Luke 9:28-36
Have you ever had a time in your Christian life where God seemed especially close in an extraordinarily spiritual way? Perhaps it was on a special retreat, or in the midst of some revival meetings your church had, or after some special personal prayer time you had. You might never have wanted it to end. In our Scripture passage for today from the Gospel of Luke, we can look into just such a powerful experience that the Apostles Peter, James, and John had. Let’s take a look at this spectacular and unforgettable time that they experienced, and see what we can learn from it.
About a week after Peter had made his great public confession of believing that Jesus was the promised Messiah, Jesus took His three closest apostles, Peter, James and John off by themselves to a mountaintop to pray together (vs. 28). That in itself would be a wonderful privilege, to go off with Jesus on a prayer retreat. It was here on the mountain with Jesus that these three witnessed an extraordinary event, that of the transfiguration of Jesus.
The word “transfiguration” means to have a complete change of form or appearance into a more beautiful or spiritual state. Jesus underwent a dramatic change in appearance, which enabled the three apostles to behold Him in His glory (vs. 29). They saw Jesus as the glorified Messiah, in all of His heavenly splendor. Appearing with Him were both Moses and Elijah (vs. 30 - 31). They represented the Law and the Prophets. Both the Law and Prophets had foretold of Jesus’ sacrificial death. This is what the two Old Testament figures came to speak to Jesus about. Jesus is both fully divine and fully human. The human side of Jesus would naturally have dreaded and feared the upcoming scourging and crucifixion, as that was an awful, tortuous death. Jesus knew and completely accepted that this was God’s plan from eternity past, and that He would be the sacrifice for our sins. Moses and Elijah were there to encourage Him.
As Peter was beholding the three, he speaks up, not really comprehending what he is saying (vs. 32 - 33). Peter’s suggested that they erect three booths, one each for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. However, the suggestion to do that was putting Moses and Elijah as equal with Jesus. Nobody, not even such spiritual giants as Moses or Elijah, could even come near, let alone be equal, with the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is superior to everyone and everything. He is God’s Son, His only Son (vs. 35), and the second Person of the Trinity.
Peter also did not want to leave the mountaintop and have this glorious appearance of Jesus, along with the two Old Testament figures, end. Sometimes we may have such a wonderful and inspiring experience, that we don’t want it to end. We don’t want to leave and go back to our regular life and routines, with all our problems and toil. For Peter, James, and John, this was literally a “mountain top experience”. However, God wants us to go back out into the world to bring His message to the lost. We do need times of retreat and renewal. Jesus took them. Nevertheless, after these special times we then need to go out and serve in Jesus’ Name.
After Moses and Elijah left, a cloud overshadowed them on the mountain top, and the voice of God came to them from out of the cloud (vs. 34 - 35). He spoke to the disciples there, telling them that this was His Son, and to listen to Him. This was similar to the words that God the Father spoke at Jesus’ baptism. The Father publicly declared His great pleasure in His only Son, Jesus, who He identified as such here. Only then, after God identified Jesus as His Son, did the Father tell us to listen to, obey, and follow Him. We are not to listen to or follow the teachings of any other so-called spiritual leaders that the world highly acclaims. We are to listen and follow the Lord Jesus Christ, the only one that God has called His Son.
Friday, March 8, 2019
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
The Greatest Of These Is Love
I Corinthians 12:27 - 13:13
As we step into the Christian season of Lent, our Lectionary reading for today expounds on the godly Christian virtue of love. A well known saying goes “Action speaks louder than words”. We all know people who are quick to say “I love you”, but their actions show those words to be false. In our passage today, God shows us what true, godly love, love inspired by Him, is like.
In the verses prior to our passage, Paul was instructing the Corinthians about spiritual gifts. The Corinthian church had been comparing spiritual gifts and ministries, and rated a person’s value to the church by that person’s gift. Paul sought to correct this false thinking, as all spiritual gifts are equally valuable. He proceeds to teach us that love is even greater than all of them combined (vs. 31). The Corinthian church had all the spiritual gifts and had correct doctrine, but love was absent. Rather than being selfish and jealous, they should pursue the greatest thing of all - love. Love that is more concerned with giving than in receiving. The spiritual gifts we have been given are not for our own self-advancement, but instead, to serve God and enhance the spiritual growth of fellow believers. Everyone can show love.
Paul begins his discourse on love by stating that whatever we do in life, if we don’t have love for others, it amounts to absolutely nothing (vs. 3). What are our motives for all that we do? Is it for love of the Lord and obedience to Him? Or is it motivated by personal ambition or conceit? If what we do is not motivated by love for God and for others, it is nothing and means nothing.
Paul then goes on to describe what true, godly love really is (vs. 4-7). The world today confuses love and lust. God’s kind of love is directed outward towards others, not inward towards ourselves. We need God to help us to set aside our own desires and natural inclinations so we can give His love to others. The more we become like Christ, the more love we will show.
