Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Last Trip from Galilee: Luke 17: 11-19.
TEXT: ON THE WAY TO Jerusalem JESUS WAS GOING THROUGH THE REGION BETWEEN SAMARIA AND Galilee. AS he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. KEEPING THEIR DISTANCE, THEY CALLED OUT, SAYING "JESUS, MASTER, HAVE MERCY ON US! When HE SAW THEM, HE SAID TO THEM, go show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they became clean. THEN ONE OF THEM, WHEN HE SAW THAT HE WAS CLEAN, TURNED BACK, PRAISING GOD WITH A LOUD VOICE. HE PROSTRATED himself at Jesus feet and thanked him. And He was a Samaritan. then Jesus asked: " Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Were none of them found to return and praise God except this foreigner?"
Then He said, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well." Jesus is not some distant being who merely watches us from afar. He became one of us. And because He shares His humanity, Jesus knows all about friends who die. Jesus knows about the power of death, stalking through our world and destroying all that is good. Jesus knows all about this- He saw it and experienced it himself.
And He came to do something about it.
So that BY HIS DEATH HE MIGHT DESTROY HIM WHO HOLDS THE POWER OF DEATH.JESUS CAME TO TURN THINGS UPSIDE DOWN. Jesus came to destroy the destroyer. But Jesus accomplished all this in his own strange and wonderful way. With him, it was always first ending up last, and the least ending the greatest. It was learning that the more you desperately hang onto things, the more you lose them. It was even dying in order to really live. He fought the biggest battle, not with overwhelming force or some raw display of power, but by giving himself up, by surrendering himself for death. But with Jesus the last word is always a grand reversal. Life is born from forgiveness of sins and life eternal.
All that is good and right and pure IS RESTORED, WITH ONE MIRACLE! CONTINUING WITH MULTIPLE MIRACLES, WE FIND THE WATERS OF "HOLY BAPTISM"" have healed us. The Body and Blood of Jesus in holy Communion have made us clean. We have died with Christ and been raised with him. For all this we should have returned to offer thanks.
We may be quite good at praying to God for things we need but often not so good at following up- thanking God for the blessings He provides. Too often we are like those nine lepers in our Gospel text, who, though healed, continue along their journey, neglectful of giving thanks. How can we hear the same message and discipline, like the Samaritan leper, always giving thanks for our healer?
Each time we receive the body and blood of our savior in worship, it is true heavenly gift, a thanksgiving- of what our Lord has given us now and what He holds for us in the future. Each time we come to the table of hospitality to feast on the bread and wine- the true presence of Christ- fills us with good things: the forgiveness of sins and life eternal.
You cannot understand the Christian story, the story that all Jesus followers have staked their lives and their eternal souls on, unless you begin to see the truth of Jesus by reading about his birth, death, resurrection, and the final three years of His life, which you find in the BIBLE.Because HE JUST didn't talk about turning the wisdom world upside down. , Jesus actually did it.
We are not merely to listen to the word, and so deceive ourselves, but, do what it says: God's purpose for our life will become a reality, and His word will be a blessing in our life.
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says, is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ( James 1:23-25).
2nd Timothy)suggests that, like St. Paul, we all suffer, but God joins us in our suffering and hardships, and continues the work of the spirit in us. Jesus wants us and the people around us to be aware that the work of the kingdom is going on right now.
The Pharisees asked a question of Jesus similar to one asked by the disciples at the time of his ascension:"Lord are you at this time going restore t he kingdom of Israel? "
Jesus journey to Jerusalem may have prompted the Pharisees question. With his answer Jesus wants to bring out the truth that one should not be looking into the future for the kingdom of God. The entire ministry of Jesus should have the cure, shown to all comtempories that the kingdom of God was already among you.
The text for today about the healing of the ten Lepers demonstrated that truth. Jesus had healed a single leper near the beginning of his Galilean ministry, Luke (12; 16), now ten lepers come to him asking for mercy,translates it "pity," NIV). In the case of the single leper, Jesus first healed him and then sent the priests to verify the cure. THEN Jesus sends the ten off to the priests and enroute they are cleansed. Only one returns to JESUS TO SAY THANK YOU. NOW THE READER LEARNS THAT ONE OF THE TEN WAS Samaritan. The other nine were Jews. Though Jews and Samaritan had no fellowship, misery love company. Jesus commends the "foreigner." for his act of worship.
At the start of Jesus journey to Jerusalem, He and his disciples came to a Samaritan village which refused to welcome him. James and John were rebuked for wanting to call down fire to destroy the village. People from the far corners of the earth will sit down at the banquent of salvation. The death of Jesus is the price of our sins. And actually became the death for us. The resurrection of Jesus is the triumph, the very power of God. Jesus leaves us with words surely: " I am with you always," to the very end of the
age.
Sunday, February 26, 2017
"Change a Light Bulb in a Church"
How many church people does it take to change a light Bulb?
Charismatics: Only one. Hands already in the air.
Roman Catholics traditions,: None. They use candles.
Pentecostals: Ten. One to change the bulb and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.
Presbyterians: None. God has predestined when the lights will be on and off.
Episcopalians : Eight. One to call the electrician and seven how much they liked the old one better.
Mormons. Five: one man to change the bulb and four wives to tell him how to do it.
Unitarians: We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb. However; if in your own journey, you have found that light bulbs work for you, that is fine. You are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your personal relationship with your light bulb,and present it next month at our annual light bulb Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including incandescent., fluorescent, three way, long life and tinted, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence.
Baptists: At least 15. One to change the light bulb and two or three committees to approve the change...
Lutherans: None. Lutherans don't believe in change. " Bring a casserole!
Paul ( Saul) Barnabas
Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos around the western horn of the Island, north of the city of Perga in Pampkylia, John Mark left them there and returned to Jerusalem. But Paul and Barnabas crossed the Taurus mountains together and came to Antioch in Pisidia.
On the Sabbath day they entered the synagogue and sat down. After reading of the law and prophets, the leaders of the Synagogue sent word to them, asking: Brethren, do you have a word of exhortation for the people?
Paul did.
He rose to his feet and raised hands yet higher for silence.
When everyone was paying attention, he said: Men of Israel, God fearers too, I speak equally to you all.
The God of Israel choose our Fathers. He multiplied our people in Egypt, then with a mighty arm he led them out of the country, out of slavery. For forty years He bore with Israel in the wilderness, and when He had destroyed "Seven Nations" in the land of Canaan, He gave them that land as an inheritance. For Four hundred and fifty years God took care of Israel, and then gave them judges, two hundred years of judges, until "Samuel the Prophet". Then they begged for a king, and then God gave them forty years of Saul, the son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin. and when he had removed their first King, God raised up David as King-of whom He testified: " I have found in David a man after my own heart, who will do all my will.
Now listen : From the posterity of faithful King David, God has in these latter days brought to Israel a "Savior" even has He has promised!
" Before the appearing of Jesus, John preached a baptism of repentance to all the people in Israel. But, as John was finishing his own course, he said, What do you suppose I am? I am not He! No, but after me comes one the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.
" Brethren, children of Abraham and you gentiles who fear God- to us all, the message of this salvation has been Sent!" "But the rulers in Jerusalem didn't recognize Jesus. THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE PROPHETS WHOM THEY THEMSELVES READ AFTER Sabbath.
By condemning Jesus, then, they fulfilled those same prophecies! Though they could find no charge against Jesus deserving death, Yet they asked Pilate to execute him anyway. "WHEN THEY HAD FULFILLED ALL THAT WAS WRITTEN OF Him," they took Jesus down from the tree and laid him in a tomb."
" But God raised Jesus from the dead! And for many days he appeared to those who traveled with him from Galilee. People who are now his witnesses, we bring you this good news. The promises of God to our fathers- that he has fulfilled for us. the children, by raising Jesus. Thou art my Son, God said in the psalms; Today I have begotten thee. God to support the fact that He raised Jesus His Son
from the dead, no more to suffer corruption, I will give you the " Holy and sure blessing of DAVID."
You see the law of Moses could never set you free! Beware you scoffers, behold and wonder as you perish to the depths of hell!
With that passage from Habakkuk, Paul ended his exhortation.
On the Sabbath day they entered the synagogue and sat down. After reading of the law and prophets, the leaders of the Synagogue sent word to them, asking: Brethren, do you have a word of exhortation for the people?
Paul did.
He rose to his feet and raised hands yet higher for silence.
When everyone was paying attention, he said: Men of Israel, God fearers too, I speak equally to you all.
The God of Israel choose our Fathers. He multiplied our people in Egypt, then with a mighty arm he led them out of the country, out of slavery. For forty years He bore with Israel in the wilderness, and when He had destroyed "Seven Nations" in the land of Canaan, He gave them that land as an inheritance. For Four hundred and fifty years God took care of Israel, and then gave them judges, two hundred years of judges, until "Samuel the Prophet". Then they begged for a king, and then God gave them forty years of Saul, the son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin. and when he had removed their first King, God raised up David as King-of whom He testified: " I have found in David a man after my own heart, who will do all my will.
Now listen : From the posterity of faithful King David, God has in these latter days brought to Israel a "Savior" even has He has promised!
" Before the appearing of Jesus, John preached a baptism of repentance to all the people in Israel. But, as John was finishing his own course, he said, What do you suppose I am? I am not He! No, but after me comes one the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.
" Brethren, children of Abraham and you gentiles who fear God- to us all, the message of this salvation has been Sent!" "But the rulers in Jerusalem didn't recognize Jesus. THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE PROPHETS WHOM THEY THEMSELVES READ AFTER Sabbath.
By condemning Jesus, then, they fulfilled those same prophecies! Though they could find no charge against Jesus deserving death, Yet they asked Pilate to execute him anyway. "WHEN THEY HAD FULFILLED ALL THAT WAS WRITTEN OF Him," they took Jesus down from the tree and laid him in a tomb."
" But God raised Jesus from the dead! And for many days he appeared to those who traveled with him from Galilee. People who are now his witnesses, we bring you this good news. The promises of God to our fathers- that he has fulfilled for us. the children, by raising Jesus. Thou art my Son, God said in the psalms; Today I have begotten thee. God to support the fact that He raised Jesus His Son
from the dead, no more to suffer corruption, I will give you the " Holy and sure blessing of DAVID."
