17 Pentecost - Sunday
Posted September 7, 2008
Genesis 50:15-21 -- Forgiveness and Salvation;
Psalm
103:1-13 -- Redemption;
Romans 14:5-9 --
We are the Lord's;
Matthew 18:21-35 -- Duty of
Forgiveness;
Genesis:
Jacob (Israel) was the father of
the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel, including Joseph, whose
brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt. In Egypt, Joseph was wrongly
accused by his Egyptian master's wife and had been imprisoned. The
Lord prospered Joseph by giving him the ability to interpret dreams,
and raised Joseph from imprisoned slave to Pharaoh's assistant
administrator. Joseph foretold a world-wide famine, and was appointed
by Pharaoh to supervise storing provisions to alleviate the
famine. Joseph's father and brothers came to Egypt seeking food and
found Joseph in charge of food distribution.
Jacob died in
Egypt, and Joseph's brothers were afraid that Joseph would take
revenge upon them, so they sent a message to Joseph and came to him
to beg forgiveness. They told Joseph that before his death their
father had commanded them to ask forgiveness from Joseph. They
declared themselves servants of the God of their father, and vowed to
serve Joseph.
Joseph wept when they spoke to him, and then
told them, "Fear not, for am I in the place of God? As for you,
you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it
about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today"
(Genesis 50:19-20). So Joseph reassured and comforted
them.
Psalm:
I will praise the Lord and bless his name,
in my soul, with all my abilities. I will recall all his blessings
and praise and thank him. He forgives all our iniquities, heals all
our diseases, and redeems our lives from death. He gives us steadfast
love and mercy, satisfies our needs with everything good
as long as we live, and renews our youth like the vigor of the
eagle.
The Lord provides vindication and justice for the
oppressed. The Lord revealed his ways to Moses, and the people of
Israel have witnessed his works. "The Lord is merciful and
gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love" (Psalm
103:8).
The Lord will not always criticize us or be angry
with us forever. His punishment is less than our sins deserve. For
those who fear (have the appropriate respect for the power and
authority of) him, his steadfast love is higher than the heavens
above the earth, and he removes our sin from us farther than the east
is from the west. As a human father has pity for his children, so the
Lord has pity for those who fear the Lord.
Romans:
Some
Christians observe religious holidays and others do not. Each should
do so according to his individual convictions. Those who honor such
holidays do so in honor of the Lord. Likewise those who keep
religious feasts feast in honor of the Lord and those who fast do so
in honor of the Lord. All give thanks to God, whether they feast or
fast.
None of us live or die entirely unto ourselves. If we
live, we give our lives to the Lord; if we die, we die glorifying the
Lord. So we belong to the Lord and serve him, whether we live or die.
This is the reason Christ died and lived again, so he can be Lord of
both the dead and the living.
Matthew:
Peter, one of
the Twelve original disciples of Jesus Christ asked Jesus how many
times we are obliged to forgive our brothers. Should we forgive
someone as many as seven times (representing a perfect number)? Jesus
replied that one must forgive not just seven times, but seventy times
seven (as many times as necessary, beyond counting).
Then
Jesus told a parable to illustrate forgiveness. A king wanted to
settle accounts with his servants. One of his servants owed him ten
thousand talents (each talent worth a thousand dollars). When the
servant could not pay, the king ordered the servant, his family and
all his possessions sold to repay the debt, but the servant pleaded
for mercy, and promised to repay the debt himself. The king had mercy
and forgave the servant's debt.
As the servant left, he
encountered a fellow servant who owed the forgiven servant a hundred
denarii (each worth about twenty cents). The forgiven servant grabbed
his fellow servant by the throat and demanded that the debt be
repaid. The fellow servant asked for mercy, but the forgiven servant
had his fellow servant imprisoned until the debt was repaid.
The
king's other servants were upset by what they had witnessed and
reported the event to the king. The king summoned the forgiven debtor
and rebuked his wickedness. The forgiven servant should have had
mercy upon his fellow servant as the king had had mercy upon him.
Then the angry king had the forgiven servant imprisoned until he was
able to repay his debt. Jesus warned his disciples that God the
Father will do likewise to his people who don't truly forgive their
brothers.
