3 Lent

3 Lent - Sunday

posted

Exodus 3:1-8b, (10-15) – The Burning Bush;
Psalm 126 – Restore Our Fortunes, Lord;
1 Corinthians 10:1-13 – Warning Against Overconfidence;
Luke 13:1-9 – Repent or Perish;

Exodus:

Moses had fled from Egypt to the wilderness, where he married the daughter of Jethro (Hobab), a Midianite Priest. (Midianites were a tribe distantly related to the Israelites). Moses was herding his Father-in-law's flock and found himself at Mt. Horeb (Mt. Sinai), the Mountain of God and a holy place for both Israel and Midian. The angel of the Lord (the Spirit of God; not a heavenly messenger) manifested himself in visible form as a flame of fire (compare Acts 2:3) in the burning bush. Moses was amazed to see that the bush was burning but not consumed, so Moses approached the bush to see better. From the bush, the Lord called to Moses to remove his shoes, because the place where Moses stood was holy ground. The Lord identified himself to Moses as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the patriarchs of Israel. Moses covered his eyes because he was afraid to look at God.

The Lord told Moses that he had seen the suffering of God's people in Egypt and had heard their cries. The Lord had come to deliver them from slavery in Egypt and to bring them to a land of their own, a good spacious land, flowing with milk and honey; the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perezzites Hivites and Jebusites.

The Lord told Moses to go to Pharaoh so that Moses could lead God's people out of Egypt. But Moses objected, saying that he was not able to come before Pharaoh and convince him to let the Israelites go. But the Lord told Moses that the Lord would be with him, and as a sign, Moses would serve God upon the mountain (Horeb; Sinai) when he had brought the people out. Moses asked God what name he was to be known by when the Israelites asked, and God said “I AM who I AM.”* God told Moses to say that I AM had sent him. God also told Moses that God was to be known forever, throughout all generations, as the “Lord, the God of the fathers of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

Psalm:

The Psalmist recalled when the Lord had restored the fortunes of Zion (Jerusalem; God's chosen people; the Church). In the past. The people thought they were dreaming. They were filled with joy and laughter. The nations (Gentiles) realized that God had done wonderful things for Israel and Israel was glad that he had.

So let us pray that the Lord will again restore our fortunes, like irrigation can cause the desert to bloom. “May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy! He that goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:5-6).

1 Corinthians:

Remember that the Israelites were all under the cloud (pillar of cloud; Exodus 13:21) and passed through the sea (Exodus 14:22), “and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (1 Corinthians 10:2). They all ate supernatural (or spiritual) food (manna; Exodus 16:4, 35), and all drank from the supernatural Rock (Exodus 17:6). Nevertheless, most of them failed to please God and died in the wilderness (Numbers 14:29-30).

The history of God's relationship with Israel is a warning to us, not to follow their example; not to desire what is evil. We must not be idolatrous as they were, as recorded in Exodus 32:4-6: “the people sat down to eat, and rose up to dance (play; make merry).” We must not participate in immorality (Numbers 25:1-9); we must not put the Lord to the test (Numbers 21:5-6); nor grumble (Numbers 16:12-14, 28-33). All who did so were destroyed in the wilderness. “Now these things happened to them as a warning, but they were written down for our instruction, upon who the end of the ages has come. Therefore let any one who thinks he stands (secure) take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:11-12). Whatever temptation we face is common to all people. God is faithful in not allowing us to be tempted beyond our ability to resist. With every temptation, he provides a means of escape so that we can withstand it.

Thus we are warned to shun all forms of idolatry (any thing we love as much or more than we love God); if we are wise, we will give heed to these exhortations.

Luke:

Pilate (a Roman administrator of Judea) had some Galileans slain as they offered sacrifices in the temple in Jerusalem. The crowd told Jesus of this, and Jesus replied that those Galileans were no worse sinners than any; but unless people repent all will likewise perish (eternally). Jesus said that a tower in Siloam (a section of southern Jerusalem) had collapsed and killed eighteen, but they were no worse sinners than any others. But Jesus warned that unless we repent we will all face the same fate (eternal destruction).

