“…prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21 NIV)
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The part of the Holy Spirit’s Word that we meditate on today comes from Paul’s letter to the Ephesian Christians. In this letter Paul is writing to encourage Christians that he knew. Paul had himself started the church in Ephesus on his third missionary journey.
In Paul’s time, Ephesus was an important city for commerce and was also home to one of the seven wonders of the ancient world – the magnificent Temple of the goddess Diana. It was claimed that Diana’s image had fallen from the sky. This was no small cult, the worship of Diana was known throughout the world.
In his letter to the Ephesian Christians, Paul reminds them that it is God the Father who should be praised, not Diana. And for much better reasons.
Because our modern world remains full things and people that can be worshipped, Paul’s message remains meaningful for us even today. The theme for our meditation today is, “Praise the Glory of the Father’s Grace”.
Ephesians 1:3-14 (NKJV)
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
7In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
13In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
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Grace and peace be Yours from our Heavenly Father, from our Risen Master, Jesus Christ and from the quiet and unpretentious Holy Spirit that moves among us even now.
PREDESTINED TO ADOPTION
One Christian teaching that stands out of this section is the teaching of predestination. Predestination says that before humans fell into sin, before they were even created, before the world was created – God chose individuals to be adopted into His Family through faith in His Son.
This teaching takes faith out of the sinner’s hands. Faith isn’t something that comes from our focused attempt. It isn’t our choice. We can’t will ourselves into trusting in Jesus as our Savior from sin.
God the Father is the reason that we have come to trust in Jesus. He decided to make us His own long ago.
This is a comforting thought, because if faith were up to us, we sinners would never have believed.
Predestination also showcases God’s unexplainable love. God selected us, knowing that we would be broken and worthless. Knowing that we would be sinful through and through. He selected us knowing that we would have no redeeming qualities, and that He’d have to save us from our sin first, and then totally remake us if we would be fit to live in His house.
God’s choosing us from eternity doesn’t make logical sense to us, but that is the way with love isn’t it? Quite often love seems to make no sense at all.
Verse five Paul tells us why God predestined us.
“having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,” (Ephesians 1:5 NKJV).
Brothers and sisters in Christ, God predestined us to become part of His family because it pleased Him to do so. It made Him happy to save us. Great is the God who loved us when we did not deserve it, and who chose us in that love.
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Redeemed Through Christ’s Blood
Predestination is followed by redemption. Verse seven says,
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7 NKJV).
We usually define the word “redemption” as “buying back”. But the Greek word is a little more picturesque. It comes from the idea of “loosening” something up so that it can be free.
If you’ve ever had your car impounded you’ll understand this concept. There your car sits in the dusty impound lot. Just on the other side of a chain-link fence. But it’s not going anywhere unless a fee is paid.
Without Christ’s blood being spilled, without His suffering of body and soul, without His Hell, sinners could never have escaped theirs. But along came Jesus, and by His blood He dissolved the bonds of sin, loosened them from our wrists and set us free.
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In verse eleven it says…
“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance…” (Ephesians 1:11a NKJV).
Redemption comes with adoption. We have became part of the Father’s family through faith in Christ. And that means more than having His Name. What belongs to the Father will one day be ours. A sinless existence. A perfect body. An eternity of painlessness. And these are just part of the fortune that is ours because of Christ Jesus our Redeemer.
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Imagine for a second that you found out that you were heir to a multi-billion dollar fortune. Your fortune had to pass through some legal hoops first, but it was just a matter of time before you got it. How would that change your life?
Maybe you’d actually make that loan to your brother in law? Maybe you’d quit worrying about those credit card debts. Maybe your days would seem a little lighter knowing the big payoff was coming soon.
This is the power that Christ’s redemption holds for our lives. We have been redeemed by Him. Loosened from our sins. Freed from the punishment for them. Loosened from the stupid sinful ways of this world’s thinking. Freed to live to Christ. Freed even from fear of death.
How will this change us? When the inheritance that is ours in Christ is held front and center in our minds, we have the power to do what Christ commands. To love our enemies. To do good with no need of appreciation. To lend without hoping to be paid back.
If Heaven is our inheritance than we can afford to be rich to all those around us. Rich in love. In kindness. In patience. Rich in prayer. In thoughtfulness. In forgiveness.
When we live like this God’s glory is praised - by our lives. And others begin to praise Him too.
Jesus once said to His followers:
“14“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV).
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus redeemed from sin so that we might then also live a life like His – one full of love and truth and goodness. Great is the God who has redeemed us by His blood!
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SEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
Before Jesus ascended back to His Father’s side, He told His disciples,
“25“All this I have spoken while still with you. 26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:25-26 NKJV).
And,
“…Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5).
On the first Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came to the followers of Christ in a dramatic way. The sound of a mighty wind was heard. Flames of fire appeared above their heads. They began to speak in languages they had never studied.
But the greater miracle was this – three thousand pilgrims who had come to Jerusalem to worship came to trust in Jesus on that day. The Holy Spirit came not only to the disciples of Christ to fulfill prophesy and promise, but He also came to sinners through the Good News proclaimed on that day. And through that message faith in Jesus as the Savor sent from God was ignited in their hearts.
And the same Holy Spirit had come to the Ephesian Christians. In verses 13-14 Paul wrote,
“13In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14 NKJV).
Paul describes the Holy Spirit as a “seal”. We might think of the stamp that you get when you’re going to a fair, or the bracelet that gets you into a water-park or a concert. When we reach heaven’s gates, the seal of the Holy Spirit will ensure our entrance.
Or, Paul says, think about it like this. The Holy Spirit is God’s down-payment on your heavenly fortune. The first part of the treasure that is yours NOW. The Holy Spirit now accompanies your soul and will enable you to travel down the road of life until you receive the whole inheritance.
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You see what the God is saying in all this?
By predestination God says, “I chose you, not the other way around.”
By redemption God says, “My Son redeemed you, you didn’t redeem yourself.”
By the seal of the Spirit God says, “Never will I leave your side, throughout your walk of faith my Spirit is in you.”
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The citizens of Ephesus that worshipped at Diana’s temple did so for many reasons. But now that temple is only ruins. A man made goddess, temporary, empty. All but forgotten now. Certainly not worthy of our praise.
But, our God is worthy of our worship. For He’s done it all for us, and because of a love that we did not deserve.
Meditate on His eternal love. Think of His selfless sacrifice. And may God fill your mind with the Holy Spirit’s peace and your heart with a song of praise.
Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
May 24, 2009
When Hopeless, I Will Hope in God - May 24, 2009
“…prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21 NIV)
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Psalm 42 is about depression. Sometimes people say they’re depressed, when what they really mean is they’re feeling sad.
Depression is defined as “sadness greater and more prolonged than that warranted by any objective reason” (Dictionary.com)
In our English translation the writer of Psalm 42 describes his depression by saying that his soul is in “despair” and is “disturbed” within him. The Hebrew paints a more colorful picture. In the Hebrew it’s more like he says, “My soul is bent low by the weight of my sorrow, inside my heart is a dark storm” (See words for “Despair” and “disturbed” in the Hebrew).
But the writer of Psalm 42 is a follower of God. And so In the lowness and agitation of his depression he knows his remedy is the LORD.
His emotions are very real. He feels hopeless. But his hope is very real as well. The LORD is his hope.
The theme for our meditation today is “When Hopeless, I will Hope in God”.
Psalm 42 (NASB)
For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.
1 As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So my soul pants for You, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
While they say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
4 These things I remember
and I pour out my soul within me
For I used to go along with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and thanksgiving,
a multitude keeping festival.
5 Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God,
for I shall again praise Him
For the help of His presence.
6 O my God, my soul is in despair within me;
Therefore I remember You
from the land of the Jordan
And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your breakers and Your waves
have rolled over me.
8 The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me in the night,
A prayer to the God of my life.
9 I will say to God my rock,
"Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?"
10 As a shattering of my bones,
my adversaries revile me,
While they say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
11 Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God,
for I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.
▬
Grace and Peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Risen and living Master and Savior Jesus Christ.
The writer of Psalm 42 is going through a difficult time. Troubles surround him like waves in a surging ocean. He wants to go to the LORD’s Temple. To pray. To hear God speak through His Holy Word. But he is far from Jerusalem and that is impossible at the moment.
His troubles have caused so much weeping lately that it seems like he is feeding on his own tears. Morning, noon and night they come.
His enemies taunt him daily, asking why the LORD isn’t doing anything to help him. “Where is your God anyway?” they say.
But still, this follower of God knows the remedy for his sorrow. God is the remedy. And so he thirsts for God.
▬
I was in a waiting room a while back and I saw a man reading a book called, “10 Ways Your Body Screams for Water”. Apparently there are numerous symptoms of dehydration that people experience and tolerate without knowing that relief is only a glass of water away!
I wonder how many times people take a couple pain pills or do something else to deal with these side effects instead of reaching for what their body actually needs –water.
And how many times do we try to satisfy our thirst for God with something else. Do we recognize the symptoms that plague us when we’ve gone to long without touching base with Him?
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In college I was having trouble. I wasn’t depressed, but I never felt like I was getting anything done. I’d get to the end of a day and think, “I haven’t accomplished a thing”.
I even stayed in “sick” one day just to do homework. Surely with a whole day of nothing but concentration on my studies I’d feel like I’d done something, right? Wrong. At the end of the day I felt even more worthless.
By God’s grace I realized what the problem was. I wasn’t coming back to God. I wasn’t opening my Bible to commune with Him. So I was not fulfilled.
I found that when God had a real place in my day, my day was fulfilling even if nothing else got checked off my to-do list.
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But the writer of Psalm 42 knew that he needed God. His problem wasn’t that he’d been forgetting about God. His problem is that the troubles he’s facing were stirring up feelings of despair in his soul, and those feelings kept crashing into him like breaking waves on the sea shore.
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In verse four His mind begins to drift back to better days:
“4 These things I remember
and I pour out my soul within me
For I used to go along with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and thanksgiving,
a multitude keeping festival.
5 Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God,
for I shall again praise Him
For the help of His presence” (Psalm 42:4-5 NASB).
▬
Here the writer finds two ways to counter his depression. First, he remembers better days. Days when he would go up joyfully to the Temple with a group of friends.
When he remembers those days the writer remembers that God has been good to him in the past and he trusts that His God will be good to him in the future. God will keep His promises to watch over and deliver His followers. And when this happens, the writer knows that he will sing out praises to God once again with joy and thanksgiving.
We also can follow the writer’s example. When we are dragged down by our present circumstances. By troubles and responsibilities. We too can look back in our lives and remember how God has been good to us in the past. And looking forward, we can be sure that God will remain good to us.
As He writes in Psalm 50:
“… call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor me” (Psalm 50:15 NIV).