Commentary:
Joseph's circumstances of
slavery and imprisonment were hard, but Joseph entrusted himself to
the Lord, and the Lord was able to use those circumstances to bring
about good, and to lift Joseph from imprisoned slave to Pharaoh's
assistant administrator. When we trust our circumstances to the Lord
we will learn from experience that the Lord is faithful and able to
bring good from any circumstance (Romans 8:28).
In a sense
we're all like Joseph; we're all slaves and prisoners of sin in the
"Egypt" of this present world. When we give our lives to
Jesus' Lordship, he can lift us out of "slavery and
imprisonment" and use us to bring about good. He will exalt
those who are humble, and humble the proud and arrogant.
Joseph's
brothers realized the great injustice they had done to their brother,
and begged for his forgiveness. Joseph acknowledged their sin, but
also the Lord's salvation and redemption of Joseph. Rather than
seeking vengeance, Joseph left judgment to the Lord and Joseph gave
his brothers the same redemption and salvation they needed from
Joseph that Joseph had received from the Lord.
Those who
recognize their sin (disobedience of God's Word) and their need for
forgiveness and humbly confess and ask for forgiveness will learn
from experience that the Lord is willing and able to forgive all our
sins. Only the Lord can heal our spiritual diseases. The Lord has
redeemed our lives from spiritual, eternal death, and gives us
steadfast love and mercy through Jesus Christ, God's promised and
anointed eternal Savior and King. The Lord gives us every good thing
that we need, gives us long, unending, eternal life, and renews us so
that we can soar spiritually on wings like eagles, by the gift of the
indwelling Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ.
Moses had a
personal relationship with the Lord, which was uncommon before Jesus'
coming. Jesus became the one and only sacrifice acceptable to God for
our forgiveness and salvation. Jesus is God's promised and anointed
eternal Savior and King. Jesus is the only one who "baptizes"
with the Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only his disciples who trust and
obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). Jesus makes it possible for all who trust
and obey him to be spiritually "reborn" to eternal life,
and to have a personal fellowship with the Lord now and eternally.
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).
The Bible is the record of God's ways and the
testimony of God's saving acts on behalf of his people. God chose
Moses to be the mediator of the Old Covenant of Law and to lead God's
people out of bondage to sin and death in Egypt. Jesus is the "New
Moses" who leads us out of bondage to sin and death in the "Egypt"
of this present world, through the "wilderness" of this
lifetime and into the "Promised Land" of God's eternal
heavenly kingdom. Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant of Grace
(unmerited favor; a free gift), to be received by faith (obedient
trust) in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9).
God doesn't want anyone to
perish eternally. He sent Jesus into the world, not to condemn the
world but so that we could be forgiven and saved from eternal
destruction (John 3:16-17). The Lord disciplines us for our good so
that we can know what is good, right and true, and have what is truly
and eternally life.
In Jesus Christ, God has forgiven us all
our sin. All we have to do to receive his forgiveness is to accept it
in faith (obedient trust). If we realize how much God has forgiven
us, we will be willing to forgive others when they wrong us. We will
want to live lives that honor and glorify God.
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)?
17
Pentecost -
Monday
Posted
September 8, 2008
Psalm 27:1-13 -- Prayer for Deliverance;
Those who have accepted the Lord as their light (spiritual insight and
standard of righteousness) and salvation (from evil and from their
eternal condemnation by God's judgment) have no need to fear any one or
thing. If the Lord is their refuge (their fortress against evil), they
need not be afraid.
When the wicked attack us, and speak evil against us our adversaries
and enemies will not prevail. No matter how many enemies are against us
we will not be afraid. Though they make war against us, we will not
lose courage.
Only one thing have we asked of the Lord and will earnestly seek, to
dwell in the Lord's house for the rest of our lives; to behold the
beauty of the Lord and to seek wisdom in his temple.
In the day of trouble he will conceal us and shelter us. "He will set
me high upon a rock" (Psalm 27:5c). He will lift us high above our
enemies who surround us, and we will offer sacrifices and shouts of joy
in his sanctuary, singing songs of joy and praise.
The Lord will hear when we cry out to him; he will be gracious and
answer us. The Lord has told us to seek his presence, and we earnestly
seek him. We pray that he will not hide his face from us.
