THE FOLLOWING ESSAY ABOUT GOD BY THIS 8-YEAR OLD BOY IS PROFOUND. HE HAS MORE INSIGHT THAN SOME PREACHERS I'VE HEARD! I'VE LEFT IN SOME OF THE SPELLING ERRORS FOR THE "INSIGHT" THEY PROVIDE:
ONE OF GOD'S MAIN JOBS IS MAKING PEOPLE. HE MAKES THESE TO PUT IN PLACE OF THE ONES THAT DIES. SO THERE WILL BE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO TAKE CARE OF THE THINGS HERE ON EARTH. HE DOESN'T MAKE GROWN-UPS. JUST BABIES. I THINK BECAUSE THEY ARE SMALLER AND EASIER TO MAKE. THAT WAY HE DOESN'T HAVE TO TAKE UP HIS VALUABLE TEACHING THEM TO WALK AND TALK. HE CAN JUST LEAVE THAT UP TO THE MOTHERS AND FATHERS. I THINK IT WORKS OUT PREETY GOOD.
GOD'S SECOND MOST IMPORTANT JOB IS LISTENING TO PRAYERS. AN AWFUL LOT OF THIS GOES ON, AS SOME PEOPLE, LIKE PREACHERS AND THINGS ( EMPHASIS MINE) PRAY OTHER TIMES BESIDE BEDTIME. GOD DOESN'T HAVE TIME TO LISTEN TO THE RADIO OR T.V. ON ACCOUNT OF THIS. AS HE HEARS VERYTHING NOT ONLY PRAYERS, THERE MUST BE A TERRIBLE AMOUNT OF NOISE GOING INTO HIS EARS, UNLESS HE HAS THOUGHT OF A WAY TTO TURN IT OFF.
GOD SEES EVERYRHING AND HEAR EVERYTHING AND IS EVERYWHERE. WHICH KEEPS HIM PREETY BUSY. SO YOU SHOULD'T WASTE HIS TIME BY GOING OVER YOUR PARENTS HEAD AND ASK FOR SOMETHING THEY SAID YOU COULDN'T HAVE.
ATHEISTS ARE PEOPLE WHO DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD. I DON'T THINK THERE ARE ANY IN CHULA VISTA. AT LEAST THERE AREN'T ANY WHO COME TO OUR CHURCH.
JESUS IS GOD'S SON. HE USE TO DO ALL THE WORK LIKE WALKING ON WATER AND DOING MIRACLES AND TRYING TO TEACH PEOPLE ABOUT GOD WHO DIDN'T WANT TO LEARN. THEY FINALLY GOT TIRED OF HIM PREACHING TO THEM AND THEY CURSIFIED (NOT TO FAR FROM THE TRUTH) HIM. BUT HE WAS GOOD AND KIND LIKE HIS FATHER AND HE TOLOD HIS FATHER THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND TO FORGIVE THEM AND GOD SAID OK.
HIS DAD (GOD) APPRECIATED EVERYTHING HE HAD DONE AAAND ALL HIS HARD WORK ON EARTH, SO HE TOLD HIM HE DIDN'T HAVE TO GON ON THE ROAD ANYMORE. HE COULD STAY IN HEAVEN. SO HE DID. AND NOW HE HELPS HIS DAD OUT BY LISTENING TO PRAYERS AAAND SEEING WHICH THINGS ARE IMPORTANT. FOR GOD TO TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF WWITHOUT BOTHERING GOD ABOUT. LIKE A SECRETARY-- ONLY MORE IMPORTANT OF COURSE. YOU CAN PRAY ANYTIME YOU WANT AND THEY ARE SURE TO HEAR YOU BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT IT WORKED OUT SO ONE OF THEM IS ON DUTY ALL THE TIME.
YOU SHOULD ALWAYS GO TO SUNDAY SCHOOL BECUSE IT MAKES GOD HAPPY, AND IF THERE'S ANYBODY YOU WANT TO MAKE HAPPY IT'S GOD! DON'T SKIP SUNDAY SCHOOL TO GO TO THE BEACH, THIS IS WRONG AND BESIDES THE SUN DOESN'T COME OUT AT THE BEACH UNTIL NOON, ANYWAY ( PROFOUND)..
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD, BESIDES BEING AN ATHEIST, YOU WILL BE VERY LONELY,. BECAUSE YOUR PARENTS CAN'T GO EVERYWHERE WITH YOU, LIKE TO CAMP BUT GOD CAN. IT'S GOOD TO KNOW HE'S AROUND WHEN YOU'RE SCARED OF THE DARK OR WHEN YOU CAN'T SWIM VERY GOOD AND YOU GET THROWN IN THE REAL DEEP WATER BY BIG KIDS. BUT YOU SHOULD'T JUST ALWAYS THINK OF GOD AND WHAT HE CAN DO FOR YOU. I FIGURE GOD PUT ME HERE AND HE CAN TAKE ME BACK ANYTIME HE PLEASES. ( KIND OF LIKE AN AUTOMOTIVE!) RECALL AND THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE IN GOD.
DANNY DUTTON, AGE 8 CHULA VISTA, CA. SUBMITTED BY EARL THORNTON, HAWTHORNE,CA..
Saturday, December 30, 2017
Friday, December 29, 2017
THE PRAYER ON CONSECRATION [ 17:1-26].
THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS THE PRAYER WHICH JESUS OFFERS ON THE EVE OF HIS CRUCIFIXION IN THE PRESENCE OF THE DISCIPLES. IT IS UTTERED EITHER IN THE UPPER ROOM OR IN THE COURTYARD BELOW, OR POSSIBLY IN THE TEMPLE COURTS.
THE LEADING THOUGHTS OF THE PRAYER SPRING FROM THE TEACHING GIVEN IN CHAPTERS xiv-xvi;
THE LEADING THOUGHTS OF THE PRAYER SPRING FROM THE TEACHING GIVEN IN CHAPTERS xiv-xvi;
Thursday, December 28, 2017
JESUS APPEARS TO HIS DISCIPLES. [JOHN: 20:19-31].
THIS TEXT, WHICH FOCUSES ON THE DOUBLE APPEARANCE OF JESUS TO THE DISCIPLES IN THE UPPER ROOM, ONCE WITHOUT THOMAS BEING PRESENT AND ONCE WITH HIM BEING PRESENT, PROVIDES THE PREACHER WITH A VARIETY OF OPTIONS FOR PROCLAMATINS. THERE HAS BEEN MUCH CONTROVERSY ABOUT THE FIRST OF TWO ENCOUNTERS RECORDED IN vv. 19-23. WHAT ARE WE TO MAKE OF JESUS BREATHING ON HIS DISCIPLES vv. 24-29. STILL COWERING BEHIND LOCKED DOORS, WITH NO SIGN AFTER JESUS SAYING RECEIVE "THE HOLY SPIRIT WITH OUT THEM GOING OUT AND PROCLAIMING CHRIST BOLDLY, THEY WITNESSED TO NO ONE. JESUS ACTION SHOULD BE SEEN AS A PROPHETIC SIGN- ACT, MUCH LIKE HIS CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE, WHICH DEPICTS AND FORESHADOWS IN DRAMATIC FASHION WHAT IS YET TO COME. THE FIRST ENCOUNTER INCLUDES THE SHALOM GREETING, BY WHICH JESUS CONVEYS WHOLENESS AND WELL-BEING, NOT MERELY CALMNESS, TO HIS DISCIPLES. HE THEN SHOWS THEM HIS HANDS AND SIDES, A GESTURE APPARENTLY MEANT TO MAKE CLEAR TO THEM EXACTLY WHO HE WAS, OR PERHAPS TO CONFIRM HIS TANGIBILITY AS THE RISEN ONE. NOTICE THAT THE DISCIPLES ONLY REJOICE AFTER THIS GESTURE, SUGGESTING THIS IS THE MEANS BY WHICH THEY HAD CONFIRMED TO THEIR HEARTS THAT HE WAS ALIVE AND WITH THEM.
THE FAMILIAR STORY OF THE DOUBTING THOMAS OCCURS IN vv. 24-29, AND THIS IS OFTEN WHY THIS LECTION IS CHOSEN FOR PREACHING AT EASTER.
I HEARD ABOUT A SERMON ENTITLED " LATE FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT," COMPARING AND CONTRASTING THE STORIES IN vv.19-23 AND vv.24-29.
THE SUGGESTION WAS THAT THOMAS MISSED OUT ON THE SPIRIT BY NOT BEING PRESENT AT THE FIRST APPEARING OF JESUS IN THE UPPER ROOM.--A DUBIOUS CONCLUSION. THE THOMAS STORY DOES, HOWEVER, HIGHLITE SOME FUNAMENTAL TRUTHS THE EVANGELISTS WANTS TO CONVEY. IN THE FIRST PLACE, THERE IS THE STRESS ON GIVING A TRUE CONFESSION ABOUT JESUS. THROUH OUT THE FOURTH GOSPEL THERE HAVE BEEN CONFESSIONS APLENTY ABOUT JESUS, BUT NONE COMPLETELY MATCHED UP TO THE HEIGHTS OF THE PROLOGUE IN JOHN 1. TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, THE CONFESSIONS THAT PRECEDE THAT OF THOMAS TO BEING ADEQUATE CHRISTIAN CONFESSION THAT MATCHES UP WITH THE PROLOGUE. IN THE SECOND PLACE, THE THOMAS STORY CONTRASTS THOSE WHO BELIEVE BECAUSE THEY HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN THE RISEN JESUS AND THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFICIENT FAITH TO BELIEVE WITHOUT ACTUALLY HAVING SEEN. CLEARLY THE AUTHOR SEES THE LATTER AS A MORE BLESSED AND STRONGER FORM OF FAITH, AND THE SUGGESTION IS IMPLICIT THAT THE AUDIENCE OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL ALREADY HAS GREATER FAITH, AND THE SUGGESTION,.
THOUGH MUCH HAS BEEN MADE OF THOMAS INSISTING THAT HE MUST TOUCH THE NAIL SCARRED HANDS AND WOUNDED SIDE OF JESUS IF HE WAS TO BELIEVE, IT IS NOTE WORTHY THAT THE TEXT DOES NOT ACTUALLY SAY THAT HE DID SO. SEEING JESUS WITHOUT TOUCHING MAY HAVE BEEN ENOUGH FOR THOMAS.
THE CHAPTER ENDS WITH A PURPOSE STATEMENT-ABOUT THE ENTIRE GOSPEL.
THE AUTHOR REMINDS THE AUDIENCE IN v,30 THAT HIS GOSPEL ONLY HITS THE HIGHLITES OF JESUS LIFE. JESUS DID MANY OTHER SIGNS AND WONDERS THAN THE ONES RECORDED IN THE FOURTH GOSPEL. BUT THE PURPOSE OF RECORDING THE ONES THAT ARE INCLUDED WAS " SO THAT YOU MAY COME TO BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF GOD, AND THAT THROUGH BELIEVING YOU MAY HAVE LIFE IN HIS NAME." HERE THE THEME OF LIFE RECURS, WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN IN 1 JOHN1 IN ANOTHER TEXT FOR THIS SUNDAY. IF ONE CHOSE TO FOCUS ON THE JOHAN-NINE TEXT, ONE COULD PREACH ON: " CHOOSE LIFE" QUITE EFFECTIVELY. THE MEANING OF JOHN 20:31 IS PROBABLY THAT THE GOSPEL WAS WRITTEN IN ORDWR TO ENGENDER FAITH, NOT MERELY TO ENCOURAGE ALREADY EXISTING FAITH. THIS SUGGESTS THAT WHILE THE FOURTH GOSPEL WAS NOT A TRACT TO BE HANDED OUT, IT WAS NONETHELESS WRITTEN AS A TOOL TO BE USED, BY CHRISTIAN EVANGELISTS, THIS MAY EXPLAIN SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GOSPEL AND SYNOPTICS.
JESUS SPEAKS OF THE MISSION OF THE COMFORTER (HOLY SPIRIT). WHO COMES FROM THE FATHER AND BEARS WITNESS TO THE REVELATION OF TRUTH IN JESUS.
THE DISCIPLES ALSO BY VIRTUE OF THEIR FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM, HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH SAME WITNESSING COMMISSION (16:1-15). JESUS HAS SPOKEN THESE WORDS IN ORDER THAT THEY MAY BE PREPARED TO FACE THE HATRED OF THE WORLD, AND THE PROBABILITY OF MARTYRDOM, FOR HIS SAKE. (1, 2).
THE PERVERTED ZEAL OF THE WORLD WILL SEEK TO COMPASS THEIR DEATH IN THE INTERESTS OF TRUTH, BUT, BUT REALLY BECAUSE IT IS IGNORANT OF THE FATHER AND THE SON. HE WARNS THEM OF A TIME OF SUFFERING, SO THAT THE HOUR OF TRIBULATION THEY MAY REMEMBER HIS WORDS. NOW HE IS RETURNING (TO THE FATHER AND THEY ARE TO OVERCOME WITH GRIEF TO ASK HIM CONCERNING THE PURPOSE OF HIS DEPARTURE, THE GOAL IN VIEW .THE ACT PROCEEDING TO THE FATHER) AND THE GOAL IN VIEW IS FULFILLED, HE WILL SEND THE COMFORTER. " BECAUSE I GO TO THE FATHER." THE STRESS IS WILL PR LAID ON THE IDEA OF HIS WITHDRAWAL.
HIS DEPARTURE, WILL PROCURE FOR THEM THE PARACLETE, WHOSE MISSION INTO THE WORLD WILL BE DIRECTED TO THE GREAT ISSUES OF SIN, AND OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND JUDGMENT. HIS CONVICTING POWER WILL UNMASK SIN AND REVEAL IT S TRUE NATURE (IN THE WORSE SIN OF ALL UNBELIEF.)
THE PARACLETE WILL ALSO VINDICATE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST WILL BE VINDECATED BY THE FATHERS ACCEPTANCE OF HIM. THE VICTORY OF THE RISEN CHRIST IS THE GUARANTEE OF THE FINAL OVERTHROW OF THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD (11) AND THE DIVINE ACT OF REDEMPTION. THESE TRUTHS ARE UNDERSTOOD BY THE DISCIPLES., FROM THE TEACHING OF THE PARACLETE. THE PARACLETE (SPIRIT) WILL GUIDE THEM INTO ALL TRUTH (13). THE SPIRIT DOES NOT SPEAK OF HIMSELF. v,19, vii.17f ). HE WILL GLORIFY THE SON BY MAKING KNOWN HIS WORK. (16:1-15).
