3 Easter - Sunday

first posted 04/24/04

Exodus 18:1-12    Jethro visits Moses
1 John 2:7-17    Our relationship to God and the world
Mark 16:9-20    The Resurrection

Moses had apparently sent his wife and two sons to stay with his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, with whom Moses had taken refuge after killing the Egyptian (Exodus 2:15). When Jethro heard what the Lord had done for Moses and Israel in bringing them out of Egypt, he came with Moses' wife and sons to Moses in the wilderness. Moses was notified of his arrival, and went out to meet him. Moses told them all that the Lord had done and all that had happened on the way, the hardships, and the Lord's deliverance from them. Jethro rejoiced and blessed the Lord for his deliverance, saying that now he realized that the Lord is greater than all gods, because of his deliverance of Israel from the Egyptians. Jethro offered burnt offerings and sacrifices to God, and Aaron and the elders of Israel celebrated a sacred meal before the Lord.

The command to love one another is from the beginning of the Law given by God to Moses, but it always fresh and current. The former era of the darkness of evil is passing away, superseded by the new era of the light of righteousness; Love is the law of the new era of light. Anyone who hates his brother is still in darkness, and cannot see where he is going; but anyone who loves his brother abides in the light, and has no cause for stumbling. The author addresses the entire congregation as little children, including the "fathers" who are spiritually mature and the "young men" who are earnest new Christians.

All believers have God's forgiveness for Jesus' sake. The mature Christians have come to a personal relationship with Jesus. The new believers have overcome Satan by accepting Jesus. The congregation knows the father (because they have accepted Jesus, his son). The mature have know Jesus personally (through the indwelling Holy Spirit). The new believers are strong because the word of God abides in them, and they have overcome Satan (by accepting Jesus as their Lord). We cannot love the world and love the God the Father also, because worldly ways, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and pride of life are contrary to God's ways.  The world and worldly lusts pass away, but those who do God's will abide forever.

On the day of his Resurrection Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene. She went and told his followers as they were gathered in mourning, but they would not believe that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him.  Then he appeared to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, who returned and told the followers, but they did not believe. Later he appeared to the eleven remaining disciples (minus Judas, his betrayer), and scolded them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed the testimony of those who had seen him after he had risen. Jesus commanded them to go into all the world to preach the Gospel (see Matthew 28:18-20). Jesus declared that those who believe the Gospel and are baptized will be saved, but those who do not believe will be condemned. Those who believe will manifest signs of the gift of the Holy Spirit, such as gifts of healing and exorcism, the gift of new tongues; they will survive poison and snakebite.

When Jethro heard all that the Lord had done to deliver Israel from bondage in Egypt, he realized that the Lord was the only true God. His response was to worship the Lord, and to participate in a sacramental meal with the elders of Israel before the altar of the Lord. He had seen the light of the Gospel, had left the darkness of trying to serve more than one god, and had joined the fellowship of God's people.

Jesus said, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life" (John 8:12). Jesus also said, "A new commandment I give, you , that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you love one another. By this all men will know that your are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:3435). Believers are called to love one another and to walk in the light of the Gospel; in accordance with Jesus' teaching.

The Church (the true disciples of Jesus Christ) has been commissioned to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (note the Trinity; God in three persons), teaching them to observe (i.e., obey) all that (Jesus) commanded..." (Matthew 28:18-20). The congregation depicted in 1 John (little children) was a discipling congregation of mature Christian disciples (fathers) and new believers (young men) being discipled. The congregation was warned that they cannot love the Lord and the "gods" of this world. Like Jethro, above, if we have truly seen the light of the Gospel, we must renounce the "other gods" in order to participate in the sacrament of the altar and the fellowship of the congregation of God's people.

The followers of Jesus suffered needless grief instead of participation in the joy of Easter because they refused to believe the testimony of disciples who had seen the risen Jesus. But they did come to believe and to experience the risen Jesus themselves. They followed Jesus commands to stay in Jerusalem until they had received the infilling of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49). They received the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts Chapter 2) and they began to carry out their commission from Jesus to make disciples.