The Lord has been our source of help. We pray that the Lord will not
turn away from us in anger. Lord, do not forsake us and cast us from
you. Even if our earthly parents forsake us the Lord will be faithful
to help us.
Lord teach us your ways and lead us safely through our enemies, in the path that is secure.
False witness have arisen against us and plot violence against us. Keep
us from falling victim to the will of our adversaries. "I believe that
I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm
27:13).
Commentary:
Jesus is the "light of the world" (John 8:12a; 9:5). Jesus is the light
of spiritual enlightenment (John 1:9). Jesus is the light of
righteousness (John 1:4-5; 3:19-21). Jesus is the light of eternal life
(John 1:4; 8:12b). Those who accept Jesus as their light will not walk
in darkness, and won't stumble spiritually.
Jesus is the rock which is higher than we are, that can shelter us and
lift us above the reach our enemies (Psalm 27:5c). Jesus is the rock of
solid foundation on which we must build our lives if we are to endure
for eternity (Matthew 7:24-27). Jesus is the rock from which we receive
living water in the "wilderness" of this life (1 Corinthians 10:4-5;
Numbers 20:7-11).
Jesus is God's only provision for our salvation from God's eternal
judgment and condemnation to eternal destruction (Acts 4:12). We have
all sinned (disobeyed God's Word) and fall short of God's righteousness
(Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). The penalty for sin is eternal death
(Romans 6:23). God loves us and doesn't want anyone to perish eternally
(Romans 5:8, John 3:16-17; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top
right).
God has always intended, from the very beginning of Creation, to
establish an eternal kingdom of his people who willingly choose to
trust and obey him. This lifetime is our opportunity to seek and find
God (Acts 17:26-27) and to be spiritually "reborn" (John 3:3, 5-8) to
eternal life. This is only possible through faith (obedient trust) in
Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the only way to find and know God, to know divine, eternal
truth, and to have eternal life (John 14:6). Only Jesus gives the gift
("baptism;" "anointing") of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34),
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).
The Lord wants us to earnestly seek him, his divine eternal wisdom, and
his ways. When we seek him he will allow himself to be found by us
(Isaiah 55:6; Jeremiah 29:13; I Chronicles 28:9c). He will manifest
(reveal) himself to us (John 14:21, 23).
When we have been "reborn" by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit we
will be comforted and reassured by the Holy Spirit within us. We will
personally experience God's power and faithfulness to protect and
preserve us from our enemies and from evil. We will have the certainty
that even if we die physically we will be raised from physical death to
eternal life as was Jesus.
The Lord will hear and answer us when we call to him (see Conditions
for Answered Prayer, sidebar, top right). We will have a personal daily
fellowship with the Lord. We will experience his presence. We will
experience the goodness of the Lord now, in the land of the physically
living, and eternally in the land of the eternal living.
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)?
17
Pentecost -
Tuesday
Posted
September 9, 2008
Isaiah 55:6-9 -- Seek and Find the Lord;
"Seek
the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near"
(Isaiah 55:6). Let the wicked and unrighteous turn away from their
ways and their thoughts and turn to the Lord our God. Then he will
pardon them abundantly, because God's thoughts and his ways are
higher than human thoughts and ways. God's ways and thoughts and ways
are as much higher than human thoughts and ways as the heavens are
high above the earth.
Commentary:
All of us have sinned
(disobeyed God's Word) and have fallen short of God's righteousness
(doing what is right, good, and true according to God's Word; Romans
3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). God has created this world "good"
(Genesis 1:4, 31). The wickedness and evil in this world is the
result of human sin, when humans choose to do what is contrary to
God's will.
God calls us to turn from our sins, from evil and
wickedness, and learn to trust and obey God's Word. God doesn't want
anyone to perish but for all to have eternal life in God's kingdom
restored to paradise unblemished by sin.
God is abundantly
willing and able to forgive all our sins. God has designed a savior,
Jesus Christ, into the very structure of Creation (John 1:1-5, 14).
God's Word declares that the penalty for sin is eternal death. Jesus
is God's one and only provision for our forgiveness and salvation
from eternal condemnation and destruction (Acts 4:12). Jesus has
become the only sacrifice acceptable to God for the forgiveness of
our sins. Jesus has already paid for our redemption and salvation.
All we have to do to receive eternal redemption and salvation is to
accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and trust and obey him (see
God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).