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One of the most helpful things in this Psalm is the way that the writer talks to his own soul. His soul is troubled, and he is counseling that soul. Rebuking that soul. Telling that soul to look to the LORD in hope.
This way of speaking reminds us that Christians have two parts. We are sinners and saints. Sinners by birth, saints by faith in Christ Jesus. And because we are two sided people, we experience things that don’t seem like they should go together.
Because of the sinner side we experience doubt. Sorrow. Anger. Frustration. But because of the saint side, we counter doubt with faith. Sorrow with joy. Anger with peace. Frustration with perseverance.
When our sinner side gets us down, we answer back with our saint side just like the writer of Psalm 42. We say, “Why are you so down? Hope in God, he’s coming back to rescue, and when He does I will praise Him!”
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The feelings of despair that the writer is feeling are very real, and persistent. He speaks to God of these feelings in verse six.
“6 O my God, my soul is in despair within me;
Therefore I remember You
from the land of the Jordan
And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your breakers and Your waves
have rolled over me.
8 The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me in the night,
A prayer to the God of my life” (Psalm 42:6-8 NASB).
▬
The writer is in the wilderness. If we didn’t catch on with the deer comparison in verse one, here we do. He is in the Hermon Mountain Range on Mt. Mizar. Hermon is by far the largest mountain in the area and is usually snowcapped. This mountain and the surrounding ones serve as the water source of the Jordan river.
By his description, it appears that the writer of Psalm 42 is in hiding out in this wilderness. Sitting next to a rushing river which plummets down in a loud waterfall. But this beautiful setting only reminds him of the rush and noise of all the troubles that have fallen all around Him. Deep calls to deep. The deep waters a the base of the waterfall remind him of the deep sorrow he feels.
In the Hebrew the word “deep” refers to “an area below the surface of bodies of water, a dark, inaccessible, inexhaustible, and mysterious place controlled only by objects with vast powers” (Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains).
Though the writer feels overwhelmed by all his troubles, his saint side also recognizes the LORD is not idle. The LORD is working in the daytime – for the good of His faithful. And in the night, He comforts those faithful by brining to their minds His songs.
Being a “Son of Korah”, the writer of this Psalm knew many of God’s songs. The Sons of Korah helped with the musical parts of worship at God’s Temple. Those songs would come back to him in the night. And no doubt he would take these songs and pray them back to God.
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Psalm 127 says that God,
“…grants sleep to those he loves” (Psalm 127:2 NIV).
After the night time prayers and songs are done. God gives rest. Resetting of thoughts. Restoring of body. When His power does not remove our trouble, His power at least replenishes us enough that we may face another day.
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In the last three verses of Psalm 42 the writer give us one more reason to hope in God when all seems hopeless: God listens to the prayers of His saints.
“9 I will say to God my rock,
"Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?"
10 As a shattering of my bones,
my adversaries revile me,
While they say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
11 Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God,
for I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God” (Psalm 42:9-11 NASB).
▬
The writer lets us hear his prayer to God. It is an honest prayer. No church words here. No carefully crafted positive and flowery language.
Did you forget me God?
Why do I have to mourn?
They’re mocking me and you!
The writer addresses these things to the God whom He calls “his Rock”. This is the open and honest prayer of a believer. God bless us all that we may pray this way. Open. Honest, but also in solid faith to the one solid Rock we have in our own storms of emotion. God our Rock. Jehovah our God.
And then verse eleven it’s like the saint side kicks in and puts the questioning soul in it’s place once more. Repeating what was said before:
11 Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God,
for I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God” (Psalm 42:11 NASB).
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Perhaps that phrase sounds strange to our ears, “the help of my countenance”. It’s describes a simple enough concept. God helps those who’s face is turned to Him in faith. Those who’s back is turned to Him can expect to receive nothing from Him.
God’s children may FEEL hopeless in depression, but feelings do not determine reality. Those who look to the LORD for help will receive it.
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I’d like to share one more little Hebrew tidbit. That word, “help” in verse 11 is pronounced, “Je-shu-oht” in the Hebrew. It’s a form of the word “helper” or “Savior”. Transferred over to the Greek of it’s “Jesus”.
This reminds us of the reason that God can help sinners like you and me. Jesus was not helped on the cross of Calvary. He suffered alone. Abandoned. Forsaken. Punished for a world of sinners, so that we might have hope even when it seems there should be none.
And that is what we have in Christ Jesus, when all seems hopeless, we have hope in Him. For in Christ Jesus we have crossed over from death to life.
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Remember His faithfulness in your moments of sorrow. Remember His power when you foot seems to slip. Remember God’s open ears hear the voice of His children, and by faith in Christ Jesus that is what you are.
Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
▬
Psalm 42 is about depression. Sometimes people say they’re depressed, when what they really mean is they’re feeling sad.
Depression is defined as “sadness greater and more prolonged than that warranted by any objective reason” (Dictionary.com)
In our English translation the writer of Psalm 42 describes his depression by saying that his soul is in “despair” and is “disturbed” within him. The Hebrew paints a more colorful picture. In the Hebrew it’s more like he says, “My soul is bent low by the weight of my sorrow, inside my heart is a dark storm” (See words for “Despair” and “disturbed” in the Hebrew).
But the writer of Psalm 42 is a follower of God. And so In the lowness and agitation of his depression he knows his remedy is the LORD.
His emotions are very real. He feels hopeless. But his hope is very real as well. The LORD is his hope.
The theme for our meditation today is “When Hopeless, I will Hope in God”.
Psalm 42 (NASB)
For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.
1 As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So my soul pants for You, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
While they say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
4 These things I remember
and I pour out my soul within me
For I used to go along with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and thanksgiving,
a multitude keeping festival.
5 Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God,
for I shall again praise Him
For the help of His presence.
6 O my God, my soul is in despair within me;
Therefore I remember You
from the land of the Jordan
And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your breakers and Your waves
have rolled over me.
8 The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me in the night,
A prayer to the God of my life.
9 I will say to God my rock,
"Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?"
10 As a shattering of my bones,
my adversaries revile me,
While they say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
11 Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God,
for I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.
▬
Grace and Peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Risen and living Master and Savior Jesus Christ.
The writer of Psalm 42 is going through a difficult time. Troubles surround him like waves in a surging ocean. He wants to go to the LORD’s Temple. To pray. To hear God speak through His Holy Word. But he is far from Jerusalem and that is impossible at the moment.
His troubles have caused so much weeping lately that it seems like he is feeding on his own tears. Morning, noon and night they come.
His enemies taunt him daily, asking why the LORD isn’t doing anything to help him. “Where is your God anyway?” they say.
But still, this follower of God knows the remedy for his sorrow. God is the remedy. And so he thirsts for God.
▬
I was in a waiting room a while back and I saw a man reading a book called, “10 Ways Your Body Screams for Water”. Apparently there are numerous symptoms of dehydration that people experience and tolerate without knowing that relief is only a glass of water away!
I wonder how many times people take a couple pain pills or do something else to deal with these side effects instead of reaching for what their body actually needs –water.
And how many times do we try to satisfy our thirst for God with something else. Do we recognize the symptoms that plague us when we’ve gone to long without touching base with Him?
▬
In college I was having trouble. I wasn’t depressed, but I never felt like I was getting anything done. I’d get to the end of a day and think, “I haven’t accomplished a thing”.
I even stayed in “sick” one day just to do homework. Surely with a whole day of nothing but concentration on my studies I’d feel like I’d done something, right? Wrong. At the end of the day I felt even more worthless.
By God’s grace I realized what the problem was. I wasn’t coming back to God. I wasn’t opening my Bible to commune with Him. So I was not fulfilled.
I found that when God had a real place in my day, my day was fulfilling even if nothing else got checked off my to-do list.
▬
But the writer of Psalm 42 knew that he needed God. His problem wasn’t that he’d been forgetting about God. His problem is that the troubles he’s facing were stirring up feelings of despair in his soul, and those feelings kept crashing into him like breaking waves on the sea shore.
▬
In verse four His mind begins to drift back to better days:
“4 These things I remember
and I pour out my soul within me
For I used to go along with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and thanksgiving,
a multitude keeping festival.
5 Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God,
for I shall again praise Him
For the help of His presence” (Psalm 42:4-5 NASB).
▬
Here the writer finds two ways to counter his depression. First, he remembers better days. Days when he would go up joyfully to the Temple with a group of friends.
When he remembers those days the writer remembers that God has been good to him in the past and he trusts that His God will be good to him in the future. God will keep His promises to watch over and deliver His followers. And when this happens, the writer knows that he will sing out praises to God once again with joy and thanksgiving.
We also can follow the writer’s example. When we are dragged down by our present circumstances. By troubles and responsibilities. We too can look back in our lives and remember how God has been good to us in the past. And looking forward, we can be sure that God will remain good to us.
As He writes in Psalm 50:
“… call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor me” (Psalm 50:15 NIV).
▬
One of the most helpful things in this Psalm is the way that the writer talks to his own soul. His soul is troubled, and he is counseling that soul. Rebuking that soul. Telling that soul to look to the LORD in hope.
This way of speaking reminds us that Christians have two parts. We are sinners and saints. Sinners by birth, saints by faith in Christ Jesus. And because we are two sided people, we experience things that don’t seem like they should go together.
Because of the sinner side we experience doubt. Sorrow. Anger. Frustration. But because of the saint side, we counter doubt with faith. Sorrow with joy. Anger with peace. Frustration with perseverance.
When our sinner side gets us down, we answer back with our saint side just like the writer of Psalm 42. We say, “Why are you so down? Hope in God, he’s coming back to rescue, and when He does I will praise Him!”
▬
The feelings of despair that the writer is feeling are very real, and persistent. He speaks to God of these feelings in verse six.
“6 O my God, my soul is in despair within me;
Therefore I remember You
from the land of the Jordan
And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your breakers and Your waves
have rolled over me.
8 The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me in the night,
A prayer to the God of my life” (Psalm 42:6-8 NASB).
▬
The writer is in the wilderness. If we didn’t catch on with the deer comparison in verse one, here we do. He is in the Hermon Mountain Range on Mt. Mizar. Hermon is by far the largest mountain in the area and is usually snowcapped. This mountain and the surrounding ones serve as the water source of the Jordan river.
By his description, it appears that the writer of Psalm 42 is in hiding out in this wilderness. Sitting next to a rushing river which plummets down in a loud waterfall. But this beautiful setting only reminds him of the rush and noise of all the troubles that have fallen all around Him. Deep calls to deep. The deep waters a the base of the waterfall remind him of the deep sorrow he feels.
In the Hebrew the word “deep” refers to “an area below the surface of bodies of water, a dark, inaccessible, inexhaustible, and mysterious place controlled only by objects with vast powers” (Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains).
Though the writer feels overwhelmed by all his troubles, his saint side also recognizes the LORD is not idle. The LORD is working in the daytime – for the good of His faithful. And in the night, He comforts those faithful by brining to their minds His songs.
