Even though last Sunday was my last 'official' Sunday at PBF I am speaking there this Sunday which gives me a chance to finish up my series on 1 John and Matthew. I am looking forward to teaching the Gospel of Matthew at TBS this fall as it is an important part of the New Testament Scriptures. However, sometimes it is easy to overlook smaller parts of the NT like the letter of 1 John. This is something we must not do because all that God has revealed and perserved for us in the Bible is necessary for our growth and development as Christians.
1 John 5:18-21 bring the letter, or what some believe was a sermon, to a close. When you read the verses you see that John goes out with a bang! From the beginning John has been writing so that we might have fellowship with God and with one another and so that our joy might be full. Here at the end he anchors these desires in three things that he knows about for sure about God and his salvation in Jesus Christ. There are people around today who tell us that we should avoid dogmatic statements about anything. They tell us that people will not trust us if we claim to know anything with absolute certainty. This is understandable under normal circumstances. We are very limited in our perspective and we are shaped by our assumptions more than we realize. But we must always remember that when it comes to the Bible we have certainty not because of who we are and what we know but because of what God has revealed to us. To 'hum and haw' when God has clearly spoken is not an act of humilty but of unbelief and cowardice. With this is mind let me mention the three things that all Christians can know for sure.
1. We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One born of God keeps them safe and the evil one cannot harm them. This is not sinless perfection but another indication of the kind of personal transformation that is experienced by the person who has known the salvation of God. Salvation is not just talk but power. It is not merely intellectual notions but liberation that sets a person free to serve the Lord.
2. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. Not only is there liberation from the enslavement of sin but there is freedom from the evil one. He controls those who are outside of Christ in all sorts of subtle and not-so-subtle ways but he cannot harm the Christian. John's prose also reminds us that there is to be a difference between the children of God and the world. This difference is not superficial but profound. It's a matter of what hold our hearts? Where do our loyalties lie? Are we driven by a desire for God's glory? Are we really servants, or more literally, slaves of Christ?
3. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. We do not need to be tossed back and forth by every wind of doctrine. We can know the truth. He has given us understanding. There is the possibility of a chastened certainty! We are not left in the dark. We need not cling to types and shadows. The reality has come and we know what we need to know to escape this world which is scheduled for destruction as we learn from God's Son, Jesus Christ.
Then finally John closes with the words Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. This says it all. If the truth is found in Jesus Christ, everything outside of him is an idol. He is the standard. The beginning and end of wisdom. Idolatry is more pervasive and deep-rooted than many realize. Our hearts are naturally drawn to idols. Only God is able to break their spell and set our sights on himself. John's exhortation is as necessary today as it was when he first wrote it down. This is the challenge of living in the world without becoming sinfully entangled in it. May our remembrance of all that God has done for us by making us his dear children drive us to run from idols and into the arms of the Savior who loves us and gave himself for us.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
End Time Speculation
As I mentioned a few days ago, last week a friend sent me a link to an article that appeared in the Los Angeles Times on June 22, 2006 entitled: "'End Times' Religious Groups Want Apocalypse Soon." It tells of movements and people within Christianity, Islam and Judaism who are looking forward to the end of human history as we know it and consequently are doing what they think is necessary to hasten that great day.
So for instance, some evangelicals are meeting to plan how they can fulfill the Great Commission by planting 5 million new churches in the next 10 years and thereby Jesus back from heaven. Some Muslims, like the radical President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, are hoping to welcome a Muslim messiah known as Mahdi to Tehran within the next two years. And some within Judaism hope to get ready for their messiah by rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem on the site which is now home to one of Islam's holiest shrines. Some have even gone so far as to try are re-create the robes and other objects necessary for the priesthood to be reestablished in Jerusalem and Clyde Lott, a Mississippi cattle rancher and revivalist, is even trying to raise a unique breed of red heifers that will meet the legal requirements of the book of Numbers.
All of this is very interesting given the hype that preceded the year 2000 and the numerous predictions of doom and gloom that were circulated in the weeks leading up to that event. One would think that people would be reluctant to start beating the apocalyptic drum so soon into the new millennium, but obviously that is not the case. However, in the midst of the excitement Christians need to be careful to keep their biblical wits about them and their emotions in check and not bring discredit on the faith by chiming in with those prophets of doom and exaggeration who are clamor for attention from some of the most visible pulpits in the land.
Jesus Christ is coming again to the earth. There is no doubt about that. We have his word as the only Prophet, Priest and King who has ever died and rose again and ascended into heaven. The religious expectations of other groups have no such foundation. All Islamic and Jewish prophets and teachers are dead and remain in the realm of the dead to this day. Jesus is in a completely different category. He ever lives to make intercession for his people and to rule over the world for the sake of his people: the church. But although we know that Jesus will return to this earth we do not know the time of that return. Personally, I believe that there is nothing that has to be fulfilled which could not be fulfilled in our lifetime. But in a sense, this has always been the case during the entire Christian era. So we live in expectation of his coming and yet not in such a way that we are paralyzed or distracted or pre-occupied with anything other than the work he has given us to do. If ever there were an area of theology and Christian living where balance is required, this is it.
As I look around at the world it is very difficult to imagine that it will go on and on much longer. But whether or not it does is not for me or anyone else to say. That is a part of God's secret counsel and I must leave it there. We are required to live faithful lives and to do what we can in our generation to advance the kingdom of grace. And we are to do it knowing that in and through our efforts God will glorify himself in both the salvation of his people and in the judgment of those who refuse to bow before him. The sense of foreboding that people sometimes have is an indicator that they are made in the image of God and that they know down deep inside that things are not what they should be and that someday God will call them to account. In this context we have the privilege of standing as heralds of good news and urging all people everywhere to repent.
So for instance, some evangelicals are meeting to plan how they can fulfill the Great Commission by planting 5 million new churches in the next 10 years and thereby Jesus back from heaven. Some Muslims, like the radical President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, are hoping to welcome a Muslim messiah known as Mahdi to Tehran within the next two years. And some within Judaism hope to get ready for their messiah by rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem on the site which is now home to one of Islam's holiest shrines. Some have even gone so far as to try are re-create the robes and other objects necessary for the priesthood to be reestablished in Jerusalem and Clyde Lott, a Mississippi cattle rancher and revivalist, is even trying to raise a unique breed of red heifers that will meet the legal requirements of the book of Numbers.
All of this is very interesting given the hype that preceded the year 2000 and the numerous predictions of doom and gloom that were circulated in the weeks leading up to that event. One would think that people would be reluctant to start beating the apocalyptic drum so soon into the new millennium, but obviously that is not the case. However, in the midst of the excitement Christians need to be careful to keep their biblical wits about them and their emotions in check and not bring discredit on the faith by chiming in with those prophets of doom and exaggeration who are clamor for attention from some of the most visible pulpits in the land.
Jesus Christ is coming again to the earth. There is no doubt about that. We have his word as the only Prophet, Priest and King who has ever died and rose again and ascended into heaven. The religious expectations of other groups have no such foundation. All Islamic and Jewish prophets and teachers are dead and remain in the realm of the dead to this day. Jesus is in a completely different category. He ever lives to make intercession for his people and to rule over the world for the sake of his people: the church. But although we know that Jesus will return to this earth we do not know the time of that return. Personally, I believe that there is nothing that has to be fulfilled which could not be fulfilled in our lifetime. But in a sense, this has always been the case during the entire Christian era. So we live in expectation of his coming and yet not in such a way that we are paralyzed or distracted or pre-occupied with anything other than the work he has given us to do. If ever there were an area of theology and Christian living where balance is required, this is it.
As I look around at the world it is very difficult to imagine that it will go on and on much longer. But whether or not it does is not for me or anyone else to say. That is a part of God's secret counsel and I must leave it there. We are required to live faithful lives and to do what we can in our generation to advance the kingdom of grace. And we are to do it knowing that in and through our efforts God will glorify himself in both the salvation of his people and in the judgment of those who refuse to bow before him. The sense of foreboding that people sometimes have is an indicator that they are made in the image of God and that they know down deep inside that things are not what they should be and that someday God will call them to account. In this context we have the privilege of standing as heralds of good news and urging all people everywhere to repent.
Monday, June 26, 2006
A Time of Change
This past Sunday was my last official Sunday as the pastor of Pilgrim Baptist Fellowship in Ancaster. I have accepted a full-time position at Toronto Baptist Seminary as Professor of Systematic Theology and Biblical Studies beginning this summer. The time at Pilgrim has gone by all too quickly and there is so much more to be done. But over the past few months as we have tried to determine what the Lord wants us to do it has become apparent that our times are not in our hands. He is in complete control and it is our responsibility to follow his leading in our lives. This is what we are attempting to do even though we leave many friends behind us at Pilgrim. But we believe that if it is his will for us to move on to a new area of endeavor, it is also his will for someone else to carry on the work of building the church in Ancaster. Please pray for the church and for this new venture in my life. After 24 years of pastoral ministry it is going to be a change for me and my family but we are confident that God has called us to serve him in this way and by his grace this is what we will do.
Lately, I have started reading the devotional book Valley of Vision which is a collection of an assortment of Puritan prayers and devotions edited by Arthur Bennett. Here is the introductory prayer from which the book gets its name: The Valley of Vision
Lord, High and Holy, Meek and Lowly,
Thou has brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from
deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter
thy stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty
thy glory in my valley.
Lately, I have started reading the devotional book Valley of Vision which is a collection of an assortment of Puritan prayers and devotions edited by Arthur Bennett. Here is the introductory prayer from which the book gets its name: The Valley of Vision
Lord, High and Holy, Meek and Lowly,
Thou has brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from
deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter
thy stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty
thy glory in my valley.
Friday, June 23, 2006
Why Do You Pray?
A friend sent me something on ways in which different religious groups around the world are preparing for their idea of “messiah” and I thought I would comment on it today, but instead I have decided to say something about prayer and come back to it next time. I find that one can never say enough about the importance and value of prayer. But the reason my mind is drawn to the subject of prayer this time is because of something I read by John Stott as I was preparing one of the messages for Sunday. Commenting on 1 John 5:15 he writes: “Prayer is not a convenient device for imposing our will upon God, or for bending his will to ours, but the prescribed way of subordinating our will to his. It is by prayer that we seek God’s will, embrace it and align ourselves with it. Every true prayer is a variation on the theme ‘your will be done’” (The Letters of John – Tyndale NT Commentaries, 188).
