Who Can We Trust?

Psalm 146

This world is increasingly becoming a hard, difficult, and unsafe place, with financial instability, unemployment, quality healthcare unavailable to many, and the safety of so many in jeopardy just by going out.  Many people then turn to their political leaders, hoping that they can give some answers or hope in difficult situations.  However with such sharp contrast in political opinions, when one side is elected, the other side frequently gets angry, furiously angry, leading to more discord in the country or world.  Can they help us?  Who can we trust to come to our aid?  Our psalm for this week takes a look at such a question.

Psalm 146 is the first of the last five psalms that are frequently called the “Hallelujah Psalms”, because they each start and end with the Hebrew word “Hallelujah”, which translated means “Praise the Lord”.  Many psalms are laments, where the psalmist is crying out to the Lord for deliverance from some trouble, or they are prayer petitions for help.  These last five psalms are declarations of trust and joyful worship of the Lord.  Today’s psalm, the first of these five, contrasts the frailty of man with the eternal reliability of God, giving Him praise and glory.

As our psalm begins, the unknown psalmist speaks to himself, exhorting himself to bring praise to Yahweh (vs. 1-2).  There are some days when life’s struggles are overwhelming, or perhaps we just don’t feel well.  Instead of wallowing in our misery, we need to tell ourselves the same thing that our psalmist did.  “Praise the Lord, O my soul!  While I live I will praise the Lord.”  We shouldn’t just wait until we feel like it.  Sometimes praise needs to be a deliberate act of the will.  As believers we are to be worshiping God regardless of our circumstances.  Praise is not just an emotional overflow.  It is a spiritual discipline.  Even in trials, we are called to glorify God with our whole being (Hebrews 13:15).  When we praise God, it helps to center us and remind us where our true hope lies.

The psalmist then continues on and warns us about putting all of our hope and trust in our human leaders, particularly political leaders, for help and deliverance from our problems (vs. 3-4).  There is a big contrast between trusting in the King of kings and trusting in any earthly rulers.  Human leaders, even the most powerful, are mortal, and they are limited in what they can do.  The prophet Jeremiah even warned that if we put our trust in men rather than in God, we will be cursed (Jeremiah 17:5).  In times of political upheaval or in personal uncertainty, believers must anchor our hope in Yahweh, not in the government, in our own wealth, or in anyone’s human wisdom.

So instead of trusting in our governmental leaders, who are we to trust for help in this frantic world?  The psalmist tells us to look to the God of Jacob for our help (vs. 5).  Jacob was the son of Isaac and the grandson of Abraham.  Yahweh had made a covenant with all three of these patriarchs.  He watched over Jacob when he left his home and traveled hundreds of miles away.  He protected Jacob from the deception of his father-in-law, and protected him from the danger of foreign peoples and nations, and then led him in safety into the land of Egypt where his one-time missing son Joseph was now prime minister.  To say that we should trust in the God of Jacob is to say we can trust in the God who keeps covenant faithfulness.  True happiness is found in trusting the unchanging God.

The psalmist continues by proclaiming that it is the Lord God who made all of creation, who gives justice to the oppressed, food to the hungry, healing to those who need that, and watches over the orphan and widow (vs. 6-9).  These verses reveal God’s character.  He is just, merciful, and intimately involved in the lives of the needy and the righteous.  Many of these are also what Jesus proclaimed was His earthly ministry (Luke 4:18).  Christians are also called to show similar compassion to others, reflecting the Lord in our life.  God cares deeply about the oppressed, the poor, prisoners, sick, orphans, and widows.  He is compassionate, and is a model for us to follow.

Our psalm closes with the psalmist repeating his praise to the Lord (vs. 10).  God’s reign is eternal and sovereign.  The Lord Jesus will reign as King of kings forever (Revelation 11:15).  In closing, we need to remember that praise is something that a Christian is supposed to be doing, regardless of our circumstances.  Also, there is only One in whom we should put our trust.  That is not our favorite political figure, or even a religious figure, but instead only in the Lord Jesus Christ.  He, alone, is worthy of our full trust.  God reigns eternally.  We can rest in His control over all things.

The Treachery of Kinsmen

Obadiah 1:1-17

Many people have heard of Marcus Junius Brutus, otherwise known as Brutus, who took part in the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC.  To make a complex story short, Caesar had been Brutus’ friend and benefactor until, in the end, Brutus took part in his brutal assassination.   Though it’s not likely the case, in Shakespeare’s play, he has Julius Caesar say “Et tu, Brute” (“You too, Brutus”), when he sees Brutus among the assassins.  This was to indicate the surprise, and also sorrow, in seeing his one-time friend among that group.  When we see someone in a group of people that we wouldn’t think they would be a part of, there is often shock and surprise.  “You’re among them?”  In today’s Scripture there is the anger and disappointment that a group, actually a country, has joined an enemy, when they really should not have been aligned with them, and God’s judgment upon them for that.

Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament, with only one chapter, and twenty-one verses.  It was likely written around the time of the final overthrow of the Kingdom of Judah by the Babylonians, and the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC.  There really is not much known about the prophet, such as his family or where he lived, though it is likely he lived in the Kingdom of Judah.  Nor do we know what happened to him after the overthrow of the kingdom.

This message and prophecy of Obadiah’s was directed to the people of Edom, which was the kingdom to the south of Judah.  The Edomites were descended from Esau.  If you remember from the Book of Genesis, Esau was the fraternal twin brother of Jacob, a son of Isaac, and grandson of Abraham.  Thus the Edomites were related, were like cousins, to the people of Judah and Israel.  We might think that the two nations might have a close, even brotherly, relationship with each other.  However, that was definitely not the case.  They were sworn enemies, going back to the days following their coming out of Egypt.  This strong animosity continued for centuries, and now, in the sixth century BC, Edom was laughing at the terrible fate of their kinsmen, the people of Judah.  They were rejoicing in their downfall and destruction.

Though the Babylonian captivity and destruction of Jerusalem was God’s punishment for the people’s sins, He was not at all happy with the gleeful response of Edom.  Obadiah was His messenger to relay His anger at the Edomites.  God was bringing His judgment on Edom for their pride and violence against His people.  One thing that the Lord was displeased with was the Edomites pride (vs. 3).  Pride leads to self-deception and rebellion against God.  The people of Edom trusted in their fortified cities and the many dwellings that were high in the mountains, but that is nothing with God.  He would bring them down (vs. 4).

Obadiah prophesied a coming total devastation of the nation of Edom (vs. 5-9).  God’s judgment against them would be thorough.  There would be no wisdom, no strength, nor any alliances that would be able to save Edom.  Though they shared the same ancestry as Judah and Israel, descending from Abraham, the Edomites had rejected Yahweh from the earliest days of their ancestor Esau.  Nations and individuals who reject God’s authority will face judgment.

The thing that really angered God was that they looked on the suffering of their brother, and instead of helping or giving any sort of comfort, they rejoiced (vs. 10-14).  Edom’s betrayal of Israel, by watching, rejoicing, and participating in their downfall, was a grievous sin.  God will also hold us accountable for how we treat others, especially other believers.  Even passive complicity in evil is condemned.