How are we doing these days? Are we trying to participate in the Sacrament of the Altar and the fellowship of the people of God, while still serving the idols of this world? Do we understand that we must be disciples in order to be called "Christians" (Acts 11:26b)? Are our churches making disciples, or making "church members"; "fair-weather 'Christians.'" Are our churches teaching that discipleship is a spiritual growth process?  Are we being taught to seek the infilling of the Holy Spirit? Are we being taught to stay in Jerusalem (i.e., the church) until we have received power from on high?  Have we believed the testimony of disciples who have experienced the risen Jesus? Have we come to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?

3 Easter - Monday

first posted 04/25/04

Exodus 18:13-27    Moses appoints Judges
1 Peter 5:1-14    Instructions to elders
Matthew (1:1-17) 3:1-6    The ministry of John the Baptist.

While Moses' father-in-law, Jethro was visiting Moses in the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land, he saw that Moses was spending every day from morning until night as a Judge arbitrating disputes between the people. His role was to seek God's will and to explain God's laws to the people who were involved in disputes; he was a mediator between God and the people. Jethro told Moses that what he was doing was not good. Jethro suggested that Moses set up lower and intermediary jurisdictions to hear the simpler cases, and be the final judge of appeal in the most difficult cases. Jethro said that, if God gave his approval, that the people would have civil peace and that Moses would be able to endure the demands of his office. Moses took Jethro's advice and appointed able people to judge the people. Then Jethro departed for his home.  

The first-century church had a structure comparable to that of the Judges. The elders were church officials. The local pastor and other leaders in the local congregation were overseen by apostles (or bishops) like Paul, who were subject to the council of the disciples in Jerusalem. Peter, as one of The Twelve original disciples and one of the leaders of the council in Jerusalem, was an elder who also had a traveling ministry overseeing a number of churches. He was writing the churches in Asia Minor (present-day Turkey). Here he is exhorting the elders in these churches, as fellow elder, a witness to the suffering of Jesus [an eyewitness to Jesus arrest and trial before Caiaphas (John18:1-27)], and a partaker [as an eyewitness to the Resurrection and in the participation in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts Chapter 2)] in the glory that is to be revealed.

Peter exhorted the elders to tend the congregations under them not as a job, for the money only, but willingly (in love), not for status and authority, but humbly, by example rather than by being domineering, remembering that Jesus is the chief shepherd who will ultimately judge and reward our performance. The new Christians should subject themselves humbly to the elders, but all should treat others with humility, because God opposes human pride, but gives grace to those who are humble. Therefore we should humble ourselves before God and acknowledge his authority, trusting that in due time he will exalt us.

We are to be serious and watchful, because Satan is watching for the unwary to destroy. Resist Satan, holding firmly to faith, realizing that suffering is required of all believers everywhere. " And after you have endured suffering for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Jesus Christ, will himself restore, establish and strengthen you" (1 Peter 5:10). Peter had apparently appended a note at the end of a letter dictated to Silvanus by him, exhorting them to stand firm in the true grace of God, and conveying greetings.

Matthew traces the genealogy of Jesus from Abraham through David (validating his line of succession to the throne of David) and through Joseph as his earthly father (adoptive father, since Jesus was born by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, before Joseph married her; see Matthew 1:18-25).  John the Baptist, (the cousin of Jesus, born to Zechariah and Elizabeth, the kinswoman of Jesus' Mother, Mary) began his public ministry preaching in the wilderness east and southeast of Jerusalem in the days when Jesus began his public ministry (Jesus came to John to be baptized at the beginning of Jesus' ministry; Matthew 3:13-17).