Being a “Son of Korah”, the writer of this Psalm knew many of God’s songs. The Sons of Korah helped with the musical parts of worship at God’s Temple. Those songs would come back to him in the night. And no doubt he would take these songs and pray them back to God.
▬
Psalm 127 says that God,
“…grants sleep to those he loves” (Psalm 127:2 NIV).
After the night time prayers and songs are done. God gives rest. Resetting of thoughts. Restoring of body. When His power does not remove our trouble, His power at least replenishes us enough that we may face another day.
▬
In the last three verses of Psalm 42 the writer give us one more reason to hope in God when all seems hopeless: God listens to the prayers of His saints.
“9 I will say to God my rock,
"Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?"
10 As a shattering of my bones,
my adversaries revile me,
While they say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
11 Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God,
for I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God” (Psalm 42:9-11 NASB).
▬
The writer lets us hear his prayer to God. It is an honest prayer. No church words here. No carefully crafted positive and flowery language.
Did you forget me God?
Why do I have to mourn?
They’re mocking me and you!
The writer addresses these things to the God whom He calls “his Rock”. This is the open and honest prayer of a believer. God bless us all that we may pray this way. Open. Honest, but also in solid faith to the one solid Rock we have in our own storms of emotion. God our Rock. Jehovah our God.
And then verse eleven it’s like the saint side kicks in and puts the questioning soul in it’s place once more. Repeating what was said before:
11 Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God,
for I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God” (Psalm 42:11 NASB).
▬
Perhaps that phrase sounds strange to our ears, “the help of my countenance”. It’s describes a simple enough concept. God helps those who’s face is turned to Him in faith. Those who’s back is turned to Him can expect to receive nothing from Him.
God’s children may FEEL hopeless in depression, but feelings do not determine reality. Those who look to the LORD for help will receive it.
▬
I’d like to share one more little Hebrew tidbit. That word, “help” in verse 11 is pronounced, “Je-shu-oht” in the Hebrew. It’s a form of the word “helper” or “Savior”. Transferred over to the Greek of it’s “Jesus”.
This reminds us of the reason that God can help sinners like you and me. Jesus was not helped on the cross of Calvary. He suffered alone. Abandoned. Forsaken. Punished for a world of sinners, so that we might have hope even when it seems there should be none.
And that is what we have in Christ Jesus, when all seems hopeless, we have hope in Him. For in Christ Jesus we have crossed over from death to life.
▬
Remember His faithfulness in your moments of sorrow. Remember His power when you foot seems to slip. Remember God’s open ears hear the voice of His children, and by faith in Christ Jesus that is what you are.
Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
May 21, 2009
Ascension Day Sermon Bites - May 21, 2009
Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV)
16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
▬
"Ascension Means His Authority Given"
Never before had He set aside His glory, power and authority. God the Son humbled Himself when He became like you and me, so as a human being He could save the human race.
After Jesus had lived His sinless life and died a His willing death in the sinner’s place, God the Father restored Him to life. And when He did so, God also restored His glory, power and authority.
▬
Before Jesus ascended, He told His disciples “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”. And then Jesus gave that authority to them.
Jesus’ disciples went out to preach, backed God’s credentials. His authority. They were not making disciples for themselves, but for Jesus. They were not Baptizing people into the faith of Peter or John, but into the faith of the Triune God. They did not go out to teach their own ideas about God, but the truths they had been taught by God’s Son.
All authority has been restored to God’s Son, and His followers wield that supreme authority when they make disciples, baptize and teach according to what Jesus said.
▬
If we too are followers of Jesus this assignment and authority is ours as well. Jesus commands us also, to make disciples. To Baptize. To teach His commands, using both our words and our lives to do so.
Jesus told His disciples then, “…surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”. Jesus tells His disciples now, “…surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”.
Christianity is not YOUR faith, it is HIS faith. Don’t associate your own insecurities and limitations with it. Christianity is Christ’s. And as such it carries HIS glory, HIS power and HIS authority wherever it is proclaimed by HIS people.
Mark 16:19-20 (NIV)
19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
▬
"Ascension Means His Power is at Work"
There are some Christians who believe that since Jesus is “seated at the right hand of God”, that mean He is trapped there until the Last Day. Therefore, they claim, His body and blood cannot actually be present in the Lord’s Supper.
When the Bible says that Jesus “sat at the right hand of God” it’s not pointing us to how we aught to picture His physical location, but to how we aught to estimate the honor due to Him. In other words; Jesus sits on the same level as God the Father.
Far from being trapped at the Father’s side, when Jesus ascended to the right hand of God it was like He was entering the control room of the universe to coordinate and direct the growth of God’s Church.
As the disciples went out into the world to preach the Good News of sins forgiven because of Him, the Bible says, that the Lord “worked WITH THEM”.
Yes, the same Son of God who at the beginning created all things at the side of His Father, now continues His creating at the side of His Father. But now He is not crafting stars and animals and people. Now He is crafting faith in the hearts of sinners as they hear the message of His life.
▬
In our own hearts God’s Son has created faith where there was none before, by the miracle of His Message preached, heard and believed. As we continue to trust in Jesus, we can expect miracles to flow into our lives.
I can’t speak in tongues, but I’ve seen hope amid poverty. I can’t part the Red Sea, but I’ve seen joy amid great pain. I can’t tell you what’s going to happen tomorrow, but I know what the Last Day will be like. I’ve never found a Cheetoh that looks like Jesus, but last Sunday God’s Son came to me in bread and wine, and assured me that my sins are forgiven.
Jesus’ power is at work my friends, and we are connected to that power. Let us expect great things as we continue communicating with our heavenly coordinator.
Luke 24:50-53 (NASB)
50And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53and were continually in the temple praising God.
▬
"Drawn Together In Christian Unity"
Jesus was not the first man who claimed to be God’s Messiah, nor was He the last. Many came, claiming to be Israel’s savior and gathered people as their disciples. At first their following would grow. But when Rome rooted out the leader and killed him, their following would disperse.
Jesus was different. He didn’t leave His followers through death. He certainly died on the cross, but three days later He rose from the dead. When He finally departed from His followers, He did it in obvious, living glory by miraculously rising up into the sky. Instead of dispersing His disciples, this served to focused His followers on Him.
And as if they were actually tied to Christ, when He went up, they were drawn closer to each other, in true unity.
▬
Now most Christian churches recognize that Jesus wants His people unified. But many settle for false unity. As if gathering under a banner could make you part of the same high school class, or wearing the same T-shirt could make you a team.
True Christian unity is unity of mind, mouth and judgment. True Christian unity is found where Christians teach Christ’s teachings, as HE taught them.
▬
The first Christians found that their unity in Christ was like being in a bouquet of flowers. They could see the beauty and smell the opening life when they were among fellow believers. Together they found great joy in Christ and were continually drawn to God’s house to praise Him.
We later Christians can have the same joy. Though the Church of Christ has been divided by false teaching, we still find unity among our fellowship. True unity that clings to Christ’s Word for the answers to all disputes, not to our own thoughts and logic.
Among our fellowship we find gentle correction to help align our own lives with Christ’s will. The Holy Spirit moves among us, helping us to resolve our differences on the basis of God’s Word instead of sticking our heads in the sand, and ignoring our problems. Through His Word Christ encourages us to compromise where we can, and to continually apply Christ’s forgiveness to one another.
In all these things, we come to understand that Christ never really left His people, He only left their sight.
Acts 1:1-11 (NKJV)
1The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
4And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
9Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
▬
"A Preview of His Return"
The angels said, “This same Jesus” would be returning someday. So much is wrapped up in those three words, “This same Jesus”.
This same Jesus that we learned about in our childhood Bible storybooks, we will see with our own eyes.
This same Jesus. Risen and living. The forgiver of sinners. The tender shepherd of His people. The Perfect teacher of foolish followers. The loving brother. The powerful King. The Sinless lamb. The Son of God.
This same Jesus who was laid to rest in that cattle trough. Who taught in the temple as a boy. Who sat in Peter’s fishing boat preaching as a man. Who overturned the money changers tables. Who converted prostitutes and thieving tax collectors from sin to faith. Who wept and then raised Lazarus from the dead.
This same Jesus who wore the thorns. Who took the nails. Who cried, “It is finished”. Who was laid in a cold tomb.
This same Jesus who greeted Mary Magdalene on Easter morning, alive. Who opened the eyes of the Emmaus disciples to see His life in the Old Testament. Who startled the doubtful disciples in the upper room.
This same Jesus who we have read about 2000 years later.
This same Jesus who promises “…whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24 NIV).
THIS SAME JESUS will descend through the earth’s atmosphere, through the clouds like they are His chariots, down from the blue accompanied not a mere two angels but with ALL OF THEM, to a much larger receiving crowd than the one that saw Him go.
We pray to, trust in, and long for THIS SAME JESUS.
▬
If you were to read past our text, it says that after Jesus ascended His disciples went back to Jerusalem. They continued in prayer and worship. If you read a little further into Acts you’ll find an actual record of how many of them gathered together there. 120 (Acts 1:15). That’s about the same size as our church. 120 souls.
We have the same number of people that the first Christian church had.
We depend on the same Jesus they depended on.
And we have the same blessing from Him that they had. For to us also He says,
“Go my forgiven children. Live. Love. Spread my Good News. Teach. Rebuke. Exhort. Correct. Be my disciples indeed. I’ll be with You, and I’ll be back soon.”
▬
When we think if Christ’s ascension, let’s think about how He has given us His authority, so that we might do His work. And His power is working with us to accomplish the saving of souls. As we join our voices and lives together let us continue to look to Christ by faith, and to His Word for growth in Him.
And when we think of Christ’s ascension, let’s remember it is also a preview of His return. And so we pray... …Come to us Lord Jesus. Come soon. Amen.
16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
▬
"Ascension Means His Authority Given"
Never before had He set aside His glory, power and authority. God the Son humbled Himself when He became like you and me, so as a human being He could save the human race.
After Jesus had lived His sinless life and died a His willing death in the sinner’s place, God the Father restored Him to life. And when He did so, God also restored His glory, power and authority.
▬
Before Jesus ascended, He told His disciples “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”. And then Jesus gave that authority to them.
Jesus’ disciples went out to preach, backed God’s credentials. His authority. They were not making disciples for themselves, but for Jesus. They were not Baptizing people into the faith of Peter or John, but into the faith of the Triune God. They did not go out to teach their own ideas about God, but the truths they had been taught by God’s Son.
All authority has been restored to God’s Son, and His followers wield that supreme authority when they make disciples, baptize and teach according to what Jesus said.
▬
If we too are followers of Jesus this assignment and authority is ours as well. Jesus commands us also, to make disciples. To Baptize. To teach His commands, using both our words and our lives to do so.