You see the law of Moses could never set you free! Beware you scoffers, behold and wonder as you perish to the depths of hell!
With that passage from Habakkuk, Paul ended his exhortation.
"Nothing to offer but blood!" By Dr. Stanley Aronson. Dean of Med Emeritus Brown University
The first element of the inner human body cited in Genesis was Adam's rib.; second was the eye.: For when Eve and Adam ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge, " THEN THE EYES OF BOTH WERE OPEN." AND THE THIRD WAS BLOOD." when Cain slayed his brother, the dietary laws of the Hebrews decree what:God says: "HARK, YOUR brother's BLOOD CRIES OUT FROM THE GROUND." MANY TISSUES MIGHT HAVE CRIED OUT for reckoning- the heart, the brain, the spleen- Yet to the Hebrews the essence of the soul. and spirt of life rested solely in the blood. Blood was warm, pulsating, and when it was shed, life inevitably fled.
Blood is the gift of life of the flesh and a solemn token of God's generosity. The Bible declares, " For the life of the flesh is in the blood." ( Leviticus 17:11). Repeatedly, Leviticus condemns any use of blood except in altar sacrifice.
The Lord spoke" " Therefore I say to the Israelite people: no person among you shall partake of blood.".
Indeed, the dietary laws of the Hebrews decree that blood must be removed before the flesh of the bird or animal may be consumed.
James wanted the Christians to observe the same laws as applied to the Jews. but, St. Paul says: " Jesus. did not put a yoke around their necks, and he wouldn't either. When the dust settled, there were three requirements were for Christians: No fornication ( Sex outside of marriage), No eating food offered to Idols, and not eating anything strangled, for by doing so, you were eating the blood of the animal, which when you did, you were eating life; for life is in the blood. The animal was to be drained, before cooking.
No culture is without it's dual taboos, and fascinations with blood. Primitive hunters drank blood both of vanquished foes and the slain animals in the jungle. Blood of dying gladiators was fought over by spectators in the fervent belief that it would yield renewed strength and vigor. Blood was protective. Moses instructed the beleaguered Israelites to a sacrificed a lamb and apply its blood to the lintels and door posts of their homes, for when the Lord goes through to smite the Egyptians, He will see the blood... and the Lord will pass over the door ( Exodus 12:23).
A similar ritual was observed in the Moslem custom of slaughtering a Carmel and smearing its blood upon the lintels of homes to protect against evil spirits.
Blood seals covenants, and binds contracts. In September 1492, Pope innocent lay dying; and in desperation his physicians vainly elected to give him fresh blood taken from three orphan boys...
The pope died, and the fate of the three boys is unknown!
My input; Not the Drs. " When you go to the "steak house" and order your "steak" and you have read this article, I suggest you order it "well done", or you will never finish it, for the cows blood will call out!
Blood is the gift of life of the flesh and a solemn token of God's generosity. The Bible declares, " For the life of the flesh is in the blood." ( Leviticus 17:11). Repeatedly, Leviticus condemns any use of blood except in altar sacrifice.
The Lord spoke" " Therefore I say to the Israelite people: no person among you shall partake of blood.".
Indeed, the dietary laws of the Hebrews decree that blood must be removed before the flesh of the bird or animal may be consumed.
James wanted the Christians to observe the same laws as applied to the Jews. but, St. Paul says: " Jesus. did not put a yoke around their necks, and he wouldn't either. When the dust settled, there were three requirements were for Christians: No fornication ( Sex outside of marriage), No eating food offered to Idols, and not eating anything strangled, for by doing so, you were eating the blood of the animal, which when you did, you were eating life; for life is in the blood. The animal was to be drained, before cooking.
No culture is without it's dual taboos, and fascinations with blood. Primitive hunters drank blood both of vanquished foes and the slain animals in the jungle. Blood of dying gladiators was fought over by spectators in the fervent belief that it would yield renewed strength and vigor. Blood was protective. Moses instructed the beleaguered Israelites to a sacrificed a lamb and apply its blood to the lintels and door posts of their homes, for when the Lord goes through to smite the Egyptians, He will see the blood... and the Lord will pass over the door ( Exodus 12:23).
A similar ritual was observed in the Moslem custom of slaughtering a Carmel and smearing its blood upon the lintels of homes to protect against evil spirits.
Blood seals covenants, and binds contracts. In September 1492, Pope innocent lay dying; and in desperation his physicians vainly elected to give him fresh blood taken from three orphan boys...
The pope died, and the fate of the three boys is unknown!
My input; Not the Drs. " When you go to the "steak house" and order your "steak" and you have read this article, I suggest you order it "well done", or you will never finish it, for the cows blood will call out!
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
What about the Resurrection? Mark 12:28-34.
Text: And one of the scribes came and having heard reasoning (arguing) together,
answered them well, asked him, Which is the first Commandment of all? (most important), and Jesus
him, the first of all commandments is, " Hear, 0 Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord." (Deut. 6:4). And thou shall (Must) love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: This is the first commandment.
(Deu 6:5).
And the second is like, namely this, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. There is
none other commandment greater than these,
and the scribe said unto him, Well Master, thou has said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but He: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love they neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. and when Jesus saw that he had answered discreetly, he said unto him, " Thou are not to far from the kingdom of God. and no man after that dared ask him any more questions.
In the "GATES OF PRAYER (1975) "New Union Prayer Book , section for Meditations and readings describes some thoughts from this prayer book. on our relationship with God, as " Rav Anan" said : the gates of prayer are never barred, as it is written (Deut.4.7): For what great nation has a God so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what is calling upon him, if not prayer, as it is said (Isaiah 65:24:) before they call, I will reply, while they are still speaking, I will have heard. Prayer is speech, but not 'Mere speech. The Word is not to be despised as we hear from our text. Those words have power over the soul. " Hear O Israel! is a cry for affirmation, a reminder of glory and martyrdom, and the essence of the Jewish people's history. For the Christian our Bible is the history of our faith, the Birth, the walk to the Cross, the sacrifice that the Father asked, his Jewish Son, to give His life for the world, that all may be saved, who believe?
These words, laden with tears and joys of centuries, have the power to bring us into the very presence of God. Not easily, not all at once, not every time, but somehow, some times, the worshiper who offers up his heart and mind without reservation will know that he has touched the Throne of Glory.
Back to the story: The scripture today centers around matters of the "Heart.." In the Biblical view the heart is not the place of sentiment and emotion, but will and decision. A question from the heart is: "How does God intend for us to live?"
Moses would answer with these central words: " The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. God alone brings meaning and purpose to our lives, everything flows out of the Mysterious, merciful presence of the "Holy One." Take these words to heart, Moses says. Tie them around your hands, write them on your doors, teach them to your children, speak them every morning.
When you remember these words, they will become part of you, giving you a center and framing your life. The time for Jesus death was approaching quickly.
Near his final hour, Jesus wanted God's love to be made clear through his teaching and example.
In Marks gospel, chapter 12; Jesus is speaking in parables, being tested by the Pharisees and Sadducees, who were trying to get him to trip up, so as to bring him before "the Sanhedrin"; tiw3821o have him condemned to finally get rid of him. The Sadducees tried to trip him up on the question of the resurrection; and the tribute to Caesar. But he warned the Christians of their false teachings. In our highly permissive society, we are self-centered and so self-preoccupied, the call to know him and obey him cuts across our culture and cynical conduct. it is not normal nor natural for most of us to love "God". othrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
answered them well, asked him, Which is the first Commandment of all? (most important), and Jesus
him, the first of all commandments is, " Hear, 0 Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord." (Deut. 6:4). And thou shall (Must) love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: This is the first commandment.
(Deu 6:5).
And the second is like, namely this, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. There is
none other commandment greater than these,
and the scribe said unto him, Well Master, thou has said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but He: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love they neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. and when Jesus saw that he had answered discreetly, he said unto him, " Thou are not to far from the kingdom of God. and no man after that dared ask him any more questions.
In the "GATES OF PRAYER (1975) "New Union Prayer Book , section for Meditations and readings describes some thoughts from this prayer book. on our relationship with God, as " Rav Anan" said : the gates of prayer are never barred, as it is written (Deut.4.7): For what great nation has a God so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what is calling upon him, if not prayer, as it is said (Isaiah 65:24:) before they call, I will reply, while they are still speaking, I will have heard. Prayer is speech, but not 'Mere speech. The Word is not to be despised as we hear from our text. Those words have power over the soul. " Hear O Israel! is a cry for affirmation, a reminder of glory and martyrdom, and the essence of the Jewish people's history. For the Christian our Bible is the history of our faith, the Birth, the walk to the Cross, the sacrifice that the Father asked, his Jewish Son, to give His life for the world, that all may be saved, who believe?
These words, laden with tears and joys of centuries, have the power to bring us into the very presence of God. Not easily, not all at once, not every time, but somehow, some times, the worshiper who offers up his heart and mind without reservation will know that he has touched the Throne of Glory.
Back to the story: The scripture today centers around matters of the "Heart.." In the Biblical view the heart is not the place of sentiment and emotion, but will and decision. A question from the heart is: "How does God intend for us to live?"
Moses would answer with these central words: " The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. God alone brings meaning and purpose to our lives, everything flows out of the Mysterious, merciful presence of the "Holy One." Take these words to heart, Moses says. Tie them around your hands, write them on your doors, teach them to your children, speak them every morning.
When you remember these words, they will become part of you, giving you a center and framing your life. The time for Jesus death was approaching quickly.
Near his final hour, Jesus wanted God's love to be made clear through his teaching and example.
In Marks gospel, chapter 12; Jesus is speaking in parables, being tested by the Pharisees and Sadducees, who were trying to get him to trip up, so as to bring him before "the Sanhedrin"; tiw3821o have him condemned to finally get rid of him. The Sadducees tried to trip him up on the question of the resurrection; and the tribute to Caesar. But he warned the Christians of their false teachings. In our highly permissive society, we are self-centered and so self-preoccupied, the call to know him and obey him cuts across our culture and cynical conduct. it is not normal nor natural for most of us to love "God". othrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Wise/ Foolish Virgins Matthew25:1-13
During November our Bible texts are filed with images of the communion of Saints, judgments, and a second coming of Christ. In the O.T., the prophet Amos says: " the day of the Lord will be one of gloom and darkness and calls justice to roll down like water.