 John the Baptist's message was a call for Israel to repent (i.e., to return to obedience to their covenant with God) and prepare for the coming of the Lord. His ministry was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 40:3 of a prophet to appear before the coming of the Messiah (Christ) to prepare the people to receive the Messiah. (Jesus declared John the Baptist to be the fulfillment of the prophecy of the return of Elijah before the coming of the Messiah; see Matthew 11:14; 17:10-13.) John the Baptist baptized the people with water in the Jordan River for the forgiveness of their sins in preparation to receive Jesus Christ, who would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11; Jesus' disciples were baptized with the Holy Spirit, manifested as tongues of fire, beginning on the day of Pentecost; see Acts Chapter 2).

Moses was attempting to be the sole mediator between God and the entire large congregation of Israel. His father-in-law Jethro saw that that would never work. Moses would burn out. Jethro proposed a better system of delegating the work of the ministry to able elders.

Jesus instituted a training program to create leadership in his Church, called discipleship. He gathered twelve men and discipled them intensively for three years. In three years, by the end of Jesus' earthly ministry, they were ready to carry on his ministry of making disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). As the disciples followed Jesus instructions [staying in Jerusalem until they had received the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49)] they were baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire as scriptures prophesied and as Jesus had promised. Then they went into all the world and began to make disciples, as Jesus had directed. The first-century church is a model of how to do it . The disciples made disciples who made other disciples (2 Timothy 2:2). 

Our church leaders need to be authentic born-again Spirit filled disciples, not mere "peddlers of the word." (2 Corinthians 2:17). In many churches today, the emphasis is not on making disciples; it's on making church members. Too many congregations expect the pastor to do all the evangelism. Too many members come to church to be entertained. Their concept of evangelism is to invite their neighbors to come to church to be entertained too. No wonder pastors are burning out! No wonder churches are loosing membership!  

Jesus has promised to return to bring his disciples to their eternal home in heaven with Jesus, and to judge the earth. Our job as disciples is to prepare the congregation of God and all the people of the world for Jesus' return. Our job as believers is to trust and obey Jesus' instructions. Our job as believers is to call people to repent [confess their sins and return to a personal relationship with God, which is only possible through Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12; John 14:6)]; to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord; to trust and obey Jesus. Our job as believers is to be disciples of Jesus Christ, and then to make disciples of Jesus Christ (not disciples of ourselves, or of some popular preacher) who will make other disciples of Jesus Christ.  We need to do that in the empowerment and guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit. (The Holy Spirit is not a feeling or a force; he is a person, the Spirit of the Risen Lord). 

Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you come to a personal relationship with Jesus? Have you received the Holy Spirit since you first believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples and  teaching them to  obey all  that  Jesus  commands?

3 Easter - Tuesday

first posted 04/26/04

Exodus 19:1-16    Preparing for the Lord's appearing
Colossians 1:1-14    Delivered from darkness
Matthew 3:7-12    Prepare for the coming of the Lord

Three months after leaving Egypt, the Israelites came into the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped before Mt. Sinai.  Moses went up Mt. Sinai to meet God, and the Lord spoke to Moses. The Lord reminded Moses how the Lord had delivered Israel from the Egyptians and had brought them to himself. The Lord promised that if the people of Israel would be obedient to God's word and to their covenant with God, they would be God's people, distinct from all the peoples of the earth, although everything on earth belongs to God. They would be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

Moses told the people what God had promised, and the people all agreed to do what the Lord had said. Moses told the Lord the people's response, and the Lord told Moses to prepare the people for the appearing of the Lord; that the Lord would manifest himself in a cloud, and all the people would hear his voice speaking to Moses, so that they would believe. The Lord gave the people two days to prepare; they were to wash their garments and to abstain from sexual contact. The third day, the people were to come to the foot of Mt. Sinai at the sound of a long trumpet blast. Boundaries were to be marked; no one of man or beast was to touch even the border of the base of the mountain, under penalty of death. Anyone who violated the boundary was to be stoned or shot (with an arrow) because no one was allowed to touch the offender. On the morning of the third day there was a heavy cloud on the mountain, with thunder and lightning, and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people trembled with fear.

