What Does God Want From Us?

Micah 6:1-8

Going into a courtroom can often be an intimidating and nerve-wracking experience, especially if one is involved in a legal case.  Thankfully my experiences with any courtrooms have only been watching legal dramas on TV!  There have been a few times in Scripture where God has summoned His people into His divine courtroom, as He has a case against them.  Today’s Scripture from the Book of Micah is one of those passages.  Let’s see what the prophet Micah has to say.

Micah was a prophet in the southern Kingdom of Judah, and his ministry was from approximately 740 - 698 BC, and he was a contemporary of fellow prophets Isaiah, Amos, and Hosea.  Like his fellow prophets, he sought to call them back into a faithful relationship with Yahweh before irreversible judgment would fall.  In our passage today Micah gives a clear statement of what God truly desires from His people.

As our Scripture opens, we find ourselves in a courtroom as God is summoning His people to court.  God is not the one on trial.  Israel is.  But He graciously invited them to hear His case.  God is both judge and prosecutor.  He accused the people of being unfaithful to the covenant that they had made with Him.  Then the Lord called upon the mountains and hills as both an audience and as witnesses, waiting to hear the Lord’s accusations (vs. 1-2).  These ancient, immovable elements have “seen” Israel’s history.  They have been silent witnesses over the centuries of the many times that the people have turned aside and worshiped the pagan idols of the neighboring people.  They have seen how they have repeatedly broken His laws.  Furthermore, the mountains and foundations of the earth cannot be bribed or swayed as human witnesses often were.  The people's rebellion against Yahweh was not hidden.  Creation itself would testify against them.

God then asked the people a question - what have I done to you, that you have turned against Me?  (vs. 3).  He has been nothing but a kind, loving, generous, and forgiving God to them!  He reminded the people of how He had redeemed them from slavery in Egypt, gave them good, strong leaders, turned curses into blessings, and led them to the Promised Land (vs. 4-5).  God has only done good for them.  The fact that they turned away to paganism was not because of God’s failure to be a good God to them, but because of their own unfaithfulness.

God could ask the same question to us today.  “What have I done to you to make you turn away from Me?”  He could list countless blessings that He has bestowed upon us - life, health, daily provisions, etc. etc.  And yet we have strayed away from the Lord.  We don’t read our Bibles or worship Him as we should.  We disobey His Word, and instead choose to follow what the world says is right.

Israel responded to God’s accusations by bringing more and more offerings and sacrifices to the Temple (vs. 6-7).  They brought burnt offerings and sacrifices of thousands of rams and calves, and gallons upon gallons of oil.  They even considered offering something that the Lord actually forbade, that of the sacrifice of their firstborn.  They assumed that God wanted more “religion”, more ritual, and more sacrifices.  However God is not interested in external performances, or empty ceremonies, or lavish offerings without our obedience.  This is exactly what God said to King Saul when he brought sacrifices to the Lord, but continued to repeatedly disobey His commands (I Samuel 15:22).  To obey is better than sacrifice.

So what does God want from us?  The correct answer would be that He wants your heart (vs. 8).  God’s requirements are not hidden or mysterious.  He wants us to do justly.  We need to live our lives with integrity and to treat others fairly.  When we uphold righteousness in our daily life we reflect God’s own justice.

He also wants us to be merciful to others.  A Christian should delight in being kind, forgiving, and compassionate to others.  I know that I need all of the mercy I can get.  So if I want mercy for myself, I had better give mercy to others, as well (Matthew 5:7).  Lastly Micah said that God wants us to walk humbly with Him.  We should live in continual dependence on Him, rejecting pride and self-sufficiency, and having a personal relationship with Jesus.  This is not a verse that points to salvation by works.  Instead it describes the fruit of a heart that already has a saving relationship with Jesus, a natural outflow of a redeemed life.

In closing, let us examine our hearts to see if we are solely basing our relationship with God on empty rituals.  Attending church, giving, and acts of service do not please God if our heart is cold.  We should be treating our family, co-workers, and neighbors with fairness and honesty.  We also should look for opportunities to forgive, encourage others, and show kindness to those who may not deserve it.  Also, a humble walk with God keeps everything in balance.  Israel had forgotten about God’s goodness.  Let’s remember each day God’s faithfulness to us.

Jesus Preached Repentance

Matthew 4:12-23

Repent!  That is one of two subjects covered in our Scripture today.  Repent?  You might say to yourself that you thought today’s Scripture was from the Gospels, not the Old Testament, where that word is a much more common subject.  Or you might think that this is another message about John the Baptist, who frequently preached on that subject.  This is instead a message about the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.  But if this is a message about Jesus, people today think that it should then be all about love, mercy, and warm, fuzzy feelings.  At least that is what so many preachers today solely equate Jesus with, not telling people to repent.  Let’s look into the Bible and see what God’s Word has to say.

Our Scripture begins shortly after Jesus’ baptism, as He begins His ministry.  John the Baptist was recently arrested and put in prison (vs. 12).  He was arrested because he spoke out against some sinful behavior that King Herod was involved in, and then he was later executed.  Jesus departed from Judea, where John the Baptist had been, and He traveled north into Galilee (vs. 13-16).  He didn’t leave Judea out of fear of also being arrested.  His movements were in accordance with God’s timetable.  This was in fulfillment of prophecy (Isaiah 9:1-2).  Isaiah had foretold that light would dawn in “Galilee of the Gentiles”.  Jesus’ ministry began precisely where God said the Messianic light would shine.

Galilee was the territory in the north of Israel, and it was considered spiritually dark, as when the kingdom of Israel split shortly after the death of King Solomon, the northern kingdom descended into deep idolatry almost immediately, and never really turned from that.  Now at this time it was heavily influenced by Gentiles.   The people of Judea looked down on them for that, and also because they felt intellectually superior, as well.  However, those were exactly the people that Jesus wanted to minister to first, not in Jerusalem’s religious center, but in a region considered spiritually insignificant.  God chose a spiritually neglected region as the first to receive the Messiah’s ministry, bringing revelation, truth, and salvation to those sitting in darkness.

And what was Jesus’ first message?  It wasn’t some “feel good about yourself” message like many today preach about.  It was a subject that too many preachers actively avoid, it was a message of repentance (vs. 17).  Repentance is not optional.  It is the necessary response to God’s rule.  Repentance is turning from sin and one’s sinful lifestyle towards God.  Jesus felt that the message of repentance was so important that it was the first one that He preached to the people.

Sin and repentance are essential elements of the Gospel.  Not only did Jesus preach repentance at the start of His ministry, He also instructed His disciples, which also includes us, to preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 24:46-47).  The Gospel message is not to feel good about yourself because God loves you.  It is realizing that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, to repent, and turn to Him.  Repentance is a non-negotiable step in salvation.  Some teach a false doctrine that Jesus forgives and saves everyone whether they repent or not.  However this is a false and ultimately damning teaching.

As Jesus proceeded with His ministry in Galilee, which we see emphasized repentance, He began to call men to join Him as His disciples (vs. 18-22).  The first two He called were Peter and his brother Andrew, and then James and his brother John.  These were ordinary men.  They were fishermen, not scholars who had advanced degrees in theology from universities.  They each responded immediately.  They didn’t tell Jesus that they would think about it and get back to Him.  They immediately dropped what they were doing to go and follow Him.  Discipleship often involves us forsaking some things in our life in order to follow Jesus.  It involves obedience, sacrifice, and prioritizing Jesus above all else.  Are we willing to leave some things behind and follow Jesus?

