Joy In Christ

 Psalm 16

Have you ever met a person that no matter what was going on in their life or what was happening in the world around them, whether good or bad, they were always cheerful and had a pleasant, joyful demeanor?  They can be as poor as a church mouse but they never complain.  They can be in chronic ill health, or have many personal problems in their family or job, but they always have a genuine smile.  We wonder how they can be like that when others frequently lose happiness when it rains two days in a row.  As we read through this week’s psalm, we will see someone who had a glad heart, a heart full of joy.  Let’s take a look and see if we can find their secret.

Psalm 16 was one of many psalms that King David wrote.  As we know from reading in the Old Testament, David’s life was not an easy one.  As a young man he was frequently on the run for his life, and even after becoming king there were many struggles and trials he dealt with.  David went through so many difficult trials that it would not have been surprising if he had succumbed to depression.  Yet despite his tears and fears, he knew where to turn to so as to find joy.  David knew that his wellbeing was entirely dependent upon God (vs. 2), and he would never turn to the false pagan gods of the nations around him (vs. 4).  That is one key to finding joy in our life, by keeping ourselves faithful to the Lord God, and never taking part in any pagan or heathen rituals.

Another key to a joy-filled life that David found was seeking God’s will and counsel first for any plans he made, and for direction in his life (vs. 7).  When God is our focus in life, it is easier to hear Him speak to us, and thus avoid many wrong paths that will only lead to trouble in our life. Problems do not immediately disappear when we accept Jesus as Savior, and when we follow His way, but we can know He is always with us no matter what happens, and that we are safe in His care when we are in His will.  As Christians and followers of the Lord Jesus, we can have a sense of security, despite what happens in the world (vs. 8).  We still have problems we face, but when following Jesus, we do not need to feel hopeless like the world does.  We can live with confidence and have a joy-filled life.

David knew true joy as a believer (vs. 9, 11).  Joy is deeper and more lasting than happiness. Happiness is temporary because it is based on external circumstances.  Joy is lasting, because it is based on God’s presence within us.  When personal problems, or problems in the world at large abound, people lose happiness and become depressed. They become filled with hopelessness.  Christians can have joy no matter what happens because we have His daily presence.  We know the future that Jesus has for us.  Only a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ can bring us real joy and contentment.  Lasting satisfaction can be found only with Jesus.

In verse 10 we find a prophecy of the resurrection, fulfilled in Jesus, the Messiah.  Both the Apostles Peter and Paul quoted these verses when speaking about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.  Peter quoted the verse during his first sermon on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:25-28, 31).  Paul also quoted it in one of his sermons (Acts 13:35-37).  This verse could not apply to David because he died, was buried, and his body decayed, just like everyone.  It could only apply to Jesus the Messiah, who though He died and was buried, He rose again and His body did not decay.  Even people who were miraculously raised from the dead as recorded in Scripture, they had to die again a second time, and their bodies decayed.

Knowing that God will not forget us when we die is another thing that can bring us joy.  If we have accepted the Lord Jesus as our Savior, He will bring us to life again to live with Him forever.  Those who do not know the Lord do not have that hope.  The thought of death, whether their own or that of a friend or loved one, brings them despair.  However, we can have joy and hope, knowing that He will not ever forget us.

In closing, it is safe to assume that most everyone wants to have joy in their life.  The best way to refill our tank of joy is to spend time in the presence of God.  Pray and read the Bible every day.  The level of our joy determines the level of our strength for the day.

Do We Love God More?

 Genesis 22:1-14

Here are two questions for a Christian to ask themselves.  First, is your love for God stronger than your love for any other object in your life, including other people?  Second, are you willing to obey God, even if He asks you to do something that is very challenging, something that you really wouldn’t want to do?  These were two questions Abraham faced that we will read about in our Scripture passage for today.  Abraham faced one of the greatest tests that anyone was ever asked to face.  Let’s take a look and see what it was, how he came through it, and whether he passed the test or not.