Love is action, not abstraction. Love is patient with people, and gracious to them. It never envies, brags, is arrogant, rude, or overbearing. It doesn’t want it’s own way. It is not irritated or angered in a personal offense. Love also does not find pleasure in someone else’s sin. As followers of Jesus, we ought never to rejoice in evil or injustice, but with His love, rejoice when truth wins out. Love is devoted to truth in everything. It will protect, believe, hope, and endure what others reject. Real, godly, unconditional love will not stop forgiving. It will always seek the good of the other person, always encouraging them. Godly love puts the needs of others above its own.
The actions of the Corinthian church had been childish. Paul proceeds to instruct them to put off this childish behavior and thinking, and to replace childish thinking with mature truth. Just as a child grows to full understanding, believers will come to full understanding in God’s heaven, and spiritual gifts will not be necessary. One day we will be complete when we see God face to face (vs. 12). We don’t have all the answers now, but one day we will. When we see Jesus in person, then we will see with God’s perspective. God alone knows the whole picture.
Our hope will be fulfilled in heaven (vs. 13). We will have everything we ever hoped for. Our faith will be complete because we will see Jesus. Our love will remain forever because love is an attribute of God Himself (I John 4:8).
As we step into the Christian season of Lent, our Lectionary reading for today expounds on the godly Christian virtue of love. A well known saying goes “Action speaks louder than words”. We all know people who are quick to say “I love you”, but their actions show those words to be false. In our passage today, God shows us what true, godly love, love inspired by Him, is like.
In the verses prior to our passage, Paul was instructing the Corinthians about spiritual gifts. The Corinthian church had been comparing spiritual gifts and ministries, and rated a person’s value to the church by that person’s gift. Paul sought to correct this false thinking, as all spiritual gifts are equally valuable. He proceeds to teach us that love is even greater than all of them combined (vs. 31). The Corinthian church had all the spiritual gifts and had correct doctrine, but love was absent. Rather than being selfish and jealous, they should pursue the greatest thing of all - love. Love that is more concerned with giving than in receiving. The spiritual gifts we have been given are not for our own self-advancement, but instead, to serve God and enhance the spiritual growth of fellow believers. Everyone can show love.
Paul begins his discourse on love by stating that whatever we do in life, if we don’t have love for others, it amounts to absolutely nothing (vs. 3). What are our motives for all that we do? Is it for love of the Lord and obedience to Him? Or is it motivated by personal ambition or conceit? If what we do is not motivated by love for God and for others, it is nothing and means nothing.
Paul then goes on to describe what true, godly love really is (vs. 4-7). The world today confuses love and lust. God’s kind of love is directed outward towards others, not inward towards ourselves. We need God to help us to set aside our own desires and natural inclinations so we can give His love to others. The more we become like Christ, the more love we will show.
Love is action, not abstraction. Love is patient with people, and gracious to them. It never envies, brags, is arrogant, rude, or overbearing. It doesn’t want it’s own way. It is not irritated or angered in a personal offense. Love also does not find pleasure in someone else’s sin. As followers of Jesus, we ought never to rejoice in evil or injustice, but with His love, rejoice when truth wins out. Love is devoted to truth in everything. It will protect, believe, hope, and endure what others reject. Real, godly, unconditional love will not stop forgiving. It will always seek the good of the other person, always encouraging them. Godly love puts the needs of others above its own.
The actions of the Corinthian church had been childish. Paul proceeds to instruct them to put off this childish behavior and thinking, and to replace childish thinking with mature truth. Just as a child grows to full understanding, believers will come to full understanding in God’s heaven, and spiritual gifts will not be necessary. One day we will be complete when we see God face to face (vs. 12). We don’t have all the answers now, but one day we will. When we see Jesus in person, then we will see with God’s perspective. God alone knows the whole picture.
Our hope will be fulfilled in heaven (vs. 13). We will have everything we ever hoped for. Our faith will be complete because we will see Jesus. Our love will remain forever because love is an attribute of God Himself (I John 4:8).
Monday, March 4, 2019
An Exalted And Holy God
Psalm 99
When we think of the various attributes of God, what are some of the characteristics that first come to mind? We might first think of the fact that God is love. Another might be that He is merciful, or that He is forgiving. These are all very true, and wonderful attributes of God. In today’s Psalm our unknown psalmist seeks to focus our attention on one characteristic that many forget or don’t think about as much, which is that God is holy. Let’s open up our Psalm for this week and see what we can learn from God’s Word.
The word “holy” generally means in the Scriptures that something is sacred, sanctified, and set apart for God’s purpose and use. When the Bible uses this word in reference to God, Himself, it means that He is exalted and worthy of complete devotion. God’s holiness dictates that He is utterly separate, above, and exalted over all other creatures and things. God is also completely holy in His moral character, completely separate from all sin. The psalmist states three times in this brief psalm that God is holy, in verse 3, verse 5, and in verse 9. Knowing this, that God is holy, exalted above all creation, and separate from all sin, isn’t it amazing that such a holy God desires an intimate, saving relationship with us!