As we look at the last verse of our Scripture, we see that Jesus traveled throughout Galilee teaching, preaching, and healing (vs. 23).  He explained the Scriptures, proclaimed the Gospel, and called for a response from those who heard.  The healings Jesus performed authenticated His identity as the Messiah.

As we close this study, we must remember that any teaching that someone gives, any preaching we hear that minimizes repentance is not the Gospel that Jesus preached.  This is not something that we can overlook because it makes us uncomfortable.  As we saw, God chose Galilee to begin Jesus’ ministry because He delights in using the overlooked and ordinary.  He also chose ordinary men to join Him, and they obeyed immediately, wholeheartedly, and sacrificially.  When we respond to Jesus’ call in our life, we should respond in a like manner as we join others in being fishers of men.

Jesus Christ, Not Men

I Corinthians 1:10-17

Last week the Lectionary from the Book of Common Prayer had us look at the opening verses of St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church.  We saw that though they were a large and flourishing church, blessed with many spiritual gifts, they still had some sinful behaviors that they needed to deal with.  Today’s Scripture continues in the first chapter of I Corinthians, and we’ll take a look at one of those sins, that of lack of unity among these believers, and also the danger of elevating any human leader above the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul first came to the city of Corinth around 50-52 AD, and he remained there about eighteen months, establishing a church while there.  However, after he left, factions or opposing groups arose among the believers, leading to division.  One thing that caused some division was that various church members divided themselves into separate groups based on their loyalty to various teachers.  When Paul heard about this, he wrote this letter.  He knew that unity in doctrine and devotion to Christ is essential for a good and godly church.

Knowing how important unity is within a church, the apostle pleaded with them to listen to and heed his message (vs. 10).  He reminded the church here that he spoke in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, with Christ’s authority.  There are three important aspects of unity that Paul brings out here, which hold not only for the ancient Corinthian church, but also for the Christian church today.  First, the church should speak the same thing, there should be doctrinal agreement among the members.   There should be no divisions, no schisms, factions, or partisan spirit.  And Paul stresses that church members should be perfectly joined together, with restored and aligned thinking.

What is very important to remember is that unity must be based upon truth, and not upon compromise.  Too often today those in the church speak about wanting unity, and they are willing to compromise doctrine and Biblical truth in order to have that unity.  That is not the type of unity Paul was speaking about, nor what the Lord wants.  The Bible tells us to separate from those who do not hold to the truth.  Biblical unity is doctrinal unity.

Another problem in the early Corinthian church was various members dividing themselves into groups, one following this leader and another following a different leader.  Paul listed four different groups who were each following after a different church leader (vs. 12).  There were some who said they followed Paul, who were loyal to the founder of the church.  There were some who followed Apollos, who was an early pastor there after Paul left, and a very eloquent teacher.  There were some who said they followed Cephas (Peter), loyal to the apostolic Jewish leader.  Lastly Paul mentions that some said they followed Christ, which is what all believers should be doing.  We should never become so attached to a pastor, a teacher, a televangelist, or Christian author that we raise them to an almost worshipful status.  Even good leaders can become idols when they are elevated above Jesus.  And if they start getting too full of themselves, then it is so easy for them to fall into other sins or false teachings.

Paul continued by asking the Corinthians three rhetorical questions that when thought about should show them that their divisions were wrong (vs. 13).  First was “Is Christ divided?”  That is impossible.  Christ is One.  His Body, the Church, must reflect that unity.  Next “Was Paul crucified for you?”  Only Jesus died for sinners, not Paul or any other favorite leader, past or present.  Then “Were you baptized in the name of Paul?”  Baptism identifies believers with Jesus, not any human leader.

The apostle then was thankful to God that he only baptized a few new Christians (vs. 14-16).  This wasn’t because he felt that baptism was unimportant, but because it prevented anyone from claiming special status.  It also would help in keeping the focus solely on Christ, and not on Paul.  He had a mission from God, and that was not to be baptizing, but to preach the Gospel (vs. 17).  And his preaching was not with fancy Greek rhetoric or philosophical flourishes, but strictly preaching the Gospel message that Jesus was crucified for our sins.  The power is in the message of the cross, not in the skill of the messenger.

As we look back over these verses, we can see what still holds importance for today, and that is that Jesus Christ, alone, is the Head of the Church.  Any elevation of human leaders undermines His rightful place.  No matter how beloved your pastor or priest may be, or how great you find some particular Christian author, they are not to take Jesus’ place.  Also, when seeking for unity among churches and denominations, we must never compromise on Biblical truth and doctrine.

Finally, we must always remember to keep the cross of Christ central in our church, in our ministry, our evangelism, and our teaching.  Some may like to listen to very intellectual and sophisticated preaching, but human eloquence can obscure the Cross.  The Gospel’s power is in its truth, not in rhetorical polish.

Omniscient, Omnipresent, and Omnipotent

Psalm 139

Does the thought of someone knowing everything there is about you, and always being with you something that you don’t want to hear or know about, or does it bring you peace?  Today’s psalm is one of several favorites that I have from the Book of Psalms, and one that should bring comfort and peace to believers, but is also one that might bring discomfort to those who do not have or want God in their lives.  Let’s take a look at this beautiful psalm of David, where we see God’s omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, and His righteous judgment.

Psalm 139 can be broken up into about five segments, each one highlighting a different aspect of God.  The first segment, in verses 1-6, shows us God’s omniscience.  He knows everything about each one of us completely.  He knows our actions, our thoughts, the motives behind everything we do, the words we speak, and even our unspoken intentions.  God knows us better than we know ourselves.  When David says that God knows our thoughts “afar off” (vs. 2), it means that He knows our thoughts before they even form.  He knows every word we will speak before it is even spoken (vs. 4).  God surrounds us with His protective presence.

His omniscience, His knowledge of us, is absolute (Hebrews 4:13).  This knowledge should be comforting to all those who have put their trust in Jesus.  Knowing that God knows everything about us should bring the believer peace, as He understands us when others don’t.  However, this can be terrifying to the unrepentant sinner.  We cannot hide anything from God.  Knowing that, we should walk in honesty and have a quick confession when we fall into sin.

The second segment shows us God’s omnipresence  He is with us everywhere we go (vs. 7-12).  There is no escaping from God’s presence.  There is nowhere we can hide from Him.  He is everywhere (Jeremiah 23:23-24).  The highest place on earth is Mt. Everest at 29,032’.  The deepest spot in the ocean is the Mariana Trench at 36,200’.  The remote island on earth is Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic Ocean, 1,750 miles from South Africa and over 2,000 miles from South America.  Yet if we went to any of these places, God would be there with us.  Even in the deepest darkness we cannot hide from Him (vs. 11-12).  We cannot run away from God, as Jonah found out.  This should bring comfort to the Christian, knowing that God is with us in all of our trials.  Whenever we feel lonely or we feel afraid, we can know that He is there.  We can also trust that God is with our loved ones when we are apart.

We next look at the third segment, which shows God’s creative power, and how He made each of us with a purpose (vs. 13-16).  God formed every part of us - body, soul, and personality.  He created each of us unique, with distinct fingerprints, voice patterns, retinal prints, and DNA.  No one has or ever will be exactly like another.  He knows the number of hairs on our head (Matthew 10:29-30), and our name is engraved on the palm of His hand (Isaiah 49:16).  We are “fearfully and wonderfully made (vs. 14).