St. Paul urges us to encourage one another with the promise coming of the Lord. In the Gospel text from St. Matthew, Jesus tells the parable of the wise and foolish bridesmaids, that is based on the Palestinian custom that the bridegroom fetch his bride from her parents home.
Then the Kingdom of heaven will be like this, ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps, but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight the cry rang out. Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him! Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.
No they replied, " There may not be enough for both of us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.
But, While they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived.
, The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding. And the door was shut.
Later the others also came. "Sir! Sir!" they said. ' Open the door for us! '
But he replied, I tell you the truth, I don't know you. " Therefore keep watch, because you don't know the day or hour.
Each time we recite the "Apostles Creed," we say He will come again to judge. He will come and he will judge. There are two distinct events in that phrase;One way to look at the relationship of chapter 24 and see his coming and final judgement in chapter 25. First Jesus gives us signs to look for, so we can be ready for his return. Then he separates the wise virgins from the foolish virgins, the faithful servants from the unfaithful servant, the sheep from the goats.
John the Baptist had previously called Jesus the bridegroom and referred to himself as the best man
John (3:27-30).
This image was built upon language of the Old Testament prophets found in Isaiah ( 54:5; 62 :1).
Small clay lamps were generally better suited for use indoors. Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house upon a rock. The rains fell, the flood came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on a rock. and everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like the foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rains came, winds blew and beat against the house- and it fell- and great was its fall. In both places, if we take the wise to be believers and the foolish to be unbelievers, we miss the point. Jesus is preaching to his church. He is warning the foolish to "wise up." It is a variation on the parable of the sower, in which Jesus warns us about the dangers of the devil, persecution and covetousness.
The picture that comes to mind when we hear that they took their lamps with them is probably quite accurate. Small clay lamps were generally better suited for use indoors. In an outdoor procession, the "Lamps" would have been more like torches. A long pole with oil drenched rags would cast a lot of light, but the oil had to be replenished about every 15 minutes. When the wise virgins trimmed their lamps, they cut off the charred ends of the burning lamps.
The failure of the foolish virgins to bring an extra supply of oil implies that they did not expect to have to wait so long for the bridegroom (Jesus ) to appear. Without taking anything away from his earlier emphasis on the urgency of being ready for the last day, Jesus now shows us the other side of the coin.
Conversion must be coupled with faithful perseverance.
Coming to faith will do no good if you do not stand firm to the end. Or in the imagery of an earlier parable: it is not good enough to accept the invitation to the wedding feast; you must also wear wedding clothes, and put on Christ. In understanding the parable of the foolish virgins, we look at what Jesus is trying to tell us? What is the oil? Is it the "Holy Spirt? " "Is it faith?" Is it a life of "Good works?"
Various commentators have defended each possibility. On the one hand, it is problematic to say that faith or the Holy Spirit can be bought and sold.. If the oil is a life of good works, there is a connection with the judgement pronounced in Matthew 25; " Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me. 'Then he will say to them on his left hand. You are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devils and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked, and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me. Then they will answer, ' Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry, thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of you? Then he will answer them: " Truly I Tell you, just as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me". And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
The Old Testament practice of anointing kings, priests, and prophets with olive oil certainly suggests a connection between oil and the Holy Spirit is masterfully summarized by Martin Luther: His call to faith by the gospel, gathers us into His Holy Church, enlightens us with his spiritual gifts, and sanctifies us for a life of good works, and keeps us in the true faith until our end. Do not all of these things together make us "wise" as opposed to "foolish?" The foolish virgins returned to late. Their double "Sir! Sir!" is laden with much emotion we noted in Jesus lament, " O Jerusalem, Jerusalem... They illustrate Jesus warning at the close of the "Sermon on the Mount:" Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the work of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, " Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?"
Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. away from me, you evildoers!
When it was to late, the other virgins came. They attempted to gain entrance to the wedding feast, without success! With solemn emphasis they are told: I know you not. Their terror, repentance and despair have come to late; they have neglected their opportunity; they have forfeited their happiness. The Lord adds a solemn warning once more, urging constant, ceaseless watchfulness, since the day and the hour of His coming is hidden from the knowledge of men. To Summarize; The Bridegroom is Jesus Christ, (John 3), the feast is the blessedness of heaven prepared for all true followers. The foolish virgins are such as have indeed received faith, but have kept only the outward semblance, hoping to find acceptance on the past merits. the wise virgins are such as are careful about providing and keeping fuel for their faith, in order that their lamps may not be extinguished at a critical time.
The oil is the grace and salvation of God offered and given in the word, by the work of the Holy Spirit. the Bridegroom is delaying his coming (2Peter 3,9).
But he will surely make his appearance for the last great judgement at a time when he is least expected. At that time everyone will stand or fall with his own faith, and those lacking in its power must accept their fate which they have brought upon themselves. exclusion from the bridal feast of the Lamb.
St. Paul urges us to encourage one another with the promise coming of the Lord. In the Gospel text from St. Matthew, Jesus tells the parable of the wise and foolish bridesmaids, that is based on the Palestinian custom that the bridegroom fetch his bride from her parents home.
Then the Kingdom of heaven will be like this, ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps, but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight the cry rang out. Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him! Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.
No they replied, " There may not be enough for both of us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.
But, While they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived.
, The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding. And the door was shut.
Later the others also came. "Sir! Sir!" they said. ' Open the door for us! '
But he replied, I tell you the truth, I don't know you. " Therefore keep watch, because you don't know the day or hour.
Each time we recite the "Apostles Creed," we say He will come again to judge. He will come and he will judge. There are two distinct events in that phrase;One way to look at the relationship of chapter 24 and see his coming and final judgement in chapter 25. First Jesus gives us signs to look for, so we can be ready for his return. Then he separates the wise virgins from the foolish virgins, the faithful servants from the unfaithful servant, the sheep from the goats.
John the Baptist had previously called Jesus the bridegroom and referred to himself as the best man
John (3:27-30).
This image was built upon language of the Old Testament prophets found in Isaiah ( 54:5; 62 :1).
Small clay lamps were generally better suited for use indoors. Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house upon a rock. The rains fell, the flood came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on a rock. and everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like the foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rains came, winds blew and beat against the house- and it fell- and great was its fall. In both places, if we take the wise to be believers and the foolish to be unbelievers, we miss the point. Jesus is preaching to his church. He is warning the foolish to "wise up." It is a variation on the parable of the sower, in which Jesus warns us about the dangers of the devil, persecution and covetousness.
The picture that comes to mind when we hear that they took their lamps with them is probably quite accurate. Small clay lamps were generally better suited for use indoors. In an outdoor procession, the "Lamps" would have been more like torches. A long pole with oil drenched rags would cast a lot of light, but the oil had to be replenished about every 15 minutes. When the wise virgins trimmed their lamps, they cut off the charred ends of the burning lamps.
The failure of the foolish virgins to bring an extra supply of oil implies that they did not expect to have to wait so long for the bridegroom (Jesus ) to appear. Without taking anything away from his earlier emphasis on the urgency of being ready for the last day, Jesus now shows us the other side of the coin.
Conversion must be coupled with faithful perseverance.
Coming to faith will do no good if you do not stand firm to the end. Or in the imagery of an earlier parable: it is not good enough to accept the invitation to the wedding feast; you must also wear wedding clothes, and put on Christ. In understanding the parable of the foolish virgins, we look at what Jesus is trying to tell us? What is the oil? Is it the "Holy Spirt? " "Is it faith?" Is it a life of "Good works?"
Various commentators have defended each possibility. On the one hand, it is problematic to say that faith or the Holy Spirit can be bought and sold.. If the oil is a life of good works, there is a connection with the judgement pronounced in Matthew 25; " Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me. 'Then he will say to them on his left hand. You are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devils and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked, and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me. Then they will answer, ' Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry, thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of you? Then he will answer them: " Truly I Tell you, just as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me". And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
The Old Testament practice of anointing kings, priests, and prophets with olive oil certainly suggests a connection between oil and the Holy Spirit is masterfully summarized by Martin Luther: His call to faith by the gospel, gathers us into His Holy Church, enlightens us with his spiritual gifts, and sanctifies us for a life of good works, and keeps us in the true faith until our end. Do not all of these things together make us "wise" as opposed to "foolish?" The foolish virgins returned to late. Their double "Sir! Sir!" is laden with much emotion we noted in Jesus lament, " O Jerusalem, Jerusalem... They illustrate Jesus warning at the close of the "Sermon on the Mount:" Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the work of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, " Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?"
Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. away from me, you evildoers!
When it was to late, the other virgins came. They attempted to gain entrance to the wedding feast, without success! With solemn emphasis they are told: I know you not. Their terror, repentance and despair have come to late; they have neglected their opportunity; they have forfeited their happiness. The Lord adds a solemn warning once more, urging constant, ceaseless watchfulness, since the day and the hour of His coming is hidden from the knowledge of men. To Summarize; The Bridegroom is Jesus Christ, (John 3), the feast is the blessedness of heaven prepared for all true followers. The foolish virgins are such as have indeed received faith, but have kept only the outward semblance, hoping to find acceptance on the past merits. the wise virgins are such as are careful about providing and keeping fuel for their faith, in order that their lamps may not be extinguished at a critical time.
The oil is the grace and salvation of God offered and given in the word, by the work of the Holy Spirit. the Bridegroom is delaying his coming (2Peter 3,9).
But he will surely make his appearance for the last great judgement at a time when he is least expected. At that time everyone will stand or fall with his own faith, and those lacking in its power must accept their fate which they have brought upon themselves. exclusion from the bridal feast of the Lamb.
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
The Story Must Be Told. Romans 10:1-15.
From dust you are taken...to dust you shall return.
A little boy came home from Sunday school and went into his room to change his clothes. When he emerged he asked his mother "Is it true we come from dust?" " Yes dear replied his mother." " Is it true that when we die we go back to dust?" " Yes dear, that's right." The little boy ran into his room and came out all excited, " Mom, I just looked under the bed and there's someone either
coming or going!