In verse one we read that God is enthroned between cherubim. Cherubim are winged angelic beings. They are not cute, chubby, little baby angels we sometimes see on Valentine cards. Cherubim are powerful beings, described in the Book of Ezekiel, as having two pairs of wings and four faces. They were the angelic beings that God placed at the entrance to the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve were cast out. Their duty was to guard the way to the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:24). Moses was instructed by God to make an image of two Cherubim to place on the Ark of the Covenant, guarding the Mercy Seat (Exodus 25:18-22). Here in our psalm and also in the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 37:16) we see that God’s throne in the highest heaven is surrounded by Cherubim and other angelic beings, the Seraphim.
As we read further into the psalm, we are given an admonition in verse 3 to praise God’s Name, and to keep it holy. In a way a person’s name represents their identity. If a high-ranking person in the business, legal, or political realm sends someone to do something “in their name”, that name must carry authority. Misusing their name would bring a penalty. God’s Name symbolizes His nature, His person, His reputation, and His holiness. If misusing a person’s name would be wrong, how much more so should misusing God’s Name be? God’s Name should not be used lightly, nor used as a curse or in vulgar conversation, especially by Christians!
Another thought about how we treat names - Many people are to a degree proud about their family name. Often parents tell their children to remember they are part of a certain family, and that their behavior and actions should bring honor to the family name. As believers, since God is our Father, we need to live worthy of His great Name.
In verse 8 we read how God is the God who forgives. When we get saved, God forgives all of our sins, those committed in the past, those of the present, and all future sins, as well. However, as we are studying, God is all-holy. As such, He is completely separated from sin, and cannot be tainted by it. Nor will He tolerate, ignore, or excuse sin. As a loving Father He still promises to discipline us when necessary (Hebrews 12:5-11).
If we are believers and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, and thus children of God, He has called us to be holy, as He is holy. In both the Old Testament and the New Testament we see this instruction (Leviticus 20:7; and I Peter 1:15). Though we will never achieve perfect holiness here on earth, this is something we should be striving for. Just as an archer aims for the bullseye of a target, we need to aim for this as we seek to follow our all-holy God.
When we think of the various attributes of God, what are some of the characteristics that first come to mind? We might first think of the fact that God is love. Another might be that He is merciful, or that He is forgiving. These are all very true, and wonderful attributes of God. In today’s Psalm our unknown psalmist seeks to focus our attention on one characteristic that many forget or don’t think about as much, which is that God is holy. Let’s open up our Psalm for this week and see what we can learn from God’s Word.
The word “holy” generally means in the Scriptures that something is sacred, sanctified, and set apart for God’s purpose and use. When the Bible uses this word in reference to God, Himself, it means that He is exalted and worthy of complete devotion. God’s holiness dictates that He is utterly separate, above, and exalted over all other creatures and things. God is also completely holy in His moral character, completely separate from all sin. The psalmist states three times in this brief psalm that God is holy, in verse 3, verse 5, and in verse 9. Knowing this, that God is holy, exalted above all creation, and separate from all sin, isn’t it amazing that such a holy God desires an intimate, saving relationship with us!
In verse one we read that God is enthroned between cherubim. Cherubim are winged angelic beings. They are not cute, chubby, little baby angels we sometimes see on Valentine cards. Cherubim are powerful beings, described in the Book of Ezekiel, as having two pairs of wings and four faces. They were the angelic beings that God placed at the entrance to the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve were cast out. Their duty was to guard the way to the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:24). Moses was instructed by God to make an image of two Cherubim to place on the Ark of the Covenant, guarding the Mercy Seat (Exodus 25:18-22). Here in our psalm and also in the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 37:16) we see that God’s throne in the highest heaven is surrounded by Cherubim and other angelic beings, the Seraphim.
As we read further into the psalm, we are given an admonition in verse 3 to praise God’s Name, and to keep it holy. In a way a person’s name represents their identity. If a high-ranking person in the business, legal, or political realm sends someone to do something “in their name”, that name must carry authority. Misusing their name would bring a penalty. God’s Name symbolizes His nature, His person, His reputation, and His holiness. If misusing a person’s name would be wrong, how much more so should misusing God’s Name be? God’s Name should not be used lightly, nor used as a curse or in vulgar conversation, especially by Christians!
Another thought about how we treat names - Many people are to a degree proud about their family name. Often parents tell their children to remember they are part of a certain family, and that their behavior and actions should bring honor to the family name. As believers, since God is our Father, we need to live worthy of His great Name.
