12 Pentecost – Sunday

first posted 08/06/05

 

2 Samuel 6:12-23,     The Ark Arrives in Jerusalem 
Romans 14:7-12,      Living for the Lord
John 1:43-51      The Call of Phillip and Nathanael
 
David had intended to bring the ark to Jerusalem, but on the way Uzzah had touched the ark and had been struck dead. David became afraid to bring it into the “City of David,” (the former Jebusite fortress at Jerusalem which David had conquered). The ark was placed in the custody of Obededom for three months during which the Lord prospered Obededom and his household.
 
When David saw that it was safe to bring the ark into Jerusalem he did so with great celebration, singing and dancing. David’s wife, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked out the window of the palace and saw David celebrating and dancing before the Lord, and she despised David.
 
David sacrificed an ox and another animal, and he offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. Then David blessed the people in the Lord’s name, and sent them home with a portion of meat, a cake of bread and a cake of raisins.
 
David entered his house to bless his household, but Michal criticized David for his uninhibited dancing and celebration in the presence of the Lord and of the people, which she had considered vulgar. David replied that the Lord had chosen David above Saul to be prince of Israel, and that nothing would prevent David from celebrating in the Lord’s presence. If Michal found his behavior disgraceful, David assured her that she would see even more “disgraceful” behavior from David. But by the maids (whose adulation of David made Michal jealous) David would be honored. Michal remained childless all her life.
 
None of us live or die entirely to ourselves. Christians are to live to serve and glorify the Lord, and if we die we die in service and glory to the Lord. We are the Lord’s people and his servants, whether we live or die. Christ died and rose to life again so that he would be Lord of the dead and the living. We must not judge or despise others, because all will face judgment by the Lord. “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue will give praise (or confess) to God” (Romans 14:11; quoting Isaiah 45:23). “So each of us will give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12).
 
After Jesus had been baptized by John the baptizer in the Jordan River in Judea, several disciples of John began following Jesus because of John’s testimony. (John 1:35-42). Jesus decided to go to Galilee. Jesus found Philip and told him to follow him. Philip was from Bethsaida, in Galilee, the city of Andrew, who was one of those who had followed Jesus because of the testimony of John the Baptizer, and Peter was Andrew’s brother. Philip went and found Nathanael and told him that he had found the Christ (Messiah) promised in the law and the prophets (the Old Testament scriptures), Jesus of Nazareth. Nathanael wondered how anything good could come from Nazareth. Philip told Nathanael to come and see for himself.
 
Jesus saw Nathanael coming and said that Nathanael was an Israelite who did nothing deceitful. [Jacob (Israel) had deceived his father and taken his brother’s “birthright” (inheritance). After struggling with the angel of the Lord Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, the patriarch of the Israelites, for whom they are named].

Nathanael asked how Jesus knew him, and Jesus said that he had “seen” Nathanael “under the fig tree” (where Philip had found him). Nathanael acknowledged Jesus to be a spiritual teacher and the Son of God (the Messiah). Jesus said that Nathanael would see greater signs than Jesus’ knowledge of his innermost thoughts. Jesus told Nathanael that he would see the fulfillment of Jacob’s dream of a ladder with “angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man” (Jesus; John 1:51).    
 
When Uzzah had been struck dead for touching the ark, they had not been transporting the ark in accordance with God’s Word. (It was supposed to be transported by poles through rings on each side, with a person on each end.) David was frightened by God’s power and didn’t want to bring the ark into Jerusalem, until he saw that God’s power had been blessing and prospering the household of Obededom.
 
The Holy Spirit is the Lord’s powerful presence within the disciples of Jesus Christ, like the ark represented God’s presence among his people. It might seem threatening to those who have not yet been “born-again.” (John 3:3-5-8). But the Lord uses his power to bless and prosper those who trust and obey him. Christians need to live by the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit so that others can see the blessing and goodness of the Lord and seek his presence within them.
 
If we have been “born-again” and have experience the joy of the Lord’s presence within us, we should worship and praise the Lord publicly, not as an outward display to be seen by others, not to influence what people think of us, but without worrying whether others will think it’s vulgar or disgraceful. There may be people even within our own families who will think we’re getting “carried away” by our emotions; going too far; exceeding the limits of decorum. In order to worship the Lord we must worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), not by outward behavior we’re not really feeling, but as we are moved by and respond to the Holy Spirit within us.
 
If we are truly “born-again” disciples of Jesus Christ we are to serve and worship Jesus, with our life, and in our death. Everyone has been given the freedom to choose in this lifetime whether to serve and glorify the Lord or not. But there is a Day of Judgment coming when we will no longer have that freedom of choice. In that Day, we will all kneel and praise the Lord, and be accountable to him for what we have done in this life.
 
Before Nathanael had met Jesus he was a cynic; he couldn’t believe that God’s anointed Savior and eternal King could come from an insignificant village in a remote province. When the Lord revealed Nathanael’s innermost thoughts and details of Nathanael’s life that were humanly impossible for him to know, Nathanael believed, from his own experience, that Jesus was the Christ, and he immediately expressed it. There was no deceit in Nathanael; he said what he thought, and he gave expression to what he believed. Jesus promised him that as he followed Jesus Nathanael would see greater things than what he had already witnessed.
 
If we “come and see” Jesus honestly, we will come to know that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. If we follow Jesus in obedient trust he will reveal himself to us (John 14:21) and we will come to know with certainty that he is the Lord (John 6:68-69 RSV), and we will see many greater things done by the Lord in and through us. Those who think worship and praise of the Lord is disgraceful will find out what disgraceful really is on the Day of Judgment.
 
Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel (Jacob) of a ladder from heaven. Jesus is the way (John 14:6) by whom God’s blessings come down from heaven to us, and by whom we can ascend into God’s presence in heaven
 
Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Alternative Entry

first posted 08/30/03

 

2 Sam. 6:12-23  Michal's Alienation

Romans 14:7-12  All Are Accountable to God

John 1:43-51  Phillip Brings Nathanael to Jesus

 

When King David heard that the house of Obededom was blessed by the presence of the Ark of the Covenant (2 Sam. 6:1-11), David decided to fulfill his original intention to bring the Ark into Jerusalem, and he arranged a great celebration with all the people of Israel. Michal, Saul's daughter, was David's first wife, whom Saul had later given to another man, and who David had taken back when he became King. She despised David and told him that he had made a fool of himself celebrating before the Lord. David responded that, if she found his display of love for the Lord contemptible, she would see him even more contemptible than that. Further, that though Michal  might see his behavior toward the Lord as contemptible, there were plenty of others who would honor his behavior.

 

Paul points out that Jesus is Lord and Judge of all. We are not to judge one another, and we have no right to despise another. Each will be accountable for oneself to God. "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall give praise to God" (v.11)

 

Jesus called Phillip to discipleship, and Philip invited Nathanael to come with him. Nathanael was sceptical, so Phillip said "come and see". Jesus demonstrated that he knew all about Nathanael before he had met him. Nathanael had come to see, and he saw for himself that Jesus was who Phillip had said he was. He also found that Jesus "saw" everything. Jesus said to him that Nathanael had just begun to "see" -- that he would see more and greater things than these: the fulfillment of the patriarch Israel's (formerly known as Jacob) vision of the ladder. [There is a lot of richness in this exchange between Nathanael and Jesus.]

