jesus was before he came to earth, it is clear both are true. Jesus was at the right hand of God before he came to earth and he is at the right of God even now. Recognizing the right hand is the hand of power and authority, these claims of Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Father carry huge implications. Namely Jesus is the one in authority over the entire universe, second only to God the Father (John 14:28).
So many places in the NT speak of Jesus being at the right hand of the Father, Mark 16:19; Acts 2:33-4, Acts 7:55-56; Rom 8:34; Col 3:1; Heb 1:13, 10:12; 1 Pet 3:22. Then we have Jesus himself describing this scene in Matthew (22:44), Mark (12:36) and Luke (20:42).
Because several of these are quotations or references to Psalm 110:1 we must see that while John may have only been referring to where Jesus was before he came to earth, it is clear both are true. Jesus was at the right hand of God before he came to earth and he is at the right of God even now. Recognizing the right hand is the hand of power and authority, these claims of Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Father carry huge implications. Namely Jesus is the one in authority over the entire universe, second only to God the Father (John 14:28).
Friday, April 27, 2007
Born of God
“Who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13). To be born of God. What an amazing thought. Does this idea of being born of God not take us back to Genesis 1 and 2? Can we possibly consider being born of God without Genesis 1 and 2 coloring our understanding of John’s words? Absolutely not!
The only way we can understand this idea, as fully as human minds can understand it, is to draw upon Genesis 1 and 2. God formed man and breathed into him the breath of life (Gen 2:7). Adam, and subsequently Eve, was not born of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God, born with a sinless nature. Only God can create such a creature. Praise God he will create such creatures again, which is why we must be reborn of God and not of flesh and blood. So we may one day stand in the presence of the sovereign God our creator and live with Him as sinless creatures. Live as a part of the new creation, the redeemed creation, and the children of God, born of God. How glorious is our God!
The only way we can understand this idea, as fully as human minds can understand it, is to draw upon Genesis 1 and 2. God formed man and breathed into him the breath of life (Gen 2:7). Adam, and subsequently Eve, was not born of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God, born with a sinless nature. Only God can create such a creature. Praise God he will create such creatures again, which is why we must be reborn of God and not of flesh and blood. So we may one day stand in the presence of the sovereign God our creator and live with Him as sinless creatures. Live as a part of the new creation, the redeemed creation, and the children of God, born of God. How glorious is our God!
Born of God
“Who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13). To be born of God. What an amazing thought. Does this idea of being born of God not take us back to Genesis 1 and 2? Can we possibly consider being born of God without Genesis 1 and 2 coloring our understanding of John’s words? Absolutely not!
The only way we can understand this idea, as fully as human minds can understand it, is to draw upon Genesis 1 and 2. God formed man and breathed into him the breath of life (Gen 2:7). Adam, and subsequently Eve, was not born of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God, born with a sinless nature. Only God can create such a creature. Praise God he will create such creatures again, which is why we must be reborn of God and not of flesh and blood. So we may one day stand in the presence of the sovereign God our creator and live with Him as sinless creatures. Live as a part of the new creation, the redeemed creation, and the children of God, born of God. How glorious is our God!
The only way we can understand this idea, as fully as human minds can understand it, is to draw upon Genesis 1 and 2. God formed man and breathed into him the breath of life (Gen 2:7). Adam, and subsequently Eve, was not born of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God, born with a sinless nature. Only God can create such a creature. Praise God he will create such creatures again, which is why we must be reborn of God and not of flesh and blood. So we may one day stand in the presence of the sovereign God our creator and live with Him as sinless creatures. Live as a part of the new creation, the redeemed creation, and the children of God, born of God. How glorious is our God!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
What Do You Say?
“And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God" (John 1:34). John the Baptist said these words. It is John’s confessional testimony of Jesus divinity and Messiahship. The question for all of us, and especially me, is will we testify to this same truth? Will we bear witness that Jesus is the Son of God, with all the messianic implications this title carries? Will we say “Jesus is the Son of God,” or will we try to weasel through this life straddling the fence? “Jesus was a son of a god,” will that be your lukewarm testimony? One motivated by a desire not to ostracize yourself from either the popular notions of the culture today or the fellowship of “church.” Make no mistake though my friends, such a lukewarm confession will be met with the lukewarm response, “So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” (Rev 3:16).
Will the fears of men and the persecutions of this world motivate you to say, “I cannot tell if Jesus is the Son of God or where he came from.” Such a non committal answer may win the praise of men, but it will not win the favor of God the Father. “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,” (Matt 10:32).