Jesus told this parable: a man planted a fig tree in his vineyard, and came, in season, to gather its fruit for three years, but there was none. So the man told his vinedresser to cut the fig tree down; if it didn't produce, why should it take up space in the vineyard. The vinedresser suggested that the man allow another season, during which the vinedresser cultivate and fertilize the ground around it. Then, if it didn't produce, he would cut it down.

Commentary:

The word “angel” can be understood to mean “spirit” (Acts 12:15; Revelation 1:1).

The Exodus from slavery to sin and death in Egypt is intended to be a parable (a common earthly experience used to teach spiritual truth), a metaphor for life in this world. We are all in bondage to sin and death in this world. Satan is Pharaoh; Jesus is the new Moses.

The meaning and purpose of life in this world is to seek, find and have fellowship with God our Creator (Acts 17:26-27). This is only possible through Jesus Christ, by God's intentional design. God has designed this temporal world so that all of us are sinners (disobedient of God's
Word; Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10), and the penalty of sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). Jesus is God's only provision for forgiveness of our sin and salvation from eternal death (Romans 5:8; John 3:3:16-17; Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).

God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God is the only God who is, truly and eternally, God.

The Exodus, baptism into the Sea, wilderness wandering, and entrance into the Promised Land are deliberately intended to be a parable, a metaphor for our lifetime. We are intended to be baptized in water into Jesus Christ, the “New Moses,” and spiritually into the “cloud,” the baptism of the Holy Spirit which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17).

God has always intended to establish an eternal kingdom of his people who willingly choose to trust and obey God's Word. This Creation and lifetime is our opportunity to seek and come to know, trust and obey God's Word, revealed in the Bible, and in Jesus Christ, the “living Word” (John 1:1-5, 14), God's Word lived in human flesh, in this temporal world. This lifetime is God's garden, to sprout and grow God's people.

The eternal kingdom of God in heaven is the eternal “Promised Land;” Paradise restored, unblemished by sin. Jesus is the spiritual Joshua (the Greek form of the Hebrew name); the successor to Moses; sent ahead of Israel to search the Promised Land (Numbers 13:16-17), and then to lead them through the wilderness of this lifetime and through the “river” of physical death, into the eternal Promised Land.

The Psalmist describes the situation of Judah, the remnant of Israel, returning from exile in Babylon, to their Promised Land, after seventy years, as the Prophet Jeremiah had proclaimed (Jeremiah 25:11-12). Exile in Babylon is another metaphor. We are all in exile in the Babylon of this world, and Jesus leads us out of exile and into the eternal Promised Land. Without Jesus, we will die eternally in “Babylon.”

The Israelites who returned were a revived nation, not the same people who went into exile. Seventy years is a virtual life sentence for those who were adults (twenty years old) at the time. We are also “reborn” during our exile in “Babylon,” by the “baptism” (gift; anointing) of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the spring of living water welling up within us, making our barrenness bloom, and spreading through us into the world around us (John 4:14; 7:38-39). 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).

Israel's return from Exile was truly amazing! Who would have believed that Babylon would be overthrown by Cyrus of Persia, and that the Israelites would be allowed to return to their land? Who would have believed that the sacred vessels of gold and silver which had been looted from the temple would be returned to them? Who would have believed that the new government of Babylon would give them money and assistance from the provincial governors to rebuild the temple?

Christians are to be discipled within the Church (the “New Jerusalem;” Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8) until they have been “born-again” by the Holy Spirit before they go into the world bearing the “seed” which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That “seed” will be sown with tears, because the world hates Jesus and his disciples, but when we return to God's heavenly kingdom we will be like the returning exiles, rejoicing and carrying home the fruits of the harvest, like the Israelites carried home the treasures of the temple.

Not everyone who calls themselves “Christian” and calls Jesus “Lord” is saved from God's condemnation and eternal destruction. We are not saved by church membership or participation in church rituals, such as water Baptism and the Lord's Supper (Holy Communion; Eucharist). Jesus says we must be “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) by the baptism of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which we only receive by becoming obedient to and trusting in Jesus.

The Bible is the record of God's dealing with Israel. It contains both great promises and ominous warnings. It is written for us, so that we will be able to avoid the consequences of disobedience and receive the promises through obedience.