Isaac was the son that Abraham and his wife had waited many, many years for.  He was their much beloved pride and joy.  He was the son that God had spoken of and promised them, and was so dear to Abraham’s heart.  Abraham loved the Lord God with all of his heart, and he also dearly loved Isaac.  How strong, though, was Abraham’s love for God, and how deep was his faith?  Would it come through the fire of a test stronger, or would it crumble and fail?  God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac to Him (vs. 1-2).  The test was whether Abraham loved God enough that he would give his son Isaac, the son of the promise, back to Him, or refuse, clinging and holding on to him.  Would Abraham obey what God asked, or say no?

This was not a temptation by God of Abraham.  God does not tempt us (James 1:13).  Rather, it was God examining Abraham’s heart, how faithful, trusting, and obedient he was.  The purpose of this test was not to satisfy God’s curiosity.  It was to settle any question in Abraham’s or anyone else’s mind about the depth of his faith.  In the past, Abraham had lied twice to save his own skin.  He had also tried to fulfill God’s promise through his wife’s maid.  Now Abraham could know for himself the depth of his faith, as would Isaac, and also the rest of the world, down through history to us today.  This test showed Abraham and everyone that he loved God more than His gift.

When Abraham heard God’s command, he immediately got his son Isaac and two of his servants, and set out to do what God had asked (vs. 3-5).  Abraham obeyed without wavering, reluctance, or delay.  Though his faith was being tested, Abraham knew and believed three things.  He knew that Isaac was the vehicle of God’s promise, so Isaac must live.  He knew that God keeps His promises.  Lastly, Abraham knew that God is all powerful, even over death (Hebrews 11:17-19).  Because he truly believed these three things, he could confidently assure his servants of his and Isaac’s return (vs. 5).  Abraham was so confident in the permanence of God’s promise, that he believed if Isaac were to be killed, God would raise him from the dead, or that God would provide him with a substitute for Isaac upon the mount (vs. 7-8).

God did not really want Isaac to be a human sacrifice, as He condemned such pagan practices (Leviticus 20:1-5).  He wanted Abraham to sacrifice Isaac in his heart, so it would be clear that he loved God more than he loved his promised and long-awaited son.  When God saw that Abraham was willing to obey without question, argument, or delay, He stepped in and provided the sacrifice for him (vs. 12-13).  When we give to God what He asks, He returns to us far more than we could dream.  God will always provide exactly what we need, when we need it.  When we obey Him, the Lord assumes full responsibility for our needs.  He provided the ram for Abraham.

In addition to showing us the depth of love, obedience and faith of Abraham, this is also a picture of substitutionary atonement that finds its fulfillment in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.  Just as God provided Abraham with a ram, He provided the Lamb for the forgiveness of our sins in the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.  God stopped Abraham from sacrificing his son, Isaac.  God did not spare His own Son, Jesus, from dying on the cross.  There was no last-minute reprieve for Jesus.  He suffered and died for our sins.  However, the hope that Abraham had that his son would be resurrected, came true for Jesus.

In conclusion, we must ask ourselves how deep and strong is our love for God, and how willing are we to obey Him.  Are we willing to give up what we treasure most for Him?  Will we lay it on the altar of sacrifice?  God gave His best for us, His beloved Son Jesus, to die for us?  Will we truly give Him our heart of love and obedience?

The Baptism Of Jesus

Mark 1:9-11

Though many of the events in the life and ministry of Jesus are not recorded in all four Gospels, several of them are, and His baptism is one of them.  Our Gospel passage for this week from the Lectionary of the Book of Common Prayer tells Mark’s account of the baptism of Jesus.  Let’s take a closer look at this event which was important enough for all four evangelists to record.