In verse 8 we read how God is the God who forgives. When we get saved, God forgives all of our sins, those committed in the past, those of the present, and all future sins, as well. However, as we are studying, God is all-holy. As such, He is completely separated from sin, and cannot be tainted by it. Nor will He tolerate, ignore, or excuse sin. As a loving Father He still promises to discipline us when necessary (Hebrews 12:5-11).
If we are believers and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, and thus children of God, He has called us to be holy, as He is holy. In both the Old Testament and the New Testament we see this instruction (Leviticus 20:7; and I Peter 1:15). Though we will never achieve perfect holiness here on earth, this is something we should be striving for. Just as an archer aims for the bullseye of a target, we need to aim for this as we seek to follow our all-holy God.
Saturday, March 2, 2019
Keep A Shining Face
Exodus 34:29-35
How can we tell when a young man or woman is in love? One way is by the look on their face. A person in love will often radiate that feeling through their face. When we have been with the one we love, it shows on our face, in our speech, and in the way we act. When things are happy at home, often our co-workers or friends can tell without our actually telling so. The same would go if things are unhappy, as well. In our Scripture passage today from the Old Testament Book of Exodus, we read of the effects of Moses being close to, and in the presence of the One that he loved.
As our Scripture passage begins, Moses has been alone on Mt. Sinai for 40 days, meeting personally with Yahweh, where he has been given the Law personally from His hand. After 40 days of prayer, fasting, and being with the Lord God, Moses descends from the mountain, returning to the people of Israel, who have been encamped and waiting at the base of the mountain. When Moses rejoined the people there was one thing that they saw, something that Moses was unaware of, and that was that his face was shining (vs. 29). This scared the people, and he had to resort to wearing a veil to hide his face. Every time that Moses would go to be alone with Yahweh he took the veil off. When he was with the people, though, he put the veil back on (vs. 34-35).
What makes our faces shine? When we spend time doing what we enjoy, perhaps a sports activity or our favorite hobby, we are more relaxed and happy. We are then more pleasant to be around. Can our family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers tell that we have been with the Lord? After we’ve spent time with God in prayer and reading of His Word, is our countenance radiating from that time with Him? Our face won’t literally shine, but God’s love, joy, and peace will just be overflowing out of us, that it will be overwhelmingly evident to all who see us, and are with us, that we spend time with the Lord.
On any given Sunday morning, we should take a look at the faces of those in our church service, or look at the faces of the people as they exit the service. Do they reflect a glory from having spent time in God’s presence? Or, if I may borrow a phrase of a former pastor of mine, now deceased, do they look more like they have been weaned on a pickle? The time we spend with Jesus should make a difference in our personality. His sweet and loving nature should rub off on us, making us more like Him, and eliminating a lot of that prickly and cantankerous temperament.
Shining with the love, joy, and peace of the Lord is not something that we can generate from ourselves on our own. We are reflecting God’s glory. We do not shine with our own glory. We are like the moon. The moon reflects the sun’s light. It does not generate light on its own. Moses did not generate the shine from his face on his own. It came from being with the Lord.
How meaningful is my time with the Lord? Do I hurry through my prayers, hurry through my Bible reading, so I can get on to other things? When I am in church, is my mind a million miles away during the sermon or while worshipping? Moses willingly spent 40 days on the mountain with God. He didn’t complain to the Lord that he was tired and hungry, and that he wanted to get back down the mountain to be with his friends. His time with Yahweh was so wonderful that Moses just glowed because of it! Let’s be sure that we spend quality time with the Lord each day, and that we try not to leave our home until we shine with His presence!
How can we tell when a young man or woman is in love? One way is by the look on their face. A person in love will often radiate that feeling through their face. When we have been with the one we love, it shows on our face, in our speech, and in the way we act. When things are happy at home, often our co-workers or friends can tell without our actually telling so. The same would go if things are unhappy, as well. In our Scripture passage today from the Old Testament Book of Exodus, we read of the effects of Moses being close to, and in the presence of the One that he loved.
As our Scripture passage begins, Moses has been alone on Mt. Sinai for 40 days, meeting personally with Yahweh, where he has been given the Law personally from His hand. After 40 days of prayer, fasting, and being with the Lord God, Moses descends from the mountain, returning to the people of Israel, who have been encamped and waiting at the base of the mountain. When Moses rejoined the people there was one thing that they saw, something that Moses was unaware of, and that was that his face was shining (vs. 29). This scared the people, and he had to resort to wearing a veil to hide his face. Every time that Moses would go to be alone with Yahweh he took the veil off. When he was with the people, though, he put the veil back on (vs. 34-35).
What makes our faces shine? When we spend time doing what we enjoy, perhaps a sports activity or our favorite hobby, we are more relaxed and happy. We are then more pleasant to be around. Can our family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers tell that we have been with the Lord? After we’ve spent time with God in prayer and reading of His Word, is our countenance radiating from that time with Him? Our face won’t literally shine, but God’s love, joy, and peace will just be overflowing out of us, that it will be overwhelmingly evident to all who see us, and are with us, that we spend time with the Lord.