The more I have pondered these words this week the more I am impressed by them. Almost every Christian acknowledges the need to pray. But so often it seems that prayer is thought of as a means to an end. A way of getting what we want from God. Stott points us in a completely different direction. Prayer is God’s way of bringing us in line with himself and his will for our lives. In other words, it is good for us to pray because it is good for us to walk in the will of God. We do not know what is best for us. We are so often a bundle of contradictory desires and feelings. What we need more than anything else is for the Lord to give us direction and to turn us in the way we should go. If we insist on going our own way we will make a mess of our lives and fail to make the most of the little time we have on planet earth. So let us pray mindful of the one to whom we are praying. Conscious that he is the sovereign one who knows the end from the beginning and yet for all of that, he is intensely and personally interested in each one of us.
I John 5:14-15 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
The more I have pondered these words this week the more I am impressed by them. Almost every Christian acknowledges the need to pray. But so often it seems that prayer is thought of as a means to an end. A way of getting what we want from God. Stott points us in a completely different direction. Prayer is God’s way of bringing us in line with himself and his will for our lives. In other words, it is good for us to pray because it is good for us to walk in the will of God. We do not know what is best for us. We are so often a bundle of contradictory desires and feelings. What we need more than anything else is for the Lord to give us direction and to turn us in the way we should go. If we insist on going our own way we will make a mess of our lives and fail to make the most of the little time we have on planet earth. So let us pray mindful of the one to whom we are praying. Conscious that he is the sovereign one who knows the end from the beginning and yet for all of that, he is intensely and personally interested in each one of us.
I John 5:14-15 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Reflections on Weakness
Recently in my own devotions I read 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
As I thought on what Paul was saying I was struck by the differences between Paul's ministry and that which is advocated today in many different ways. I am thinking here of everything from the blatantly obvious charlatans of the health and wealth gospel to those who would repudiate such nonsense at a philosophical and theological level but who nonetheless have been more influenced than they often realize by a bigger is better, look-at-us type of self-congratulatory ministry. In fact, it is very difficult to escape bragging about who we are and what we have supposedly accomplished. It is so much a part of our culture that it is almost expected of cutting-edge leaders and competent ministers. Not so long ago I attended an event where the speakers were introduced in such a non-Pauline way that I do not know how the Holy Spirit could not have been offended with what took place. The introductions amounted to self-serving advertisements for extremely profitable ministries which one could perhaps excuse at a trade show but not at a gathering of New Covenant ministers who claim to be the spiritual heirs of the great apostle Paul.
All of us involved in Christian ministry need to face the fact that we know very little of the kind of Holy Spirit power that established the first century church in a hostile environment in spite of the weaknesses of the first believers. For all that has been done, we have not seen great numbers of people swept into the kingdom of God as a result of an evident move of the Spirit. Here and there we see mercy-drops falling around us, but as the songwriter says we need to plead for showers! Christianity is not permeating the society, we are not seeing the establishment of churches who are largely composed of new converts and not just re-cycled, disgruntled church members. Yes, we know a lot about many things, we are able to analyze trends and predict future market demands but we are novices when it comes to the power of the kingdom of heaven in the face of modern and postmodern unbelief. Why is this? Surely this is not acceptable? None of us can be satisfied with this state of affairs! Moreover, I would even go so far as to say that this is one of those things that nags at so many of us who are involved in Christian ministry: we long to see something more, we want to experience the power of God in a way that transcends what we have known thus far!
Well, I wonder if 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 does not hold the key, even though I know it is dangerous to talk about "a key" to anything in the Christian life. It would seem from Paul's experience and mature reflection that power and strength are not tied to well-run organizations, or slick promotional material, or expository preaching, or finding the right songs to sing and structuring the worship service just so; although surely none of these things are wrong in and of themselves. Neither are power and strength tied to having the right version of the Bible, or view on divorce, or the role of women in the church; although once again all of these things are important in their own place. The experience of Christ's power is ironically tethered to weakness! It comes to us when we come to the end of ourselves and our resources. When we are insulted, persecuted and in difficulty for Christ's sake. For when we are weak, then we are strong. The trouble is that we can so easily make an idol out of weakness and start to promote it as the latest "answer" to our ills, and go out and organize conferences where we lavish praise on those who at least appear "weak." But weakness like humility is hard to praise without missing the point somehow!
The "answer" is found in making much of the Lord Jesus. He must be our focus. Not a means to an end, but the end itself! We are to live and labor for him and ask him to help us keep ourselves out of the picture as much as we can. We must decrease while he increases. We must steadfastly refuse honor and glory, even when it is bestowed by well-meaning people. If we really want to know his power, we have no alternative. I guess it depends on what we really want. The unsatisfying status-quo or the glory of the living God revealed so magnificently in Jesus Christ!
As I thought on what Paul was saying I was struck by the differences between Paul's ministry and that which is advocated today in many different ways. I am thinking here of everything from the blatantly obvious charlatans of the health and wealth gospel to those who would repudiate such nonsense at a philosophical and theological level but who nonetheless have been more influenced than they often realize by a bigger is better, look-at-us type of self-congratulatory ministry. In fact, it is very difficult to escape bragging about who we are and what we have supposedly accomplished. It is so much a part of our culture that it is almost expected of cutting-edge leaders and competent ministers. Not so long ago I attended an event where the speakers were introduced in such a non-Pauline way that I do not know how the Holy Spirit could not have been offended with what took place. The introductions amounted to self-serving advertisements for extremely profitable ministries which one could perhaps excuse at a trade show but not at a gathering of New Covenant ministers who claim to be the spiritual heirs of the great apostle Paul.
All of us involved in Christian ministry need to face the fact that we know very little of the kind of Holy Spirit power that established the first century church in a hostile environment in spite of the weaknesses of the first believers. For all that has been done, we have not seen great numbers of people swept into the kingdom of God as a result of an evident move of the Spirit. Here and there we see mercy-drops falling around us, but as the songwriter says we need to plead for showers! Christianity is not permeating the society, we are not seeing the establishment of churches who are largely composed of new converts and not just re-cycled, disgruntled church members. Yes, we know a lot about many things, we are able to analyze trends and predict future market demands but we are novices when it comes to the power of the kingdom of heaven in the face of modern and postmodern unbelief. Why is this? Surely this is not acceptable? None of us can be satisfied with this state of affairs! Moreover, I would even go so far as to say that this is one of those things that nags at so many of us who are involved in Christian ministry: we long to see something more, we want to experience the power of God in a way that transcends what we have known thus far!
Well, I wonder if 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 does not hold the key, even though I know it is dangerous to talk about "a key" to anything in the Christian life. It would seem from Paul's experience and mature reflection that power and strength are not tied to well-run organizations, or slick promotional material, or expository preaching, or finding the right songs to sing and structuring the worship service just so; although surely none of these things are wrong in and of themselves. Neither are power and strength tied to having the right version of the Bible, or view on divorce, or the role of women in the church; although once again all of these things are important in their own place. The experience of Christ's power is ironically tethered to weakness! It comes to us when we come to the end of ourselves and our resources. When we are insulted, persecuted and in difficulty for Christ's sake. For when we are weak, then we are strong. The trouble is that we can so easily make an idol out of weakness and start to promote it as the latest "answer" to our ills, and go out and organize conferences where we lavish praise on those who at least appear "weak." But weakness like humility is hard to praise without missing the point somehow!
The "answer" is found in making much of the Lord Jesus. He must be our focus. Not a means to an end, but the end itself! We are to live and labor for him and ask him to help us keep ourselves out of the picture as much as we can. We must decrease while he increases. We must steadfastly refuse honor and glory, even when it is bestowed by well-meaning people. If we really want to know his power, we have no alternative. I guess it depends on what we really want. The unsatisfying status-quo or the glory of the living God revealed so magnificently in Jesus Christ!
Monday, June 19, 2006
Behold The Man
Last night at PBF we explored some of the Matthean material on the crucifixion and death of Jesus. We looked at the brutal reality of crucifixion itself, the conscripting of Simon from Cyrene, the place of the skull (Golgotha) where the execution took place, the embarrassment of the cross and the fact that there was no escape for Jesus, he really suffered and died on what was a Roman torture-stick. We also noted that in Matthew 27:37-44 there are a series of ironic taunts that are hurled at Jesus in one way or another.
1. This is Jesus: The King of the Jews. This is what Pilate had written on the sign that was fixed to the cross over Jesus' head. Pilate meant this more as an insult to the Jews than to Jesus. Here was their "King" dying between two Jewish traitors. But whatever Pilate intended, there is a sense it which what he had written was profoundly true. Jesus is the King of Israel. And he is the one who saves his people (the true Israel) from their sins.
2. Those passing by hurled insults at him--shaking their heads they said: 'You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God.' The last phrase is demonically familiar! It is hard not to hear the voice of Satan coming through the voices of those who were passing by in yet another attempt to turn Jesus from his mission. The truth is that Jesus could not save himself and at the same time provide a new and ultimate place for God and mankind to meet (i.e., a new temple).
3. In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him -- "'He saved others, but he can't save himself! He's the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said: 'I am the Son of God.'" The irony is that if Jesus were to come down from the cross there is absolutely nothing to believe in! The religious leaders see his crucifixion as a sign that God disproves of him, but they were completely wrong. They don't see that Jesus is in the center of his Father's will and his vindication will come at the right time.
4. Last, the terrorists who were crucified with him mocked and heaped insults upon him. We know from Luke's Gospel that one of them changed his mind, but at this point they were both insulting him. They could not see the truth just like all of us until God is gracious to us and opens our spiritual eyes. By nature we cannot see the glory of the Son of God. In the words of the prophet Isaiah, "He is despised and rejected, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from who people hide their faces, he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."
1. This is Jesus: The King of the Jews. This is what Pilate had written on the sign that was fixed to the cross over Jesus' head. Pilate meant this more as an insult to the Jews than to Jesus. Here was their "King" dying between two Jewish traitors. But whatever Pilate intended, there is a sense it which what he had written was profoundly true. Jesus is the King of Israel. And he is the one who saves his people (the true Israel) from their sins.
2. Those passing by hurled insults at him--shaking their heads they said: 'You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God.' The last phrase is demonically familiar! It is hard not to hear the voice of Satan coming through the voices of those who were passing by in yet another attempt to turn Jesus from his mission. The truth is that Jesus could not save himself and at the same time provide a new and ultimate place for God and mankind to meet (i.e., a new temple).