The Scriptures speak of two different types of baptism.  Throughout the Book of Acts and many of the Epistles we read of Christian or Believer’s Baptism, the baptism that Jesus, before His Ascension, instructed the Apostles to perform for future believers (Matthew 28:19-20).  This baptism is a public sign that one has accepted the Lord Jesus as their Savior from sin through His death and resurrection.  The other baptism was the baptism that John the Baptist performed, which was a baptism of repentance.  A short while before Jesus began His ministry, John the Baptist appeared on the scene preaching repentance and the need for people to turn from their sins and follow the Lord and His Word.  Many people took John the Baptist’s message to heart, were repentant, and were baptised by him as a sign of their repentance and desire to amend their lives.

As we read in the Gospels, right prior to the start of His ministry, Jesus came to John the Baptist to be baptised by him.  We must ask why He would do this.  This wasn't a believer's baptism.  Jesus would not take part in that, as He couldn’t accept Himself as Savior.  However, why would the Lord Jesus take part in the baptism of John the Baptist, which was a baptism of repentance?  Jesus, the sinless Son of God, did not have any sins that He needed to repent from.

One of the main reasons why Jesus was baptised was because He was identifying with sinners.  Jesus would ultimately bear the sins of all mankind.  That was the whole purpose that He came to earth for, to take our sins upon Himself, and bear the punishment for them at the Cross of Calvary.  Jesus did not become a sinner, but He took upon Himself our sins and the punishment they deserved, while His perfect righteousness would be imputed to those who believe.

Another reason that Jesus took part in this baptism was to show His support of the ministry of John the Baptist.  Many of the Pharisees, along with the chief priests of Jerusalem, were critical of John the Baptist’s ministry and rejected him.  However, a large number of the common folk, and the more “public sinners” came to John to hear his preaching and be baptised.  Later in His ministry, Jesus gave the testimony that there was no one born of women who was greater than John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11).  By taking part in John’s baptism Jesus was showing that He accepted and believed in what John preached and taught.

It was at the baptism of Jesus that God gave a public affirmation of Jesus as the Messiah by testimony directly from heaven (vs. 10-11).  Some false churches and doctrines deny the Trinity, saying that it is not mentioned in the Bible.  Here we see, though, all three members of the Trinity.  We see God the Father in the Voice that spoke from heaven.  God the Son is in Jesus Christ, of course.  And God the Holy Spirit is shown in the dove that descended upon Jesus.  Let us all publicly affirm Jesus as the Messiah, and Son of God!

Proclaiming Jesus' Victory

 I Peter 3:18-22

Sometimes towards the end of an action or suspense movie, TV show, or book, we see the good character proclaim to the criminal or villain their fate or doom.  They have been inflicting havoc and devastation on people throughout the show, and now they have been caught.  In a dramatic scene the hero will declare the victory, that the bad character’s time is up, their fate and doom are sealed.  Perhaps there is a scene where the good character comes walking into the prison to see the criminal, the one who had opposed them throughout the show, causing nothing but trouble.  They walk in, just to let the villain know that they are now paying for their crimes, and that they, the good guy, have won.  In our Scripture passage today from Peter’s first epistle, we find a similar scenario.  Let’s see what God’s Word says.

Peter opens up this passage by reminding us all of the sacrificial death and atonement that Jesus provided for us (vs. 18).  Jesus Christ provided us access to God.  He was just.  He never sinned.  We are unjust sinners.  He took our place and satisfied God’s just penalty for sin, opening the way to God for all who believe.

After His death on the cross, Jesus went to proclaim His victory to the lost souls, those who had rejected God, those who had heard and rejected Noah’s preaching (vs. 19-20).  These were the largest group of mankind to ever experience the universal judgment of God at one time. What did Jesus do there? Like the victor in a show proclaiming the triumph of goodness to the evil person, Jesus was announcing His triumph on the Cross, which sealed the fate of these doomed souls.  Jesus suffered, but is now exalted at God’s right hand, while all of the demons who were responsible for His suffering are now subject to Him.