 

Michal found David's rejoicing in the Lord despicable, to her own hurt. The consequence was that she cut off any chance for her own personal fulfillment. David had been angry and afraid of God because of the accident resulting in the death of  Uzzah during the first attempt to bring the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, so he left it with a caretaker outside the city. When he saw that the presence of the Ark was a blessing to the caretaker, he was reassured and went ahead with his original plan. Nathanael "came and saw" that Jesus is the fulfilment of God's promise to Israel (Jacob) to be the means of bringing the blessings of God to men, and the means for men to reach Heaven. Come and see!

 

12 Pentecost – Monday

first posted 08/07/03

2 Samuel 7:1-17,      Everlasting Kingdom
Acts 18:1-11,       Paul at Corinth
Mark 8:11-21       Leaven of the Pharisees
 
David had built his palace in the Jebusite fortress on mount Zion after conquering Jerusalem, and had brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. David felt that he should build a more permanent house for the Lord. Nathan was the prophet of the Lord and spiritual advisor to David During the night Nathan had a Word from the Lord. The Lord had dwelt in a tent from the time of the exodus from Egypt, and had never commanded that a house be built for the Lord.

The Lord told Nathan to tell David that the Lord had taken him from being a shepherd to become the prince of Israel. The Lord had been with David and had prospered him and given him a great name. The Lord promised to prepare a place for his people that would provide rest from their enemies and protection from affliction and trouble.

Instead of needing David to build a house (temple) for the Lord, the Lord was going to build a house (a dynasty) for David. From David’s descendants would come an eternal king, the Son of God. He would be chastised with the punishment of mankind, but the Lord would not take his steadfast love from the Lord’s anointed as the Lord had taken it from Saul. The Lord’s anointed would be established as king forever. Nathan told David all that the Lord had said.
 
Paul went from Athens to Corinth, where he met Aquila and Priscilla, Jews who had been expelled from Rome by Emperor Claudius (probably in 49 A.D.*). Paul stayed and worked with them because they were both tentmakers by trade. Silas and Timothy came from Athens and rejoined Paul. On sabbaths Paul debated in the synagogue, testifying that Jesus was the Messiah, the Lord’s anointed Savior. The Jews opposed and rebuked him, so Paul “shook out his garments” and told them they would bear their own responsibility for their condemnation, and Paul would take the Gospel to the Gentiles 
 
Paul moved to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God who lived next to the synagogue. Crispus, the synagogue leader believed the Gospel, with his household, and many other Corinthians who had heard Paul believed and were baptized. The Lord told Paul in a dream that Paul was to preach boldly and not be afraid, because the Lord had many believers in the city and the Lord would protect Paul from attack and harm. Paul stayed in Corinth for eighteen months, teaching God’s Word (discipling new Christians).
 
Pharisees came to Jesus demanding a sign from heaven as proof of Jesus’ claims. Jesus was deeply saddened and asked why this generation insisted on seeing signs. Jesus declared that none would be given to them. Jesus got into the boat and went to the other side of the sea.
 
The disciples had forgotten to bring bread and had only one loaf. Jesus was telling his disciples to beware of the leaven (sin) of the Pharisees and the Herodians, but the disciples were preoccupied with physical bread, and thought that was what Jesus meant. Jesus knew what they were thinking and confronted them, asking why they were discussing their lack of bread. Did their eyes and ears not work? Had they not understood from witnessing the miracles of the feeding of the five thousand and the four thousand? Did they not remember that the leftovers alone were greater than the amount of food they had started with?
 
The Lord God raised up David as the Lord’s anointed king of Israel as a forerunner and illustration of the Christ, the Lord’s anointed eternal Savior and King, whose kingdom would be established forever. God promised David that the Christ would be a descendant of David. David trusted in God’s Word. Jesus is the fulfillment of that prophecy. Jesus is the “Son of David” (Matthew 1:1; 21:9; Luke 2:4) through his earthly father, and the only begotten Son of God (John 1:14; John 3:16 KJV)  by his heavenly father.
 
Paul was a well-educated Jew. His ministry was an attempt to convince the Jews that Jesus was the fulfillment of scripture. Some Jews believed the Gospel and were converted, but many Jewish leaders rebuked and persecuted Paul. Having fulfilled his obligation to present the Gospel to the Jews, he became the evangelist to the Gentiles.

Paul was empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9b). The Lord promised to protect Paul and told him to stay and preach boldly in Corinth and Paul trusted and obeyed. Paul was a “tentmaker” working to build the eternal “house” God promised to David through the promised Christ, the eternal king.
 
Pharisees (a strict legalistic faction; the predominant leaders of Judaism at that time) came to Jesus demanding “proof,” by some miracle, that Jesus was the Messiah (Christ). For those who need “proof” in order to believe, there is none, because God’s plan of salvation (which see, sidebar, top right) depends upon faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). But for those who believe and act in faith by obedient trust, there is abundant “proof,” in daily personal experience in fellowship with the Lord through his indwelling Holy Spirit. Similarly Jesus could have commanded them to accept him as Lord and Messiah, but God’s purpose is to allow us to choose for ourselves whether to trust and obey him or not.
 
The truth is that there was plenty of “proof” available for them to be convinced that Jesus is the Christ. They had God’s Word in the scriptures pointing to Jesus as the fulfillment of the promised Messiah, and Jesus was doing miraculous healings under their very noses (Mark 3:1-6). They witnessed the miracles but still did not believe. The leaven of the Pharisees was the sin of unbelief. (Leaven was a symbol of putrefaction or corruption, and thus of sin).
 
Jesus’ disciples had just witnessed two miraculous feedings of multitudes, but in the boat with Jesus, they were worried about not having enough physical bread, and completely missed the spiritual lesson Jesus was trying to teach them. Jesus asked them whether their eyes and ears worked. They had seen and heard; why did they not understand? Had they forgotten?
 
The reason people can’t believe that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promised Messiah is because they choose not to believe.  Jesus’ lordship may interfere with their personal ambitions and desires. They may be so focused on worldly things that they are ignoring the spiritual things which are eternal.
 
Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

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*The Oxford Annotated Bible, Revised Standard Version, Ed. by Herbert G. May and Bruce M. Metzger, Acts 18:2n, p. 1343, New York, Oxford University Press, 1962.

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Alternative Entry

first posted 08/31/03

 

2 Samuel 7:1-17  David Wanted to Build God's House

Acts 18:1-11  Founding the Church at Corinth

Mark 8:11-21  The Leaven of the Pharisees

 

King David had built a palace for himself in Jerusalem, but the Ark of the Covenant (God's presence among his people) was in a tent, so David decided he should build a temple for the Lord's dwelling place. The Lord spoke through Nathan, the prophet, that God had no need for men to build Him a house; He was the creator of everything by the power of His Word, and would have had no problem making himself a house if He had needed or desired it. God's plan was to be present among his people in a tent, as he had specifically instructed Moses. ( Note the richness of the interplay of the various meanings of the word "house" throughout this passage.) The Lord promised to build David a house, meaning his renown, his descendants, and his monarchy culminating in the eternal kingdom of Jesus. Jesus is the Son of  David!