3. In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him -- "'He saved others, but he can't save himself! He's the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said: 'I am the Son of God.'" The irony is that if Jesus were to come down from the cross there is absolutely nothing to believe in! The religious leaders see his crucifixion as a sign that God disproves of him, but they were completely wrong. They don't see that Jesus is in the center of his Father's will and his vindication will come at the right time.
4. Last, the terrorists who were crucified with him mocked and heaped insults upon him. We know from Luke's Gospel that one of them changed his mind, but at this point they were both insulting him. They could not see the truth just like all of us until God is gracious to us and opens our spiritual eyes. By nature we cannot see the glory of the Son of God. In the words of the prophet Isaiah, "He is despised and rejected, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from who people hide their faces, he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Father's Day
There is little doubt about the importance of a father in a child's life. Personally, I am very thankful for a wonderful father and mother who loved me and taught me the things of God from the very beginning of my life. However, what concerns me as we approach Father's Day tomorrow, is the lack of balance that is so often seen in Christian circles when it comes to fathers and fatherhood, and the presence of a kind of idealistic impracticality that makes much of what is said sadly irrelevant. This is particularly disappointing because we desperately need godly men of all ages who will live out the implications of the Gospel in their lives everyday and pass these things on, by the grace of God, to their children.
First and foremost, the greatest thing a father can to for his children is to walk with the Lord himself. This may seem painfully obvious but it is worth saying again and again because I have seen too many men who get all involved in the "fatherhood thing" whose lives and marriages fall apart because there is no underlying spiritual reality to them. And I have always believed that someone who really knows the Lord and his filled with the Holy Spirit will basically know, or be able to figure out, how to conduct themselves as a father without immersing themselves in the glut of self-help books or exposing themselves to the tyranny of family ministry specialists. My strong feelings about the latter group of "enablers" comes from observing that they are usually hurting people themselves whose own families are disfunctional. The last thing we need is for them to share their insights or to allow them to bully us with their approval or lack of it. I firmly believe that a Christian father who reads his Bible and speaks with God daily and who is prepared to give some thought to his responsibilities and discuss them with his wife will be able to figure out what is best for them in their family situation. Every married couple and family is unique. There is no "one size fits all" kind of prescription for what constitutes godly Christian living in the home. The sooner this is understood, the better.
Second, I am always amazed at the simplicity of New Testament instruction in this regard. The classic text addressing fathers is Ephesians 6:4, "Fathers. do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." One can only imagine how that verse would read if written by some in our day. It is short and to the point. It is simple and yet profound. It gives direction and yet leaves all sorts of room for the diversity that exists in healthy Christian families. Of all the things Paul could have said he warns against exasperating our children and bringing them up in the training and instruction of the Lord, period! Now I am not for a minute suggesting that his counsel is simplistic or naive. It is just the opposite. He has identified the key issues and we would do well to listen. How many children are turned off the faith by fathers (and mothers, and pastors, and youth leaders and many others) who exasperate them! People who make majors out of minors, or who are constantly jumping on the latest evangelical banwagon when it comes to cultivating biblical relationships. How many are totally frustrated by fathers who do not show them how to live as Christians in the world as opposed to living in fear or denial or in seclusion. We need to pay careful attention not only to what Paul says but how he says it and what he does not say, and we need to resist the temptation to help the apostle and fill in the details.
Third, we must always remember that although we should strive to be the best fathers and mothers we can possibly be, we are dependent on the grace of God when it comes to our children. Even the best parenting cannot guarantee that everything will turn out as we had hoped. While everyone pays lip-service to this biblical reality too many go on to talk as though we can determine the outcome if we do it right! Parents that push and push and push their children to be good little Christians often inadvertently foster the worst kind of hypocrisy. And hypocrisy is the last thing the church needs today. We need authentic Christians who have known the renewing work of God in their hearts and who long to serve him in all that they say and do in the church and in the world because there is nothing they would rather do. We need to bring up our children in the training and instruction of the Lord and pray that God would bring them to himself. Our faith needs to be woven into all areas of our lives along with gracious attitude and a discerning wisdom that makes Christianity attractive and reasonable to those around us. None of us have arrived and we all have much to learn, but I believe these things will help us move in the right direction and will assist us in doing what is pleasing to our great Father in heaven.
First and foremost, the greatest thing a father can to for his children is to walk with the Lord himself. This may seem painfully obvious but it is worth saying again and again because I have seen too many men who get all involved in the "fatherhood thing" whose lives and marriages fall apart because there is no underlying spiritual reality to them. And I have always believed that someone who really knows the Lord and his filled with the Holy Spirit will basically know, or be able to figure out, how to conduct themselves as a father without immersing themselves in the glut of self-help books or exposing themselves to the tyranny of family ministry specialists. My strong feelings about the latter group of "enablers" comes from observing that they are usually hurting people themselves whose own families are disfunctional. The last thing we need is for them to share their insights or to allow them to bully us with their approval or lack of it. I firmly believe that a Christian father who reads his Bible and speaks with God daily and who is prepared to give some thought to his responsibilities and discuss them with his wife will be able to figure out what is best for them in their family situation. Every married couple and family is unique. There is no "one size fits all" kind of prescription for what constitutes godly Christian living in the home. The sooner this is understood, the better.
Second, I am always amazed at the simplicity of New Testament instruction in this regard. The classic text addressing fathers is Ephesians 6:4, "Fathers. do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." One can only imagine how that verse would read if written by some in our day. It is short and to the point. It is simple and yet profound. It gives direction and yet leaves all sorts of room for the diversity that exists in healthy Christian families. Of all the things Paul could have said he warns against exasperating our children and bringing them up in the training and instruction of the Lord, period! Now I am not for a minute suggesting that his counsel is simplistic or naive. It is just the opposite. He has identified the key issues and we would do well to listen. How many children are turned off the faith by fathers (and mothers, and pastors, and youth leaders and many others) who exasperate them! People who make majors out of minors, or who are constantly jumping on the latest evangelical banwagon when it comes to cultivating biblical relationships. How many are totally frustrated by fathers who do not show them how to live as Christians in the world as opposed to living in fear or denial or in seclusion. We need to pay careful attention not only to what Paul says but how he says it and what he does not say, and we need to resist the temptation to help the apostle and fill in the details.
Third, we must always remember that although we should strive to be the best fathers and mothers we can possibly be, we are dependent on the grace of God when it comes to our children. Even the best parenting cannot guarantee that everything will turn out as we had hoped. While everyone pays lip-service to this biblical reality too many go on to talk as though we can determine the outcome if we do it right! Parents that push and push and push their children to be good little Christians often inadvertently foster the worst kind of hypocrisy. And hypocrisy is the last thing the church needs today. We need authentic Christians who have known the renewing work of God in their hearts and who long to serve him in all that they say and do in the church and in the world because there is nothing they would rather do. We need to bring up our children in the training and instruction of the Lord and pray that God would bring them to himself. Our faith needs to be woven into all areas of our lives along with gracious attitude and a discerning wisdom that makes Christianity attractive and reasonable to those around us. None of us have arrived and we all have much to learn, but I believe these things will help us move in the right direction and will assist us in doing what is pleasing to our great Father in heaven.
Friday, June 16, 2006
The Bible and Education
Here's a link to a fascinating piece by Charles Colson on the results of a study that asked 39 English professors at a number of leading American schools if it was possible to be an education person and not know the Bible.
In spite of the prejudice against biblical Christianity that is often found in academic circles every one of the professors surveyed said that an educated person needed to know about the Bible. For those of us who believe the Bible's own testimony about itself this is hardly a surprise. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are vital if we are to understand almost anything that really matters in life. The level of biblical illiteracy in the society at large and to some extent within the church is something that we need to address. The more that people are out of touch with the Bible, the more difficult it will be to continue to address the great issues of the day that face us on every side.
It is not an accident that the longest psalm in the Bible is a sustained celebration of God's word-revelation. Those of us who have Bibles should read them as much as we can while we work with others to bring the Bible to those people groups that as of yet do not possess this wonderful treasure.
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (Psalm 119:105).
"Your statutes are wonderful: therefore I obey them. The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands. Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name. Direct my footsteps according to your word: let no sin rule over me. Redeem me from human oppression, that I may obey your precepts. Make your face shine on your servant and teach me your decrees. Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed" (Psalm 119:129-136).
In spite of the prejudice against biblical Christianity that is often found in academic circles every one of the professors surveyed said that an educated person needed to know about the Bible. For those of us who believe the Bible's own testimony about itself this is hardly a surprise. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are vital if we are to understand almost anything that really matters in life. The level of biblical illiteracy in the society at large and to some extent within the church is something that we need to address. The more that people are out of touch with the Bible, the more difficult it will be to continue to address the great issues of the day that face us on every side.
It is not an accident that the longest psalm in the Bible is a sustained celebration of God's word-revelation. Those of us who have Bibles should read them as much as we can while we work with others to bring the Bible to those people groups that as of yet do not possess this wonderful treasure.
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (Psalm 119:105).
"Your statutes are wonderful: therefore I obey them. The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands. Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name. Direct my footsteps according to your word: let no sin rule over me. Redeem me from human oppression, that I may obey your precepts. Make your face shine on your servant and teach me your decrees. Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed" (Psalm 119:129-136).
Finding What We Are Looking For
1 John 5:1-5 begins and ends with faith, but not just any kind of faith. John is concerned with a faith that is focused on Jesus as the Messiah (v.1) and Jesus as the Son of God (v.5). It is important to keep this in mind in a day when many people are talking about faith and spirituality but frequently the kind that are severed from God's revelation of himself in the Bible. When it comes to Jesus there is no room for theological creativity which seems to be the darling child of our postmodern age. We are shut up to the biblical revelation as that revelation is interpreted within its canonical context by comparing Scripture with Scripture. If we know the Lord in a saving way, which is another way of saying we have been born of God, we believe that Jesus is the Messiah. We receive him as the Prophet, Priest and King whose coming was foretold in the Old Testament. Not only that, but we receive him as the Son of God, the unique Son of the Father who is one with the Father and yet distinct from him. The one who is full of grace and truth and who has made the Father known (John 1).
This faith in Jesus is vitally connected in these verses with love for God and the other members of his family and obedience to God as an expression of that love. John does not see love and obedience as in anyway conflicting with one another. They go together and flow out of one another. Sometimes people talk as though love and obedience are mutually exclusive or at least not very compatible. But this is not the biblical understanding of the relationship between the two. Love is another one of the evidences of the new birth and it is the way that faith expresses itself. But love is never left hanging in midair with no solid foundation under it. Love keeps the commands of God. So tight is the connection that John says: "This is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world."