This lifetime is
intended to be our opportunity to seek and come to personal knowledge
of and fellowship with God, our Creator (Acts 17:26-27), and this is
only possible through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (John
14:6). This lifetime is our only opportunity to be spiritually
"reborn" to eternal life by the gift of the indwelling Holy
Spirit (John 3:3, 5-8), which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), 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).
Today is the time to seek the Lord, while he can be
found. Today is the time to call upon him, while he is near. God's
Word promises that if we earnestly seek him he will allow himself to
be found by us (Deuteronomy 4:29; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Jeremiah 29:13;
Matthew 7:7; John 14:21, 23). Now is the day of salvation (2
Corinthians 6:2).
There is a Day of Judgment coming when it
will be too late to change our eternal destinies. Everyone who has
ever lived will be accountable to the Lord for what we have done in
this life. Those who have trusted and obeyed Jesus will have been
spiritually reborn and will receive eternal life in the presence of
the Lord in God's heavenly kingdom; those who have refused to accept
Jesus as Lord and have failed to trust and obey him will receive
eternal destruction in hell with all evil (Matthew 25:31-46; 2
Thessalonians 1:5-10). The Day of Judgment is not far off; each of us
will face it at the end of our lives, and no one knows when that will
be.
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)?
17
Pentecost -
Wednesday
Posted
September 10, 2008
Philippians 1:1-5 (6-11),
19-27;
Paul was writing to the Church founded by Paul at
Philippi in Macedonia, the first European congregation. Paul greeted
the congregation on behalf of himself and his fellow missionary,
Timothy whom Paul had "discipled," and who had accompanied
him on the first mission to Philippi (Acts 16:1-11).
Paul
thanked God continually for the Philippian Christians and their
partnership with Paul in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He assured them
with his confidence that the Lord had begun a good work in the
Philippians and could be relied upon to bring it to completion at the
day of Jesus Christ (Jesus' Second Coming; at the Day of Judgment).
Paul felt that his confidence was justified because of the love of
Jesus that Paul had for the Philippians, and because the Philippians
shared in the grace (unmerited favor) of God (in Jesus Christ) as
partners with Paul in his imprisonment and in the defense and
confirmation of the Gospel. Paul prayed for the Philippians that they
would grow in Christian love, divine spiritual knowledge and
discernment, so that they would confirm what is worthy and would be
pure and blameless, and full of the fruits of righteousness at the
Day of Christ, to God's praise and glory.
Paul wanted the
Philippians to know that his imprisonment for the sake of the Gospel
of Jesus Christ had helped to advance the spread of the Gospel among
the Roman guards. Other Christians have been encouraged by Paul's
example and are more boldly proclaiming the Word of God without
fear.
Some of those proclaiming the Gospel were rivals envious
of Paul, but others approved of Paul's ministry. Whether other
Christians approved of Paul or not didn't concern him, as long as the
Gospel of Christ was being (faithfully and accurately; Galatians
1:6-8) proclaimed.
Paul was confident that by the prayers of
the Philippians on his behalf and the help of the "Spirit of
Christ" (Philippians 1:19) Paul's circumstances (imprisonment)
would lead to his deliverance, because he fully hoped and and
expected that he would not be put to shame but would glorify Jesus
Christ in Paul's body, whether by physical life or death. Physical
life means that Paul would continue to proclaim the Gospel and to
serve and glorify Christ, but physical death would be even better
because he would be in Christ's presence.
It would be
difficult for Paul to choose which alternative he would prefer. Yet
for the sake of the Church, Paul would be willing to continue in
physical life and suffering for the Gospel, so that the Philippian
Christians could continue to grow and experience joy in faith and
glorify Christ. So Paul urged them to live lives worthy of the Gospel
of Christ, so that whether Paul was imprisoned or free to visit them
again, that he would know that they were standing firmly in faith,
unified in one Spirit and one mind, working together for the faith of
the Gospel.
Commentary:
Christians are, by definition,
"born-again" (John 3:3, 5-8) disciples (students) of Jesus
Christ (Acts 11:26c) who have been taught by "born-again,"
spiritually mature disciples to know, trust and obey all Jesus'
teachings (the "Great Commission;" Matthew 28:19-20). It
takes "born-again" disciples to make "born-again"
disciples, and Jesus commanded his disciples to wait in Jerusalem
(the Church is the "New Jerusalem" on earth) until they had
been filled with the indwelling Holy Spirit before carrying out the
"Great Commission" (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8).