THE FAMILIAR STORY OF THE DOUBTING THOMAS OCCURS IN vv. 24-29, AND THIS IS OFTEN WHY THIS LECTION IS CHOSEN FOR PREACHING AT EASTER.
I HEARD ABOUT A SERMON ENTITLED " LATE FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT," COMPARING AND CONTRASTING THE STORIES IN vv.19-23 AND vv.24-29.
THE SUGGESTION WAS THAT THOMAS MISSED OUT ON THE SPIRIT BY NOT BEING PRESENT AT THE FIRST APPEARING OF JESUS IN THE UPPER ROOM.--A DUBIOUS CONCLUSION. THE THOMAS STORY DOES, HOWEVER, HIGHLITE SOME FUNAMENTAL TRUTHS THE EVANGELISTS WANTS TO CONVEY. IN THE FIRST PLACE, THERE IS THE STRESS ON GIVING A TRUE CONFESSION ABOUT JESUS. THROUH OUT THE FOURTH GOSPEL THERE HAVE BEEN CONFESSIONS APLENTY ABOUT JESUS, BUT NONE COMPLETELY MATCHED UP TO THE HEIGHTS OF THE PROLOGUE IN JOHN 1. TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, THE CONFESSIONS THAT PRECEDE THAT OF THOMAS TO BEING ADEQUATE CHRISTIAN CONFESSION THAT MATCHES UP WITH THE PROLOGUE. IN THE SECOND PLACE, THE THOMAS STORY CONTRASTS THOSE WHO BELIEVE BECAUSE THEY HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN THE RISEN JESUS AND THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFICIENT FAITH TO BELIEVE WITHOUT ACTUALLY HAVING SEEN. CLEARLY THE AUTHOR SEES THE LATTER AS A MORE BLESSED AND STRONGER FORM OF FAITH, AND THE SUGGESTION IS IMPLICIT THAT THE AUDIENCE OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL ALREADY HAS GREATER FAITH, AND THE SUGGESTION,.
THOUGH MUCH HAS BEEN MADE OF THOMAS INSISTING THAT HE MUST TOUCH THE NAIL SCARRED HANDS AND WOUNDED SIDE OF JESUS IF HE WAS TO BELIEVE, IT IS NOTE WORTHY THAT THE TEXT DOES NOT ACTUALLY SAY THAT HE DID SO. SEEING JESUS WITHOUT TOUCHING MAY HAVE BEEN ENOUGH FOR THOMAS.
THE CHAPTER ENDS WITH A PURPOSE STATEMENT-ABOUT THE ENTIRE GOSPEL.
THE AUTHOR REMINDS THE AUDIENCE IN v,30 THAT HIS GOSPEL ONLY HITS THE HIGHLITES OF JESUS LIFE. JESUS DID MANY OTHER SIGNS AND WONDERS THAN THE ONES RECORDED IN THE FOURTH GOSPEL. BUT THE PURPOSE OF RECORDING THE ONES THAT ARE INCLUDED WAS " SO THAT YOU MAY COME TO BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF GOD, AND THAT THROUGH BELIEVING YOU MAY HAVE LIFE IN HIS NAME." HERE THE THEME OF LIFE RECURS, WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN IN 1 JOHN1 IN ANOTHER TEXT FOR THIS SUNDAY. IF ONE CHOSE TO FOCUS ON THE JOHAN-NINE TEXT, ONE COULD PREACH ON: " CHOOSE LIFE" QUITE EFFECTIVELY. THE MEANING OF JOHN 20:31 IS PROBABLY THAT THE GOSPEL WAS WRITTEN IN ORDWR TO ENGENDER FAITH, NOT MERELY TO ENCOURAGE ALREADY EXISTING FAITH. THIS SUGGESTS THAT WHILE THE FOURTH GOSPEL WAS NOT A TRACT TO BE HANDED OUT, IT WAS NONETHELESS WRITTEN AS A TOOL TO BE USED, BY CHRISTIAN EVANGELISTS, THIS MAY EXPLAIN SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GOSPEL AND SYNOPTICS.
JESUS SPEAKS OF THE MISSION OF THE COMFORTER (HOLY SPIRIT). WHO COMES FROM THE FATHER AND BEARS WITNESS TO THE REVELATION OF TRUTH IN JESUS.
THE DISCIPLES ALSO BY VIRTUE OF THEIR FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM, HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH SAME WITNESSING COMMISSION (16:1-15). JESUS HAS SPOKEN THESE WORDS IN ORDER THAT THEY MAY BE PREPARED TO FACE THE HATRED OF THE WORLD, AND THE PROBABILITY OF MARTYRDOM, FOR HIS SAKE. (1, 2).
THE PERVERTED ZEAL OF THE WORLD WILL SEEK TO COMPASS THEIR DEATH IN THE INTERESTS OF TRUTH, BUT, BUT REALLY BECAUSE IT IS IGNORANT OF THE FATHER AND THE SON. HE WARNS THEM OF A TIME OF SUFFERING, SO THAT THE HOUR OF TRIBULATION THEY MAY REMEMBER HIS WORDS. NOW HE IS RETURNING (TO THE FATHER AND THEY ARE TO OVERCOME WITH GRIEF TO ASK HIM CONCERNING THE PURPOSE OF HIS DEPARTURE, THE GOAL IN VIEW .THE ACT PROCEEDING TO THE FATHER) AND THE GOAL IN VIEW IS FULFILLED, HE WILL SEND THE COMFORTER. " BECAUSE I GO TO THE FATHER." THE STRESS IS WILL PR LAID ON THE IDEA OF HIS WITHDRAWAL.
HIS DEPARTURE, WILL PROCURE FOR THEM THE PARACLETE, WHOSE MISSION INTO THE WORLD WILL BE DIRECTED TO THE GREAT ISSUES OF SIN, AND OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND JUDGMENT. HIS CONVICTING POWER WILL UNMASK SIN AND REVEAL IT S TRUE NATURE (IN THE WORSE SIN OF ALL UNBELIEF.)
THE PARACLETE WILL ALSO VINDICATE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST WILL BE VINDECATED BY THE FATHERS ACCEPTANCE OF HIM. THE VICTORY OF THE RISEN CHRIST IS THE GUARANTEE OF THE FINAL OVERTHROW OF THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD (11) AND THE DIVINE ACT OF REDEMPTION. THESE TRUTHS ARE UNDERSTOOD BY THE DISCIPLES., FROM THE TEACHING OF THE PARACLETE. THE PARACLETE (SPIRIT) WILL GUIDE THEM INTO ALL TRUTH (13). THE SPIRIT DOES NOT SPEAK OF HIMSELF. v,19, vii.17f ). HE WILL GLORIFY THE SON BY MAKING KNOWN HIS WORK. (16:1-15).
Saturday, December 23, 2017
WISE MEN FROM THE EAST. [ MATTHEW 2 : 13 23].
AS WE CELEBRATE THE LAST DAYS OF THE OLD YEAR, OUR GOSPEL TEXT TODAY CONFRONTS US WITH THE DEATH OF INNOCENT CHILDREN AT THE HANDS OF HEROD. THE BIRTH OF CHRIST DOES NOT REMOVE THE POWER OF EVIL FROM OUR WORLD, BUT ITS LIGHT GIVES US HOPE AS WE WALK WITH THE"HOLY INNOCENTS."
OF PAST GENERATIONS AND TODAY WHO HAVE SUFFERED UNJUSTLY. IN OUR GATHERING AROUND THE WORD AND MEAL, GOD CONTINUES TO REDEEM US, LIFT US UP AND CARRY US IN THE DAYS OF OLD. IN THE TEXT FOR TODAY, ONE PAR OF HEROD'S PLAN HAD NOT WORKED OUT: THE MAGI DID NOT RETURN TO REVEAL THE EXACT WHERE ABOUTS OF THE CHILD. NOW THE LORD ALSO FOILED THE DESIGN AGAINST THE CHILD'S LIFE. " THE TEXT: " AND WHEN THEY DEPARTED, BEHOLD, THE ANGEL OF THE LORD APPEARED TO JOSEPH IN A DREAM, SAYING ARISE, AND TAKE THE YOUNG CHILD AND HIS MOTHER AND FLEE INTO EGYPT, AND BE THERE UNTIL I BRING YOU WORD; FOR HEROD WILL SEEK THE YOUNG CHILD TO DESTROY HIM. GOD AGAIN MAKES USE OF ANGELIC VISION, IN MATTHEW 1:20; TELLING JOSEPH TO MARRY MARY AND NOT TO ABANDON HER. THE NEED OF HASTE IS EXPRESSED: HAVING ARISEN, TAKE AT ONCE; LOSE NO TIME. THE CHILD AGAIN IS NAMED FIRST, EVERYTHING REVOLVES AROUND HIS WELL BEING. "AND HIS MOTHER," THE ANGEL SAYS. THE PHRASEOLOGY IS VERY CAREFUL AND ONCE MORE DEFINITELY POINTS TO THE VIRGIN BIRTH. THE REASON FOR THE COMMAND IS ALSO STATED, IN ORDER TO PREVENT DELAY. HEROD HAS THE INTENTION, HE HAS PLANNED, HE IS ABOUT TO SEARCH FOR THE CHILD WITH A PURPOSE OF PUTTING HIM TO DEATH. EVEN THE PLACE OF REFUGE IS NAMED IN THE DIVINE MESSAGE. EGYPT SHOULD BE THEIR TEMPORARY HOME UNTIL SUCH A TIME AS A FURTHER COMMAND OR COMMUNICATION TO JOSEPH WOULD PERMIT THEIR RETURN.
EGYPT WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE MANY JEWS HAD SETTLED IN THAT COUNTRY.
THE HOLY FAMILY WOULD THEREFORE BE AMONG FELLOW-COUNTRY-MEN AND IN A ROMAN PROVINCE, WHERE THE RAGE OF HEROD COULD NOT PURSUE THEM.
THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY THAT ITS VERY HARD TO GET INTO THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS, WHAT WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS WE'RE FACING IN THE WWWORLD.
IT DOES SEEM LIKE IT IS VERY HARD TO SING " JOY TO THE WORLD" IN TIMES LIKE THESE. BUT WHAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT CHRIST WAS NOT BORN INTO A WORLD THAT WAS ANTICEPTIC AND CLEAN AND FREE FROM PROBLEMS.
LET US HEAR A SOLDIER'S THREAT AND A BABY'S CRY. THE BIRTH OF CHRIST WAS NOT WELCOME BY EVERYONE. HEROD THE KING DID NOT WANT IT. HE WAS AFRAID OF ANYONE THAT MIGHT GROW UP AND MIGHT BECOME A THREAT TO HIS RULERSHIP, SO HE SOUGHT TO DISCOVER WHERE THE BABY WAS. WHEN HE COULDN'T DO THAT, HE HAD EVERY BOY TWO YEARS OLD OR UNDER IN THE AREA KILLED. SOLDIERS AND THEIR THREATS AS THEY WALKED UP TO THE DOOR, THE HEART WRENCHING CRY OF THE BABIES AS THEY DIED-A HORRIBLE THOUGHT, BUT IT IS THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR CHRISTMAS STORY. WHAT COULD THAT SAY TO US? THERE IS SUFFERING IN THE WORLD BUT ALSO A GOD WHO COMES TO SHARE IT. THE BIBLE ALWAYS REALISTIC. IT LOOKS AT LIFE LIKE IT REALLY IS, AND THE FIRST CHRISTMAS STORY IS NO EXCEPTION. DID THE PARENTS UNDERSTAND WHY LITTLE BABIES WERE KILLED? I'M SURE THEY DIDN'T. WHAT COULD THAT SAY TO US? IT WAS HORRIBLE, SUCH INNOCENT SUFFERING! THIS IS WHAT CHRISTMAS TRIES TO REMIND US THAT THERE IS A GOD WHO UNDERSTANDS OUR STRUGGLES AND PAIN. HE HAS COME TO SHARE IT WITH US. IN OUR SUFFERING WE ARE NOT ALONE. MYSTERY AND UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDED THE EARLY CHRISTMAS STORY. MARY AND JOSEPH DID NOT HAVE TIME TO ENJOY THE BIRTH OF THEIR BABY. INSTEAD, THEY HAD TO SNATCH HIM UP AND RUN. THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEM. THEY HAD SEEN GOD HAD ALREADY GONE BEFORE THEM TO PREPARE FOR THE BIRTH. THEREFORE, THEY LIVED WITH THE BELIEF THAT GOD WOULD GO BEFORE THEM TO PREPARE THE WAY. QUESTIONS RUN THROUGH OUR MIND. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. ON, AND ON GO THE QUESTIONS AND WE HAVE NO ANSWERS. TOMORROW IS A MYSTERY AND WILL ALWAYS BE. THERE IS DEATH IN THE WORLD BUT ALSO A GOD WHO OVERCOMES IT. THE STRANGE FACT OF THE CHRISTMAS STORY IS THAT THE VERY BABY WHO HAD RUN FOR HIS LIFE, WAS THE ONE WHO GREW UP TO CONQUER DEATH. DEATH IS NOT THE END, BUT A PASSAGE WAY O SOMETHING GREATER AND MORE. THROUGH OUR FAITH IN JESUS WE DISCOVER HE IS WITH US FOREVER.
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ONE VERSE IN TWENTY-FIVE DEALS WITH THE LORD'S RETURN. IT IS MENTIONED 318 TIMES IN THE 26O CHAPTERS. IT OCCUPIES A PROMINENT PLACE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES CONCERNING THE COMING OF CHRIST, NOT WITH THE FIRST ADVENT IN WHICH HE DIED AS OUR SIN-BEARER, BUT WITH HIS SECOND ADVENT IN WHICH HE IS TO RULE AS KING. THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST IS MENTIONED IN EVERY NEW TESTAMENN BOOKS EXCEPT GALATIANS ( WHICH WAS WRITTEN WITH A PARTICULAR AND QUITE DIFFERENT PROBLEM AND THE VERY SHORT BOOKS SUCH AS 2AND3 JOHN AND PHILEMON. JESUS SPOKE OF HIS RETURN VERY OFTEN. MARK RECORDS HIM SAYING, " WHOEVER IS ASHAMED OF ME AND OF MY WORDS IN THIS ADULTEROUS AND SINFUL GENERATION, OF HIM WILL THE SON-OF-MAN BE ASHAMED, WHEN HE COMES IN GLORY OF HIS FATHER AND HOLY ANGELS (MK.8:38) THEN THEY WILL SEE THE SON-OF-MAN COMING IN THE CLOUDS WITH GREAT POWER. THEN HE WILL SEND OUT HIS ANGELS, AND GATHER HIS ELECT FROM THE FOUR WINDS, FROM THE ENDS OF THE EARTH TO THE ENDS OF HEAVENS (MK.13:26-27). JOHN TELLS US THAT CHRIST'S LAST WORDS TO HIS DISCIPLES AND US INCLUDED THE PROMISE, " WHEN I GO AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, WHEN YOU ARE READY, I WILL COME BACK AND TAKE YOU TO MYSELF, THAT WHERE I AM OU MAY BE ALSO (JOHN 14:3). IN THE LAST CHAPTER OF JOHN RECORDS A STATEMENT OF JESUS TO PETER IN WHICH HIS REFERENCE TO HIS RETURN IS INCIDENTIAL. JESUS HAD BEEN ENCOURAGING PETER TO FAITHFULNESS IN DISCIPLESHIP (JOHN 21-21).