 

At Corinth, Paul stayed with Aquila and his wife. Paul's preaching stirred up opposition and persecution by the Jews. Paul moved to the house of Titius Justice and continued to preach. The Lord was leading and protecting Paul as the church was established at Corinth. Note that Paul was a "tentmaker", but his work of building the Church at Corinth consisted of testifying that Jesus was the Christ (the Greek word; the Hebrew word is Messiah. Both mean "Anointed").

 

The Jewish religious leaders demanded a sign from Jesus, but signs were all around them and they refused to believe. The leaven of  the Pharisees was the sin of unbelief. (Leaven was a symbol of putrefaction or corruption, and thus of sin). The Pharisees had all the scriptures pointing to the coming Messiah (the Lord's Anointed  One) and they were seeing the miracles Jesus was doing, but they still insisted on more proof from Him. The Disciples in the boat were preoccupied with their worldly cares, and did not understand what Jesus was saying. They were worried about bread to eat when they had seen Jesus twice provide food for large crowds. They were afraid of being hungry when the "Lord of Bread" was in the boat with them!  

 

His disciples, who are filled with His Spirit, are His Temple.

 

12 Pentecost –Tuesday

first posted 08/08/05

2 Samuel 7:18-29,       David’s Response to God’s Promise

Acts 18:12-28,       Beginning Paul’s Third Missionary Journey

Mark 8:22-33     Peter’s Confession

 

David had built a cedar house for himself in the “City of David” (the Jebusite fortress at Jerusalem David had conquered) but the Ark of the Covenant was in a tent (the Tabernacle; a portable sanctuary). David proposed building a permanent house of God, but God had told David that the Lord; didn’t need David to build the Lord a house; instead he would build a house for David (The exchange involves a play on the various meanings of the word “house;” a palace, a temple, a dynasty, and family status).

 

David answered by acknowledging that he was not worthy of his position as the Lord’s anointed prince of Israel, personally or by family heritage. David realized that the Lord had done great things for David, not by David’s merit, but by the Lord’s own goodness, so that David would recognize the Lord’s greatness. David acknowledged that there was no god but the Lord and nothing could compare to the greatness of the Lord.

No other nation had been blessed like Israel, whom God redeemed (from slavery in Egypt) and gave the Promised Land as their possession by driving the Canaanites and their idols before Israel. The Lord had adopted Israel as his people and had become their God. David assented to the God’s will which he had revealed to David. David prayed that the Lord would fulfill what he had promised to David, and that the Lord would be exalted through it. David acknowledged that God’s Word is true, faithful and good and that David sought and would be fully satisfied for ever by the Lord’s blessing.

 

Paul had spent eighteen months in Corinth, but when Gallio (the brother of Seneca, the philosopher*) was proconsul of Achaia (Greece; about 51 A.D.*)  the Jews accused Paul and brought Paul to be tried by Gallio for teaching worship of God contrary to law (Jewish; Law of Moses). Before Paul had a chance to present his case, Gallio refused to exercise judgment in the case since it involved Jewish law; he told the Jews to deal with it themselves.

 

The Jews apparently beat Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue at Corinth (probably because he had been converted by Paul’s preaching; see 1 Corinthians 1:1). Gallio didn’t intervene (the Jews were dealing with the matter themselves, as he had ruled). Paul stayed many more days in Corinth, but then returned to Syria, bringing Pricilla and Aquila with him. At Cenchreae (the Greek seaport near Corinth) Paul cut his hair (as part of a Nazirite vow, indicating its fulfillment; see Numbers 6:2-21). At Ephesus Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. Paul debated the Gospel with the Jews in the synagogue, and they asked him to stay longer, but Paul declined, saying that if it was God’s will he would return.

 

Paul sailed from Ephesus to Caesarea and went from there to Antioch (the base of his missionary journeys). After some time there he went on the third missionary journey to Galatia and Phyrgia, “strengthening the disciples” (Acts 18:23; “discipling” new Christians).

 

A Jew named Apollos, raised in Alexandria (Egypt), came to Ephesus. He knew the scriptures and had been taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was an eloquent and fervent speaker who accurately taught Jesus Christ, but Priscilla and Aquila noticed that he knew only the baptism of John (water baptism; not the “baptism” of the Holy Spirit; see John 1:33-34; 3:3, 5-8). Aquila and Priscilla “discipled” Apollos.

The congregation at Ephesus encouraged Apollos and gave him a letter of commendation to the Christians in Achaia (Greece; specifically the congregation at Corinth; 1 Corinthians 1:12, 3:1-9, 21-23). When Apollos arrived in Greece he greatly helped new believers and powerfully refuted the Jews, proving by the Jewish (Old Testament) scriptures that Jesus was the Christ (Messiah).

 

At Bethsaida (in Galilee) a blind man was brought to Jesus begging to be healed. Jesus took him aside outside the city and anointed his eyes with spittle (a common practice of healers of that time), and asked if the blind man could see. The man saw things but they were not clear, so Jesus again touched the man’s eyes and the man’s vision was restored and he was able to see clearly. Jesus sent the man home, telling him not to enter the village.

 

Jesus went on with his disciples to Caesarea Philippi, (20 miles north of the Sea of Galilee on the border of Syria; not to be confused with Caesarea on the Mediterranean coast). On the way, Jesus asked his disciples who people thought Jesus to be. The disciples told him that some thought he was John the Baptizer, others thought he was Elijah (who was expected to return to herald the coming of Christ), and others thought Jesus was (just) one of the prophets. Then Jesus asked the disciples who they believed Jesus to be, and Peter declared that Jesus is the Christ. Jesus commanded them to tell no one.

 

Then Jesus told the disciples, for the first time, that the “Son of man” (i.e., Jesus) would suffer, would be rejected by the religious leaders, would be killed, and would rise again on the third day. Jesus said it plainly (without any attempt to disguise his meaning). Peter began to rebuke Jesus, but Jesus rebuked Peter in front of the disciples, saying that Peter’s resistance was on the side of Satan and human sinfulness, rather than supporting God’s will.

 

David had been anointed with the Holy Spirit (1 Samuel 16:13), to replace Saul as king of Israel. In that pre-messianic age, the Holy Spirit was only given to certain prophets and leaders of Israel. Since that time he had been growing in spiritual maturity in fellowship with the Lord through the Holy Spirit and his spiritual counselors: first, Samuel, and then, Nathan. He had the promise of God, but the fulfillment was gradual. First he was on the run from Saul, then he was made king of Judah only, and then he received the fullness of the promise to be king of all Israel.

 

David was also growing in his understanding of the Lord’s nature and will. When David had built a palace for himself on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, he thought he should build a more permanent house for God, but came to understand that the Lord didn’t need a house built by men, but was instead building an eternal house, a dynasty, a heritage, for David.

 

David came to realize that it was not by David’s own merit, or by family lineage that David was blessed and prospered by the Lord, but because of the Lord’s own goodness. From that realization David praised and worshiped the Lord and accepted God’s will without reservation.

 

The Lord’s ultimate intent is to dwell “within” his disciples by the indwelling Holy Spirit, so that we can dwell with him in his eternal kingdom.  “Born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) disciples are his “Temple;” a “tent” of human flesh, temporary and portable rather than a permanent structure. We are not worthy of God’s gift of salvation from eternal condemnation and destruction. It’s his gift to us so that we can come to comprehend the Lord’s love and goodness (Ephesians 2:8-9).