When we think of obeying commands it is somehow less than loving. Love is spontaneous, arising almost without effort from the heart. Commands have a sense of duty about them, maybe even drudgery or reluctance. But not according to John's way of thinking. Love expresses itself in a delight to do what God wants us to do, not only because it is his will but because it is what we were made to do. We want to please the Lord. His commands are not burdensome because we have been put in a completely new position with regard to our relationship to the world which always chafes under his authority. We see things differently now and have begun to experience the fulfillment he promised to those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.
Personally, I think that these verses are very helpful in dealing with the discontentment and restlessness that seems to mark so many. People wander from amusement to amusement, from relationship to relationship, from shopping mall to shopping mall in the search for some kind of meaning and fulfillment. What they do not realize is that these things are not found in the world but only in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It is only as we receive him by faith and that faith in turn fills our hearts with a new love which in turn produces a new obedience do we find what we were looking for all along and so much more. John knows from personal experience what he is talking about. His life was changed by Jesus. And John wants all of us to experience the glory of this transformation for ourselves!
This faith in Jesus is vitally connected in these verses with love for God and the other members of his family and obedience to God as an expression of that love. John does not see love and obedience as in anyway conflicting with one another. They go together and flow out of one another. Sometimes people talk as though love and obedience are mutually exclusive or at least not very compatible. But this is not the biblical understanding of the relationship between the two. Love is another one of the evidences of the new birth and it is the way that faith expresses itself. But love is never left hanging in midair with no solid foundation under it. Love keeps the commands of God. So tight is the connection that John says: "This is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world."
When we think of obeying commands it is somehow less than loving. Love is spontaneous, arising almost without effort from the heart. Commands have a sense of duty about them, maybe even drudgery or reluctance. But not according to John's way of thinking. Love expresses itself in a delight to do what God wants us to do, not only because it is his will but because it is what we were made to do. We want to please the Lord. His commands are not burdensome because we have been put in a completely new position with regard to our relationship to the world which always chafes under his authority. We see things differently now and have begun to experience the fulfillment he promised to those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.
Personally, I think that these verses are very helpful in dealing with the discontentment and restlessness that seems to mark so many. People wander from amusement to amusement, from relationship to relationship, from shopping mall to shopping mall in the search for some kind of meaning and fulfillment. What they do not realize is that these things are not found in the world but only in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It is only as we receive him by faith and that faith in turn fills our hearts with a new love which in turn produces a new obedience do we find what we were looking for all along and so much more. John knows from personal experience what he is talking about. His life was changed by Jesus. And John wants all of us to experience the glory of this transformation for ourselves!
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Caledonia
Over the past weeks I have been following the "uprising" in Caledonia on the news. A number of times I have been tempted to comment on the situation on this blog but up until now I have refrained. My hesitation is largely due to the fact that my knowledge of the dispute is limited to media reports and I have learned long ago that it is never wise to believe anything reported in the media without checking the details myself. However, all of that still being true, I want to say something based on what I have heard thus far. Because I do not have firsthand knowledge my comments will be general in nature, the reflections of a Christian Canadian in that order of importance. I also want to say something because this is the second time in my life that I have lived near this kind of unrest. Back in the 1990's I lived in Sarnia, which is close to Ipperwash Provincial Park, where there was a similar kind of land claim dispute and a tragic confrontation and loss of life and yet as far as I know for all the hype, bad feelings and promises, not much has changed to this day.
First, it must be possible to work out a solution. There is no way the situation in Caledonia and Ipperwash and wherever else needs to go on indefinitely without a resolution that is satisfactory to both sides. Someone needs to determine what agreements were made with the native population way back when, which ones have been honored and which ones remain outstanding. Where there are agreements that have been honored the natives need to promise never to raise these matters again. They cannot keep going back to the well whenever they need more money and insist that they be paid over and over again. Where agreements have not been honored then it is high time to do so and to compensate the natives for the years of non-compliance. It may be difficult to set the record straight after all this time but that should not be an excuse for further inaction.
Second, the relationship between Canada's native population and the rest of us who call Canada home needs to be examined. The present relationship is not working. The "reservations" that I have seen are deplorable places that are frequently characterized by third world living conditions right in the middle of one of the most prosperous nations in the history of the world. Fixing this mess is not a matter of throwing more money at the problem but of helping the native population to take responsibility for their own lives and weaning them off financial dependence on Ottawa. The world has changed. This is not the same world that existed when Europeans first came to these shores. The clock cannot be turned back to the good old days which were really not that good at all. What we need are men and women who understand the times and the needs and have the courage to hammer out new agreements that will benefit all citizens of Canada.
Third, the violence and lawlessness that inevitably marks these protests must stop. There is too much downright silly "tough talk" on both sides. Childish roadblocks that make it difficult to take those who engage in such tactics seriously. And then there is the wanton destruction of property that is inexcusable. Not to mention the grown men running around in ATV's and pickup trucks dressed like macho-type Rambo characters out of a Hollywood movie who just plain need to grow up. There is absolutely no excuse for this kind of behavior. There is also no excuse of government inactivity or for the failure of the police and the courts to do their job in upholding the law for all peoples. These skirmishes are an embarrassment for everyone involved and no one comes out looking heroic except in the opinions of the most simple-minded rebels among us. Surely, there is a better way.
Fourth, although this is not very politically correct today I think we are seeing the difficulty of trying to build a country on secular principles and values. In the past there was in Canada a great consensus based on Judeo-Christian principles but those days are long gone and they are probably not going to return. This makes it all the more necessary and urgent for Christians to speak up and let their voices be heard in the public square. We need to work hard at communicating the Gospel and at living out the truths of that Gospel in our lives. We have something important to contribute to the conversation when we are speaking in a way that is consistent with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Sadly, churches are sometimes the last places one would look to see people who have learned to get along with each other and to find the kind of leadership that is mature yet progressive and not childish and meddling. We need to do something about this. We need to grow up into Christ who is the head of the church and thus be prepared to do whatever we can to bring others to know the Savior of the world, including the world of nations that is Canada in the the 21st century.
First, it must be possible to work out a solution. There is no way the situation in Caledonia and Ipperwash and wherever else needs to go on indefinitely without a resolution that is satisfactory to both sides. Someone needs to determine what agreements were made with the native population way back when, which ones have been honored and which ones remain outstanding. Where there are agreements that have been honored the natives need to promise never to raise these matters again. They cannot keep going back to the well whenever they need more money and insist that they be paid over and over again. Where agreements have not been honored then it is high time to do so and to compensate the natives for the years of non-compliance. It may be difficult to set the record straight after all this time but that should not be an excuse for further inaction.
Second, the relationship between Canada's native population and the rest of us who call Canada home needs to be examined. The present relationship is not working. The "reservations" that I have seen are deplorable places that are frequently characterized by third world living conditions right in the middle of one of the most prosperous nations in the history of the world. Fixing this mess is not a matter of throwing more money at the problem but of helping the native population to take responsibility for their own lives and weaning them off financial dependence on Ottawa. The world has changed. This is not the same world that existed when Europeans first came to these shores. The clock cannot be turned back to the good old days which were really not that good at all. What we need are men and women who understand the times and the needs and have the courage to hammer out new agreements that will benefit all citizens of Canada.
Third, the violence and lawlessness that inevitably marks these protests must stop. There is too much downright silly "tough talk" on both sides. Childish roadblocks that make it difficult to take those who engage in such tactics seriously. And then there is the wanton destruction of property that is inexcusable. Not to mention the grown men running around in ATV's and pickup trucks dressed like macho-type Rambo characters out of a Hollywood movie who just plain need to grow up. There is absolutely no excuse for this kind of behavior. There is also no excuse of government inactivity or for the failure of the police and the courts to do their job in upholding the law for all peoples. These skirmishes are an embarrassment for everyone involved and no one comes out looking heroic except in the opinions of the most simple-minded rebels among us. Surely, there is a better way.
Fourth, although this is not very politically correct today I think we are seeing the difficulty of trying to build a country on secular principles and values. In the past there was in Canada a great consensus based on Judeo-Christian principles but those days are long gone and they are probably not going to return. This makes it all the more necessary and urgent for Christians to speak up and let their voices be heard in the public square. We need to work hard at communicating the Gospel and at living out the truths of that Gospel in our lives. We have something important to contribute to the conversation when we are speaking in a way that is consistent with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Sadly, churches are sometimes the last places one would look to see people who have learned to get along with each other and to find the kind of leadership that is mature yet progressive and not childish and meddling. We need to do something about this. We need to grow up into Christ who is the head of the church and thus be prepared to do whatever we can to bring others to know the Savior of the world, including the world of nations that is Canada in the the 21st century.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Lessons Along The Way
After we are told about Judas Iscariot and his betrayal, remorse and suicide, the scene shifts to Jesus and his relationship and interaction with Pilate, the chief priests and elders, Barabbas and the crowd. Jesus is the one man that everyone was to deal with in the end. He is the great watershed; the stumbling stone; the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through him.
In Matthew 27:11-26 there are two things that stand out about Jesus. First, he is called the "King of the Jews" (v.11) and secondly, he refuses to defend himself against the charges of the chief priests and elders (v.14). With regard to him being the "King of the Jews" we should remember that this was a mixed kind of title. He is the King of the Jews but not in the sense that Pilate was worried about. His kingdom, though very real, is not of this world. In a way, the Jewish leaders know this and this is why they try to politicize the charges against Jesus. Jesus is a king who makes claims on everyone, yet not as Pilate feared. His refusal to answer the charges brought against him completely amazed Pilate the Roman governor. According to Roman law Jesus had to say something or most likely be found guilty. But having answered Pilate's initial question, Jesus remains silent. This is because he is fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy about the Lamb of God (Isaiah 53). At this point in redemptive history he goes as the Lamb to the slaughter. He goes willingly. He has people to save and he has embraced the Father's will.
Pilate was a cruel man who had burned many political bridges at this point in his career. For a variety of reasons he tried everything within his power to release Jesus but he was unable because he finds himself ensnared in a political trap. In the end, he tries to evade responsibility by "washing his hands" of Jesus, but the careful reader of Matthew's Gospel knows that this is not evasion at all. Nor is it this easy to avoid the claim of Jesus on our lives. We can try to run but we can never hide from the one appointed by the Father to judge the world at the end of the age. There is no neutrality with regard to Jesus. Either we are for him or against him, there is no middle ground!