Jesus told His disciples then, “…surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”. Jesus tells His disciples now, “…surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”.
Christianity is not YOUR faith, it is HIS faith. Don’t associate your own insecurities and limitations with it. Christianity is Christ’s. And as such it carries HIS glory, HIS power and HIS authority wherever it is proclaimed by HIS people.
Mark 16:19-20 (NIV)
19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
▬
"Ascension Means His Power is at Work"
There are some Christians who believe that since Jesus is “seated at the right hand of God”, that mean He is trapped there until the Last Day. Therefore, they claim, His body and blood cannot actually be present in the Lord’s Supper.
When the Bible says that Jesus “sat at the right hand of God” it’s not pointing us to how we aught to picture His physical location, but to how we aught to estimate the honor due to Him. In other words; Jesus sits on the same level as God the Father.
Far from being trapped at the Father’s side, when Jesus ascended to the right hand of God it was like He was entering the control room of the universe to coordinate and direct the growth of God’s Church.
As the disciples went out into the world to preach the Good News of sins forgiven because of Him, the Bible says, that the Lord “worked WITH THEM”.
Yes, the same Son of God who at the beginning created all things at the side of His Father, now continues His creating at the side of His Father. But now He is not crafting stars and animals and people. Now He is crafting faith in the hearts of sinners as they hear the message of His life.
▬
In our own hearts God’s Son has created faith where there was none before, by the miracle of His Message preached, heard and believed. As we continue to trust in Jesus, we can expect miracles to flow into our lives.
I can’t speak in tongues, but I’ve seen hope amid poverty. I can’t part the Red Sea, but I’ve seen joy amid great pain. I can’t tell you what’s going to happen tomorrow, but I know what the Last Day will be like. I’ve never found a Cheetoh that looks like Jesus, but last Sunday God’s Son came to me in bread and wine, and assured me that my sins are forgiven.
Jesus’ power is at work my friends, and we are connected to that power. Let us expect great things as we continue communicating with our heavenly coordinator.
Luke 24:50-53 (NASB)
50And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53and were continually in the temple praising God.
▬
"Drawn Together In Christian Unity"
Jesus was not the first man who claimed to be God’s Messiah, nor was He the last. Many came, claiming to be Israel’s savior and gathered people as their disciples. At first their following would grow. But when Rome rooted out the leader and killed him, their following would disperse.
Jesus was different. He didn’t leave His followers through death. He certainly died on the cross, but three days later He rose from the dead. When He finally departed from His followers, He did it in obvious, living glory by miraculously rising up into the sky. Instead of dispersing His disciples, this served to focused His followers on Him.
And as if they were actually tied to Christ, when He went up, they were drawn closer to each other, in true unity.
▬
Now most Christian churches recognize that Jesus wants His people unified. But many settle for false unity. As if gathering under a banner could make you part of the same high school class, or wearing the same T-shirt could make you a team.
True Christian unity is unity of mind, mouth and judgment. True Christian unity is found where Christians teach Christ’s teachings, as HE taught them.
▬
The first Christians found that their unity in Christ was like being in a bouquet of flowers. They could see the beauty and smell the opening life when they were among fellow believers. Together they found great joy in Christ and were continually drawn to God’s house to praise Him.
We later Christians can have the same joy. Though the Church of Christ has been divided by false teaching, we still find unity among our fellowship. True unity that clings to Christ’s Word for the answers to all disputes, not to our own thoughts and logic.
Among our fellowship we find gentle correction to help align our own lives with Christ’s will. The Holy Spirit moves among us, helping us to resolve our differences on the basis of God’s Word instead of sticking our heads in the sand, and ignoring our problems. Through His Word Christ encourages us to compromise where we can, and to continually apply Christ’s forgiveness to one another.
In all these things, we come to understand that Christ never really left His people, He only left their sight.
Acts 1:1-11 (NKJV)
1The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
4And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
9Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
▬
"A Preview of His Return"
The angels said, “This same Jesus” would be returning someday. So much is wrapped up in those three words, “This same Jesus”.
This same Jesus that we learned about in our childhood Bible storybooks, we will see with our own eyes.
This same Jesus. Risen and living. The forgiver of sinners. The tender shepherd of His people. The Perfect teacher of foolish followers. The loving brother. The powerful King. The Sinless lamb. The Son of God.
This same Jesus who was laid to rest in that cattle trough. Who taught in the temple as a boy. Who sat in Peter’s fishing boat preaching as a man. Who overturned the money changers tables. Who converted prostitutes and thieving tax collectors from sin to faith. Who wept and then raised Lazarus from the dead.
This same Jesus who wore the thorns. Who took the nails. Who cried, “It is finished”. Who was laid in a cold tomb.
This same Jesus who greeted Mary Magdalene on Easter morning, alive. Who opened the eyes of the Emmaus disciples to see His life in the Old Testament. Who startled the doubtful disciples in the upper room.
This same Jesus who we have read about 2000 years later.
This same Jesus who promises “…whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24 NIV).
THIS SAME JESUS will descend through the earth’s atmosphere, through the clouds like they are His chariots, down from the blue accompanied not a mere two angels but with ALL OF THEM, to a much larger receiving crowd than the one that saw Him go.
We pray to, trust in, and long for THIS SAME JESUS.
▬
If you were to read past our text, it says that after Jesus ascended His disciples went back to Jerusalem. They continued in prayer and worship. If you read a little further into Acts you’ll find an actual record of how many of them gathered together there. 120 (Acts 1:15). That’s about the same size as our church. 120 souls.
We have the same number of people that the first Christian church had.
We depend on the same Jesus they depended on.
And we have the same blessing from Him that they had. For to us also He says,
“Go my forgiven children. Live. Love. Spread my Good News. Teach. Rebuke. Exhort. Correct. Be my disciples indeed. I’ll be with You, and I’ll be back soon.”
▬
When we think if Christ’s ascension, let’s think about how He has given us His authority, so that we might do His work. And His power is working with us to accomplish the saving of souls. As we join our voices and lives together let us continue to look to Christ by faith, and to His Word for growth in Him.
And when we think of Christ’s ascension, let’s remember it is also a preview of His return. And so we pray... …Come to us Lord Jesus. Come soon. Amen.
May 17, 2009
Returning to the LORD - May 17, 2009
On the cover of the bulletin there is a painting of a woman standing outside a large home. With suitcase in hand and purse over her shoulder she pauses amid the snow banks of deep December to look at the house before her.
I imagine that she is returning to her parent’s home for the first time in many years. There had been a falling out between them. A great family fight. Confidences were betrayed. Hateful words said. Deeply hurt and angry she stopped calling, or taking calls. She left the few letters she got from them unopened.
For a long time.
She lived so far away, there was no chance that they might visit unexpectedly. It was easy to distance herself.
But then the card came.
It was years later. A little white envelope, obviously a Christmas card. It was from Dad. It said, “We’ve all been very stupid. Please forgive us, and know that we forgive you. We’re putting up the tree today. Maybe we’ll get it decorated by the time you get home.”
Nestled behind the card was a plane ticket.
Forgiveness was offered to her. Given in fact. A warm Christmas awaited her. A new beginning.
But she could never experience the blessings of that forgiveness if she didn’t return.
So she did.
There she stands on the bulletin cover. Suitcase in hand. Purse on her shoulder. Tears in her eyes. At least, that’s what I imagine.
▬
Returning can be scary and humbling. But returning can make all the difference in the world.
Today’s sermon is all about “Returning to the LORD”. It is about the wicked returning to God and receiving forgiveness. It is about Christians coming back to hear God’s thoughts expressed in the Bible. It is about the inevitable return that all must make, through the door of death to stand before the judgment throne of our Creator.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, come to us as we read and meditate on this Your perfect Word. Lead us to understanding, to on-going repentance, to faith, and to faithful walking with Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.
▬
Isaiah 55:6-11 (NASB)
6Seek the LORD while He may be found;
Call upon Him while He is near.
7Let the wicked forsake his way
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
And let him return to the LORD,
And He will have compassion on him,
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
8"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.
9"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
▬
Grace and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Risen and Living Master and Savior, Jesus Christ.
In this section of Isaiah, Isaiah talks to the people of Israel. By this time in their history, they had rejected the LORD and their lives were displaying the symptoms of unbelief.
Jerusalem was no longer a safe place. It was full of murder and stealing. Bribes were offered and accepted. Orphans and widows were ignored and exploited (Isaiah 1).
In the first chapter of Isaiah God denounces Israel and tells them that He will no longer hear their prayers because their hands are covered with blood. Imagine that picture, the murderer’s bloody hands folded in mock prayer. The LORD was disgusted by their hypocrisy.
They still worshiped at His temple, but they also worshipped under the sacred oak trees of pagan gods. For this reason the sacrifices that they made at God’s temple only made Him weary and sad.
God condemns them saying,
“Rebels and sinners will both be broken and those who forsake the LORD will perish” (Isaiah 1:28 NIV).
“The mighty man will become tinder and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the fire” (Isaiah 1:31 NIV).
▬
But destruction wasn’t the only way. In our text, Isaiah encourages the wicked to seek the LORD while there is still time. Isaiah tells the wicked to return to the LORD.
▬
Imagine a busy one way street. The wicked are the ones driving down that road the wrong way. They are endangering themselves and others as they drive away from God.
Through Isaiah, God tells them, “You need to turn around. You need to do a complete 180. In your living. In your thinking. From the heart.”
Isaiah says,
“let him return to the LORD,
And He will have compassion on him,
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7b NASB).
▬
This comes as a surprise to some. That God would forgive them if they would but turn to Him in repentance.
When I was in high school I used to skateboard with a crew of misfits. They were the trouble-makers and the drug users. Once I got into a curbside conversation with one of them about heaven and hell. He told me that he’d done so many evil things that he was going to hell for sure. He meant it. He figured there was no way that He could get out of the hole that he had dug with the shovel called sin.
Remember the prodigal son? He insulted his father, took his inheritance and wasted everything in sinful living. When everything was gone he thought, “Maybe I could go back and be a servant in my father’s estate.”
He thought perhaps there would be enough pity left in his father’s heart to secure him a meager job.
He didn’t expect the father running up the road to meet him. He didn’t expect the bear hug from a tearful Dad. He didn’t expect a party to be thrown in honor of the disgraceful son who had only come back when he had hit rock bottom.
But he was just a son. How could he know how a father thinks? How could He know the depths of love in a father’s heart?
▬
Many things prevent sinners from turning away from their sin and back to the LORD. The love of sin. Feelings of shame. Fear of others knowing what they have done. Fear over what the LORD will require of them.
God didn’t want any of these things to prevent the wicked of Israel from turning back to Him. So He says in our text,
“…My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.
9"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NASB).
