These may be mutually exclusive, but we can give it a try.
Do you remember the elections for student body president from high school? The candidates tried to outdo each other with promises calculated to gain votes. Some promised to institute one day weeks. Others guaranteed an A for every class that the student attended, and some even if they didn’t attend. Others pledged that school lunches would be reduced to 25 cents. The opponent went one better with a free lunch for everyone. And on and on and on.
I was reminded of that as I read the litany of Democratic candidates for the 2020 election and their campaign promises. They are no more reasoned and researched than the high school students’ platforms. And they are no more likely to be instituted than our high promising teens.
What I think is funny is that most reasonable voters recognize this foolishness and are mildly or even wildly amused. But our wanna-be's continue to multiply and prattle on and on and on.
One statement I heard struck me with its complete candor and accuracy. Our friend from 2016, Bernie, promised that he would never appoint a justice to the Supreme Court that would abolish abortion. Well, what do you know. I agree with Bernie completely. In fact, I would go so far as to project that he will never appoint a SCOTUS Justice ever. Thanks for the reality check, Bernie. That is refreshing among all the blather arising from the candidate corps.
What strange thoughts run through one’s mind at night. At least I have some strange ones. Does a mole make any noises? I was writing about lions and their roars. Then later, the wandering, wondering mind pounced on this idea like a lion on an antelope. What noise would a mole make?
Next thought. I think Cynthia Tobias said this. “We would think a lot less about what others think of us if we realized how seldom they do.” Right on.
Just a thought on prophets. One of the least mentioned of the Old Testament prophets is found in 1 Samuel 17. This prophet accurately predicted the outcome of the day’s battle and the demise of his enemy. Check it out.
45 “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.”
Notice verse 46 specifically. This prophet warned his adversary that he would go down and his head would be removed. His supporting army would be wiped out. And what happened? Was this a true prophet? Read on...
48 Then it happened when the Philistine rose and came and drew near to meet David, that David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground.
50 Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David’s hand.
You guessed it. Our prophet was none other than Jesse’s son, David, from Bethlehem. David “complied” with or met every requirement of a prophet. First he was faithful to what had been said before. He did not contradict any previous revelation from God. Second, he did not lead the people away from God. And third, he was completely accurate in his predictions. They came true exactly as he had stated.
So when we read other documents produced by him, we can be assured that those are likewise, “God breathed.” This is in spite of some of his stumbles, nope, sins. But when the Lord spoke through him, it was reliable and authoritative, just as the messages received from other prophets. God spoke through him. I want to hear more.
One last thought. Often Christians are called narrow minded or overly exclusive when we claim that there is only one way to God. That way is through Christ Jesus. As I was reading the Bible today I was in I Samuel 18:18. The context of the story is that David is being invited into Saul’s family, although surreptitiously, Saul was anticipating that his bargain with David would lead to the Philistines killing the shepherd boy.
David asked, “Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son-in-law?” That triggered an interesting thought. Saul had to invite him into his “house.”
Now refer back to our initial question. Heaven, or God’s house, is what we are being invited to enter. It is God’s house. He sets the conditions under which we can enter, just as Saul outlined the price that David had to pay to be included in his family.
God invites us into His family and consequently, to join Him in heaven for eternity. Just as any one of us would be offended if someone approached our door and demanded entry, so God is offended when admittance to His house is dictated in opposition to His direction.. He has clearly outlined the conditions, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.” (Acts 16:13) Anyone and everyone who attempts to enter by any other claim or manner is considered a thief and a robber. (John 10:1)
The “reasonable” argument is on the side of exclusion. It is unreasonable to expect admittance to anyone’s home when the supplicant refuses to comply with the owner’s specification. We are all familiar with the “No shirt, no shoes, no service,” placard often visible in the window of an establishment. Is the operator unreasonable, or merely exercising his prerogative as owner?
The Lord graciously invites all to come. And like the father in the story of the wedding feast in Matthew 22, the host invited the guests to come. Incidentally, he provided the proper attire. The guest had refused to accept the required clothing and was dismissed–well let’s be frank here–he was ejected.
If some refuse to accept the Lord’s invitation, their only option is to go to “another heaven.” And I am certain that it is not a nice as the one to which we refer. I’m dressed and going. You come too.
Thursday, May 23, 2019
Thursday, May 2, 2019
From Levirate Marriage to Living Again
Jesus was the master of “reading” what people said and interpreting what they are thinking and really need to hear. The Gospel writers understood and conveyed this in their accounts of His life. A perfect example is found in Luke 20:27-37. Incidentally, Matthew (Chapter 22), Mark (Chapter 12) and Luke (below) all record this conversation. Reading Luke.
Now there came to Him some of the Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection), 28 and they questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he is childless, his brother should marry the wife and raise up children to his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers; and the first took a wife and died childless; 30 and the second 31 and the third married her; and in the same way all seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally the woman died also. 33 In the resurrection therefore, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.”
34 Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, 35 but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38 Now He is not the God of the dead but of the living; for all live to Him.”
Luke began his record of this confrontation with the observation, “... the Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection).” So this entire discussion will be about life after death. But they began with a mundane inquiry about unfortunate brothers and their wife. They evidently were employing the reductio ad absurdum logical analysis. This argument suggests the disproof of a proposition by showing an absurdity to which it leads when carried to its logical conclusion. (The convoluted description is Webster’s definition.) The absolute absurdity of this scenario of life after death would preclude any such existence. They were right! That is, if their logic held up.
Jesus answered. Let’s follow His careful refutation to their ridiculous proposition. In the Matthew and Luke accounts He prefaces His answer with the analysis of their faulty logic.
Matthew 22:29
But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.”
Mark 12:24
Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God?”
Inaccurate presuppositions will generate preposterous conclusions. They were deficient in their understanding of the Scriptures. And since the Scriptures reveal God and His power, their ignorance caused them to underestimate or discount His power. Consequently, the conclusion was spurious. (I love to use that word.) Jesus was too polite to say that their ignorance was showing, but that conclusion was evident to the observers.
Often we encounter similar challenges today. They begin with, “How can a good God...?” And Jesus’ introduction applies to this query in the same way. Whenever a challenge begins with “a good God,” we know that there is a preconceived conclusion that God would not do whatever they are protesting. This is the logical fallacy called a straw man. The elements of the question are defined in such a way that there is only one answer, the one the questioner is propounding.
“A good God would not send anyone to hell. A good God would not allow such a tragedy to happen. A good God would not create or allow evil.” And Jesus’ response would be the same, “You do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God.”
Several current instances can be cited. In the immediate past week or so, terrorists murdered over 250 worshipers at an Easter service in Sri Lanka; a synagogue was attacked in Southern California, killing one person and wounding several others; and one last tragedy was here in Middle Tennessee. Seven people were murdered by a felon out on parole. Ironically, he was subject to re-arrest for violation of his parole. The officer had not yet received a signed warrant. How could a good God let such things happen? This can be applied to literally every weather intrusion into our calm and peaceful lives, auto or other accidents, crimes against innocents, and other “natural disasters.”
The operative term in this question is “good.” Good, in their definition is one who would not allow such things to happen. So when they do happen, there are only two conclusions. Either God is not good, or there is no God at all. But Jesus answered even this loaded question.
Jesus’ two-pronged evaluation is applicable in all of this. Romans 8:28 gives us the Scriptural foundation for evaluating the “power of God.”
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
We can summarize this as “Know the Scripture and know God.” Our first step is to understand the Scripture. “God causes” which means that in all of this He is in control. God does not cause these things to happen, but He causes the results to be “for good” for those who love Him and are called and living according to His purpose.