On any given Sunday morning, we should take a look at the faces of those in our church service, or look at the faces of the people as they exit the service. Do they reflect a glory from having spent time in God’s presence? Or, if I may borrow a phrase of a former pastor of mine, now deceased, do they look more like they have been weaned on a pickle? The time we spend with Jesus should make a difference in our personality. His sweet and loving nature should rub off on us, making us more like Him, and eliminating a lot of that prickly and cantankerous temperament.
Shining with the love, joy, and peace of the Lord is not something that we can generate from ourselves on our own. We are reflecting God’s glory. We do not shine with our own glory. We are like the moon. The moon reflects the sun’s light. It does not generate light on its own. Moses did not generate the shine from his face on his own. It came from being with the Lord.
How meaningful is my time with the Lord? Do I hurry through my prayers, hurry through my Bible reading, so I can get on to other things? When I am in church, is my mind a million miles away during the sermon or while worshipping? Moses willingly spent 40 days on the mountain with God. He didn’t complain to the Lord that he was tired and hungry, and that he wanted to get back down the mountain to be with his friends. His time with Yahweh was so wonderful that Moses just glowed because of it! Let’s be sure that we spend quality time with the Lord each day, and that we try not to leave our home until we shine with His presence!
Friday, March 1, 2019
How Can I Love My Enemy?
Luke 6:27-38
Wherever Jesus went, the crowds liked to follow. They liked what they saw, as He healed the sick, fed crowds, and told nice, but often puzzling stories. However, the lesson that Jesus was now teaching was one that was a difficult one to follow. He had just spoken an abbreviated version of the Beatitudes to the crowds, telling them things, such as you are blessed if you are poor or weep, or men hate you for His sake, and woe to the rich and those that men speak well of, things that seem the opposite of what everyone would think. Now Jesus was telling everyone to love their enemies and bless those who treat them badly! This was a difficult lesson for the crowd that day, and for us today, as well. Let’s take a closer look.
From our earliest years we have all had to deal with people who have mistreated us. There were always other children at the playground who were brats, and as we grow older, there those at work or in the neighborhood who do us wrong. Our natural inclination is to dislike them, and even hate some of them. Often we think of ways that we can get back at them. In today’s Scripture passage, though, the Lord Jesus tells us that this is not the way that the Father wants His children to act. Instead of showing hate, He wants us to love our enemies, and do good to them, rather than to retaliate.
How is this possible when our natural reaction is to want to clobber them, to give back to them what they did to us? Feelings of love just do not issue forth. This love isn’t affection that comes when we really like someone and agree with them. This is an act of the will. One doesn’t “fall into” this love. It is a conscious effort. It is acting in their best interest, helping them, praying for them. It is following the example of Jesus, who loves the whole world even though it is in rebellion against Him and hates Him.
Love is action. It is easy to show kindness and generosity to those who are kind to us. Not so easy for those who hate us. However, if God was not kind and generous to us sinners when we were opposing Him, where would any of us be? (Romans 5:8). When we have turned to the Lord and accepted Jesus as Savior, we become His children. So if we are God’s children, we should act like it by showing forth His moral character (vs. 35). God is loving, gracious, and generous even to His enemies, and we should, too.
We who have been shown divine mercy are to practice a lifestyle of forgiveness (vs. 37-38). Forgive as God forgave us. A forgiving spirit shows we have received God’s forgiveness. What we give out to others will come back to us in full measure. Jesus wants us to offer forgiveness to those who have hurt us. It won’t change what they did, but it will change us. Forgiveness is too important to ignore for our spiritual health.
This is not to say that God will just ignore the terrible things people have done. God will judge sin, and He greatly desires people to turn from their sin and receive His salvation. By our showing loving kindness to those who least deserve it, we will show the lost God’s love and mercy, hoping they will repent and be saved (II Peter 3:9).
As followers of Jesus, we are to be different from the world, not like the people of the world. Be someone who is known for their compassion, their thoughtfulness, and their consideration of others, including to those who do not deserve it.
Wherever Jesus went, the crowds liked to follow. They liked what they saw, as He healed the sick, fed crowds, and told nice, but often puzzling stories. However, the lesson that Jesus was now teaching was one that was a difficult one to follow. He had just spoken an abbreviated version of the Beatitudes to the crowds, telling them things, such as you are blessed if you are poor or weep, or men hate you for His sake, and woe to the rich and those that men speak well of, things that seem the opposite of what everyone would think. Now Jesus was telling everyone to love their enemies and bless those who treat them badly! This was a difficult lesson for the crowd that day, and for us today, as well. Let’s take a closer look.