There are several false teachings in the nominal Church today which were present in the first century Church and are refuted in the New Testament. One is “Cheap Grace;”** that is the teaching that we are saved by grace (unmerited favor) which is true, but without the requirement of discipleship and obedience to Jesus' teachings, which is false. The other is teaching “works righteousness;” that we must earn and deserve our salvation by doing good “deeds” (see False Teachings, sidebar, top right).

Worldly prosperity and success are not necessarily signs of God's favor, and worldly failure, poverty and various troubles are not signs of God's disapproval and punishment. The important thing in this life is to learn to seek, know and have fellowship with God, through Jesus Christ, by the indwelling Holy Spirit. We can't change yesterday, and today is the only day we can be sure of; tomorrow may never come. People die of natural causes or by misfortune. The cause of their death is not a measure of their spiritual condition. Unless they have been spiritually “born-again” in this lifetime they perish eternally.

The Lord has given us a place in his “vineyard,” his “garden,” and has blessed us with every good thing we need to blossom, grow and bear eternal fruit. He's given us time that we need to learn to trust and obey him and become spiritually mature. But many people are seeking physical gratification without any thought to their spiritual needs, or seeking spiritual nurture in the wrong places.

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)?

*This is the meaning of the Israelite name for God: YHWH, probably pronounced “Yahweh.” The name “Jehovah” in earlier translations was a misunderstanding: earlier translations included only the consonants, and later translators added the vowels for an entirely different word. Jehovah is not an accurate translation of any form of God's name ever used in Israel.

*See: The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Collier Books, Macmillan Publishing Co., NY 1963 ISBN 0-02-083850-6.

3 Lent - Monday

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Psalm 32 – The Psalmist's Testimony

How blessed is the person whose transgression is forgiven; whose sin is blotted out. Blessed is he whom the Lord judges not guilty of sin and deceit.

When the psalmist denied his sin he was afflicted. His body withered; he groaned all day long. The hand of the Lord was heavy upon him. His strength was dried up as by summer's heat.

When the psalmist acknowledged and confessed his sin to the Lord, and stopped trying to hide his sin, then the Lord forgave him and removed his guilt.

So let all those who are godly pray to the Lord. Then when beset with troubles and distress, as with a mighty flood, they shall not reach them. The Lord will be a place of refuge for them. The Lord will preserve and deliver them from troubles.

The psalmist will teach us how we should go. Let us not be like a horse or mule, unable to understand, and which must be controlled by bit and bridal.

The wicked have many troubles, but those who trust in the Lord will be surrounded by steadfast love. Let the righteous and upright in heart rejoice and be glad in the Lord!

Commentary:

We're all sinners (disobedient of God's Word) who fall short of God's standard of righteousness (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10), revealed in the Bible and in Jesus Christ, the “living Word;” God's Word fulfilled, embodied and exemplified in human flesh in this fallen world (John 1:1-5, 14). 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), so he has provided a Savior, Jesus Christ, designed into Creation from the very beginning (John 1:1-5, 14). All our sins can be forgiven and blotted out by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus (see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).

God allows us to suffer various trials in life in hope that we will realize and acknowledge our need for him. Denying that we are sinners will lead to destruction. Confessing our sinfulness will lead to forgiveness, salvation and eternal life.

When we put our faith in the Lord we will experience his love and protection through 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).

Jesus came to give us new, spiritual, eternal life through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Then even physical death has no power to harm us (Hebrews 2:14-15).

The New Testament is the recorded testimony of first-century “born-again” Christians (Acts 2:1-13) who knew Christ personally during his physical ministry, and those like Paul (Saul of Tarsus; Acts 9:1-18) and others who didn't know Jesus during Jesus' physical ministry, and so are post-resurrection “born-again” disciples like we can be.

Mature “born-again” Christians today add their testimony to that of the New Testament witnesses, that Jesus has risen from physical death and is eternally alive. We testify from personal experience that the Lord is our refuge and he delivers us from trouble. The love of the Lord surrounds us and makes it possible for us to rejoice and be glad in all circumstances.

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)?

3 Lent - Tuesday

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Isaiah 12:1-6 – Deliverance and Thanksgiving;

In the day of deliverance we will we will give thanks to the Lord, for although he was angry with us he turned from anger and comforted us.

Look and see! God is our savior; let us trust in him and be unafraid. The Lord God is our strength and our song, for he has become our salvation.