Joseph testified to that very thing in Genesis 50:19, 20.
But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
For those not in our Genesis class, and those as well, since we are not there yet, Joseph had been kidnapped and taken to Egypt. There he had been a slave, then thrown into prison for a crime that he did not commit, and ignored for several years. When his brothers, the perpetrators of these injustices appeared before him, years later, Joseph proclaimed his understanding of the Scripture’s description of God’s power. God can take even the most egregious circumstances and use them for good. Here it was the preservation of the nation of Israel. Just a small thing in the line of the Seed.
Our recent celebration of Easter is another example of this. God’s Son, Jesus was murdered, crucified on a Roman cross. How can that be “for good?” Three days later, we understood. He rose from the grave, defeating sin and death forever. What a story! What seemed to be “bad,” turned out to be for good. And not just any old good. This was salvation for everyone who believes in Him.
Joseph and the resurrection also illustrate another critical truth: The revelation of “good” may not be immediate. We may have to wait for the culmination of God’s work, but it will definitely be worth the wait. Adverse circumstances do not disprove the existence of God, they actually confirm it. As we see God working out “good” from seeming insurmountable difficulties, we witness His great power and love.
Michael Rydelnyk made a salient and germane comment on this. Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden in a state of untested holiness. It had never been proved. So when Satan tempted them and they fell, they failed and sin entered the human race. (1 Corinthians 15)
This is bad, right? If there had been no evil in the world, none of these bad things would happen. But, as Dr. Rydelnyk pointed out, since sin had entered the world, and death by sin, the stage was set for the battle of the ages. When Jesus died and was resurrected, He defeated and will ultimately abolish death and evil. That is the message in Corinthians.
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, 24 then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.
Adam brought sin and death into the world, but Jesus will ultimately destroy it. And in the meanwhile, He has decisively defeated it, and Satan. The story has to play out, but in the end, God will triumph, to His eternal glory. And we have the privilege of cooperating with Him.
In today’s meditation, Jesus went from Levirate marriage to eternal life. Joseph went from the pit to prison to the palace in Egypt, to explaining God’s superintendence of the welfare of the Nation of Israel. We may have to be patient, but we can trace God’s intervention in tragic human events to ultimate good in and for us. And we can go from despair to a personal relationship with God. We will not doubt the existence of God, or His good intentions. He will destroy all evil forever. And, as an extra bonus, we get eternal life–with Him.
The more we read His love letter, the Scriptures, the better we will understand and appreciate His power. Read the Bible, it is good for the soul. Don’t let your ignorance show.
Now there came to Him some of the Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection), 28 and they questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he is childless, his brother should marry the wife and raise up children to his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers; and the first took a wife and died childless; 30 and the second 31 and the third married her; and in the same way all seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally the woman died also. 33 In the resurrection therefore, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.”
34 Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, 35 but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38 Now He is not the God of the dead but of the living; for all live to Him.”
Luke began his record of this confrontation with the observation, “... the Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection).” So this entire discussion will be about life after death. But they began with a mundane inquiry about unfortunate brothers and their wife. They evidently were employing the reductio ad absurdum logical analysis. This argument suggests the disproof of a proposition by showing an absurdity to which it leads when carried to its logical conclusion. (The convoluted description is Webster’s definition.) The absolute absurdity of this scenario of life after death would preclude any such existence. They were right! That is, if their logic held up.
Jesus answered. Let’s follow His careful refutation to their ridiculous proposition. In the Matthew and Luke accounts He prefaces His answer with the analysis of their faulty logic.
Matthew 22:29
But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.”
Mark 12:24
Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God?”
Inaccurate presuppositions will generate preposterous conclusions. They were deficient in their understanding of the Scriptures. And since the Scriptures reveal God and His power, their ignorance caused them to underestimate or discount His power. Consequently, the conclusion was spurious. (I love to use that word.) Jesus was too polite to say that their ignorance was showing, but that conclusion was evident to the observers.
Often we encounter similar challenges today. They begin with, “How can a good God...?” And Jesus’ introduction applies to this query in the same way. Whenever a challenge begins with “a good God,” we know that there is a preconceived conclusion that God would not do whatever they are protesting. This is the logical fallacy called a straw man. The elements of the question are defined in such a way that there is only one answer, the one the questioner is propounding.
“A good God would not send anyone to hell. A good God would not allow such a tragedy to happen. A good God would not create or allow evil.” And Jesus’ response would be the same, “You do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God.”
Several current instances can be cited. In the immediate past week or so, terrorists murdered over 250 worshipers at an Easter service in Sri Lanka; a synagogue was attacked in Southern California, killing one person and wounding several others; and one last tragedy was here in Middle Tennessee. Seven people were murdered by a felon out on parole. Ironically, he was subject to re-arrest for violation of his parole. The officer had not yet received a signed warrant. How could a good God let such things happen? This can be applied to literally every weather intrusion into our calm and peaceful lives, auto or other accidents, crimes against innocents, and other “natural disasters.”
The operative term in this question is “good.” Good, in their definition is one who would not allow such things to happen. So when they do happen, there are only two conclusions. Either God is not good, or there is no God at all. But Jesus answered even this loaded question.
Jesus’ two-pronged evaluation is applicable in all of this. Romans 8:28 gives us the Scriptural foundation for evaluating the “power of God.”
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
We can summarize this as “Know the Scripture and know God.” Our first step is to understand the Scripture. “God causes” which means that in all of this He is in control. God does not cause these things to happen, but He causes the results to be “for good” for those who love Him and are called and living according to His purpose.
Joseph testified to that very thing in Genesis 50:19, 20.
But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
For those not in our Genesis class, and those as well, since we are not there yet, Joseph had been kidnapped and taken to Egypt. There he had been a slave, then thrown into prison for a crime that he did not commit, and ignored for several years. When his brothers, the perpetrators of these injustices appeared before him, years later, Joseph proclaimed his understanding of the Scripture’s description of God’s power. God can take even the most egregious circumstances and use them for good. Here it was the preservation of the nation of Israel. Just a small thing in the line of the Seed.
Our recent celebration of Easter is another example of this. God’s Son, Jesus was murdered, crucified on a Roman cross. How can that be “for good?” Three days later, we understood. He rose from the grave, defeating sin and death forever. What a story! What seemed to be “bad,” turned out to be for good. And not just any old good. This was salvation for everyone who believes in Him.
Joseph and the resurrection also illustrate another critical truth: The revelation of “good” may not be immediate. We may have to wait for the culmination of God’s work, but it will definitely be worth the wait. Adverse circumstances do not disprove the existence of God, they actually confirm it. As we see God working out “good” from seeming insurmountable difficulties, we witness His great power and love.
Michael Rydelnyk made a salient and germane comment on this. Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden in a state of untested holiness. It had never been proved. So when Satan tempted them and they fell, they failed and sin entered the human race. (1 Corinthians 15)
This is bad, right? If there had been no evil in the world, none of these bad things would happen. But, as Dr. Rydelnyk pointed out, since sin had entered the world, and death by sin, the stage was set for the battle of the ages. When Jesus died and was resurrected, He defeated and will ultimately abolish death and evil. That is the message in Corinthians.
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, 24 then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.
Adam brought sin and death into the world, but Jesus will ultimately destroy it. And in the meanwhile, He has decisively defeated it, and Satan. The story has to play out, but in the end, God will triumph, to His eternal glory. And we have the privilege of cooperating with Him.
In today’s meditation, Jesus went from Levirate marriage to eternal life. Joseph went from the pit to prison to the palace in Egypt, to explaining God’s superintendence of the welfare of the Nation of Israel. We may have to be patient, but we can trace God’s intervention in tragic human events to ultimate good in and for us. And we can go from despair to a personal relationship with God. We will not doubt the existence of God, or His good intentions. He will destroy all evil forever. And, as an extra bonus, we get eternal life–with Him.