This passage is foundational for the sanctity of life.  Human life begins in the womb and is sacred because God is the Creator.  It is not just a blob of cells, but is human life that God knit or wove together as delicate and intentional craftsmanship.  He ordained our days before we lived a single one (vs. 16).  Our life has purpose because God designed it, and we can trust Him with our future.

Next we see God’s righteous judgment, and how He opposes the wicked (vs. 17-22).  A believer in the Lord Jesus should always align themselves with God’s holiness, and also oppose what He opposes.  David expressed his righteous indignation towards those who hate God.  This is not personal vengeance.  Instead, it is loyalty to God’s holiness.  Hatred of evil is part of loving God (Romans 12:9).  Christians should guard their hearts from compromise with wickedness.

The final segment shows us God’s sanctifying work (vs. 23-24).  The psalm ends where it began - with God searching the heart.  David wants God to expose any sin in his life and to lead him in holiness, on the path of obedience and eternal life.  We should regularly ask God to reveal any hidden sin we might have.  His goal is not condemnation but transformation.

As we close this beautiful psalm, we see that God knows us perfectly, is with us constantly, and who made us intentionally.  We also see that God judges wickedness righteously and when we come to Him, He will sanctify us lovingly.  Let this knowledge be a comfort and a blessing to you today.

When the Lion Roars

Amos 3:1-8

When somebody important or official speaks, it is always wise to listen to what they have to say.  When the meteorologist gives an important weather warning, we really ought to listen and take heed.  If the Highway Patrol gives us a warning about road conditions ahead, it is wise to listen to that, too.  And we know that we need to pay attention to any doctor or medical warnings.  What about messages and warnings from God?  How often do we pay attention to them?  Or do we think that because we are already saved, we don’t need to be too concerned with them?   The prophet Amos has an answer to that in our Scripture today, one that teaches us how seriously God takes sin, especially among those who bear His Name.

The Book of Amos was written between 760 - 750 BC, during the reigns of King Uzziah of Judah and King Jeroboam II of Israel.  He had been a farmer and sheep herder in the southern Kingdom of Judah before the Lord called him to bring His message to the people of the northern Kingdom of Israel.  This was a time of great material prosperity in Israel, but also of great spiritual corruption, as their hearts were far from God.

As our Scripture begins, the Lord spoke His message to the people, reminding them of how He had brought them out of Egypt and made a covenant with them (vs. 1-2). They were a redeemed people, but because of that, they were accountable to Him.  God had chosen them and set them apart from others.  However, having that unique relationship with Him meant greater responsibility, not immunity to do as they chose.  How many times do people today think the same thing?  They feel that they are saved, and that God loves them no matter what, so they can live as they choose.  God’s holiness demands that His people walk in obedience to His Word.  Privilege without obedience invites His discipline, as both Israel and Judah would come to see.

Next, Amos asked the readers seven rhetorical questions in order to show that effects have causes (vs. 3-6).  There is nothing that happens just randomly.  The first question he asked is whether two people can walk together unless they are agreed (vs. 3).   If one is going to have a good and harmonious relationship with another, there must be shared belief and purpose.  They must be in agreement with each other.  Israel, and today with Christians, they cannot claim fellowship with God while they are walking in rebellion to Him.

Amos next spoke of lions, as they will roar when prey is near, and the young lion cubs will growl with satisfaction when they have their food (vs. 4).  The prophet is letting us know that God’s warnings (His roar) indicate that real judgment is coming.

A trap doesn’t spring without a reason (vs. 5).  It will snap when an animal or bird sets it off.  Israel’s calamities are not accidents.  They are God’s response to sin.  In ancient times a trumpet was blown on the city walls to warn of impending danger (vs 6).  Today we use loud sirens in our cities.  When we hear them we know it is some type of warning, sometimes weather related, or in some countries a warning of enemy attack.  Amos warned the people that if disaster comes to a city, it is because the Lord has allowed it.

God does not act in judgment without first giving us clear warning (vs. 7).  The prophets were God’s messengers.  They didn’t just make up what they said for fun.  God always sent His prophets before judgment, so Israel could not claim ignorance.  God’s Word, the Bible, is complete, it is sufficient, and it is inerrant.  It warns us plainly, and we are responsible to listen to and heed it.

Have you ever heard a lion roar?  I haven’t in real life, but I’ve seen videos of lions roaring.  God’s voice is like a lion’s roar (vs. 8). It is terrifying, authoritative, and unavoidable.  When God speaks, His prophets must speak.  Amos did not preach because he wanted to.  He was compelled by the Spirit of God.  When God warns, His people need to respond.

God graciously warns before He judges. His Word is both merciful and authoritative.  The lion’s roar means judgment is not hypothetical, it is imminent.  Believers today must not take God’s grace lightly.  We cannot walk with Him while clinging to sin, to compromise, or worldliness.  God still warns us through His Word.  Every warning passage in Scripture is an act of His mercy.

Behold the Lamb of God

John 1:29-41

Many young children love to go to petting zoos, where they can get up close to the animals there.  When my children, who are now both adults, were younger we would often go.  A favorite animal were the little lambs, with their white curly coats and cute faces.  Who couldn’t love a little lamb!  When we think of lambs in the Bible, we often think of one being protected and cared for by a shepherd.  However, there is another picture of a lamb that is not as pleasant, certainly not for the lamb.  Our Scripture today from the second half of the first chapter of the Gospel of John will touch on this.  Let’s see what God’s Word has to say.

As our Scripture opens, we meet John the Baptist.  He had just recently baptized Jesus, and now he pointed Him out to his own disciples as the Lamb of God who will take away the sins of the world (vs. 29).  Many people today like to call Jesus a good teacher, or even a prophet.  Though He is those things, He is much, much more.  He is the Lamb of God.  What, you might ask, does that mean?  This is a title that is loaded with Old Testament meaning.  Going back to the earliest chapters of the Bible, God required a substitutionary sin sacrifice.  God required that man bring a blood sacrifice, usually a lamb or young goat, to be an atonement for sins.  That animal was sacrificed, his blood in payment for our sins.  This was what John the Baptist called the Lord Jesus.  His Blood was the substitutionary atonement for our sin, the once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10-14).

As John spoke, he said “takes away”, which is the present tense.  Jesus’ work is effective, ongoing, and sufficient.  This opening verse affirms the heart of the Gospel - salvation is through the shed Blood of Jesus Christ alone, not through any human merit.  Every believer’s hope rests on Jesus, the Lamb of God.

John continued to bear witness to the Lord Jesus as God’s Messiah, and our substitutionary Lamb.  He stated that Jesus was before him (vs. 30).  This might seem puzzling, as John the Baptist was about six months older than Jesus.  Yet Jesus was before him, as He existed eternally (John 1:1-3).  This is a clear affirmation of Jesus Christ’s deity.  John’s testimony is unambiguous - Jesus is the divine Son, the promised Messiah (vs. 34).

After this, John the Baptist willingly directed his own followers to now follow Jesus (vs. 35-37).  Like John, Christians today are called to point others to Jesus, not to themselves.  A true and faithful servant of the Lord wants others to look towards Jesus, not towards themselves.  Their ministry will exalt the Son.  Immediately two of John’s disciples left to follow Jesus, which was only right and proper.  One was Andrew, and the other was unnamed, but possibly the apostle John.