 

Paul (formerly known as Saul of Tarsus) is an example of a modern, “post-resurrection” “born-again” disciple of Jesus Christ. Paul had not known Jesus during Jesus’ earthly ministry. He encountered the risen and ascended Jesus on the road to Damascus, and was radically converted and reborn by the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:1-20). He had been learning to be led by the Holy Spirit since that time (for example Acts 16:6-10).

The Jews were intending to destroy Paul, but Paul trusted and obeyed the Lord’s command to preach boldly and the Lord’s promise to protect him (Acts 18:9-10). Paul was delivered from his Jewish persecutors and from the Roman tribunal. The Church at Corinth wanted Paul to stay, but Paul was guided by the Lord’s will rather than by popular demand. He promised to return in God’s timing if it was God’s will,. Paul’s ministry was fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) which Jesus had given his disciples after his resurrection. Paul was discipling and strengthening new Christians.

 

Aquila and Priscilla are examples of mature “born-again” Christian disciples. They had been with Paul in Corinth, and must certainly have grown spiritually in their fellowship with Paul. At Ephesus they met a Jewish Christian evangelist who was eloquent and had excellent knowledge of scripture, who had been taught the Gospel and was proclaiming it accurately. But, he had only received the water baptism of John the Baptizer.  Apparently he had not been taught to seek and receive the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, so Aquila and Priscilla took him aside and discipled him more fully (and presumably led him to be “born-again” by the gift of the Holy Spirit). Note that Apollos was knowledgeable about the scriptures and the Gospel but he was willing to accept further discipling, and thus he was able to grow to spiritual maturity.

 

Compare the situation in the immediate following verses (Acts 19:1-7). Paul, Priscilla and Aquila were “born-again” Christians discipling others to be “born-again.”  They knew what Apollos and the other “unregenerate” (not yet “born-again”) Christians were lacking and how to get it! The first century church was making “born-again” disciples of Jesus Christ by teaching them to trust an obey Jesus’ commands.

Only Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit (John 1:32-34). Jesus gives the gift of his Holy Spirit only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). Jesus specifically commanded his disciples to stay in Jerusalem (the modern equivalent is the Church) until they have received the gift of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8) before going into the world to proclaim the Gospel and make disciples.

 

Jesus tested his disciples understanding of who Jesus was. They knew that Jesus was the Christ, but they were not spiritually mature until the Day of Pentecost when they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The blind man had received partial healing, but he wasn’t completely healed until Jesus tested him and gave him what he still needed to have: complete vision. It is not enough to know the Bible and acknowledge that Jesus is Christ the Lord; we must trust and obey him (Matthew 7:21-27; Luke 6:46) and be filled with his Holy Spirit.

 

There are too many Church leaders in the Church today who know only the “baptism of John,” and there are too many churches that are making “members,” “fair-weather Christians,” instead of “born-again” disciples. Unregenerate “Christians” can’t make “born-again” disciples, because if they knew how, and what is missing, they wouldn’t be “unregenerate.”

 

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

 

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*The Oxford Annotated Bible, Revised Standard Version, Ed. by Herbert G. May and Bruce M. Metzger, Acts 18:12n, p. 1343, New York, Oxford University Press, 1962.

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Alternative Entry
first posted 09/01/03

 

2 Sam. 7:18-29  David Accepts God's Plan

Acts 18:12-28  Apollos at Ephesus

Mark 8:22-33 Peter's Confession

 

David prayed to the Lord, thanking Him for revealing His plan for David's house unto eternity, and submitting to it with thanksgiving. "For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant." (v.21 NIV). David had wanted to do something  pleasing for the Lord, but David's idea was limited by his earthly perspective. When God revealed His plan for David, David recognized it as superior and adopted it, and trusted the Lord to fulfill it.

 

A Jew named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was "well versed in the scriptures,... had been instructed in the way of the Lord.... and being fervent in spirit he spoke and taught accurately the things  concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John."  (v. 24-25). "He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him they took him and expounded to him the way of God more accurately."(v.26) Apollos had a "teachable heart." He was willing to learn what he hadn't know before. He had been doing well before, and now was able to do better.

 

The healing of the blind man suggests that it may take several tries to bring about complete results. Jesus asked for feedback so he could determine the condition of the man's vision and thus what still needed to be done. In a similar way, Jesus tested his disciples understanding of who He was, in order to determine how fully trained and ready they were to fulfill His plan.

 

The Lord will reveal His will for us if we are willing to trust Him, accept His will, and do it. Who we believe Jesus is is  the crucial question each  must answer for oneself.

 

12 Pentecost – Wednesday

first posted 08/09/05

2 Samuel 9:1-13,     David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

Acts 19:1-10,       Receiving the Holy Spirit

Mark 8:34-9:1     On Discipleship

 
David and Jonathan, Saul’s son, had sworn eternal loyalty to one another. Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle by the Philistines and seven relatives had been executed by the Gibeonites. David asked if there was any descendant of Saul’s family that David could show kindness too, for Jonathan’s sake. Ziba, Saul’s servant, was brought to David and told him that Mephibosheth the crippled son of Jonathan, had survived.

David had Mephibosheth brought to him and David made him a member of David’s household, so that he would eat at the king’s table. David also restored all Saul’s land. David commanded Ziba, Saul’s servant, to supervise Zeba’s household, his sons and his servants, in cultivating Saul’s land for Mephibosheth’s benefit.

 

Apollos was a Christian evangelist who had been discipled by Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:24-28) and who had been encouraged to go to Corinth. While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul arrived in Ephesus and contacted a group of Christians. He asked whether they had received the Holy Spirit when they had believed in Jesus, and they said that they hadn’t known about the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Paul asked them what baptism they had received and they said that they had received water baptism of John the baptizer. Paul told them that John had baptized with water, for repentance, to prepare them to believe in Jesus Christ (who alone baptizes with the Holy Spirit; John 1:32-34). On learning this they were baptized in Jesus’ name and Paul laid his hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues and prophesied (as had the disciples on the Day of Pentecost; Acts 2:1-13).

 

Paul taught about the kingdom of God (the Gospel of Jesus Christ) in the Ephesian synagogue for a three-month period, but some refused to believe and spoke against “the Way” (as Christianity was called; Jesus is the Way; John 14:6). So Paul and the disciples (Christian believers) moved to the hall of Tyrannus (an available meeting place) and for two years Paul taught the Gospel daily. Many residents of Asia, both Jews and Gentiles, heard the Gospel preached by Paul during that period.

 

Jesus taught his disciples and the crowds that came to hear him, that anyone who wants to follow Jesus must “deny himself (set aside his personal will) and take up his cross (endure suffering) and follow” (Jesus; apply Jesus’ teachings and follow Jesus’ example; Mark 8:34). “Whoever would save his (worldly, physical) life will lose it (and eternal life) but whoever loses his (worldly, physical) life” (by surrender to God’s will; or by dying physically, if required) for the Gospel and for Jesus’ sake, “will save it” (Mark 8:35).