The more we read His love letter, the Scriptures, the better we will understand and appreciate His power. Read the Bible, it is good for the soul. Don’t let your ignorance show.
Friday, April 19, 2019
Everything Is Coming Up Easter
This time of year is when we have a plethora of critical comments about the Resurrection. That is the twin of the critiques on the Birth of Jesus that spring up around the Advent season. “There was not a census.., Quirinius either was not a governor or it was at the wrong time.., The celebration was a copy of a pagan festival, Saturnalia.., It was not in December.., Mary was not really a virgin, just a young lady...” and so on.
Many of the “Easter Controversies” center around the actual day that we should celebrate the Resurrection. Other disputes focus on the specific day that Jesus died. I found a new one that asks if Jesus rose “on the third day,” or “after three days.” I suppose that is founded in the day of the week that Jesus died. Some say that He had to die on Thursday or even Wednesday to give a full three days. Died, Wednesday, then in the grave Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, three days, and rose on Sunday, after three days.
A variation is that He died on Thursday, and was dead Friday, Saturday, and rose again on Sunday, the third day. And, according to Dr. Rydelnyk, our resident and preferred Hebrew and Jewish scholar, He died on Friday, day one, in the grave Saturday, day two, and rose on Sunday, day three. In Jewish accounting, any part of a day counts as a full day. Friday, Saturday, Sunday adds up to three days. So He arose “after three days,” on the third day. Both sides are right.
Some will point out that the accounts vary in who came to the tomb and when; what they saw; and what they did. In reality, none of the “contradictions” are mutually exclusive. All of them could be perfectly and exactly accurate–for the people involved. Not everyone had the same experience, so trying to “merge” them into a single narrative is a foolish waste of time. That is like asking several people to tell about an earthquake, then pointing out the inconsistencies of the varied stories. It was different for each person. But each story was accurate.
Regardless of how the event is calculated, the important thing is that He rose! And if the “controversies” get us talking about the Resurrection, that is good. Jesus was dead, and came back to life. Paul spent the 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians defending that premise. And, his argument is overwhelming. (I heard a guy comment one time that we should not say “incontestable or undeniable” fact, because some idiot, somewhere, will argue that even the sun did not come up today. No, not the old canard that the earth “turns under the sun. The sun stands still,” but that the sun is not really there. So we say that the evidence is overwhelming and let the goof-balls go where they will.)
Look at verses 3-5.
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
1. He died, as the sacrifice for our sins. 2. He was buried, picturing the removal of our sins like the “scape goat” in the Old Testament. (Leviticus 16) And, it verified that He was really dead because He was sealed in a tomb. 3. Then He was raised, as the Scriptures had predicted, by the way. 4. And He appeared to verifiable witnesses. That is the essential sense of the story.
He is alive! And, just for good measure, Romans 4:25 explains why this is important.
He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.
The resurrection of Jesus was the verification that we were justified, completely absolved of all the guilt of sin. A famous financial advisor has people proclaim, “I’m debt free!” I prefer the Romans version: “I’m guilt free!” Christ the Lord is risen today. What a great song that is. But a corollary would be the hymn, “Saved by the Blood of the Crucified One.” (Below)
He had to die, and that gave us the blood. But without the resurrection, it was a tragic waste. But, as Paul demonstrated, He did rise, and that is the message that we proclaim every Easter. And the more we talk about it, the more we proclaim this truth, “til He comes again.” So let’s answer every controversy that we can find. Some have said that there is no bad publicity. Even negative comments make people think of you. And Easter has so much good that even if a negative thought is espoused, it merely highlights how good it is.
Do we worry about the details of the resurrection? Absolutely not. We rejoice that we can proclaim it. Let’s sing.
Saved By the Blood of the Crucified One
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCdBHHHiyIs
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Hymn+Christ+the+Lord+Is+Risen+Today+Lyrics&&view=detail&mid=8EC5CBE69A8A847FAAEB8EC5CBE69A8A847FAAEB&&FORM=VRDGAR
Many of the “Easter Controversies” center around the actual day that we should celebrate the Resurrection. Other disputes focus on the specific day that Jesus died. I found a new one that asks if Jesus rose “on the third day,” or “after three days.” I suppose that is founded in the day of the week that Jesus died. Some say that He had to die on Thursday or even Wednesday to give a full three days. Died, Wednesday, then in the grave Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, three days, and rose on Sunday, after three days.
A variation is that He died on Thursday, and was dead Friday, Saturday, and rose again on Sunday, the third day. And, according to Dr. Rydelnyk, our resident and preferred Hebrew and Jewish scholar, He died on Friday, day one, in the grave Saturday, day two, and rose on Sunday, day three. In Jewish accounting, any part of a day counts as a full day. Friday, Saturday, Sunday adds up to three days. So He arose “after three days,” on the third day. Both sides are right.
Some will point out that the accounts vary in who came to the tomb and when; what they saw; and what they did. In reality, none of the “contradictions” are mutually exclusive. All of them could be perfectly and exactly accurate–for the people involved. Not everyone had the same experience, so trying to “merge” them into a single narrative is a foolish waste of time. That is like asking several people to tell about an earthquake, then pointing out the inconsistencies of the varied stories. It was different for each person. But each story was accurate.
Regardless of how the event is calculated, the important thing is that He rose! And if the “controversies” get us talking about the Resurrection, that is good. Jesus was dead, and came back to life. Paul spent the 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians defending that premise. And, his argument is overwhelming. (I heard a guy comment one time that we should not say “incontestable or undeniable” fact, because some idiot, somewhere, will argue that even the sun did not come up today. No, not the old canard that the earth “turns under the sun. The sun stands still,” but that the sun is not really there. So we say that the evidence is overwhelming and let the goof-balls go where they will.)
Look at verses 3-5.
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
1. He died, as the sacrifice for our sins. 2. He was buried, picturing the removal of our sins like the “scape goat” in the Old Testament. (Leviticus 16) And, it verified that He was really dead because He was sealed in a tomb. 3. Then He was raised, as the Scriptures had predicted, by the way. 4. And He appeared to verifiable witnesses. That is the essential sense of the story.
He is alive! And, just for good measure, Romans 4:25 explains why this is important.
He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.
The resurrection of Jesus was the verification that we were justified, completely absolved of all the guilt of sin. A famous financial advisor has people proclaim, “I’m debt free!” I prefer the Romans version: “I’m guilt free!” Christ the Lord is risen today. What a great song that is. But a corollary would be the hymn, “Saved by the Blood of the Crucified One.” (Below)
He had to die, and that gave us the blood. But without the resurrection, it was a tragic waste. But, as Paul demonstrated, He did rise, and that is the message that we proclaim every Easter. And the more we talk about it, the more we proclaim this truth, “til He comes again.” So let’s answer every controversy that we can find. Some have said that there is no bad publicity. Even negative comments make people think of you. And Easter has so much good that even if a negative thought is espoused, it merely highlights how good it is.
Do we worry about the details of the resurrection? Absolutely not. We rejoice that we can proclaim it. Let’s sing.
Saved By the Blood of the Crucified One
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCdBHHHiyIs
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Hymn+Christ+the+Lord+Is+Risen+Today+Lyrics&&view=detail&mid=8EC5CBE69A8A847FAAEB8EC5CBE69A8A847FAAEB&&FORM=VRDGAR
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Unplanned
If you have not yet seen the movie, “Unplanned” by all means go see it. The “R” label is for bloody and disturbing scenes. And they are bloody disturbing. That may be an obscenity in England, and surely, abortion is an obscenity.