The chief priests and elders were determined to get rid of Jesus anyway they could and yet appear legal. They were blind leaders of the blind who did not see the glory of Jesus because they did not understand the deepest needs of their own hearts. They were committed to a religious system that could not really take away sin because they had not followed the biblical storyline from Genesis to Zechariah and they did not grasp their need to know the saving work of the one of whom the Law and the Prophets prophesied. And to make matters worst, they were not only content to destroy themselves but they led others astray as well.
Barabbas was almost certainly a political revolutionary, someone who would be called a "terrorist" today. His name means "son of the father" and he had been condemned to die for his part in an uprising that had taken place earlier. Now he escapes on a technicality. He escapes because Jesus dies in his place. The Prince of Peace for a terrorist. And once again we see that at every point along the way there are illustrations of the very thing that Jesus will accomplish at the cross.
Last of all there is the crowd. It would be wrong merely to focus on Pilate and the Jewish leaders. The crowd that gathered early in the morning also had a role to play. While it is likely that they were a specific group of people who were sympathetic to the position of the chief priests, nonetheless, they represent what Isaiah said long ago: "All we like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." The crowd shouted, "Crucify him!" And they would not relent even when Pilate tried to reason with them. So it is with all of us by nature. We do not want the Jesus to reign over us. We foolishly try to break off the chains and throw off the shackles of the Lord and his anointed (Psalm 2). How thankful we should be that God does not always give human beings what their hearts desire but instead he comes to us in grace and mercy and gives us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to respond to his sovereign authority and his loving offer of salvation.
In Matthew 27:11-26 there are two things that stand out about Jesus. First, he is called the "King of the Jews" (v.11) and secondly, he refuses to defend himself against the charges of the chief priests and elders (v.14). With regard to him being the "King of the Jews" we should remember that this was a mixed kind of title. He is the King of the Jews but not in the sense that Pilate was worried about. His kingdom, though very real, is not of this world. In a way, the Jewish leaders know this and this is why they try to politicize the charges against Jesus. Jesus is a king who makes claims on everyone, yet not as Pilate feared. His refusal to answer the charges brought against him completely amazed Pilate the Roman governor. According to Roman law Jesus had to say something or most likely be found guilty. But having answered Pilate's initial question, Jesus remains silent. This is because he is fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy about the Lamb of God (Isaiah 53). At this point in redemptive history he goes as the Lamb to the slaughter. He goes willingly. He has people to save and he has embraced the Father's will.
Pilate was a cruel man who had burned many political bridges at this point in his career. For a variety of reasons he tried everything within his power to release Jesus but he was unable because he finds himself ensnared in a political trap. In the end, he tries to evade responsibility by "washing his hands" of Jesus, but the careful reader of Matthew's Gospel knows that this is not evasion at all. Nor is it this easy to avoid the claim of Jesus on our lives. We can try to run but we can never hide from the one appointed by the Father to judge the world at the end of the age. There is no neutrality with regard to Jesus. Either we are for him or against him, there is no middle ground!
The chief priests and elders were determined to get rid of Jesus anyway they could and yet appear legal. They were blind leaders of the blind who did not see the glory of Jesus because they did not understand the deepest needs of their own hearts. They were committed to a religious system that could not really take away sin because they had not followed the biblical storyline from Genesis to Zechariah and they did not grasp their need to know the saving work of the one of whom the Law and the Prophets prophesied. And to make matters worst, they were not only content to destroy themselves but they led others astray as well.
Barabbas was almost certainly a political revolutionary, someone who would be called a "terrorist" today. His name means "son of the father" and he had been condemned to die for his part in an uprising that had taken place earlier. Now he escapes on a technicality. He escapes because Jesus dies in his place. The Prince of Peace for a terrorist. And once again we see that at every point along the way there are illustrations of the very thing that Jesus will accomplish at the cross.
Last of all there is the crowd. It would be wrong merely to focus on Pilate and the Jewish leaders. The crowd that gathered early in the morning also had a role to play. While it is likely that they were a specific group of people who were sympathetic to the position of the chief priests, nonetheless, they represent what Isaiah said long ago: "All we like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." The crowd shouted, "Crucify him!" And they would not relent even when Pilate tried to reason with them. So it is with all of us by nature. We do not want the Jesus to reign over us. We foolishly try to break off the chains and throw off the shackles of the Lord and his anointed (Psalm 2). How thankful we should be that God does not always give human beings what their hearts desire but instead he comes to us in grace and mercy and gives us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to respond to his sovereign authority and his loving offer of salvation.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Divine Indwelling and the Completion of Divine Love
Yesterday at PBF in our ongoing series on First John we looked at 4:13-21, an extended section in which John expounds two important concepts that he mentioned in verse 12 at the end of the last section. "No one has ever seen God: but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." Once again we find ourselves standing on holy ground just like Moses when he came upon the burning bush in the wilderness. There are few truths more wonderful for the Christian than the truth of God's indwelling and the completion of his love in us.
1. God's Indwelling. Genuine Christianity is so much more than just believing certain ideas and pursuing certain ideals. According to John there is a spiritual component: the Holy Spirit of God, the third person of the Trinity, lives within us. There is also an intellectual component: we are brought by grace to believe in Christ. We receive him for who he is as our Savior and covenant Lord. And then there is a relational component: our hearts are transformed so that we love God and others. All three things are important in terms of the divine indwelling. God does not dwell in those who know nothing of these things. This is something that we need to take seriously because it is so easy for us to go through the motions and it is of the highest importance that God be with us in all that we say and do. Just believing that he is with us does not make it so. Singing and talking and identifying ourselves as 'Christians' is all meaningless unless our lives are being shaped by these realities in increasing measure.
In light of these things we need to ask God in the words of the psalmist to: "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" Psalm 139:23-24.
2. The Completion of God's Love. God's love is made complete in us as we realize and understand that "we love because he first loved us." This is fundamental. God always takes the initiative in salvation. This is biblical Christianity. We must get this straight if we are going to understand anything about the ways of God and make progress in our Christian lives. We bring nothing to the table. Salvation is all of grace. This is where we must begin and end. We must look to God at all times and draw our strength from him. It is not a matter of starting with grace and then finishing with works or the law. It is all about his amazing love that has been revealed to us in Jesus whom he gave as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
When this comes home to our hearts with power two things happen: we are given a sense of confident assurance about our own salvation, and we realize that love always makes demands on us. Both are important. Confident assurance based on the work of God in us and for us is vital in light of the coming day of judgment. Such an experience of God's love drives out our fears, in this life and especially as we face our own mortality and the prospect of death. We are assured that God who is for us will be with us to the end. The demands of love in inescapable. Christian love is not self-oriented. It has God as its focus and because God is committed to our moral transformation, we must love our brothers and sisters. There is no other way. If we claim to love God but do not love his children we are liars. John pulls no punches here. There is a connection between life on earth and our relationship to God. We have been given a command, not a suggestion. A command that is just as binding as anything written on tablets of stone. "Those who love God must also love one another!" Notice the must!
There is one other thing I should mention. We must know where to get this love that John has been talking about or none of this will do us any good. It is not a matter of working it up ourselves. We must know and meditate on the Gospel. Its a matter of "Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every word." This alone can change us inside. The Gospel must come home to our hearts with power for only God in Christ is able to make new people out of old sinners. Only he can perfect that which is beyond all human help. People try lots of other ways, but to no avail. We must come by way of the old rugged cross and the Savior who died there to bring us back to God. This is where we must start if we bask in the sunshine of God's love and extend that love to others.
1. God's Indwelling. Genuine Christianity is so much more than just believing certain ideas and pursuing certain ideals. According to John there is a spiritual component: the Holy Spirit of God, the third person of the Trinity, lives within us. There is also an intellectual component: we are brought by grace to believe in Christ. We receive him for who he is as our Savior and covenant Lord. And then there is a relational component: our hearts are transformed so that we love God and others. All three things are important in terms of the divine indwelling. God does not dwell in those who know nothing of these things. This is something that we need to take seriously because it is so easy for us to go through the motions and it is of the highest importance that God be with us in all that we say and do. Just believing that he is with us does not make it so. Singing and talking and identifying ourselves as 'Christians' is all meaningless unless our lives are being shaped by these realities in increasing measure.
In light of these things we need to ask God in the words of the psalmist to: "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" Psalm 139:23-24.
2. The Completion of God's Love. God's love is made complete in us as we realize and understand that "we love because he first loved us." This is fundamental. God always takes the initiative in salvation. This is biblical Christianity. We must get this straight if we are going to understand anything about the ways of God and make progress in our Christian lives. We bring nothing to the table. Salvation is all of grace. This is where we must begin and end. We must look to God at all times and draw our strength from him. It is not a matter of starting with grace and then finishing with works or the law. It is all about his amazing love that has been revealed to us in Jesus whom he gave as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
When this comes home to our hearts with power two things happen: we are given a sense of confident assurance about our own salvation, and we realize that love always makes demands on us. Both are important. Confident assurance based on the work of God in us and for us is vital in light of the coming day of judgment. Such an experience of God's love drives out our fears, in this life and especially as we face our own mortality and the prospect of death. We are assured that God who is for us will be with us to the end. The demands of love in inescapable. Christian love is not self-oriented. It has God as its focus and because God is committed to our moral transformation, we must love our brothers and sisters. There is no other way. If we claim to love God but do not love his children we are liars. John pulls no punches here. There is a connection between life on earth and our relationship to God. We have been given a command, not a suggestion. A command that is just as binding as anything written on tablets of stone. "Those who love God must also love one another!" Notice the must!
There is one other thing I should mention. We must know where to get this love that John has been talking about or none of this will do us any good. It is not a matter of working it up ourselves. We must know and meditate on the Gospel. Its a matter of "Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every word." This alone can change us inside. The Gospel must come home to our hearts with power for only God in Christ is able to make new people out of old sinners. Only he can perfect that which is beyond all human help. People try lots of other ways, but to no avail. We must come by way of the old rugged cross and the Savior who died there to bring us back to God. This is where we must start if we bask in the sunshine of God's love and extend that love to others.
Friday, June 09, 2006
Learning From Judas' Betrayal (Part 3)
There is one other lesson that I wanted to comment on before leaving the story of Judas that is found in Matthew 27:1-10. And that is the phenomena of ritual in the face of major injustice. What I am getting at here are the actions of the Jewish religious leaders after Judas makes his confession and throws the money he was paid into the temple. They do not want to violate an application of Deuteronomy 23:18 (You must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male prostitute into the house of the Lord your God to pay any vow, because the Lord your God detests them both) which forbids taking "blood money" into the temple treasury, so they use the money to purchase a field in which to bury foreigners. In other words, they put the "blood money" to good public use. Matthew sees this as the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy: "They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter's field, as the Lord had commanded me."