Peter continues on in our passage to discuss baptism (vs. 21).  Baptism does not save a person.  It cannot wash away the “filth of the flesh”, our stains of sin.  Baptism is a conscious testimony of one’s faith in the resurrection of Jesus, because it symbolizes our resurrection with Him.  Noah and his family’s salvation “through water” (vs. 20) symbolized baptism.  In baptism we identify with Jesus, who separates us from the lost and gives us new life.  It is not the ceremony that saves us.  It is faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Baptism is the symbol of the transformation that happens in the hearts of those who believe.

Another thing that the Lord teaches us in this passage is that Jesus suffered once for our sins (vs. 18).  It was a sacrifice that was made once for all, not something that had to continually be repeated.  The sacrifices the Jewish people performed each year was not sufficient to atone for their sins, as they had to constantly repeat the sacrifices.  However, Jesus Christ’s one sacrifice for sins was perpetually valid and sufficient.  It never needs to be repeated.

God has given everybody the opportunity to come to Him.  No one can ever claim that they never had a chance.  However, there is not a second chance for those who reject Jesus in their lifetime.  The souls that Jesus proclaimed His victory to were not then able to change their mind.  When the door of the Ark was closed, it was too late to get on and be saved from the flood.  We must accept Jesus during this life.  After death comes, it is too late to turn to Jesus.

Jesus is our Ark of safety from the judgment of God, just as Noah’s ark was for his family.  All throughout the years that Noah was building the ark he preached God’s message to the people.  No one listened.  No one believed.  When the rains did come, though, it was too late to escape God’s judgment and get on the ark.  Today we are also warned of the coming judgment of the Lord.  You need to get into the Ark of safety, the Lord Jesus, by faith in His death and resurrection.  If you have not already, now is the day to call upon the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.

The Lord Our Rock

 Psalm 18:1-33

Imagine being out in the wilderness, and a powerful storm comes up or an enemy approaches.  Immediately you start looking for some safe shelter.  Staying out in the storm or open to the enemy would be dangerous.  Where do you turn to?  You need something that will protect you from these storms, from a possible earthquake, or from an approaching enemy.  Your shelter needs to be strong and dependable.  When you are in your shelter, you are able to watch the storm or the enemy rage, but you are secure.  You are blessed, because as powerful as they are, your shelter is more powerful, keeping you well protected.  David found just such a shelter, and he wrote about it in our psalm for today.  Let’s take a look.

David spent a good deal of his time out in the wilderness, usually not through his own choice.  He was there trying to escape from his enemies, namely King Saul.  When Saul’s troops were nearby, David needed to find some shelter to hide in.  There were times, too, when he needed to find a shelter from storms.  Where can you find a shelter in the wilderness?  David describes in this psalm and in many others, that he found a safe and secure shelter in the large rocks that were all around in the wilderness and desert areas he would escape to.

A rock can provide protection, shelter, and solid reliability.  Just as David found, we too can find that God is that Rock.  He is faithful, dependable, and strong, a massive, unshakable foundation and source of defense.  God’s protection is limitless.  David found the Lord to be, not only like a rock of safety for him, but also like a fortress, a shield, and an animal’s horn for defense (vs. 2).  A large rock, like we find in some wilderness areas, can’t be moved, and hiding behind or between these rocks provides safety.  God is a Rock of safety for us if we run to Him.  He will not be moved by those who wish to harm us.  Strong fortresses also keep us safe from enemies.  When we get into a fortress, the enemy cannot follow.  When we are safe in Jesus, the enemies of our soul cannot get to us, either.  He is our shield, coming between us and harm.  The horns of certain animals are a symbol of might and power, just as God is for us.  He is our stronghold, high above our enemies.

The Lord was all David needed in his life’s tough battles, and He is for us as well.  In our trouble, we can call out to Him, just as David did, and find a safe shelter and help (vs. 6).  Hiding in the shelter out in the wilderness, David witnessed many storms, and pictured these mighty forces of nature as the way the Lord God comes down from heaven just to rescue His beloved child (vs. 7-15).