Brotherly kindness was due from Edom to the Israelites in their time of need.  But instead of showing kindness, they joined in with Judah’s enemies.  In verse 11 there is an emphasis on the word “you”.  When we are doing evil, God, in a sense, says to us believers, “What, you?  What are you doing here?”  When our co-workers tell obscene jokes or anecdotes, do we laugh?  When they urge us to join in with something that is contrary to the Word of God, do we go along?  When people verbally malign Christianity or other Christians, do we stay silent?  “You were as one of them!” says God.

We see in verse 15 that judgment isn’t just for Edom, but for all nations.  The Day of the Lord signifies a future time of divine reckoning.  God’s justice is universal, and every deed will be brought into judgment.  However, God is faithful to His promises.  To those who have come to Him through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, we can trust in His redemptive plan, and look forward to the ultimate fulfillment in God’s Kingdom. Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, or are you one that is fighting against Him and His children? Turn to Him today before the day of final judgment comes.

The Unjust Steward

Luke 16:1-13

Our Scripture today is a rather puzzling parable that Jesus told.  It is one that has confused many Christians, and I will admit that when I was a new Christian, it puzzled me the first few times I read it.  What is Jesus talking about?  It almost looks like He is condoning wrong behavior!  Since that can’t be, then what is He trying to teach us with this very odd parable?  Let’s look into this one.

Our Scripture begins with Jesus telling His disciples the parable.  There was a wealthy man, and he had a steward, a man who was manager of his business.  This manager had not been handling his job properly, so the owner decided to let him go, to fire him.  He had a day or two to get his affairs in order, and then he would be discharged (vs. 1-2).  In those days there were no unemployment benefits, no welfare benefits.  If he didn’t find another position quickly, he could be in dire straits.  Being a cunning and somewhat devious person, he came up with a plan.  He took out all of the paperwork of people who owed the business owner money, got in touch with them, and cut their bills in half.  That way they would be indebted to him, and owe him a favor.  He would have plenty of guest rooms to stay in while unemployed! (vs. 3-7).

When the business owner found out, what could he do?  For him to roll back the cunning manager’s debt forgiveness for so many people would have been a public relations nightmare.  He couldn’t do that, and he grudgingly admired the manager’s cunning (vs. 8).  This steward, or manager, had planned ahead.  Instead of moaning about his soon-to-be job loss, he worked out a plan to ensure his well-being, though in his case it was done dishonestly.

Jesus did not tell this parable to commend or approve of the steward’s dishonesty.  Instead, He wanted to teach the disciples the importance of prudence and shrewdness.  He was showing us the need to act with foresight, as the steward did.  Though he had obviously done something to get himself fired, he used his abilities to come up with a plan, though dishonestly.  If the “sons of this world”, the unsaved, use their brains to think up schemes like this, then the “sons of light”, the saved, need to be using theirs in a good and godly way (vs. 8).

How many churches, good churches, face disasters because this or that plan of theirs failed?  These could have been avoided if they had sat and used their intelligence, their God-given gifts and common sense, instead of just rushing ahead with the first thing they think of, and then later moaning over their failed programs, saying “our hearts were in the right place”!  If only they had carefully planned and used wisdom.  God will give us His wisdom when we ask Him (James 1:5).

Jesus is not encouraging us to do wrong.  However, He does want us to use all of the gifts that God has given to us, including intelligence, creativity, and the ability to plan ahead.  If wicked people can use these things, how much more should the people of God?  Whatever gifts God has given you, use them in ways that honor and glorify Him.

Our Scripture continues as Jesus gives a lesson on stewardship, the right use of our money.  He exhorts His followers to “make friends” with unrighteous mammon or worldly money.  This is a metaphor for using money to serve eternal purposes (vs. 9).  Our churches and all of the programs that help to spread the Gospel in our neighborhoods, country, and around the world do need money to continue.  Are we spending our money on the latest technological gadgets for our home, on fancy dining, or instead on helping to spread the Gospel?  If we are faithful to God in little things, He will trust us with more (vs. 10-11).  Earthly wealth is a test of trustworthiness.  God owns everything, and we are just His stewards.  Faithfulness in material things is a prerequisite for spiritual stewardship.  As Christians, we should treat every dollar as a tool for ministry.

In the final verse of our Scripture passage, Jesus draws a line.  Loyalty to God cannot coexist with a devotion to wealth.  The word “mammon” refers to material wealth, and it is personified here as a rival master.  We cannot truly be serving the Lord Jesus while at the same time putting our money, our wealth, and our possessions first.  We are called to single-minded devotion to God.

As we close, we are reminded that every believer is a steward, and our handling of money reflects our spiritual maturity.  Jesus isn’t praising dishonesty.  Instead, He is urging us to be wise, faithful, and eternally minded.

The Importance of Prayer

I Timothy 2:1-8

After a person has gotten saved, become a Christian, and is following the Lord in their life, there are several things that they should do in order to keep in close fellowship with God.  They should be faithfully reading their Bible, attending worship services regularly, and loving the Lord and their neighbor, among other things.  There is another very important thing that a Christian should be doing on a regular basis, which is highlighted in our Scripture passage for today, and that is prayer.  Let us take a quick look into what the Apostle Paul was instructing Timothy in his letter to him.

The Apostle Paul was a mentor to Timothy, who was a young man from Lystra in Asia Minor, and who became one of the leaders of the church in Ephesus.  Paul wrote two letters to Timothy to help and encourage him as he ministered to the Ephesians.  One thing that he stressed early on in this first letter was the importance of prayer in a believer’s life, both private prayer, and prayer with other believers.  Prayer is foundational, both in our personal life, and in the life of every church.

As we begin reading our Scripture, Paul lists several different types of prayers that Christians should be making (vs. 1).  He mentions supplication, prayer, intercession, and giving thanks.  Each one is somewhat different from the other, as we shall see.  Supplication is earnest prayer for some specific need.  Perhaps you are unemployed and need a job.  Maybe you have been given a serious medical diagnosis.   Prayers for these types of situations are “supplications”.  Next Paul lists “prayers”, which would be general communion with God.  A Christian can come and commune with God at any time about anything.  We don’t always have to be asking Him for this or that.  We can just spend time in conversation with Him.  Next we have “intercessions”.  This is prayer made on behalf of someone else, other than ourselves.  We all know someone who needs prayer for all sorts of different needs, and we, as believers, should be praying for them.  The last one listed here is “thanksgiving”.  We need to always remember to express our gratitude to the Lord every day.

As believers, we are called upon to pray for all people (vs. 2).  We shouldn’t limit our intercessions to just our immediate family and friends.  If we hear that someone in our neighborhood is sick, pray for them.  If we hear of an accident with injuries, or an earthquake clear across the globe, pray for them.  Paul specifically mentioned political leaders in this verse.  He didn’t say to pray for them only if we agree with them or if they were particularly righteous.  The Bible says for “all who are in authority”.  The goal of praying for leaders is to be able to live godly lives, unhindered by persecution or chaos.

As we continue on, we read that God desires that all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (vs. 4).  This is not a verse proving “universal salvation”, a false doctrine which teaches that ultimately everyone will be saved and be in heaven.  That is false teaching.  God would love it if all people were saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth, and He provided a way for that to happen through Jesus.  However, not all people avail themselves of that.  God will not deny His holiness and justice to reward men who have rejected His love and grace.  Not everyone will be saved (John 3:18).  Unrepentant people who reject Jesus will not be ultimately saved and go to heaven.  They will end up separated from God in eternal punishment.  “Knowledge of the truth” implies doctrinal clarity.  Salvation is not emotionalism, but is grounded in the truth.  Our prayers should reflect God’s heart for the lost.