Jesus said that all the possessions in the world are worthless if a person loses spiritual, eternal life. What would a person of such material wealth be willing to pay to live in Heaven for ever?  Jesus warned that whoever is ashamed of Jesus and his teaching in this utterly sinful world will experience Jesus’ shame on the Day of Judgment when Jesus comes in the glory of God. Jesus declared that there were some present, hearing his words, who would not experience physical death before experiencing God’s kingdom and power.

 

In Jesus Christ God has done for us spiritually, for Jesus’ sake, what David had done to Mephibosheth physically for Jonathan’s sake. We are spiritually crippled by sin (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10; see God’s plan of salvation, sidebar, top right) and cannot provide spiritually for ourselves, but through God’s covenant in Jesus Christ by faith (obedient trust) we become members of the King’s household and are fed spiritually at the King’s table, as David had done with Mephibosheth in fulfillment of the covenant of love and fidelity between David and Jonathan. The covenant with Jonathan obligated David to show kindness for Mephibosheth, and Mephibosheth recognized that he was unworthy, but he trusted and obeyed David.

 

Baptism is a covenant between the Lord and the baptized. When we are baptized we’re adopted into God’s household for Jesus’ sake, provided that we believe in (trust and obey) Jesus. Jesus has promised to baptize his disciples who trust and obey him with the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 14:15-17). When we fulfill our covenant obligation, the Lord fulfills his.

 

Some “Christians” are offended when asked if they have received the Holy Spirit. Some Churches teach that the Holy Spirit is conveyed automatically at baptism. I draw several conclusions from this Biblical text in the perspective of my own personal experience. First, it is possible for an individual to know with certainty, personally, for oneself, whether they have received the “baptism” of the indwelling Holy Spirit (or there would have been no point in Paul’s question). If you have to ask your spiritual advisor, or a theologian, you haven’t been “born-again.”  Second, at baptism we receive the promise, the power, to receive the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:12), but we must appropriate it by obedient trust in Jesus Christ; we must act on faith. Paul knew from personal experience (Acts 9:17-20) that the twelve new disciples in Ephesus were not mature Christians able to do Christian ministry until they had been filled with the Holy Spirit, just as Apollos was not ready until Priscilla and Aquila led him to be “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Acts 18:24-28).

 

I have been presenting the Gospel online at this site, at the cyber-crossroads of the world, for four years, as of August 7, 2007, and have had more than thirty thousand hits. Has anyone received the “anointing,” the gift, of the Holy Spirit as a result of this devotional? I have no idea (but would appreciate hearing). My job is to “broadcast” the seed of the Gospel (Mark 4:3-9), and leave the harvest to the Lord.

 

Self-denial and suffering are the antithesis of the “American way” and the culture in which I live today. Discipleship is going to cost disciples self-sacrifice and endurance in suffering.  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one who believes” (Romans 1:16a).

 

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

 

Alternative Entry
first posted 09/02/03

 

2 Sam. 9:1-13  David's Kindness to Mephibosheth

Acts 19:1-10  Paul's Ministry at Ephesus

Mark 8:34-9:1  On Discipleship

 

King David searched for survivors of the House of Saul, whom David could honor for the sake of his great friendship with Jonathan. Ziba, one of Saul's servants was found and he helped locate Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, who had been crippled when Saul and his sons had died (see 2 Sam. 4:4). David arranged for Mephibosheth to live with him in the Palace, as a Prince of Israel. David gave Mephibosheth all Saul's property, and appointed Ziba's household as stewards to manage the property for him.

 

At Ephesus Paul encountered some disciples of John the Baptist who (apparently, from information about Apollos; see Acts 18:24-28) believed in Jesus but had not yet received the Holy Spirit. (John baptized with water for repentance; Jesus baptizes with the Holy  Spirit . See Matt. 3:11). Paul baptized them in the name of Jesus, and when he laid hands on them they were immediately filled the Holy Spirit. Paul preached at the synagogue for three months, until great dissention drove him out. He relocated to another hall, taking the disciples with him, where he continued to preach for two years "so that all the residents of Asia heard the Word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks." (v.10)

 

Jesus told the multitudes that anyone who wanted to follow Him must be willing to deny himself (be willing to give up his personal desires and plans in order to do God's will) and take up his cross (be willing to suffer, even to die,) in order to follow Jesus. The reality is that our desires ultimately lead us to death. Jesus is able to deliver us from death to life, now and eternally. From a worldly perspective the cost of following Jesus seems too great; but from an eternal perspective it is a  great bargain.

 

David gave Mephiposheth "the deal of a lifetime!" He tracked him down and adopted him into the royal family as a "Prince of Israel". He gave him all his Father's wealth, and servants to manage it for him. All his needs were provided for, and he was free to bask in daily fellowship with the King for the rest of his life.The only requirement was that he had to be a member of Jonathan's family. The King was doing all this for Mephibosheth for the sake of his love for Jonathan! This is exactly the same deal God offers us through his love for Jesus!

 

12 Pentecost – Thursday

first posted  08/10/05

2 Samuel 11:1-27,       David and Bathsheba

Acts 19:11-20,       Paul’s Ministry at Ephesus

Mark 9:2-13       Jesus’ Transfiguration

 

The army of Israel, under the command of Joab, was besieging Rammah, the capital city of the Ammonites, north of Moab and east of the Jordan River. King David had not gone with the army, but remained in Jerusalem. One afternoon David saw from his rooftop a beautiful woman bathing (ritual cleansing required by the Law of Moses, following menstruation). He asked his servants who she was and was told that she was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite (remnants of earlier Hittite settlement in Israel were incorporated into the people of Israel), who was with the army besieging Ramma. David sent servants to bring her to David, and he slept with her. She became pregnant and told David.

 

David sent a messenger to Joab, asking him to send Uriah to him, and when Uriah arrived David asked him how the war against the Ammonites was going. Then David told Uriah to go to his home and take the opportunity to clean up before returning to the battle, but Uriah slept in the gateway of the King’s house, instead. When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he asked Uriah why not, and Uriah replied that he would not indulge in the comforts of his home while the Ark of the Covenant, Joab, and the army of Israel were in tents in the field, and the men were separated from their wives and homes. David asked Uriah to stay another day, and invited Uriah to eat and drink at the King’s table. Uriah became drunk, but he did not go home and sleep with his wife.

 

The next day, David wrote a letter to Joab to be carried by Uriah. In the letter David asked Joab to place Uriah in the area of greatest danger, and to fall back from Uriah, so that Uriah would certainly be killed. Joab did as the King had requested and Uriah was killed, along with some of David’s elite bodyguards.

 

Joab sent a messenger to tell David of the casualties of his bodyguards, and told the messenger that if David was critical of Joab’s conduct of the battle the messenger was to remind David that Uriah had been killed also. The messenger did as Joab ordered, and David was not upset by the news of casualties. David told the messenger to tell Joab that such things happen in war, and he encouraged Joab to rally his troops and overthrow the city.

 

When Bathsheba heard that her husband had been killed, she observed the usual mourning period, and then David brought her to his house and she became his wife and bore his son. But David had committed a terrible sin.

 

The Lord did many great miracles through Paul Clothing and handkerchiefs Paul had touched were taken to the sick and they were healed. Jewish healers and exhorcists began invoking Jesus’ name in their healings. Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were attempting to exorcise a demon “in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches” (Acts 19:13). The Demon replied that he knew (and acknowledged the power of) Jesus and Paul but did not know or acknowledge the exorcists. The exorcists were overcome by the demon and fled naked and bleeding. This incident was widely known in Ephesus and the people feared and extoled and Jesus’ name. Ephesis was a center of magic practice, and many who were converted to Christianity brought, to be burned, books on magic which they owned. The number and value of the books thus burned was amazing.