Romans 10 tells us that the word is always close to us; in fact even in our mouth and in our hearts;
that God has raised him from the dead and we with our mouth by our confession is made, forever who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who preach. Paul feels great grief to his readers in the congregation in Rome and elsewhere, that the salvation of the Jews is a matter of prayerful concerned
to him. Paul has an earnest desire to speak about their rejection by God. His kind and earnest desire in their behalf, the supreme wish of his heart, which finds expression, is to bring before God, his desire for their salvation. He will testify and be a witness in their behalf, that they have zeal for God, and towards God. A service of God as they developed it for themselves and all other opinions were rejected by them, even to today. Paul has brought another proof, that one cannot pursuit ones own righteousness without putting themselves under the righteousness of God.
Let me tell "you a story." Have you ever had the heart warming-experience of having a little child cuddle up in your lap with that request? " Tell me a story" " Mommy", Daddy", Grampy?"
In one respect, I suppose children all over the world are very much the same. In every age they have loved to listen to thrilling tales of adventure and daring, striking legends of fantasy and make-believe, great stories of heroism, and patriotism. Our children and grand-children will especially love the great stories of the Bible. But we must tell them the Bible stories! Where will you find greater bravery displayed than in the stories of David and Goliath, Daniel in the lions den, the three men in the fiery furnace? Where will you find more striking warnings against sin than in Cain and Abel, the flood, David and Bathsheba? Where will you find more inspiring and ennobling stories than the biographies of Joseph, Job, John, and Paul? Where in all the world will you find greater lessons than those of the "Master Storyteller" of all ages, the Lord Jesus.
Think of just a few- the "Prodigal Son." The Good Samaritan, The Pharisee and the Publican, and yes we can't for get the "greatest story ever told." the one saving story, that wonderful story of Jesus and his love for the world. Even unbelievers, hearing it for the first time, readily admit that there is nothing in history, folklore,fable or legend which can even begin to compare with this record of man's redemption from sin and its curse through the suffering and death of God's Son.
Without a doubt, it is the greatest story ever told! But, as long as there are people who have never heard it, as long as there are sinners who have never accepted it, it still needs to be told. This was Paul's purpose and ministry, had one aim and purpose in life, from that dramatic moment of his conversion on the Damascus road. He was always on the move, preaching about Jesus, witnessing to Jesus, suffering for Jesus. And the reason for it all? He expresses his goal in life, and incidentally gives every Christian something to think about, when he prays in the first verse of this tenth chapter, " that they may be saved ." Even though God had called him to be the Apostle to the Gentiles, he was none the less intensely concerned about salvation of his own countrymen, the Jews. Their eternal welfare was always on His heart and in his prayers. Oh, these Jews were religious people alright. Paul admits that they were very zealous toward God. They were striving constantly to establish their own righteousness. Their time was taken up with observance of religious rituals, sacrifices, washing's, and inventing new commandments for people to keep.
Long before Christ there were some people who worshiped the fire god, Moloch, as part of their religious ritual they would build a fire inside the hallow metal statue of their idol, and when it glowed red-hot, they would cast their helpless infants into his outstretched arms, thus literally frying them to death, as a token of their love and devotion. When a volcano would erupt in the Pacific Ocean, a beautiful young maiden would sometimes be cast as a living sacrifice into the seething caldron of the crater to appease the wrath of the deities.
Until the British succeeded in stopping the custom a generation or so ago, many Hindu sought what they believed was the oblivion of the hereafter by casting themselves under the broad wheels of the juggernaut, ( a huge wagon) piled high full of countless images of their gods.
And why these horrible practices? Because benighted and deluded people still think that they must overcome the wrath of God and win his favor by their noble efforts, fine deeds, torture, pilgrimages, or offerings. They too, need to be told, the " Great Story" that by His one sacrifice on the altar of the cross, " Jesus the Lamb of God," forever atoned for all transgression of mankind. Any further offerings for sin are thus worthless. That's why in our text from the book of Romans, Paul reminds us that the greatest story ever told. needs to be told to the world. For the whole world was lost in sin, the whole world has been redeemed by Christ, and the whole world is included in God's plan of salvation. Paul brings this out beautifully in a number of remarkable phrases, in our text: For scriptures says: Whoever believes in him shall not be ashamed; That word " whosoever" takes in everybody. It's includes the last, least, and the lost. Paul tells us that Jesus in verse 13 of Romans 10; promises eternal salvation to all who call upon His name in penitence and faith, pleading the merits of Jesus Christ. We must tell the whole world, that no one but Christ can save us. When we know by our own experience what "those wonderful words of life." can do for us, then we will be ready to tell others what Christ can do for their souls.
Centuries ago God came to Ezekiel, handed him a scroll which had His message to Israel written upon it, and then spoke these strange words, " Eat the roll!" Well, how could Ezekiel eat a book, a leather scroll? " Impossible, you say?" What the lord meant, of course, was this, that His message was to enter into to the prophets innermost life, even as the food we eat is digested and becomes part of us. The word of God was to be the nourishment for his soul. It was to be incorporated into his very nature. He was to live, not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God.
Do you now understand now what we must do?
We must make God's word part of our very nature so that we shall be able to proclaim it to others.
Only then can we be sure that when we speak, we are literally speaking the Lord's words to others.
The greatest story ever told has to be told!
A little boy came home from Sunday school and went into his room to change his clothes. When he emerged he asked his mother "Is it true we come from dust?" " Yes dear replied his mother." " Is it true that when we die we go back to dust?" " Yes dear, that's right." The little boy ran into his room and came out all excited, " Mom, I just looked under the bed and there's someone either
coming or going!
Romans 10 tells us that the word is always close to us; in fact even in our mouth and in our hearts;
that God has raised him from the dead and we with our mouth by our confession is made, forever who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who preach. Paul feels great grief to his readers in the congregation in Rome and elsewhere, that the salvation of the Jews is a matter of prayerful concerned
to him. Paul has an earnest desire to speak about their rejection by God. His kind and earnest desire in their behalf, the supreme wish of his heart, which finds expression, is to bring before God, his desire for their salvation. He will testify and be a witness in their behalf, that they have zeal for God, and towards God. A service of God as they developed it for themselves and all other opinions were rejected by them, even to today. Paul has brought another proof, that one cannot pursuit ones own righteousness without putting themselves under the righteousness of God.
Let me tell "you a story." Have you ever had the heart warming-experience of having a little child cuddle up in your lap with that request? " Tell me a story" " Mommy", Daddy", Grampy?"
In one respect, I suppose children all over the world are very much the same. In every age they have loved to listen to thrilling tales of adventure and daring, striking legends of fantasy and make-believe, great stories of heroism, and patriotism. Our children and grand-children will especially love the great stories of the Bible. But we must tell them the Bible stories! Where will you find greater bravery displayed than in the stories of David and Goliath, Daniel in the lions den, the three men in the fiery furnace? Where will you find more striking warnings against sin than in Cain and Abel, the flood, David and Bathsheba? Where will you find more inspiring and ennobling stories than the biographies of Joseph, Job, John, and Paul? Where in all the world will you find greater lessons than those of the "Master Storyteller" of all ages, the Lord Jesus.
Think of just a few- the "Prodigal Son." The Good Samaritan, The Pharisee and the Publican, and yes we can't for get the "greatest story ever told." the one saving story, that wonderful story of Jesus and his love for the world. Even unbelievers, hearing it for the first time, readily admit that there is nothing in history, folklore,fable or legend which can even begin to compare with this record of man's redemption from sin and its curse through the suffering and death of God's Son.
Without a doubt, it is the greatest story ever told! But, as long as there are people who have never heard it, as long as there are sinners who have never accepted it, it still needs to be told. This was Paul's purpose and ministry, had one aim and purpose in life, from that dramatic moment of his conversion on the Damascus road. He was always on the move, preaching about Jesus, witnessing to Jesus, suffering for Jesus. And the reason for it all? He expresses his goal in life, and incidentally gives every Christian something to think about, when he prays in the first verse of this tenth chapter, " that they may be saved ." Even though God had called him to be the Apostle to the Gentiles, he was none the less intensely concerned about salvation of his own countrymen, the Jews. Their eternal welfare was always on His heart and in his prayers. Oh, these Jews were religious people alright. Paul admits that they were very zealous toward God. They were striving constantly to establish their own righteousness. Their time was taken up with observance of religious rituals, sacrifices, washing's, and inventing new commandments for people to keep.
Long before Christ there were some people who worshiped the fire god, Moloch, as part of their religious ritual they would build a fire inside the hallow metal statue of their idol, and when it glowed red-hot, they would cast their helpless infants into his outstretched arms, thus literally frying them to death, as a token of their love and devotion. When a volcano would erupt in the Pacific Ocean, a beautiful young maiden would sometimes be cast as a living sacrifice into the seething caldron of the crater to appease the wrath of the deities.
Until the British succeeded in stopping the custom a generation or so ago, many Hindu sought what they believed was the oblivion of the hereafter by casting themselves under the broad wheels of the juggernaut, ( a huge wagon) piled high full of countless images of their gods.
And why these horrible practices? Because benighted and deluded people still think that they must overcome the wrath of God and win his favor by their noble efforts, fine deeds, torture, pilgrimages, or offerings. They too, need to be told, the " Great Story" that by His one sacrifice on the altar of the cross, " Jesus the Lamb of God," forever atoned for all transgression of mankind. Any further offerings for sin are thus worthless. That's why in our text from the book of Romans, Paul reminds us that the greatest story ever told. needs to be told to the world. For the whole world was lost in sin, the whole world has been redeemed by Christ, and the whole world is included in God's plan of salvation. Paul brings this out beautifully in a number of remarkable phrases, in our text: For scriptures says: Whoever believes in him shall not be ashamed; That word " whosoever" takes in everybody. It's includes the last, least, and the lost. Paul tells us that Jesus in verse 13 of Romans 10; promises eternal salvation to all who call upon His name in penitence and faith, pleading the merits of Jesus Christ. We must tell the whole world, that no one but Christ can save us. When we know by our own experience what "those wonderful words of life." can do for us, then we will be ready to tell others what Christ can do for their souls.
Centuries ago God came to Ezekiel, handed him a scroll which had His message to Israel written upon it, and then spoke these strange words, " Eat the roll!" Well, how could Ezekiel eat a book, a leather scroll? " Impossible, you say?" What the lord meant, of course, was this, that His message was to enter into to the prophets innermost life, even as the food we eat is digested and becomes part of us. The word of God was to be the nourishment for his soul. It was to be incorporated into his very nature. He was to live, not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God.