Christian
faith is a spiritual growth process. As new believers begin to trust
and obey Jesus, they will be spiritually "reborn" by the
gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John
1:31-34), 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).
As we hear the Gospel,
accept Jesus as our Lord (our leader who gives us instruction and
guidance), and begin to trust and obey Jesus, he begins the process
of spiritual growth within us by his indwelling Holy Spirit. We begin
to learn by experience that his teachings are good and absolutely
reliable. We can be sure that as we follow the instruction and
guidance of the Holy Spirit he will bring us to spiritual maturity at
the Day of Judgment at Jesus' return (Matthew
25:31-46).
"Born-again" Christians are to grow in
Christian love, divine, spiritual knowledge (not what the world
falsely calls wisdom; 1 Corinthians 1:17-27), and spiritual
discernment (1 John 4:1-3) which are only possible through faith in
Jesus by his indwelling Holy Spirit. The Spirit of Christ opens the
minds of his disciples to understand the Scriptures (the Bible; Luke
24:45) and leads us into all divine, eternal truth (John 14:6;
14:26). Only by the indwelling Holy Spirit can we know and do the
good works that the Lord has prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:10)
which are the fruits of righteousness.
It is by the
indwelling Holy Spirit that our faith is strengthened and made firm.
It is by obedience and trust in the indwelling Holy Spirit that we
are unified and can work together with other Christians to
accomplish the mission of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
If we
are guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit, no earthly circumstance,
even imprisonment or physical death, can keep us from serving and
glorifying Jesus and fulfilling God's purpose for our lives. But we
must be committed to living lives worthy of the Gospel and which
glorify our Lord.
Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesusﾒ
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)?
17
Pentecost -
Thursday
Posted
September 11, 2008
Matthew 20:1-16 Laborers in the Vineyard
Jesus taught in parables, stories of common experiences of daily life to illustrate spiritual truths.
Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is like the situation where a
landowner went out about 6:00 am to hire day laborers for his vineyard.
The laborers agreed to work for a denarius a day (a typical day's
wage), and went to work in the vineyard.
At 9:00 am the landowner noticed others standing idle in the
marketplace and hired them also to work in his vineyard, promising to
give them a fair wage. The landowner did likewise at noon and at 3:00
pm. At about 5:00 he saw others still standing idle in the marketplace,
and asked them why they stood idle all day. They said that no one had
hired them, so the landowner sent them also into his vineyard.
At the end of the day, the landowner told his steward to pay the
laborers beginning from the last hired to the first hired. Those hired
at 5:00 pm were each given a denarius, so the ones who were hired at
6:00 am thought they would receive more, but they were also given a
denarius each. They grumbled because the ones who worked only one hour
received the same pay as those who had worked all day in the heat. But
the landowner told them that the first hired had agreed to a denarius a
day which was a fair wage. So they should take their pay and go. The
landowner told them he had chosen to give the same to the last hired,
and he was entitled to do as he pleased with his money. Should the
others begrudge his generosity? Jesus concluded, saying that the last
will be first and the first last.
The kingdom of God has different standards than the standards of this
world. In this world those who work longer and harder expect to be paid
accordingly, but in the kingdom of heaven all receive the same reward.
Worldly compensation only has the appearance of fairness. In America,
CEO's movie stars and professional athletes are paid vastly more than
others for their work. The gap between CEO's and average workers is the
largest in the world, 364 times in 2006,* down from a all-time high of
525 times in 2000.*
America has become a two-class society ruled by the wealthy. It is no
longer a government of the people by the people for the people; it's
government of the people by the rich for the rich. The people who
benefit the most from the American economy don't feel any obligation to
pay a proportionate share of the cost of government through taxes, or
any obligation to provide Americans with decent jobs and fair wages.
Instead, millions of jobs are "outsourced" overseas, where poor people
are exploited by low pay, poor working conditions and lack of
benefits.