PAUL'S LETTER'S ARE ALSO FULL OF DOCTRINE OF CHRIST RETURN. TO THE CHRISTIANS AT THESSALONICA HE WROTE: "FOR THE LORD HIMSELF WILL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A CRY OF COMMAND, WITH THE ARCH ANGEL'S CALL AND WITH THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET. AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST WILL RISE FIRST; THEN WE WHO ARE ALIVE, WHO ARE LEFT, SHALL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR AND SO WE SHALL ALWAYS BE WITH THE LORD. (1 THESS. 4:16-17). TO THE PHILIPPIANS PAUL WROTE:" BUT, OUR COMMOMWEALTH IS IN HEAVEN AND FROM IT WE AWAIT A SAVIOR, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WHO WILL CHANGE OUR LOWLY BODY TO BE LIKE A GLORIOUS BODY, BY THE POWER WHICH ENABLES HIM EVEN TO SUBJECT ALL THINGS TO HIMSELF (PHIL.3: 20-21). PETER CALLED THE RETURN OF CHRIST ( OUR LIVING HOPE.), 1 PETER 1:3. HE ENDED THE REVELATION WITH " HE WHO TESTIFIES TO THESE THINGS TO THESE THINGS SAY, " SURELY I AM COMING SOON. AMEN. COME, LORD JESUS!" (REV.22:22). HIS RETURN THAT WAS TO BE CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH A GREAT WICKEDNESS ON EARTH, THE RESURRECTION AND TRANSFORMATION OF THEIR OWN BODIES, AN EARTHLY RULE OF THE GLORIFIED JESUS AND A FINAL JUDGEMENT OF INDIVIDUALS AND NATIONS. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEIR LIVES SHOULD BE LIVED ON A HIGHER PLANE. JESUS SHARING IN OR SUFFERING, AND WE SHARE WITH THOSE AROUND US WHO ARE SUFFERING AND FOR JESUS IT STARTED EARLY: " HE WAS PURSUED AS AN INFANT, AND MANY YOUNG BOYS WERE KILLED IN SEARCH FOR HIM. 'THE SLAUGHTER OF INNOCENTS" IS A GRUESOME NAME FOR SUCH A DAY, ONLY A WEEK AFTER CHRISTMAS AND YET THE TRUTH IS THAT INNOCENTS ARE STILL SLAUGHTERED EVERY DAY, AND HAVE BEEN SINCE LONG BEFORE JESUS BIRTH. THAT SLAUGHTER IS , IN FACT, WHY JESUS CAME, AND WAS A FATE IN WHICH HE HIMSELF SHARED. AMEN!
OF PAST GENERATIONS AND TODAY WHO HAVE SUFFERED UNJUSTLY. IN OUR GATHERING AROUND THE WORD AND MEAL, GOD CONTINUES TO REDEEM US, LIFT US UP AND CARRY US IN THE DAYS OF OLD. IN THE TEXT FOR TODAY, ONE PAR OF HEROD'S PLAN HAD NOT WORKED OUT: THE MAGI DID NOT RETURN TO REVEAL THE EXACT WHERE ABOUTS OF THE CHILD. NOW THE LORD ALSO FOILED THE DESIGN AGAINST THE CHILD'S LIFE. " THE TEXT: " AND WHEN THEY DEPARTED, BEHOLD, THE ANGEL OF THE LORD APPEARED TO JOSEPH IN A DREAM, SAYING ARISE, AND TAKE THE YOUNG CHILD AND HIS MOTHER AND FLEE INTO EGYPT, AND BE THERE UNTIL I BRING YOU WORD; FOR HEROD WILL SEEK THE YOUNG CHILD TO DESTROY HIM. GOD AGAIN MAKES USE OF ANGELIC VISION, IN MATTHEW 1:20; TELLING JOSEPH TO MARRY MARY AND NOT TO ABANDON HER. THE NEED OF HASTE IS EXPRESSED: HAVING ARISEN, TAKE AT ONCE; LOSE NO TIME. THE CHILD AGAIN IS NAMED FIRST, EVERYTHING REVOLVES AROUND HIS WELL BEING. "AND HIS MOTHER," THE ANGEL SAYS. THE PHRASEOLOGY IS VERY CAREFUL AND ONCE MORE DEFINITELY POINTS TO THE VIRGIN BIRTH. THE REASON FOR THE COMMAND IS ALSO STATED, IN ORDER TO PREVENT DELAY. HEROD HAS THE INTENTION, HE HAS PLANNED, HE IS ABOUT TO SEARCH FOR THE CHILD WITH A PURPOSE OF PUTTING HIM TO DEATH. EVEN THE PLACE OF REFUGE IS NAMED IN THE DIVINE MESSAGE. EGYPT SHOULD BE THEIR TEMPORARY HOME UNTIL SUCH A TIME AS A FURTHER COMMAND OR COMMUNICATION TO JOSEPH WOULD PERMIT THEIR RETURN.
EGYPT WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE MANY JEWS HAD SETTLED IN THAT COUNTRY.
THE HOLY FAMILY WOULD THEREFORE BE AMONG FELLOW-COUNTRY-MEN AND IN A ROMAN PROVINCE, WHERE THE RAGE OF HEROD COULD NOT PURSUE THEM.
THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY THAT ITS VERY HARD TO GET INTO THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS, WHAT WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS WE'RE FACING IN THE WWWORLD.
IT DOES SEEM LIKE IT IS VERY HARD TO SING " JOY TO THE WORLD" IN TIMES LIKE THESE. BUT WHAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT CHRIST WAS NOT BORN INTO A WORLD THAT WAS ANTICEPTIC AND CLEAN AND FREE FROM PROBLEMS.
LET US HEAR A SOLDIER'S THREAT AND A BABY'S CRY. THE BIRTH OF CHRIST WAS NOT WELCOME BY EVERYONE. HEROD THE KING DID NOT WANT IT. HE WAS AFRAID OF ANYONE THAT MIGHT GROW UP AND MIGHT BECOME A THREAT TO HIS RULERSHIP, SO HE SOUGHT TO DISCOVER WHERE THE BABY WAS. WHEN HE COULDN'T DO THAT, HE HAD EVERY BOY TWO YEARS OLD OR UNDER IN THE AREA KILLED. SOLDIERS AND THEIR THREATS AS THEY WALKED UP TO THE DOOR, THE HEART WRENCHING CRY OF THE BABIES AS THEY DIED-A HORRIBLE THOUGHT, BUT IT IS THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR CHRISTMAS STORY. WHAT COULD THAT SAY TO US? THERE IS SUFFERING IN THE WORLD BUT ALSO A GOD WHO COMES TO SHARE IT. THE BIBLE ALWAYS REALISTIC. IT LOOKS AT LIFE LIKE IT REALLY IS, AND THE FIRST CHRISTMAS STORY IS NO EXCEPTION. DID THE PARENTS UNDERSTAND WHY LITTLE BABIES WERE KILLED? I'M SURE THEY DIDN'T. WHAT COULD THAT SAY TO US? IT WAS HORRIBLE, SUCH INNOCENT SUFFERING! THIS IS WHAT CHRISTMAS TRIES TO REMIND US THAT THERE IS A GOD WHO UNDERSTANDS OUR STRUGGLES AND PAIN. HE HAS COME TO SHARE IT WITH US. IN OUR SUFFERING WE ARE NOT ALONE. MYSTERY AND UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDED THE EARLY CHRISTMAS STORY. MARY AND JOSEPH DID NOT HAVE TIME TO ENJOY THE BIRTH OF THEIR BABY. INSTEAD, THEY HAD TO SNATCH HIM UP AND RUN. THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEM. THEY HAD SEEN GOD HAD ALREADY GONE BEFORE THEM TO PREPARE FOR THE BIRTH. THEREFORE, THEY LIVED WITH THE BELIEF THAT GOD WOULD GO BEFORE THEM TO PREPARE THE WAY. QUESTIONS RUN THROUGH OUR MIND. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. ON, AND ON GO THE QUESTIONS AND WE HAVE NO ANSWERS. TOMORROW IS A MYSTERY AND WILL ALWAYS BE. THERE IS DEATH IN THE WORLD BUT ALSO A GOD WHO OVERCOMES IT. THE STRANGE FACT OF THE CHRISTMAS STORY IS THAT THE VERY BABY WHO HAD RUN FOR HIS LIFE, WAS THE ONE WHO GREW UP TO CONQUER DEATH. DEATH IS NOT THE END, BUT A PASSAGE WAY O SOMETHING GREATER AND MORE. THROUGH OUR FAITH IN JESUS WE DISCOVER HE IS WITH US FOREVER.
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ONE VERSE IN TWENTY-FIVE DEALS WITH THE LORD'S RETURN. IT IS MENTIONED 318 TIMES IN THE 26O CHAPTERS. IT OCCUPIES A PROMINENT PLACE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES CONCERNING THE COMING OF CHRIST, NOT WITH THE FIRST ADVENT IN WHICH HE DIED AS OUR SIN-BEARER, BUT WITH HIS SECOND ADVENT IN WHICH HE IS TO RULE AS KING. THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST IS MENTIONED IN EVERY NEW TESTAMENN BOOKS EXCEPT GALATIANS ( WHICH WAS WRITTEN WITH A PARTICULAR AND QUITE DIFFERENT PROBLEM AND THE VERY SHORT BOOKS SUCH AS 2AND3 JOHN AND PHILEMON. JESUS SPOKE OF HIS RETURN VERY OFTEN. MARK RECORDS HIM SAYING, " WHOEVER IS ASHAMED OF ME AND OF MY WORDS IN THIS ADULTEROUS AND SINFUL GENERATION, OF HIM WILL THE SON-OF-MAN BE ASHAMED, WHEN HE COMES IN GLORY OF HIS FATHER AND HOLY ANGELS (MK.8:38) THEN THEY WILL SEE THE SON-OF-MAN COMING IN THE CLOUDS WITH GREAT POWER. THEN HE WILL SEND OUT HIS ANGELS, AND GATHER HIS ELECT FROM THE FOUR WINDS, FROM THE ENDS OF THE EARTH TO THE ENDS OF HEAVENS (MK.13:26-27). JOHN TELLS US THAT CHRIST'S LAST WORDS TO HIS DISCIPLES AND US INCLUDED THE PROMISE, " WHEN I GO AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, WHEN YOU ARE READY, I WILL COME BACK AND TAKE YOU TO MYSELF, THAT WHERE I AM OU MAY BE ALSO (JOHN 14:3). IN THE LAST CHAPTER OF JOHN RECORDS A STATEMENT OF JESUS TO PETER IN WHICH HIS REFERENCE TO HIS RETURN IS INCIDENTIAL. JESUS HAD BEEN ENCOURAGING PETER TO FAITHFULNESS IN DISCIPLESHIP (JOHN 21-21).
PAUL'S LETTER'S ARE ALSO FULL OF DOCTRINE OF CHRIST RETURN. TO THE CHRISTIANS AT THESSALONICA HE WROTE: "FOR THE LORD HIMSELF WILL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A CRY OF COMMAND, WITH THE ARCH ANGEL'S CALL AND WITH THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET. AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST WILL RISE FIRST; THEN WE WHO ARE ALIVE, WHO ARE LEFT, SHALL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR AND SO WE SHALL ALWAYS BE WITH THE LORD. (1 THESS. 4:16-17). TO THE PHILIPPIANS PAUL WROTE:" BUT, OUR COMMOMWEALTH IS IN HEAVEN AND FROM IT WE AWAIT A SAVIOR, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WHO WILL CHANGE OUR LOWLY BODY TO BE LIKE A GLORIOUS BODY, BY THE POWER WHICH ENABLES HIM EVEN TO SUBJECT ALL THINGS TO HIMSELF (PHIL.3: 20-21). PETER CALLED THE RETURN OF CHRIST ( OUR LIVING HOPE.), 1 PETER 1:3. HE ENDED THE REVELATION WITH " HE WHO TESTIFIES TO THESE THINGS TO THESE THINGS SAY, " SURELY I AM COMING SOON. AMEN. COME, LORD JESUS!" (REV.22:22). HIS RETURN THAT WAS TO BE CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH A GREAT WICKEDNESS ON EARTH, THE RESURRECTION AND TRANSFORMATION OF THEIR OWN BODIES, AN EARTHLY RULE OF THE GLORIFIED JESUS AND A FINAL JUDGEMENT OF INDIVIDUALS AND NATIONS. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEIR LIVES SHOULD BE LIVED ON A HIGHER PLANE. JESUS SHARING IN OR SUFFERING, AND WE SHARE WITH THOSE AROUND US WHO ARE SUFFERING AND FOR JESUS IT STARTED EARLY: " HE WAS PURSUED AS AN INFANT, AND MANY YOUNG BOYS WERE KILLED IN SEARCH FOR HIM. 'THE SLAUGHTER OF INNOCENTS" IS A GRUESOME NAME FOR SUCH A DAY, ONLY A WEEK AFTER CHRISTMAS AND YET THE TRUTH IS THAT INNOCENTS ARE STILL SLAUGHTERED EVERY DAY, AND HAVE BEEN SINCE LONG BEFORE JESUS BIRTH. THAT SLAUGHTER IS , IN FACT, WHY JESUS CAME, AND WAS A FATE IN WHICH HE HIMSELF SHARED. AMEN!
Thursday, December 21, 2017
WHAT SHALL WE DO?