Sometimes our trials become so overwhelming that we feel like we are drowning in them.  David felt that way, too (vs. 16).  David knew that God would either deliver him from the problem or be his support as he went through it.  God will help us, hold us steady, and protect us.  When we are in the care of Jesus, we are never helpless.  He will use His power to rescue us (vs. 16-19).

Our friends or loved ones may break their promises to us.  However, the Lord’s promises are true (vs. 30).  We can always rely and put our trust in Him.  God is a shield to protect us when we are too weak to face trials by ourselves.  He knows we are frail and feeble humans, and has promised to come between us and the enemy.  He will strengthen, protect, and guide us.

Don’t fear that the protection and care that God gave to David is only something that happened in Biblical days.  Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).  He has majesty, power, and endurance to come to our aid.  We can run to safety in God’s care whenever we need it.  Instead of trying to handle our problems on our own, we should turn to the Lord Jesus.  We can find refuge in His love and care.  We can hide ourselves in the cleft of our Rock, and He will provide shelter for us.  Jesus will keep us safe from the storm.

The Promise Of The Rainbow

 Genesis 9:8-17

Promises are very important to us.  We all want our friends and loved ones to keep the promises they made to us, and if we are people of integrity, we want to keep the promises we have made to others.  Sometimes, though, promises end up being broken.  Many of us might know someone who makes promises, but never bothers to keep his word.  His promises, his word, means nothing.  Sometimes things come up and a promise can’t be kept.  Or a promise is made that is so unreasonable that it could never be kept.  Broken promises mean a lot of disappointment.  There is One, though, who has never broken a promise He has made, and that is the Lord God.  In our Scripture passage today from the Book of Genesis, we read of a promise He made many millennia ago, and has still kept to this day.

As our passage opens, Noah and his family, along with all of the animals, have just disembarked from the ark.  God had instructed Noah and his sons to build the ark in order to save themselves and a pair of each of the animals because God was going to destroy the world.  Over the years, from the time of Adam and Eve, on down to Noah’s day, mankind had become exceedingly sinful.  It had gotten to the point that all mankind had become so wicked, and no one obeyed or worshipped God, no one that is, except Noah and his family.  For this reason God destroyed the world with a flood, and spared Noah and his family.  When the floods were over, and the waters dried up, the eight people, along with the animals, came off the ark into a clean and new earth.

The memories of the flood, the fear that they felt seeing and hearing the rain come pouring down out of the sky, was still fresh in their minds.  How could they forget the terrified and hopeless cries of those people outside the ark, those who had refused to heed the preaching of Noah, those who had blatantly scorned and blasphemed God?  Would this happen again?  It would be understandable that they might be thinking these thoughts.  Thus God called Noah and his family together, and made a covenant with them (vs. 8-9).

A covenant is a pledge, a promise, a contract made between two parties, in this case between God and man.  There are two types of covenants.  One is a conditional covenant where both parties need to fulfill their side of the promise for it to be valid.  For example, God will bless the people, and keep them in the Promised Land if they obey His laws and worship only Him.  Since the people did not keep their side of the covenant, God permitted invading nations to carry them off into captivity.  The other type of covenant is an unconditional one, such as this one that God makes with Noah and his descendants here in Genesis.

In this covenant that God made, there are three parts.  The first was that there would never be another flood to destroy the whole earth (vs. 11).   The second part was that as long as the earth remains, there will always be the different seasons (Genesis 8:22).  And the last part was the rainbow.  A rainbow will be visible when it rains, as a sign that God will keep His promises (vs. 12-17).