Go see it.
But, we cannot leave it there. At one point, Abby Johnson, the former director of an abortion clinic cried, “How can God forgive me?” She had “presided” over about 22,000 abortions.
I wanted to stand in the theater and shout, “Because of Easter!” The Old Testament carefully and and in elaborate detail outlines the procedure for sacrifice and worship. It is difficult and demanding. We are talking about approaching the perfectly holy God. A slip-shod, careless approach is neither fitting nor efficacious. And as Aaron’s two oldest sons discovered, it can be fatal. (Leviticus 10) And if I recognize my abject failure to be holy and pure, I will cry out with Abby, “How can God forgive ME?”
He sent His perfect Son, the Holy Son, to be the sacrifice described and prescribed in the Old Testament to pay for my failures. We celebrate that every year at Easter. And how can we be sure that it was enough? Are my sins forgiven and, as the old song goes, “buried in the depths of the deepest sea?”
Romans 4:25 eliminates that doubt. Hallelujah! Speaking of Christ Jesus,
He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. (Another translation says, “on account of our justification.”)
“Delivered” means that He was brought as the lamb in the sacrifice, and died. And when God evaluated the offering, He declared it “satisfactory.” In fact it was perfect. And to demonstrate that for Abby, and me, and all the world to see that He was pleased and accepted the sacrifice, He raised Jesus from the dead. Another Easter hymn goes, “Death cannot hold its prey, Jesus my Saviour!” Shout it out!
We are forgiven, freed from guilt. And the book of James instructs us in our behavior. James 2:18b
“I will show you my faith by my works.”
True faith results in works and as we sare assured that we are forgiven by Jesus’ resurrection. People see our faith by our works. James 2:24
You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
We cannot see “faith,” but the results are visible in our works, actions. We see God's work in justification by the Resurrection. And my "works" include the fact that I oppose abortion.
[Note: Three states have approved, and eight others have pending, bills to prohibit abortion after a heart beat is detected. It is a baby. Our Planned Parenthood friends, according to Abby, used to have a room labeled P. O. C. The official name was Products of Conception, but the workers called it “Parts of Children.” Medically it is imperative that the abortionist ensure that everything is “out” for any part left behind can fester and infect the mother. They have to verify that the whole baby is in the petri dish. Yes, “obscene” is not appropriate. We need something more intense. Stop it! End of note.]
I had not planned to write on abortion or movies this Easter season. The final credits of the movie had UNPLANNED in all caps. The UN was crossed out with a horizontal line through the letters and a vertical line between the U and the N. A cross changed everything. It was God’s plan from the foundation of the world.
Hallelujah, what a Savior. He planned it all.
Go see it.
But, we cannot leave it there. At one point, Abby Johnson, the former director of an abortion clinic cried, “How can God forgive me?” She had “presided” over about 22,000 abortions.
I wanted to stand in the theater and shout, “Because of Easter!” The Old Testament carefully and and in elaborate detail outlines the procedure for sacrifice and worship. It is difficult and demanding. We are talking about approaching the perfectly holy God. A slip-shod, careless approach is neither fitting nor efficacious. And as Aaron’s two oldest sons discovered, it can be fatal. (Leviticus 10) And if I recognize my abject failure to be holy and pure, I will cry out with Abby, “How can God forgive ME?”
He sent His perfect Son, the Holy Son, to be the sacrifice described and prescribed in the Old Testament to pay for my failures. We celebrate that every year at Easter. And how can we be sure that it was enough? Are my sins forgiven and, as the old song goes, “buried in the depths of the deepest sea?”
Romans 4:25 eliminates that doubt. Hallelujah! Speaking of Christ Jesus,
He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. (Another translation says, “on account of our justification.”)
“Delivered” means that He was brought as the lamb in the sacrifice, and died. And when God evaluated the offering, He declared it “satisfactory.” In fact it was perfect. And to demonstrate that for Abby, and me, and all the world to see that He was pleased and accepted the sacrifice, He raised Jesus from the dead. Another Easter hymn goes, “Death cannot hold its prey, Jesus my Saviour!” Shout it out!
We are forgiven, freed from guilt. And the book of James instructs us in our behavior. James 2:18b
“I will show you my faith by my works.”
True faith results in works and as we sare assured that we are forgiven by Jesus’ resurrection. People see our faith by our works. James 2:24
You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
We cannot see “faith,” but the results are visible in our works, actions. We see God's work in justification by the Resurrection. And my "works" include the fact that I oppose abortion.
[Note: Three states have approved, and eight others have pending, bills to prohibit abortion after a heart beat is detected. It is a baby. Our Planned Parenthood friends, according to Abby, used to have a room labeled P. O. C. The official name was Products of Conception, but the workers called it “Parts of Children.” Medically it is imperative that the abortionist ensure that everything is “out” for any part left behind can fester and infect the mother. They have to verify that the whole baby is in the petri dish. Yes, “obscene” is not appropriate. We need something more intense. Stop it! End of note.]
I had not planned to write on abortion or movies this Easter season. The final credits of the movie had UNPLANNED in all caps. The UN was crossed out with a horizontal line through the letters and a vertical line between the U and the N. A cross changed everything. It was God’s plan from the foundation of the world.
Hallelujah, what a Savior. He planned it all.
Thursday, April 4, 2019
Deuteronomy and Psalm 119
Reading God’s Word can surely show us a lot. Two questions that have occurred to me recently were answered in the daily reading and designed memory process. The first concerned false prophets and the idea that the Children of Israel asked Moses to request the Lord not to talk to them.
(Exodus 20:18, 19
All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain surrounded by smoke. When the people saw it they trembled and stood at a distance. 19 “You speak to us, and we will listen,” they said to Moses, “but don’t let God speak to us, or we will die.”
Have you heard any messages about this that essentially condemned the Jews for not wanting to hear from God? I have. Then I read this passage in Deuteronomy 18:15-22.
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. 16 This is what you requested from the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, ‘Let us not continue to hear the voice of the Lord our God or see this great fire any longer, so that we will not die!’ (ED: Exodus 20) 17 Then the Lord said to me, ‘They have spoken well. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19 I will hold accountable whoever does not listen to My words that he speaks in My name. 20 But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ 21 You may say to yourself, ‘How can we recognize a message the Lord has not spoken?’ 22 When a prophet speaks in the Lord’s name, and the message does not come true or is not fulfilled, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
This passage answers two questions. First, it addresses the question of the people not wanting to “hear from God.” But check verse 17. God commends the people for being circumspect. It seems as if they really understood God and His holiness and realized that even hearing His voice could condemn them. So they requested that Moses be the “go-between.” He became the mediator, a picture of Jesus.
1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
Isn’t that a great picture? No one is worthy to directly approach God, but He sent a Mediator, His Son, to take that place. Moses was a picture of that, as were the priests. Then the rest of the passage we cited in Deuteronomy becomes crystal clear. God was not just “picking on” false prophets. This statement did not just come out of the blue. Since God recognized that Moses would not live forever–as our Mediator does–he took the practical step of telling the people to look for other messengers, prophets, who would deliver God’s message to the people.
Now the rest of that paragraph makes tons of sense. Moses told them that another prophet would replace him. (V. 15) God would put “His words” into the mouth of the prophet. If the people did not listen, the penalty was the same as if they ignored God’s words from the mountain. That is a sobering responsibility–for both the listeners, and for the prophet.
So the declaration in v. 20 now makes tons of sense.
But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.
With God’s command to listen and obey what the prophet says, comes the burden of making sure that what is said is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. The temptation for mortals is to exercise and exceed their authority to their own benefit.