UPON OUR DEATH; OUR SINS: ARE CLEANSED FROM OUR SOUL; BEFORE WE ENTER HEAVEN. AS THE ARTIST MOLDS HIS PIECE OF CLAY INTO A BEAUTIFUL SCULPTURE, SO CHRIST OUR ARTIST START'S HIS ARTISTIC DESIGN SHAPING, MOLDING US, STARTING WITH OUR BAPTISM. IF WE LOOK AT OUR REDEMPTION AS A WORK IN PROGRESS, OF HOW FAR ALONG WE ARE, AND LOOKING BACK HOW FAR HAVE WE COME? WE HAVE TO THINK OF OURSELVES AS A PIECE OF ART THAT GOD IS BRINGING TO COMPLETION BY THE DAY OF JESUS RETURN. " WE SHALL ALL WEAR A LABEL WITH THE LETTERS "P.B.P.G.I.F. W.M.Y." WHICH MEANS, " PLEASE BE PATIENT, GOD ISN'T FINISHED WITH ME YET!"
THEN! WHAT SHALL WE DO? WE HAVE HEARD THAT QUESTION MANY TIMES. WHAT SHALL WE DO?
USUALLY IT WAS A TIME OF CRISIS THAT REQUIRED ACTION, AND THE QUESTION HAD NO EASY ANSWERS. THERE WERE DECISIONS TO BE MADE, AND ACTION TO BE TAKEN, BUT THE ALTERNATIVES WERE FUZZY, NONE OF THEM ATTRACTIVE. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A PERSONAL CRISIS WHEN OUR CHOICE COULD ALTER THE ENTIRE FUTURE OF OUR LIVES. IT MAY HAVE BEEN A FAMILY CRISIS IN A SUDDEN DISABILITY OR ILLNESS, OR MARRIAGE CRISIS. WHAT SHALL WE DO?
THE QUESTION WAS PERSISTENCE AND THE PROBLEM KNOTTY. IT KEPT US ROLLING US FROM SIDE TO SIDE TO THE OTHER ALL NIGHT LONG IN FITFUL SLEEPLESSNESS.
LIFE SEEMS TO BE A CRAZY QUILT OF CRISIS-ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER, EACH, DEMANDING ANSWERS AND DECISIONS. SOMETIMES WE WONDER WHERE THIS "PEACE OF GOD THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING." IS THAT PREACHERS TALK ABOUT SO BLANDLY AND SO CASUALLY. THOSE GUYS HAD NEVER LIVED WHERE WE ARE FORCED TO ,LIVE. BUT, LET ME PROMISE THIS, THAT THROUGH THE YEARS I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN ENOUGH OF LIFE'S DREAD CRISIS OF OTHERS, MY OWN, TO KNOW HOW TORTUROUS THE QUESTION IS, " WHAT SHALL WE DO ?" AND THROUGH THE YEARS I HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPATIENT WITH THE HERESY THAT SAYS: " GOD IS THE ANSWER." EXCUSE ME, BUT YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND MY QUESTION. GOD IS MORE FREQUENTLY THE PROBLEM THAN THE ANSWER.
HE NEVER PROMISED HE WOULD MAKE HIMSELF AVAILABLE TO BLESS OUR SCHEMES, SERVE OUR WILLS, RUN OUR ERRANDS, SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS, ANSWER ALL OUR QUESTIONS. HE ONLY PROMISED HE WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR US TO LEAN AGAINST IN A COMMITMENT THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEM IS. SO THEN, "WHAT SHALL WE DO?
GOD WAS THE PROBLEM IN THE DAYS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. JOHN CALLED THE MULTITUDES WHO CAME TO HIM A "BROOD OF VIPERS," AND HE ASKED, WHO WARNED YOU TO FLEE THE WRATH TO COME LIKE SNAKES THAT SLITHER FOR THEIR SAFETY FROM THE FIRE IN THE GRASS THAT SHELTERED THEM?" HE PULLED THE PROPS OUT FROM UNDER, STRIPPED THEIR DEFENCES FROM THEM, PEELED THEIR MASKS AWAY- EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAD TRUSTED IN FOR SECURITY "DON'T GIVE ME THAT," HE SAID, " THIS BUSINESS THAT YOU HAVE ABRAHAM AS FATHER." HE SAID THE AXE IS ALREADY POSITIONED AT THEIR ROOTS TO CUT DOWN ALL THE FRUITLESS TREES. HE CONFRONTED THEM WITH GOD. GOD IS BREAKING THROUGH. THE MESSIAH IS AT HAND. LET SEE YOUR FRUITS- " FRUITS THAT BEFIT REPENTANCE."
JOHN WAS SPEAKING AT A CRISIS SITUATION- THE POINT WHERE MEN MUST MAKE DECISIONS, DETERMINE ON A CROSS OF ACTION, TURN TO GOD OR FROM HIM.
AT THE URGENT WORD OF JOHN, " REPENT", AND BEAR FRUITS THAT BEFIT REPENTANCE, " THEY ASKED, " WHAT SHALL WE DO?"
GOOD QUESTION, ISN'T IT! WHAT SHALL WE DO? BEYOND REPENTANCE, THEN WHAT? CONFRONTED BY THE CHRIST AS WE ARE NOW-THE CHRIST OF BETHLEHEM, THE CHRIST OF CALVERY, THE RISEN CHRIST, THE RULING CHRIST, THE CHRIST WHO CAME TO GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM, THE CHRIST WHO COMES IN WORD AND SACRAMENT, THE CHRIST WHO COMES AGAIN TO GATHER THE WHEAT AND BURN THE CHAFF- " WHAT SHALL WE DO?" BEYOND THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE TASTED OF THE LORD AND KNOW THAT HE IS GRACIOUS IN HIS COMING, SLOW TO WRATH, MERCIFUL, FORGIVING,- " WHAT SHALL WE DO?" ON THE OTHER SIDE OF BETHLEHEM, BEYOND THE PLACE OF CRUCIFIXION, WHEN THAT STONE THAT SEALED THE TOMB IS ROLLED AWAY, WHAT SHALL WE DO? WE CAN TURN OUR FACES TOWARD HIM. WE CAN TURN OUR BACKS AGAINST HIM. WHAT SHALL WE DO? HIS COMING IS A CRISIS SITUATION FOR EACH ONE OF US. IF WE CHOOSE HIS WAY "REPENT", TURN OUR HEARTS TO HIM, AND THE APOSTOLIC WORD BECOMES OUR WORD, " I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST. NEVERTHELESS I LIVE, AND YET NOT I, BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME; AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HIS COMING. WE ARE JUST A WEEK AWAY FROM CHRISTMAS, NOW AND WE HAVE MANY WAYS OF SPOILING CHRISTMAS, TAKE YOUR CHOICE. BUT HOWEVER YOU CHOOSE TO DO IT, LETS NOT SPOIL IT WITH A LOT OF SLUSH AND SENTIMENT. CHRIST IS NO LONGER IN THE MANGER. HE IS ON THE THRONE. HE IS NO LONGER "BABY JESUS." HE IS KING OF ALL. AND WE MEET HIM NOW AS HE COMES TO US-IN HIS WORD? INDEED! AND IN HIS HOLY SUPPER? HE DOES NOT CONFINE HIMSELF TO CATHEDRALS, BUT MAKES HIMSELF AVAILABLE WHEN SPIRITS SOAR ON WINGS OF CHRISTMAS MUSIC.
THE PREACHER, JOHN THE BAPTIST, IS HIS OWN BEST ILLUSTRATION OF THE ANSWER TO OUR QUESTION, " WHAT THEN SHALL I DO?" HIS LIFE WAS CHRIST'S. HE COULD NOT CLAIM IT AS HIS OWN. " ONE MIGHTIER THAN I IS COMING. I AM NOT WORTHY TO UNTIE THE LACES OF HIS SANDALS. HE MUST INCREASE. I MUST DECREASE." JOHN'S LIFE WAS AT GOD'S DISPOSAL.
WHAT THAN SHALL WE DO? AMEN.
THEN! WHAT SHALL WE DO? WE HAVE HEARD THAT QUESTION MANY TIMES. WHAT SHALL WE DO?
USUALLY IT WAS A TIME OF CRISIS THAT REQUIRED ACTION, AND THE QUESTION HAD NO EASY ANSWERS. THERE WERE DECISIONS TO BE MADE, AND ACTION TO BE TAKEN, BUT THE ALTERNATIVES WERE FUZZY, NONE OF THEM ATTRACTIVE. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A PERSONAL CRISIS WHEN OUR CHOICE COULD ALTER THE ENTIRE FUTURE OF OUR LIVES. IT MAY HAVE BEEN A FAMILY CRISIS IN A SUDDEN DISABILITY OR ILLNESS, OR MARRIAGE CRISIS. WHAT SHALL WE DO?
THE QUESTION WAS PERSISTENCE AND THE PROBLEM KNOTTY. IT KEPT US ROLLING US FROM SIDE TO SIDE TO THE OTHER ALL NIGHT LONG IN FITFUL SLEEPLESSNESS.
LIFE SEEMS TO BE A CRAZY QUILT OF CRISIS-ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER, EACH, DEMANDING ANSWERS AND DECISIONS. SOMETIMES WE WONDER WHERE THIS "PEACE OF GOD THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING." IS THAT PREACHERS TALK ABOUT SO BLANDLY AND SO CASUALLY. THOSE GUYS HAD NEVER LIVED WHERE WE ARE FORCED TO ,LIVE. BUT, LET ME PROMISE THIS, THAT THROUGH THE YEARS I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN ENOUGH OF LIFE'S DREAD CRISIS OF OTHERS, MY OWN, TO KNOW HOW TORTUROUS THE QUESTION IS, " WHAT SHALL WE DO ?" AND THROUGH THE YEARS I HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPATIENT WITH THE HERESY THAT SAYS: " GOD IS THE ANSWER." EXCUSE ME, BUT YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND MY QUESTION. GOD IS MORE FREQUENTLY THE PROBLEM THAN THE ANSWER.
HE NEVER PROMISED HE WOULD MAKE HIMSELF AVAILABLE TO BLESS OUR SCHEMES, SERVE OUR WILLS, RUN OUR ERRANDS, SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS, ANSWER ALL OUR QUESTIONS. HE ONLY PROMISED HE WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR US TO LEAN AGAINST IN A COMMITMENT THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEM IS. SO THEN, "WHAT SHALL WE DO?
GOD WAS THE PROBLEM IN THE DAYS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. JOHN CALLED THE MULTITUDES WHO CAME TO HIM A "BROOD OF VIPERS," AND HE ASKED, WHO WARNED YOU TO FLEE THE WRATH TO COME LIKE SNAKES THAT SLITHER FOR THEIR SAFETY FROM THE FIRE IN THE GRASS THAT SHELTERED THEM?" HE PULLED THE PROPS OUT FROM UNDER, STRIPPED THEIR DEFENCES FROM THEM, PEELED THEIR MASKS AWAY- EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAD TRUSTED IN FOR SECURITY "DON'T GIVE ME THAT," HE SAID, " THIS BUSINESS THAT YOU HAVE ABRAHAM AS FATHER." HE SAID THE AXE IS ALREADY POSITIONED AT THEIR ROOTS TO CUT DOWN ALL THE FRUITLESS TREES. HE CONFRONTED THEM WITH GOD. GOD IS BREAKING THROUGH. THE MESSIAH IS AT HAND. LET SEE YOUR FRUITS- " FRUITS THAT BEFIT REPENTANCE."
JOHN WAS SPEAKING AT A CRISIS SITUATION- THE POINT WHERE MEN MUST MAKE DECISIONS, DETERMINE ON A CROSS OF ACTION, TURN TO GOD OR FROM HIM.
AT THE URGENT WORD OF JOHN, " REPENT", AND BEAR FRUITS THAT BEFIT REPENTANCE, " THEY ASKED, " WHAT SHALL WE DO?"
GOOD QUESTION, ISN'T IT! WHAT SHALL WE DO? BEYOND REPENTANCE, THEN WHAT? CONFRONTED BY THE CHRIST AS WE ARE NOW-THE CHRIST OF BETHLEHEM, THE CHRIST OF CALVERY, THE RISEN CHRIST, THE RULING CHRIST, THE CHRIST WHO CAME TO GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM, THE CHRIST WHO COMES IN WORD AND SACRAMENT, THE CHRIST WHO COMES AGAIN TO GATHER THE WHEAT AND BURN THE CHAFF- " WHAT SHALL WE DO?" BEYOND THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE TASTED OF THE LORD AND KNOW THAT HE IS GRACIOUS IN HIS COMING, SLOW TO WRATH, MERCIFUL, FORGIVING,- " WHAT SHALL WE DO?" ON THE OTHER SIDE OF BETHLEHEM, BEYOND THE PLACE OF CRUCIFIXION, WHEN THAT STONE THAT SEALED THE TOMB IS ROLLED AWAY, WHAT SHALL WE DO? WE CAN TURN OUR FACES TOWARD HIM. WE CAN TURN OUR BACKS AGAINST HIM. WHAT SHALL WE DO? HIS COMING IS A CRISIS SITUATION FOR EACH ONE OF US. IF WE CHOOSE HIS WAY "REPENT", TURN OUR HEARTS TO HIM, AND THE APOSTOLIC WORD BECOMES OUR WORD, " I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST. NEVERTHELESS I LIVE, AND YET NOT I, BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME; AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HIS COMING. WE ARE JUST A WEEK AWAY FROM CHRISTMAS, NOW AND WE HAVE MANY WAYS OF SPOILING CHRISTMAS, TAKE YOUR CHOICE. BUT HOWEVER YOU CHOOSE TO DO IT, LETS NOT SPOIL IT WITH A LOT OF SLUSH AND SENTIMENT. CHRIST IS NO LONGER IN THE MANGER. HE IS ON THE THRONE. HE IS NO LONGER "BABY JESUS." HE IS KING OF ALL. AND WE MEET HIM NOW AS HE COMES TO US-IN HIS WORD? INDEED! AND IN HIS HOLY SUPPER? HE DOES NOT CONFINE HIMSELF TO CATHEDRALS, BUT MAKES HIMSELF AVAILABLE WHEN SPIRITS SOAR ON WINGS OF CHRISTMAS MUSIC.
THE PREACHER, JOHN THE BAPTIST, IS HIS OWN BEST ILLUSTRATION OF THE ANSWER TO OUR QUESTION, " WHAT THEN SHALL I DO?" HIS LIFE WAS CHRIST'S. HE COULD NOT CLAIM IT AS HIS OWN. " ONE MIGHTIER THAN I IS COMING. I AM NOT WORTHY TO UNTIE THE LACES OF HIS SANDALS. HE MUST INCREASE. I MUST DECREASE." JOHN'S LIFE WAS AT GOD'S DISPOSAL.