 

Jesus took Peter, James and John, the three disciple of his inner circle, to the top of a mountain, and Jesus was transfigured (his appearance was changed); his garments became brilliantly white (seeming to glow). Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus.

The disciples were frightened, and Peter, not knowing what else to say, suggested building three shrines, one each for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. A cloud overshadowed them and a voice from the cloud declared that Jesus was his beloved son, and the disciples were commanded to listen to Jesus. Then, suddenly they were alone with Jesus.

 

As they came down the mountain Jesus told them not to tell anyone what they had witnessed until after the “Son of man” (Jesus) had risen from the dead. So they kept the experience to themselves, but they wondered about what Jesus had meant about rising from the dead.

They asked Jesus why the teachers of scripture taught that Elijah would return (before the coming of the Messiah), and Jesus reminded them that the scripture had prophesied that the Son of man would suffer and be treated with contempt, and that the prophecy of Elijah's return was also true, but that Elijah had come, and the people had done to him what pleased them (they had not recognized him and had acted according to their own worldly nature).

 

Uriah was a man of honor and a man of God. He denied his self-centered desires in order to do what was right in God’s judgment. David, whom the Lord had described as a man after God’s own heart, who would do all God’s will (Acts 13:22; Psalm 89:20), had an appalling lapse of moral judgment. God’s people were in spiritual warfare with the enemy of God’s people and David, who represented the Lord’s anointed Savior and king, had chosen to stay in Jerusalem. He was idle and used that opportunity to indulge himself. He committed adultery, and then he had an honorable man of God murdered in an attempt to conceal David’s sin.

 

Paul’s life after his conversion glorified the Lord. Everything he did brought honor and glory to Jesus. Worldly people tried to use Paul’s name and Jesus’ name to give legitimacy to their own interests. The authenticity of the Ephesian conversions was demonstrated by their changed values.

 

The closest of Jesus’ disciples witnessed the heavenly glory of Jesus. Jesus tried to explain that John the Baptizer was the fulfillment of the prophecy of the return of Elijah.

 

One cannot do the work of God without being obedient to God’s Word. David should have been out with his troops, instead of indulging his senses in the comfort of home. Invoking the name of Jesus doesn't make one a Christian (Matthew 7:21-27). A Christian is a disciple of the Lord Jesus Acts (Acts 11:26c), a follower of Christ, who knows Jesus' commands and does them (Matthew 28:20).

 

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Alternative Entry

first posted 09/04/03

2 Sam. 11:1-27  David and Bathsheba

Acts 19:11-20  Use of Jesus' Name by Non-Believers

Mark 9:2-13  The Transfiguration

 

King David had sent his army out to do battle against the Ammonites but he, who had been a great warrior, stayed behind in the comfort of the palace at Jerusalem. He happened to see a beautiful woman bathing, and he inquired about her and had her brought to him. Her husband, Uriah, was off fighting David's war. When she became pregnant, David devised a scheme to bring Uriah to Jerusalem, so that Uriah might  have the opportunity to visit his wife and thus David's sin might go undiscovered. But Uriah was more honorable than David. He declined to enjoy the comforts of home and wife while his fellow soldiers were camping in the fields under battle conditions. So David sent a letter to Uriah's commander, Joab, carried by Uriah himself, instructing Joab to place Uriah in a position where he was sure to be killed, and even intentionally withdrawing troops from around him in order to insure it.

Joab did as David had commanded, placing some of David's men nearby to make it look more plausible, and then when they all were killed, sending a message to David, carefully phrasing it so that David understood the moral cost of what had been done. Such a loss would have been unacceptable, except for the purpose of getting rid of Uriah. After a period of mourning, Bathsheba became David's wife. "But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord."

 

Ephesus was known as a center for the practice of magic. Paul was proclaiming the name of Jesus and doing great healing miracles, so the local magicians began invoking the name of Jesus in their exorcisms, but the power in the Name cannot be appropriated by someone by using it, because it is by the Holy Spirit, the risen Lord Jesus, indwelling a disciple that such things are done.The sons of Sceva, a Jewish High Priest, found this out the hard way, by attempting to use Jesus' name; But the evil spirit they were attempting to cast out refused to submit, and turned and attacked them. The result was that the name of Jesus was glorified, and many former sorcerers were converted to faith in Jesus.

 

Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him up to the top of a High mountain, where His appearance was temporarily transformed and became unearthly.The Disciples saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus. They were overshadowed by a cloud and heard a voice from the cloud saying: "This is my beloved Son; Listen to Him." The Disciples were amazed and were trying to understand what they had witnessed. Jesus indicated to them that He would rise from the dead, but they were having trouble comprehending what He meant. They knew Elijah's return to earth was prophesied as the herald of the coming of the Messiah. Jesus tried to explain that John the Baptist had fulfilled that prophecy.

 

One cannot do the work of God without being obedient to His Word. David should have been out with his troops,instead of indulging his senses in the comfort of home. Invoking the name of Jesus doesn't make one a Christian. A Christian is a disciple of the Lord Jesus, a follower of Christ, who knows Jesus' commands and does them.

 

12 Pentecost – Friday
first posted 08/11/05

2 Samuel 12:1-14,      Nathan Confronts David

Acts 19:21-41,       Riot at Ephesus

Mark 9:14-29       A Boy Healed

 

David had committed a great sin against God, and God sent Nathan, a prophet and David’s spiritual advisor, to confront David. Nathan told a parable of a rich man and a poor man. The rich man had many herds but the poor man had only one ewe lamb. The lamb was beloved pet who was fed from his table and who slept in his bed. It was as dear to him as his own children. A traveler came to the rich man’s house and the rich man was obligated to feed him, but was unwilling to use one of his own lambs, so he took the poor man’s lamb and fed it to the rich man’s guest. David expressed outrage at the rich man’s selfishness, and Nathan replied that David was that man.

 

Nathan told David that the Lord had made David king of Israel, had protected him from Saul’s attempts to destroy him, gave him Saul’s house (palace, dynasty and heritage), and many wives (probably including Saul’s concubines) and the houses (kingdoms) of Israel and Judah. If that hadn’t been enough the Lord would have given David more. But David had violated God’s Word, and done evil in God’s judgment. David had killed Uriah by the sword of the Ammonites (Israel’s enemy), and had taken Uriah’s wife to be David’s wife.

 

Nathan prophesied that the Lord would allow evil to arise against David from within his own household. The Lord declared that he would take David’s wives from him and David’s neighbor (probably Absalom) would sleep with them; their adultery would be public knowledge, and David would be publicly disgraced. David had committed his sin secretly, but God would punish him publicly.

 

David acknowledged his sin against the Lord to Nathan. Nathan told David that David would not die; the Lord had “put away” David’s sin, but the child born to him would die, because of David’s obvious lack of respect for the Lord.