Do you now understand now what we must do?
We must make God's word part of our very nature so that we shall be able to proclaim it to others.
Only then can we be sure that when we speak, we are literally speaking the Lord's words to others.
The greatest story ever told has to be told!
Monday, February 6, 2017
Finding Tensions Good Side. Ruth 4:13-17; John 16: 25-33
Have you ever read parts of the Bible that record Miracles, and wished you could see one today?
Or, perhaps, you are thinking "I need a miracle!'
Do you think God is still in the business of doing miracles today?
If one looks around the world, and hears the many accounts from the mission field,
you will discover that the answer : "MUST BE YES."
What about you? At times we could all use a miracle?
Well miracles still happen. At times we all feel drained, depleted of every natural and normal resource, and a miracle is our only hope. Miracles are happening every day!
The problem is, we think of miracles as being major, earth shattering- events....... as feeding of a multitude, or parting of a major body of water. But not all miracles are on that scale.... and they happen every day.
God has miracles that are yet untapped.... unnoticed..... and unexperienced, just because we don't have the eyes of faith to see.
A man and his dog were walking on the beach when they came upon another visitor to the beach.
The owner of the dog was proud of his dog's newly mastered feat, so he said to the visitor, " Watch this!" Whereupon he tossed a piece of driftwood far out into the sea and the dog immediately ran on top of the ocean, fetched the wood, and ran back. The other man shook his head in disbelief.
The owner repeated the procedure twice. Finally he asked the visitor, " Did you notice anything unusual?" The man responded matter-of- factly: " Your dog can't swim, can he?"
We must have eyes of faith in times of tension and stress, that God wants to do miracles in our lives, especially in times of stress and tension, by His power. One of the best ways to be reminded of that is through the biblical accounts of God's working in people's life.
Paul wrote in Romans 15:4, " For whatever things were written before were written for our learning.
" For whatever things were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."
We see in the life of Ruth how God can miraculously turn "Tension" into triumph.
The book of Ruth is the story of a person who- in a short period of time had more stress than most will experienced in a lifetime, but she ended up experiencing a miracle.
One day a Jewish family moved to Moab in order to escape the drought in Israel. The two Sons married Moabite women, even though that was discouraged. One of the women was Ruth.
Life seemed to be going along pretty well for Ruth, then suddenly disaster struck. Both her brother-in-law and husband died.
What do you do when life seems to be crumbling around you?
Ruth was now a widow with no means of support.....
and her widow mother-in-law was going back to her people in Israel.
Naomi told Ruth that she was free to try to make a life for herself in her own country of Moab.
What could she do?
She could try to remarry, but sometimes individuals hold a dim view of those who marry "foreigners."
And besides, when Ruth became part of Naomi's family, she witnessed what it was like to serve God and not a bunch of Idols.
So she chose to leave her homeland, her birth family, her friends from child hood, and Go to a strange country with only one person she knew.
And Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law, was not pleasant to be around. because of her own grief.
It was a time of real tension.......& the tension didn't ease when they arrived in Bethlehem.
Certainly Naomi was back home, but she and Ruth had no money, no food, no resources... and the fact that Naomi - a jew- had a Moabite daughter-in- law probably didn't help. But out of that tension,
God brought a miracle into Ruth's life....... just as He can ours.
RUTH'S miracle:
It we skip over to the end of the book, we see that.... Boaz a relative of Naomi's.... became Ruth's husband after he " just happened" to notice her gleaning in the fields.
They had a son, whom they called Obed, Obed had a son, whom he called Jesse. Of Jesse's sons, the youngest was David.
And of course, David became the greatest king of Israel and was in the lineage of Jesus.
Ruth is only one of two women listed in the NT genealogy of Jesus.
It was a miracle, and it wouldn't have happened if Ruth had not gone through the tough & tense times.
William Jennings Bryan wrote this about miracles: " Some skeptics say, " I can't accept miracles"
One may drop a brown seed in the black soil and up comes a green shoot.
You let it grow and by and by you pull up its root and find it's red. You cut the root and it has a white heart.
Can anyone tell how this comes about- how brown cast into black results in green and then red and white? Yet you eat your radish without troubling your mind over miracles.
Men are not distressed by miracles in the dining room-- they reserve them all for religion.
RUTH'S means.
We need to learn something else from this story.
Many other people in the Bible went through hard times, and they don't see a miracle.
What made Ruth different? Why did her tense times result in a miracle?
FIRST, she made a commitment to God that was stronger than her commitment to her birth family..... to her childhood friends ..... and to her country.
When Naomi told her not to ask her to go, and said, "For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God." (Ruth 1:16)
Ruth's commitment to the living God was the first step.
The "second thing" that she did was to keep on doing the daily things that were necessary.
She could have sat around and felt sorry for herself, for that was the model that she had in Naomi, but instead she went out into the fields to follow after the harvest hands, picking up leftover kernels of grain.
It was menial work and a lonely task, but it had to be done, and she did it; and that help her to keep her focus.
Winston Churchill, "Prime minister of Great Britain, had a political career that was full of ups and downs. Three times it seemed his life in service to his country was over; three times he bounced back.
His last public speaking engagement was a commencement at a university. Churchill needed help to walk to the podium, and when he finally got there, he held on to the lectern and stood silent for what seemed like an eternity.
Finally he raised his head and said: " Never give up. Never give up. Never give give up."
That was all!
Churchill walked slowly to his seat and sat down amidst total silence. Suddenly the audience erupted in great applause; what more did they need? Here was a man who lived what he preached!
Ruth never gave up,
The third aspect of turning a mishap into a miracle was out of Ruth'e control.
She had what was called a "kinsman-redeemer."
Property in the land belonged to her father-in-law's family, and since there were no male heirs left in that line, the closest relative had the opportunity to assume ownership of the property.
However, according to the Israelite law of the time, if a man married and died before he had children, the closest male relative could take the widow as his wife.
When Ruth & her situation came to the attention of Boaz, he was second in line for her husbands property. He went to the first in line and gave him the opportunity to expand his land holding,
But he didn't want the obligation of taking Ruth as wife.
So he released Ruth to Boaz, the one next in line. Now you may be thinking: That was a nice story about Ruth, but what does that have to do with us today? Many people today are in the midst of stress and tension and they can use a miracle, and like Ruth, they have a redeemer, his name is Jesus Christ, but for some reason they don't go to him? Ruth received her miracle because she had a commitment to God, because she continued on doing what God wanted her to do, and because she had a kinsman-redeemer. How do we appropriate a miracle in our life and make stress work for us?
The first thing to do is pray..... not a whiny, why me, type of prayer. It should be a prayer of faith, a prayer of commitment, a prayer that reflects a belief that we have a big God.... One who is able to work miracles in the midst of the stress and tension of life. Turn over the situation, and leave it in His hands. Romans 8:28 tell us that God: " God causes all things [ that includes whatever tension you are going through] to work together for good to those who love God, those who are called according to his purpose.']. In verse 29 we hear God's purpose for you and me? For whom he did know, he also predestinate to conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren, and see what God's purpose in having to be molded into the image of Jesus Christ.
And what is that? First consider the "Fruit of the Spirit" in Galatians 5:22-23. When we choose to look to see God at work, especially in us and our attitude, then we begin to see his miracles.
As we learned from our study of Ruth, we should be faithful and persevere in doing the little day-by day tasks to which God called us.
During a Monday night football game between the Chicago and the New York Giants, one of the announcers observed that Walter Payton, the bears running back, had accumulated over nine miles in a career rushing yardage. The other announcer added: " and that's with someone knocking him down every 4.6 yards!
When we persevere....when we keep going.... that's when we begin to experience God's miracles.
some of the greatest miracles take place when we are going through times of stress.
So remember Ruth and gain hope, hope to hold. Pray with wisdom and persevere in the practice of obeying God in daily things of life. [ And watch out, for a miracle is on the way, that will bring "Glory to God!"] Amen!
Or, perhaps, you are thinking "I need a miracle!'
Do you think God is still in the business of doing miracles today?
If one looks around the world, and hears the many accounts from the mission field,
you will discover that the answer : "MUST BE YES."
What about you? At times we could all use a miracle?
Well miracles still happen. At times we all feel drained, depleted of every natural and normal resource, and a miracle is our only hope. Miracles are happening every day!
The problem is, we think of miracles as being major, earth shattering- events....... as feeding of a multitude, or parting of a major body of water. But not all miracles are on that scale.... and they happen every day.
God has miracles that are yet untapped.... unnoticed..... and unexperienced, just because we don't have the eyes of faith to see.
A man and his dog were walking on the beach when they came upon another visitor to the beach.
The owner of the dog was proud of his dog's newly mastered feat, so he said to the visitor, " Watch this!" Whereupon he tossed a piece of driftwood far out into the sea and the dog immediately ran on top of the ocean, fetched the wood, and ran back. The other man shook his head in disbelief.
The owner repeated the procedure twice. Finally he asked the visitor, " Did you notice anything unusual?" The man responded matter-of- factly: " Your dog can't swim, can he?"
We must have eyes of faith in times of tension and stress, that God wants to do miracles in our lives, especially in times of stress and tension, by His power. One of the best ways to be reminded of that is through the biblical accounts of God's working in people's life.
Paul wrote in Romans 15:4, " For whatever things were written before were written for our learning.
" For whatever things were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."
We see in the life of Ruth how God can miraculously turn "Tension" into triumph.
The book of Ruth is the story of a person who- in a short period of time had more stress than most will experienced in a lifetime, but she ended up experiencing a miracle.
One day a Jewish family moved to Moab in order to escape the drought in Israel. The two Sons married Moabite women, even though that was discouraged. One of the women was Ruth.
Life seemed to be going along pretty well for Ruth, then suddenly disaster struck. Both her brother-in-law and husband died.
What do you do when life seems to be crumbling around you?
Ruth was now a widow with no means of support.....
and her widow mother-in-law was going back to her people in Israel.
Naomi told Ruth that she was free to try to make a life for herself in her own country of Moab.
What could she do?
She could try to remarry, but sometimes individuals hold a dim view of those who marry "foreigners."
And besides, when Ruth became part of Naomi's family, she witnessed what it was like to serve God and not a bunch of Idols.