▬
Have you ever had someone tell you, “I know what you’re thinking”, but they’re off the mark by a mile? People tend to think that other people think like they do, when often that’s not true at all.
Sinners do this to God too. He must think like we do right? He must handle things like we would. The sinner thinks, how would I how would I handle a person betrayed me though I had given them everything? What if that person came crawling back to me? What would I do?
I’d take advantage of the situation wouldn’t I? Treat them like dirt for a while so they’d know not to mess with me again. They’d need to earn my forgiveness. Earn my love.
It would take them a lot of time.
▬
The sinner thinks, “God must be the same”. But God shakes His head and says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts. Your ways are not my ways.”
God’s way was this. God the Son became human. Was slandered, mocked, spit on, slapped, beaten, scourged, teased, tortured, pierced, abandoned by friends, abandoned by God the Father, and died. All this He suffered to earn our forgiveness. We have nothing to prove. Nothing to earn. We have been placed on the Father’s good list because Jesus took the beating in our place. In Romans 5 it says,
“6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8 NIV)
Thankfully, our ways are not God’s ways.
▬
Isaiah was speaking his message for the wicked, but God has a lesson for His follower too. God’s ways are not intuitive to human beings. We can’t just think real hard and know what God wants!
For this reason, we Christians MUST return to the word of God continually.
Humans think that they can know God’s thoughts by imaginative thinking. Somehow our pride convinces us that we are qualified to, independently and apart from the Bible, determine what God thinks.
This is nonsense.
To know God, we must know His Word. To follow God’s path for us life, we must continually return to His Word.
▬
Returning to the LORD’s Word keeps us ready for the return that all of us will experience, when we return to our Maker. In Romans 14 it says,
“…we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’” 12So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:11-12 NIV).
▬
The last part of our text reminds us that the Word of God will be active in the world until that last day comes. And when it does, it will have accomplished God’s will.
“10"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11 NASB)
Living in this part of the country, we know what the rain can do. It’s hard to stop things from growing up and going to seed. God’s system of rain works very efficiently.
God’s Word is just as unstoppable. It comes to be spread to others so that faith in Christ may sprout in their hearts, and grow up into eternal life. God’s Word comes to be consumed by God’s people like daily bread, keeping us strong in the faith and ready to step along with God’s plan.
On the last day, there will be two groups of people before God’s throne. The faithful and the wicked. For God’s inviting Word ultimately does two things. It converts people to faith, or it strips away all excuses the wicked have for not returning to God.
On the Last Day, God will say to the faithful, “You were invited. Come and enter your eternal home.”
To the wicked, God will say, “You too were invited. But go, continue the path that you have chosen, forever.”
Thank God eternal hell will not be our path. For by God’s grace we believe that,
“We all, 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” (Isaiah 53:6 NIV).
We have been returned to God’s side, by Christ Jesus.
▬
So now let the wicked return to the LORD, He will pardon them. And let us be the ones to tell them to return to Him.
And let us, and Christians the world over continually return to the LORD’s thoughts, for in them is eternal life and wisdom for this life.
And let us all keep in mind, that we will one day stand before our Creator. And by Christ’s sacrifice in our place, we will be returned to a state of perfection.
This is the desire of the LORD, and it will be accomplished. Amen.
I imagine that she is returning to her parent’s home for the first time in many years. There had been a falling out between them. A great family fight. Confidences were betrayed. Hateful words said. Deeply hurt and angry she stopped calling, or taking calls. She left the few letters she got from them unopened.
For a long time.
She lived so far away, there was no chance that they might visit unexpectedly. It was easy to distance herself.
But then the card came.
It was years later. A little white envelope, obviously a Christmas card. It was from Dad. It said, “We’ve all been very stupid. Please forgive us, and know that we forgive you. We’re putting up the tree today. Maybe we’ll get it decorated by the time you get home.”
Nestled behind the card was a plane ticket.
Forgiveness was offered to her. Given in fact. A warm Christmas awaited her. A new beginning.
But she could never experience the blessings of that forgiveness if she didn’t return.
So she did.
There she stands on the bulletin cover. Suitcase in hand. Purse on her shoulder. Tears in her eyes. At least, that’s what I imagine.
▬
Returning can be scary and humbling. But returning can make all the difference in the world.
Today’s sermon is all about “Returning to the LORD”. It is about the wicked returning to God and receiving forgiveness. It is about Christians coming back to hear God’s thoughts expressed in the Bible. It is about the inevitable return that all must make, through the door of death to stand before the judgment throne of our Creator.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, come to us as we read and meditate on this Your perfect Word. Lead us to understanding, to on-going repentance, to faith, and to faithful walking with Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.
▬
Isaiah 55:6-11 (NASB)
6Seek the LORD while He may be found;
Call upon Him while He is near.
7Let the wicked forsake his way
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
And let him return to the LORD,
And He will have compassion on him,
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
8"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.
9"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
▬
Grace and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Risen and Living Master and Savior, Jesus Christ.
In this section of Isaiah, Isaiah talks to the people of Israel. By this time in their history, they had rejected the LORD and their lives were displaying the symptoms of unbelief.
Jerusalem was no longer a safe place. It was full of murder and stealing. Bribes were offered and accepted. Orphans and widows were ignored and exploited (Isaiah 1).
In the first chapter of Isaiah God denounces Israel and tells them that He will no longer hear their prayers because their hands are covered with blood. Imagine that picture, the murderer’s bloody hands folded in mock prayer. The LORD was disgusted by their hypocrisy.
They still worshiped at His temple, but they also worshipped under the sacred oak trees of pagan gods. For this reason the sacrifices that they made at God’s temple only made Him weary and sad.
God condemns them saying,
“Rebels and sinners will both be broken and those who forsake the LORD will perish” (Isaiah 1:28 NIV).
“The mighty man will become tinder and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the fire” (Isaiah 1:31 NIV).
▬
But destruction wasn’t the only way. In our text, Isaiah encourages the wicked to seek the LORD while there is still time. Isaiah tells the wicked to return to the LORD.
▬
Imagine a busy one way street. The wicked are the ones driving down that road the wrong way. They are endangering themselves and others as they drive away from God.
Through Isaiah, God tells them, “You need to turn around. You need to do a complete 180. In your living. In your thinking. From the heart.”
Isaiah says,
“let him return to the LORD,
And He will have compassion on him,
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7b NASB).
▬
This comes as a surprise to some. That God would forgive them if they would but turn to Him in repentance.
When I was in high school I used to skateboard with a crew of misfits. They were the trouble-makers and the drug users. Once I got into a curbside conversation with one of them about heaven and hell. He told me that he’d done so many evil things that he was going to hell for sure. He meant it. He figured there was no way that He could get out of the hole that he had dug with the shovel called sin.
Remember the prodigal son? He insulted his father, took his inheritance and wasted everything in sinful living. When everything was gone he thought, “Maybe I could go back and be a servant in my father’s estate.”
He thought perhaps there would be enough pity left in his father’s heart to secure him a meager job.
He didn’t expect the father running up the road to meet him. He didn’t expect the bear hug from a tearful Dad. He didn’t expect a party to be thrown in honor of the disgraceful son who had only come back when he had hit rock bottom.
But he was just a son. How could he know how a father thinks? How could He know the depths of love in a father’s heart?
▬
Many things prevent sinners from turning away from their sin and back to the LORD. The love of sin. Feelings of shame. Fear of others knowing what they have done. Fear over what the LORD will require of them.
God didn’t want any of these things to prevent the wicked of Israel from turning back to Him. So He says in our text,
“…My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.
9"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NASB).
▬
Have you ever had someone tell you, “I know what you’re thinking”, but they’re off the mark by a mile? People tend to think that other people think like they do, when often that’s not true at all.
Sinners do this to God too. He must think like we do right? He must handle things like we would. The sinner thinks, how would I how would I handle a person betrayed me though I had given them everything? What if that person came crawling back to me? What would I do?
I’d take advantage of the situation wouldn’t I? Treat them like dirt for a while so they’d know not to mess with me again. They’d need to earn my forgiveness. Earn my love.
It would take them a lot of time.
▬
The sinner thinks, “God must be the same”. But God shakes His head and says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts. Your ways are not my ways.”
God’s way was this. God the Son became human. Was slandered, mocked, spit on, slapped, beaten, scourged, teased, tortured, pierced, abandoned by friends, abandoned by God the Father, and died. All this He suffered to earn our forgiveness. We have nothing to prove. Nothing to earn. We have been placed on the Father’s good list because Jesus took the beating in our place. In Romans 5 it says,
“6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8 NIV)
Thankfully, our ways are not God’s ways.
▬
Isaiah was speaking his message for the wicked, but God has a lesson for His follower too. God’s ways are not intuitive to human beings. We can’t just think real hard and know what God wants!
For this reason, we Christians MUST return to the word of God continually.
Humans think that they can know God’s thoughts by imaginative thinking. Somehow our pride convinces us that we are qualified to, independently and apart from the Bible, determine what God thinks.
This is nonsense.
To know God, we must know His Word. To follow God’s path for us life, we must continually return to His Word.
▬
Returning to the LORD’s Word keeps us ready for the return that all of us will experience, when we return to our Maker. In Romans 14 it says,
“…we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’” 12So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:11-12 NIV).
▬
The last part of our text reminds us that the Word of God will be active in the world until that last day comes. And when it does, it will have accomplished God’s will.
“10"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11 NASB)
Living in this part of the country, we know what the rain can do. It’s hard to stop things from growing up and going to seed. God’s system of rain works very efficiently.
God’s Word is just as unstoppable. It comes to be spread to others so that faith in Christ may sprout in their hearts, and grow up into eternal life. God’s Word comes to be consumed by God’s people like daily bread, keeping us strong in the faith and ready to step along with God’s plan.
On the last day, there will be two groups of people before God’s throne. The faithful and the wicked. For God’s inviting Word ultimately does two things. It converts people to faith, or it strips away all excuses the wicked have for not returning to God.
On the Last Day, God will say to the faithful, “You were invited. Come and enter your eternal home.”
To the wicked, God will say, “You too were invited. But go, continue the path that you have chosen, forever.”
Thank God eternal hell will not be our path. For by God’s grace we believe that,
“We all, 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” (Isaiah 53:6 NIV).
We have been returned to God’s side, by Christ Jesus.
▬
So now let the wicked return to the LORD, He will pardon them. And let us be the ones to tell them to return to Him.
And let us, and Christians the world over continually return to the LORD’s thoughts, for in them is eternal life and wisdom for this life.
And let us all keep in mind, that we will one day stand before our Creator. And by Christ’s sacrifice in our place, we will be returned to a state of perfection.
This is the desire of the LORD, and it will be accomplished. Amen.
May 10, 2009
What's So Good About All the Same?