My brothers and sisters, only one confession, one testimony, one declaration of what we believe and who we put our faith in will suffice for the God of all heaven and earth. The witness from our own mouths must be that Jesus of Nazareth, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt 16:16), and “My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). To stand with John the Baptist and unashamedly say, “this is the Son of God.” May nothing else ever be upon our lips. May nothing else ever be in my heart.
Will the fears of men and the persecutions of this world motivate you to say, “I cannot tell if Jesus is the Son of God or where he came from.” Such a non committal answer may win the praise of men, but it will not win the favor of God the Father. “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,” (Matt 10:32).
My brothers and sisters, only one confession, one testimony, one declaration of what we believe and who we put our faith in will suffice for the God of all heaven and earth. The witness from our own mouths must be that Jesus of Nazareth, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt 16:16), and “My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). To stand with John the Baptist and unashamedly say, “this is the Son of God.” May nothing else ever be upon our lips. May nothing else ever be in my heart.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
The Privilege
“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,” (Heb 10:19-20). This truth that Paul explains to us must be a great comfort. It must also be a great joy and excitement, because we have the privilege of walking into the Holy of Holies, the very throne room of God because of Christ’s work on the Cross. When we enter our private prayer room we enter into the throne room of the eternal God. When we join in prayer with one or more of our brothers and/or sisters in Christ, we have an audience with the High King of Heaven. The one Paul calls “The King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God” (1 Tim 1:17). All because Christ broke the power of sin on the Cross and tore the curtain that separates man from God. We now know an intimacy with the God, a freedom of entering His presence, which men and women of the OT could not even imagine!
Oh my brothers and sisters do not let us squander such a precious and dear gift by being to busy to pray. Whenever we feel the rush and hurry of life, let us not be controlled by it so that we do not avail ourselves of an audience with the King. All the more so when we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders from life’s challenges and burdens, let us exercise our prerogative of a hearing with the Sovereign of time and space. Always remembering it is because of Christ work on the Cross and in His name that we are so favored.
Oh my brothers and sisters do not let us squander such a precious and dear gift by being to busy to pray. Whenever we feel the rush and hurry of life, let us not be controlled by it so that we do not avail ourselves of an audience with the King. All the more so when we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders from life’s challenges and burdens, let us exercise our prerogative of a hearing with the Sovereign of time and space. Always remembering it is because of Christ work on the Cross and in His name that we are so favored.
Monday, April 09, 2007
The Light
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). What a joyous statement to meditate upon this day, the day after Resurrection Sunday. Jesus came into the darkness of a sin oppressed world, one in which the Spirit of God was seldom seen or experienced. The darkness of sin and Satan came against Jesus, especially on the Cross. Yet Jesus defeated sin completely on the Cross and then He defeated death completely at the resurrection. Darkness could not overcome the light of Jesus. Darkness still rages against the light. However, this time darkness is fighting as a defeated foe in its last gasp for some semblance of victory.
We cannot read this passage without connecting it to 1 John 1:5-10, where John talks about the light and walking in the light. When we read the two passages side by side we begin to get a picture of what it means to walk in the light. We are to walk in the light of the truth, truth of sin defeated and Jesus as Lord. It is more though than just walking in truth, it is walking in The Truth, The Light of the world (John 8:12). We are to walk in Jesus by Him living in us. The glorious wonder of our walking in the light is not just that Jesus is in us; it is also that darkness cannot overcome us! Specifically that we do not live like children of the devil and we love our brothers (1 John 3). We can walk in the light, because The Light dwells within us who believe in Jesus Christ the risen one.
We cannot read this passage without connecting it to 1 John 1:5-10, where John talks about the light and walking in the light. When we read the two passages side by side we begin to get a picture of what it means to walk in the light. We are to walk in the light of the truth, truth of sin defeated and Jesus as Lord. It is more though than just walking in truth, it is walking in The Truth, The Light of the world (John 8:12). We are to walk in Jesus by Him living in us. The glorious wonder of our walking in the light is not just that Jesus is in us; it is also that darkness cannot overcome us! Specifically that we do not live like children of the devil and we love our brothers (1 John 3). We can walk in the light, because The Light dwells within us who believe in Jesus Christ the risen one.
Friday, April 06, 2007
He Died For ALL Our Sins
“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa 53:6). Somehow our going our own way is a source of iniquity. We sin against God when we go our own way, when we go astray. A sheep was to stay on the trail or in the meadow the shepherd led them on or into. A sheep would see something that looked appealing to its eyes and wander towards that thing. A greener spot, a less rocky path, whatever the item the sheep would go there against the shepherd’s desire.
We see a bigger house, a better spouse, a more comfortable position and decide that is where we will go. However those actions are against God the Father’s will. He has another plan for us, one explicitly in His word, or communicated to us through the Holy Spirit for our particular life calling, or even in the prompting of the Holy Spirit to call someone. However, we turn to our own way, and iniquity is born. When iniquity is born someone must bear it.