So she chose to leave her homeland, her birth family, her friends from child hood, and Go to a strange country with only one person she knew.
And Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law, was not pleasant to be around. because of her own grief.
It was a time of real tension.......& the tension didn't ease when they arrived in Bethlehem.
Certainly Naomi was back home, but she and Ruth had no money, no food, no resources... and the fact that Naomi - a jew- had a Moabite daughter-in- law probably didn't help. But out of that tension,
God brought a miracle into Ruth's life....... just as He can ours.
RUTH'S miracle:
It we skip over to the end of the book, we see that.... Boaz a relative of Naomi's.... became Ruth's husband after he " just happened" to notice her gleaning in the fields.
They had a son, whom they called Obed, Obed had a son, whom he called Jesse. Of Jesse's sons, the youngest was David.
And of course, David became the greatest king of Israel and was in the lineage of Jesus.
Ruth is only one of two women listed in the NT genealogy of Jesus.
It was a miracle, and it wouldn't have happened if Ruth had not gone through the tough & tense times.
William Jennings Bryan wrote this about miracles: " Some skeptics say, " I can't accept miracles"
One may drop a brown seed in the black soil and up comes a green shoot.
You let it grow and by and by you pull up its root and find it's red. You cut the root and it has a white heart.
Can anyone tell how this comes about- how brown cast into black results in green and then red and white? Yet you eat your radish without troubling your mind over miracles.
Men are not distressed by miracles in the dining room-- they reserve them all for religion.
RUTH'S means.
We need to learn something else from this story.
Many other people in the Bible went through hard times, and they don't see a miracle.
What made Ruth different? Why did her tense times result in a miracle?
FIRST, she made a commitment to God that was stronger than her commitment to her birth family..... to her childhood friends ..... and to her country.
When Naomi told her not to ask her to go, and said, "For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God." (Ruth 1:16)
Ruth's commitment to the living God was the first step.
The "second thing" that she did was to keep on doing the daily things that were necessary.
She could have sat around and felt sorry for herself, for that was the model that she had in Naomi, but instead she went out into the fields to follow after the harvest hands, picking up leftover kernels of grain.
It was menial work and a lonely task, but it had to be done, and she did it; and that help her to keep her focus.
Winston Churchill, "Prime minister of Great Britain, had a political career that was full of ups and downs. Three times it seemed his life in service to his country was over; three times he bounced back.
His last public speaking engagement was a commencement at a university. Churchill needed help to walk to the podium, and when he finally got there, he held on to the lectern and stood silent for what seemed like an eternity.
Finally he raised his head and said: " Never give up. Never give up. Never give give up."
That was all!
Churchill walked slowly to his seat and sat down amidst total silence. Suddenly the audience erupted in great applause; what more did they need? Here was a man who lived what he preached!
Ruth never gave up,
The third aspect of turning a mishap into a miracle was out of Ruth'e control.
She had what was called a "kinsman-redeemer."
Property in the land belonged to her father-in-law's family, and since there were no male heirs left in that line, the closest relative had the opportunity to assume ownership of the property.
However, according to the Israelite law of the time, if a man married and died before he had children, the closest male relative could take the widow as his wife.
When Ruth & her situation came to the attention of Boaz, he was second in line for her husbands property. He went to the first in line and gave him the opportunity to expand his land holding,
But he didn't want the obligation of taking Ruth as wife.
So he released Ruth to Boaz, the one next in line. Now you may be thinking: That was a nice story about Ruth, but what does that have to do with us today? Many people today are in the midst of stress and tension and they can use a miracle, and like Ruth, they have a redeemer, his name is Jesus Christ, but for some reason they don't go to him? Ruth received her miracle because she had a commitment to God, because she continued on doing what God wanted her to do, and because she had a kinsman-redeemer. How do we appropriate a miracle in our life and make stress work for us?
The first thing to do is pray..... not a whiny, why me, type of prayer. It should be a prayer of faith, a prayer of commitment, a prayer that reflects a belief that we have a big God.... One who is able to work miracles in the midst of the stress and tension of life. Turn over the situation, and leave it in His hands. Romans 8:28 tell us that God: " God causes all things [ that includes whatever tension you are going through] to work together for good to those who love God, those who are called according to his purpose.']. In verse 29 we hear God's purpose for you and me? For whom he did know, he also predestinate to conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren, and see what God's purpose in having to be molded into the image of Jesus Christ.
And what is that? First consider the "Fruit of the Spirit" in Galatians 5:22-23. When we choose to look to see God at work, especially in us and our attitude, then we begin to see his miracles.
As we learned from our study of Ruth, we should be faithful and persevere in doing the little day-by day tasks to which God called us.
During a Monday night football game between the Chicago and the New York Giants, one of the announcers observed that Walter Payton, the bears running back, had accumulated over nine miles in a career rushing yardage. The other announcer added: " and that's with someone knocking him down every 4.6 yards!
When we persevere....when we keep going.... that's when we begin to experience God's miracles.
some of the greatest miracles take place when we are going through times of stress.
So remember Ruth and gain hope, hope to hold. Pray with wisdom and persevere in the practice of obeying God in daily things of life. [ And watch out, for a miracle is on the way, that will bring "Glory to God!"] Amen!
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Jeremiah 31:31-34
The Lord says; the days are surely coming, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors, when I took them by the hand out of Egypt- a covenant they broke, that was to be inscribed in the hearts of the people. We as Christians try to put different hats on God,to satisfy our earthly needs, just as the Israelites tried to do with God after the covenant was made, that said I will put my law within them and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God and they will be my people. Today a
women goes into a store to buy a hat. The assistant suggests, first this one, then that one, and then another one- until finally she produces one she insists, " suits madam perfectly." The assistant is suggesting that the hat expresses her clients personality. Human beings put a variety of " personality hats on God's head. 1.) Some put an academic hat on him. After all He knows everything;
" As He asked Peter the third time," Simon do you love me?" And Peter said to him: " Lord, you know everything; You know that I love you." Jesus said:" feed my sheep."
2). Some put a policeman's hat on him. they think of him as one who constantly spies on them from the heights of heaven to catch them when they do wrong. In Psalm 139 David speaks to God: " O Lord, you have searched me and known me. you know when I sit down and when I rise up; You discern my thoughts from far away.
3.) There are those who put a chef's hat on God, They believe he exist merely to provide them with am ample supply of food and drink. In Psalm 145; 15-16 David tells us, "The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand satisfying the desire of every living thing
4.) Others think of God as a kind of heavenly Father or Santa Claus, whose job it is to supply them with all kinds of pleasant things to own and enjoy. Some get a little peeved with him when they have to go short of something, for God tells us:" We are not to worry, saying: "What shall we eat?" or "What shall drink?" or "What will we wear?"
5.) Many look on a Magicians hat as a "must" for the divine wardrobe, for they think of God as the great miracle worker.
6.) Many believe a "Crown" is an appropriate hat for God. The Bible often uses words like " King" and "Kingdom" when referring to him.
7.) Because many uninformed people view the Christian faith and life merely as a matter of "Do" and Don't." They think of a Puritan's hat as suitable garb for God. A man ran up to Jesus and asked; " Good teacher, What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Why do you call me good?? No one is Good? but God alone.
8.) Some think of God only when sick. Remarkably, many people are quick to ask, " What have I done to deserve this?" But slow to ask this same question, when they are well.
There is an element of truth in the messages of all these hats. Each reflects something of what the 'Bible" has to say about God and His attributes . It is essential, however, to keep in mind that God's all- embracing quality is love. This binds all of His other qualities together as a cord binds the stalks in a sheaf of hay.
God is what He is- no matter what hat we put on him, or what people think of him. Our task is to come to grips with his self-description, his character and His way of doing things.
He once did wear a hat, made of "thorns." He did not choose it for himself. Men fashioned it and placed it on him in mockery.
Jesus of Nazareth was a real person of the flesh and blood who lived for thirty-some years in Palestine during a time that can be historically verified. As a human being He shared the same emotions, thought processes that are common to all people. Their exist actual memories of Jesus as a real person.
Jesus was a Jew who accepted and cherished the religion of Israel, and its tradition as the will of God for him and his people. He took part in the religious life of his time, which including reading of the 'Torah", attending synagogue, making pilgrimages to the "Temple," learning from the priests and teachers of His time, and following the laws and religious customs of the Jews. After all this and we still don't understand the concept of worshiping our Lord. Yet in the year 2017, we continue to mold Jesus into our idol. What we want him to be for us. " Pick a hat." to satisfy our longing. Preachers are not to be salesmen! They have nothing to sell. They are to be bearers of good news. " Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. As Isaiah said, " without money and without price." If you have any hats that you apply to Jesus. Throw them away and enjoy!
women goes into a store to buy a hat. The assistant suggests, first this one, then that one, and then another one- until finally she produces one she insists, " suits madam perfectly." The assistant is suggesting that the hat expresses her clients personality. Human beings put a variety of " personality hats on God's head. 1.) Some put an academic hat on him. After all He knows everything;
" As He asked Peter the third time," Simon do you love me?" And Peter said to him: " Lord, you know everything; You know that I love you." Jesus said:" feed my sheep."
2). Some put a policeman's hat on him. they think of him as one who constantly spies on them from the heights of heaven to catch them when they do wrong. In Psalm 139 David speaks to God: " O Lord, you have searched me and known me. you know when I sit down and when I rise up; You discern my thoughts from far away.
3.) There are those who put a chef's hat on God, They believe he exist merely to provide them with am ample supply of food and drink. In Psalm 145; 15-16 David tells us, "The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand satisfying the desire of every living thing
4.) Others think of God as a kind of heavenly Father or Santa Claus, whose job it is to supply them with all kinds of pleasant things to own and enjoy. Some get a little peeved with him when they have to go short of something, for God tells us:" We are not to worry, saying: "What shall we eat?" or "What shall drink?" or "What will we wear?"
5.) Many look on a Magicians hat as a "must" for the divine wardrobe, for they think of God as the great miracle worker.
6.) Many believe a "Crown" is an appropriate hat for God. The Bible often uses words like " King" and "Kingdom" when referring to him.
7.) Because many uninformed people view the Christian faith and life merely as a matter of "Do" and Don't." They think of a Puritan's hat as suitable garb for God. A man ran up to Jesus and asked; " Good teacher, What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Why do you call me good?? No one is Good? but God alone.