From our earliest years we have all had to deal with people who have mistreated us. There were always other children at the playground who were brats, and as we grow older, there those at work or in the neighborhood who do us wrong. Our natural inclination is to dislike them, and even hate some of them. Often we think of ways that we can get back at them. In today’s Scripture passage, though, the Lord Jesus tells us that this is not the way that the Father wants His children to act. Instead of showing hate, He wants us to love our enemies, and do good to them, rather than to retaliate.
How is this possible when our natural reaction is to want to clobber them, to give back to them what they did to us? Feelings of love just do not issue forth. This love isn’t affection that comes when we really like someone and agree with them. This is an act of the will. One doesn’t “fall into” this love. It is a conscious effort. It is acting in their best interest, helping them, praying for them. It is following the example of Jesus, who loves the whole world even though it is in rebellion against Him and hates Him.
Love is action. It is easy to show kindness and generosity to those who are kind to us. Not so easy for those who hate us. However, if God was not kind and generous to us sinners when we were opposing Him, where would any of us be? (Romans 5:8). When we have turned to the Lord and accepted Jesus as Savior, we become His children. So if we are God’s children, we should act like it by showing forth His moral character (vs. 35). God is loving, gracious, and generous even to His enemies, and we should, too.
We who have been shown divine mercy are to practice a lifestyle of forgiveness (vs. 37-38). Forgive as God forgave us. A forgiving spirit shows we have received God’s forgiveness. What we give out to others will come back to us in full measure. Jesus wants us to offer forgiveness to those who have hurt us. It won’t change what they did, but it will change us. Forgiveness is too important to ignore for our spiritual health.
This is not to say that God will just ignore the terrible things people have done. God will judge sin, and He greatly desires people to turn from their sin and receive His salvation. By our showing loving kindness to those who least deserve it, we will show the lost God’s love and mercy, hoping they will repent and be saved (II Peter 3:9).
As followers of Jesus, we are to be different from the world, not like the people of the world. Be someone who is known for their compassion, their thoughtfulness, and their consideration of others, including to those who do not deserve it.
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Our Resurrected Bodies
I Corinthians 15:35-50
The New Testament reading from this week’s Lectionary continues with the Apostle Paul’s discussion and teachings on the resurrection. In today’s portion of Scripture, Paul answers the question that some of the Corinthians asked about what the resurrected body would be like. Some of those in the Corinthian church were still holding to the popular Greek philosophical thinking that the soul would pass into the afterlife, but not the physical body. Contemplating the prospect of the resurrection of the physical body, they wondered what the resurrected body would be like? Let’s look at what Paul answered here in our Scripture passage.
Paul compares the body, when it dies and is then resurrected, to new life, similar to that of seeds which we sow in the ground and which grow into a full plant (vs. 36 - 38). Seeds can do nothing until they fall off the plant, in a sense “dying”. Then they are buried in the soil, where they come to life. The plant that comes forth looks nothing like the seed that was sown. The oak looks nothing like the acorn it came from. Neither do beautiful tulips look like the ugly bulbs they came from.
Paul explains that God created different types of bodies for different types of creatures, whether they are people, animals, birds, or fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. The stars, sun, moon, and planets all differ from each other, as well (vs 39 - 41). There are many different types of bodies that God created in this universe, and each type of body was especially created to suit their particular existence. God designed the bird’s body to fly, the fish to swim, the polar bear’s for cold weather, and the armadillo’s for the desert. He will design our resurrected body perfect for our resurrected life.
The physical body we have now gets old and weaker. Parts don’t work like they used to. It is a perishable body. Our resurrected body will be transformed (vs. 42 - 44). It will be different, more capable than our present, earthly body. It will not be weak, it will never get sick again, and will never die again.
Paul gives us examples of how the resurrected body will differ from our present body. He tells how our physical body here on earth is corrupt, meaning that it gets sick and will eventually die (vs. 42). Our resurrected body will never get sick, it will be raised in incorruption. Our physical bodies suffer from “dishonor” because of sin (vs. 43). Our resurrected body will not have such dishonor. The physical body grows weak with age (vs. 43). We all see how many things we used to be able to do, but now our aging, weaker bodies just can’t anymore. There is no aging or weakness in heaven. Our natural bodies are limited here by time and space. Our resurrected body will be raised in glory.
As Paul continues on, he describes how our physical body here on earth is patterned after the first man, Adam. The resurrected body we will have will be after the “last Adam”, which is the Lord Jesus Christ (vs 45 - 49). The resurrection body of Jesus was the prototype. Adam was created with a natural body. We received our natural bodies through our descent from Adam. Through the “last Adam” we will receive our spiritual bodies in resurrection. Because Jesus rose from the dead He is a life-giving spirit (vs. 45). He is the source of the spiritual life that will result in our resurrection.
When Jesus rose from the dead He had a new, glorified human body that suited His new, glorified life. This was apparent to all who first saw Him after He rose. Jesus wasn’t just a ghost. He had an actual, physical body. However, it was a new and glorified one. When our bodies are resurrected God will give us a transformed, eternal body, that will be suited for our eternal life.