With joy we “will draw water from the wells of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3). In that day we will exhort our brethren to give thanks to the Lord, to call upon his name; to make his deeds known to the nations (Gentiles), and to declare that his name is exalted.

“Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;” (Isaiah 12:5) make his great deeds known throughout the world. “Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion (the Church), for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 12:6)

Commentary:

The Lord is a good Father. He gets angry with us when we sin (disobey God's Word), and he disciplines us for our good (Hebrews 12:7-13), but he loves us and doesn't want us to perish. He's always ready to forgive us when we are truly sorry and repent (regret sin and change our ways).

The indwelling Holy Spirit is our Great Comforter (“Paraclete,” from the Greek; KJV uses “Comforter” or “Advocate;” RSV uses “Counselor;” “Helper”). The presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that we are in Christ and have eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). When we confess and repent of our sin, the Holy Spirit reassures us that we are entirely forgiven. When we're in the midst of troubles in life, the Holy Spirit reassures us that he is with us, and will bring us through them. Through his presence we experience the Lord's love, safety, help and protection (see Personal Testimonies, sidebar, top right).

Only Jesus gives the “baptism” (gift; anointing) of the Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17).
The indwelling Holy Spirit is the spiritual “living water” that only Jesus gives (John 4:12-14; 7:37-39). That water is to flow out through us into the wilderness of this world to give life and salvation to the spiritually lost.

We can only truly praise the Lord through the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14-16). We can only accomplish God's will by the guidance and empowerment of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Zechariah 4:6). We're admonished to stay within the Church (the New Jerusalem on earth) until we receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8). When we testify, it is the Holy Spirit within us who gives us what we're to say in the moment it is needed (Mark 13:11; Luke 12:11-12).

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)?

3 Lent - Wednesday

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1 Corinthians 1:18 (19-21) 22-25 (26-31) – The Wisdom of God;

The preaching of the cross of Christ seems foolish to those who are perishing spiritually, but to those of us who are being saved it is the power of God. Paul quotes Isaiah 29:14, who declared that God will destroy the wisdom of those who are wise by earthly standards, and will thwart the clever in their cleverness.

Paul says to consider those who are considered wise, teachers, and debaters of this age. Hasn't God made the world's wisdom to be foolish? God in his infinite wisdom has designed this world so that one cannot know God through human wisdom; but to save those who believe our preaching, which the world considers folly. Jews seek “signs,” “proof” by supernatural acts, and Greeks pursue (worldly) wisdom, but Christians preach Christ crucified, which is a stumbling block to Jews, and folly to Gentiles; but to those who respond to the invitation of the Gospel, both Jew and Greek, Christ is the power and wisdom of God. God's wisdom is wiser than mankind's, and God's weakness is stronger than mankind's.

Consider our situation when we responded to God's invitation. Most were not wise, powerful or born to nobility. God chooses the foolish and weak of this world to shame the wise and powerful. He chooses the lowly and despised and things that seem worthless, to bring to nothing the things the world values, so that no one can boast in God's presence. God “is the source of our life in Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Corinthians 30); therefore, as God's Word says “Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31; compare Jeremiah 9:23-24).

Commentary:

God has designed this universe to accomplish his eternal purpose which is to establish an eternal kingdom of his people who willingly trust and obey God's Word. He has designed Creation to allow for the possibility of sin (disobedience of God's Word) so that we can have freedom to choose whether or not to trust and obey God, and the opportunity to learn by trial and error that God's way is our best interest. But God is not going to tolerate rebellion and disobedience forever or at all in his eternal kingdom, so he has limited Creation and we ourselves by time.

God's Word declares that we are all sinners who fall short of God's righteousness (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10), and the penalty for sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). God loves us and doesn't want any of us to perish eternally (Romans 5:8; John 3:16-17). Jesus is God's only provision for our forgiveness of sin and salvation from eternal condemnation (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right). Jesus has been designed into Creation from the very beginning (John 1:1-5, 14).

We are all born physically alive but spiritually unborn. This lifetime is our only opportunity to be spiritually “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) to eternal life. Only by the “baptism” (anointing; gift) of the indwelling Holy Spirit are we spiritually reborn. Only Jesus “baptizes” with the Holy Spirit, (John 1:31-34), only 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).