One verse of doctrinal truth that helps to bring us to “knowledge of the truth” follows in verses 5 and 6, and that is that there is only one God, and only one Mediator between God and men, that being Christ Jesus.  Jesus is the only One who is able to bridge the gap between us and God.  He chose to die the brutal death that we deserve, which broke open the gates of heaven, allowing us to live in His presence.  This excludes all other religions.  No other religion or their leaders can bring one to salvation and heaven, only Jesus Christ.  His death was sufficient for all, though only effective for those who believe.

Paul continues by reminding both Timothy and anyone else in the church that he was appointed a preacher by God (vs. 7).  This was ordained by God, not something he chose himself, which his enemies often accused him of.  God appointed him to bring His message, both to Jewish people, and also to the Gentiles.  Finally, he concludes this segment by repeating that people everywhere are to pray, lifting up holy hands without any doubts or anger (vs. 8).  This isn’t just a physical posture to have in prayer, but also speaks of our being pure, free from known and deliberate sin, free from anger and doubts, but instead having moral integrity.

In conclusion, let’s make prayer a daily practice.  Pray not only for your own needs, which are important, but also for the needs of others, and also for our national leaders.  Pray for the unsaved to come to know the Lord Jesus as their Savior.  We also need to teach our children and new believers the importance of doctrinal truth, especially that regarding salvation.  False doctrine, such as universal salvation, leads people astray, and brings many to their eternal doom.

Wrong Actions Bring Consequences

Psalm 137

Wrong actions will bring consequences.  We all know that, and many of us have experienced that to some degree in our life.  When someone goes speeding down the road, they will likely face the consequence of a speeding ticket.  If someone spends their school days goofing off, not doing homework or studying for tests, they will likely not graduate with their classmates.  A shoplifter can face some prison time, and the person who pulls the trigger and callously kills someone will face the ultimate consequences.  Today’s psalm is a lament that was written in response to some consequences that the people of a nation were then experiencing.  Let’s take a look at what they said.

Psalm 137 was written by an unknown psalmist, and was written in the aftermath of the destruction of the city of Jerusalem and the taking of the people of Judah into captivity into Babylonia.  Imagine the terrible emotion and grief at not only seeing your beloved capital city razed to the ground, including the great Temple of God, but then also being physically taken captive and exiled many hundreds of miles away into a foreign country.  This was a horrible thing to go through!

As bad as that was, though, the Scriptures make it very clear that this wasn’t just a random act of war.  This was divine judgment upon the people of Judah for their forsaking Yahweh and turning instead to the worship of false, pagan gods, the gods of the surrounding nations.  This was the consequence of their wrong actions and wrong decisions, actions and consequences that the prophets had warned them about, over and over again for many years.

That being said, though, God did not forsake His people.  They were in a terrible place, and many of the people turned back to Yahweh, lamenting and repenting of their sins.  While displaced in a foreign country, the Babylonians told them to cheer up, to sing some of their songs, and start enjoying life in their new surroundings, but they could not (vs. 1-4).  They mourned not only their physical displacement from their homeland, but also the consequences of their sins against God.  Today, when Christians see that their sinful behavior has led them to wander away from God and the close fellowship that they once had with Him, they too should repent, grieve, and turn back to Him.

How can we sign the Lord’s songs in a strange land, they asked (vs. 4).  True worship is difficult when the heart is burdened by guilt and separation from God.  Worship must be pure, reverent, and rooted in truth, not adapted to worldly settings.  The captivity in Babylonia cured the people forever from ever turning to pagan gods and idolatry again.  The psalmist vowed that they would never forget Jerusalem, God’s city (vs. 5-6).  He had unwavering devotion to God’s truth.  We, too, must remain faithful to God’s Word and His promises, even when we might be in a hostile environment.

Next we come to the last three verses of this psalm, verses that are difficult to read because of their harsh nature.  This psalm is part of several “imprecatory” psalms, psalms which call upon God to come down hard, very hard, on their enemies.  However, they are asking God to go after them, not going after their enemies themselves.  How many times have we heard someone say “Let me at him for just sixty seconds!”?  They are perhaps furious at some criminal who may have hurt their child.  They say that, but they don’t go and take the law into their own hands.  They are longing for justice.  Likewise, our psalmist is asking for justice.  The authors of the imprecatory psalms are not asking God for permission to bring vengeance themselves.  They are praying for God to bring His vengeance.

The psalmist is angered that the people of Edom, who are the descendants of Esau and thus related to the Jewish people, were joyful when they saw the Babylonians destroy Judah (vs. 7).  As brothers, they should have helped them, or at the very least wept with them, but instead they cheered the Babylonians on.  His feelings against the Babylonians were even harsher (vs. 8-9), but again, he didn’t act upon his anger, but instead left it with God.  God did bring His judgment on Babylonia when they were conquered by the Persians.  They had the witness of the prophets Ezekiel and Daniel, but never turned to the Lord.

As we reflect on this rather difficult psalm, as Christians we must examine our own hearts, and turn from sin before judgment comes.  Even while living in a corrupt world, we must remain loyal to God’s truth.  Don’t ever take vengeance into your own hands.  Leave that for God, as He will vindicate His people and judge the wicked in His own time.  Finally, remember that sin has consequences.  This psalm is a call to holiness, remembrance, and an unwavering hope in the promises of God.

A Different Famine

Amos 8:4-12

Today’s Old Testament reading from the Lectionary of the Book of Common Prayer for this week brings us to the Book of Amos the prophet.  It is not an easy passage to read or receive, as the Lord did not mince any words in the message He gave to the people.  He did not soften nor hold back what He had to say, and the people were not happy to receive this warning from Amos.  Let’s look at what God’s Word has to say to us today.

The prophet Amos lived in the 8th century BC, and his brief ministry took place approximately around 765 - 755 BC.  Though he was believed to have been from the Southern Kingdom of Judah, Amos’ ministry was to the people of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.  Before he was called to bring God’s Word to the northern kingdom, Amos was both a sheep herder and a sycamore fig farmer, which he probably returned to doing after his brief ministry ended.

The Northern Kingdom of Israel was a rather affluent country, and many of its people were financially well-off.  The unified Kingdom had split into two several years after the death of King Solomon in 930 BC, and the people of the Northern Kingdom began to turn their backs on Yahweh and worship pagan idols almost immediately.  Many combined the worship of Yahweh with paganism, thinking that was alright, which certainly wasn’t.  God sent Amos to these people, and he had a strong message for them.  Despite their eternal success, Israel was spiritually bankrupt.

As our Scripture passage begins, Amos preached against how the wealthy of the land were exploiting the poor (vs. 4-6).  He condemned the merchants for their dishonest practices, such as manipulating weights and measures in order to sell less but be paid for more, and also for selling inferior goods.  He also came down hard on them for the fact that though they outwardly were observing the Sabbath rest, they were inwardly restlessly impatient to get back to their businesses in order to make more money.  This was hypocrisy, and showed no love or true worship of God.