James (3:1) carried that concept into the New Testament.
Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.
Then Moses’ final comment is that we do not need to fear a false, or presumptuous prophet. Just for the record and our guidance, a test for false prophets is given. First, is what he said in accordance with what God has already said? That is the implication of “My words in his mouth.” Since God will not change His mind or contradict Himself, everything “new” that comes from the prophet must agree with everything already said. No changes will happen. (Good lesson to apply to some teachings that are promulgated today. “This is a new time....” NOT!) But I digress.
Second, if the prophet advises or advocates worshiping any other God, he is false. This is a “just to make sure you understand” the first rule. No other gods. Period. If anyone strays from that is is a fake. And the third is a practical test. If he makes any predictions, they will come true completely, with no near misses or errors. Just to verify His agents, God said that He would give a prophet a vision, or insight into the future. And if the prophet is truly God-sent, the vision will come true. Have you read Daniel lately? His visions were astoundingly accurate–and detailed. No sweeping generalizations like a king will fall, a mountain will erupt, a famine will come. They were specific and detailed, just as were Joseph’s visions in Egypt.
These three tests guided the people to listen to and obey prophets then. They guide us today. What a great insight.
The second question that I have heard is related to this. Have you ever heard a pastor or leader say, “Don’t follow me, follow Jesus?” At first blush this seems to be appropriate and godly. It shows his humility. That may not be the case. Let’s check how Paul instructed his readers.
Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. (1 Corinthians 4:16; 11:1)
This is repeated in Philippians 3:17. Granted we are not to put ourselves up as the standard, as Moses warned in Deuteronomy. But neither are leaders exempt from the requirement to follow the pattern that God has given. Then in my memory verses for the past few weeks, I realized that this train of thought was replicated in Psalm 119:77-80. Read with me.
May Your compassion come to me so that I may live, for Your instruction is my delight. (Notice the pattern being followed. ED.) 78 Let the arrogant be put to shame for slandering me with lies; I will meditate on Your precepts.
79 Let those who fear You, those who know Your decrees, turn to me. 80 May my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes so that I will not be put to shame.
You and I will not, in all likelihood, hear a voice from God. He has pretty much given us all that we need to know in His instruction, precepts, decrees, and statutes. (Just for fun, read the whole chapter and count how many different ways God’s Word is labeled.)
Notice specifically verse 79. Sounds like Paul, doesn’t it? Follow me as I “make my heart blameless regarding Your statutes.” The arrogant are shamed in that they do not follow the “instruction” and “precepts.” David was probably the author and he was a “man after God’s own heart.” And he was slandered by those who did not follow the Law. But his prayer was that he stay true to the Word.
If a teacher cannot ask people to follow him as he follows Christ, he might need to reevaluate his own path. I want to follow Christ so that people who follow me will not be put to shame, as David put it.
Read and memorize. It is good for the soul.
One other thought from Adrian Rogers. Moses met God at a burning bush at Sinai. Then he led the people out of Egypt to Sinai, to meet God at a burning mountain. Check Exodus 20:18.
(Exodus 20:18, 19
All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain surrounded by smoke. When the people saw it they trembled and stood at a distance. 19 “You speak to us, and we will listen,” they said to Moses, “but don’t let God speak to us, or we will die.”
Have you heard any messages about this that essentially condemned the Jews for not wanting to hear from God? I have. Then I read this passage in Deuteronomy 18:15-22.
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. 16 This is what you requested from the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, ‘Let us not continue to hear the voice of the Lord our God or see this great fire any longer, so that we will not die!’ (ED: Exodus 20) 17 Then the Lord said to me, ‘They have spoken well. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19 I will hold accountable whoever does not listen to My words that he speaks in My name. 20 But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ 21 You may say to yourself, ‘How can we recognize a message the Lord has not spoken?’ 22 When a prophet speaks in the Lord’s name, and the message does not come true or is not fulfilled, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
This passage answers two questions. First, it addresses the question of the people not wanting to “hear from God.” But check verse 17. God commends the people for being circumspect. It seems as if they really understood God and His holiness and realized that even hearing His voice could condemn them. So they requested that Moses be the “go-between.” He became the mediator, a picture of Jesus.
1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
Isn’t that a great picture? No one is worthy to directly approach God, but He sent a Mediator, His Son, to take that place. Moses was a picture of that, as were the priests. Then the rest of the passage we cited in Deuteronomy becomes crystal clear. God was not just “picking on” false prophets. This statement did not just come out of the blue. Since God recognized that Moses would not live forever–as our Mediator does–he took the practical step of telling the people to look for other messengers, prophets, who would deliver God’s message to the people.
Now the rest of that paragraph makes tons of sense. Moses told them that another prophet would replace him. (V. 15) God would put “His words” into the mouth of the prophet. If the people did not listen, the penalty was the same as if they ignored God’s words from the mountain. That is a sobering responsibility–for both the listeners, and for the prophet.
So the declaration in v. 20 now makes tons of sense.
But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.
With God’s command to listen and obey what the prophet says, comes the burden of making sure that what is said is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. The temptation for mortals is to exercise and exceed their authority to their own benefit.
James (3:1) carried that concept into the New Testament.
Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.
Then Moses’ final comment is that we do not need to fear a false, or presumptuous prophet. Just for the record and our guidance, a test for false prophets is given. First, is what he said in accordance with what God has already said? That is the implication of “My words in his mouth.” Since God will not change His mind or contradict Himself, everything “new” that comes from the prophet must agree with everything already said. No changes will happen. (Good lesson to apply to some teachings that are promulgated today. “This is a new time....” NOT!) But I digress.
Second, if the prophet advises or advocates worshiping any other God, he is false. This is a “just to make sure you understand” the first rule. No other gods. Period. If anyone strays from that is is a fake. And the third is a practical test. If he makes any predictions, they will come true completely, with no near misses or errors. Just to verify His agents, God said that He would give a prophet a vision, or insight into the future. And if the prophet is truly God-sent, the vision will come true. Have you read Daniel lately? His visions were astoundingly accurate–and detailed. No sweeping generalizations like a king will fall, a mountain will erupt, a famine will come. They were specific and detailed, just as were Joseph’s visions in Egypt.
These three tests guided the people to listen to and obey prophets then. They guide us today. What a great insight.
The second question that I have heard is related to this. Have you ever heard a pastor or leader say, “Don’t follow me, follow Jesus?” At first blush this seems to be appropriate and godly. It shows his humility. That may not be the case. Let’s check how Paul instructed his readers.
Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. (1 Corinthians 4:16; 11:1)
This is repeated in Philippians 3:17. Granted we are not to put ourselves up as the standard, as Moses warned in Deuteronomy. But neither are leaders exempt from the requirement to follow the pattern that God has given. Then in my memory verses for the past few weeks, I realized that this train of thought was replicated in Psalm 119:77-80. Read with me.
May Your compassion come to me so that I may live, for Your instruction is my delight. (Notice the pattern being followed. ED.) 78 Let the arrogant be put to shame for slandering me with lies; I will meditate on Your precepts.
79 Let those who fear You, those who know Your decrees, turn to me. 80 May my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes so that I will not be put to shame.
You and I will not, in all likelihood, hear a voice from God. He has pretty much given us all that we need to know in His instruction, precepts, decrees, and statutes. (Just for fun, read the whole chapter and count how many different ways God’s Word is labeled.)
Notice specifically verse 79. Sounds like Paul, doesn’t it? Follow me as I “make my heart blameless regarding Your statutes.” The arrogant are shamed in that they do not follow the “instruction” and “precepts.” David was probably the author and he was a “man after God’s own heart.” And he was slandered by those who did not follow the Law. But his prayer was that he stay true to the Word.