Paul wrote to the believers at Colossae, sending greetings from himself and his colleague Timothy. Paul commended the Colossians for their faith and their love for the brethren because of the hope they have in the Gospel. Paul subtly reminds them that faith through spiritual growth is expected to produce spiritual "fruit." Paul commends the faithful teaching of Epaphras who had been sent by Paul to preach the gospel, and Epaphras' favorable report to Paul concerning the love for the brethren within the congregation.

Paul told the Colossians that he had been  praying continually that the Colossians might grow to the fullness of "the knowledge of God's will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding" (Colossians 1:9), that all their conduct might be worthy and pleasing in God's sight, that they might bear fruit in every good work and grow in the knowledge of God, and that they might be strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that they might have all patience and endurance, with joy. We should give thanks to God for including us among his people to inherit the kingdom of eternal life and righteousness, having delivered us from the dominion of sin and death through Jesus Christ "in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:14).

When John the Baptist saw the Pharisees and Sadducees come for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers (i.e., snakes)! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit that befits repentance, and do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" (Matthew 3 :7-10).

John the Baptist declared that he was baptizing with water for repentance (turning from sin and returning to obedience to God's covenant). John's mission was to prepare the people for the coming of Messiah ["Christ" is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word meaning God's "anointed" (eternal king)], who would baptize those thus prepared, with the Holy Spirit and with fire (fulfilled on Pentecost; see Acts Chapter 2). Using the imagery of harvest threshing, John declared that Jesus would judge the world and would separate the righteous from the unrighteous. The righteous (those who had repented, receive Jesus as their Lord, who obey him, and have been "baptized" with the Holy Spirit - i.e.,  truly "born-again" Christian disciples) will receive eternal life in the kingdom of God in Heaven with Jesus; the unrighteous (those who reject Jesus as their Lord and refuse to obey him, he will burn, like chaff, with unquenchable (and eternal) fire (in Hell) (John 5:28-29; Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10).

God had delivered the Israelites from bondage to sin and death in Egypt. The people had experienced their deliverance by the hand of God.  God promised them that if they would enter into a covenant with God to trust and obey God, God would make them his own people (members of his family), a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. The people agreed. God promised to reveal himself to them and allow them to hear his voice, so that their faith would be increased and strengthened. God made it clear that sin and disobedience was not to be tolerated within his people. He set boundaries that were not to be trespassed.

This experience of Israel before the mountain of God is, in addition to a historical account, also a parable and a prophecy. It is a picture of what God has done, through Jesus Christ, to deliver us from the dominion of sin and death. We also enter into a covenant with God, in our Baptism, to trust and obey God in Jesus Christ. The Risen Jesus was manifested to his disciples on the third day after his crucifixion.

With his resurrection comes the validation of his claim to be the Messiah, God in human flesh (see Matthew 1:23; Colossians 2:8-9; John 20:27-28); his resurrection is his manifestation to believers corresponding to God's self-revelation to Israel at Mt. Sinai. The pillar of cloud and fire (Exodus 13:21) which led the Israelites in the wilderness, and the Cloud which descended on Mt. Sinai correspond to the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is given to Jesus' disciples, those who are truly "born-again" Christians, which manifests God's presence (John 14:21), leads us, through whom God speaks to us, and increases and strengthens our faith.

Paul's message to the Collisian Christians was that faith is a process of discipleship and spiritual growth. Christians need to hold on to sound scriptural teaching of spirit-filled disciples. Christians need to read the entire Bible for themselves, so that they will be able to discern what is sound teaching and what is false doctrine. Christians are to seek the infilling of the Holy Spirit, which is given to disciples who obey God's word (John 14:21; Isaiah 42:5e).  They are to be "fruitful" for the kingdom of God, which is only possible by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

John the Baptist's message to the Pharisees and Sadducees (representing major "denominations" of Judaism at the time of Jesus) was to demonstrate the sincerity of their repentance by their behavior; to put into practice what they professed. Membership in the nation of Israel did not automatically make them God's children. They were saved from condemnation and adopted as God's children as they turned from sin to trust and obedience to God, received Jesus Christ as Lord, and came into a personal saving relationship with Jesus through the indwelling Holy Spirit.  