Rainbows are a very special symbol.  Some people do not realize that the Bible tells us that the rainbow is a sign, the symbol of the permanent covenant God made with man after the destruction of the world from the Flood.  When God makes a promise, He does not want us to forget it.  He often gives us some sign or pledge to memorialize His promise (vs 12).  Whenever God sees the rainbow in the sky, He will remember the covenant He made with all living on earth (vs. 16).  God promised never to destroy the whole earth by water again.  He will destroy the earth again in the end times, but that time it will be by fire (II Peter 3:10-11).

God will remember His covenant promises.  He remembers us.  We may forget, we may fail to keep our promises, but God never will.  He will always keep every single promise He has ever made (Joshua 23:14).  God will never forget us, either.  He will never forget the names of those of His children who are engraved upon His palms (Isaiah 49:16).  We can always depend upon His promises!

What Are Our Motives?

 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Look over the membership of most churches, and we can usually find several people who, though they are active and they seem quite religious, there is something that is off in their piousness.  These folks seem devout at first glance, yet they are always looking around to see if anyone is watching their good deeds and religious acts.  They love the approval in the looks of others, and in any positive comments people may make about what a good Christian they must be.  Do you know anyone like that?  Most of us do, and perhaps at some times we are like that ourselves.  Jesus has some words to tell us about this in our Gospel reading for this week.  Let’s take a look at what He says.

Religious hypocrites, those who love to appear holy and righteous, when actually their heart is not really right, are everywhere, and there were plenty of them in Jesus’ day.  As we read through the Gospels, we often see where He exposed the hypocrisy of the Pharisees.  Many of them would pray long and seemingly pious prayers, especially if there were people around to hear.  When they gave offerings to the synagogues or to the poor, they wanted everyone to see.  Whenever they fasted, they would always proclaim by their outward appearance that they were hungry and going without food.

Jesus quickly pointed out that these are supposed to be acts of worship, not displays of self-righteousness to gain admiration.  He told them that their reward was that they were seen by men.  Nothing more.  God will not reward hypocrisy.  People’s actions may be good, but their motives are hollow.  These empty acts will be their only reward.  Don’t try to draw attention to yourself in order to win human praise.  God rewards those who are sincere in their faith.

When we give our offering at church, do we either openly or subtly want others to see?  Jesus tells us to do our good deeds quietly, with no thought of reward (vs. 1-4).  Our motives for giving to God and to others must be pure.  Some people give if it benefits them in return.  God wants us to give from a heart that seeks only His approval, not those around us.  It’s not how much we give, but our attitude that pleases God.

When the Pharisees said their prayers, they wanted to be sure others were around to hear (vs. 5-6).  They made their prayers long, thinking that made them look holier.  Again, don’t try to draw attention to yourself with your prayers.  The essence of prayer is not public style, but private communion with God.  If we pray for others to hear, our real audience is people, not God.  God is omniscient.  He sees all we do.  We don’t need to boast about our good deeds, thinking they may get overlooked.  God gives the only rewards that matter.  He keeps a careful record.

Jesus continued to speak to those who fasted, but made a big show about doing so (vs. 16-18).  He tells us here in this Scripture that we should not fast to gain public approval or to impress others with our holiness.  The Pharisees tried to draw attention to themselves by their appearance when they fasted.  Fasting is to be done secretly to the Lord, not for others to know.  We should go about our normal daily routine when we fast, not making a show of it.

Jesus concludes this passage of Scripture with His teaching that our treasures need to be in heaven, not here on earth (vs. 19-21).  It should not be the earthly wealth that so many seek, but instead be heavenly treasures.  What do we think about the most?  Whatever has our attention is our treasure.  We should see our possessions from God’s eternal perspective, and store those treasures in heaven because this life is but a breath.  Only God is worthy of our heart.

Don’t let your desire to serve Jesus become overshadowed by a desire for approval from others.  One word of approval from God is worth a million from other people.  Our giving, prayers, and fasting should not be self-centered, but God-centered.  Not done to make us look good, but to make God look good.  Don’t do the right deed for the wrong reason.  The reason for which we act is crucial.