If a teacher cannot ask people to follow him as he follows Christ, he might need to reevaluate his own path. I want to follow Christ so that people who follow me will not be put to shame, as David put it.
Read and memorize. It is good for the soul.
One other thought from Adrian Rogers. Moses met God at a burning bush at Sinai. Then he led the people out of Egypt to Sinai, to meet God at a burning mountain. Check Exodus 20:18.
Monday, March 25, 2019
Fruit of the Beatitudes
Have you ever noticed a connection between the fruit of the Spirit (Galations 5:22-24) and the beatitudes (Matthew 5:2-11)? There are nine beatitudes and nine specific fruits. I had not noticed a conjunction between them either until recently. We were discussing the life that God rewards and the study led us to some things that are not rewarded. Jesus moves from the blessings of following Him, (chapter 5) to the non-rewards for faking it in Chapter 6. Matthew 6:1 gives the overview.
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
In fact, He says that any reward we get from public practice of piety is all that will be awarded.
Our consideration here is not that, however. But we want to turn back to the blessings in chapter 5. We will take them one at a time and compare them with the individual fruits of the Spirit. (Yes I know that they are all one fruit, but we will take each one at a time, like a bunch of grapes.)
As Julie Andrews says, “Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.”
Number one.
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
A poor person knows that he cannot meet the requirements to live in the most expensive house in town, unless a rich uncle buys it for him and pays the upkeep. A “poor in spirit” person similarly recognizes his inability to meet the requirements to live in heaven. His debt of sin disqualifies him for any opportunity or ability to get there. But, better than a rich uncle, God, Himself, paid the price, erasing the certificate of debt. That person is now has free and complete access to heaven forever. (That is me, and you if you have accepted Him.)
The first fruit is love. And how could we not love the God who has removed our debt of sin and reserved us a home in heaven? Our family literally had a rich uncle, and he was extremely generous. Now he, and his twin brother were kind and gentle men, in and of themselves, but when they held a family reunion, most of us, me included, made it a point to be there. We were not money-grubbers, by any means. But every one of us was anxious to show our appreciation and even love for these two men. When God has His homecoming, I plan to be there, too.
The Second beatitude is
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Joy is the second fruit. How can joy and mourning be related? The second beatitude looks back to the first. A person who is aware that he is unable to “afford” heaven should be filled with grief. And if they are, and recognize their need, they are on the way to the comfort of knowing forgiveness. And that leads directly to joy. Joy inexpressible is what Peter said as if he read my mind. 1 Peter 1:8
...and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory....
A poor person loves the Lord and it fills him with joy. Me too. And I trust that is true for you.
Third beatitude:
5 “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
And how do poor, but promised a kingdom, mourners treat other people? We have been comforted and can pass that along. Providing comfort is what a mother does for a distraught child. She is gentle. And what does Paul say? Check 2 Corinthians 1:3, 4.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
Beatitude 2 promises comfort and Paul tells us the source and the purpose of that comfort. We are comforted and in turn can comfort others. Be gentle, Number three. Gentleness is a later fruit, but we may find another application.
The third fruit is peace. Have you ever seen a gentle person who was not peaceful? When others’ needs and even desires are foremost in the attention and focus of anyone, it is hard to “pick a fight” with them. They are at peace with themselves and can be with others. And how can we be more “at peace” than knowing that our sins are gone and that one’s inheritance includes the earth. (And as a side note, that inheritance is not this crumbling old world, but the one Jesus will establish during His 1000 year reign on the earth. Glory.)
Beatitude number four is:
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
The hunger and thirsting for righteousness led to recognizing our poor condition and our mourning because of it. Now we get the promise that we will be “filled.” (KJV) Completely full of righteousness spiritually and “gentle” in our interactions with those around us. This is almost too easy to see, isn’t it. It just flows together.
Patience, the fourth fruit, just flows from gentle, righteous interactions. It meshes together like the gears on a Swiss watch. (Are there any such things anymore?)
Beatitude five:
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy”
When our patience is “tried” and offended, the first three gifts and beatitudes make it possible to react in mercy. It is not necessarily easy, but it is possible. And Kindness, number five fruit, fits here as well as with number 2. Jesus said that if we forgive men their trespasses, ours will be forgiven as well. And we can forgive because our trespasses have been forgiven in the first place. Just a nice little circle there. Merciful people are kind. Go on.
Beatitude six says:
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
And this purity of heart is not self generated. Had it been first, we would all be disqualified. Back in Deuteronomy 5, I just read the story abut the Children of Israel asking Moses not to let them hear God’s voice again. (Deuteronomy 5:25) They said that they were afraid that if they continued to hear God’s voice that they would die.
I have heard that it was the hardness of their hearts that caused them not to want to listen to God. But as I read it again, it occurred to me, in light of this study specifically, that they recognized how impossible it was to keep even these ten, and hearing any more from God would condemn them irredeemably. So they recognized that they were not pure in heart and were acknowledging it and beginning to take steps to avoid further condemnation. Just a thought.
Going back to the thought, of being pure in heart, we see that this beatitude comes after the first five have cleared the path. The sixth fruit is goodness. Pure hearted people are good. How can a pure heart treat anyone else but “good?”
B. Seven.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Notice the connection between six and seven. The “pure in heart” see God, and peacemakers are God’s children. And who can see their father more than children? We can “see God,” because we are his children. Being pure in heart helps to bring peace, not only to our acquaintances, but to the whole world. Good connection.
With the previous six blessings, how can we be anything but peace makers. A revolver back in the old west was called a Peacemaker, because if people did not respect it and calm down, it would literally calm them down, permanently. This is not that kind of peace. This is real peace, the kind that we can have with God. (Romans 5:1) And this peace in our hearts leads us to want to share that with others. We “make peace” between everyone and God. And when we are at peace with God, being at peace with others is a natural consequence. It is “unavoidable.”
Our fruit list included peace at number three. Number seven is faithful. We are peacemakers in that we are faithful to what we say and in how we interact with others. And more importantly, we are faithful to share the good news that everyone can have peace with God. This may be stretching it a little, but it certainly fits.
And of course we can find the result of faith: (Romans 5:1 again)
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ....
Galatians 2:16; 3:11, 24 repeat this. How did I get on faith? Oh yes, teaching “faith” brings peace to all who respond. So the best peace maker, is the one who brings people to faith. And, by making them children of God.
Beatitude number eight: v. 10
“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
And how better to respond to criticism or worse, persecution, than with kindness. In practical terms, nothing drives a bully more crazy than to treat him with kindness. They expect hostility or even retaliation and when they do not elicit that, they cannot handle the resulting emotion. But our goal is not to just infuriate them, but to show them Jesus.
How did Jesus react to those who were crucifying Him? He responded evenly, and in the end, prayed forgiveness for them. Notice the result on the centurion. (Matthew 27:54; Mark 15:39) He certainly did not intend to meet God, face to face, when he got up that morning. The kindness of God led him to salvation. (Romans 2:4) How better to achieve the peace of God in peoples’ hearts than show them God’s kindness.
Beatitude nine. It almost duplicates number eight. V. 11, 12
“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Persecution, again is the theme, but this time is it more verbal attack. But again instead of responding “in kind,” we exercise self control, the final fruit in the cluster. Not only does it lead people to believe the message we are preaching, but it is a verification that we are on track.
I am not implying that false cults are exempt from criticism and abuse. But true faith seems to elicit a lot more verbal and physical persecution than the false ones do. But that is not the point. Notice that Jesus said following the “truth path” puts us in the company of the prophets. But more important, going back to our initial thought, this produces rewards. “Great reward” is the term He used.