God sees through our outward religious observances.  He knows if we are just going through the motions of worship, but our hearts are somewhere else.  He also sees how we conduct our business affairs, and knows if we are true and honest, or are corrupt and wicked.  True worship must be accompanied by righteousness.  Amos’ words are a rebuke to any society that prioritizes profits over people, and is a call to uphold God’s justice.  As Amos said, God saw what they were doing, and He was not going to forget.

As we continue, Amos warns the people that God has sworn that His judgment will come (vs. 7-10).  This was not just something symbolic, this was literal and was irrevocable.  God was going to send some natural events in judgment of the people’s sins, such as earthquakes and darkened skies.  These were real events, as there was a major earthquake during the ministry of Amos.  Their happy, carefree life would turn to lamentation, with death, silence, and grief.

God’s judgment is not metaphorical as some claim it is.  No, it is actually real and it will be terrifying if it comes against you.  The moral decay of the northern Kingdom of Israel brought divine retribution, and where so many nations of the world today are standing, God’s judgment may come, too, if they don’t repent and turn to Him for mercy.

As Amos concludes this portion of his message from the Lord, we read how there will be a famine for God’s Word (vs. 11-12).   Throughout history there have been many nations who have had deadly famines, where large portions of their population die of starvation, or at the least, people go hungry for long periods of time.  During these times people wander the country looking for anything that they can eat.  Amos prophesied that the people here would face famine - not of actual food, but instead a famine for the truth, for God’s Word.  They will seek it, but not be able to find it.  People will wander, searching for answers, but it will be too late.  When a nation rejects God’s Word, He may withdraw it.  This is a judgment worse than physical hunger, as the Bible is the only source of truth.

In many places there is a famine of hearing the Word of God.  This includes in many churches.  Many today preach on only the issues that the world wants to hear, what they feel is important, to the exclusion of the Gospel of salvation.  People are looking for things to make their life more enjoyable.  They are searching for peace in their hearts, but they are looking in the wrong places.  They are running to and fro, trying to find their way.  The Bible tells us to look to Jesus.

Amos’ message is for us, today, as well as the people in his own day.  Don’t just go through religious motions. Instead, live out your faith with integrity.  Stand against any exploitation you see, and uphold righteousness in your dealings.  And most importantly, cherish God’s Word, the Bible.  Study it and obey it.  Never take it for granted.  A famine of God’s truth is the most dangerous famine of all.

Searching For The Lost

Luke 15:1-10

I am sure that all of us, at one time or another, have lost something.  It can be particularly distressing if it is something valuable, or even of sentimental value.  We search high and low, and often will enlist the help of other family members, and frequently we will pray that God will lead us to where that lost item is.  In our Scripture today from the Gospel of Luke, we read about two lost items, and the lengths that the owners went to find them again.  Let’s take a look.

As our Scripture passage begins, the Lord Jesus had been talking and teaching the crowds who had gathered around Him.  Among the crowds were some folks who many would classify as sinners.  There were also plenty of Pharisees and scribes, two groups within the Jewish religion who very strictly obeyed and followed the Mosaic Law.  These Pharisees started to criticize Jesus because He didn’t admonish these sinners for their actions, nor send them away.  They despised these people, and thought that Jesus actually welcoming them to sit and listen was scandalous (vs. 1-2).  Jesus heard their words, and proceeded to tell them two parables, to hopefully open their eyes to His ministry.

The first parable was about a lost sheep (vs. 4-7).  Shepherds with their flocks of sheep was a common sight in the Holy Land at that time.  Every evening when the shepherds would gather their flocks together for the night, they would carefully count each sheep and lamb.  In this parable, the shepherd finds one missing.  Instead of just shrugging his shoulders and saying that he would look for it when he goes out the next day, he goes out searching high and low in the wilderness, looking for that one, poor, possibly injured lamb.  He does not give up until he finds the lost sheep.  When he does, he doesn’t scold or berate the sheep for wandering off.  Instead, he carefully carries him home, and then calls all of his friends to come and rejoice with him that the sheep is found.

Jesus is very clear in the meaning of this parable.  Just as any shepherd seeks out the one lost sheep, so too does God actively seek the lost sinner, desiring that they would come to faith in Him and become part of His flock, His family.  Just as the shepherd and his friends are rejoicing that the sheep was found, there is great joy in heaven over one sinner who repents and accepts Jesus.

The second parable is similar.  A woman loses one of her silver coins and diligently searches the house, sweeping in every corner until it is found, and then rejoices with her friends (vs. 8-10).  Again, Jesus repeats how in heaven the very angels are rejoicing before God’s throne over each time a sinner repents of his sins and turns to Jesus for salvation.  Knowing this, wouldn’t it be more appropriate for the Pharisees to be glad that these sinful folk are coming to listen to God’s Word, and some coming to faith in Him, rather than being critical of their being around?  The same goes for any self-righteous person today who scorns and murmurs when an “undesirable” person shows up at their church.

When we have something that we treasure, we keep track of where it is kept.  If it goes missing we search high and low for it.  We value our treasures as they are precious to us.  God views us as His special treasure, something to be protected and loved.  How could God rejoice over someone as unimportant as me or you?  And yet Jesus says He does.  We are not unimportant in His eyes.  He will go beyond all reason to get us back because He loves us.  God sacrificed His Son to purchase us, and He loves each one of us.

Sometimes even a believer might stray away from God, and lose his way in life.  However, God loves us, and never gives up searching for us until we are found again.  We are never tossed away or forgotten about, even when we might turn our backs on Him.  When we have been backslidden and return to the Lord again, or the lost come to salvation, there is great rejoicing.  It is never too late for the backslidden to return to Jesus, or the lost to repent and accept Him as Savior.  Jesus is calling.  He is waiting.

Do you believe that Jesus might be returning at any time?  If you do, then are you searching for the lost? Are you fervently praying for the wandering?  Are you sharing the love of Jesus with others, even if it means ridicule or anger from others?  Jesus is diligently seeking the lost, and we need to help by bringing His message to others.  Every soul matters to God, and their salvation glorifies Him and brings joy to the heavenly host of angels.

Why Did Jesus Come?

I Timothy 1:12-17

Think of some of the worst criminals that you can imagine.  Maybe you think of some of history’s cruel despots who were responsible for the deaths of millions of their countrymen.  You might think of serial killers or mass murderers who have killed multiple dozens of people.  There are child abusers, violent gang members, terrorists, and all sorts of other criminals that can come to mind.  Can any of these criminals ever find salvation, or are they just too wicked to get saved?  Our Scripture today should give us the answer.

Our Scripture passage comes from one of several pastoral epistles that the Apostle Paul wrote to individuals, rather than to a specific church.  This one he wrote to his young friend and often companion, Timothy.  There were factions within the Church who felt that Paul, because of his past, or for various other reasons, did not deserve, and should not have been allowed to be in the ministry.  Paul, here, gives a very brief defense of his being in the ministry.