May God the Holy Spirit ever remain living and active in your heart, continually reminding you that you are a holy, sinless, child of God through faith in Jesus Christ and therefore an ambassador of that same Lord Jesus representing him to the world. Amen.
Fellow sinners—you who have been declared holy in Jesus Christ:
Have you ever had more or less the same supper two or three nights in a row? How did you react? In this I know that most of us are more than a little spoiled. Most citizens of third world countries would probably consider us to be rotten ingrates for even suggesting that eating leftovers for several nights in a row might be grounds for complaint. The point here is not that we are spoiled (which we probably all are), but that no matter how much we like any particular food our opinion of that food begins to wane rather quickly. Two nights in a row won’t usually do it, but after a week or two of eating nothing but one particular food—morning, noon, and night—most of us would probably not only start to grumble a bit, but that particular food would probably be stricken from the list of the top ten.
Now take this general idea one step further and imagine yourself eating nothing but manna and quail for 40 years. That means that anyone here who was born after 1968 would have eaten nothing other than manna and quail at every single meal over his entire lifetime—morning, noon, and night. Sound good to you?
In nearly every aspect of life, “always the same” is generally regarded as undesirable. How would you feel about every article of clothing exactly the same and exactly the same color? Every car...the same. Every house...identical. Every appliance, every day, every human personality, everything always and only exactly alike? Probably sounds horrible to you, doesn’t it? “Variety is the spice of life” and all that. Yet, today we are going to hear from God's Word about things that were and are all the same and how and why that sameness is good and desirable. The text in which we will find such truth is found in Paul’s great epistle to the Romans, the third chapter (Romans 3:21-25a 27-28 NKJV):
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness…Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
These are the words of our God, given to us through verbal inspiration by the Holy Spirit speaking through the apostles and prophets of old. Because these are God’s words we can and do have great confidence in them and in their ability to guide and direct us along holy paths. That our God would so fill and direct us we study these words with this prayer in our hearts: “Sanctify us through your truth, O Lord. Your Word is truth.” Amen.
Our text is one of those Bible jewels that stands out even in the midst of sublime perfection. If you can remember only one Bible reference to share on a moment’s notice with someone caught up in the mythology of work righteousness, this would be as good of a choice as any. It is one of those “Gospel in a paragraph” sections of Holy Scripture that not only lays out the truth of the Gospel with perfect clarity, it also reduces the error of work righteousness to a rather pathetic bit of fluff to which none but the diehard unbeliever would dare cling. With this introduction we take a closer look at these great words from the Holy Spirit through His servant Paul.
Since our text begins “But now…” there is obviously an implication or reference to something that came before. But now...what? What came before? What stands in opposition to that which exists now? The verses before our text tell us: “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:19-20).
You will recall that the general theme this morning has to do with sameness. These words begin to establish our theme. We are told that the “thing that came before” was the sameness of the Law. What does that mean? It means that when human beings are judged according to their keeping of the Law the exact same verdict is rendered in every single case. That verdict is, obviously, “Guilty.” The verse we just read could not speak more plainly: “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight.”
Note well that the Bible always speaks in universal terms when it comes to the Law and the breaking of the Law which is sin. So also here Paul lumps every single one of us together in one big mass of condemnation. When it comes to keeping the Law, or being judged by our keeping of the Law, every single one of us has failed miserably. No one could survive Judgment Day. In this we are all the same.
Here we obviously run into a bit of a problem in connection with our theme. Our theme asks the question: “What’s so good about all the same?” This verse tends to reinforce the position that there is little or nothing that’s good about all the same. We are all the same in that we have all broken God’s holy law. We are all the same in that not one human being will ever be able to earn heaven by doing good. We are all the same in that God would render the exact same verdict at every one of our trials: “Guilty!” So how or why could that sameness possibly be a good thing? How could there be any good at all in the fact that we are all equally and totally guilty before God?
Before we answer that, our text apparently wants to make absolutely certain that no one misses this point. This “mutually assured destruction” should not escape the notice of even the dullest or sleepiest among us. So Paul repeats this message of sameness in the bluntest of terms: “For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” [v.22b-23]
Are we getting the message yet? God looked down at sinful mankind—seeing every single human being as only God could—and He looked for some difference, anything at all really. He looked for something white and saw only blackness. He looked for something pure and saw only filth, something beautiful and saw only ugliness, something grand or noble and saw only depravity. Look carefully at that crowd and see it as God sees it. Examine the faces carefully until you come across one that is familiar for there you will find yourself. I am there. Your parents are there. Your spouse, children, and friends are all the same. God looked and everything He saw was the same and it was all bad, all sinful.
So what is so good about all the same when everything that God saw was always and only evil? Our text was actually setting up the answer by pointing out the equality and universality of our evil. Paul wanted to make absolutely certain that every single human being who heard or read these words understood his own depravity and condemnation because that is what forms the very basis for our shared good fortune. What in the world does that mean? Our text tells us that the very same group that shares in a common failure to keep the Law is the very group that is now declared not guilty by God. Remember the verse we just read? “For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” That verse goes on to tell us that the exact same number of souls that shared in the failure to keep the Law also now shares in God’s pronouncement of sins forgiven. Our text says that all those who “sinned and fell short of the glory of God” are the very ones who are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” [v.24]
Now we begin to see what’s so good about all the same. The fact that we are all sinners means that every single one of us shares in the New Covenant that God has established with His Church. You and I can learn much from this simple truth. Ask yourself which individual is excluded from this promise? We here have been given God’s solemn declaration that as many as have sinned have now been justified in Jesus Christ. Are you a sinner? Then you are included.
Christianity is often condemned as exclusive and cold. What could possibly be more loving or more inviting and inclusive? Again, are you a sinner? Then know that God’s Word pronounces you justified in Jesus Christ. That means that your sins have all been forgiven.
Our text goes on to describe how such a thing could actually be possible: “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness.” [v.24-25] The Devil would love to be able to point to something in this text that excludes you, something that would cause you to doubt that you too are included in God’s decree. That could well be why the Holy Spirit makes absolutely certain that the list is all-inclusive. No one is left out. No one is denied or rejected. In fact the only element to the whole equation that we human beings add is our own sinfulness. If you have sin then God’s plan includes you.
Contrast this certainty, this clarity, with the confusion, ambiguity, and contradiction that you see all around you. Here’s an example. About a year or so ago my wife and I received a tax refund check from the IRS. There was nothing unusual about that except that the return I submitted said that I owed taxes. There was no explanation, just a check. I held onto the check for several weeks assuming that I was not entitled to it. I waited for the notice telling me to return it. We finally deposited the check hoping that they had caught an error in our favor on the return we had submitted. Of course, the notice came the day after the deposit stating: A) We had made a mistake on our return and were entitled to the refund, B) The check that we got was a mistake, C) We had to return the un-cashed check immediately, D) We had to take no action as a result of the notice, and E) A clerical error had caused the problem and the delay in sending out the notice. Believe it or not I’m not making any of this up. If you can make heads or tails out of that official announcement I am still waiting for someone to explain it to me. I was entitled to the refund, but I had to return it, and I was to take no action!
By contrast, God’s plan, God’s official decision as outlined in our text leaves room for no doubt of any kind. That is what is so wonderful about “all the same.” It is precisely because we are all sinners that we are all included in God’s plan for forgiveness.
How is it then that not everyone is going to heaven? Our text also answers that question: “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.” [v.21-22]
Those who try to make their own payments for sin through their good works are, in effect, removing themselves from the pool of sinners. They reject Jesus Christ and the payment He made by attempting to make the payment themselves or by refusing to acknowledge that any payment is necessary. That is hardly what it means to be saved “through faith in Jesus Christ.” Faith in Jesus Christ means that you believe God’s promise concerning what Jesus did for us and that you trust his promise that Jesus paid also for your sins. Even this trust in Jesus is a gift given to us by God the Holy Spirit.
This brings us to yet another good thing about being “all the same”: There is not a single human being who has anything at all to boast about before God. If we had decided to believe in Jesus on our own, we could boast. If we had earned God’s love or forgiveness in any way, we could boast. If we were somehow better than anyone else, we could boast. Our text dismisses such nonsense in the clearest, simplest terms: “Where is boasting then? It is excluded.” [v.27] The salvation of any and every human being is from first to last a gift from our merciful God. We did not provide one single good thing to the plan.
What then is left to say? Just this: Look now with eyes of understanding and compassion to your fellow human beings. See every single one of them as your equal for God not only declared that we all shared a common, desperate need, He also said that His loving invitation extends to all equally. That is the simple message we are to carry to the world. We shared their condemnation, let us also share with them the message of forgiveness in Jesus Christ. Amen.
—Pastor Michael J. Roehl
Fellow sinners—you who have been declared holy in Jesus Christ:
Have you ever had more or less the same supper two or three nights in a row? How did you react? In this I know that most of us are more than a little spoiled. Most citizens of third world countries would probably consider us to be rotten ingrates for even suggesting that eating leftovers for several nights in a row might be grounds for complaint. The point here is not that we are spoiled (which we probably all are), but that no matter how much we like any particular food our opinion of that food begins to wane rather quickly. Two nights in a row won’t usually do it, but after a week or two of eating nothing but one particular food—morning, noon, and night—most of us would probably not only start to grumble a bit, but that particular food would probably be stricken from the list of the top ten.
Now take this general idea one step further and imagine yourself eating nothing but manna and quail for 40 years. That means that anyone here who was born after 1968 would have eaten nothing other than manna and quail at every single meal over his entire lifetime—morning, noon, and night. Sound good to you?
In nearly every aspect of life, “always the same” is generally regarded as undesirable. How would you feel about every article of clothing exactly the same and exactly the same color? Every car...the same. Every house...identical. Every appliance, every day, every human personality, everything always and only exactly alike? Probably sounds horrible to you, doesn’t it? “Variety is the spice of life” and all that. Yet, today we are going to hear from God's Word about things that were and are all the same and how and why that sameness is good and desirable. The text in which we will find such truth is found in Paul’s great epistle to the Romans, the third chapter (Romans 3:21-25a 27-28 NKJV):
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness…Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
These are the words of our God, given to us through verbal inspiration by the Holy Spirit speaking through the apostles and prophets of old. Because these are God’s words we can and do have great confidence in them and in their ability to guide and direct us along holy paths. That our God would so fill and direct us we study these words with this prayer in our hearts: “Sanctify us through your truth, O Lord. Your Word is truth.” Amen.
Our text is one of those Bible jewels that stands out even in the midst of sublime perfection. If you can remember only one Bible reference to share on a moment’s notice with someone caught up in the mythology of work righteousness, this would be as good of a choice as any. It is one of those “Gospel in a paragraph” sections of Holy Scripture that not only lays out the truth of the Gospel with perfect clarity, it also reduces the error of work righteousness to a rather pathetic bit of fluff to which none but the diehard unbeliever would dare cling. With this introduction we take a closer look at these great words from the Holy Spirit through His servant Paul.