 

On Paul’s third missionary trip, after spending more than two years in Ephesus, by the guidance of the Holy Spirit Paul decided to go through Macedonia and Achaia (Greece) and then return to Jerusalem, after which he would go to Rome. He sent Timothy and Erastus (a Corinthian Christian; see 2 Timothy 4:20; possibly a city official; see Romans 16:23), to Macedonia, and Paul stayed at Ephesus.

Ephesus was the center of worship of Artemis, a fertility and lunar goddess, worshiped throughout Asia, and the Ephesians had a lucrative business selling miniature silver shrines. A silversmith named Demetrius stirred up others who profited from the production of Artemis cult objects. They were worried that the conversion of Asians to the Way (as Christianity was called; Jesus is the Way; John 14:6), would reduce their income. They were upset with the success of Paul’s preaching, which taught that idols made by humans were not gods.

 

The tradesmen stirred up the entire city, and the people gathered in the outdoor theater to see what was going on. Paul’s Macedonian Christian traveling companions, Gaius and Aristarchus, were dragged before the mob, and Paul wanted to address the people, but the disciples would not let him. Some city officials who were Paul’s friends begged him not to go into the theater. Most of the mob did not know why they had come together. Alexander, a Jew, attempted to address the crowd but when the people realized he was a Jew they shouted a cheer for Artemis continuously for two hours.

The town clerk finally quieted the crowd and told them that Ephesus was well known as the keeper of the Temple of Artemis and custodian of the sacred meteorite (which they regarded as a cult object). The clerk told the crowd that Gaius and Aristarchus weren’t guilty of blasphemy or sacrilege against the Ephesian goddess. He suggested that if Demetrius and the tradesmen had a legal complaint against the Christians they should pursue it legally in court. Other issues could be addressed at a regular town meeting. Otherwise they were liable to be charged with rioting, since there was no basis for this commotion. Then he told the people to go home.

 

Jesus had taken Peter, James and John to a mountaintop where they witnessed his transfiguration and talk with Moses and Elijah. When they returned, the rest of the Twelve disciples were arguing with a large crowd. When the crowd saw Jesus they gathered around him. Jesus asked what they were discussing and a man said that he had brought his son to the disciples for healing. The symptoms described sound like epilepsy, but in that time were identified with demonic possession (demonic possession suggests a spiritual component in the physical illness).

Jesus had the boy brought to him, and when he came he immediately had a seizure. The father said that the condition had jeopardized the boy’s life many times, by convulsions near water or fire. The father asked Jesus to heal him if Jesus could. The man’s request indicated skepticism. Jesus replied that healing would be determined by the man’s faith.

The man immediately declared that he believed, and asked for help ridding himself of unbelief. Jesus rebuked the condition and the boy’s convulsions ceased. The crowd thought the boy was dead, but Jesus took his hand and the boy stood up. Later in private the disciples asked Jesus why they had not been able to heal the boy, and Jesus told them that this kind of healing required faith (rather than argument).

 

David had behaved wickedly, even by worldly standards of the time. He had used his God-given authority for his own selfish worldly desires. David certainly knew that he was committing adultery (violating the Sixth Commandment) and murder (violating the Fifth Commandment) in his relationship with Bathsheba. His behavior showed contempt for God’s Word. When confronted, David expressed repentance, and God forgave his sin (2 Samuel 12:13-14; see superscription of Psalm 51), but there were still painful worldly consequences for David. God’s ways are going to confront and oppose worldly ways.  

 

The Ephesians were pagans worshiping idols but their behavior was wicked even by worldly standards. They were threatening riot and anarchy in the confrontation between the Gospel and worldly “religion.”

 

The disciples who were confronted with a spiritual illness failed to heal it because they resorted to worldly methods, arguing with the Jewish religious authorities, instead of being guided by the Holy Spirit in faith (the Holy Spirit had not yet been given; Acts 2:1-13; they had not yet been “born-again;” John 3:3, 5-8, Jesus, before his resurrection and the dispensation of his Holy Spirit,  could not be with them and on the mountaintop at the same time).

 

David hadn’t appreciated how much the Lord had given him. If David had lacked any good thing he could have prayed and the Lord would have provided it. The Ephesians weren't able to appreciate and receive the truth and benefit from the gospel of salvation that Paul preached because they were only concerned with protecting their monopoly in religious paraphernalia. The disciples weren’t able to use the spiritual power they were given in Jesus because they allowed themselves to be drawn into worldly debate.

 

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)??

 Alternative Entry

first posted 09/04/03

 

2 Sam. 12:1-14  Nathan Confronts David

Acts 19:21-41  The Riot at Ephesus

Mark 9:14-29  An Epileptic Healed

 

Nathan, the Prophet, was sent by the Lord to confront David about his adultery with Bathsheba, and his subsequent murder of Uriah. Nathan used a parable so that David would be able to hear the facts without bias, and David was angered by the injustice without recognizing himself as the perpetrator. Then Nathan told him: "You are the man." (v.7) The Lord had blessed David extravagantly, raising him up from shepherd boy to King of all Israel. He had many wives, and yet he hadn't been satisfied.

 

At Ephesus a riot occurred over controversy stirred up by Paul's preaching. Ephesus was the center of the cult of worship of the goddess Artemis, and there was a substantial industry involved in the manufacture and sale of cult objects such as shrines and idols. Paul's teaching that gods made with hands are not gods was jeopardizing the industry.The town clerk was finally able to restore order by telling the crowds that any complaints shoud be pursued legally in court.

 

When Jesus returned from the mountain transfiguration, He found the disciples who had stayed behind arguing with the scribes over an epileptic boy that the disciples had been unable to heal. The boy's father asked Jesus to heal the boy, adding: "...if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." Jesus answered: "If you can. All things are possible to him who believes." (v.22-23) The man's comment implied scepticism rather than faith, but faith was required.  The disciples had been unable to heal the boy because they had been drawn into an arguement over "religion", rather than praying in faith and relying on God.

 

David hadn't appreciated all that the Lord had given him. If there had been yet something legitimate that he lacked, David could have prayed to the Lord, and the Lord would have provided it. Instead David coveted what belonged to someone else and took it for himself. One thing led to another, and David wound up killing Uriah to conceal his own guilt. The Ephesians weren't able to appreciate and receive the truth and benefit from the gospel of salvation that Paul preached because they were only concerned with protecting their monopoly in religious paraphenalia. The disciples were unable to heal the epileptic because they allowed themselves to be drawn into an arguement with the scribes over "religion".

 

12 Pentecost – Saturday

first posted 08/12/05

 

2 Samuel 12:15-31,      Capture of the Ammonite Capital

Acts 20:1-16,       Paul Returns to Jerusalem

Mark 9:30-41       True Greatness

 

The child conceived by the adultery of David and Bathsheba, became sick. David prayed and fasted and lay on the ground for seven days, and his servants tried to get him to rise up and eat but he would not. On the seventh day, the child died, and the servants were afraid to tell David, fearing that David might harm himself because of his grief. David noticed the servants whispering among themselves and perceiving that the child had died, asked them, and they confirmed it.

David got up, bathed and groomed himself and changed his clothes and went into the house of God and worshiped. Afterward, he returned to his home and ate. The servants asked David why he had mourned for the child while the child was sick, but stopped mourning when the child died. David told them that while the child lived David had hope that the Lord would heal him, but when the child died David’s prayers and fasting could not bring the child back to life. David knew that he would eventually join the child in death, but the child could not rejoin the living.