How are we doing? Would we tolerate and heed the preaching of John the Baptist today? Do we think we are Christians because we're members of the Church? Do we think that if we go to Church for an hour on Sunday that we can live the rest of the week any way we please? Do we think we can be Christians without being disciples; without knowing God's word through the entire and regular reading of the Bible for ourselves? Do we think we have received the fulness of the Holy Spirit simply because we've been sprinkled or immersed in water, without discipleship or obedience to God's word? Have we truly experienced the Risen Jesus? Do we know for certain where we will spend eternity?

3 Easter - Wednesday

first posted 04/27/04

Exodus 19:16-25    The Lord descends upon Mt Sinai
Colossians 1:15-23    Christ the image of God
Matthew 3:13-17    The Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus

God had promised to make Israel his children, provided that they obeyed his word. The people had accepted the covenant God had offered. God had told them he would manifest himself to them after two days, and that they were to prepare for his appearing by ritually cleansing themselves . On the third day Mount Sinai was covered with a thick cloud, with thunder and lightning, and there was a long, loud trumpet blast, causing the Israelites to tremble with fear.

Moses had the people assemble before the mountain. Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire; the mountain quaked. The trumpet sounded louder and louder, and God spoke to Moses in thunder. The Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain and Moses went. The Lord warned Moses not to allow the people to touch the border of the foot of the mountain, on penalty of destruction. The priests were to purify themselves before approaching, but only Moses and Aaron were allowed on the mountain itself. Moses went down to tell the people and to bring Aaron up.

Christ is the image of God, who is invisible. Christ is the first-born of creation. All the universe was created through Christ and for Christ. Christ is above all things, and not only created but sustains the universe. He is the source of all things; the first of human flesh to be raised to eternal life from the dead. He is preeminent in everything. The fulness of God dwelt bodily in Jesus; God reconciled all things to himself and made peace through the Blood of Jesus, shed on the Cross as a sacrificial offering for sin. All of us were separated from God by our sins, but have now been reconciled to God through Jesus' physical death, so that we might be accepted as holy, irreproachable and blameless, provided that we hold fast to faith, not wavering from the hope of the Gospel which has been proclaimed to everyone on Earth (see God's plan of Salvation; sidebar).

Jesus acknowledged John the Baptist's commission from God and personally responded to John's call to obedience to God's will. The Spirit of God descended on Jesus as he came up from the waters of baptism, confirming Jesus' mission (both to Jesus and to John; see John 1:32-34).  A voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17).

God delivered his people from bondage to sin and death in Egypt. He showed them his salvation, and promised to make them members of his household (to adopt them as his children), and to give them eternal fellowship with God in the Promised Land, if the people would covenant to obey God's word. They agreed, and God manifested himself to them to increase and strengthen their faith in Him. This is a picture of what God has done for us in Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the manifestation of the invisible God. Jesus is God in human flesh (Matthew 1:23; Colossians 2:8-9; John 20:28). Jesus is God's only provision for our salvation (Acts 4:12; John 14:6). God has shown us our salvation in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God promises to adopt us a his children and give us eternal fellowship with him in the Promised Land of Heaven, provided that we trust and obey Jesus.  Only through the blood of Jesus Christ, shed for us on the Cross as a sacrifice for our sins, are we cleansed and made holy, irreproachable and blameless before God. Only by the blood of Jesus are we able to stand in the presence of our holy God.

Jesus alone was perfect and blameless, but even he was willing to humble himself and respond to John the Baptist's call to commit ourselves in obedience to God's word. As Jesus committed himself to obey God, God descended upon him and manifested himself to Jesus, to John the Baptist, and to all who were willing to see.