Consider the Creation story of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:1-24. It is intended to be a parable (a common earthly experience used to teach spiritual truth), a metaphor for God's purpose for Creation. God created a perfect paradise here, but Adam and Eve introduced sin into Creation by succumbing to temptation and disobeying God's Word.

They were in a perfect paradise, had personal daily fellowship with God, their Creator, and eternal life. God had warned them that they would die if they ate the forbidden fruit, but they listened to the tempter, who said they wouldn't die. They didn't die physically, immediately, but they lost eternal life. They were driven out of the garden, and the tree of life was guarded so that they couldn't take it by force.

Mankind's yielding to sin did not surprise God. God knew that in giving mankind free will we would all initially choose to do our will rather than God's. That's why the Savior Jesus Christ was designed into Creation from the beginning.

God's Word began to reveal the coming Messiah (Savior; God's “anointed” prophet, priest and king) in Genesis 3:15 and progressively throughout the Old Testament. Jesus came to become the only sacrificial offering acceptable to God for the forgiveness of sin, restoration to fellowship with God and eternal life which was broken by sin (John 14:6).

That forgiveness, salvation and restoration are only received by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus. Wise and clever worldly people can't earn, deserve, or take salvation and eternal life by force or deception.

The Jews stumbled because they didn't accept Jesus as their Messiah. They kept asking for “signs,” miracles of God's supernatural working. Jesus did many miracles openly in public, but they didn't accept them as from God.

Jesus can only heal and restore those who realize and acknowledge their sinful nature and need for a savior (Matthew 9:12-13). Someone said that there are two kinds of people in the world: sinners who think they're righteous, and the righteous who know they're sinners.

The Greeks couldn't accept Jesus because he defied worldly wisdom and logic. Divine wisdom is eternal and unchanging. God is all-knowing; he knows the number of hairs on our heads (Matthew 10:30), and every star in the sky (Psalm 147:4). But worldly wisdom is constantly changing, as human knowledge increases. Consider the recent controversy over the definition and number of planets in our solar system, for example.

For people who demand proof in order to believe, there is none, because salvation depends on faith. But for people who believe, there is abundant “proof.” It not true that one cannot know with certainty what comes after physical death. The only people who don't know where they will spend eternity are the spiritually lost and perishing.

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)?

3 Lent - Thursday

posted

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 – The Prodigal Son;

The scribes (teachers of scripture) and Pharisees (legalistic party of Judaism) criticized Jesus for receiving and associating with sinners and tax collectors. So Jesus told a parable (a common earthly experience to teach spiritual truth). A man had two sons, and the younger asked his father to give him his share of the inheritance. Soon after, the younger son went to a country far away, taking his inheritance, where he squandered it by loose living.

After he had spent his inheritance, a great famine arose and he began to experience deprivation, so he got a job with a citizen of that country as a field hand, feeding the citizen's pigs. He would have been happy to eat the pods on which the pigs fed, but wasn't given any. He came to realize that his father's servants had enough bread to spare, but the son was starving. He decided to return to his father, confess his sin against heaven and his father, and ask to be treated as his father's servant.

So the man returned to his father. While he was far off his father saw him coming and ran to him and embraced him. The son told his father that he was unworthy to be his son, and asked to be treated as a servant, but the father gave him the finest robe, shoes for his feet, and a ring for his finger. The father had a fattened calf killed and a feast prepared for his son who had returned. He celebrated the return of his son who once was as dead but returned to life; who had been lost but now was found.

The elder son had been in his father's field. When he returned to the house, he heard the celebration, and asked a servant what had happened. He was told that his father was celebrating the return of his younger brother. The elder son was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and begged him, but the son told his father that he had been obedient to his father all these years and yet the father had never given him a party with his friends. Now his father had given a party for the younger son who had wasted his inheritance on prostitutes and immoral living. The father replied that the eldest son had always been with the father and all that the father possessed belonged to him. It was fitting for the father to celebrate the return of the younger son, who had been as one dead who returned to life; one who was lost but had been found.

Commentary:

The scribes and Pharisees were like the older son, jealous of the prodigal's welcome and restoration. We are all like the younger son. We have all taken the eternal inheritance we have received from our eternal heavenly father, and squandered it in loose living. This Creation is the far country. Tending pigs was the ultimate degradation for Jews; pigs were spiritually unclean.