8.) Some think of God only when sick. Remarkably, many people are quick to ask, " What have I done to deserve this?" But slow to ask this same question, when they are well.
There is an element of truth in the messages of all these hats. Each reflects something of what the 'Bible" has to say about God and His attributes . It is essential, however, to keep in mind that God's all- embracing quality is love. This binds all of His other qualities together as a cord binds the stalks in a sheaf of hay.
God is what He is- no matter what hat we put on him, or what people think of him. Our task is to come to grips with his self-description, his character and His way of doing things.
He once did wear a hat, made of "thorns." He did not choose it for himself. Men fashioned it and placed it on him in mockery.
Jesus of Nazareth was a real person of the flesh and blood who lived for thirty-some years in Palestine during a time that can be historically verified. As a human being He shared the same emotions, thought processes that are common to all people. Their exist actual memories of Jesus as a real person.
Jesus was a Jew who accepted and cherished the religion of Israel, and its tradition as the will of God for him and his people. He took part in the religious life of his time, which including reading of the 'Torah", attending synagogue, making pilgrimages to the "Temple," learning from the priests and teachers of His time, and following the laws and religious customs of the Jews. After all this and we still don't understand the concept of worshiping our Lord. Yet in the year 2017, we continue to mold Jesus into our idol. What we want him to be for us. " Pick a hat." to satisfy our longing. Preachers are not to be salesmen! They have nothing to sell. They are to be bearers of good news. " Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. As Isaiah said, " without money and without price." If you have any hats that you apply to Jesus. Throw them away and enjoy!
Friday, February 3, 2017
Mark 1: 9:15 "Our call.!
Text: And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in the Jordan.
And straight away coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens open, and the spirit like a dove descending upon him. And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
Now after that John was put into prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: (near).repent ye and believe the gospel. [following the prophecy from Dan.9 :25]. John 1;41; Isa. 55;4.
We are creatures of many needs, who have learned that humans are a bundle of needs. We need food, clothing, shelter and so we go to work. After a full day of work, we get hungry, and we satisfy that need by eating. The patient in the hospital, losing blood, needs a transfusion; the drowning boy needs a life-guard; the bereaved widow needs comfort. The lonely young man needs companionship; the family in a burning house needs the help of the fireman; the storekeeper in a robbery needs a policemen; The perplexed child needs understanding and loving parents. How many more needs we could list! How many do we suspect we have!
Some needs we cannot even identify, yet they gnaw at us, and demands fulfillment.
Wise people have always brought their needs to God. That is the way God wants it. Jesus said " Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden. Take your troubles to church and leave them there. It is a dispensary to which you come loaded with cares, leaving them at church.
In the centuries before Christ was born, God's people approached God through the high priests, who presented the deep needs of the people to God. And then relayed from God the announcement of forgiveness.
This intercession of the high priest was usually accompanied by bloody sacrifices which were to point forward to the sacrifice of God's lamb, Jesus Christ, Not for the sins of the nation, but for the sins of the world. Finally Jesus came and supplanted the high priests by making a single saving sacrifice for sin on the cross and by making continuous intercession for us since his ascension to the right hand of the Father. It is our privilege now to come to the throne of God's grace and lay our needs upon His altar, and walk away.
You see "Our High priest Jesus Christ is worthy of our trust." He is appointed by God for this office with the commission: " Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee." " thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, priest and king of Salem (Jerusalem) type of Christ, the priest king (Heb 5:6-10; 6:20; 7). The other priests office was ended by death, But Christ priesthood goes on forever. We have a great high priest who has passed into the heavens, Jesus, the "Son of God"... who is consecrated for evermore. He did not stop being our priest when He died; but by being raised from the dead. He continues in that unique office. At any moment when we may need His intercession, or help, he is available; and He doesn't resent night callers. Find your help in Christ. He not only functions on your behalf and knows how you are being troubled, but he earnestly invites you to come
to him.
So earnestly, does he crave your trust in him,he is brought to tears when this offer is scorned. The whole mystery of Christ had this purpose. In fact he came to earth to call all men to God. His every word was a magnet, for drawing all men to himself, even his dying on the cross. Every segment on earth was a response to our needs. Mary and Martha needed comfort; Here was there to give it. The women caught in adultery needed forgiveness, and a new life; and he was there to offer it. Peter, James, John, needed something important to live for, he gave it to them. Everyone in the world needed forgiveness. He earned it for all. Do you hesitate to bring your troubles to Christ, when you know all about him, especially when you hear him, with outstretch arms, saying to you: " If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink. (John 7:37). " I come that they may have life." and that they may have it abundantly. (John 10:10). He that comes to me, I will not cast out. The tragedy of Christ is that he stands there so often alone, or in company of very few, and has to say: you will not come to me and have life." (John 5:40). All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto disobedient and gain saying people. (Romans 10:21). Our needs are still unsatisfied because we have not responded to the gracious invitations of Christ. Listen he still calls! " Come unto me." He did not, even when on the Cross with arms stretched out, " Holy Blood" dripping from palms, should have convince us that he meant every word. But He did not stop pleading then and still does now, to show us he means every word. People do not realize they are playing Russian roulette with their soul, when they deny the call of Christ.
Remember this is not a bar of justice at which our high "Priest" stands but the "Throne of Grace."
That we may find "Grace" in the time of need.
And straight away coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens open, and the spirit like a dove descending upon him. And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
Now after that John was put into prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: (near).repent ye and believe the gospel. [following the prophecy from Dan.9 :25]. John 1;41; Isa. 55;4.
We are creatures of many needs, who have learned that humans are a bundle of needs. We need food, clothing, shelter and so we go to work. After a full day of work, we get hungry, and we satisfy that need by eating. The patient in the hospital, losing blood, needs a transfusion; the drowning boy needs a life-guard; the bereaved widow needs comfort. The lonely young man needs companionship; the family in a burning house needs the help of the fireman; the storekeeper in a robbery needs a policemen; The perplexed child needs understanding and loving parents. How many more needs we could list! How many do we suspect we have!
Some needs we cannot even identify, yet they gnaw at us, and demands fulfillment.
Wise people have always brought their needs to God. That is the way God wants it. Jesus said " Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden. Take your troubles to church and leave them there. It is a dispensary to which you come loaded with cares, leaving them at church.
In the centuries before Christ was born, God's people approached God through the high priests, who presented the deep needs of the people to God. And then relayed from God the announcement of forgiveness.
This intercession of the high priest was usually accompanied by bloody sacrifices which were to point forward to the sacrifice of God's lamb, Jesus Christ, Not for the sins of the nation, but for the sins of the world. Finally Jesus came and supplanted the high priests by making a single saving sacrifice for sin on the cross and by making continuous intercession for us since his ascension to the right hand of the Father. It is our privilege now to come to the throne of God's grace and lay our needs upon His altar, and walk away.
You see "Our High priest Jesus Christ is worthy of our trust." He is appointed by God for this office with the commission: " Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee." " thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, priest and king of Salem (Jerusalem) type of Christ, the priest king (Heb 5:6-10; 6:20; 7). The other priests office was ended by death, But Christ priesthood goes on forever. We have a great high priest who has passed into the heavens, Jesus, the "Son of God"... who is consecrated for evermore. He did not stop being our priest when He died; but by being raised from the dead. He continues in that unique office. At any moment when we may need His intercession, or help, he is available; and He doesn't resent night callers. Find your help in Christ. He not only functions on your behalf and knows how you are being troubled, but he earnestly invites you to come
to him.
So earnestly, does he crave your trust in him,he is brought to tears when this offer is scorned. The whole mystery of Christ had this purpose. In fact he came to earth to call all men to God. His every word was a magnet, for drawing all men to himself, even his dying on the cross. Every segment on earth was a response to our needs. Mary and Martha needed comfort; Here was there to give it. The women caught in adultery needed forgiveness, and a new life; and he was there to offer it. Peter, James, John, needed something important to live for, he gave it to them. Everyone in the world needed forgiveness. He earned it for all. Do you hesitate to bring your troubles to Christ, when you know all about him, especially when you hear him, with outstretch arms, saying to you: " If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink. (John 7:37). " I come that they may have life." and that they may have it abundantly. (John 10:10). He that comes to me, I will not cast out. The tragedy of Christ is that he stands there so often alone, or in company of very few, and has to say: you will not come to me and have life." (John 5:40). All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto disobedient and gain saying people. (Romans 10:21). Our needs are still unsatisfied because we have not responded to the gracious invitations of Christ. Listen he still calls! " Come unto me." He did not, even when on the Cross with arms stretched out, " Holy Blood" dripping from palms, should have convince us that he meant every word. But He did not stop pleading then and still does now, to show us he means every word. People do not realize they are playing Russian roulette with their soul, when they deny the call of Christ.
Remember this is not a bar of justice at which our high "Priest" stands but the "Throne of Grace."
That we may find "Grace" in the time of need.
Thursday, February 2, 2017
Psalm 22. " The Suffering of the Messiah. Messianic Psalm.
Much of the center of thought on Messianic Psalms has to do with the sufferings of the Lord Jesus.
Which of us can really know the sufferings of crucifixion? Not I? But we do know it was an agony beyond compare. We do have a Hollywood stereotype of crucifixion, we have seen a tall cross standing high above the horizon in many films.
In reality, this was not the case. The Roman cross was short. In fact, the victim of crucifixion was rarely more than two feet above the ground. While the victim remained alive, the wild dogs would come in from the desert and chew on his legs. Very often, a victim of crucifixion would live for two or thee days in agony.
During crucifixion , the victim was placed on the cross which was lying on the ground. Nails were driven through the hands at the juncture of the wrist, and then through the feet, to secure him in that position. The cross being being raised and then dropped in a previously dug hole. When it struck bottom of the hole, the impact would usually pull loose the shoulder joints and ligaments, as the entire body weight pulled against the wrists with the force of the cross. As death began to slowly, creep in a semi rigor mortis set in.