As these two joined up with Jesus, He asked them what they were seeking, what they were looking for (vs. 38).  Jesus then invited them into personal fellowship with Himself (vs. 39).  Christianity is not a bunch of rituals to follow, but is instead a relationship with God.  It is rooted in truth, grounded in Scripture, and centered on Jesus Christ.

As our Scripture passage ends, we see that Andrew brings his brother Peter to the Lord (vs. 40-41).  That is so important.  As soon as he knew that Jesus was the Messiah, Andrew wasn’t content to keep that information to himself.  Instead, he “first” found his brother Peter and told him about Jesus.  He wasn’t worried about being “proper”, about not talking about religion to others, as many people say one shouldn’t do.  No, Andrew’s all excited about what he has found, and wants others to share it too.  He knows that salvation is so eternally important that one cannot keep that to oneself.  Throughout the Gospel of John we see Andrew bringing others to Jesus.  He brought the young boy who had some fish and bread to Jesus (John 6:8-9), and later he brought some Greeks who wanted to meet Jesus, and he brought them to Him, as well (John 12:20-22).

What important messages does God have in this Scripture passage?   First, that Jesus is the Lamb of God.  It’s not the picture of the cute and cuddly wooly lamb, but instead the Lamb sacrificed in substitutionary atonement for the sins of the world.  He is also the eternal, divine Son of God.  As we seek the truth, Jesus invites us into personal fellowship with Himself.  And once we have come to know the truth, and have found salvation through the Blood of the Lamb, we need to be sure and tell others about Jesus, just as Andrew did.

Keep your eyes fixed on the Lamb.  Your assurance, identity, and hope rest in His finished work, not in your performance.  We should also follow the example of two believers here.  We should be like John the Baptist, and point others to Jesus, not to ourselves.  We should also follow the example of the Apostle Andrew, and bring others, our family, our friends, and our neighbors, to Jesus.

A Struggling Church

I Corinthians 1:1-9

Have you ever known someone who was attempting to do something great, but right from the start was making a mess of things?  They had a whole lot of potential, but they just kept tripping.  They needed someone to come alongside, help them get back on their feet, and get going in the right direction.  Perhaps this was an athlete, who with proper training, could do well.  Maybe it was a married couple who were having problems, but with proper counseling could have a great marriage.  Or a student, if only he would buckle down, could achieve much.  Then there was a church, which very early on fell into sin, divisions, doctrinal confusion, and misuse of spiritual gifts.  They desperately needed help or they would spiritually fail, and that is when the Apostle Paul stepped in to help this group of sinking Christians.

After having been run out of the city of Thessalonica and the smaller city of Berea, the Apostle Paul made his way down to Athens, and then shortly after, traveled into Corinth, a large, cosmopolitan harbor city.  He stayed there for about 1 ½ years, and established a large and thriving church, later returning several times.  That church, though, got off to a rather rocky start, falling into sin and dissension rather quickly after Paul left, necessitating the Apostle needing to write them several letters in order to help get the new Christians back on the right track.

As our Scripture opens, though Paul knows he needs to attempt to correct these problems, he doesn’t begin with a harsh rebuke.  Instead he gives a reminder to these believers of their identity in Jesus Christ, reaffirming their position in grace.  Paul begins by identifying himself as an apostle (vs. 1).  This was not a position that he sought for himself.  As a young man, he didn’t tell others he was going to be “an apostle” when he graduated.  This was a divinely appointed commission.  For those who questioned his authority to tell them how to behave as Christians, he reminded them that his authority was rooted in God’s sovereign choice, not his own.  His words would carry the weight of divine revelation.

Paul reminded these believers that they belonged to God, as all Christians do (vs. 2).  They didn’t “belong” to Paul, even though he established the church there, nor to Apollos, though he was an early pastor there.  And though they very quickly fell flat on their face in sin and division, they were still set apart and sanctified by the Lord Jesus, to be His saints, His holy ones.  Even though they weren’t acting like it now, that was their position in Christ.

Paul proceeded to thank this group of Christians (vs. 4).  Why would he do that, when their worldly and sinful behavior was a shame?  For one, he thanked that church and was grateful to them because that was one place where he had spent one of the longest times without being run out of town by either the Jews or the Gentiles.  They had welcomed him, provided for his needs, and had protected him from hostile persecution.  Paul was grateful.  He was also thankful to God for this church, as even though they were immature and carnal, he saw evidence of God’s grace.  He was grateful for God’s ongoing work in their lives.

This young church had many spiritual gifts among the members, such as teachers and preachers, those who understood doctrine, and those who spoke in tongues (vs. 5-7).  Their spiritual gifts validated the truth of the Gospel message that Paul had preached to them.  However, these very gifts that had been given were now being misused.  As was evident in the Corinthian church, the same is true today, that spiritual giftedness is not the same as spiritual maturity.

Not only were they blessed with spiritual gifts, this group of believers were living in the expectation of Christ’s imminent return.  Imminent means that it could happen at any time, that there is nothing in the way preventing it from happening. They knew that Jesus could return at any moment, and we today should know that even more so, and be living with that expectation.

Though this group had many who were living carnal, sinful lives, Paul reminded them that if they were truly saved, then the same God who called them would sustain them (vs. 8-9).  Their blamelessness was rooted in Jesus’ righteousness, not in their own personal performance.  God is faithful.  He called them into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ, and He will complete what He began.

As we look back at these opening verses of Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church, we see that, we as believers, are called to salvation, to sanctification or holy living, as well as to fellowship with the Lord, and to future glory.  Are we living that way, or are we living more like the Corinthian church was?  The gifts which God blesses His Church with are real, and important for the functioning of His Body, but they need to be governed by truth and love.  We need to remember that God is faithful, and guarantees the believer’s final preservation.  In closing, we must remember who we are in Christ.  We represent Him to the world.  We carry His Name.  Let us not make Him ashamed.  When we trip up, let’s get back on the right track.

Out of the Pit

Psalm 40:1-10

Have you ever been physically stuck somewhere?  Where I live we can get some very deep snow in the winter, and it’s easy for a car to get stuck in a snowdrift.  Or perhaps your car has gotten stuck in the mud.  I’ve seen videos of animals who have gotten stuck in a mud pit.  They thrash about frantically, but cannot get themselves free.  In our psalm today, David found himself caught in a pit.  Perhaps he was in a literal pit, or maybe it was a pit of trouble.  That is something most of us can relate to.  There is another type of pit that all of us have been in, and from which none of us can get out of unaided, and that is the pit of sin.  Like David, we need God to rescue us from that pit.  Let’s look at what we can learn from our psalm today.

As David begins this psalm, he finds himself caught in the pit, whether physically, figuratively, or spiritually.  He cried out to God for His help, but he had to wait for His answer (vs. 1).  No one likes to wait, especially if you are caught in a pit!  However, David waited patiently, and he was rewarded as God heard his cry and brought him out of the pit (vs. 2).  Sometimes we may feel that God has let us down because He does not provide an immediate answer to our prayer.  However, waiting for the Lord can transform us into a people of growing faith.  David grew into a man after God’s own heart by waiting on the Lord (Acts 13:22; I Samuel 13:14).  When we become frustrated with God’s apparent delay in answering our prayers, it is good to remember that He is interested in developing faith and perseverance in our character.

The original language here suggests that David waited and waited and waited for God to answer his prayer.  Yet as he looked back at this time of delay, he praised God.  God “inclined” to answer David.  Just as a parent does to a young child, God bent down and showed His mercy.  He hears His children.  Our prayers are not ignored, but are attended to by a personal, caring God.