Without getting into the details of how the betrayal of Judas fulfills Jeremiah's prophecy, I wanted to observe how human beings, in this case the Jewish leaders, can be so concerned to uphold part of God's law while at the same time they do not give a thought to what is most important which in this case is Jesus himself. Here they were in the process of wrongfully convicting the Son of God, the greater than Moses, and yet they are still concerned with doing, or appearing to do, what is right in terms of the Mosaic law.
We must quickly add that they are not the only ones who have displayed this kind of hypocrisy. Fallen human beings have a tendency to be meticulous when it comes to largely trivial, non-essential details while at the same time they miss the big picture and what is really important. We need to ask the Lord to help us do what is right and not think that we can play some righteous demands over against others. God wants us to surrender wholeheartedly to him. If we do we will not make this kind of mistake. And more than anything else, God wants us to obey and honor his Son whom he has given for our salvation. Spiritual blindness combined with religious externalism is a very dangerous and lethal combination. May God deliver us from such folly!
Without getting into the details of how the betrayal of Judas fulfills Jeremiah's prophecy, I wanted to observe how human beings, in this case the Jewish leaders, can be so concerned to uphold part of God's law while at the same time they do not give a thought to what is most important which in this case is Jesus himself. Here they were in the process of wrongfully convicting the Son of God, the greater than Moses, and yet they are still concerned with doing, or appearing to do, what is right in terms of the Mosaic law.
We must quickly add that they are not the only ones who have displayed this kind of hypocrisy. Fallen human beings have a tendency to be meticulous when it comes to largely trivial, non-essential details while at the same time they miss the big picture and what is really important. We need to ask the Lord to help us do what is right and not think that we can play some righteous demands over against others. God wants us to surrender wholeheartedly to him. If we do we will not make this kind of mistake. And more than anything else, God wants us to obey and honor his Son whom he has given for our salvation. Spiritual blindness combined with religious externalism is a very dangerous and lethal combination. May God deliver us from such folly!
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Rest Found Only In Jesus
Many years ago Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). Although Peter was prepared to defend his Master with violence, Jesus would have none of it because his kingdom is of a completely different nature. Jesus secures the salvation of this people and the serene glory of the new heavens and earth by going to the cross and dying in the place of sinners so that all who call on him might be saved from sin and death and hell. The kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ is not advanced by car bombs or beheadings or other deplorable and wicked acts of aggression and violence. His reign is a reign of grace in which his people are supernaturally transformed from the inside out so that they love the Lord their God with all their hearts, souls, minds and strength and their neighbors as themselves. This is something worth reflecting on today when the world is buzzing with the news that the notorious terrorist, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has been killed in Iraq. He was a man who drew the sword and now he has left this mortal realm to stand before the true and living God and not the idol he worshiped and false prophet he served even to the point of death.
Zarqawi is not a hero. He was not a freedom-fighter or a religious martyr whose life we should celebrate. And those who foolishly proclaim that he was such a person are in great danger themselves of following in his treacherous steps. The truth is that he was a brutal butcher who was deceived by the god of this world and in the future history will speak his name alongside other mass murderers like Hitler, Mao, Stalin, etc., who were seduced by the powers of darkness and breathed the hatred of hell even while they lived on the earth. Even though he expected to go from earth to paradise, Zarqawi was sadly mistaken. There is only one way to enter into God’s rest and that is through his Son the Lord Jesus Christ. Since Zarqawi refused to repent of his sins and seek mercy from Jesus he will now experience the justice of God’s wrath. But even though this is the just punishment for his depravity, it is in many ways too horrible to contemplate. It is beyond the power of mere words to describe what it is like to be cast from the presence of God forever into the outer darkness where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth; where the flame is never extinguished and the worm never dies. And what is perhaps worse, is that he is left beyond the possibility of repentance; his is left in his sins, to wallow in the them like a pig in mud or like a dog who goes back to its vomit over and over and over again forever. His hatred, anger, lust, unbelief and whatever other sins fill his heart will have dominion over him forever.
There is a better way than the way taken by Judas Iscariot and Zarqawi and millions of others who refuse to seek the Lord while he may be found and call on him while he is near. It is the way of rest found only in Jesus that is commended to us in Hebrews 3:12-15 “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold firmly till the end our original conviction. As has just been said: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.’”
Zarqawi is not a hero. He was not a freedom-fighter or a religious martyr whose life we should celebrate. And those who foolishly proclaim that he was such a person are in great danger themselves of following in his treacherous steps. The truth is that he was a brutal butcher who was deceived by the god of this world and in the future history will speak his name alongside other mass murderers like Hitler, Mao, Stalin, etc., who were seduced by the powers of darkness and breathed the hatred of hell even while they lived on the earth. Even though he expected to go from earth to paradise, Zarqawi was sadly mistaken. There is only one way to enter into God’s rest and that is through his Son the Lord Jesus Christ. Since Zarqawi refused to repent of his sins and seek mercy from Jesus he will now experience the justice of God’s wrath. But even though this is the just punishment for his depravity, it is in many ways too horrible to contemplate. It is beyond the power of mere words to describe what it is like to be cast from the presence of God forever into the outer darkness where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth; where the flame is never extinguished and the worm never dies. And what is perhaps worse, is that he is left beyond the possibility of repentance; his is left in his sins, to wallow in the them like a pig in mud or like a dog who goes back to its vomit over and over and over again forever. His hatred, anger, lust, unbelief and whatever other sins fill his heart will have dominion over him forever.
There is a better way than the way taken by Judas Iscariot and Zarqawi and millions of others who refuse to seek the Lord while he may be found and call on him while he is near. It is the way of rest found only in Jesus that is commended to us in Hebrews 3:12-15 “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold firmly till the end our original conviction. As has just been said: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.’”
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Learning from Judas' Betrayal (Part 2)
Leaving aside questions about 666 for the time being at least, I wanted to return to Judas Iscariot and some of the lessons we can learn from his betrayal of Jesus. I have already spoken about the limitations of human justice and the fact that sin does not satisfy in the end. Now I want to focus on two more issues that swirl around the betrayal itself and the consequences of it.
1. Suicide is not an appropriate way out. This is a delicate topic but one that appears here in the text and something that is a problem in the Western world. Young people as well as old people are taking their own lives in numbers that no one is really sure about because accurate suicide statistics are difficult to come by. We should note from the text however that suicide is not a new problem. It was the path that Judas chose to walk. Suicide is always wrong because it is a violation of the command: "You shall not kill." Suicide is "self-murder" or "self-killing" and as such it is always sinful.
In the past and probably today, some branches of the Christian church have taught that suicide was a "mortal" or "unforgivable sin," presumably because it could not be repented of and the Bible clearly teaches that "no murderer will inherit the kingdom of God!" However, this is probably going too far because it assumes that we must be all "confessed up" when we die or we will not enter the presence of God. Surely this is not what the Scriptures teach. We are saved by grace when we trust in Christ and that grace covers all our sins past, present and future. When it comes to suicide we need to take into consideration some other factors and think through the issue a little more carefully.
When someone kills themselves as an act of faithless desperation, or as an act of final inconsolable defiance (as in the case of Judas), their wicked action reveals their lost and rebellious condition before the Lord. But it seems to me that this is not the only way to understand what might be going on inside a person in the case of suicide. Without buying into the whole psychological model of human behavior I think we have to acknowledge that there is such a thing as mental illness; there are deep and dark depressions which may stem from a variety of factors in which suicide may be seen as a uniquely tragic act of disobedience in the life of a believing person who has otherwise has walked with God. Personally, I believe that in such unusual, out-of-character circumstances there is forgiveness and hope even beyond the grave without in any way wanting to minimize the seriousness of the sin. Even though it is sometimes impossible to know how to assess each individual case, I do know that the Judge of all the earth will always do what is right (Genesis 18:25). He will take all of the relevant factors into consideration and render a perfect decision. And so I am content to leave matters of final judgment to him.
At a practical level, if you are tempted to take your own life, you should seek help and support. I am not talking here about passing thoughts along those lines, but persistent ones. God is the Creator of life and he is the only one who has the right to say how it should be lived and under which conditions it may be forfeited. The gift of life is a precious possession that we should treasure and cultivate. We are not here on earth to do our own thing and to have a good time irrespective of God and his will for our lives. We are here to serve the Lord. Sometimes that service means suffering, sometimes it means incredible joy. But whatever he has in store of us we must embrace it.
Life is worth living! Jesus gives us a reason to live. He has something for us to do. Suicide is an expression of unbelieving despair that we need to repent of right away. Often depression leading to suicide is the result of failing to do what God calls us to do, or feeling sorry for ourselves, or even being angry with God because we cannot accept his will for our lives. These are things we need to take to Jesus. We need to confess them and find the forgiveness that he so freely offers.
There is one other lesson that I want to talk about but I will do that next time...
1. Suicide is not an appropriate way out. This is a delicate topic but one that appears here in the text and something that is a problem in the Western world. Young people as well as old people are taking their own lives in numbers that no one is really sure about because accurate suicide statistics are difficult to come by. We should note from the text however that suicide is not a new problem. It was the path that Judas chose to walk. Suicide is always wrong because it is a violation of the command: "You shall not kill." Suicide is "self-murder" or "self-killing" and as such it is always sinful.
In the past and probably today, some branches of the Christian church have taught that suicide was a "mortal" or "unforgivable sin," presumably because it could not be repented of and the Bible clearly teaches that "no murderer will inherit the kingdom of God!" However, this is probably going too far because it assumes that we must be all "confessed up" when we die or we will not enter the presence of God. Surely this is not what the Scriptures teach. We are saved by grace when we trust in Christ and that grace covers all our sins past, present and future. When it comes to suicide we need to take into consideration some other factors and think through the issue a little more carefully.
When someone kills themselves as an act of faithless desperation, or as an act of final inconsolable defiance (as in the case of Judas), their wicked action reveals their lost and rebellious condition before the Lord. But it seems to me that this is not the only way to understand what might be going on inside a person in the case of suicide. Without buying into the whole psychological model of human behavior I think we have to acknowledge that there is such a thing as mental illness; there are deep and dark depressions which may stem from a variety of factors in which suicide may be seen as a uniquely tragic act of disobedience in the life of a believing person who has otherwise has walked with God. Personally, I believe that in such unusual, out-of-character circumstances there is forgiveness and hope even beyond the grave without in any way wanting to minimize the seriousness of the sin. Even though it is sometimes impossible to know how to assess each individual case, I do know that the Judge of all the earth will always do what is right (Genesis 18:25). He will take all of the relevant factors into consideration and render a perfect decision. And so I am content to leave matters of final judgment to him.