Because of the fact that the bones were pulled out of joint, the victim began to suffocate, but also the victim became very thirsty. Add to the fact the victim was impaled naked and helpless. for all to see. It was pain, agony, and humiliation beyond. compare. and if that was not sufficient, the Lord Jesus suffered with a crown of thorns and a mutilated back as he bore our sins there on Calvary's tree. Yet, we could wish him no greater diadem, [ than that crown of thorns which takes us back to the curse] in the Garden of Eden, when God said that nature would bring forth thorns as a result of Adam's fall. When they made the crown of thorns and pressed it on the head of the Savior, as He hung there suspended between heaven and earth, with blood streaming down His forehead, the thorny diadem had a great significance. He was bearing the "Curse" for all mankind and all creation, as He performed this act of redemption.
The Scripture is very plain when it says, " It pleased the Lord to bruise him" ( Isa. 53 : 10). Because He was the lamb slain before the foundation of the world, in anticipation of his agony to be endured for our sakes, Christ opened His heart to the psalmist as he penned in psalm 22:1, "My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me". David was in desperate trouble when he penned this, and the Messiah would be in more desperate trouble when He used those words as He went to the cross. As he penned this, David must have wondered what he was saying; but a thousand years later the Lord Jesus would literally experienced this. The Prophecy continues in 22: 16-22) " They part my garments among them, and cast lots for my vesture.
This is prophecy as Christ himself inspired David to write what He would experience, when He paid the ultimate penalty for our sin on Calvary's cross.
His enemies were so confounded they did not say a word to challenge Him from that time forward.
Which of us can really know the sufferings of crucifixion? Not I? But we do know it was an agony beyond compare. We do have a Hollywood stereotype of crucifixion, we have seen a tall cross standing high above the horizon in many films.
In reality, this was not the case. The Roman cross was short. In fact, the victim of crucifixion was rarely more than two feet above the ground. While the victim remained alive, the wild dogs would come in from the desert and chew on his legs. Very often, a victim of crucifixion would live for two or thee days in agony.
During crucifixion , the victim was placed on the cross which was lying on the ground. Nails were driven through the hands at the juncture of the wrist, and then through the feet, to secure him in that position. The cross being being raised and then dropped in a previously dug hole. When it struck bottom of the hole, the impact would usually pull loose the shoulder joints and ligaments, as the entire body weight pulled against the wrists with the force of the cross. As death began to slowly, creep in a semi rigor mortis set in.
Because of the fact that the bones were pulled out of joint, the victim began to suffocate, but also the victim became very thirsty. Add to the fact the victim was impaled naked and helpless. for all to see. It was pain, agony, and humiliation beyond. compare. and if that was not sufficient, the Lord Jesus suffered with a crown of thorns and a mutilated back as he bore our sins there on Calvary's tree. Yet, we could wish him no greater diadem, [ than that crown of thorns which takes us back to the curse] in the Garden of Eden, when God said that nature would bring forth thorns as a result of Adam's fall. When they made the crown of thorns and pressed it on the head of the Savior, as He hung there suspended between heaven and earth, with blood streaming down His forehead, the thorny diadem had a great significance. He was bearing the "Curse" for all mankind and all creation, as He performed this act of redemption.
The Scripture is very plain when it says, " It pleased the Lord to bruise him" ( Isa. 53 : 10). Because He was the lamb slain before the foundation of the world, in anticipation of his agony to be endured for our sakes, Christ opened His heart to the psalmist as he penned in psalm 22:1, "My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me". David was in desperate trouble when he penned this, and the Messiah would be in more desperate trouble when He used those words as He went to the cross. As he penned this, David must have wondered what he was saying; but a thousand years later the Lord Jesus would literally experienced this. The Prophecy continues in 22: 16-22) " They part my garments among them, and cast lots for my vesture.
This is prophecy as Christ himself inspired David to write what He would experience, when He paid the ultimate penalty for our sin on Calvary's cross.
His enemies were so confounded they did not say a word to challenge Him from that time forward.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Messianic Psalms.
Our look at the Psalms, would not be complete without consideration of the " Messianic Psalms" These are psalms concerned with the Messiah. They were given to the psalmist by the Lord Jesus Christ in his pre-incarnate eternal state. As the Lord Jesus looked down through the corridors of time from eternity past, he poured out his heart in anticipation of the sufferings and sorrows that He knew, He would endure a thousand years later. In these Psalms, we have a glimpse of what He knowingly faced for us. Many Messianic Psalms were written by David between 1010 and 970 B.C., one thousand years before the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
There are three types of " Messianic Psalms." The first can be identified as "Typical." In a Typical Messianic Psalm there is some feature in the life of the palmist that is intended by the
Holy Spirit to be a picture or type of Messiah.
In the Typical Messianic , we do not say that all the psalmist's life, activities , or circumstances mentioned, are Messianic. Otherwise, in many instances we would end up with heresy. Only some particular feature of the psalm is the type. Psalm 69 is a lament, or reminder, psalm. Verse 5 demonstrates that the entire psalm is not Messianic. It reads, " O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee. " We know this can not refer to the Messiah because he is sinless. But then in verse 7 we read, " because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame has covered my face." With That, David's experience becomes a type of the Messiah. He continues in verse 8, " I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children." Notice the synonymous parallelism in these two verses. Again, David's experience made him a type of Christ, who in his lifetime became a stranger and an alien because His relatives believed He was "beside himself."
Continuing in Psalm 69, verse 9 says, " For the zeal of thine house has eaten me up." " As a theocentric individual, David was so consumed with the worship of Jehovah, that he spent hours and days in worship at the Ark in Jerusalem and at the Tabernacle and brazen altar in Gibeon.
In this psalm he said "I am just consumed with worshiping God." A thousand years later, when the apostle John saw the Lord Jesus in His zeal for the Temple, he recorded in John 2:17, " And his disciples remembered that it was written, the zeal of thy house has eaten me up." In that respect, they immediately likened the Lord Jesus to His ancestor David and linked Him with this psalm. again in verse 12, David's experience is a type of Christ: "They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the "song of drunkards." Psalm 69 looks at verses 19 and 20:
"Thou has known my "reproach, and my shame, and my dishonor....
Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness; and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
As the Lord Jesus Christ was on the cross one thousand years later, looking at the faces staring up at him, He saw them shooting out the lip, wagging their heads, mocking him saying, " Thou Son of God come down from the cross and save thyself," As the Psalmist says, " He found no pity in any eyes or faces looking up at Him in sullen pride and arrogance. " They gave me also gall for my meat; (typical) and in my thirst they gave me vinegar ( prophetic). " We have no evidence that this ever happened to David. When he uses this kind of vocabulary, he steps beyond the category of a Typical Psalm to a Prophetic Messianic Psalm. The Prophecy starts in (Psalm 69;21- and is fulfilled in Matt. ( 27:34, 48). Up to this point, history has been in play in David's life. He experienced the rebuke of friends when he fled from Saul, and was abused by Shimei when he fled from Absalom. When he was across the Jordan after Absalom invaded Jerusalem, I am certain he was the song of drunkards, and even later on during during the rebellion of Sheba. So, in those portions of the Psalm, David was experiencing in his own life those things that the Lord Jesus would later experience. It is not believed that David ever experienced gall and vinegar himself. But, the figurative language, and what may sometimes have even appeared to be " "hyperbole," was to strengthen the message) for what was literally fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. So the definition for a "Typical- Prophetic Messianic Psalm" is history plus inspired foresight, with the Psalmist going beyond himself, and his own experience.
There are three types of " Messianic Psalms." The first can be identified as "Typical." In a Typical Messianic Psalm there is some feature in the life of the palmist that is intended by the
Holy Spirit to be a picture or type of Messiah.
In the Typical Messianic , we do not say that all the psalmist's life, activities , or circumstances mentioned, are Messianic. Otherwise, in many instances we would end up with heresy. Only some particular feature of the psalm is the type. Psalm 69 is a lament, or reminder, psalm. Verse 5 demonstrates that the entire psalm is not Messianic. It reads, " O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee. " We know this can not refer to the Messiah because he is sinless. But then in verse 7 we read, " because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame has covered my face." With That, David's experience becomes a type of the Messiah. He continues in verse 8, " I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children." Notice the synonymous parallelism in these two verses. Again, David's experience made him a type of Christ, who in his lifetime became a stranger and an alien because His relatives believed He was "beside himself."
Continuing in Psalm 69, verse 9 says, " For the zeal of thine house has eaten me up." " As a theocentric individual, David was so consumed with the worship of Jehovah, that he spent hours and days in worship at the Ark in Jerusalem and at the Tabernacle and brazen altar in Gibeon.
In this psalm he said "I am just consumed with worshiping God." A thousand years later, when the apostle John saw the Lord Jesus in His zeal for the Temple, he recorded in John 2:17, " And his disciples remembered that it was written, the zeal of thy house has eaten me up." In that respect, they immediately likened the Lord Jesus to His ancestor David and linked Him with this psalm. again in verse 12, David's experience is a type of Christ: "They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the "song of drunkards." Psalm 69 looks at verses 19 and 20:
"Thou has known my "reproach, and my shame, and my dishonor....
Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness; and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
As the Lord Jesus Christ was on the cross one thousand years later, looking at the faces staring up at him, He saw them shooting out the lip, wagging their heads, mocking him saying, " Thou Son of God come down from the cross and save thyself," As the Psalmist says, " He found no pity in any eyes or faces looking up at Him in sullen pride and arrogance. " They gave me also gall for my meat; (typical) and in my thirst they gave me vinegar ( prophetic). " We have no evidence that this ever happened to David. When he uses this kind of vocabulary, he steps beyond the category of a Typical Psalm to a Prophetic Messianic Psalm. The Prophecy starts in (Psalm 69;21- and is fulfilled in Matt. ( 27:34, 48). Up to this point, history has been in play in David's life. He experienced the rebuke of friends when he fled from Saul, and was abused by Shimei when he fled from Absalom. When he was across the Jordan after Absalom invaded Jerusalem, I am certain he was the song of drunkards, and even later on during during the rebellion of Sheba. So, in those portions of the Psalm, David was experiencing in his own life those things that the Lord Jesus would later experience. It is not believed that David ever experienced gall and vinegar himself. But, the figurative language, and what may sometimes have even appeared to be " "hyperbole," was to strengthen the message) for what was literally fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. So the definition for a "Typical- Prophetic Messianic Psalm" is history plus inspired foresight, with the Psalmist going beyond himself, and his own experience.
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