WHAT THAN SHALL WE DO? AMEN.
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
TRUST IN GOD! [ST. LUKE 12:32-4O]
THE HEROES AND HEROINES THROUGH OUT CREATION HAVE HELD UP BEFORE US, THE MEANING OF FAITH. BY FAITH WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE WORLDS WERE PREPARED BY THE WORD OF GOD, SO THAT WHAT IS SEEN WAS MADE FROM THINGS THAT ARE NOT VISIBLE. BY FAITH. ABEL OFERED TO GOD A MORE ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE THAN CAIN'S. THROUGH THIS HE RECEIVED APPROVAL AS RIGHTEOUS.
WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD.
BY FAITH NOAH, WARNED BY GOD ABOUT OF EVENTS UNSEEN, RESPECTED THE WARNING AND BUILT AN ARK TO SAVE HIS HOUSEHOLD, AND BY THIS HE CONDEMNED THE WORLD AND BECAME HEIR TO THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAITH.
ABRAHAM OBEYED WHEN HE WAS CALLED TO SET OUT FOR A PLACE THAT HE WAS TO RECEIVE AS AN INHERITANCE; SET OUT NOT KNOWING WHERE HE WAS GOING. BY FAITH HE STAYED IN THE LAND HE HAD BEEN PROMISED, AS IN A FOREIGN LAND LIVING IN TENTS, AS DID ISSAC, JACOB WHO WERE HEIRS WITH HIM OF THE SAME PROMISE. FOR HE LOOKED FORWARD TO THE CITY THAT HAS FOUNDATIONS, WHOSE ARCHITECT AND BUILDER IS GOD, JERUSALEM. SO DON'T BE AFRAID, LITTLE FLOCK. FOR IT GIVES YOUR FATHER GREAT HAPPINESS TO GIVE YOU THE KINGDOM. SELL WHAT YOU HAVE AND GIVE TO THOSE IN NEED. THIS WILL FATTEN YOUR PURSES IN HEAVEN! AND THE PURSES OF HEAVEN HAVE NO RIPS OR HOLES IN THEM. YOUR TREASUES THERE WILL NEVER DISAPPEAR; NO THIEF CAN STEAL THEM; NO MOTH CAN DESTROY THEM. WHERE-EVER YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE, YOUR HEART AND THOUGHTS WILL ALSO BE.
" BE PREPARED- ALL DRESSED AND READY-- FOR YOUR LORD'S RETURN FROM THE WEDDING FEAST. THEN YOU WILL BE READY TO OPEN THE DOOR AND LET HIM IN THE MOMENT HE ARRIVES AND KNOCKS. THERE WILL BE GREAT JOY FOR THOSE WHO ARE READY AND WAITING HIS RETURN. HE HIMSELF WILL SEAT THEM AND PUT ON A WAITER'S' UNIFORM AND SERVE THEM AS THEY SIT AND EAT! HE MAY COME AT NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT--OR EVEN AT MIDNIGHT. BUT, WHENEVER HE COMES THERE WILL BE JOY FOR HIS SERVANTS WHO ARE READY! EVERY ONE WOULD BE READY FOR HIM IF THEY KNEW THE EXACT HOUR OF HIS RETURN--- JUST AS THEY WOULD BE READY FOR A THIEF IF THEY KNEW WHEN HE WAS COMING. SO BE READY ALL THE TIME. FOR I THE MESSIAH (SON OF MAN) WILL COME WHEN LEAST EXPECTED. PETER ASKED, " LORD ARE YOU SPEAKING JUST TO US OR TO EVERYONE. "WATCH!" THE LORD REPLIED, "I'M TALKING TO ANY FAITHFUL, SENSIBLE MAN WHOSE MASTER GIVES HIM THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FEEDING THE OTHER SERVANTS. IF HIS MASTER RETURNS AND FINDS HE HAS DONE A GOOD JOB, THERE WILL BE A REWARD---HIS MASTER WILL PUT HIM IN CHARGE OF ALL THAT THEN HE OWNS. AND HE SAID TO THE PEOPLE, WHEN YOU SEE A CLOUD RISE OUT OF THE WEST, STRAIGHT AWAY YOU SAY: THERE COMETH A SHOWER; AND SO IT IS (MATT 16:2).
THROUH OUT THE AGES CHRISTIANS HAVE ASKED JUST HOW LITERALLY THESE WORDS OF JESUS ARE TO BE UNDERSTOOD. St. FRANCIS OF ASSISI GAVE AWAY ALL HIS POSSESSIONS INCLUDING HIS CLOTHING AND LIVED A LIFE OF POVERTY. IS THIS WHAT JESUS WANTS EVERY CHRISTIAN TO DO ? WE NEED TO READ THESE WORDS OF JESUS IN THE CONTEXT OF GOD'S TOTAL REVELATION. JESUS IS SAYING SOMETHING WHICH EVERY DISCIPLE MUST HEAR AND HEAR OFTEN. JESUS SAYS IT IN A WAY WHICH IS BOLD, WHICH CATCHES OUR ATTENTION. DISCIPLES OF JESUS NEED TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM THE ATTITUDES OF THE WORLD WHICH GLORIFIES THIS EARTHLY LIFE AND ITS POSSESSIONS. ALWAYS THE DISCIPLES (BELIEVERS) NEEDS TO REMEMBER THAT THE END IS COMING. I KNOW YOU HAVE HEARD IT FROM THE TIME OF YOUR YOUNG AGE, SO YOUR FAITH IS REALLY STRETCHING TO THE BREAKING PLACE, BUT REMEMBER, WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT. (MURPHY'S LAW), KICK'S IN).
ALWAYS THE FIRST PRIORITY IN LIFE MUST BE TO SEEK GOD'S KINGDOM.
JESUS IS SAYING WATCH!
WHEN JESUS WAS TRANSFIGURED, THE SUBJECT OF CONVERSATION WAS HIS DEPARTURE OR EXODUS AT JERUSALEM. SHORTLY THEREAFTER JESUS ABSOLUTELY SET OUT FOR JERUSALEM WITH HIS DISCIPLES.; ON THE WAY HE TAUGHT THEM MANY THINGS. JESUS COMPARES THAT WITH A MASTER AWAY FROM HOME ATTENDING A WEDDING BANQUENT THE SERVANTS ARE TO BE DRESSED READY FOR SERVICE WITH LAMPS BURNING WAITING FOR THEIR MASTER'S KNOCK ON THE DOOR. THE NIV BIBLE TRANSLATION " BE DRESSED READY FOR SERVICE." INTERPRETS THE GREEK EXPRESSION " LET YOUR LOINS BE GIRDED"KJV. AT THE TIME OF THE EXODUS OUT OF EGYPT THE LORD TOLD THE ISRAELITES TO HAVE " YOUR CLOAK TUCKED INTO YOUR BELT" (EXODUS 12:11) READY FOR TRAVEL. SERVANTS ARE READY TO SERVE WHEN THEIR LONG ROBES ARE TUCKED INTO THEIR WAIST. THIS IS THE STATE OF WATCHFULNESS WHICH JESUS EXPECTS OF HIS SERVANTS. SUCH SERVANTS WILL BE REWARDED.
IN THE PARABLE TOLD BY JESUS THIS REWARD TAKES THE FORM OF SITTING AT A BANQUET AND BEING SERVED BY THE MASTER. ( ONE IS REMINDED OF HOW JESUS WASHED THE DISCIPLES FEET AT THE LAST SUPPER.)
HERE IS A ROLE REVERSAL WITH THE MASTER PUTTING ON THE APRON AND WAITING ON HIS SERVANTS.
ONE PROBLEM FOR WAITING SERVANTS IS, THE FACT THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW THE HOUR OF THEIR MASTER'S RETURN. IT MIGHR BE IN THE SECOND WATCH (9-12); IT MIGHT BE IN THE THIRD WATCH (12-3AM)
TO EMPHASIZE THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE TIME OF THE MASTERS RETURN, JESUS INTRODUCES A DIFFERENT ILLUSTRATION. IT IS A DIFFERENT ILLUSTRATION. IT IS THE EXAMPLE OF THE HOMEOWNER WHO HAS NO WAY OF KNOWING WHEN A THIEF MIGHT COME TO ROB HIM. ST..PAUL USES THIS WHEN WRITING TO THESSALONIANS.
YOU KNOW VERY WELL THAT THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT. IN SPEAKING OF THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN, JESUS IS REFERRING FIRST OF ALL TO HIS RETURN AT THE END OF THE WORLD. WWHEN WILL THAT BE, NO ONE KNOWS. THE MORE GIFTS THE LORD HAS BESTOWED ON A PERSON WITH DISTRIBUTION OF TALENTS: THE MORE ONE HAS BEEN GIVEN, THE MORE WILL BE EXPECTED. PETER HAD ASKED IF JESUS WAS TALKING JUST TO THE DISCIPLES OR TO EVERYONE. CERTAINLY THE WORDS OF JESUS IS MADE FOR EVERYONE. AMEN!
WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD.
BY FAITH NOAH, WARNED BY GOD ABOUT OF EVENTS UNSEEN, RESPECTED THE WARNING AND BUILT AN ARK TO SAVE HIS HOUSEHOLD, AND BY THIS HE CONDEMNED THE WORLD AND BECAME HEIR TO THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAITH.
ABRAHAM OBEYED WHEN HE WAS CALLED TO SET OUT FOR A PLACE THAT HE WAS TO RECEIVE AS AN INHERITANCE; SET OUT NOT KNOWING WHERE HE WAS GOING. BY FAITH HE STAYED IN THE LAND HE HAD BEEN PROMISED, AS IN A FOREIGN LAND LIVING IN TENTS, AS DID ISSAC, JACOB WHO WERE HEIRS WITH HIM OF THE SAME PROMISE. FOR HE LOOKED FORWARD TO THE CITY THAT HAS FOUNDATIONS, WHOSE ARCHITECT AND BUILDER IS GOD, JERUSALEM. SO DON'T BE AFRAID, LITTLE FLOCK. FOR IT GIVES YOUR FATHER GREAT HAPPINESS TO GIVE YOU THE KINGDOM. SELL WHAT YOU HAVE AND GIVE TO THOSE IN NEED. THIS WILL FATTEN YOUR PURSES IN HEAVEN! AND THE PURSES OF HEAVEN HAVE NO RIPS OR HOLES IN THEM. YOUR TREASUES THERE WILL NEVER DISAPPEAR; NO THIEF CAN STEAL THEM; NO MOTH CAN DESTROY THEM. WHERE-EVER YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE, YOUR HEART AND THOUGHTS WILL ALSO BE.
" BE PREPARED- ALL DRESSED AND READY-- FOR YOUR LORD'S RETURN FROM THE WEDDING FEAST. THEN YOU WILL BE READY TO OPEN THE DOOR AND LET HIM IN THE MOMENT HE ARRIVES AND KNOCKS. THERE WILL BE GREAT JOY FOR THOSE WHO ARE READY AND WAITING HIS RETURN. HE HIMSELF WILL SEAT THEM AND PUT ON A WAITER'S' UNIFORM AND SERVE THEM AS THEY SIT AND EAT! HE MAY COME AT NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT--OR EVEN AT MIDNIGHT. BUT, WHENEVER HE COMES THERE WILL BE JOY FOR HIS SERVANTS WHO ARE READY! EVERY ONE WOULD BE READY FOR HIM IF THEY KNEW THE EXACT HOUR OF HIS RETURN--- JUST AS THEY WOULD BE READY FOR A THIEF IF THEY KNEW WHEN HE WAS COMING. SO BE READY ALL THE TIME. FOR I THE MESSIAH (SON OF MAN) WILL COME WHEN LEAST EXPECTED. PETER ASKED, " LORD ARE YOU SPEAKING JUST TO US OR TO EVERYONE. "WATCH!" THE LORD REPLIED, "I'M TALKING TO ANY FAITHFUL, SENSIBLE MAN WHOSE MASTER GIVES HIM THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FEEDING THE OTHER SERVANTS. IF HIS MASTER RETURNS AND FINDS HE HAS DONE A GOOD JOB, THERE WILL BE A REWARD---HIS MASTER WILL PUT HIM IN CHARGE OF ALL THAT THEN HE OWNS. AND HE SAID TO THE PEOPLE, WHEN YOU SEE A CLOUD RISE OUT OF THE WEST, STRAIGHT AWAY YOU SAY: THERE COMETH A SHOWER; AND SO IT IS (MATT 16:2).
THROUH OUT THE AGES CHRISTIANS HAVE ASKED JUST HOW LITERALLY THESE WORDS OF JESUS ARE TO BE UNDERSTOOD. St. FRANCIS OF ASSISI GAVE AWAY ALL HIS POSSESSIONS INCLUDING HIS CLOTHING AND LIVED A LIFE OF POVERTY. IS THIS WHAT JESUS WANTS EVERY CHRISTIAN TO DO ? WE NEED TO READ THESE WORDS OF JESUS IN THE CONTEXT OF GOD'S TOTAL REVELATION. JESUS IS SAYING SOMETHING WHICH EVERY DISCIPLE MUST HEAR AND HEAR OFTEN. JESUS SAYS IT IN A WAY WHICH IS BOLD, WHICH CATCHES OUR ATTENTION. DISCIPLES OF JESUS NEED TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM THE ATTITUDES OF THE WORLD WHICH GLORIFIES THIS EARTHLY LIFE AND ITS POSSESSIONS. ALWAYS THE DISCIPLES (BELIEVERS) NEEDS TO REMEMBER THAT THE END IS COMING. I KNOW YOU HAVE HEARD IT FROM THE TIME OF YOUR YOUNG AGE, SO YOUR FAITH IS REALLY STRETCHING TO THE BREAKING PLACE, BUT REMEMBER, WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT. (MURPHY'S LAW), KICK'S IN).
ALWAYS THE FIRST PRIORITY IN LIFE MUST BE TO SEEK GOD'S KINGDOM.
JESUS IS SAYING WATCH!