The eldest son is like people who are born into the Church. They don't have special spiritual status just because they haven't departed from their father's house. We should have the same concern for those who are spiritually lost and dead that God has.

The older son hadn't rebelled and gone astray, but he hadn't learned to be like his father, caring for the lost and dying, and forgiving sinners. He was only concerned for himself. That is too often the attitude of nominal church members. Nominal churches that fail to teach and require discipleship produce church members like the older son.

God our Father seeks us when we go astray. When we turn to him he comes and meets us. He forgives us and restores us to his family. He clothes us with the robe of salvation. The ring is a symbol of authority in the household. He prepares a feast for us and celebrates our return with a banquet.

God freely forgives those who are repentant and turn to him. He restores us to full fellowship in his household, not merely as hired servants but fully sons and daughters.

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)?

3 Lent - Friday

posted

Galatians 4:21-31 – Allegory of Sarah and Hagar;

Background:

Some of the Jewish Christians (the circumcision party; Acts 11:1-18; Acts 15:5) wanted to require the Gentile (non-Jewish) Christians to keep Jewish Laws (Galatians 2:16; 5:3-5). Paul used an allegory of Abraham's wife Sarah and his concubine Hagar.

Galatians:

Paul said that those who wanted to maintain the old covenant of law did not understand the law. Abraham had two sons; one was Isaac, the descendant God promised to Abraham (Abram; Genesis 13:15-16; 15:1), born of Abraham's, wife Sarah (Sarai) a free woman. The other, Ishmael, was born to Hagar, Sarah's Egyptian slave. Isaac was the fulfillment of God's promise, but Ishmael was born according to the flesh. Ishmael had twelve sons who became the heads of various tribes of Arabs (Gen. 37:25, 27, 28; 39:1).

The two women represent the two Covenants; Hagar is of Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Law from God and ratified the Old Covenant of Law. Hagar and her child represent Jerusalem, the Jews in slavery to the Law. Sarah and her child represent the New Covenant, the Church, the New Jerusalem on earth and the city of God in heaven where we are free of the Law (provided that we are obedient to the indwelling Holy Spirit; Romans 8:1-14). She is the mother of all those who believe. Paul quotes Isaiah 54:1 to show that the children of Abraham by Sarah, who was barren, will exceed the children of Hagar.

We believers are like Isaac, children of the promise. After Isaac was born, Hagar and Ishmael harassed Sarah and Isaac (Genesis 21:9-10). Hagar and Isaac rivaled Sarah and Isaac for Abraham's attention. So it is today that the children of slavery to Satan harass the children of faith and freedom. Paul quoted Genesis 21:9-12, showing that the children of slavery are cast out from the household of Abraham and do not inherit God's promise. It is the children of the New Covenant of grace through faith in Jesus (Hebrews 12:24) who are the spiritual children of Abraham (Galatians 3:5-9) and will inherit the promise of God through Jesus Christ.

Commentary:

The Old Covenant of Law was intended to be a restraint of God's people until the coming of the Messiah (Galatians 3:23-25; 4:1-7), Jesus Christ (Messiah and Christ both mean [God's] “anointed,”in Hebrew and Greek, respectively). Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant (Matthew 26-26-28 KJV; RSV note “g;”) of Grace (a free gift; unmerited favor; (Hebrews 12:24) which we receive by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ.

The New Testament (New Covenant) is the record of the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, his ministry, his death, resurrection and ascension into heaven, his promise to return to judge the living (quickened) and dead at the Day of Judgment at the end of time. It is also the history of the first-century Church, the Apostolic teaching (received directly from Jesus) of the Eleven original disciples and from Paul, whom God intended to replace Judas Iscariot, Jesus' betrayer. Paul is the prototype and example of a modern, post-resurrection “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) disciple and apostle of Jesus Christ as we can and should be.

The first-century Church was beset by false teachings, which are refuted in the New Testament, and those same teachings are still in the Church and the World today. One was the teaching of salvation by doing works of the Law (see False Teachings, sidebar, top right). Paul had been one of the most ardent of Jews (Acts 22:1-3), but he resisted the Jewish Christians who wanted to burden new Gentile Christians with circumcision and Jewish Laws (Acts 15:1-5).