Looking for ways to live a life God rewards? Follow the beatitudes and let the fruit of the spirit flow out of your life. And Paul summarized it for us in Galatians 5.
...against such things there is no law.
Not that people will accept it without objection, but that they cannot effectively “get under your skin.” What a promise. I want to be fruitful, blessed, and assured of a home in heaven.
That is the promise He offers. Have you accepted your new home? Do it today.
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
In fact, He says that any reward we get from public practice of piety is all that will be awarded.
Our consideration here is not that, however. But we want to turn back to the blessings in chapter 5. We will take them one at a time and compare them with the individual fruits of the Spirit. (Yes I know that they are all one fruit, but we will take each one at a time, like a bunch of grapes.)
As Julie Andrews says, “Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.”
Number one.
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
A poor person knows that he cannot meet the requirements to live in the most expensive house in town, unless a rich uncle buys it for him and pays the upkeep. A “poor in spirit” person similarly recognizes his inability to meet the requirements to live in heaven. His debt of sin disqualifies him for any opportunity or ability to get there. But, better than a rich uncle, God, Himself, paid the price, erasing the certificate of debt. That person is now has free and complete access to heaven forever. (That is me, and you if you have accepted Him.)
The first fruit is love. And how could we not love the God who has removed our debt of sin and reserved us a home in heaven? Our family literally had a rich uncle, and he was extremely generous. Now he, and his twin brother were kind and gentle men, in and of themselves, but when they held a family reunion, most of us, me included, made it a point to be there. We were not money-grubbers, by any means. But every one of us was anxious to show our appreciation and even love for these two men. When God has His homecoming, I plan to be there, too.
The Second beatitude is
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Joy is the second fruit. How can joy and mourning be related? The second beatitude looks back to the first. A person who is aware that he is unable to “afford” heaven should be filled with grief. And if they are, and recognize their need, they are on the way to the comfort of knowing forgiveness. And that leads directly to joy. Joy inexpressible is what Peter said as if he read my mind. 1 Peter 1:8
...and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory....
A poor person loves the Lord and it fills him with joy. Me too. And I trust that is true for you.
Third beatitude:
5 “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
And how do poor, but promised a kingdom, mourners treat other people? We have been comforted and can pass that along. Providing comfort is what a mother does for a distraught child. She is gentle. And what does Paul say? Check 2 Corinthians 1:3, 4.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
Beatitude 2 promises comfort and Paul tells us the source and the purpose of that comfort. We are comforted and in turn can comfort others. Be gentle, Number three. Gentleness is a later fruit, but we may find another application.
The third fruit is peace. Have you ever seen a gentle person who was not peaceful? When others’ needs and even desires are foremost in the attention and focus of anyone, it is hard to “pick a fight” with them. They are at peace with themselves and can be with others. And how can we be more “at peace” than knowing that our sins are gone and that one’s inheritance includes the earth. (And as a side note, that inheritance is not this crumbling old world, but the one Jesus will establish during His 1000 year reign on the earth. Glory.)
Beatitude number four is:
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
The hunger and thirsting for righteousness led to recognizing our poor condition and our mourning because of it. Now we get the promise that we will be “filled.” (KJV) Completely full of righteousness spiritually and “gentle” in our interactions with those around us. This is almost too easy to see, isn’t it. It just flows together.
Patience, the fourth fruit, just flows from gentle, righteous interactions. It meshes together like the gears on a Swiss watch. (Are there any such things anymore?)
Beatitude five:
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy”
When our patience is “tried” and offended, the first three gifts and beatitudes make it possible to react in mercy. It is not necessarily easy, but it is possible. And Kindness, number five fruit, fits here as well as with number 2. Jesus said that if we forgive men their trespasses, ours will be forgiven as well. And we can forgive because our trespasses have been forgiven in the first place. Just a nice little circle there. Merciful people are kind. Go on.
Beatitude six says:
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
And this purity of heart is not self generated. Had it been first, we would all be disqualified. Back in Deuteronomy 5, I just read the story abut the Children of Israel asking Moses not to let them hear God’s voice again. (Deuteronomy 5:25) They said that they were afraid that if they continued to hear God’s voice that they would die.
I have heard that it was the hardness of their hearts that caused them not to want to listen to God. But as I read it again, it occurred to me, in light of this study specifically, that they recognized how impossible it was to keep even these ten, and hearing any more from God would condemn them irredeemably. So they recognized that they were not pure in heart and were acknowledging it and beginning to take steps to avoid further condemnation. Just a thought.
Going back to the thought, of being pure in heart, we see that this beatitude comes after the first five have cleared the path. The sixth fruit is goodness. Pure hearted people are good. How can a pure heart treat anyone else but “good?”
B. Seven.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Notice the connection between six and seven. The “pure in heart” see God, and peacemakers are God’s children. And who can see their father more than children? We can “see God,” because we are his children. Being pure in heart helps to bring peace, not only to our acquaintances, but to the whole world. Good connection.
With the previous six blessings, how can we be anything but peace makers. A revolver back in the old west was called a Peacemaker, because if people did not respect it and calm down, it would literally calm them down, permanently. This is not that kind of peace. This is real peace, the kind that we can have with God. (Romans 5:1) And this peace in our hearts leads us to want to share that with others. We “make peace” between everyone and God. And when we are at peace with God, being at peace with others is a natural consequence. It is “unavoidable.”
Our fruit list included peace at number three. Number seven is faithful. We are peacemakers in that we are faithful to what we say and in how we interact with others. And more importantly, we are faithful to share the good news that everyone can have peace with God. This may be stretching it a little, but it certainly fits.
And of course we can find the result of faith: (Romans 5:1 again)
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ....
Galatians 2:16; 3:11, 24 repeat this. How did I get on faith? Oh yes, teaching “faith” brings peace to all who respond. So the best peace maker, is the one who brings people to faith. And, by making them children of God.
Beatitude number eight: v. 10
“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
And how better to respond to criticism or worse, persecution, than with kindness. In practical terms, nothing drives a bully more crazy than to treat him with kindness. They expect hostility or even retaliation and when they do not elicit that, they cannot handle the resulting emotion. But our goal is not to just infuriate them, but to show them Jesus.
How did Jesus react to those who were crucifying Him? He responded evenly, and in the end, prayed forgiveness for them. Notice the result on the centurion. (Matthew 27:54; Mark 15:39) He certainly did not intend to meet God, face to face, when he got up that morning. The kindness of God led him to salvation. (Romans 2:4) How better to achieve the peace of God in peoples’ hearts than show them God’s kindness.
Beatitude nine. It almost duplicates number eight. V. 11, 12
“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Persecution, again is the theme, but this time is it more verbal attack. But again instead of responding “in kind,” we exercise self control, the final fruit in the cluster. Not only does it lead people to believe the message we are preaching, but it is a verification that we are on track.
I am not implying that false cults are exempt from criticism and abuse. But true faith seems to elicit a lot more verbal and physical persecution than the false ones do. But that is not the point. Notice that Jesus said following the “truth path” puts us in the company of the prophets. But more important, going back to our initial thought, this produces rewards. “Great reward” is the term He used.
Looking for ways to live a life God rewards? Follow the beatitudes and let the fruit of the spirit flow out of your life. And Paul summarized it for us in Galatians 5.
...against such things there is no law.
Not that people will accept it without objection, but that they cannot effectively “get under your skin.” What a promise. I want to be fruitful, blessed, and assured of a home in heaven.
That is the promise He offers. Have you accepted your new home? Do it today.