Jesus told a parable about a rich man and Lazarus, a poor beggar. The
rich man dressed in fine clothing and ate sumptuously every day, but
the beggar was clothed in rags and lay at the rich man's gate, covered
with sores. Lazarus would have been glad to eat the scraps that fell
from the rich man's table. The rich man's dogs got the scraps from the
rich man's table, and the rich man wasn't even considerate enough to
keep his dogs from licking the beggar's sores. The beggar and the rich
man both died, and the beggar entered eternal life in heaven, but the
rich man entered eternal torment in hell. Even in eternity the rich man
expected Lazarus to serve the rich man and to provide relief from the
rich man's torment. But the rich man was told that he had received good
things in his earthly lifetime while Lazarus suffered, and now it was
Lazarus' turn to be comforted while the rich man suffered. Further, in
eternity the destiny of each had been fixed and was unalterable. (Luke
16:19-26).
The parable of the vineyard is also a warning to all that salvation and
eternal reward are not based on doing "good works" or on church
"membership." Being "born into" a church won't save us. Singing in the
choir or teaching Sunday School won't save us. Participating in some
church ritual won't save us. Jesus warns us that it isn't those who
call Jesus their Lord who are saved, but those who do what Jesus
teaches (Matthew 7:21-27; Luke 6:46).
Salvation is only by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (Ephesians
2:8-9; Act 4:12; John 14:6), by spiritual "rebirth" (John 3:3,
5-8) by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit which only Jesus gives
(John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John
14:15-17; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).
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)?
*<a
href="http://money.cnn.com/2007/08/28/news/economy/ceo_pay_workers/index.htm">http://money.cnn.com/2007/08/28/news/economy/ceo_pay_workers/index.htm</a>
**<a
href="http://www.faireconomy.org/files/executive_excess_2008.pdf">http://www.faireconomy.org/files/executive_excess_2008.pdf</a>
See pg 6: Worker Pay versus Executive Pay;
17
Pentecost -
Friday
Posted September 12, 2008
1 Samuel 2:1-10 -- Hannah's Song;
Jude
1:20-25 -- Exhortation;
1 Samuel:
Hannah was a barren wife who prayed for a
son, promising to "lend" him to the Lord. This psalm
expresses thanksgiving for the Lord's fulfillment of Hannah's prayer.
Hannah said that with all her strength her heart exulted in
the Lord. She ridiculed her enemies because she rejoiced in the
Lord's salvation.
There is no one to compare to the Lord; he
alone is holy, he alone is the solid rock of refuge and strength. Let
not people boast in their arrogance. The Lord is the God of
knowledge, who judges the deeds of all people. The weapons of the
mighty are broken, but those who are weak grow strong. Those who ate
sumptuously now hire themselves out to obtain bread, but those who
were hungry have been satisfied. Those who were barren have born many
children; but those who had many children are forlorn.
It is
the Lord who gives life and takes it away; He brings down to the
grave, and he raises up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he
humbles, and he exalts. He lifts the poor from the dust and lifts the
needy from ashes, makes them equal with princes and gives them the
seat of honor. The foundations of earth belong to the Lord and on
them he has built this world.
"He will guard the feet of
his faithful ones; but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness; for
not by might shall a man prevail" (1 Samuel 2:9). Those who
oppose the Lord will be smashed to pieces; against them he will
thunder from heaven. "The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
he will give strength to his king, and exalt the power of his
anointed" (1 Samuel 2:10b).
Jude:
The letter of Jude was probably written about 80
A.D., by the brother of the Lord and of James.* He encouraged the
faithful to grow spiritually in faith, to pray always in the Holy
Spirit, to abide in the love of God, and await the mercy
of God unto eternal life which is only through Jesus Christ (note the
Trinity; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; God in three persons or
expressions). As we wait we are to try to convince doubters, help
those who are struggling with temptation to escape, having mercy on
sinners while hating sin.
"Now to him who is able to keep
you from falling and to present you with out blemish before the
presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God, our Savior
through Jesus Christ our Lord. be glory, majesty, dominion and
authority, before all time, and now, and for ever. Amen" (Jude
1:24-25).
Commentary:
Hannah prayed in faith to the Lord for a
son, even though after many years of marriage she had never
conceived. Nothing is impossible for the Lord. Sarah (Sarai), the
wife of Abraham had been barren, although the promise God had given
them depended upon a son and heir. Late in her life she did conceive
and give birth to the son of the promise (Genesis 21:1-3).