Since our text begins “But now…” there is obviously an implication or reference to something that came before. But now...what? What came before? What stands in opposition to that which exists now? The verses before our text tell us: “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:19-20).
You will recall that the general theme this morning has to do with sameness. These words begin to establish our theme. We are told that the “thing that came before” was the sameness of the Law. What does that mean? It means that when human beings are judged according to their keeping of the Law the exact same verdict is rendered in every single case. That verdict is, obviously, “Guilty.” The verse we just read could not speak more plainly: “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight.”
Note well that the Bible always speaks in universal terms when it comes to the Law and the breaking of the Law which is sin. So also here Paul lumps every single one of us together in one big mass of condemnation. When it comes to keeping the Law, or being judged by our keeping of the Law, every single one of us has failed miserably. No one could survive Judgment Day. In this we are all the same.
Here we obviously run into a bit of a problem in connection with our theme. Our theme asks the question: “What’s so good about all the same?” This verse tends to reinforce the position that there is little or nothing that’s good about all the same. We are all the same in that we have all broken God’s holy law. We are all the same in that not one human being will ever be able to earn heaven by doing good. We are all the same in that God would render the exact same verdict at every one of our trials: “Guilty!” So how or why could that sameness possibly be a good thing? How could there be any good at all in the fact that we are all equally and totally guilty before God?
Before we answer that, our text apparently wants to make absolutely certain that no one misses this point. This “mutually assured destruction” should not escape the notice of even the dullest or sleepiest among us. So Paul repeats this message of sameness in the bluntest of terms: “For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” [v.22b-23]
Are we getting the message yet? God looked down at sinful mankind—seeing every single human being as only God could—and He looked for some difference, anything at all really. He looked for something white and saw only blackness. He looked for something pure and saw only filth, something beautiful and saw only ugliness, something grand or noble and saw only depravity. Look carefully at that crowd and see it as God sees it. Examine the faces carefully until you come across one that is familiar for there you will find yourself. I am there. Your parents are there. Your spouse, children, and friends are all the same. God looked and everything He saw was the same and it was all bad, all sinful.
So what is so good about all the same when everything that God saw was always and only evil? Our text was actually setting up the answer by pointing out the equality and universality of our evil. Paul wanted to make absolutely certain that every single human being who heard or read these words understood his own depravity and condemnation because that is what forms the very basis for our shared good fortune. What in the world does that mean? Our text tells us that the very same group that shares in a common failure to keep the Law is the very group that is now declared not guilty by God. Remember the verse we just read? “For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” That verse goes on to tell us that the exact same number of souls that shared in the failure to keep the Law also now shares in God’s pronouncement of sins forgiven. Our text says that all those who “sinned and fell short of the glory of God” are the very ones who are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” [v.24]
Now we begin to see what’s so good about all the same. The fact that we are all sinners means that every single one of us shares in the New Covenant that God has established with His Church. You and I can learn much from this simple truth. Ask yourself which individual is excluded from this promise? We here have been given God’s solemn declaration that as many as have sinned have now been justified in Jesus Christ. Are you a sinner? Then you are included.
Christianity is often condemned as exclusive and cold. What could possibly be more loving or more inviting and inclusive? Again, are you a sinner? Then know that God’s Word pronounces you justified in Jesus Christ. That means that your sins have all been forgiven.
Our text goes on to describe how such a thing could actually be possible: “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness.” [v.24-25] The Devil would love to be able to point to something in this text that excludes you, something that would cause you to doubt that you too are included in God’s decree. That could well be why the Holy Spirit makes absolutely certain that the list is all-inclusive. No one is left out. No one is denied or rejected. In fact the only element to the whole equation that we human beings add is our own sinfulness. If you have sin then God’s plan includes you.
Contrast this certainty, this clarity, with the confusion, ambiguity, and contradiction that you see all around you. Here’s an example. About a year or so ago my wife and I received a tax refund check from the IRS. There was nothing unusual about that except that the return I submitted said that I owed taxes. There was no explanation, just a check. I held onto the check for several weeks assuming that I was not entitled to it. I waited for the notice telling me to return it. We finally deposited the check hoping that they had caught an error in our favor on the return we had submitted. Of course, the notice came the day after the deposit stating: A) We had made a mistake on our return and were entitled to the refund, B) The check that we got was a mistake, C) We had to return the un-cashed check immediately, D) We had to take no action as a result of the notice, and E) A clerical error had caused the problem and the delay in sending out the notice. Believe it or not I’m not making any of this up. If you can make heads or tails out of that official announcement I am still waiting for someone to explain it to me. I was entitled to the refund, but I had to return it, and I was to take no action!
By contrast, God’s plan, God’s official decision as outlined in our text leaves room for no doubt of any kind. That is what is so wonderful about “all the same.” It is precisely because we are all sinners that we are all included in God’s plan for forgiveness.
How is it then that not everyone is going to heaven? Our text also answers that question: “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.” [v.21-22]
Those who try to make their own payments for sin through their good works are, in effect, removing themselves from the pool of sinners. They reject Jesus Christ and the payment He made by attempting to make the payment themselves or by refusing to acknowledge that any payment is necessary. That is hardly what it means to be saved “through faith in Jesus Christ.” Faith in Jesus Christ means that you believe God’s promise concerning what Jesus did for us and that you trust his promise that Jesus paid also for your sins. Even this trust in Jesus is a gift given to us by God the Holy Spirit.
This brings us to yet another good thing about being “all the same”: There is not a single human being who has anything at all to boast about before God. If we had decided to believe in Jesus on our own, we could boast. If we had earned God’s love or forgiveness in any way, we could boast. If we were somehow better than anyone else, we could boast. Our text dismisses such nonsense in the clearest, simplest terms: “Where is boasting then? It is excluded.” [v.27] The salvation of any and every human being is from first to last a gift from our merciful God. We did not provide one single good thing to the plan.
What then is left to say? Just this: Look now with eyes of understanding and compassion to your fellow human beings. See every single one of them as your equal for God not only declared that we all shared a common, desperate need, He also said that His loving invitation extends to all equally. That is the simple message we are to carry to the world. We shared their condemnation, let us also share with them the message of forgiveness in Jesus Christ. Amen.
—Pastor Michael J. Roehl
May 3, 2009
The Necessity of Death - May 3, 2009
Grace and peace be yours, from God our Father, and from our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Because of human uncertainty adults often find it awkward to talk about death with children. Because people are uncomfortable talking about death, they avoid directly addressing the issue if possible.
But sometimes a child asks a question that cannot be sidestepped. A question like, “How come uncle Ron had to die.”
Some people would answer: “Well, uncle Ron had to die, because everyone has to die. Death makes us sad, but it’s a natural part of life.”
But God did not put death here as a part of His creation. He never intended His creatures to breakdown, suffer and die.
As you know, it was the actions of Adam and Eve that brought death into God’s creation. Their sin brought death into the world because Death is sin’s shadow. Where sin is, death always follows.
Death is not natural, but in this sinful world it is inevitable.
In our sermon reading for today Jesus talks about the necessity of His own death, of the Christian’s death and of death’s death. We pray…
Prayer: Holy Spirit sanctify us by your truth, Your Word is truth. Amen.
John 12:20-26 (NASB)
20Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast; 21these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." 22Philip came and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus.
23And Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. 26If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.”
▬
“The Necessity of Death”
1. Jesus’ Death
2. The Christian’s Death
3. Death’s Death
▬
“The Necessity of Jesus’ Death”
Jesus had to die in order to save sinners from an eternity in Hell. But His death was not the end. Jesus eluded to His approaching death and resurrection when He spoke to the Greeks who sought Him during that last Passover week.
If one had no knowledge of planting, a farmer putting seeds in the ground might look like a burial. Committing the dead to the ground.
But the farmer knows these seeds have “died” so that they can rise up green and full of life. Each solitary seed, entombed in the dark earth, will rise up, a new plant and will produce a head full of seeds for eating and planting.
Sometimes life follows death.
▬
Hopefully the Greeks who heard Jesus remembered this in the days to come. Jesus spoke these things on the Tuesday of Holy Week. On Friday He died and was buried. But like a kernel of golden wheat, Jesus rose up in new life on the third day. He burst out of the ground on the first Easter Sunday – alive though He had been dead.
Jesus’ death was necessary, but life followed. Life for Him and life for all who look to Him in faith. He has suffered the punishment for our sin. He has died our death. Our sins stand forgiven and our approaching death has been robbed of it’s terror.
▬
Before physical death there is another death that sinners must experience. In fact, it is the only kind of death that we want to go through.
When a person comes to faith a mortal wound is dealt and their inner, sinful flesh begins to die.
“24And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:24-25 NKJV).
By faith in Jesus we have become the living children of God. As His children we have the power to crucify our old sinful self. And we must. For that old sinful self will not leave us in life, and every day seeks to steer us back into our former sinless attitudes and ways of doing things.
For this reason, our death is necessary – the on-going death of our old sinful self. Jesus talks about the Christian’s death to sin in verse 25…
▬
“The Christian’s Death”
“25He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal” (John 12:25 NASB).
A rich young man once approached Jesus. He asked Jesus what he had to do to get into heaven. When Jesus mentioned following God’s commandments, the young man claimed to have done so. Ever since he was a mere boy, he said, “I have kept them”.
Jesus responded by saying, “One thing you lack… Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Mark 10:21 NIV).
At this the man’s eyes faltered, and he left, deeply saddened. He was a rich man, and Jesus had shown him quite clearly that he had not kept the commandments at all. He had broken the very first one, for his possessions were his god.
Part of crucifying our old sinful self is putting God above our possessions. But God also calls us to put Him above the people we love.
Listen to Jesus’ strong words about faith and family:
“25Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—29lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:25-33 NKJV).
Christians understand that Jesus teaches us to be compassion to others, kind, humble, gentle and patience. The Holy Spirit teaches us to bear with each other and forgive one another as Christ forgave us.
Jesus uses the word “hate” to emphasize that there is no grey here. There’s only room for one on the throne of your heart.
We get the point, don’t we. Not even family is to be loved more than God.
More than that, Jesus teaches us to love God even more than we love ourselves.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37 NKJV).
To love this life and who we are in it, is to love something that is sinful. Sure we enjoy parts of our life and who we are, but always with heaven in mind. Always knowing that this is not our home. This is not our pure self. This is only a wasteland and a temporary body that will fall away when Christ returns. On that great day, death will die.
▬
“Death’s Death”
Verse 26:
“ 26"If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him” (John 12:26 NASB).
If we would serve Jesus, we must follow Him.
He has already brought us to His cross. He has shown us the debt our sins had amassed. He has shown us that He was blasted in our place. Ravaged and torn. Abandoned and killed – instead of us. For our release.