As we begin, Paul told Timothy, and all who would read this, that it wasn’t himself who decided to go into the ministry, to criss-cross the Mediterranean world bringing the Gospel.  Instead, it was the Lord Jesus who had appointed him (vs. 12).  Jesus enabled and divinely empowered him for this ministry.  God saw what He could do through Paul, and that he would be faithful to His calling.  God equips those He calls, not the other way around.  He doesn’t look down upon the earth and find the best possible speaker, teacher, or any other talent, and then call them.  Instead, He calls us, and then gives us what we need to do His work.

Paul then goes on to confess the sins of his former life, the life he led before his vision on the road to Damascus, and coming to faith in the Lord Jesus as his Savior (vs. 13).  Of his own admission, Paul was one who had violently and viciously persecuted the new Church in its very early days.  He would hunt down Christians in Jerusalem and other cities, and bring them before the religious authorities.  He would then incite and goad them to say somethings that might anger the Pharisees, enough so that they might be put to death as a blasphemer, when in actuality Paul now realized that it was he who was the blasphemer, one who was unjustly persecuting the Church.

What we see here in this Scripture passage is that no one is beyond redemption.  It doesn’t matter what sins one has committed, including mass murder, child abuse, or any other heinous sin, if once sincerely confesses, repents, and turns to Jesus, they can and will be saved.  If Paul could obtain mercy from God for persecuting Christians and seeing them put to death, then He will also have mercy on any other sinner who comes to Him.

Now we come to the heart of the gospel, which we read in verse 15.  Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.  The purpose for which Jesus came was not to heal people, though He did that, and still does today.  He didn’t come to be a great preacher and teacher, though He is that, too.  The reason Jesus came to earth was to save sinners.  Paul said that his salvation should be a pattern for others to believe in Jesus for everlasting life (vs. 16).  God is long-suffering, and if He would save Paul, He will save anyone.

Our Scripture passage closes with Paul bringing great praise to the Lord God (vs. 17).  This verse immediately brings to my mind the magnificent hymn “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”, written in 1867.  Though many churches have stopped, or greatly reduced the singing of traditional hymns, this is one of the great ones that should never be set aside.

Is there some notorious criminal and sinner that you feel is beyond redemption?  If you heard that while in prison they made a profession of salvation, would you rejoice or would you cast criticism and doubts of its sincerity?  Only God truly knows anyone’s heart, including ours, and only He is the judge of whether someone is truly saved or not, not us.

In closing, we need to remember that no one is too far gone for God’s grace.  If you are a sinner, God’s grace is available to you for salvation.  No matter how vast your sins may be, God’s grace is greater.  As His Word says, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners!

A Rock Higher Than Ourselves

Psalm 61

Every once in a while we hear of someone caught in a very treacherous, even life and death situation, whether actually physically, or emotionally.  Perhaps it might be a friend, or maybe even ourselves.  When faced with such a situation, we need to get to a safe place, and sometimes in order to do that, we need someone stronger than ourselves to reach out their hand and take hold of us, to pull us to safety.  Our psalm for this week speaks of being in just such a spot, likely both physically and emotionally, and shows us where to turn to.

Psalm 61 was written by David.  This psalm, like many were, was intended to be sung..  It was supposed to be accompanied by a stringed instrument, likely either a lute (similar to a mandolin) or a lyre (a small, hand-held harp).  David was an accomplished musician, and was for a while a personal musician for King Saul.  Throughout David’s life, both before he became king and after, he faced many trials and tribulations.  Countless times his very life was in danger.  Even a strong and resourceful young man like David was, would find himself afraid at times.  Where could he go when he needed help?  Who could he trust?  Sometimes we find ourselves asking the same questions.  Sometimes we are faced with dangerous, treacherous situations and need help.  Psalm 61 tells us where David turned, and where we, too, can find help in our times of need.

From his earliest years as a young shepherd boy caring for his family's sheep herds, to his final days as king, David knew where to turn to when faced with any type of problem.  At various times in his life, David had faced many dangers.  There were dangerous animals that attempted to attack the sheep under his care.  He had to flee from those seeking his life, including King Saul and later his son Absalom.  As a soldier and later king, he led troops against enemy armies.  One thing David knew for sure was that God would hear him when he prayed (vs. 1-2).  It didn’t matter where he was, whether hiding deep within a cave, or escaping on a path at the bottom of some ravine, even if at “the end of the earth”, he knew that his prayers would reach God.  He knew that God was with him wherever he went.

When our problems seem overwhelming to us, when they seem like a flood swirling around us, threatening to pull us down under, we need to get to a place that is higher, away from the threats.  That is what David prayed.  He asked God to lead him to a rock that is higher than he currently was.  The answer to that prayer is to turn to the Lord Jesus.  He is the only safe Rock that is higher than I am (I Corinthians 10:4).  Our own efforts to rescue ourselves, or any other human solutions to our problems will all fail us.  Climbing onto the Rock that is Jesus Christ, will save us!

As David made this prayer, he could look back upon a lifetime of the Lord helping him and answering his prayers (vs. 3-4).   He recalled God’s past faithfulness.  He had been a shelter for him, Someone he could turn to who would protect him.  In ancient times, when an enemy army was nearing the city, the residents would flee for shelter inside a strong, tall tower inside their walled city.  We see mother birds hide and protect their young chicks under their wings, sometimes even at the risk of their own life.  David compares the Lord as his shelter, his strong tower, and like a parent bird keeping him safe under His wings.

When caught in a serious bind, many people will make God all sorts of promises if only He will get them out of the trouble they face.  Yet, how many of these people actually follow through and keep those promises?  Very few.  David, though, was going to keep the vows and promises he made to the Lord (vs. 5).  In turn, because David had put his faith and trust in God, and feared His Name, he would have a wonderful heritage with Him.  David ends his psalm with a vow to sing praises to God’s Name forever (vs. 8).  Even in trials, we are called to glorify God.

As we close Psalm 61, we see that God does hear and answer the sincere cries of His children.  God is a safe place and a strong fortress where our enemies cannot reach us.  The more we believe this, the more we will find peace and rest in the Lord.  If we struggle to believe this, we will spend most of our time trying to be a safe place for ourselves, and miserably fail.  We can turn to Him when we are in trouble, and He will be our rock and shelter in every storm.  Jesus is the Rock that is higher than ourselves.

The Golden Calf

Exodus 32:1-14

Two months is not a long time.  It’s just a small handful of weeks.  Yet in that short span of time the Hebrew people went from praising and worshiping Yahweh for His great deliverance to completely turning their backs on Him and worshiping an idol.  Just two months.  As we look into our Scripture today, let’s see what happened.

After God’s miraculous parting of the waters of the Red Sea for the people of Israel to cross, and His destroying of the armies of Pharaoh, the people journeyed to Mt. Sinai.  The people made camp at the base of the Mt. Sinai, while Moses went up the mountain to meet with God, where he received the Ten Commandments and other laws.  While he remained up on the mountain for several days, the people began to get impatient.  This seemed like a waste of their time.  They wanted to get moving, get on over to their promised land.  While Moses was gone, the people began thinking and discussing among themselves, and one of the things they questioned was who was this God that Moses talked about.  They couldn’t see Him, and no one but Moses ever heard anything from Him.  They didn’t like that, so they decided they were going to make their own God.