The condition that David was in was definitely not a pleasant one.  It was horrible.  It was a miry pit, a muddy, slimy, mucky, filthy place.  That is not a pleasant place to be if we are in a literal pit like that, and it certainly isn’t when we are caught up in the filth of our own sins.  We are wallowing in our own desperation.  However, when we turn to God and call for His help, He brings us up out of that pit and sets our feet on solid rock (vs. 2).  He establishes our steps so that we don’t fall back into the mire.  Salvation is God’s work from start to finish.  He rescues us, stabilizes us, and guides our steps.

When God brought David deliverance from the pit, the first thing he did was to bring worship to the Lord (vs. 3).  He shared with others a testimony of God’s faithfulness.  It wasn’t some person who helped him, as no one can help us get out of our sin condition (vs. 4).  Our faith must be placed in God alone.  Trusting in human pride or false beliefs will only lead to ruin.

David then turns and acknowledges that God does not primarily desire sacrifices and offerings from His people.  Instead, God would rather have a servant who is ready to obey Him (vs. 6-8).  Rather than having a hypocritical “follower” who brings Him a burnt sacrifice, and then turns and does whatever they want, God wants someone who has an open ear to hear what He says, and has a heart aligned with His will, who delights in obeying His Word.  If we follow religious rituals without obeying the Bible, those rituals are just empty.

We see these verses quoted in Hebrews 10:5-10, and applied to the Lord Jesus.  He is the perfect obedient Servant who came to do the Father’s will, culminating in His once-for-all sacrifice.  Jesus fulfilled what the sacrificial system was pointing towards.  We need to ask ourselves - are we merely performing religious rituals, or are we obeying God and His Word from our heart?

As our Scripture passage closes, David reiterated again the need to give public testimony of God’s goodness (vs 9-10).   He will declare God’s righteousness and faithfulness.  He will tell others about His salvation, lovingkindness, and truth.  When the Lord brings us deliverance, whether it is physically rescuing us from a dangerous situation, or a figurative rescue from a distressing problem, or especially when He brings us salvation, we need to share that with others.  Salvation is God’s work!  He hears our prayers, lifts us up out of the pit, and sets us on His path.

The Second Servant Song

Isaiah 49:1-7

Today’s Scripture comes from the Book of Isaiah, and contains his second of four “Servant Songs”, songs or poems in the Old Testament book, describing the Servant of Yahweh, the Messiah.  This particular Servant Song speaks of the mission or work of the Messiah, from eternity past to His future glory.  As we look briefly into this Scripture, we will read of His divine calling, His mission both to Israel and also to the Gentiles, His apparent rejection, and then His ultimate vindication and glory.

Our Scripture begins with God calling His Servant, the Messiah, from before He was born (vs. 1).  There were several people throughout the Bible whom God had called before they were born, whom He had set apart for a specific task that He desired for them.  The prophet Jeremiah was one (Jeremiah 1:5).  The Apostle Paul was another (Galatians 1:15-16).  God knows each one of us from the moment of our conception, and even before then.  He knew each of us when we were being formed inside our mothers (Psalm 139:13-16).  Jesus was no different.  God had called Him from eternity past, from before He was conceived in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and set Him aside for His special mission as Savior, giving Him the Name of Jesus.  Christ’s mission was never an afterthought.  Redemption was planned from eternity.

As we read on, we see that God’s Words were spoken by the Messiah (vs. 2).  He placed His Words in His mouth.  The words that we speak can be powerful.   However, God’s Word is not just powerful, it is alive, and it is sharper than a two-edged sword, cutting deep within the heart and soul of those who hear it (Hebrews 4:12).  When Jesus came to earth, He didn’t bulldoze His way through the world as a political force.  Instead, His weapon is His Word, the Bible.  It is like the polished shaft of a javelin or spear, kept in perfect condition and ready to use.  Jesus’ ministry was perfectly aimed and perfectly timed.  The power of His ministry lies in the truth He speaks, and the Words of Jesus still pierce hearts today, turning lives around.

Jesus was the ideal Servant of God, fulfilling the Law perfectly, and through Him God is glorified.  However, from a human perspective it might look as if He failed in His mission (vs. 3-4).  Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth, but was rejected by the people He came to redeem (John 1:11).  From a human perspective, His ministry might seem to have been unsuccessful.  We need to remember, though, that faithfulness is not measured by visible results.  Jesus was faithful, and entrusted His work to the Father.  He models perfect trust in God’s plan.

The Servant’s first mission was to restore the nation of Israel to God (Matthew 15:24).  Though some did come to faith, Israel as a whole rejected their Messiah (vs. 5).  That rejection, though, did not cancel God’s plan.  God’s Servant is glorious in His eyes, and His mission cannot be diminished by human unbelief.  Even when people resist His purposes, those purposes and plans will never fail.  When the people of Israel rejected the Messiah, God expanded His mission to the Gentile nations (vs. 6).  The Gospel message is a global one, as Jesus is the only Savior for the whole world.

In our final verse, we see that God’s Holy One, the Redeemer, is despised by man and abhorred by the nations, but He is still God’s Servant (vs. 7).  Kings and princes, the rulers of the world, will see Him when He returns, and they will stand in awe.  They will know that the Lord Jesus is exalted, and though they have refused to willingly bow to Him, there is coming a day when they will be forced to bow their knee and confess Him as Lord (Philippians 2:9-11).  Their rejection of Jesus is temporary, but His glory is eternal.

This concludes God’s second Servant Song in Isaiah.  We have seen in this Scripture that Jesus was not merely a man chosen by God, He is the eternal Son sent by the Father.  He fulfilled His twofold mission of restoring Israel and bringing salvation to the Gentiles.  Though it might have looked like a less-than successful mission, as He was despised at His first coming, Jesus will be exalted at His second.  God’s plan is bigger than what we can initially see.  Jesus will be vindicated, and so will all those who put their faith and trust in Him.

The Baptism of Jesus

Matthew 3:13-17

Our Scripture for today, from the Lectionary of the Book of Common Prayer, tells of an important event in the life of the Lord Jesus, one that is among a small handful that was spoken of in all four Gospels.  This event was the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.  Not only does this event begin Jesus’ public ministry, it is also one of only a few times when God’s Voice is audibly heard as He publicly affirms His Son, and is also a key time when the Trinity is revealed.  Let’s take a look at our Scripture.

Jesus had spent the first thirty or so years of His life in the village of Nazareth, in Galilee, and the adult years working in His foster father Joseph’s carpentry shop, learning that trade.  It is believed that Joseph died before Jesus reached thirty, so He took over running the shop.  Jesus heard the Holy Spirit speak to Him, and He left Nazareth and headed south to the Jordan River, where John the Baptist’s ministry of preaching repentance and baptizing was underway.  Jesus came to the Jordan River to be baptized by John (vs. 13).  We have to wonder, though, why Jesus was baptized by John when his baptism was one of repentance from sin?  Jesus had no sin (Hebrews 4:15), so why would the sinless Son of God submit to a baptism meant for sinners?  That is the question we will answer here.

John the Baptist actually asked the same question (vs. 14).  He felt that Jesus should baptize him, not the other way around.  He recognized Jesus’ superiority and sinlessness, and knew he was unworthy.  Jesus, though, told John that His baptism would “fulfill all righteousness” (vs. 15).  What did that mean?