WHEN JESUS WAS TRANSFIGURED, THE SUBJECT OF CONVERSATION WAS HIS DEPARTURE OR EXODUS AT JERUSALEM. SHORTLY THEREAFTER JESUS ABSOLUTELY SET OUT FOR JERUSALEM WITH HIS DISCIPLES.; ON THE WAY HE TAUGHT THEM MANY THINGS. JESUS COMPARES THAT WITH A MASTER AWAY FROM HOME ATTENDING A WEDDING BANQUENT THE SERVANTS ARE TO BE DRESSED READY FOR SERVICE WITH LAMPS BURNING WAITING FOR THEIR MASTER'S KNOCK ON THE DOOR. THE NIV BIBLE TRANSLATION " BE DRESSED READY FOR SERVICE." INTERPRETS THE GREEK EXPRESSION " LET YOUR LOINS BE GIRDED"KJV. AT THE TIME OF THE EXODUS OUT OF EGYPT THE LORD TOLD THE ISRAELITES TO HAVE " YOUR CLOAK TUCKED INTO YOUR BELT" (EXODUS 12:11) READY FOR TRAVEL. SERVANTS ARE READY TO SERVE WHEN THEIR LONG ROBES ARE TUCKED INTO THEIR WAIST. THIS IS THE STATE OF WATCHFULNESS WHICH JESUS EXPECTS OF HIS SERVANTS. SUCH SERVANTS WILL BE REWARDED.
IN THE PARABLE TOLD BY JESUS THIS REWARD TAKES THE FORM OF SITTING AT A BANQUET AND BEING SERVED BY THE MASTER. ( ONE IS REMINDED OF HOW JESUS WASHED THE DISCIPLES FEET AT THE LAST SUPPER.)
HERE IS A ROLE REVERSAL WITH THE MASTER PUTTING ON THE APRON AND WAITING ON HIS SERVANTS.
ONE PROBLEM FOR WAITING SERVANTS IS, THE FACT THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW THE HOUR OF THEIR MASTER'S RETURN. IT MIGHR BE IN THE SECOND WATCH (9-12); IT MIGHT BE IN THE THIRD WATCH (12-3AM)
TO EMPHASIZE THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE TIME OF THE MASTERS RETURN, JESUS INTRODUCES A DIFFERENT ILLUSTRATION. IT IS A DIFFERENT ILLUSTRATION. IT IS THE EXAMPLE OF THE HOMEOWNER WHO HAS NO WAY OF KNOWING WHEN A THIEF MIGHT COME TO ROB HIM. ST..PAUL USES THIS WHEN WRITING TO THESSALONIANS.
YOU KNOW VERY WELL THAT THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT. IN SPEAKING OF THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN, JESUS IS REFERRING FIRST OF ALL TO HIS RETURN AT THE END OF THE WORLD. WWHEN WILL THAT BE, NO ONE KNOWS. THE MORE GIFTS THE LORD HAS BESTOWED ON A PERSON WITH DISTRIBUTION OF TALENTS: THE MORE ONE HAS BEEN GIVEN, THE MORE WILL BE EXPECTED. PETER HAD ASKED IF JESUS WAS TALKING JUST TO THE DISCIPLES OR TO EVERYONE. CERTAINLY THE WORDS OF JESUS IS MADE FOR EVERYONE. AMEN!
Friday, December 15, 2017
MINISTRY OF PETER AND JOHN. [ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.]
"THEREFORE LET ALL HOUSE ISRAEL KNOW ASSUREDLY THAT GOD HAS MADE THAT SAME JESUS, WHOM YE CRUCIFIED, BOTH LORD AND CHRIST. NOW PETER AND JOHN WENT UP TOGETHER INTO THE TEMPLE AT THE HOUR OF PRAYER, BEING THE NINTH HOUR. AND A CERTAIN MAN LAME FROM HIS MOTHER'S WOMB WAS CARRIED, WHOM THEY LAID DAILY AT THE GATE OF THE TEMPLE WHICH IS CALLED BEAUTIFUL, TO ASK ALMS OF THEM THAT ENTERED INTO THE TEMPLE; WHO SEEING PETER AND JOHN ABOUT TO GO INTO THE TEMPLE ASKED AN ALMS. AND PETER, FASTENING HIS EYES UPON HIM WITH JOHN, " LOOK ON US.". AND HE GAVE HEED UNTO THEM, EXPECTING TO RECIEVE SOMETHING OF THEM. THEN PETER SAID, " SILVER AND GOLD HAVE I NONE, BUT SUCH AS I HAVE GIVE I THEE.: IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZRETH RISE UP AND WALK. AND HE TOOK HIS RIGHT HAND, AND LIFTED HIM UP: AND IMMEDIATELY HIS FEET AND ANKEL BONES RECEIVED STRENGTH AND HE LEAPING UP STOOD AND WALKED AND ETERNED WITH THEM INTO THE TEMPLE, WALKING, LEAPING, AND PRAISING GOD. AND THEY KNEW THAT IT WAS HE WHICH SAT FOR ALMS AT THE BEAUTIFUL GATE OF THE TEMPLE. AND THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH WONDER AND AMAZEMENT AT THAT WHICH HAD HAPPENED UNTO HIM. AND AS THE LAME MAN HAD BEEN HEALED HELD PETER AND JOHN, ALL THE PEOPLE RAN TOGETHER UNTO THEM IN THE PORCH THAT IS CALLED SOLOMON'S, GREATLY WONDERING, AND THEY SPOKE UNTO THE PEOPLE, THE PRIESTS, AND THE CAPTAIN OF THE TEMPLE., AND THE SADDUCEES, CAME UPON THEM, BEING GRIEVED THAT THEY TAUGHT THE PEOPLE, AND PREACHED THROUGH JESUS THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. AND THEY LAID HANDS ON THEM, AND PUT THEM IN HOLD UNTO THE NEXT DAY.: FOR NOW IT WAS EVENTIDE.
HOW BE IT MANY OF THEM WHICH HEARD THE WORD BELIEVED; AND THE NUMBER OF MEN WAS ABOUT FIVE THOUSAND.
AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE MORROW, THAT THEIR RULERS, AND ELDERS, AND SCRIBES, ANNAS THE HIGH PRIEST, CAIAPAS, AND JOHN, ALEXANDER, AND AS MANY AS WERE OF THE KINDRED OF THE HIGH PRIEST, WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AT JERUSALEM. "NEITHER IS SALVATION IN ANY OTHER; FOR IS NONE OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN, WHEREBY WE MUST BE SAVED." JOHN: "FATHER, I THANK THEE THAT THOU HAS HEARD ME".
JOHN SPEAKS: WHEN THE SON OF GOD PRAYS, HE HAS ONLY ONE CONSCIOUSNESS, AND THAT CONSCIOUSNESS OF HIS FATHER. GOD ALWAYS HEARS THE PRAYERS OF HIS SON, AND IF THE SON OF GOD IS FORMED IN ME THE FATHER WILL ALWAYS HEAR MY PRAYERS. I HAVE TO SEE THAT THE SON OF GOD IS MANIFESTED IN MY MORTAL FLESH. " OUR BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST (SPIRIT),. WE ASK OURSELVES THIS QUESTION:" IS THE PRAYER OF GOD'S ETERNAL SON BEING WORKED-OUT IN OUR LIFE AS ORDINARY HUMAN BEINGS, THROUGH JOHN'S PRAYER. IS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST BEING ABUNDANTLY SATISFIED IN OUR LIFE.
NEVER LET COMMON SENSE ( WHICH IS A GIFT) WHICH GOD GAVE TO HUMAN
NATURE; BUT COMMON SENSE IS NOT THE GIFT OF HIS SON. WE HAVE TO SEE THAT THIS MORTAL FLESH IS KEPT IN SUBJECTION TO HIM AND THAT HE WORKS THROUGH IT MOMENT BY MOMENT. REMEMBER: THEY TOOK AWAY THE STONE FROM THE PLACE WHERE THE DEAD WAS LAID. AND JESUS LIFTED UP HIS EYES, AND SAID "FATHER, I THANK THEE THAT THOU HAST HEARD ME. (JOHN'S PRAYER 11:41).
PETER SPEAKS UP; TO CHOOSE TO SUFFER MEANS THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG.; TO CHOSE GOD'S WILL EVEN IF IT MEANS SUFFERING IS VERY DIFFERENT. THE SAINT WHO SATISFIES THE HEART OF JESUS WILL MAKE OTHER SAINTS STRONG. NO ONE UNDERSTANDS A SAINT, BUT THE SAINT CLOSER TO THE SAVIOR, WILL MAKE OTHER SAINTS STRONG AND MATURE. " LET THEM THAT SUFFER ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD, COMMIT THE KEEPING OF THEIR SOULS TO HIM IN WELL-DOING. 1:PETER 4:19),.
NOW WHEN THEY SAW THE BOLDNESS OF PETER AND JOHN, AND PERCEIVED THAT THEY WERE UNLEARNED AND IGNORANT MEN, THEY MARVELLED; AND THEY TOOK KNOWLEDGE OF THEM., THAT THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS. AND BEHOLDING THE MAN WHICH THEY HEALED, THEY COULD SAY NOTHING AGAINST IT.
THE COUNCIL HAD DEMANDED THEM TO GO OUTSIDE, THEN THE COUNCIL
CONFERRED AMONG THEMSELVES, SAYING, " WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH THESE MEN? FOR THAT INDEED A NOTABLE MIRACLE HATH BEEN DONE BY THEM IS MANIFEST TO ALL THEM THAT DWELL IN JERUSALEM, AND WE CANNOT DENY IT.
BUT PETER AND JOHN ANSWERED AND SAID TO THEM, THAT SAMUEL AND EVERY PROPHET HAVE ALL SPOKEN ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON TODAY. GOD'S PROMISE TO YOUR ANCESTOR'S TO BLESS THE ENTIRE WORLD THROUGH THE JEWISH RACE- THAT IS THE PROMISE GOD GAVE TO ABRAHAM. AS SOON AS GOD HAD BROUGHT HIS SERVANT TO LIFE AGAIN, HE SENT HIM FIRST OF ALL TO YOU MEN OF ISRAEL, TO BLESS YOU BY TURNING YOU BACK FROM YOUR SINS.
HOW BE IT MANY OF THEM WHICH HEARD THE WORD BELIEVED; AND THE NUMBER OF MEN WAS ABOUT FIVE THOUSAND.
AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE MORROW, THAT THEIR RULERS, AND ELDERS, AND SCRIBES, ANNAS THE HIGH PRIEST, CAIAPAS, AND JOHN, ALEXANDER, AND AS MANY AS WERE OF THE KINDRED OF THE HIGH PRIEST, WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AT JERUSALEM. "NEITHER IS SALVATION IN ANY OTHER; FOR IS NONE OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN, WHEREBY WE MUST BE SAVED." JOHN: "FATHER, I THANK THEE THAT THOU HAS HEARD ME".
JOHN SPEAKS: WHEN THE SON OF GOD PRAYS, HE HAS ONLY ONE CONSCIOUSNESS, AND THAT CONSCIOUSNESS OF HIS FATHER. GOD ALWAYS HEARS THE PRAYERS OF HIS SON, AND IF THE SON OF GOD IS FORMED IN ME THE FATHER WILL ALWAYS HEAR MY PRAYERS. I HAVE TO SEE THAT THE SON OF GOD IS MANIFESTED IN MY MORTAL FLESH. " OUR BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST (SPIRIT),. WE ASK OURSELVES THIS QUESTION:" IS THE PRAYER OF GOD'S ETERNAL SON BEING WORKED-OUT IN OUR LIFE AS ORDINARY HUMAN BEINGS, THROUGH JOHN'S PRAYER. IS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST BEING ABUNDANTLY SATISFIED IN OUR LIFE.
NEVER LET COMMON SENSE ( WHICH IS A GIFT) WHICH GOD GAVE TO HUMAN
NATURE; BUT COMMON SENSE IS NOT THE GIFT OF HIS SON. WE HAVE TO SEE THAT THIS MORTAL FLESH IS KEPT IN SUBJECTION TO HIM AND THAT HE WORKS THROUGH IT MOMENT BY MOMENT. REMEMBER: THEY TOOK AWAY THE STONE FROM THE PLACE WHERE THE DEAD WAS LAID. AND JESUS LIFTED UP HIS EYES, AND SAID "FATHER, I THANK THEE THAT THOU HAST HEARD ME. (JOHN'S PRAYER 11:41).
PETER SPEAKS UP; TO CHOOSE TO SUFFER MEANS THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG.; TO CHOSE GOD'S WILL EVEN IF IT MEANS SUFFERING IS VERY DIFFERENT. THE SAINT WHO SATISFIES THE HEART OF JESUS WILL MAKE OTHER SAINTS STRONG. NO ONE UNDERSTANDS A SAINT, BUT THE SAINT CLOSER TO THE SAVIOR, WILL MAKE OTHER SAINTS STRONG AND MATURE. " LET THEM THAT SUFFER ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD, COMMIT THE KEEPING OF THEIR SOULS TO HIM IN WELL-DOING. 1:PETER 4:19),.
NOW WHEN THEY SAW THE BOLDNESS OF PETER AND JOHN, AND PERCEIVED THAT THEY WERE UNLEARNED AND IGNORANT MEN, THEY MARVELLED; AND THEY TOOK KNOWLEDGE OF THEM., THAT THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS. AND BEHOLDING THE MAN WHICH THEY HEALED, THEY COULD SAY NOTHING AGAINST IT.
THE COUNCIL HAD DEMANDED THEM TO GO OUTSIDE, THEN THE COUNCIL
CONFERRED AMONG THEMSELVES, SAYING, " WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH THESE MEN? FOR THAT INDEED A NOTABLE MIRACLE HATH BEEN DONE BY THEM IS MANIFEST TO ALL THEM THAT DWELL IN JERUSALEM, AND WE CANNOT DENY IT.
BUT PETER AND JOHN ANSWERED AND SAID TO THEM, THAT SAMUEL AND EVERY PROPHET HAVE ALL SPOKEN ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON TODAY. GOD'S PROMISE TO YOUR ANCESTOR'S TO BLESS THE ENTIRE WORLD THROUGH THE JEWISH RACE- THAT IS THE PROMISE GOD GAVE TO ABRAHAM. AS SOON AS GOD HAD BROUGHT HIS SERVANT TO LIFE AGAIN, HE SENT HIM FIRST OF ALL TO YOU MEN OF ISRAEL, TO BLESS YOU BY TURNING YOU BACK FROM YOUR SINS.
CHRIST BRINGS DIVISION. [LUKE 12: 49-56].
LOOKING AT THIS GOSPEL TEXT, WHICH CONTAINS HARSH WORDS CONCERNING PURIFYING AND POTENTIALLY DIVISIVE EFFECTS OF GOD'S CALL. PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW THE WAY OF CHRIST OFTEN ENCOUNTER HOSTILITY AND REJECTION, EVEN FROM THOSE THEY LOVE, LISTEN TO OUR TEXT: " I CAME TO BRING FIRE TO THE EARTH, AND HOW I WISH IT WERE ALREADY KINDLED! I HAVE A BAPTISM WITH WHICH TO BE BAPTIZED, AND WHAT STRESS I AM UNDER UNTIL IT IS COMPLETED!