The people’s impatience and thinking that strayed so far afield from God then led them to pressure Moses’ brother Aaron to make them a visible god (vs. 1).  They didn’t know, or really even care where Moses was.  They just demanded a god that they could see, some god who would cater to their whims and sins.  This showed a lack of faith and great spiritual immaturity.  As for Aaron, one who had stood beside Moses all through the ten plagues and Pharaoh’s threats, he showed no backbone or courage.  Instead of standing firm for Yahweh, he caved to the pressure and made a golden calf for them to worship (vs. 2-5).  This is a direct violation of the second commandment (Exodus 20:4-5).  Some more progressive thinkers have argued that this wasn’t really idolatry, but rather the people just wanting something visible to worship.  However, that is not what God says or permits.  True worship must be based on God’s revealed truth, not human imagination.  Mixing pagan practices with worship of Yahweh is spiritual adultery.

Following the making of this golden calf idol, the people compounded that sin with that of gross immorality.  We read that the people proceeded to have a banquet and then participated in immorality (vs. 6).  It said they rose up to “play”, but that did not mean that they were playing cards, checkers, or Monopoly!  Once we start on the downward slope of sin, we will fall further and further unless we repent.

We may think that God doesn’t see or know what we are doing, and it seems obvious that the people of Israel didn’t.  However, he does!  God sees and judges.  He told Moses that his (Moses’) people, who he had brought out of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.  He told Moses about the golden calf (vs. 7-9).  God called them Moses’ people, as if He had washed His hands of them.  Because of their sin, so soon after leaving Egypt, God distanced Himself from them.

Not only did God distance Himself from the people, He would have destroyed them had not Moses stood in the gap for them, interceding for them, despite their terrible sins (vs. 10-14).  This was a test of Moses’ heart and leadership.  God’s holiness demands judgment on sin.  The severity of His response here underscores how offensive idolatry is to Him.

Moses interceded for the people, he stood in the gap for them.  If you have a hedge around a garden, and a gap develops, then pesky animals or even people that you don’t want might get in.  However, put something in that gap and they will keep out.  Moses stood in the gap, interceding to God that His righteous wrath not come down upon them.  He appealed to God’s reputation, especially with the Egyptians if He killed them all.  He reminded God of His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  He begged for God’s mercy.  Because of Moses’ prayers, God relented.  This doesn’t mean that God changed His nature, but instead that He responded to Moses’ intercession in mercy.

Looking over this Scripture passage, how can we apply what we read to our lives today?  Though as Christians, we may not make a literal idol and worship it, we need to guard our hearts against anything that would replace God in our life.  We need to be careful, because even good things could become an idol.  Unlike Aaron, we need to be bold and courageous in standing up against what we know to be wrong.  Even if it is just yourself against the crowd, be strong and steadfast in your faith.  Finally, be willing to stand in the gap for others.  God honors fervent, faith-filled intercession.  Believers are called to pray for others, including those who have strayed far from the path of righteousness.  Though God is holy and just, He is also merciful.

Total Commitment

Luke 14:25-33

Total commitment.  That is what most companies and employers want from their employees.  They want them to be totally committed to their job and the projects they work on.  That is also what our spouse and family wants from us, as well.  They don’t want an absentee father or mother, or one whose heart and mind is off somewhere else.  We would also like total commitment from the athletes on our favorite sports teams.  What about total commitment by Christians to the Lord Jesus?  Is that reasonable for Him to ask of us, or is it okay to be a “casual Christian”?  Our Gospel reading for this week takes a look at that question.

As we read this Scripture passage, right away we are confronted with a verse that seems rather harsh, and difficult to swallow.  Jesus is speaking to the crowds around Him, and He tells them that if they don’t hate their father or mother, their wife or children, brothers or sisters they cannot be His disciple! (vs. 26).  On the surface that sounds terrible!  Why would Jesus want me to hate my parents and my spouse?  How can I possibly hate my children?  What we need to realize as we read this verse is that Jesus is using hyperbolic language - an exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally.  It is like saying that you are so hungry you could eat a horse or an elephant.  Everyone knows you would not eat those!  It’s just to say how hungry you are.  We know that this is that type of statement because of other verses in the Bible.  God told us that we can’t love Him unless we love others, which would include family (I John 4:7-8).  He also told us to honor our parents (Ephesians 6:2-3).  This verse emphasizes supreme loyalty to Jesus.  Our love for Jesus must far exceed our love for anyone else.  No earthly relationship should rival our devotion to Him.

We see this sometimes played out in families, where the adult child feels called to go overseas as a missionary, but their mother gets all upset because she doesn’t want them to move away.  Or they tell the family that they are going to become a pastor, and the father gets upset and tells them they should pick a job that makes more money, like a lawyer or doctor.  Will he do what the Lord wants, or will he follow his father’s directives, or give in to his mother’s tears?  Who does he love more?  We cannot truly be a disciple unless we place Jesus as our top priority, which might very well upset family members.  We are not to love anyone more than Jesus.

Jesus tells us that we need to bear our cross and follow Him, otherwise we cannot be His disciple (vs. 27).  This means dying to self, enduring persecution for His sake, and living sacrificially.  Carrying our cross symbolizes death to our former sinful lifestyle, and, if necessary, a willingness to die in order to remain faithful to Jesus.  True discipleship involves suffering and separation from the world (II Timothy 3:12).

The Lord then proceeded to give an example of someone deciding to build a tower (vs. 28-30).  A wise person would first check his bank account to see if he has enough money to cover the cost.  No one wants a half-built building that had to stop construction because of lack of money.  A second example is a king going to war with another kingdom (vs. 31-32).  He needs to consider beforehand whether his army can defeat the other.  Salvation is free, however discipleship is costly.  Many people make a profession of faith, but then fall away when trials come.  This passage urges people to give serious self-examination before committing.

Jesus finishes His teaching with the statement that whoever does not forsake everything that he has, he cannot be His disciple (vs 33).  This is a call for total surrender.  Nothing - neither our possessions, ambitions, or any relationships, can be held back.  This is a tough call, but Jesus does not want any half-hearted disciples with divided loyalties.  We cannot serve both God and our belongings, desires, or relationships (Matthew 6:24).

Have we submitted to Jesus’ authority in our life?  Discipleship demands a break from all worldly values.  If we want to be a genuine disciple of the Lord we must crucify our flesh every day (Galatians 2:20).  It is a lifelong commitment which requires endurance (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Have you counted the cost of being a true disciple of Jesus, and are you ready and willing to make a total commitment to Him?  This is a difficult Scripture for some.  The Lord Jesus did not make His message more appealing in order to gain a larger following.  There is a high cost of discipleship.  However, it is worth it in the end when we hear Him say “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

A Life Turned Around

Philemon 1:1-25

If someone has done you a wrong, and then you are told that they have completely repented and changed their ways, are you willing to forgive them?  Sometimes it is difficult to do so, and it may be difficult to believe that they have truly changed, especially if such behavior has been a long pattern with them.  What if you were the wrongdoer?  You might be afraid to face the person you wronged for fear of some type of punishment.  Today’s Scripture, from one of the shortest books of the Bible, addresses these issues.  Let’s take a look.