First, Jesus’ baptism was not about repentance but about identification.  Jesus identified with the very sinners that He came to save (Isaiah 53:12).  When He was baptized, He was not repenting of sin.  Instead, He was aligning Himself with the mission of bearing our sins.  Jesus stood in our place as the one Man who represents all humanity before God.  He is not a sinner, but we are.  He was baptized for our sake so that the blessings of baptism come to us.  Jesus, at His baptism, stands where sinners stand, not because He needs cleansing from sin, but because we do.

By being baptized, Jesus was also submitting to the Father’s will.  Jesus obeyed the Father perfectly in every detail (Psalm 40:7-8; John 8:29).  By being baptized by John, Jesus also affirmed that John the Baptist’s ministry was from God.

Next we read how as Jesus came out of the water, the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove (vs. 16).  This was a divine revelation for all to see.  The Holy Spirit descended like a dove, symbolizing purity, peace, and God’s approval of Jesus.  This is not Jesus becoming divine.  He has always been divine.  Instead, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus then, anointed Him for His Messianic work (Isaiah 61:1).

It was here that God the Father spoke in an audible Voice that those present actually heard (vs. 17).  He publicly affirmed Jesus’ identity.  He said that Jesus was His Son, and that He was well-pleased with Him.  What is very important in this Scripture passage is that the Trinity is unmistakably present.  God the Father audibly spoke.  God the Son is baptized and is acknowledged by the Father.  And the Holy Spirit comes down in the form of a dove.  This is a powerful refuting of the belief that God only exists as one singular person, but in different forms at different times (Modalism) and other anti-Trinitarian errors.  Instead, this is one of the clearest Trinitarian passages in Scripture, essential to orthodox Christianity.

Looking back over this passage, we learn that Jesus obeyed God the Father, even when John didn’t understand.  We need to always obey God’s Word, even when others might question us.  Jesus was baptized when He had no sins to confess in order to fully identify with sinners.  Now, all those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior, are identified with Him.  During His baptism the heavens were opened to Jesus then, and now they are opened to all who are saved.

The Salvation of the Gentile Cornelius

Acts 10:34-38

Our Scripture today highlights a very important event in the history of the Christian Church, that being when the Gospel message was officially and specifically opened to the Gentiles.  This was God’s plan all along, but how did it come about?   Today we’ll see how God has a heart for all nations and people of the world, and how the Gospel message is for everyone.

Acts chapter 10 takes place maybe about seven to ten years after the Resurrection and Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came down upon the disciples.  During that first decade of the early church, the disciples had openly witnessed to others, bringing the Gospel message of Jesus to their relatives, friends, and neighbors, however, only to other Jews.  Jesus had told His followers that they were to make disciples of all nations, not to just only other Jews (Matthew 28:19).   Now ten years had passed, and still the message was only going out to other Jews.  It seemed like God was going to have to step in in a dramatic way for this to happen, and that is exactly what He did.

The Apostle Peter was called by a group of believers to come to the coastal cities of Lydda and Joppa in order to pray for healing of some believers there.  It was while he was there that the Lord gave him a vision.  While waiting for lunch to be prepared, Peter saw a vision of a large cloth being lowered down containing all sorts of wild, unclean animals in it, and he was told to kill and eat (Acts 10:9-16).  Peter had never eaten anything unclean, so was reluctant to obey.  However, God told him not to call anything unclean that He had cleansed.  This vision was a prelude to Peter being called to the home of the centurion Cornelius to bring the Gospel message to Gentiles, people that many Jews considered “unclean”.

Not only was Peter very scrupulous about not eating any unclean food, he was also very diligent and careful about observing the Jewish custom of not ever entering the house of a Gentile, or eating with them.  God gave Peter that vision in order to emphasize to him that when He called something clean, it was clean, and not to call any person unclean.  So when Peter was called to a Gentile home to bring God’s message, he went.  What would he say to them, though?  No one had specifically witnessed to a Gentile before.  Should they be given a different message?  This was unknown territory for Peter.

Peter decided to just proceed to tell these people who were eager to hear God’s Word what he knew.  First was to let them know that God does not show partiality based on ethnicity, nationality, social status, or background (vs. 34).  God’s character is perfectly just and impartial.  Peter knew Jesus’ words of how they were to go into all nations bringing His message.  Today, though the Gospel has been preached all around the world, there are still those who cling to prejudice.  We need to remember that God does not have favorites, and no group is “less reachable” than any other.

Cornelius had long sought after God.  He feared God, seeking to know Him, and thus God led him to call Peter in order to hear the truth (vs. 35).  God will receive anyone who reverences Him and is humble before His majesty.  Though Cornelius lived a good life before the Lord, he still needed to hear the Gospel of Jesus in order to be saved.  No one, Jewish or Gentile, is saved by any good works.  No one can come to the Father except through Jesus.  God, though, recognizes genuine seekers and will draw them to the truth (John 6:44).

Being a Gentile, Cornelius may have had just a fleeting, passing knowledge of the Old Testament, if any at all. That would be in contrast to other people that Peter was used to witnessing to.  Most Jewish people knew their Scriptures to various degrees.  Peter may have been unsure of how to proceed.  He couldn’t just start quoting Old Testament prophecies, showing how Jesus had fulfilled this one and that one.  Instead, Peter began to tell of well-known historical events in the life of Jesus, beginning with John the Baptist’s ministry, then Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, and His works of healing and deliverance (vs. 36-38).

Peter spoke of how Jesus brought peace between God and man.  Peace with God is only through Jesus, not through religious rituals, through morality, or through tradition.  The events that Peter spoke of were not hidden, but were well known by anyone living in the area.  The miracles of Jesus authenticated His deity and His mission.  His ministry revealed the heart of God towards everyone, especially the broken and the afflicted.  Peter told Cornelius about the compassion of the Lord, and how He went about doing good to all, not just to the few, and that was because God was with Him.

Peter proceeded to witness to Cornelius, his family, and his friends, and as he spoke, the Holy Spirit came down upon them as they believed (Acts 10:44-48).  And though initially Peter was given a stern reprimand for this, just like Paul later was, this was the first chapter in the opening of the doors for Gentiles to come to salvation in the Lord Jesus, which was God’s plan all along.

Faithful to His Covenant

Psalm 89:19-29

We all like to see a promise made to us fulfilled, whether it is one made by our parents or other relative, a friend, our employer, or a politician.  It can be very disappointing when, after a long period of time, we see no answer.  That can even cause anger and/or bitterness to arise.  The worst is when we feel that God has not kept His promises.  However, most of God’s promises are not ones that are made today and fulfilled tomorrow.  God’s timetable is one that extends for years, for generations.  Today’s psalm speaks of one such promise, or covenant, that the Lord made with King David.  Let’s see what this entailed, and why it is important to us today.

Psalm 89 was written by Ethan the Ezrahite.  Not much is known about Ethan.  However the one psalm he wrote describes the great covenant promise that God made to King David, called the Davidic Covenant.  The background of this great covenant is found in II Samuel 7.  After becoming king of Israel, David built himself several grand and luxurious palaces, as would be expected of a successful and wealthy king.  Then, as he observed that the Ark of the Covenant continued to reside in the tents of the Tabernacle, David was disturbed.  How could it be, that he resided in a palace while God resided in a tent?!  David told God that he would build Him a great Temple.  God told him no, because he was a man of war, yet one of his sons, who would be king after him, would build the Temple.  God proceeds to promise David that his house and royal line will last forever.