 

David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, and eventually she conceived a son named Solomon. Nathan, the prophet, assured them that Solomon was beloved by the Lord.

 

Joab had been besieging the Ammonite capital at Rabbah (where Uriah, Bathsheba’s former husband was killed in battle by David’s order; 2 Samuel 11:1-27). Joab sent word to David that the city’s water supply had been captured, and invited David to take command of the army of Israel to conquer Rabbah and take credit for the victory. David did so and David took the crown from the Ammonite king for himself. The crown was large and heavy, made of gold, with a precious stone.  A great amount of plunder was also captured. David put the conquered Ammonite capital, Rabbah, and the other Ammonite cities to work at hard labor.

 

After the near-riot at Ephesus, Paul left for Macedonia and Greece, as he had been guided to do by the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:21). He spent three months in Greece, but when the Jews there started persecution, Paul left and returned to Macedonia instead of sailing for Syria. Christians from Beroea and Thessalonica in Macedonia, and from the churches in Asia accompanied Paul. Some went on and were waiting for Paul at Troas (in Asia Minor; present-day Turkey). The group with Paul stayed until after Passover, and then sailed to Troas from Philippi. The group stayed a week at Troas.

 

On Sunday they celebrated the Lord’s Supper in an upper room. They were planning to leave the next day, and Paul kept preaching until after midnight. A young man was sitting in a window and fell asleep. He fell three stories to the ground, and was pronounced dead, but Paul went down, embraced him, and told the others not to worry; the young man was alive. The congregation was very relieved that the young man had not been killed.

 

Paul’s companions boarded the ship heading for Assos, about thirty miles from Troas, to rendezvous with Paul who went there by land over a Roman road. Paul decided to pass Ephesus so that he would not be delayed, since he was anxious to reach Jerusalem by the day of Pentecost.

 

Jesus was traveling through Galilee, trying not to attract crowds, because he was teaching his disciples to prepare them for his crucifixion. Jesus told them, for the second time (see Mark 8:31, 10:33-34) that the Son of man (Jesus) would be turned over to worldly authorities, who would kill him, and three days after his death he would rise. The disciples didn’t understand what he meant and were afraid to ask.

 

At home in Capernaum, Jesus asked his disciples what they had been discussing on the way, but the disciples didn’t reply, because they had been arguing over who of them was greatest. Jesus told the Twelve that whoever wants to be first he must become last and servant of all. Jesus picked up a child in his arms and told his disciples that whoever receives a child in Jesus’ name receives Jesus, and whoever receives Jesus receives God.

 

John mentioned that they had encountered a person casting out demons in Jesus’ name and had forbidden him, because he was not one of Jesus’ disciples. Jesus said not to forbid such people, because anyone who does something spiritually powerful in Jesus’ name will soon be unable to say anything against Jesus. Anyone who is not opposed to Jesus is open to him. Anyone who is kind to Jesus’ disciples for Jesus’ sake will be rewarded.

 

In the time of King David, there was no hope of life beyond physical death. David trusted in the Lord’s mercy and prayed for healing, but he accepted God’s will. Nathan had prophesied that the child would die (2 Samuel 12:14), and God’s Word was fulfilled, but God had shown mercy to David in “putting away” David’s sin and not taking David’s life.  The Lord gave David and Bathsheba another son, Solomon, and assured them of his love for Solomon.

 

Once Joab had captured the water supply of Rabbah, he knew it was just a matter of days before the Ammonite capital surrendered. Instead of seeking his own glory, he allowed his King to claim the victory. Joab is an example of Christian servanthood; fighting the battle for the King, Jesus Christ, and seeking the King’s glory instead of his own.

 

The young man at Troas miraculously survived a three-story fall, whether or not Paul actually raised him from the dead. Paul is another example of a Christian disciple who put his ministry for the Lord ahead of any personal considerations.

 

Jesus told his disciples that he was going to be killed and would rise again on the third day, but they didn’t understand what he meant and were afraid to ask. They didn’t know what he meant, because they believed that death was final, as David had, even though Jesus had demonstrated his power to raise the dead: Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:21-43), the widow’s son (Luke 7:11-15), and Lazarus (John 11:38-44). Jesus foretold his death and resurrection, and his prophecy was fulfilled, and witnessed  by over five hundred eyewitnesses (1 Corinthians 15:6).

 

Jesus came into the world to give us true, eternal, spiritual life beyond physical death (John 10:10; Hebrews 2:14-15). He came to demonstrate that there is life beyond physical death. He came to give us a source of spiritual, living water (John 7:37-39) which cannot be captured and used to manipulate us by our spiritual enemy, Satan. Jesus is the Lord’s anointed, eternal King who won the victory over sin and death by shedding his own blood on the Cross, and which he proved by his resurrection.  He invites us to claim and share in his victory.   

 

Paul is the example of the servanthood Jesus taught to his disciples, and Paul is also the example of the power of the Gospel to transform people, if they are open to receive it.

 

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Alternative Entry

first posted 09/05/03

 

2 Sam. 12:15-31  Death of Bathsheba’s Child

Acts 20:1-16  Sleeping During the Sermon

Mark 9:30-41 Preparing for Jesus’ Crucifixion

 

The child of David and Bathsheba’s adultery became ill and died. David had fasted and prayed for him while he was sick, because he believed that the Lord might restore the child to health. But once the child had died, David accepted the Lord’s judgment; he ended his fast and worshiped the Lord, rather than mourning the death, which his servants had expected.

David accepted death as final, saying “Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him (i.e. die) but he will not return to me.” (v.23) Later David had a son, Solomon (whom the Lord approved), by Bathsheba. When Joab, David’s Commander of the Army, besieged the Ammonite capital city, he sent word to David so that David could come and claim the victory at the city’s defeat.  

 

Paul was visiting Greece and returning from his third missionary journey. He was preaching late one night at Troas and a young man named Eutichus was sitting in a window in the third-floor room where Paul was. Being overcome with sleep, Eutichus fell out of the window, and was dead when they reached him, but Paul went down and bent over him and embraced him and Eutichus revived and was taken away alive.

 

Jesus spent some time traveling through Galilee with his disciples, without making his presence known, so he could prepare them for the crucifixion Jesus knew he was going to undergo. Jesus said to them, “’The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise.’ But they did not understand the saying and were afraid to ask him.” (v.32) He also taught them that greatness in the kingdom of God is measured by servanthood, rather than as the world accounts greatness.

 

Joab gave his King, David, the glory for the victory over the Ammonite Capital, although David had done nothing to earn it, except that David bore the title of the Lord’s Anointed King. David believed that God could intervene in sickness, but he accepted death as final. Jesus knew that he was heading for crucifixion and death, and that he would be raised on the third day, and he was trying to prepare his disciples for that, but they were so convinced that death was final that they couldn’t understand what he was saying.

Jesus is the Lord’s Anointed King, the eternal heir to the Throne of David. He won the victory over Death and Satan at the Cross, by his suffering and death,  to which God gave assurance by raising Jesus on the third day. “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he (Jesus) himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage.” (Hebrews 2:14-15)   Our King earned the victory by the shedding of his own blood, but he is gladly willing to share his victory and his glory with his servants! Jesus sends word: You can come to him and claim the victory over sin and death!