Do you wish to have an eternal resurrection body like that? If you have accepted the Lord Jesus into your heart, confessing your sins and asking Him to be your Lord and Savior, you will one day. What a blessed hope, a blessed day, to look forward to!
The New Testament reading from this week’s Lectionary continues with the Apostle Paul’s discussion and teachings on the resurrection. In today’s portion of Scripture, Paul answers the question that some of the Corinthians asked about what the resurrected body would be like. Some of those in the Corinthian church were still holding to the popular Greek philosophical thinking that the soul would pass into the afterlife, but not the physical body. Contemplating the prospect of the resurrection of the physical body, they wondered what the resurrected body would be like? Let’s look at what Paul answered here in our Scripture passage.
Paul compares the body, when it dies and is then resurrected, to new life, similar to that of seeds which we sow in the ground and which grow into a full plant (vs. 36 - 38). Seeds can do nothing until they fall off the plant, in a sense “dying”. Then they are buried in the soil, where they come to life. The plant that comes forth looks nothing like the seed that was sown. The oak looks nothing like the acorn it came from. Neither do beautiful tulips look like the ugly bulbs they came from.
Paul explains that God created different types of bodies for different types of creatures, whether they are people, animals, birds, or fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. The stars, sun, moon, and planets all differ from each other, as well (vs 39 - 41). There are many different types of bodies that God created in this universe, and each type of body was especially created to suit their particular existence. God designed the bird’s body to fly, the fish to swim, the polar bear’s for cold weather, and the armadillo’s for the desert. He will design our resurrected body perfect for our resurrected life.
The physical body we have now gets old and weaker. Parts don’t work like they used to. It is a perishable body. Our resurrected body will be transformed (vs. 42 - 44). It will be different, more capable than our present, earthly body. It will not be weak, it will never get sick again, and will never die again.
Paul gives us examples of how the resurrected body will differ from our present body. He tells how our physical body here on earth is corrupt, meaning that it gets sick and will eventually die (vs. 42). Our resurrected body will never get sick, it will be raised in incorruption. Our physical bodies suffer from “dishonor” because of sin (vs. 43). Our resurrected body will not have such dishonor. The physical body grows weak with age (vs. 43). We all see how many things we used to be able to do, but now our aging, weaker bodies just can’t anymore. There is no aging or weakness in heaven. Our natural bodies are limited here by time and space. Our resurrected body will be raised in glory.
As Paul continues on, he describes how our physical body here on earth is patterned after the first man, Adam. The resurrected body we will have will be after the “last Adam”, which is the Lord Jesus Christ (vs 45 - 49). The resurrection body of Jesus was the prototype. Adam was created with a natural body. We received our natural bodies through our descent from Adam. Through the “last Adam” we will receive our spiritual bodies in resurrection. Because Jesus rose from the dead He is a life-giving spirit (vs. 45). He is the source of the spiritual life that will result in our resurrection.
When Jesus rose from the dead He had a new, glorified human body that suited His new, glorified life. This was apparent to all who first saw Him after He rose. Jesus wasn’t just a ghost. He had an actual, physical body. However, it was a new and glorified one. When our bodies are resurrected God will give us a transformed, eternal body, that will be suited for our eternal life.
Do you wish to have an eternal resurrection body like that? If you have accepted the Lord Jesus into your heart, confessing your sins and asking Him to be your Lord and Savior, you will one day. What a blessed hope, a blessed day, to look forward to!
Monday, February 25, 2019
Be Thou Our Guide
Psalm 37
Many people have wondered at some point in their life, why the ungodly people in the world seem to frequently prosper, while the godly folk have to painfully struggle throughout life. It doesn’t seem fair. We do what’s right, and life is difficult for us, while the wicked turn their back on God and things go their way. This is a question that King David, the author of our Psalm today, also asked. Let’s look at what God taught him in our Scripture passage today.
As we look at the ungodly people around us, we may see that they are prospering. They have all they could want, and seemingly few problems. God tells us, though, not to be envious of them (vs. 1). Don’t envy them, despite their popularity or riches. What they have won’t last for eternity, and often does not even last them through this life (vs. 2). A believer’s treasures should be stored up in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20). God wants us to trust in Him, to do good, and cultivate faithfulness (vs. 3). He will deal with the ungodly. Our responsibility is to watch our own actions.
In verse 4 we read how David says a believer should “delight” themselves in the Lord. Delighting in someone is to take pleasure in their presence. We want to know them well. When we delight in God, we will trust Him and commit our life to Him. To “commit” to the Lord is to entrust everything to His control, and to trust Him (vs. 5). God can care for us better than we can ourselves. As we seek His desires, our own desires will fall into place. God’s desires become our desires. As we wait patiently for Him, He will work out what’s best for us (vs. 7).