David had numerous children, and the throne was passed on to his son Solomon.  Solomon’s descendants continued to sit upon the throne of Judah for many generations, until the time of the Babylonian captivity.  By the time of the New Testament, there hadn’t been someone from David’s line on a throne in Jerusalem for many, many years, generations even.  And now, 2,000 years later, there is no throne, no king, and no indication of there ever being one.  So what happened to that promise of a royal line lasting forever?

As we look into these verses of Psalm 89, let’s see how God’s covenant has been kept.  We’ll see that God means what He says, and His covenants and promises stand.  As our Scripture opens, we see that God chose David (vs. 19).  He had chosen David years earlier when he was a young shepherd boy, and now He chose his line to endure forever.  This was fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ, a descendant of David’s, the ultimate “mighty one” whom God has exalted. Through His foster father Joseph, Jesus is the legal descendant of King David, which we read in the genealogy in Matthew 1:1-16.  And in case anyone might say that since Jesus wasn’t the biological son of Joseph, and that genealogy didn’t count, we have the genealogy of Mary in Luke 3:23-38, which shows that she, too, was a descendant of David’s.

Jesus was chosen out of the people so that He might know our wants and sympathize with us.  In all of our sorrow we have His sympathy.  Jesus knows our temptations, pain, disappointment, weakness, weariness, and poverty.  He has felt them all (Hebrews 4:15).  Wherever we go, in every place, He has been our forerunner.  Each burden we have to carry has once been laid on His shoulders.  Jesus was chosen out of the people so that He might be able to be our brother in the tie of kindred blood.  We can say we have a brother in heaven, a brother who is rich and a King!

Though God did protect David and his royal line from enemy conquest for several generations, their continued sins made conquest inevitable (vs. 22-23).  However, this was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, who will rule without opposition in His millennial kingdom.  God Himself fights for His anointed, and victory belongs to Jesus.  He will subdue all enemies at His return (Revelation 19).

Verse 24 speaks of two covenant attributes - faithfulness, and mercy/steadfast love.  These two attributes of God upheld and blessed the Davidic line.  We also see these completely embodied in the Lord Jesus.  In verse 25 we see a vast kingdom alluded to, with expanded dominion and broad authority.  David never ruled a worldwide kingdom, so this also points forward to Christ’s universal reign.  Both David and Jesus acknowledge God as their Father and the source of salvation (vs. 26).  Jesus uniquely fulfills this relationship (John 5:19-23).

We read that God’s chosen will be made the “firstborn” (vs. 27).  This is referring to a position of preeminence, not of birth order, as neither David or his son Solomon were firstborn.  They became “firstborn” in rank.  Jesus is “the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15), meaning supreme over all.

God extends His covenant mercy forever (vs. 28). It is eternal, unbreakable, and rooted in His character, not our human performance.  His promises do not fail, even when His people do.  He has promised that David’s line will endure forever, which it has through Jesus Christ (vs 29).  This covenant promise endures because of God’s faithfulness, not because of man’s.  Every promise here reached its climax in the Lord Jesus. Even when circumstances seem to contradict the promise, God’s Word remains sure.  We can trust God’s promises, even when circumstances look bleak. He is faithful to His covenant.

The Servant of the Lord

Isaiah 42:1-9

On this first Sunday following the celebration of Epiphany, the Old Testament reading takes us to the Book of Isaiah.  This is a season in the Church calendar of several weeks between the day of Epiphany (January 6) and the day before Ash Wednesday, which varies from year to year depending on when Easter falls.  Many of the Scripture readings in the Lectionary during this time focus on the revelation of Jesus Christ to the world, revealing His identity and mission as the Light of the World, bringing hope to all nations.  The prophet Isaiah spoke of the Messiah frequently throughout his book, and today’s Scripture is one of them, where he gives a portrait of Jesus as God’s chosen Servant who brings justice, light, and salvation to the world.

As our Scripture opens, God calls us to look at His Chosen One (vs. 1).  This is God’s chosen Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, which is confirmed explicitly in the New Testament in Matthew 12:15-21.  He is chosen and upheld by God.  The Father spoke audibly and publicly at both Jesus’ baptism and transfiguration that He was well pleased, was delighted in Jesus, and the Holy Spirit came fully upon Jesus at His baptism (Matthew 3:16).  God is delighted in Jesus, and because those who are saved are in Christ, He delights in us, too.

As God’s Servant, Jesus’ ministry was marked by humility, not by political agitation (vs. 2).  He wasn’t a rabble-rouser, out in the streets organizing protest marches against Roman rule.  Jesus does not advance His Kingdom through force or loud, angry noise.  Instead, He avoided publicity, refused any political power, and ministered quietly and compassionately.  Jesus shows us that true spiritual influence is not loud or self-promoting, but is Spirit-empowered humility.

Next we come across one of the most beloved characteristics of God’s chosen Servant, and that is His tenderness towards the weak (vs. 3).  A bruised reed symbolizes someone who is weak, wounded, and failing.  A bruised reed cannot be used for any good purpose.  However, God will not break them and throw them out, but instead restores and strengthens them.  A smoking flax is a faintly burning wick, and symbolizes those whose spiritual flame is nearly gone.  Barely any light or warmth can come from them.  But God will not extinguish them.  He will blow His breath of mercy until He fans them into a flame.  Jesus does not crush the weak. He restores them.  He meets us in our weakness with gentleness, not condemnation.

Jesus, though, is not a bruised reed or smoking flax.  He will not be bruised or crushed (vs. 4).  Though Satan and the world, both during His earthly life and today, have tried to stop Jesus, put an end to His ministry, and destroy His followers, His mission will not be stopped.  Christ’s mission cannot fail.  Our hope rests on His strength and power, not ours.

God, the Creator of all things, is the One who sends the Servant (vs. 5).  This reinforces the certainty of His success.  When God calls, He equips.  His purposes cannot be frustrated.  God’s Servant, the Lord Jesus, is not merely the mediator of a covenant, He is the covenant (vs. 6).  This is fulfilled in His shed Blood (Luke 22:20). He is also the Light of the Gentiles, leading them to salvation.  He is the only source of spiritual light, which all nations need.

Another part of the Servant’s saving work is opening the eyes of the blind and setting captives free (vs. 7).  This includes both literal and spiritual deliverance.  As we read throughout the Gospels, there were numerous occasions when Jesus physically restored people’s eyesight.  However, more importantly, Jesus opens spiritual eyes, causing those who are spiritually blind to see the truth.  He also sets those who are prisoners of sin, darkness, and Satan free when they turn to Him in faith.  Jesus, alone, frees us from spiritual captivity.

As our passage nears the end, the Lord clearly tells us that He will not share His glory with anyone or anything else (vs. 8), which includes all other false religious beliefs.  All glory belongs to Christ, and anything that competes with Him is an idol.  He closes by declaring that when He tells us of something that will happen, we can rely on it happening (vs. 9).  Fulfilled prophecy authenticates God’s Word.  It strengthens our faith, knowing that He always keeps His Word.

In closing, this picture of the Messiah that Isaiah gave invites us to behold the Servant Jesus, to trust Him and follow Him with renewed confidence.  We see that Jesus is both majestic and tender.  He is the Servant who stoops low to lift up the broken, yet He is also the King who will one day bring perfect justice to the earth.