Before we ever thought to serve Jesus, He served us. And He has led us to His cross to see and receive our salvation.
If we would serve Jesus, we must follow Him.
Moving on from the cross we follow the Master through life. We walk in His ways.
You know, sometimes I think we Christians look at the cross too much. Let me explain.
If you can imagine this. Christ leads us as unbelieving sinners to His cross and to faith and forgiveness through His blood. Then He begins to march on, setting the path for us, leading the way He has picked out for us. He guides us with the Word and always leads us.
But some Christians begin to walk off the path that Jesus is leading them on. And down into the ditches of sin on either side.
Christ calls out to them, “Hey, you’re off the path! Get back up here! You’re gonna get hurt, or worse!”
But they simply look back at His cross and keep walking backward, their back to Jesus, and their back to the ditch that they’re walking down into.
“Don’t worry, I still know you’re my Savior”, they call from the ditch below, as they continue down into the rocky thorns below.
▬
In His last talks with His disciples, Jesus said,
“If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15 NKJV).
“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him“ (John 14:21 NIV).
“He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me” (John 14:24 NIV).
If we would serve Jesus, we must follow Him.
This is not to say that Jesus won’t come down into the ditch of sin and pull us out of the thorns and cutting rocks that we’re entangled ourselves in. He loves us stupid sheep and will do just that. But not all return after leaving Christ.
Better never to leave Him. Better to keep hearing His voice and seeing Him on the path ahead. Better to serve at His side.
“…where I am, there My servant will be also” (John 12:26b NASB).
In that last evening of fellowship before Jesus’ death He also told His disciples this:
“1“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1-3 NIV).
Where I am, the My servant will be also.
When at last we enter God’s Mansion, death will not be with us. Death will be resigned to hell with the evil angels and the faithless.
“Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.” (Revelation 20:14 NIV).
“The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:26 NIV).
Not only will we be free from death, we will be honored by the Father for our service to His Son. Despite our pathetic, backsliding, sin-tainted service to Christ Jesus – we will stand before the Almighty as an honored servant of the Prince of Heaven.
As Jesus said,
“…if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him” (John 12:26 NASB).
Jesus once told a parable to illustrate this. It’ll take your breath away.
“37It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.” (Luke 12:37 NIV).
It is thoughts like these that have made it possible for Christian martyrs to face their deaths with courage and fearless expressions of faith in Christ. What grace the Father has given us.
Life after death through Jesus our Crucified and Risen Savior.
Life amid the dead sinful nature that remains with us in this world.
Life through eternity when death is finally cast away from us forever and we are swallowed up in light and glory as we worship Father, Son and Spirit - in purity, forever.
▬
When a child asks you about death, don’t hedge away from the question. Don’t say what you don’t know of course, just say what you do.
“Well, uncle Ron had to die because all sinners die. And we’re all sinners. I’m not sure where all people go when they die, but I know this: all who trust in Jesus are forgiven their sins and go where death can’t follow. They go to be with Jesus in heaven.”
Without Christ, nothing comforts in the face of death. Without Christ, all we can do is cover up and avoid our fear of death, we can never really erase it.
With Christ, death is stripped of all it’s power. Sinners may fear death, but death fears Christ.
Death is a necessity, but only for a little while longer.
Amen.
Because of human uncertainty adults often find it awkward to talk about death with children. Because people are uncomfortable talking about death, they avoid directly addressing the issue if possible.
But sometimes a child asks a question that cannot be sidestepped. A question like, “How come uncle Ron had to die.”
Some people would answer: “Well, uncle Ron had to die, because everyone has to die. Death makes us sad, but it’s a natural part of life.”
But God did not put death here as a part of His creation. He never intended His creatures to breakdown, suffer and die.
As you know, it was the actions of Adam and Eve that brought death into God’s creation. Their sin brought death into the world because Death is sin’s shadow. Where sin is, death always follows.
Death is not natural, but in this sinful world it is inevitable.
In our sermon reading for today Jesus talks about the necessity of His own death, of the Christian’s death and of death’s death. We pray…
Prayer: Holy Spirit sanctify us by your truth, Your Word is truth. Amen.
John 12:20-26 (NASB)
20Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast; 21these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." 22Philip came and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus.
23And Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. 26If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.”
▬
“The Necessity of Death”
1. Jesus’ Death
2. The Christian’s Death
3. Death’s Death
▬
“The Necessity of Jesus’ Death”
Jesus had to die in order to save sinners from an eternity in Hell. But His death was not the end. Jesus eluded to His approaching death and resurrection when He spoke to the Greeks who sought Him during that last Passover week.
If one had no knowledge of planting, a farmer putting seeds in the ground might look like a burial. Committing the dead to the ground.
But the farmer knows these seeds have “died” so that they can rise up green and full of life. Each solitary seed, entombed in the dark earth, will rise up, a new plant and will produce a head full of seeds for eating and planting.
Sometimes life follows death.
▬
Hopefully the Greeks who heard Jesus remembered this in the days to come. Jesus spoke these things on the Tuesday of Holy Week. On Friday He died and was buried. But like a kernel of golden wheat, Jesus rose up in new life on the third day. He burst out of the ground on the first Easter Sunday – alive though He had been dead.
Jesus’ death was necessary, but life followed. Life for Him and life for all who look to Him in faith. He has suffered the punishment for our sin. He has died our death. Our sins stand forgiven and our approaching death has been robbed of it’s terror.
▬
Before physical death there is another death that sinners must experience. In fact, it is the only kind of death that we want to go through.
When a person comes to faith a mortal wound is dealt and their inner, sinful flesh begins to die.
“24And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:24-25 NKJV).
By faith in Jesus we have become the living children of God. As His children we have the power to crucify our old sinful self. And we must. For that old sinful self will not leave us in life, and every day seeks to steer us back into our former sinless attitudes and ways of doing things.
For this reason, our death is necessary – the on-going death of our old sinful self. Jesus talks about the Christian’s death to sin in verse 25…
▬
“The Christian’s Death”
“25He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal” (John 12:25 NASB).
A rich young man once approached Jesus. He asked Jesus what he had to do to get into heaven. When Jesus mentioned following God’s commandments, the young man claimed to have done so. Ever since he was a mere boy, he said, “I have kept them”.
Jesus responded by saying, “One thing you lack… Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Mark 10:21 NIV).
At this the man’s eyes faltered, and he left, deeply saddened. He was a rich man, and Jesus had shown him quite clearly that he had not kept the commandments at all. He had broken the very first one, for his possessions were his god.
Part of crucifying our old sinful self is putting God above our possessions. But God also calls us to put Him above the people we love.
Listen to Jesus’ strong words about faith and family:
“25Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—29lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:25-33 NKJV).
Christians understand that Jesus teaches us to be compassion to others, kind, humble, gentle and patience. The Holy Spirit teaches us to bear with each other and forgive one another as Christ forgave us.
Jesus uses the word “hate” to emphasize that there is no grey here. There’s only room for one on the throne of your heart.
We get the point, don’t we. Not even family is to be loved more than God.
More than that, Jesus teaches us to love God even more than we love ourselves.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37 NKJV).
To love this life and who we are in it, is to love something that is sinful. Sure we enjoy parts of our life and who we are, but always with heaven in mind. Always knowing that this is not our home. This is not our pure self. This is only a wasteland and a temporary body that will fall away when Christ returns. On that great day, death will die.
▬
“Death’s Death”
Verse 26:
“ 26"If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him” (John 12:26 NASB).
If we would serve Jesus, we must follow Him.
He has already brought us to His cross. He has shown us the debt our sins had amassed. He has shown us that He was blasted in our place. Ravaged and torn. Abandoned and killed – instead of us. For our release.
Before we ever thought to serve Jesus, He served us. And He has led us to His cross to see and receive our salvation.
If we would serve Jesus, we must follow Him.
Moving on from the cross we follow the Master through life. We walk in His ways.
You know, sometimes I think we Christians look at the cross too much. Let me explain.
If you can imagine this. Christ leads us as unbelieving sinners to His cross and to faith and forgiveness through His blood. Then He begins to march on, setting the path for us, leading the way He has picked out for us. He guides us with the Word and always leads us.
But some Christians begin to walk off the path that Jesus is leading them on. And down into the ditches of sin on either side.
Christ calls out to them, “Hey, you’re off the path! Get back up here! You’re gonna get hurt, or worse!”
But they simply look back at His cross and keep walking backward, their back to Jesus, and their back to the ditch that they’re walking down into.
“Don’t worry, I still know you’re my Savior”, they call from the ditch below, as they continue down into the rocky thorns below.
▬
In His last talks with His disciples, Jesus said,
“If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15 NKJV).
“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him“ (John 14:21 NIV).
“He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me” (John 14:24 NIV).
If we would serve Jesus, we must follow Him.
This is not to say that Jesus won’t come down into the ditch of sin and pull us out of the thorns and cutting rocks that we’re entangled ourselves in. He loves us stupid sheep and will do just that. But not all return after leaving Christ.
Better never to leave Him. Better to keep hearing His voice and seeing Him on the path ahead. Better to serve at His side.
“…where I am, there My servant will be also” (John 12:26b NASB).
In that last evening of fellowship before Jesus’ death He also told His disciples this:
“1“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1-3 NIV).
Where I am, the My servant will be also.
When at last we enter God’s Mansion, death will not be with us. Death will be resigned to hell with the evil angels and the faithless.
“Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.” (Revelation 20:14 NIV).
“The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:26 NIV).
Not only will we be free from death, we will be honored by the Father for our service to His Son. Despite our pathetic, backsliding, sin-tainted service to Christ Jesus – we will stand before the Almighty as an honored servant of the Prince of Heaven.
As Jesus said,
“…if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him” (John 12:26 NASB).
Jesus once told a parable to illustrate this. It’ll take your breath away.
“37It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.” (Luke 12:37 NIV).
It is thoughts like these that have made it possible for Christian martyrs to face their deaths with courage and fearless expressions of faith in Christ. What grace the Father has given us.
Life after death through Jesus our Crucified and Risen Savior.
Life amid the dead sinful nature that remains with us in this world.
Life through eternity when death is finally cast away from us forever and we are swallowed up in light and glory as we worship Father, Son and Spirit - in purity, forever.
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When a child asks you about death, don’t hedge away from the question. Don’t say what you don’t know of course, just say what you do.
“Well, uncle Ron had to die because all sinners die. And we’re all sinners. I’m not sure where all people go when they die, but I know this: all who trust in Jesus are forgiven their sins and go where death can’t follow. They go to be with Jesus in heaven.”
Without Christ, nothing comforts in the face of death. Without Christ, all we can do is cover up and avoid our fear of death, we can never really erase it.
With Christ, death is stripped of all it’s power. Sinners may fear death, but death fears Christ.
Death is a necessity, but only for a little while longer.
Amen.
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