As we begin our Scripture, it is important to get a little bit of background, which will help in understanding what had happened.  The Book of Philemon was written by the Apostle Paul.  At the time he was a prisoner in Rome for his faith in the Lord Jesus.  Philemon was a wealthy gentleman who lived in Colossae, an ancient city in western present-day Turkey.  The church of the Colossians met in his home, and he was a leader in that church.  The other person involved in this Scripture is Onesimus, a slave of Philemon’s, who had stolen from him and ran away, ending up in Rome and becoming acquainted with Paul.  (Slavery was very common in the Roman Empire, and probably the whole world at this time.)   Onesimus had likely known of, or been acquainted with Paul when the Apostle was ministering in Colossae at Philemon’s house.  When Onesimus heard he was imprisoned there, he came to see him.

It was during one of Onesimus’ probably several visits to Paul, that the Apostle led him to faith in Jesus as his Savior.  Onesimus knew that what he had done was wrong, and had repented of it.  Both he and Paul knew that he needed to make restitution.  However, Onesimus was understandably nervous and afraid to return.  The penalties for a runaway slave in the ancient Roman Empire were harsh, including sometimes the death penalty, and in addition to running away, Onesimus had stolen from Philemon.  But he knew he had to do what was right.

Paul decided he would send Philemon a personal letter that Onesimus would take with him when he returned.  In this letter, Paul commended Philemon’s strong Christian faith (vs. 4-7).  He was a pillar in the Colossian church, and he had great love for the believers there and elsewhere.  With that in mind, Paul appealed to Philemon to accept Onesimus back with love, rather than with punishment (vs. 8-16).  He told him that while Onesimus had been there in Rome, he had led him to salvation in the Lord.  Paul could have used his position as an Apostle, and told Philemon that as a Christian and leader of the church there, it was his duty to receive Onesimus back, but he preferred that he do this out of love, not out of duty.  He calls for Philemon to forgive and restore Onesimus, thus modeling Christlike love.

Paul then uses a little play on words (vs. 11).  The name Onesimus in the Greek means “profitable” or “useful”.  Onesimus was really not very profitable for Philemon, as he not only ran away, but he had stolen from him, as well, possibly a large amount, as he would have needed money to travel and then provide for himself while in Rome.  However, Paul stated that now that he was a believer he was a new man (II Corinthians 5:17).  Onesimus was helpful and useful to Paul while he was in Rome, and that he will be to Philemon if he receives him back with forgiveness and love.  Onesimus is not just a returning slave, but is now a beloved brother in the Lord (vs. 16).

The Apostle also offers to pay back whatever Onesimus owed to Philemon (vs. 17-21), even though he reminded Philemon that he was the one who had led him to the Lord, and thus had a spiritual debt.  Paul’s willingness to pay that debt reflects the Gospel message.  Jesus paid our debt in full.  This shows grace in action.

In closing, how can we apply these lessons to our life now in the 21st century?  The first is that we need to forgive others just as Jesus forgave us.  Even when someone has wronged us, believers are called to extend grace.  That is what Paul was instructing Philemon to do for Onesimus.  We can also help bring about reconciliation among believers.  Paul desired that there be a loving reconciliation between Philemon and Onesimus, now that Onesimus was a believer.  As Christians we can pray for, and help where we can to bring restoration in relationships.  Lastly, we should remember that no one is beyond the reach of the Gospel.  It doesn’t matter what the person did, even the worst murderer, serial killer, war criminal, or child abuser, if they sincerely call upon the Lord Jesus as their Savior, they can and will be saved.  God’s love has no limits!

Do You Hear Me, God?

Psalm 10

Have you ever felt like God was ignoring you, that He was turning a deaf ear to your prayers?  Perhaps you felt like God was hiding from you, and that He was too far away to be bothered with you.  Many Christians, at one time or another, have probably felt that way.  They have felt that their prayers got no further than the ceiling.  Some believers have been in such a desperate situation that they felt as if God had abandoned them.  Our psalm for this week speaks of feelings like that, and how their trust in the truth about God brought them out of such thoughts.

Psalm 10 is another “orphan” psalm, meaning that its author is unknown.  We don’t know any specifics about what brought on his feelings of despair, but we can sense that things just weren’t going well for him in his life right then.  And to make matters worse, the psalmist looks around and he sees how his wicked, unbelieving neighbors seem to be prospering.  Everything they do seems to go fine, all they touch seems to turn to gold, while his life is a mess.  He prays and prays but God does not seem to listen.  God is seemingly blessing the wicked, while he, a righteous believer, is struggling just to get by.  However, as the psalmist contemplates the matter more thoroughly, he remembers that God is a just God, that He is sovereign, that He does hear his prayers, and cares for the oppressed, even when it might not immediately look like it.

As our psalm opens, the psalmist begins with a cry of confusion (vs. 1).   As mentioned earlier, this is something that most of us have felt at some point in our life.  Why does God seem so distant in my troubles?  This was the cry of Job throughout his whole book.  It is very possible that at some points during his years of oppression, that Joseph in the Book of Genesis might have wondered where God was.  Even the Lord Jesus, as He hung on the cross, cried out, feeling forsaken by God (Matthew 27:46).  Each one, though, knew in their heart that God had not abandoned them.  God’s seeming absence is never actual.  His presence is constant, even when hidden from sight (Hebrews 13:5).  In these times our faith needs to override our feelings.  Cling to God’s promises, not our perceptions.

Next, our psalmist goes on to describe the wicked person, one who is not a believer, nor following the Lord and His Word (vs. 2-11).  He paints a vivid portrait of such a person.  In these verses he catalogs their arrogance, their violence, and the deceit of these ungodly people.  They exploit the poor, deny any accountability for their actions, and they mock God and His justice.

These wicked people are filled with pride (vs. 4).  Pride is at the root of their rebellion against God.  Because they are filled with pride and are so full of themselves, they have never even considered turning to God or seeking after Him.  Thoughts of God do not even cross their mind.  Instead, they spend their time thinking of ways to oppress and prey on the vulnerable (vs. 8-10).  Then they turn around with words of blasphemy, claiming that God does not see, nor will He judge their actions (vs. 11).

Our psalmist sees all of this, and of course, we know that God sees this, as well.  The psalmist proceeds to pray for justice to be done (vs. 12-15).  Instead of spending his time lamenting his poor condition, he turns to intercession for what he sees going on in the world around him.  Knowing that God is a God of justice, he calls on Him to act.  God hears the prayers and cries of the righteous, especially when injustice is being done.  His justice may be delayed, but it is never denied (II Peter 3:9).  Knowing this, we should always pray boldly.  God wants His people to seek His intervention when evil is being done.

Our psalm ends with the psalmist reassured that God is still on His throne and in control (vs. 16-18).  We know that God still reigns throughout the earth, and He still cares for the afflicted.  He still defends the fatherless and the oppressed.  Even when injustice seemingly abounds, we can trust in the righteousness of God, knowing that the time is soon coming when He will judge the wicked.

As we close, we should always remember that if we have accepted the Lord Jesus as our Savior, we are never abandoned by God, even when in any given circumstance we might feel alone.  God is always working behind the scenes.  When it looks like the wicked are prospering, remember, that is only temporary, and they will be judged by the Lord.  Also, remember that prayer is powerful, and as believers, we need to constantly avail ourselves of that.  God does hear our prayers.  He is eternal and sovereign, and will defend His children.