God's Mystery Revealed

Ephesians 3:1-12

Have you ever been excluded from some event you wanted to attend or from some place you wished to go?  You were told that you were not welcome there, you didn’t have the right background, you weren’t the right race or nationality, or maybe the people were just being mean and didn’t want you there.  Such incidents can be very hurtful and emotionally painful to go through.  It is especially devastating if you are seeking after God and someone tells you that you are not welcome, and to leave the building because God does not want “your kind”.  Before you think that such a thing would never happen, for centuries it did, as the Gentile people were turned away from coming to the Temple or synagogues to hear about the one true God and His Word.  At best they were sometimes allowed to sit outside the synagogue buildings and listen through the windows.  Our Scripture today, though, speaks of what God’s plans for the Gentiles are, and how they are no longer outsiders.  Let’s read what His Word has to say.

Today’s Scripture is from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, about half way through the epistle.  Paul wrote this letter while he was imprisoned in Rome.  He was reflecting on the mission that God had given him, and that was to reveal the “mystery” that the Gentiles are fully included in the Body of Christ (vs. 1-7).  All throughout his ministry, Paul was constantly under attack because of his bringing the Word of God to the Gentiles.  He was often physically assaulted, frequently run out of town, and even thrown in jail.  This particular time Paul was under house arrest in Rome because the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem accused him of defiling the Temple and for teaching that the Gospel was for Gentiles as well as for Jews.

We read three times in this brief passage the word “mystery”.  What was this mystery that Paul spoke of here, and which he spoke of many times in his other epistles?  It is not some puzzle that a detective needs to figure out, but rather a divine secret once hidden, but now revealed through Christ.  The primary one being God’s plan to unite Jews and Gentiles as one people in His Kingdom, the Church, making the Gentiles fellow heirs through faith.

Though hinted at in the past, such as a few mentions in the Book of Isaiah, this mystery was not known in previous ages, but was now revealed to the apostles and prophets by the Holy Spirit.  The Gentiles are fellow heirs and are part of the same Body of Christ, and partakers of His promises in the Gospel.  They are not second-class citizens, but are fully equal members of Christ’s Body.

God has revealed that the blessings of Abraham should come upon the Gentiles.  Along with the Jews, the Gentiles would also be joint heirs and partakers of the promises.  Salvation is open for all, and that is through the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.  It isn’t one way for the Jews and another for the Gentiles.  Both receive salvation through accepting Jesus as Savior.  Believers, whether Jew or Gentile, have access to God through faith in Jesus (vs. 10-12).

The Lord revealed His amazing wisdom to the rulers and powers, both in this world and in the heavenlies (the spiritual realm), through the Church, which is built on the foundation set by the Messiah, Jesus Christ (vs. 10-11).  As Paul states at the close of this segment of Scripture, as believers we now have access to God (vs. 12).  God is not far away in a remote, inaccessible land.  He is omnipresent and approachable, and desires all to come into a relationship with Him.

In closing, we see that God has shown us that both Jews and Gentiles are united in Christ, forming the Church, the Body of Christ.  This was God’s eternal plan, not an afterthought.  And now we have direct access to God through faith in Jesus Christ.  No longer does anyone need to feel left out, to feel like they aren’t wanted, or have to sit on the outside.  Whether you are a Gentile or Jewish, no one should ever make you feel like you are an outsider.  If we come to God through Jesus Christ we are all fellow heirs and are of the same body.  We are all partakers of God’s promises.

Man's Lies and God's Truth

Psalm 12

The other day I was watching a video on YouTube, and my daughter Lucy happened to glance at it as she went by.  She proceeded to tell me that it wasn’t real, that the whole thing was created by AI.  That not only disappointed me because I had been impressed with what I saw, but made me wonder what else had I seen that wasn’t true, that was in reality a type of lie.  That also reminded me of the many times I had heard things in the news that the news media wanted me to believe, but turned out to be false, to be a lie.  It doesn’t matter what side of the political aisle it was coming from, both sides have put out lies to serve their agenda.  Even friends and family will sometimes tell you things that make you wonder who you can trust.  Our psalm for this week, written by David, describes a time in his life when he felt that he couldn’t trust anyone.  Let’s look into the psalm and see what he had to say.

We don’t know when this psalm was written.  It could easily have been before David was king, when he was on the run from King Saul and his men, and he had to be very wary of who to trust.  It could also have been written when he was king, as many would try to flatter and twist the truth to get in good with him.  David lamented to the Lord the moral collapse all around him.  However, he knew that there was one thing he could trust, as we will see.

As David looked around, he saw that good, godly, and faithful men and women seemed to be vanishing from society.  Instead, they were being replaced by a society which did not value the truth (vs. 1-2).  Instead of speaking the truth, what came out of their mouth was lies.  They also resorted to flattery, which is a type of lying, along with having a double heart, which is a way of saying they were hypocrites and duplicitous.

This is by no means limited to the days of David.  As we look around society today we see the truth being mocked, flattery is celebrated, and sincerity is rare.  We are surrounded by lies - our neighbors, colleagues, even our family.  Also from advertisers, politicians, the news, and social media.  Flattery, boasting, and manipulation are also types of lying.  God warns us in II Timothy 3 that the last days are marked by moral decay and self-exaltation.

These people run around saying that they can say whatever they want, that no one has the right to tell them what they can do or not do (vs. 3-4).  This is the essence of rebellion against God, and we see this in modern humanism and self-worship today.  In the last number of years we have seen some who even deny that there is such a thing as a lie, as “everyone has their own truth”.  They feel that what may be true for me is not true for them, and “their truth” might not line up with someone else, but it’s true for them just because they say so.  Just as David prayed, there is coming a day when God will cut these people and their lying lips off.  Words reveal the heart (Matthew 12:34), and God will judge every idle word.

Yahweh steps in and speaks in verse 5.  Because these people oppress the poor and needy, He will rise.  They may boast in their wickedness, but God hears and responds to the cries of His children, the righteous.  He is not a distant God who doesn’t care.  Instead, God is attentive to His faithful remnant.  When society collapses into immorality, which we see so much of today, God is not silent.  He promises to act.

David picks back up his psalm, and reveals to us exactly where we can find something that is always truthful and reliable, and that is in God’s Word, the Bible (vs. 6-7).  This is contrasted with the false and corrupt words of men.  God’s Word is pure, tried, refined, and preserved  forever.  Just as silver is refined seven times to be completely pure, God’s Word is perfectly trustworthy.  People might wonder what is wrong with a little deception if it gets their desired result. It is what Satan used with Eve.  Deceptive speech is countered, though, by God’s Word.  We can rest in the promises of the Bible.  God’s Word is not like the empty words of deceivers.  It is purified and refined.

God Himself has promised to keep and preserve His Word, the Bible, from generation to generation.  When society’s words are corrupt, the Bible is our anchor.  It does not shift with culture, politics, or trends.  Many people and nations have tried to destroy it and rid it off the world, but they have all failed.  God’s Word will remain forever!

As today’s psalm closes, it ends with a sober observation (vs. 8).  Though God’s Word is pure and preserved, the wicked still strut their vileness.  Though not intended to be pessimistic, it is a realistic conclusion.  Until Jesus returns, wickedness will continue to rise.  However, the Bible remains the believer’s refuge.  We are not promised cultural victory in this age before His return, but we are promised preservation, truth, and God’s nearness.  We should continue to cling to the Scriptures, along with guarding our speech.  Our words should reflect God’s truth, not the world’s corruption.  We should not be discouraged, but trust in God’s timing while we stand on the purity of His Word.