Saturday, March 23, 2019
This Is Just Nuts
Every once in a while the Lord reminds us that little things matter to Him as much as they do to us. We can all recite the story of the lost lamb and the prodigal son. But at times we overlook the little things that He does for us. I had a personal reminder of that yesterday.
While in Indianapolis to help our daughter and her kids, I happened upon a sale of pecans at a local Kroger store. Pecans are good in a multitude of products, so getting four or five pounds at a 50% discount was pretty sweet. (No pun intended.) We got them home and promptly lost, oops, misplaced them. So when it came time to make a nice coffee cake with pecans, we were out of luck. And of course, party mix, that salty concoction of Chex and nuts, was also out of the picture. Until we found the nuts, that is.
Hurrah! Let the cooking and concocting commence. But we had to wait a few days, because the party mix has to “cook” for over four hours. The pecans were “put away” until needed. When the cook got ready to make a big batch of the salty treat, she went looking for the pecans. They were nowhere to be found. We searched the pantry, the laundry shelves, a spare bedroom closet, every cupboard, and no pecans were uncovered. Alternative, go to the store and buy a batch at full price.
“In the course of human events,” the garbage and recyclables accumulate and are periodically taken to the recycling center. Things get very interesting here. I have separate bins for cardboard, plastic, paper, and slicks. Normally, I prefer to drive between the dumpsters for trash and cardboard. Then I can dump both garbage and cardboard in one stop. This time, the line for that aisle was populated, and the garbage only line was open. In I went and the garbage was tossed into the proper place.
These are compressing dumpsters for those who have never visited. When the open mouth of the compacter is filled, a hydraulic cylinder compresses the accumulation into the waiting bin. This is an important part of the continuing story.
Then I swung around to the opposite side of the cardboard bin to deposit my accumulated stash of discarded boxes. The cardboard hopper was empty, meaning that it had just been compressed. It was easy to look into the bin and see anything deposited there. I emptied my bin into the evacuated hopper and turned to notice that the “plastics” dumpster had a notice that it was full. So I took my little bin of milk cartons, (crushed, of course), and other miscellaneous plastic to the attendant who was picking something out of the cardboard bin.
“Do I just dump my plastics in the garbage hopper?” I asked.
She didn’t answer that, but turned to scold me. “Don’t dump garbage into the cardboard bin.”
“I didn’t,” I replied.
“Then what is this?” she queried. And her gripper pulled out a Kroger bag of, you guessed it, packages of pecans. I watched in amazement as she retrieved two or three additional packages that had fallen out of the sack, and...just for good measure, two bags of mini Reeses Cups. Dark chocolate, mini Reeses cups. You know, the kind that you press into peanut butter cookie dough and make wonderful treats. (One hundred carbs or so, apiece, but the doctor said we could splurge on occasion.) ((I do.))
Explanation: The “wandering” pecans had been stashed on a ledge by the back door in the garage. The ledge overlooks the cardboard bin. The bag of pecans and the bags of Reeses had been inadvertently swept from the ledge and had fallen into the cardboard bin. They had subsequently been covered and hidden by additional cereal boxes and the like.
Now the story gets interesting. Had I made the normal stop, between bins, I would have driven off to the plastic recycler and never been aware of the “dumped pecans.” But I had to circle around to the cardboard recycler. And this is the first time I had seen this lady, or anyone, picking foreign objects out of the recycling dumpster. Two coincidences or three.
There always have been at least two plastic recycling receptacles, so when one is full, we just dump in the other. There was only one, and it was full, causing me to turn to the nice lady for my “scolding.” And for the retrieval of our nuts.
Did God orchestrate that intricate set of events just to save us a few dollars? I can confidently affirm that He is interested and involved in the most minute of matters. He is running the entire universe, and has time to teach me a lesson on lost things. “God is good. All the time. All the time, God is good.”
By extension, is He interested in a friend of mine who has lost his way? I can confidently affirm that He is interested in the most minute of matters. From nuts to wandering wonderers, He is there, and He is involved.
This is just nuts.
While in Indianapolis to help our daughter and her kids, I happened upon a sale of pecans at a local Kroger store. Pecans are good in a multitude of products, so getting four or five pounds at a 50% discount was pretty sweet. (No pun intended.) We got them home and promptly lost, oops, misplaced them. So when it came time to make a nice coffee cake with pecans, we were out of luck. And of course, party mix, that salty concoction of Chex and nuts, was also out of the picture. Until we found the nuts, that is.
Hurrah! Let the cooking and concocting commence. But we had to wait a few days, because the party mix has to “cook” for over four hours. The pecans were “put away” until needed. When the cook got ready to make a big batch of the salty treat, she went looking for the pecans. They were nowhere to be found. We searched the pantry, the laundry shelves, a spare bedroom closet, every cupboard, and no pecans were uncovered. Alternative, go to the store and buy a batch at full price.
“In the course of human events,” the garbage and recyclables accumulate and are periodically taken to the recycling center. Things get very interesting here. I have separate bins for cardboard, plastic, paper, and slicks. Normally, I prefer to drive between the dumpsters for trash and cardboard. Then I can dump both garbage and cardboard in one stop. This time, the line for that aisle was populated, and the garbage only line was open. In I went and the garbage was tossed into the proper place.
These are compressing dumpsters for those who have never visited. When the open mouth of the compacter is filled, a hydraulic cylinder compresses the accumulation into the waiting bin. This is an important part of the continuing story.
Then I swung around to the opposite side of the cardboard bin to deposit my accumulated stash of discarded boxes. The cardboard hopper was empty, meaning that it had just been compressed. It was easy to look into the bin and see anything deposited there. I emptied my bin into the evacuated hopper and turned to notice that the “plastics” dumpster had a notice that it was full. So I took my little bin of milk cartons, (crushed, of course), and other miscellaneous plastic to the attendant who was picking something out of the cardboard bin.
“Do I just dump my plastics in the garbage hopper?” I asked.
She didn’t answer that, but turned to scold me. “Don’t dump garbage into the cardboard bin.”
“I didn’t,” I replied.
“Then what is this?” she queried. And her gripper pulled out a Kroger bag of, you guessed it, packages of pecans. I watched in amazement as she retrieved two or three additional packages that had fallen out of the sack, and...just for good measure, two bags of mini Reeses Cups. Dark chocolate, mini Reeses cups. You know, the kind that you press into peanut butter cookie dough and make wonderful treats. (One hundred carbs or so, apiece, but the doctor said we could splurge on occasion.) ((I do.))
Explanation: The “wandering” pecans had been stashed on a ledge by the back door in the garage. The ledge overlooks the cardboard bin. The bag of pecans and the bags of Reeses had been inadvertently swept from the ledge and had fallen into the cardboard bin. They had subsequently been covered and hidden by additional cereal boxes and the like.
Now the story gets interesting. Had I made the normal stop, between bins, I would have driven off to the plastic recycler and never been aware of the “dumped pecans.” But I had to circle around to the cardboard recycler. And this is the first time I had seen this lady, or anyone, picking foreign objects out of the recycling dumpster. Two coincidences or three.
There always have been at least two plastic recycling receptacles, so when one is full, we just dump in the other. There was only one, and it was full, causing me to turn to the nice lady for my “scolding.” And for the retrieval of our nuts.
Did God orchestrate that intricate set of events just to save us a few dollars? I can confidently affirm that He is interested and involved in the most minute of matters. He is running the entire universe, and has time to teach me a lesson on lost things. “God is good. All the time. All the time, God is good.”
By extension, is He interested in a friend of mine who has lost his way? I can confidently affirm that He is interested in the most minute of matters. From nuts to wandering wonderers, He is there, and He is involved.
This is just nuts.
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