Elizabeth, the kinswoman of Mary, gave birth
to a son who became John the Baptizer, although Elizabeth was beyond
childbearing age and had never conceived. Mary, the mother of Jesus,
was betrothed, but was a virgin, who conceived by the Holy Spirit
(Luke 1:26-35).
The Lord hears the prayers of those who pray
in faith (obedient trust) and according to God's will, but God is
under no obligation to answer the prayers of those who do not trust
and obey his Word. If we are willing to do what God says, he will be
willing to do what we ask (see Conditions for Answered Prayer,
sidebar top right).
The Bible is the written Word of God,
containing great promises, but also ominous warnings. Those who trust
and obey God's Word will receive the promises, and will avoid the
consequences which the warnings are intended to help us avoid.
As
we begin to trust and obey God's Word, we will begin to experience
God's power and faithfulness as he begins to fulfill his promises.
Jesus promised to give the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which
only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), 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).
Through the
indwelling Holy Spirit we have a personal relationship with God the
Father, and Jesus Christ, the Son of God, by the indwelling Holy
Spirit, the Spirit of Christ the Spirit of God (Romans 8:9b). Through
the indwelling Holy Spirit we experience the joy of God's salvation
(of us; from eternal condemnation and destruction in hell, the
consequence of sin, which is disobedience of God's Word; Romans 6:23;
see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).
Jesus is
God's only provision for our forgiveness and salvation (Acts 4:12).
Jesus is the Word of God, fulfilled, embodied, and exemplified in
human flesh in this world (John 1:1-5, 14). Jesus' word is the Word
of God (John 14:10, 24), with the creative power of God's Word
(Genesis 1:3, 9). Jesus is the foundation on which God has built this
world. Jesus is the solid rock, the unshakable foundation on which to
build our lives Matthew 7:24); the rock of refuge, and the source of
spiritual eternal-life-giving water in the spiritual wilderness of
this lifetime (1 Corinthians 10:4; Numbers 20:7-11). Jesus is God's
"anointed" (Christ and Messiah each mean "anointed,"
in Greek and Hebrew respectively), eternal king and righteous judge
(2 Timothy 4:8).
The meaning and purpose of life in
this world is to seek and find God (Acts 17:26-27). Jesus is the only
way to know divine, eternal truth, the only way to find and know God,
and the only way to true, eternal life (John 14:6). Trusting in any
other person or thing will lead to disappointment and spiritual
disaster.
It is the Lord who gives physical life and
spiritual, eternal life. The Lord has promised to return at the end
of time at the Day of Judgment, to judge everyone who has ever lived
on earth (John 5:28-29); to judge the living and the dead (in both
physical and spiritual senses; 1 Peter 4:5). Those who have accepted
Jesus as Lord and have trusted and obeyed Jesus will have been
"reborn" (John 3:3, 5-8) and will receive eternal life in
paradise in God's eternal kingdom. Those who have rejected Jesus as
Lord; who have refused to trust and obey Jesus will receive
eternal condemnation and destruction in hell with all evil (Matthew
25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10).
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)?
*The Oxford Annotated Bible, Revised Standard
Version, Ed. by Herbert G. May and Bruce M. Metzger, Introduction to
Jude, p. 1489, New York, Oxford University Press, 1962.
17
Pentecost -
Saturday
Posted
September 13, 2008
Mark 2:18-28 -- Fasting and Sabbath Observance;
It was a time of ritual fasting for the Jews, and the disciples of John
the Baptizer and the disciples of the Pharisees (a legalistic Jewish
faction) were fasting. People asked Jesus why his disciples didn’t fast
also, and Jesus said that wedding guests can’t fast while the
bridegroom is present. When the bridegroom is taken away they will fast
in that day. One doesn’t repair an old garment by sewing a patch of new
unshrunken cloth on it, or else the patch will shrink and a worse tear
be made. Similarly, no one puts new wine in old wineskins, or else the
wineskins will burst and both wine and wineskin will be lost. New wine
requires new wineskins.