Are you the child of Sarah or Hagar? 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)?

3 Lent - Saturday

posted

John 6:1-15 – Feeding the Five Thousand;

Jesus took his disciples across to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Multitudes followed them because they had seen “signs” (miracles of healing revealing Jesus as God's Son) which Jesus did on those who were sick. Jesus went up into the hills and sat down with his disciples.

The Passover Feast was near. Jesus, seeing the multitude coming, asked Phillip how they could get enough bread for the people to eat. Jesus was testing Phillip, because Jesus knew what he would do. Phillip replied that two hundred denarii (a denarius was the daily wage of a laborer), wouldn't buy enough bread to give each a small portion. Andrew mentioned that there was a lad present who had 5 barley loaves and two fish, but they wouldn't go far in feeding the crowd. The place was grassy and Jesus told the crowd to sit down (on the grass). There were about five thousand people.

Jesus took the loaves, and after praying in thanksgiving to God, gave them to the disciples to distribute, along with the fish. The crowd ate all that they wanted, and when they were satisfied, Jesus told the disciples to collect the left-overs, so as not to waste any food, so they collected twelve baskets full of the fragments left over from the barley loaves. The people in the crowd, having seen the “sign” Jesus had done, realized that he must be the prophet who was expected to return to herald the Messiah. Knowing that they were intending to take Jesus by force to make him king, Jesus left and went into the hills by himself.

Commentary:

This “sign” foreshadows Jesus' institution of the New Passover feast, the Lord's Supper, (Holy Communion; Eucharist) on the night of his betrayal and arrest (Matthew 26:26-28). During the Passover Feast, Jesus distributed bread and wine to his disciples, saying that the bread was Jesus' body and the wine was Jesus' blood, to be broken and shed at the crucifixion which was soon to occur.

The multitude shared fellowship with Jesus during the meal, and their hunger was completely satisfied. The first century Church at first continued the Lord's Supper in the context of a meal, but later as a spiritual “feast” in which small elements of bread and wine were distributed. Small portions provide complete satisfaction, because the “feast” is spiritual.

“Born-again” Christians enter and experience the presence and fellowship with the Lord through this ritual (sacrament), and daily as well. Jesus is the sacrificial Lamb of Passover; bread is his broken body, and wine (or grape juice) is his blood, shed for us on the cross, which marks us as belonging to him, so that the destroyer “passes over” us (Exodus 12:11-13). I personally believe that wine makes a better element than grape juice, because it has “spirit” (alcohol), which can be detected.

Under the Old Covenant of Law, God was teaching his people that (animal) blood sacrifices were necessary for the forgiveness of sin. Those sacrifices were often occasions of feasts (Exodus 12:3-10; 1 Samuel 9:9-19). Forgiveness required the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22), which was believed to contain the spirit, the life-force, of the animal. Jews were forbidden to consume the blood of animals for that very reason (Leviticus 3:17). But Jesus' institution of the Lord's Supper declared the wine to be Jesus' blood. God doesn't want us to be filled with the spirit of animals, but with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jesus (Romans 8:9).

Under the Old Covenant of Law animal sacrifices had to be repeated over and over because of mankind's sinfulness, but Jesus is the new sacrifice, of the New Covenant, once for all time and all people who are willing to receive it by faith (obedient trust; Hebrews 7:27; 9:25-28).

Note that one cannot receive the Holy Spirit by merely participating in the Lord's Supper. Only Jesus “baptizes” with the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only 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' miracles of physical healing and feeding were intended to show that he is of God, and that he can heal and feed us spiritually. We have greater need for spiritual healing than for physical healing. We can be healed or fed physically, but that only lasts until the next meal or illness. Spiritual healing and feeding are eternal. If we are healed and fed spiritually, famine and physical death cannot hurt us. Jesus drew large crowds of people seeking physical healing and feeding, but unless and until they realized that their spiritual needs were greater, they missed the spiritual healing and feeding that only Jesus can provide (John 6:26-27).

The parables that Jesus told were for the same reason. How can one teach spiritual truth to people who only know physical “reality?” Jesus used common earthly experiences to teach spiritual truth, which is the definition of parable.

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)?