At a practical level, if you are tempted to take your own life, you should seek help and support. I am not talking here about passing thoughts along those lines, but persistent ones. God is the Creator of life and he is the only one who has the right to say how it should be lived and under which conditions it may be forfeited. The gift of life is a precious possession that we should treasure and cultivate. We are not here on earth to do our own thing and to have a good time irrespective of God and his will for our lives. We are here to serve the Lord. Sometimes that service means suffering, sometimes it means incredible joy. But whatever he has in store of us we must embrace it.
Life is worth living! Jesus gives us a reason to live. He has something for us to do. Suicide is an expression of unbelieving despair that we need to repent of right away. Often depression leading to suicide is the result of failing to do what God calls us to do, or feeling sorry for ourselves, or even being angry with God because we cannot accept his will for our lives. These are things we need to take to Jesus. We need to confess them and find the forgiveness that he so freely offers.
There is one other lesson that I want to talk about but I will do that next time...
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
666
"This calls for wisdom. Let those who have insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666." Revelation 13:18
Interestingly enough, when my alarm went off early this morning this passage of Scripture was being read on the secular radio station. But any half-awake thoughts of revival or the launching of a new Christian radio station that I may have had soon evaporated when I realized what all the hype was about. Today is 666, that is, the sixth day of the sixth month of 2006! Never mind that it is really 6606, it is close enough, especially in light of the release of new version of the movie the "Omen." And so Hollywood, which just made millions and millions of dollars attacking the Bible through the Da Vinci Code, now comes quoting the book of Revelation and the mysterious numerical designation for a man that is found therein.
Much has been written about the number 666. Unfortunately, so much of it is exegetical and theological rubbish! We must keep in mind the symbolic nature of the numbers in Revelation and whatever the precise meaning of the number it had to make sense to John's readers in the first century as well as have some kind of abiding meaning and application for Christians throughout the duration of the church age and throughout the world until Jesus comes again. This is where some of the pseudo science-fiction type interpretations of Revelation have done the church a great disservice. They give people a opportunity to ridicule the Scriptures and another excuse not to take seriously what the Bible has to say.
However, the book of Revelation is not as closed and mysterious as many people think. Although there are some details we will probably never understand, the main contours of the work are quite understandable if we approach it with a willingness to learn and we remember that it comes at the end of the canonical Scriptures for good reason. Revelation requires a thorough knowledge of the Old Testament and the rest of the New Testament. It is literally filled with allusions to scores of other biblical passages. In many ways it does not break new ground but underscores and accentuates the glory of the God and his great work of salvation in Jesus Christ. It is a shame that so many avoid the book because of the foolish speculation and uncontrolled exegesis that has plagued popular books and preaching purporting to expound it.
Revelation was not written to provide Hollywood writers with grist for their movies. Nor was it given to make "prophetic teachers" appear wiser than they really are. Nor to fuel idle speculation, or to give Christians an pretext to "circle the wagons' and hang on till the rapture! It was given by God to his servants to show them what must soon take place. This book is the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ and there is a blessing promised to the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and for those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near (Revelation 1:1-3). What we need in our day is less sensationalism and a greater desire to do the will of God from the heart! If we give ourselves to these things the end of the age, and all the events associated with it, will do us no ultimate harm but will merely be used by our Sovereign God to bring us, his people, into the full possession of their inheritance.
Interestingly enough, when my alarm went off early this morning this passage of Scripture was being read on the secular radio station. But any half-awake thoughts of revival or the launching of a new Christian radio station that I may have had soon evaporated when I realized what all the hype was about. Today is 666, that is, the sixth day of the sixth month of 2006! Never mind that it is really 6606, it is close enough, especially in light of the release of new version of the movie the "Omen." And so Hollywood, which just made millions and millions of dollars attacking the Bible through the Da Vinci Code, now comes quoting the book of Revelation and the mysterious numerical designation for a man that is found therein.
Much has been written about the number 666. Unfortunately, so much of it is exegetical and theological rubbish! We must keep in mind the symbolic nature of the numbers in Revelation and whatever the precise meaning of the number it had to make sense to John's readers in the first century as well as have some kind of abiding meaning and application for Christians throughout the duration of the church age and throughout the world until Jesus comes again. This is where some of the pseudo science-fiction type interpretations of Revelation have done the church a great disservice. They give people a opportunity to ridicule the Scriptures and another excuse not to take seriously what the Bible has to say.
However, the book of Revelation is not as closed and mysterious as many people think. Although there are some details we will probably never understand, the main contours of the work are quite understandable if we approach it with a willingness to learn and we remember that it comes at the end of the canonical Scriptures for good reason. Revelation requires a thorough knowledge of the Old Testament and the rest of the New Testament. It is literally filled with allusions to scores of other biblical passages. In many ways it does not break new ground but underscores and accentuates the glory of the God and his great work of salvation in Jesus Christ. It is a shame that so many avoid the book because of the foolish speculation and uncontrolled exegesis that has plagued popular books and preaching purporting to expound it.
Revelation was not written to provide Hollywood writers with grist for their movies. Nor was it given to make "prophetic teachers" appear wiser than they really are. Nor to fuel idle speculation, or to give Christians an pretext to "circle the wagons' and hang on till the rapture! It was given by God to his servants to show them what must soon take place. This book is the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ and there is a blessing promised to the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and for those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near (Revelation 1:1-3). What we need in our day is less sensationalism and a greater desire to do the will of God from the heart! If we give ourselves to these things the end of the age, and all the events associated with it, will do us no ultimate harm but will merely be used by our Sovereign God to bring us, his people, into the full possession of their inheritance.
Monday, June 05, 2006
Learning From Judas' Betrayal (Part 1)
In my last post I wrote about lessons that we can learn from Peter's denial of Jesus. Now it's time to turn our attention to Judas, the same Judas who has been the subject of so much debate in recent days. The Judas of the canonical Scriptures is a pathetic character who turns his back on Jesus and when he realizes his mistake he goes out and commits suicide. But no matter how tragic his life there are lessons that we can learn from the events that are described in Matthew 27:1-10.
1. The Limitations of Human Justice. While Jesus died according to God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge (Acts 2:23), on a human level his crucifixion was a miscarriage of justice. Jesus lived a flawless life and certainly did nothing deserving of death or the condemnation of any court of law if it were functioning as it should under the authority of God. Without getting into the details of the trial, or the character of Pilate the 'Governor,' or the biased agenda of the Jewish religious leaders we should learn from this event not to put our confidence in human justice. Sinful people cannot be trusted to do what is right, especially when it comes to the Gospel. This doesn't mean that we should give up on the legal or political system, but it means we need to be realistic about what it can achieve and realize that our hope is focused beyond this world in the person of the Lord Jesus and his glorious return at the end of the age.
2. Sin Does Not Satisty in the End. In the Bible we are not told what was going through Judas' mind when he decided to betray the Savior into the hands of sinners for a measly 30 pieces of silver. But we are told in the most graphic way that sin does not satisfy in the end. No sooner had Judas realized his 'objective' than he was overcome with remorse and returns the money to the chief priests and elders along with the confession that he had sinned for he had betrayed innocent blood. Sin always promises more than it can deliver. It may satisfy for a time but not in the end when it really matters. This is because we were made for God and nothing else can really take his place although we sometimes try very hard to prove otherwise. We need to remember this great truth when we are tempted to turn from God. Sin is a cruel and deceptive taskmaster. The way of blessing is the way of obedience to Jesus. If Judas temporarily thought he knew better than Jesus, he soon realized the depths and dark consequences of his wicked miscalculation!
To be continued...
1. The Limitations of Human Justice. While Jesus died according to God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge (Acts 2:23), on a human level his crucifixion was a miscarriage of justice. Jesus lived a flawless life and certainly did nothing deserving of death or the condemnation of any court of law if it were functioning as it should under the authority of God. Without getting into the details of the trial, or the character of Pilate the 'Governor,' or the biased agenda of the Jewish religious leaders we should learn from this event not to put our confidence in human justice. Sinful people cannot be trusted to do what is right, especially when it comes to the Gospel. This doesn't mean that we should give up on the legal or political system, but it means we need to be realistic about what it can achieve and realize that our hope is focused beyond this world in the person of the Lord Jesus and his glorious return at the end of the age.
2. Sin Does Not Satisty in the End. In the Bible we are not told what was going through Judas' mind when he decided to betray the Savior into the hands of sinners for a measly 30 pieces of silver. But we are told in the most graphic way that sin does not satisfy in the end. No sooner had Judas realized his 'objective' than he was overcome with remorse and returns the money to the chief priests and elders along with the confession that he had sinned for he had betrayed innocent blood. Sin always promises more than it can deliver. It may satisfy for a time but not in the end when it really matters. This is because we were made for God and nothing else can really take his place although we sometimes try very hard to prove otherwise. We need to remember this great truth when we are tempted to turn from God. Sin is a cruel and deceptive taskmaster. The way of blessing is the way of obedience to Jesus. If Judas temporarily thought he knew better than Jesus, he soon realized the depths and dark consequences of his wicked miscalculation!
To be continued...
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Learning From Peter's Denial of Jesus
Because I will be taking up a new position at Toronto Baptist Seminary in July I am going to have to hurry to bring my exposition of Matthew's Gospel to a close at PBF. With only 4 Sundays in June we still have two chapters to go before we come to the end of this glorious gospel. That means that this Sunday evening we are going to look at the last section of chapter 26 and the first section of chapter 27. Or to put it another way, we are going to look at Peter's denial of Jesus and Judas' betrayal. Although we will not be able to look at these events in detail there are a number of valuable lessons to learn.
With regard to Peter we learn that when it comes to serving Jesus, human strength is not enough. Peter was a strong man, physically and mentally, but he was no match for the sifting of Satan on the eve of Jesus' crucifixion. We may be strong and have many gifts and abilities, but we cannot serve Jesus in our own human strength or wisdom. Satan is too strong and we are too weak. We must always look to the Lord for help.
