January 19, 2015
Ever since God told Adam and Eve about the Seed that would crush the serpent’s head, believers had looked for the Messiah. Generation after generation, the Word of the Lord came to prophets enlarging their understanding and anticipation of His coming. But their lives passed without hearing or seeing the Desire of all nations. Yet, when the Christ did come to God’s chosen people, the ones He had prepared throughout the centuries to receive Him, they received Him not. Only a remnant had eyes to perceive and ears to understand that the Messiah had come. Today, it is the same. Only a few perceive and understand the gospel and receive Jesus as Lord. Only a remnant look for and anticipate His return. What grace that God would open our blind eyes and deaf ears, so that we might know the Son! What a blessing to be a member of the remnant that He calls to be His own!
January 18, 2015
Both the apostles Peter and Paul quoted this Psalm to make a case for Christ’s resurrection. Peter quoted this verse from King David in his sermon on the day of Pentecost describing him as a prophet who foresaw the resurrection of the Christ. Peter told the great crowd of Jews gathered in Jerusalem that they knew that David was dead and buried, so this verse must be predicting the Messiah’s death and resurrection. When he finished preaching, the people believed and three thousand were saved that day (Acts 2:14-41). Paul preached the gospel at Antioch using this same Psalm to support that the Bible had predicted the resurrection of the Messiah (Acts 13:16-41). This verse is an example of the three-stage fulfillment of prophecy: immediate, ongoing, and ultimate; and also its “both/and” nature. The truth is that God has not left David’s soul in Sheol and ultimately, God will raise his body from the grave. It predicts both David’s resurrection and God’s “Holy One” too. Christ, the Son of David, has already been raised. And someday soon, David will be raised along with all of the rest of God’s saints.
January 17, 2015
God appeared to Jacob again at Bethel (“Beth” Hebrew for “house,” + “El,” “god.” Literally, “House of God.”) and He officially changed his name. Jacob, whose name was given to describe the way he grasped the heel of his twin brother Esau at birth, was now to be called “Israel.” This reflected a new start for Jacob. He was no longer Jacob (“Supplanter,” “heel-grabber”), but “Israel” (One who wrestled with God, one who prevailed with God). As Jacob (The phrase “you’re pulling my leg” may have arisen from his name), he tricked his brother Esau out of his blessing and birthright. But he met his match at deception in his father-in-law, Laban, who pulled a bridal night switch on him. Yet, even here, he out-smarted Laban in the end. But now his deceptive days are over. From now on he would not be living by his wits, but walking with a limp, leaning on God’s wisdom. And his twelve sons would become the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
January 16, 2015
Jesus offered this invitation in the context of talking about access to the Father. He had just said that no one knows the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. This is similar to Jesus describing Himself as the only way to God as He did in John’s gospel (John 14:6). In this context, Jesus invites those who are heavy with laboring to find God, or to please God with their works, to come to Him instead and make Him their Master (“Take My yoke”), resting their souls in Him. The invitation to take His “yoke” (An implement for putting an ox into service pulling a plow) is an invitation to come under His Lordship, becoming His servant. This is Christ’s offer of a great exchange. Exchange your hard and impossible work to please God for His finished work on your behalf. Therein, you will find “rest” (sabbath) for your soul. Have you accepted this invitation?
January 15, 2015
This statement from Jesus to His disciples is very disconcerting, until you understand it’s significance. Jesus is claiming the priority love that belongs to God alone. He is not saying you cannot love your family and be His follower too. No, far from it. He is saying that we must love Him above all others, even our very families. Since Jesus is God, He appropriately claims our first devotion. Yet, choosing to love Christ first, above all others, we are actually filled with the love of God which causes us to truly love not only our families, but our neighbors and even our enemies. The thing that grieved Christ about the church of Ephesus was not that they had fallen into sin, or that they had become heretics. No, He commended them for their faithfulness in these areas. What grieved Christ is that they had “forsaken” their “first love” for Him (Rev. 2:4). Following Christ is a commitment of the heart as well as the head. We are called to a love relationship with the One who redeemed us.