As believers commit to trust and obey Jesus, the Holy Spirit of God will descend upon us and increase and strengthen our faith. Jesus has promised that he will manifest himself to those who keep his commandments (John 14:21) and that he will send the promised Holy Spirit to his disciples who wait for the promise (Luke 24:49). Have we experienced the Risen Jesus? Have we seen God in Jesus Christ? Have we acknowledged Jesus as our Lord and our God? Have we committed our lives to obedience to God's word in Jesus Christ? Have we experienced God's Holy Spirit descending upon us, and confirming our call in Jesus Christ? Have we heard God's voice through his indwelling Holy Spirit?

3 Easter - Thursday

first posted 04/28/04

Exodus 20:1-21    The Ten Commandments
Colossians 1:24-2:7    Live in Christ
Matthew 4:1-11    Tempted in the wilderness

The Lord had promised to adopt the Israelites as his children if they would obey his commandments. The people accepted the covenant with God and God descended on Mount Sinai to manifest himself to the people and to give Moses the commandments on which the covenant was based. The Lord is the God who brought Israel out of bondage in Egypt. He commands that there shall be no other gods before him. We are not to make images of anything on earth or in heaven and worship them; God will tolerate no rivals for devotion which rightly belongs only to him. The Lord punishes iniquity to the third and fourth generation, but shows steadfast love to those who love him and keep his commandments.

We are not to use God’s name in vain; God will hold us accountable for the careless, irreverent use of his name. We are to keep the Sabbath holy, set apart for worship and rest. No one within our households is to work on the Sabbath. The Lord made all creation in six days, and rested on the seventh; therefore God blessed and hallowed the Sabbath. We are to honor our fathers and mothers, so that we may live long in the land which the Lord gives us. We shall not kill, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, or covet anything which is our neighbor’s. When the people saw the smoke, thunder and lightning, and heard the loud trumpet they were afraid and stood far off. They asked that God not speak to them directly, for fear that they might die, but that Moses relay to them what God had said. Moses told them not to fear; that God had revealed himself to them so that they might believe and fear God and might not sin.

Paul rejoiced that his suffering was completing the suffering of Christ on behalf of Christ’s body, the Church. Paul’s ministry was by divine commission, for the benefit of the Colossians, to make God’s word fully known. The mysteries of God which have been hidden for ages have now been revealed to his saints. God graciously extended to the Gentiles the rich benefits of the mystery, which is the hope of dwelling eternally in God’s presence through Christ’s Holy Spirit dwelling within us.

Paul’s ministry was to proclaim Christ, warning and teaching everyone, so that all might grow to Christian maturity. Paul strove for that goal with all energy God inspired in Paul. Paul pursued that goal even for those he did not know personally, so that all might be encouraged and united in love, having confident understanding and knowledge of the mystery of Christ, who is the source of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. We are not to allow ourselves to be led astray by beguiling speech.

Although physically separated from them, Paul was spiritually connected to them and rejoiced in their orderliness and their firmness of faith. Paul exhorted all believers to hold firmly to Jesus Christ, rooted firmly, established and growing in faith, and abounding with thanksgiving, just as the Gospel was faithfully and accurately taught and transmitted to us.

After his baptism by John the Baptist, Jesus was led into the wilderness, and he fasted for forty days and forty nights. At the end of the fast, Jesus was hungry, and Satan tempted him, saying that if Jesus was truly the Son of God, he could command stones to become loaves of bread. Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3b:  “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word which proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.”

Satan took Jesus to the roof of the Temple in Jerusalem, and said that if Jesus was the Son of God, to throw himself down. Satan quoted Psalm 91:11-12 to Jesus: “He will give his angels charge of you…On their hands they will bear you up lest you strike your foot against a stone.” Jesus again replied with scripture, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 6:16) Then Satan took Jesus to the top of a mountain and showed him all the glory of the kingdoms of the world, and offered them to Jesus if he would worship Satan. Jesus replied with scripture, quoting Deuteronomy 6:13: “You shall worship the Lord and him only shall you serve.” “Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him” (Matthew 4:11).