One thing that happens when we look at others, and are envious at their riches and supposed ease in life, is we become angry and fret or worry (vs. 7-8). Anger and worry reveal a lack of trust and faith that God loves us, and that He is in control. When we dwell on our problems we become anxious and angry. Instead, David instructs us to concentrate on God and His goodness, and we will have peace. If we wait patiently, He will intervene on behalf of His people. We need to keep a humble attitude, with calm faith and humility before God, hoping in His deliverance (vs. 11).
As David continues in his psalm, he tells us of some of the blessings that the godly will receive from the Lord. God delights in the one who trusts in Him, and who seeks to do His will (vs. 23-24). He promises to watch over every step that the godly take, directing their ways. This isn’t something that He has promised to the ungodly or the wicked, so why do we envy them? God will provide for His own people as long as they are seeking to obey and trust Him (vs. 25). Our task is to follow God each day, and to leave the future and it’s problems to Him.
The tune for the great clock in the tower at Westminster Palace, also known as Big Ben, actually has words, which are displayed in the clock room. They read: “Lord, through this hour, be Thou our guide; So by Thy power, no foot shall slide”. This is in reference to verse 24 of our psalm.
Throughout his psalm, David urges us to have patience, as God’s timing is not our timing. The ungodly may be prospering now, they may seem to have the upper hand now, but that is not going to be their case in the end. We need to wait patiently for God to act in our situation. As we submit to His timing, God will honor us. Trust God’s flawless timing. His timing is perfect.
We need to keep God’s Word in our heart. When the devil comes to attack us, it is then too late to start opening our Bible (vs. 31). David urges us to focus our steps on God’s path. That will lead us into the right direction. Keep on His purposeful path. When our strength has failed, go to God, and find His (vs. 39). He will not fail us!
Many people have wondered at some point in their life, why the ungodly people in the world seem to frequently prosper, while the godly folk have to painfully struggle throughout life. It doesn’t seem fair. We do what’s right, and life is difficult for us, while the wicked turn their back on God and things go their way. This is a question that King David, the author of our Psalm today, also asked. Let’s look at what God taught him in our Scripture passage today.
As we look at the ungodly people around us, we may see that they are prospering. They have all they could want, and seemingly few problems. God tells us, though, not to be envious of them (vs. 1). Don’t envy them, despite their popularity or riches. What they have won’t last for eternity, and often does not even last them through this life (vs. 2). A believer’s treasures should be stored up in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20). God wants us to trust in Him, to do good, and cultivate faithfulness (vs. 3). He will deal with the ungodly. Our responsibility is to watch our own actions.
In verse 4 we read how David says a believer should “delight” themselves in the Lord. Delighting in someone is to take pleasure in their presence. We want to know them well. When we delight in God, we will trust Him and commit our life to Him. To “commit” to the Lord is to entrust everything to His control, and to trust Him (vs. 5). God can care for us better than we can ourselves. As we seek His desires, our own desires will fall into place. God’s desires become our desires. As we wait patiently for Him, He will work out what’s best for us (vs. 7).
One thing that happens when we look at others, and are envious at their riches and supposed ease in life, is we become angry and fret or worry (vs. 7-8). Anger and worry reveal a lack of trust and faith that God loves us, and that He is in control. When we dwell on our problems we become anxious and angry. Instead, David instructs us to concentrate on God and His goodness, and we will have peace. If we wait patiently, He will intervene on behalf of His people. We need to keep a humble attitude, with calm faith and humility before God, hoping in His deliverance (vs. 11).
As David continues in his psalm, he tells us of some of the blessings that the godly will receive from the Lord. God delights in the one who trusts in Him, and who seeks to do His will (vs. 23-24). He promises to watch over every step that the godly take, directing their ways. This isn’t something that He has promised to the ungodly or the wicked, so why do we envy them? God will provide for His own people as long as they are seeking to obey and trust Him (vs. 25). Our task is to follow God each day, and to leave the future and it’s problems to Him.
The tune for the great clock in the tower at Westminster Palace, also known as Big Ben, actually has words, which are displayed in the clock room. They read: “Lord, through this hour, be Thou our guide; So by Thy power, no foot shall slide”. This is in reference to verse 24 of our psalm.
Throughout his psalm, David urges us to have patience, as God’s timing is not our timing. The ungodly may be prospering now, they may seem to have the upper hand now, but that is not going to be their case in the end. We need to wait patiently for God to act in our situation. As we submit to His timing, God will honor us. Trust God’s flawless timing. His timing is perfect.
We need to keep God’s Word in our heart. When the devil comes to attack us, it is then too late to start opening our Bible (vs. 31). David urges us to focus our steps on God’s path. That will lead us into the right direction. Keep on His purposeful path. When our strength has failed, go to God, and find His (vs. 39). He will not fail us!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)