We also learn that we should never underestimate the constraining influence of our surroundings. Peter stood his ground when he was with the other disciples. He even tried to defend Jesus when the arresting officers came to take him away. But in the courtyard of the high priest, around the campfire, he was isolated and afraid. In a single evening his whole world had begun to fall apart and he fell flat on his face. It is much easier to stand and be counted in some situations than in others. Generally speaking, isolation can be very dangerous for believers. So too can a situation in which we are outnumbered by those who do not share our commitment to Jesus. When we find ourselves in such an environment we need to identify ourselves as Christians right away. It is better that everyone knows where we are coming from right off the bat. It also means that we need to pick our close friends carefully and be discerning when it comes to the mass media. We are not islands and usually not as strong as we like to think we are. Better to be safe than sorry.
A third lesson we learn from Peter's experience is that preparation for usefulness is not easy. After Peter denied the Lord he went outside and wept bitterly. What he did not understand at the time is that the Lord was preparing him for future service in the kingdom. This was an experience that Peter had to pass through for all sorts of very important reasons. And like Peter, we are called to go through events that are sometimes very painful; a kind of spiritual "boot camp" experience. The trouble is that we don't always understand that whatever the trial, the embarrassment, the setbacks; if we belong to Jesus, these things have come into our lives for our good. In fact, the writer to the Hebrews says: Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons... No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed (12:7-11).
To be continued...
With regard to Peter we learn that when it comes to serving Jesus, human strength is not enough. Peter was a strong man, physically and mentally, but he was no match for the sifting of Satan on the eve of Jesus' crucifixion. We may be strong and have many gifts and abilities, but we cannot serve Jesus in our own human strength or wisdom. Satan is too strong and we are too weak. We must always look to the Lord for help.
We also learn that we should never underestimate the constraining influence of our surroundings. Peter stood his ground when he was with the other disciples. He even tried to defend Jesus when the arresting officers came to take him away. But in the courtyard of the high priest, around the campfire, he was isolated and afraid. In a single evening his whole world had begun to fall apart and he fell flat on his face. It is much easier to stand and be counted in some situations than in others. Generally speaking, isolation can be very dangerous for believers. So too can a situation in which we are outnumbered by those who do not share our commitment to Jesus. When we find ourselves in such an environment we need to identify ourselves as Christians right away. It is better that everyone knows where we are coming from right off the bat. It also means that we need to pick our close friends carefully and be discerning when it comes to the mass media. We are not islands and usually not as strong as we like to think we are. Better to be safe than sorry.
A third lesson we learn from Peter's experience is that preparation for usefulness is not easy. After Peter denied the Lord he went outside and wept bitterly. What he did not understand at the time is that the Lord was preparing him for future service in the kingdom. This was an experience that Peter had to pass through for all sorts of very important reasons. And like Peter, we are called to go through events that are sometimes very painful; a kind of spiritual "boot camp" experience. The trouble is that we don't always understand that whatever the trial, the embarrassment, the setbacks; if we belong to Jesus, these things have come into our lives for our good. In fact, the writer to the Hebrews says: Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons... No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed (12:7-11).
To be continued...
Friday, June 02, 2006
This Is Love...
I've spent the day working on the message for Sunday morning. As readers of this blog know, I have been working my way through 1 John for several months. This coming Sunday the next section that we come to is 4:7-12, a remarkable few verses in which John for the third time stresses the importance of Christian love.
Although John has spoken about the need for love earlier in his letter we should not imagine that he is merely repeating himself. Repetition often signals something important that the biblical author, and the Holy Spirit who is speaking through him, does not want us to miss. When John first spoke of love back in 2:11-17 it was as an entailment of the Gospel. Those who are part of the New Covenant community must love because they have been delivered from the darkness and are living in the true light that is already shining. When John next spoke of love in 3:11-18 it was as evidence that believers have passed from death to life. Now when he speak of love he has in view the very foundation of love itself, the ultimate demonstration of love and the completion of God's love in his people. I will comment briefly on all three.
1. The Foundation of Love - That foundation is God himself. John exhorts his dear friends (literally his beloved) to love one another, for love comes from God. If you trace love back to its source you come to God. Now the Bible also indicates that God is more than love. He is also spirit (John 4:24) and light (1 John 1:5) and consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29; Deuteronomy 4:24). Recognizing this will keep us from an unbiblical reductionism that sees God as love and nothing more. But the fact that he is love means that it permeates everything he does and qualifies all of his other attributes in significant ways. God is love is one of the great statements of the Bible. It is one of those bedrock truths that must never be compromised. It is a wonderful truth that all Christians rejoice in. It is a glorious thing that God is love.
So basic and central is love to God that John can say: Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. There is no way around it. Unloving Christianity is a contradiction in terms. It is a montrous distortion of the truth. Everyone who has known the internal work of the Holy Spirit in giving them life, loves. Everyone who knows God, loves. And in case we are slow to grasp the point, John puts it negatively as well. Those who do not love plainly do not know God.
But before we leave this point we need to consider where we stand in this regard. My experience tells me that it is far too easy to pass over this point too quickly. Of course, we must love, surely everyone knows that! But do we love as we should? Or to put it another way: what is distinctive about our love as Christians? This is what John is talking about. We are to love differently from the world around us. The world loves in various ways, but Christians are required to love in a way that goes beyond that. We must love as God loves. Our love, like our righteousness, must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees.
2. The Ultimate Demonstration of Love - God demonstrates his love in many ways. Rain, sunshine, families, governments, law and order, health and strength, the beauty of the world around us and many other things speak of the love of God. But when John wants to draw our attention to the greatest demonstration of love he takes us to the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. We should notice again the repetition. This is of first importance. Because of who God is as holy, holy, holy, once he decided to rescue us from our sins there was only one way open to him, and that was the way that involved the death of his one and only Son. There was no other way for him to save us from our sins. We needed a God-man who could propitiate the wrath of God and atone for all our sins. This is what we have in Jesus. And this task he undertook in willing and loving obedience to his Father who entrusted to him a people of his very own whom he must save and thereafter rejoice in forever.
3. The Completion of God's Love - As staggering is the language of verses 9-10, equally stunning are verses 11-12. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. Wow! There is an "ought" to our love. We ought to love another. It is only right in light of God's mercy and grace and love. But there is more. John reminds us that God is invisible with words that take us back to John 1:18. There, no one has seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. Here, no one has seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. Just placing the passages side-by-side clarifies the point John is making. The invisible God becomes manifest in a primary way in his one and only Son, but he is also manifest in a secondary way in his people, especially as those people love one another.
This way of putting it helps us with a number of practical issues. Do we sometimes feel distant from God? We need to examine our love. Do we long to experience more of God? We need to check our hearts to see if they beat with love for God and our brothers and sisters and the world beyond. Is the world questioning the reality of God and the Christian faith? We need to make sure we are loving as we should because if we are not they will not see him who is invisible. You see, as important as truth is (and it is important), love is just as significant! The two go together and you cannot have one without the other! Even before getting to this part of his letter John said as much back in 3:23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. May we commit ourselves to doing just that!
Although John has spoken about the need for love earlier in his letter we should not imagine that he is merely repeating himself. Repetition often signals something important that the biblical author, and the Holy Spirit who is speaking through him, does not want us to miss. When John first spoke of love back in 2:11-17 it was as an entailment of the Gospel. Those who are part of the New Covenant community must love because they have been delivered from the darkness and are living in the true light that is already shining. When John next spoke of love in 3:11-18 it was as evidence that believers have passed from death to life. Now when he speak of love he has in view the very foundation of love itself, the ultimate demonstration of love and the completion of God's love in his people. I will comment briefly on all three.
1. The Foundation of Love - That foundation is God himself. John exhorts his dear friends (literally his beloved) to love one another, for love comes from God. If you trace love back to its source you come to God. Now the Bible also indicates that God is more than love. He is also spirit (John 4:24) and light (1 John 1:5) and consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29; Deuteronomy 4:24). Recognizing this will keep us from an unbiblical reductionism that sees God as love and nothing more. But the fact that he is love means that it permeates everything he does and qualifies all of his other attributes in significant ways. God is love is one of the great statements of the Bible. It is one of those bedrock truths that must never be compromised. It is a wonderful truth that all Christians rejoice in. It is a glorious thing that God is love.
So basic and central is love to God that John can say: Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. There is no way around it. Unloving Christianity is a contradiction in terms. It is a montrous distortion of the truth. Everyone who has known the internal work of the Holy Spirit in giving them life, loves. Everyone who knows God, loves. And in case we are slow to grasp the point, John puts it negatively as well. Those who do not love plainly do not know God.
But before we leave this point we need to consider where we stand in this regard. My experience tells me that it is far too easy to pass over this point too quickly. Of course, we must love, surely everyone knows that! But do we love as we should? Or to put it another way: what is distinctive about our love as Christians? This is what John is talking about. We are to love differently from the world around us. The world loves in various ways, but Christians are required to love in a way that goes beyond that. We must love as God loves. Our love, like our righteousness, must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees.
2. The Ultimate Demonstration of Love - God demonstrates his love in many ways. Rain, sunshine, families, governments, law and order, health and strength, the beauty of the world around us and many other things speak of the love of God. But when John wants to draw our attention to the greatest demonstration of love he takes us to the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. We should notice again the repetition. This is of first importance. Because of who God is as holy, holy, holy, once he decided to rescue us from our sins there was only one way open to him, and that was the way that involved the death of his one and only Son. There was no other way for him to save us from our sins. We needed a God-man who could propitiate the wrath of God and atone for all our sins. This is what we have in Jesus. And this task he undertook in willing and loving obedience to his Father who entrusted to him a people of his very own whom he must save and thereafter rejoice in forever.
3. The Completion of God's Love - As staggering is the language of verses 9-10, equally stunning are verses 11-12. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. Wow! There is an "ought" to our love. We ought to love another. It is only right in light of God's mercy and grace and love. But there is more. John reminds us that God is invisible with words that take us back to John 1:18. There, no one has seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. Here, no one has seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. Just placing the passages side-by-side clarifies the point John is making. The invisible God becomes manifest in a primary way in his one and only Son, but he is also manifest in a secondary way in his people, especially as those people love one another.
This way of putting it helps us with a number of practical issues. Do we sometimes feel distant from God? We need to examine our love. Do we long to experience more of God? We need to check our hearts to see if they beat with love for God and our brothers and sisters and the world beyond. Is the world questioning the reality of God and the Christian faith? We need to make sure we are loving as we should because if we are not they will not see him who is invisible. You see, as important as truth is (and it is important), love is just as significant! The two go together and you cannot have one without the other! Even before getting to this part of his letter John said as much back in 3:23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. May we commit ourselves to doing just that!
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