Choosing Life or Death

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Everyone’s life is filled with decisions they must make.  Most are not life or death decisions.  Some are rather insignificant, such as decisions about what to eat, what to wear, what to do over the coming weekend.  Others are much more important, such as whether or not to go to college, what career to pursue, who to marry, where to live.  Though extremely important, they are still not life or death decisions.  They will not affect you into eternity.  Each of us will have to make a few life and death decisions throughout the course of our life.  With that in mind, let’s look at our Scripture today where God’s Word instructs us on such decisions.

The Book of Deuteronomy was the final message that Moses gave to the people of Israel, right before they were to enter and take possession of the Promised Land, and right before his death.  In it he restated some of the Laws given previously, and now that the book is coming to a close, Moses had several very important words to leave the people, and this was one.  Moses stated that the people had a very important decision to make, one that had to be made.  It was a clear choice: life or death, blessing or cursing.  The decision hinged on obedience to God’s commandments and loyalty to Him alone, or to decide to disobey along with betraying and be disloyal to Him.

As our Scripture begins, Moses laid out before the people a very clear choice they had to make, a choice that we in our lives today must make, as well (vs. 15).  It is a clear choice, as there are no gray areas here.  Obedience to God will lead to life and blessings, whereas disobedience to Him and His Word will lead to death and judgment.  There are some decisions that we make that do have divine consequences.  This is one of the most important ones, and one that we all have to make in our lives.

God’s Word instructs us here that if we choose life and goodness, we need to love God (vs. 16).  Loving God involves walking in His ways and keeping His commandments.  We cannot possibly truly and honestly say that we love God if we disobey His Word, found in the Bible.  Many people claim to love God, but pick and choose what they want to obey from the Bible.  Jesus stated very plainly that if you love Him you will obey His commandments (John 14:15).  Loving God leads to walking in His ways and keeping His commandments.

Moses then warned the people about turning their hearts away from God (vs. 17).  Apostasy begins in the heart.  Turning from God to serve other gods is spiritual adultery.  This includes mixing the worship of Yahweh with that of other religions.  Later, throughout the Old Testament, we see how the people turned to worshiping the pagan idols of neighboring countries.  Some completely abandoned Yahweh, however many just mixed the worship of Him with other pagan gods.  That was no better, as God abhors that just as much.  God does not want us to mix in any other religious beliefs with our Christianity.  He does not want us to sprinkle in a little Buddhism or New Age paganism, or anything else with our Christianity.  Compromise is also spiritual adultery.

God’s judgment is certain for those who reject His covenant (vs. 18).  When this verse said we would “perish” if we turned away from Him, it didn’t only mean physical death, but it also includes spiritual death, separation from God in torment for eternity.  We see the seriousness of sin and the justice of God.

Just as Moses set the choice before the Hebrew people, God sets the same choice before us (vs. 19-20).  We have the choice of life or death, blessing or cursing.  The whole universe is our witness to the choice we will make.  The choice is urgent and it is public.  We are urged to choose life.  It is a divine plea to each of us.  The choice will both affect us for all of eternity, and it will also affect our descendants for generations.  We are called to cling to the Lord God, for He is our life.  He is not only the giver of our life, He is life itself, and abiding in Him is the only way to truly live.

God has given each of us the ability to make our own choice.  Our decision is not forced upon us.  However, God holds each of us accountable for the choice we make.  To choose to obey God is not a drudgery.  There are innumerable and countless blessings tied to being obedient to God and His Word.  It is life or death, good or evil.  God’s standards are clear and unchanging

Do we want the blessed, holy, and eternal life?  Or do we want the sinful life of evil that brings death?  We must decide whether we want to choose eternal life, to hear the Voice of the Lord and live a holy, set-apart life.  It is up to us to choose life or death, blessings or curses.

The Highest or Lowest Seat

Luke 14:1, 7-14

A businessman goes to attend a business meeting, and he sees the seats at the long table, right by the speaker’s seat.  They are empty, so he scurries to grab one of them.  He wants to be seen sitting right near the speaker, even though his role in this particular project was rather small.  As more and more people enter, he smiles, quite content with himself.  A few minutes later, though, he is asked to give up his seat, as it is reserved for a more important man on the project.  So this fellow now has to seek out, with much embarrassment, one of the last remaining seats in the room.

In another conference room a similar business meeting is going on.  In this one, seated in the back corner sits a gentleman.  Shortly after the start of the meeting, the speaker asks him to step forward and take a seat right next to him.  As he approaches, people nod with commendatory comments.  We don’t even need to ask which situation you would rather be in.  Our Gospel reading for today speaks of similar situations.  Let’s see what Jesus had to say about these scenarios.

As we open the Scripture passage, Jesus had been invited to a Sabbath dinner at a Pharisee’s home (vs. 1).  Even though many of the Pharisees openly opposed His ministry, and tried to trap Him as they were here, Jesus always accepted their invitations.  This gave Him more opportunities to speak the truth of the Gospel to them, and try to reach their hardened hearts.  We, too, should not isolate ourselves from the lost or deceived.  As Jesus said, we are to be salt and light to the lost.

As more guests arrived, and people were preparing for the meal to begin, Jesus noticed how they all scrambled to get the best seats at the table (vs. 7).  No one wanted to sit far from the host.  Everyone wanted seats of honor.  Jesus then told a brief parable of how it is better to first sit in a lower seat and have the host honor you by calling you forward to have a better seat, than to have the host request you give up your nice seat for someone else, and you have to move to a lower seat (vs. 8-11).

Pride can cause people to do some shocking things.  Imagine attending a wedding reception, and some random guest just decides that he wants to sit at the head table with the bride and groom!  Or some ordinary person at a State banquet just decides that he wants to sit at the seat right next to the President!  You or I would never think to do that, but some egotistical person, filled with pride might.  Pride is the root of so many different sins.

Jesus taught that true honor comes from God, not from our self-promotion.  His words are also reminiscent of a statement of Solomon in Proverbs 16:18.   The world is always striving for the highest positions.  And ambition, even if it is achieved by trampling over others, is esteemed.  Believers, though, should reject such thinking.  God will rightly honor those who serve quietly and faithfully.

Jesus then concluded His short parable by stating that if we give a nice dinner party, we shouldn’t invite those who can reciprocate by inviting us to their nice dinner parties.  Instead, we should invite those who can’t, such as the poor, the sick, those with disabilities (vs 12-14).  That way, instead of being invited to more dinner parties, God will give us His blessings in heaven.  Are you always looking to be repaid for everything that you do?  If you know that someone can’t or won’t invite you to her party, do you avoid inviting her to yours?  Jesus said that instead of spending your time picking who from the society people to invite, do some good for the poor and vulnerable.  That is where you’ll find God’s blessings.

This Scripture passage reflects the heart of God’s grace.  Salvation is not earned or repaid.  It is freely given to the undeserving (Ephesians 2:8-9).  Our homes and hearts should be open to those in need.  Hospitality is not a social strategy, but it is a spiritual discipline (Romans 12:13).

In closing, we need to remember that entry into God’s Kingdom is by grace and not by status.  Being concerned by one’s status will often lead to sinful pride.  As God’s Word states, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).  Don’t be obsessed with status and self-glory, but instead reach out to the poor, the broken, and the lost, showing them the love of Jesus and His message of salvation.