January 14, 2015
When Jesus sent His disciples out as witnesses, He gave them detailed instructions. He even prepared them for times when they would be persecuted or questioned concerning their faith. He instructed them not to “worry” about defending their faith because God’s Spirit would give them the words to say in the “hour” it was needed. This promise that the Spirit will give us the words to say assumes that we will go out as witnesses. If we do not go out, then the Spirit’s help is hardly needed. We will miss out on this wonderful supply of grace. But if we obey Jesus and go out as witnesses, then this provision of spiritual wisdom will be experienced. So, stop saying, “I’m afraid to share my faith because I don’t know how or because I’m afraid they’ll ask something I don’t know the answer to.” Instead, go out in obedience and let the Spirit speak in and through you.
January 13, 2015
Jesus told His disciples that multitudes of people were ready to be led into the Kingdom, but there weren’t enough workers to lead them. He instructed them to pray to the Lord that more workers would answer the call. I have prayed this prayer continuously for years. Since planting our church 23 years ago, we have always seen the need outweigh the help. God has trusted us with multitudes of people who need to hear the gospel and be discipled. Yet, the task is often overwhelming. Many cry for help, but few answer the call to be helpers. We still pray this prayer today, that God would send workers to help with the harvest in this generation. We always begin this prayer with, “Lord, send me.”
January 12, 2015
Jesus gave this response to the disciples of John the Baptist when they asked why Christ’s disciples didn’t fast. To understand His response we must first understand the metaphor He used. In that day containers for liquid were often made from animal skins. In the fermentation process of new wine, yeast converts the natural sugar in the grapes into alcohol and CO2. This causes expansion. New wineskins can handle this expansion because of their flexibility. On the other hand, old wine has finished its fermentation process and old wineskins have aged and lost their flexibility.
In context, Jesus uses this metaphor to compare old wine to the Old Covenant of the Law and new wine to the New Covenant of Grace that He was inaugurating. The hearers then, are compared to the wineskins. Some, will be unable to understand Christ’s redemption and will continue to pursue good works and ritualistic religion as a means to please God. They are like the old wineskins. Yet, others will recognize their own sinfulness and rely on Christ’s sacrifice and grace. They are like the new wineskins.
We have to be willing to let go of our own human effort at righteousness and freely receive Christ’s sacrifice for our sin in order to receive this “new wine,” this new covenant with God.
January 11, 2015
At first the disciples were afraid of the storm outside the boat, then they were afraid of the Man inside the boat. “Who can this be?” They wondered. He commanded and the sea and even the demons obeyed Him. He demonstrates authority over both the seen and the unseen creation. Who but God could do such things? Yet, having the Son of God in our life does not guarantee the absence of storms. Storms will come. The guarantee is that He will never leave nor forsake us. Perhaps the storms of life help us to understand who Jesus is. Not just in our heads, but in our hearts. We finally experience the reality that we have believed: Jesus is greater than any storm.
Take your eyes off the storm and turn them upon Jesus.
January 10, 2015
Notice the approach of the leper. First, he came to Jesus, second, he worshiped, third, he asked for the Lord’s will, then finally, he expressed his faith that the Lord was completely able to heal and make him clean. We can learn much from the order and attitude of the leper’s “prayer.”
Then notice Christ’s response. First, he touched the leper. Don’t miss this. He could’ve just healed him from a distance like He did the centurion’s servant. Leprosy was a devastating disease. It made one unclean, so that they were excluded from Temple worship. Lepers were excommunicated from the community. They were required to yell, “Unclean!” as they approached to warn others away. The disease was progressive and caused sores and white scales to appear, damaging the skin, nerves and eventually muscle tissue. Extremities (nose, ears, fingers, toes, etc.) would die and rot away over time. No one would touch them for fear of catching the disease. Yet, Christ touched the leper, expressed His willingness to heal him, then with a word, said, “Be cleansed.” And he was.
Christ was willing not only to heal us from a distance, but to come to us, touching us, and taking our sin upon Himself and thus cleansing us from all unrighteousness. Christ is willing and able to save those who come to Him.