God showed the Israelites his salvation before he asked them to covenant with him. God demonstrated his goodness and faithfulness to them. God offered them his limitless favor in return for their faith and obedience. When they accepted his covenant he revealed himself to them at Mount Sinai, not to frighten them, but to give them the strength of faith and the proper awe of God so that they would be able to keep the conditions of the covenant into which they were entering. God gave us the Ten Commandments (and all the scriptures), not to oppress us, but for our welfare, so that we could resist temptation and could receive the promise of God’s favor, and so that we could live in love and harmony with one another. Moses became the mediator of the covenant between God and his people.

God has revealed the mystery of his plan of salvation to us in the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. God so loved us that he left heaven and came to us in human flesh as an infant. He went to the Cross to die as a sacrifice for our sins, so that we wouldn’t have to die eternally for them ourselves (Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8). God has promised that if we will trust and obey Jesus, we will receive God’s limitless favor and live eternally with him in the kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus suffered death on the Cross to provide for our salvation. His suffering work for our salvation was completed on the Cross, but we enter into his ministry of salvation by proclaiming the Gospel faithfully and accurately. Faith is a discipleship process.

Paul is the prototype of modern, post-Resurrection disciples. He didn’t know Jesus until after Jesus’ Resurrection and ascension. He was converted on the road to Damascus in an encounter with the Spirit of the risen Jesus (Acts Chapter 9). Paul accepted Jesus as his Lord and was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17). His ministry was led and commissioned by the Holy Spirit. He discipled the Colossians (and others) (Colossians 1:24-28). Paul’s goal was to make disciples, teaching them the Gospel fully and accurately (Matthew 28:18-20), and guiding them to grow to spiritual maturity (Colossians 1:28 RSV). Christians are to live every day according to Jesus’ teachings.
 
Jesus is our example. Can you imagine Satan tempting the Son of God by quoting God’s word? Satan knows God’s word and can use it against us. God gave us his word for our benefit. It’s not physical bread, but rather the Word of God that gives us life (now and eternally; Matthew 4:4). We need to know God’s word well enough to resist temptation. If we know God’s word we can use it to defend against and resist temptation. If we resist Satan, he will flee from us (James 4:7). How can we consider ourselves Christians if we have not at least read the entire Bible; if we don’t read the Bible daily?

Is Jesus truly our Lord? Are we willing to be Jesus’ disciples? Are we trusting and obeying Jesus? Are we growing in spiritual maturity? Have we received the indwelling Holy Spirit of Christ since we first believed (Colossians 1:27; Acts 19:2)? Do we have a personal relationship with Jesus? Do we know with certainty where we will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

3 Easter - Friday

first posted 04/29/04

Exodus 24:1-18    Ratifying the Covenant
Colossians 2:8-23    Warning against false teaching
Matthew 4:12-17    The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand

The Lord told Moses to come up to meet with the Lord on the top of Mount Sinai, with Aaron and Aaron’s two oldest sons, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel. They had to keep at a distance, however; only Moses was allowed to come near to the Lord. Moses told the people what the Lord had said, and the people agreed to keep God’s word. So Moses wrote God’s words in the book of the covenant.

Early in the morning Moses rose and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. And Moses had young men burn offerings and offer sacrifices to the Lord. Moses took half the blood of the sacrifices and put it in basins; half he threw on the altar and half he threw on the people, declaring “Behold, the blood of the covenant…”  Then Moses read the book of the covenant in the hearing of the people, and they agreed to do all that the Lord had commanded.

Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and the seventy elders went up the mountain and they saw the God of Israel. Under the feet of God the pavement appeared to be like sapphire, perfectly clear. The elders were not harmed; they beheld God and partook of a sacramental meal. God told Moses to come to the mountaintop and wait for the Lord, and promised to give Moses God’s Laws for the people’s instruction. Moses went up with Joshua, leaving the elders with Aaron and Hur (Moses’ brother-in-law) in charge. Moses went up to the mountaintop, and the cloud covered the mountain. The Lord called to Moses on the seventh day, and the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire, visible to the Israelites. Moses entered the cloud and was on the mountain for forty days and nights.

Paul warned believers not to be led astray by false doctrine. Jesus isn’t just “like” God; he is God. Through Jesus, the sovereign Lord, we have received eternal life. In him we are circumcised spiritually (a sign of covenant relationship) symbolizing the renouncing of our physical urges by our baptism in Christ. We also share in Christ’s resurrection through faith in God who raised Jesus from the dead. We who were as good as dead because of sin, God made alive with Jesus, having forgiven our sins and having canceled the indictment against us and the legal sentence it demanded. God set all this aside; it was paid for at the Cross. 

The worldly rulers have been defeated and humiliated by Christ’s victory on the Cross. So don’t let anyone try to convince you that you’re not qualified for salvation over the observance of some ritual or holiday. Christ is of central importance; all these other things are peripheral. So don’t let anyone trouble you with insignificant details, based their own imagination and delusion, and not founded solidly in  the reality of Jesus, who like the head in relation to the human body, oversees the whole body, directing nutrition, growth and direction in accordance with God’s will. If we have died to worldly ways through Christ’s crucifixion, why do we still act like we are bound to live according to the world? Religious legalism and asceticism (rigorous self-denial) have the appearance of wisdom and devotion, but are really no help in resisting temptations.

After John the Baptist had been imprisoned, Jesus withdrew from Judea to Capernaum in Galilee, thus fulfilling the scriptural prophecy of the messiah’s activity in the region of Zebulun and Napthtali. From that time, Jesus began to call for repentance, asserting that the kingdom of God was imminent.

God gave his law to Moses, not to repress and stifle his people, but so that they could receive the blessings of favored relationship with God, as well as peace and harmony with their brethren. Moses wrote the Lord’s words down in the first five books of the Bible, as a guide for the people in living in covenant relationship with God. The people covenanted with God to keep God’s word, and God promised to adopt them as his own children. The covenant was sealed with blood. Moses and the elders trusted and obeyed God, and they were not harmed. God revealed himself to them and they partook of a sacramental meal before the altar.

Christians enter into a covenant relationship with God through faith and obedience to Jesus Christ. Jesus’ blood seals the covenant. We participate in that blood sacramentally in Holy Communion (The Eucharist; the Lord’s Supper) the sacramental meal before the altar of God. Circumcision was the outward physical symbol of the Old Covenant of Law signifying the denial of the desires of the flesh. The Christians’ circumcision is inward rather than external; a matter of the heart rather than the flesh. The New Covenant of grace (unmerited favor) through faith in Jesus Christ is intended to produce obedience to God’s will out of love, in response to what God has done for us in Jesus Christ, rather than out of fear of the penalty of the law. Christians are not bound and restricted by the law; we are set free from the demands of the law, not so that we can indulge in sin, but so that we can serve the Lord with our hearts. Paul warned the Colossians not to be led astray by false teachers.

Jesus’ message was a call to return to a covenant relationship with God, not to fulfill the requirements of law, but in joy and thanksgiving for his love and forgiveness. Jesus ministry was the climax and the revealing of God’s plan of salvation, which had been promised but unseen for ages. Jesus ministry announced the coming of God’s promised kingdom into the world both immediately and eternally.

God gave us the Bible to help us. It is in our best interest to live according to his word. Unless we read, remember, and apply God’s word in our lives we are vulnerable to all sorts of false teachers and false doctrines. We cannot live in covenant with God in Jesus and ignore God’s words in the Bible, the book of that covenant.