One Sabbath Jesus was going through a grainfield and his disciples were
snacking on the heads of grain. The Pharisees rebuked Jesus for
allowing his disciples to reap and thresh grain on the Sabbath, which
was unlawful. In reply, Jesus asked them if they had never read in the
Bible how, when he and his men were being hunted by Saul, David and his
men had entered the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and had
eaten the bread of the Presence, which only the priest is allowed to
eat. Jesus also told them that the Sabbath was made for the benefit of
the people; the people weren’t created for the benefit of the Sabbath,
“so the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath. (Mark 2:28).
The Pharisees were strict, legalistic Jewish leaders. They considered
themselves authorities on God’s Word. They fussed over the smallest
details of God’s law, but they missed the most important point of God’s
Word: Jesus is the promised Messiah (Christ; both words mean anointed
in Hebrew and Greek, respectively) God’s “anointed eternal Savior and
King. Jesus is the fulfillment embodiment and example of God’s Word
lived in human flesh in this world (John 1:1-5, 14).
The coming of Jesus should have been an occasion of great celebration
by the people of God. Jesus is the “bridegroom” and his people are the
“bride.” Through faith in Jesus, the Church has become the “new people
of God” by their acceptance of Jesus Christ in faith (obedient trust).
Judaism, based on the Old Covenant of Law, is the old garment which has
worn out. Christianity is based on the New Covenant of Grace (God’s
unmerited favor; a free gift) to be received by faith (obedient trust)
in Jesus Christ. The “old garment” cannot simply be patched with the
new “material” of Jesus Christ.
The New Covenant is the “new wine” of the Holy Spirit through faith in
Jesus Christ, and cannot be put into the “old wineskins” of Judaism; it
requires “new wineskins.” Christians are the “new wineskins” filled
with the Holy Spirit, which is “new” in the sense that only now through
Jesus it is possible for us to be spiritually cleansed and filled with
the Holy Spirit.
The Jewish leaders had come to think of Judaism as “their” religion.
They were more concerned with their status and authority in their
society than with serving God. They cared more about the people’s
approval than God’s approval. They cared more for their own wellbeing
than for the wellbeing of the people who were their responsibility. By
criticizing others for not keeping the smallest details of ritual law,
they made themselves look pious.
The issue of Jesus’ disciples snacking on heads of grain illustrates
the Pharisees’ obsession with small details, and their spiritual
blindness to the most important issues. Jesus’ disciples weren’t out in
the grainfield doing the labor of actually harvesting and threshing
grain. They were just eating a few heads of grain as a snack. The
Pharisees, who were obligated to be God’s stewards, and shepherds of
God’s people, didn’t care that the people were hungry and didn’t really
care about their spiritual condition; they were only concerned with
their own appearance of righteousness.
The Pharisees were experts in Bible scriptures, but they were only
interested in the parts that made them look good. Jesus used the
scripture to rebuke them. They failed to recognize that Jesus is God
(Colossians 2:8-9; John 20:28), the Son of man (Daniel 7:13-14;
Revelation 1:13-18; 14:14-16), and Lord of all Creation, including the
Sabbath.
Nominal Christianity and the nominal Church today, particularly in
America, are in much the same situation as Judaism at the time of Jesus
first advent (coming). In too many instances Church leaders regard
their job as a career choice. They regard the Church as their personal
empire and run it for their personal benefit, instead of being
shepherds and stewards of God’s people.
Christians are disciples of Jesus Christ (Acts ll:26d), who trust and
obey Jesus and have been spiritually “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) by
the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John
1:31-34), 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).
In too many instances people think that church membership and
attendance make them “Christians.” Too may people think that teaching
Sunday School or singing in the choir, or participating in some Church
ritual will save them. Only a personal relationship with Jesus through
the indwelling Holy Spirit by obedient trust in Jesus will save us. We
must be “born-again” to see the kingdom of God all around us now in
this world, and ultimately to see (and enter it) in eternity.
Jesus has promised to return at the end of our lifetime on the Day of
Judgment to judge everyone who has ever lived on earth. Those who have
accepted him as Lord and have trusted and obeyed Jesus will have been
“born-again,” will be acknowledged by Jesus and will receive eternal
life in God’s heavenly kingdom. But those who have refused to accept
Jesus as Lord, or trust and obey Jesus, will receive eternal
condemnation and destruction in hell with all evil (Matthew 25:31-46, 2
Thessalonians 1:5-10).
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)?