DO YOU THINK I HAVE COME TO BRING PEACE ON EARTH? NO I TELL YOU, BUT RATHER DIVISION! FROM NOW ON FIVE IN ONE HOUSEHOLD WILL BE DIVIDED, THREE AGAINST TWO AND TWO AGAINST THREE; THEY WILL BE DIVIDED:
FATHER AGAINST SON AND SON AGAINST FATHER, MOTHER AGAINST DAUGHTER,
DAUGHTER AGAINST MOTHER, MOTHER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER.-IN-LAW. HE ALSO SAID TO THE CROWD'S, WHEN YOU SEE A DARK CLOUD RISING IN THE WEST, YOU IMMEDIATELY SAY " IT'S GOING TO RAIN.; AND SO IT HAPPENS. AND WHEN YOU SEE A SOUTH WIND BLOWING, YOU SAY, " THERE WILL BE SCORCHING HEAT;" AND IT HAPPENS..
YOU HYPOCRITES!! YOU KNOW HOW TO INTERPRET THE APPEARANCE OF SKY AND EARTH, BUT WHY DO YOU NOT KNOW HOW TO INTERPRET THE PRESENT TIME? WINDS FROM THE WEST BLEW OFF THE MEDITERRANEAN; THOSE FROM THE SOUTH OFF THE DESERT. JESUS SAY THERE ARE MANY SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL CRISIS THAT HUMAN BEINGS NEGLECT. WHEN WE SPEAK OF JESUS,THE SON OF GOD, WE SPEAK OF THE" MYSTERY" OF JESUS IN St. PAUL'S SENSE, WE ARE THINKING OF HIM AS A SACRAMENT-A "SIGN" THAT REVEALS AS WELL AS HIDES. HE IS THE SELF-REVEALING OF GOD THROUGH THE SIGN OF A HUMAN BODY.
HE IS A MYSTERY IN ANOTHER WAY ALSO, IN THAT THERE IS SOMEHING BEYOND
UNDERSTANDING HIS MAKE -UP.
HE IS TRUELY GOD.
HE IS TRUELY MAN.
HE IS ONE PERSON.
JESUS IS NOT TWO PERSONS COOPERATING IN HARMONY. HE IS NOT GOD WITH A HUMAN FACADE, AND HE IS NOT MERELY A HUMAN BEING WITH A VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
AS A TRUE HUMAN BEING, JESUS IS PSYCHOLOGICALLY A "PERSON" IN A WORD TODAY. THE COUNCIL OF CHALCEDON (451 A.D.) AFTER WRESTLING WITH THE PROBLEM OF JUST WHO JESUS WAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING WAY OF TALKING ABOUT JESUS IN THE COUNCIL:
WE UNANIMOUSLY TEACH THAT THE SON, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, IS ONE AND THE SAME, THE SAME PERFECT IN DIVINITY, THE SAME PERFECT IN HUMANITY, TRUE GOD, TRUE MAN, CONSISTING IN A RATIONAL SOUL AND BODY, CONSUBSTANTIAL WITH THE FATHER IN DIVINITY AND "CONSUBSTANTIAL" WITH (HAVING THE SAME SUBSTANCE) US IN HUMANITY... IN TWO NATURES WITH CHRIST UNCONFUSED,, UNCHANGEABLE, UNDIVIDED, AND INSEPARABLE.. THE DIFFERENCE OF NATURES WILL NEVER BE ABOLISHED BY BEING UNITED, BUT RATHER THE PROPERTIES EACH REMAINED UNIMPAIRED, BOTH COMING TOGETHER IN ONE PERSON AND SUBSTANCE, NOT PARTED OR DIVIDED AMONG TWO PERSONS, BUT IN ONE AND THE SAME ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THE DIVINE WORD, IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. WE HAVE TO BE A LITTLE PHILOSOPHICAL FOR A MOMENT. TWO NATURES IN CHRIST. "NATURE" IN THIS SENSE IS THE BASIC CONSTITUTION OF ANYTHING OR ANYONE. WHEN WE ASK, " WHAT IS THAT?" WE ARE ASKING ABOUT THEIR NATURE. "WHAT IS A PENCIL?" MEANS "WHAT MAKES A PENCIL A PENCIL AND NOT SOMETHING ELSE?" "WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING MEANS?" " WHAT MAKES A CERTAIN CLASS OF BEING HUMAN?" WE ANSWER TO BE HUMAN IS TO HAVE A SPIRITUAL-PHYSICAL WAY OF BEING. WE ARE NEITHER ANGELS, NOR ANIMALS, BUT "EM-BODIED SPIRITS OR SPIRITUALIZED BODIES. WHEN WE SAY "WHAT MAKES JESUS JESUS?" WE ANSWER THAT HE IS A BEING WHO HAS A NATURE OF BEING HUMAN AND THE NATURE OF BEING DIVINE, BUT HE IS ONLY ONE PERSON. HE IS ABSOLUTELY UNIQUE. ONE PERSON IN CHRIST. WHEN WE SAY:" WHO IS THAT?" WE ARE NO LONGER ASKING WHAT MAKES SOMETHING TO BE WHAT IT IS. RATHER WE ARE IN THE AREA OF PERSONS. WE WANT TO KNOW THE PARTICULARE IDENTITY-THE-NAME-OF SOME PARTICULAR BEING.
NOW HERE IS THE MYSTERY OF JESUS. EVERY INDIVIDUAL HUMAN NATURE WE KNOW OF IS A HUMAN PERSON.
JOE SMITH IS A HUMAN PERSON, WITH A HUMAN NATURE. BUT JESUS IS NOT TWO PEOPLE MORE OR LESS TIED TOGETHER, GOD AND MAN; HE IS ONE PERSON WITH A DIVINE NATURE, WHO HAS ASSUMED A HUMAN NATURE INTO HIS ONE PERSON. THERE IS ONLY ONE WHO IS JESUS, BUT TWO WHAT'S. WHAT HE DOES IS TRULY DIVINE; IT IS ALSO ENTIRELY HUMAN.
THERE IS NO MIXING OF NATURES, HOWEVER. HE IS THE WISDOM AND POWER OF GOD, THE ETERNAL AND INFINITE LOVE OF GOD; HE IS THIS MAN WITH FULLY HUMAN EMOTIONS, MAKING HUMAN DECISIONS. THE WAY ALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS MAKE THEM, SUFFERING THE PAINS OF HUMAN LIMITATIONS AND THE JOYS OF A FULL HUMAN LIFE.
HOW DO WE PUT THESE TWO THINGS TOGETHHER? WE MUST SIMPLY SAY WE DON'T KNOW. WE LET THE TRUTH EXIST SIDE BY SIDE, AND WE BELIEVE THE MYSTERY.
JESUS OF NAZARETH WAS A REAL HUMAN INDIVIDUAL, A PERSON OF 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 PROCESS, AND ABILITY TO CHOOSE THAT ARE COMMON TO ALL PEOPLE. HE HAD THE HUMAN LIMITATIONS OF INTELLIGENCE, AND HE EXPERIENCED THE STRUGGLE TO LEARN AND DISCOVER THE TRUTH (AT 12 YEARS OF AGE IN THE TEMPLE).
JESUS WAS A JEW WHO ACCEPTED AND CHERISHED THE RELIGION OF ISRAEL AND ITS TRADITION AS THE WILL OF HIS FATHER (GOD) FOR HIM AND FOR HIS PEOPLE.
HE TOOK PART IN THE RELIGIOUS LIFE OF HIS TIME, WHICH INCLUDED LEARNING TORAH, ATTENDING SYNAGOGUE, MAKING PILGRIMAGES TO THE TEMPLE ( IN JERUSALEM). LEARNING FROM THE PRIESTS, RABBI'S, SCHOLARS, OF HIS TIME.
AND FOLLOWING THE LAWS AND RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS OF THE JEWS. JESUS LIFE WAS SHAPED BY THE JEWISH CULTURE, FAMILY, BY HIS LIFE IN NAZARETH AND OTHER AREAS OF GALILEE, AND HIS WORK AS A CARPENTER.
JESUS BEGAN HIS PUBLIC LIFE AS A FOLLOWER OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. AFTER JOHN WAS EXECUTED, JESUS WENT ON HIS OWN INDIVIDUAL MISSION. TRADITIONAL MANNER OF WHERE FOLLOWERS PICKED THEIR LEADERS, JESUS PICKED HIS OWN FOLLOWERS, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. RATHER THAN TO HAVE A SCHOOL, JESUS CHOSE TO BE AN ITINERANT PREACHER, DELIVERING HIS MESSAGE IN OPEN FIELDS, BY THE LAKESIDE. HE TAUGHT WITH AUTHORITY THAT WAS DISTINCTIVE, YET CONFINED HIS TEACHING MOSTLY TO SMALL TOWNS.
THE CENTRAL MESSAGE OF JESUS CONCERNED THE REIGN OF GOD. THIS WAS A COMMON THEME IN ISRAEL, BUT HIS VERSION WAS UNCOMMON, FOR HE APPARENTLY EXPERIENCE AN UNPRECEDENTEDINTIMACY WITH HIM, WHOM HE CALLED "ABBA," AND HE CALLED OTHERS TO SHARE THIS INTIMACY WITH HIM
SO WE PRAY THE SCRIPTURES WITH JOY AND ADMIRATION, AND THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE TO DO THIS, THAN "THE MAGNIFICENT PROLOGUE OF JOHN'S GOSPEL:
IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE "WORD"
AND THE "WORD," WAS WITH "GOD"
AND THE WORD WAS GOD. AMEN!
DO YOU THINK I HAVE COME TO BRING PEACE ON EARTH? NO I TELL YOU, BUT RATHER DIVISION! FROM NOW ON FIVE IN ONE HOUSEHOLD WILL BE DIVIDED, THREE AGAINST TWO AND TWO AGAINST THREE; THEY WILL BE DIVIDED:
FATHER AGAINST SON AND SON AGAINST FATHER, MOTHER AGAINST DAUGHTER,
DAUGHTER AGAINST MOTHER, MOTHER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER.-IN-LAW. HE ALSO SAID TO THE CROWD'S, WHEN YOU SEE A DARK CLOUD RISING IN THE WEST, YOU IMMEDIATELY SAY " IT'S GOING TO RAIN.; AND SO IT HAPPENS. AND WHEN YOU SEE A SOUTH WIND BLOWING, YOU SAY, " THERE WILL BE SCORCHING HEAT;" AND IT HAPPENS..
YOU HYPOCRITES!! YOU KNOW HOW TO INTERPRET THE APPEARANCE OF SKY AND EARTH, BUT WHY DO YOU NOT KNOW HOW TO INTERPRET THE PRESENT TIME? WINDS FROM THE WEST BLEW OFF THE MEDITERRANEAN; THOSE FROM THE SOUTH OFF THE DESERT. JESUS SAY THERE ARE MANY SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL CRISIS THAT HUMAN BEINGS NEGLECT. WHEN WE SPEAK OF JESUS,THE SON OF GOD, WE SPEAK OF THE" MYSTERY" OF JESUS IN St. PAUL'S SENSE, WE ARE THINKING OF HIM AS A SACRAMENT-A "SIGN" THAT REVEALS AS WELL AS HIDES. HE IS THE SELF-REVEALING OF GOD THROUGH THE SIGN OF A HUMAN BODY.
HE IS A MYSTERY IN ANOTHER WAY ALSO, IN THAT THERE IS SOMEHING BEYOND
UNDERSTANDING HIS MAKE -UP.
HE IS TRUELY GOD.
HE IS TRUELY MAN.
HE IS ONE PERSON.
JESUS IS NOT TWO PERSONS COOPERATING IN HARMONY. HE IS NOT GOD WITH A HUMAN FACADE, AND HE IS NOT MERELY A HUMAN BEING WITH A VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
AS A TRUE HUMAN BEING, JESUS IS PSYCHOLOGICALLY A "PERSON" IN A WORD TODAY. THE COUNCIL OF CHALCEDON (451 A.D.) AFTER WRESTLING WITH THE PROBLEM OF JUST WHO JESUS WAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING WAY OF TALKING ABOUT JESUS IN THE COUNCIL:
WE UNANIMOUSLY TEACH THAT THE SON, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, IS ONE AND THE SAME, THE SAME PERFECT IN DIVINITY, THE SAME PERFECT IN HUMANITY, TRUE GOD, TRUE MAN, CONSISTING IN A RATIONAL SOUL AND BODY, CONSUBSTANTIAL WITH THE FATHER IN DIVINITY AND "CONSUBSTANTIAL" WITH (HAVING THE SAME SUBSTANCE) US IN HUMANITY... IN TWO NATURES WITH CHRIST UNCONFUSED,, UNCHANGEABLE, UNDIVIDED, AND INSEPARABLE.. THE DIFFERENCE OF NATURES WILL NEVER BE ABOLISHED BY BEING UNITED, BUT RATHER THE PROPERTIES EACH REMAINED UNIMPAIRED, BOTH COMING TOGETHER IN ONE PERSON AND SUBSTANCE, NOT PARTED OR DIVIDED AMONG TWO PERSONS, BUT IN ONE AND THE SAME ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THE DIVINE WORD, IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. WE HAVE TO BE A LITTLE PHILOSOPHICAL FOR A MOMENT. TWO NATURES IN CHRIST. "NATURE" IN THIS SENSE IS THE BASIC CONSTITUTION OF ANYTHING OR ANYONE. WHEN WE ASK, " WHAT IS THAT?" WE ARE ASKING ABOUT THEIR NATURE. "WHAT IS A PENCIL?" MEANS "WHAT MAKES A PENCIL A PENCIL AND NOT SOMETHING ELSE?" "WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING MEANS?" " WHAT MAKES A CERTAIN CLASS OF BEING HUMAN?" WE ANSWER TO BE HUMAN IS TO HAVE A SPIRITUAL-PHYSICAL WAY OF BEING. WE ARE NEITHER ANGELS, NOR ANIMALS, BUT "EM-BODIED SPIRITS OR SPIRITUALIZED BODIES. WHEN WE SAY "WHAT MAKES JESUS JESUS?" WE ANSWER THAT HE IS A BEING WHO HAS A NATURE OF BEING HUMAN AND THE NATURE OF BEING DIVINE, BUT HE IS ONLY ONE PERSON. HE IS ABSOLUTELY UNIQUE. ONE PERSON IN CHRIST. WHEN WE SAY:" WHO IS THAT?" WE ARE NO LONGER ASKING WHAT MAKES SOMETHING TO BE WHAT IT IS. RATHER WE ARE IN THE AREA OF PERSONS. WE WANT TO KNOW THE PARTICULARE IDENTITY-THE-NAME-OF SOME PARTICULAR BEING.
