September 26, 2016
When Israel accused the Lord of forsaking them, He replied saying that He could never forget them. He compared Himself to a mother, saying, “Can a woman forget her nursing child?” Then, He said that He had “engraved” them on His hands. The word “engraved” might be translated “inscribed” or “written,” but literally means to “cut in.” He was essentially saying, “How can I forget you when I have a remembrance of you cut into the palms of My hands?” Surely this was an encouraging word to the Israelites, but even more so to those who view it through the lens of the cross. For the scars of the nails still mark our Savior’s hands. As Jesus told Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands” (John 20:27). The One with the nail-scarred hands will never leave, nor forsake us.
September 25, 2016
Both the goal and the means of our speech are described. The goal is maturity in Christ. The means is twofold: “truth” and “love.” The mission of the Church is to make disciples who are being conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). The members of the Church are to speak the unvarnished, absolute truth to one another, so that they don’t fall prey to false doctrine and worldly deception. Yet, this truth should not be delivered in a harsh, judgmental way, but in a graceful and loving way. Our speech should have the goal of “building up” the hearer (Eph. 4:29). Some consider themselves truth-tellers and others are people-pleasers, but the Word calls for us to avoid both extremes. Instead, speak the truth in love.
September 24, 2016
That God is still at work, even in our being “formed” in the womb, is a consistent biblical theme. From God’s point of view, there are no unwanted pregnancies, for He wants that which He has formed. Surely, He made the heavens and the earth, but He also leaned in to make us. And He leaned down to give us Jesus, born of the virgin, crucified, died, buried and raised to be our Redeemer, that we might be born again.
September 23, 2016
God spoke through the prophet Isaiah reminding His chosen people of the glory due His name. He had revealed His covenantal name, Yahweh (יְהוָ֖ה or “Jehovah”), which means “I AM,” to them through Moses (Ex.3:14). English translations use all caps, “LORD,” to distinguish His name from the more generic use. He is “I AM,” the eternal, self-existent One. Not “I Was,” nor “I WILL BE,” but “I AM.” Without beginning or end, He stands outside of time. Not created, but Creator, He created all things including time itself, and He not only created all things, but sustains all things by His power. When we give our praise, our worship, to created things or manmade things, we deny the glory due the LORD. Let us give God the glory, the credit, due His name. All glory is due Him.
September 22, 2016
God’s motive for adoption is here explained. It was “in love” that God chose us before we knew Him. It was God’s love that moved Him to save us and to give us the rights of sonship through adoption (John 1:12). While the doctrines of regeneration and justification describe our salvation from sin and death (Romans 8:2), the doctrine of adoption describes our new relationship as a beloved child of God.
September 21, 2016
This is one of the “one another” commands found in the Bible. It applies especially to the way believers are to treat other believers, showing that they are members of Christ’s body. In context, the “burdens” to which Paul refers are the troubles that come on one who has fallen into sin. Sin brings burdens, side effects that pile on in addition to the sin itself. Someone abuses drugs, and they lose their spouse, their kids, their job, and find themselves hungry and homeless. Sin equals suffering. Yet, we are not to shoot our wounded, leaving them dying on the field of battle. We are to help them carry their burdens, binding their wounds as the Good Samaritan. The Lord forgives them their sin, yet He expects His body of believers to aid in their restoration. And what is the “law of Christ?” It refers to another “one another.” As Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34).
September 20, 2016
Having already prophesied God’s judgment on Israel, Isaiah spoke of the day of their return from Babylonian captivity. Yet, this prophecy was not completely fulfilled at that time. Indeed, they did return and surely there was singing, but their joy was not “everlasting,” and their “sorrow and sighing” did not cease. The complete fulfillment surely points to Christ’s “ransom” of those who have believed, buying them out of sin’s captivity and setting them free to live as citizens of “Zion,” which in this case points metaphorically to heaven. For in that Day the ransomed of the Lord will experience “everlasting joy” without any mixture of sorrow.
September 20, 2016
Fruit is singular. One fruit with nine seeds, each a part of a triad of triads. These are not works. We can’t do them. They are evidence of being connected to the Vine. Abiding in Christ, we increasingly bear these character traits.
September 19, 2016
David wrote that God’s love for us is “better than life.” Not his love for God, but God’s love for him. Knowledge of God’s love brought praise to his lips. God’s love has been most clearly revealed in Jesus. For as the apostle John wrote, “This is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). God’s love as expressed in Jesus should be the motive for our worship.
September 18, 2016
Our spiritual identity in Christ is greater than racial, demographic, gender and any other physical identities. An emphasis on the latter leads to disunity and strife. But a focus on the former leads to oneness and blessing. Law cannot accomplish this kind of unity and peace. Only those who by faith have believed in Christ may know this oneness of being members together in God’s family. This is not a call to forget physical conditions, but to make identity in Christ your banner. Race, class and gender warfare belong to the former way of life and have no place among those who follow Jesus.