This is why Jesus suffered and died on the Cross this Good Friday, because God the Father “laid on Him the iniquities of us all.” Iniquities are created when we go our own way in the big and the small. When we measure the big sins in our eyes, adultery, idolatry, coveting, the punishment Jesus bore for us is humbling and grieves us. When we realize Jesus also had to die for the little sins in our eyes, not calling someone we were supposed to, walking on in a hurry when we were supposed to sit for a “chance” meeting with someone God had planned for us, our grief and shame is all the more magnified. Jesus had to die for my lusting after another woman, and He had to die because I was too busy to make a phone call. He had to die for all my sins.
We see a bigger house, a better spouse, a more comfortable position and decide that is where we will go. However those actions are against God the Father’s will. He has another plan for us, one explicitly in His word, or communicated to us through the Holy Spirit for our particular life calling, or even in the prompting of the Holy Spirit to call someone. However, we turn to our own way, and iniquity is born. When iniquity is born someone must bear it.
This is why Jesus suffered and died on the Cross this Good Friday, because God the Father “laid on Him the iniquities of us all.” Iniquities are created when we go our own way in the big and the small. When we measure the big sins in our eyes, adultery, idolatry, coveting, the punishment Jesus bore for us is humbling and grieves us. When we realize Jesus also had to die for the little sins in our eyes, not calling someone we were supposed to, walking on in a hurry when we were supposed to sit for a “chance” meeting with someone God had planned for us, our grief and shame is all the more magnified. Jesus had to die for my lusting after another woman, and He had to die because I was too busy to make a phone call. He had to die for all my sins.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
A Godly Appearance
“For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, no beauty that we should desire him” (Isa 53:2). The immortal, the invisible, the only God (I Tim 1:17), veiled in human flesh had none of the characteristics of royalty or divinity in his appearance. This was the invisible God taking on human form and he did not even take the time to give himself a gorgeous body! He gave Saul handsomeness and stature (1 Sam 9:1). He gave David handsomeness, beautiful eyes and ruddiness (1 Sam 16:12). He gave Stephen the face of an angel (Acts 6:15). However, the creator of man and physical human beauty would not even take on human beauty. How condemned we must be in our pursuit of physical beauty. How shameful our assessing value and worth of humans based on their physical appearance. The only God was not handsome or beautiful according to Isaiah’s prophecy. Are we going to challenge this biblical truth and deny his “homely” appearance as it is given to us in Scripture?
Upon meditation and contemplation, this should not surprise us. God knew and still knows our deference to the outward appearance. God knew that we focus on what is on the outside of the cup and not what is inside the cup. God knew we would be looking for and expecting a physical specimen of humanity to bear the Messiah, the Son of God. Because he knew, that we would always focus on the wrong thing, he chose to come in a “homely” body, one that had “no form or majesty that we should” notice Him. “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart" (1 Sam 16:7). It was our first and best clue as to what to expect.
Because Jesus came with no special appearance, His appearance itself is a sign, a flag, reminding us and drawing us back to what is important in God’s mind, the attitude of the heart (Luke 6:45). In Jesus’ physical life on this earth it was his heart, a heart given over completely to obedience, that made Jesus special, not his appearance. It is neither our Easter costume, nor our going to Church on Friday and Sunday that will be what God measures, those are all outward appearances. The only thing that God will measure us by this week is the attitude of our hearts. With this humbling and convicting truth upon our minds, let us resolve to spend more time this Holy week dressing-up our hearts instead of our bodies.
Upon meditation and contemplation, this should not surprise us. God knew and still knows our deference to the outward appearance. God knew that we focus on what is on the outside of the cup and not what is inside the cup. God knew we would be looking for and expecting a physical specimen of humanity to bear the Messiah, the Son of God. Because he knew, that we would always focus on the wrong thing, he chose to come in a “homely” body, one that had “no form or majesty that we should” notice Him. “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart" (1 Sam 16:7). It was our first and best clue as to what to expect.
Because Jesus came with no special appearance, His appearance itself is a sign, a flag, reminding us and drawing us back to what is important in God’s mind, the attitude of the heart (Luke 6:45). In Jesus’ physical life on this earth it was his heart, a heart given over completely to obedience, that made Jesus special, not his appearance. It is neither our Easter costume, nor our going to Church on Friday and Sunday that will be what God measures, those are all outward appearances. The only thing that God will measure us by this week is the attitude of our hearts. With this humbling and convicting truth upon our minds, let us resolve to spend more time this Holy week dressing-up our hearts instead of our bodies.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