NOW HERE IS THE MYSTERY OF JESUS. EVERY INDIVIDUAL HUMAN NATURE WE KNOW OF IS A HUMAN PERSON.
JOE SMITH IS A HUMAN PERSON, WITH A HUMAN NATURE. BUT JESUS IS NOT TWO PEOPLE MORE OR LESS TIED TOGETHER, GOD AND MAN; HE IS ONE PERSON WITH A DIVINE NATURE, WHO HAS ASSUMED A HUMAN NATURE INTO HIS ONE PERSON. THERE IS ONLY ONE WHO IS JESUS, BUT TWO WHAT'S. WHAT HE DOES IS TRULY DIVINE; IT IS ALSO ENTIRELY HUMAN.
THERE IS NO MIXING OF NATURES, HOWEVER. HE IS THE WISDOM AND POWER OF GOD, THE ETERNAL AND INFINITE LOVE OF GOD; HE IS THIS MAN WITH FULLY HUMAN EMOTIONS, MAKING HUMAN DECISIONS. THE WAY ALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS MAKE THEM, SUFFERING THE PAINS OF HUMAN LIMITATIONS AND THE JOYS OF A FULL HUMAN LIFE.
HOW DO WE PUT THESE TWO THINGS TOGETHHER? WE MUST SIMPLY SAY WE DON'T KNOW. WE LET THE TRUTH EXIST SIDE BY SIDE, AND WE BELIEVE THE MYSTERY.
JESUS OF NAZARETH WAS A REAL HUMAN INDIVIDUAL, A PERSON OF 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 PROCESS, AND ABILITY TO CHOOSE THAT ARE COMMON TO ALL PEOPLE. HE HAD THE HUMAN LIMITATIONS OF INTELLIGENCE, AND HE EXPERIENCED THE STRUGGLE TO LEARN AND DISCOVER THE TRUTH (AT 12 YEARS OF AGE IN THE TEMPLE).
JESUS WAS A JEW WHO ACCEPTED AND CHERISHED THE RELIGION OF ISRAEL AND ITS TRADITION AS THE WILL OF HIS FATHER (GOD) FOR HIM AND FOR HIS PEOPLE.
HE TOOK PART IN THE RELIGIOUS LIFE OF HIS TIME, WHICH INCLUDED LEARNING TORAH, ATTENDING SYNAGOGUE, MAKING PILGRIMAGES TO THE TEMPLE ( IN JERUSALEM). LEARNING FROM THE PRIESTS, RABBI'S, SCHOLARS, OF HIS TIME.
AND FOLLOWING THE LAWS AND RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS OF THE JEWS. JESUS LIFE WAS SHAPED BY THE JEWISH CULTURE, FAMILY, BY HIS LIFE IN NAZARETH AND OTHER AREAS OF GALILEE, AND HIS WORK AS A CARPENTER.
JESUS BEGAN HIS PUBLIC LIFE AS A FOLLOWER OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. AFTER JOHN WAS EXECUTED, JESUS WENT ON HIS OWN INDIVIDUAL MISSION. TRADITIONAL MANNER OF WHERE FOLLOWERS PICKED THEIR LEADERS, JESUS PICKED HIS OWN FOLLOWERS, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. RATHER THAN TO HAVE A SCHOOL, JESUS CHOSE TO BE AN ITINERANT PREACHER, DELIVERING HIS MESSAGE IN OPEN FIELDS, BY THE LAKESIDE. HE TAUGHT WITH AUTHORITY THAT WAS DISTINCTIVE, YET CONFINED HIS TEACHING MOSTLY TO SMALL TOWNS.
THE CENTRAL MESSAGE OF JESUS CONCERNED THE REIGN OF GOD. THIS WAS A COMMON THEME IN ISRAEL, BUT HIS VERSION WAS UNCOMMON, FOR HE APPARENTLY EXPERIENCE AN UNPRECEDENTEDINTIMACY WITH HIM, WHOM HE CALLED "ABBA," AND HE CALLED OTHERS TO SHARE THIS INTIMACY WITH HIM
SO WE PRAY THE SCRIPTURES WITH JOY AND ADMIRATION, AND THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE TO DO THIS, THAN "THE MAGNIFICENT PROLOGUE OF JOHN'S GOSPEL:
IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE "WORD"
AND THE "WORD," WAS WITH "GOD"
AND THE WORD WAS GOD. AMEN!
Saturday, December 9, 2017
RISING OF JESUS
WE COULD SAY THE WORLD STARTRED OVER WHEN THE SON OF GOD WAS MADE FLESH IN THE WOMB OF THE VIRGIN MARY. FROM THAT MOMENT ON, HISTORY WAS FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED OR WE COULD SAY THE WORLD STARTRED A NEW; WITH THE BIRTH OF CHRIST, WHEN POOR JEWISH SHEPHERDS AND INQUIRING GENTILE ASTROLOGERS REPRESENTED THE WHOLE WORLD BEFORE HIS CRIB.
BUT IT IS NEAREST THE TRUTH TO SAY THE WORLD STARTED -OVER WITH THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS, FOR IN THAT EVENT GOD'S SAVING PLAN WAS PERFECTLY FULFILLED, IN THE CENTER OF TIME AND ETERNITY, RADIATING POWER TO THE UNIVERSE, IS THE RISEN JESUS, GLOROUS IN NEW AND MYSTERIOUS HUMAN LIFE, DIVINITY SHINING THROUGH HUMANITY, INVITING AND EMPOWERING ALL THE CHILDREN OF ADAM TO BE JOINED TO HIM IN VICTORY AND GLORY.
WE MUST SAY " DEATH AND RESURRECTION" FOR IT IS BOTH OF THESE EVENTS OR, PERHAPS BETTER, COMBINED EVENT THAT IS CRUCIAL IN ALL HISTORY. DID NOT THE MESSIAH HAVE TO UNDERGO ALL THIS SO AS TO ENTER INTO HIS GLORY (LK. 24-26). BEGINNING AT MOSES AND ALL THE PROPHETS, HE EXPOUNDED UNTO THEM
IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES THE THINGS CONCERNING HIMSELF. AND THEY DREW NIGH UNTO THE VILLAGE WHERE HE MADE AS THOUGH HE WOULD HAVE GONE FURTHER. ABIDE WITH US: FOR THE DAY IS FAR SPENT. AND HE WENT IN TO TARRY WITH THEM. AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS HE SAT AT MEAT; WITH THEM, HE TOOK BREAD AND BLESSED, AND BRAKE, AND GAVE IT TO THEM. AND THEIR EYES WERE OPENED AND THEY KNEW HIM ( RECOGNIZED) AND HE VANISHED OUT OF THEIR SIGHT. AND THEY SAID ONE TO ANOTHER, DID NOT OUR HEART BURN WITHIN US, WHILE HE TALKED WITH US BY THE WAY (ON THE ROAD) AND WHILE HE OPENED TO US THE SCRIPTURES (EXPLAINED), AND THEY ROSE UP THE SAME HOURAND THEY RETURNED TO JERUSALEM, AND FOUND THE ELEVEN GATHERED TOGETHER.
THE IMPOSSIBILTY OF RECOGNIZING JESUS WITHOUT FAITH INDICATES THAT THE RISEN BODY HAS DIFFERENT QUALITIES THAN IT HAD BEFORE HIS DEATH. OBVIOUSLY THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS DOES NOT IMPLY THE RESUSCITATION
OF A SIX-FOOT, 190-POUND MAN. HE DID NOT COME "BACK" LIKE LAZARUS.
. JESUS RISEN BODY IS A REAL BODY- MATERIAL, YET NOW "SPIRITUAL."
WHAT CAN THIS MEAN? PAUL MAY HELP US, AS HE SPEAKS OF THE KIND OF BODIES WE WILL HAVE/ A NONSENSICAL QUESTION!...WHEN YOU SOW, YOU DO NOT SSSOW THE FULL BLOWN PLANT, BUT A KERNEL OF WHEAT OR SOME OTHER GRAIN, GOD GIVES BODY TO IT AS HE PLEASES- TO EACH SEED ITS OWN FRUITION ... WHAT IS SOWN IN THE EARTH IS SUBJECT TO DECAY, WHAT RISES IS INCORRUPTIBLE. WHAT IS SOWN IS IGNOBLE, WHAT RISES IS GLORIOUS. WEAKNESS IS SOWN, STRENGTH RISES UP, A NATUTAL BODY IS PUT DOWN AND A SPIRITUAL BODY COMES UP ( 1 COR. 15: 35-38, 42-44). JESUS NO LONGERS BELONGS TO OUR SPACE AND TIME. THERE IS NO HOUR GLASS IN HIS LIFE, AND HIS POWER FLOWS TO THE UNIVERSE. HE IS SIMPLY " AVAILABLE" TO ANYONE AND EVERY ONE., ANY PLACE ANY TIME.
" THE INNER MEANING OF THE RESURRECTION.
LEST WE MISS THE FOREST FOR THE TREES, WE MUST ASK OURSELVES WHAT THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS MEANS FOR US TODAY? STARTING ON THE END, WE KNOW BODIES WILL RISE AS HE DID, AND WE WILL SHARE HIS VICTORY AND GLORY AND JOY FOREVER. BUT IN A ONCE- AND- FOR- ALL SENSE, IT MEANS THAT THE FATHER, AS ETERNALLY, PLANNED, RESPONDS, IN THIS FAITHFUL WAY TO THE PERFECT CHILDLIKE TRUST AND OBEDIENCE OF JESUS. HE RAISES HIM UP, AND WITH HIM ALL WHO WISH TO JOIN HIM. JESUS ROSE BY HIS OWN POWER, AND HE WAS RAISED BY THE FATHER (JN 10-18; ROM. 6-4). IT IS ALL ONE- THE MERCIFUL PLAN, THE FATHER, THE SON, AND SPIRIT FORMED FROM ETERNITY.
JESUS IS GOD'S "LAST WORD" HIS DEATH AN RESURRECTION-GLORIFICATION-OUT POURING OF SPIRIT ARE "ALL" THAT EVEN THE INFINITELY MERCIFUL GOD CAN DO. NOW THEIR IS NOTHING LEFTB TO DO- WETHER THE WORLD LASTS A DAY OR A MILLION YEARS. BUT TO DRAW ALL WHO WISH INTO THE SAVING, ENLIVEING LIFE OF JESUS. WHAT JESUS IS, ALL CAN BE: FREE FROM DEATH, SIN, SUFFERING,, EVIL.
THE UNION OF GOD AND HUMAN BEINGS IS SEALED NOW, FOREVER. IT CAN NEVER BE BROKEN BECAUSE JESUS, FINALLY THE HUMAN ONE, HAS MADE THE EXODUS THROUGH THE WATERS OF DEATH TO NEW LIFE, WHICH HE SHARES WITH ALL WHO DESIRES IT. THE DEAD, THE HERITAGE OF SIN IS WIPED OUT. GOD'S LIFE REPLACES DEATH IN THE HEARTS OF ALL.WHO "TURN TO HIM". THE KINGDOM HAS INDEED COME. IT IS JESUS AND ALL HIS FOLLOWERS ALLOWING THEMSELVES TO BE FULLY POSSESSED BY THE LOVE OF THE FATHER.
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS THE TRANSFORMATION OF HUMAN BEINGS BY THE POWER OF JESUS DEATH AND RESURRECTION. WE HAVE SEEN THIS AMAZING CHANGE IN THOSE WHO AT FIRST STUBBORNLY REFUSED TO BELIEVE. THEY BOWED DOWN AND SAID;, " MY LORD AND MY GOD!" THEY RECOGNIZED JESUS AS THE "LORD"
ONE WITH YAHWEH OF CREATION. SO THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS IS INDEED THE WORLD STARTING OVER. JESUS IS THE NEW ADAM, LIFTED UP OUT OF THE OLD ADAM WHICH WAS IMPRISONED IN SIN AND DEATH. THE FIRST ADAM- AND ALL OF US FORFEITED OUR GIFTS. THE NEW ADAM, TRUELY HUMAN IN THE PERSON OF THE SON, MADE THE PERFECT ATONEMENT. HE FULFILLED THE PURPOSE OF ALL SACRIFICE: UNION WITH GOD. THE POWER OF JESUS IS ALWAYS WITH US. IT GIVES US THE POWER TO DIE- PERHAPS A HUNDREAD TIMES A DAY-TO SELFISHNESS AND UNTRUTH AND TO RISE-EVEN THOUGH THE TASTE OF IT MAY BE THERE-TO GREATER UNION WITH THE RISEN JESUS
BUT IT IS NEAREST THE TRUTH TO SAY THE WORLD STARTED -OVER WITH THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS, FOR IN THAT EVENT GOD'S SAVING PLAN WAS PERFECTLY FULFILLED, IN THE CENTER OF TIME AND ETERNITY, RADIATING POWER TO THE UNIVERSE, IS THE RISEN JESUS, GLOROUS IN NEW AND MYSTERIOUS HUMAN LIFE, DIVINITY SHINING THROUGH HUMANITY, INVITING AND EMPOWERING ALL THE CHILDREN OF ADAM TO BE JOINED TO HIM IN VICTORY AND GLORY.
WE MUST SAY " DEATH AND RESURRECTION" FOR IT IS BOTH OF THESE EVENTS OR, PERHAPS BETTER, COMBINED EVENT THAT IS CRUCIAL IN ALL HISTORY. DID NOT THE MESSIAH HAVE TO UNDERGO ALL THIS SO AS TO ENTER INTO HIS GLORY (LK. 24-26). BEGINNING AT MOSES AND ALL THE PROPHETS, HE EXPOUNDED UNTO THEM
IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES THE THINGS CONCERNING HIMSELF. AND THEY DREW NIGH UNTO THE VILLAGE WHERE HE MADE AS THOUGH HE WOULD HAVE GONE FURTHER. ABIDE WITH US: FOR THE DAY IS FAR SPENT. AND HE WENT IN TO TARRY WITH THEM. AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS HE SAT AT MEAT; WITH THEM, HE TOOK BREAD AND BLESSED, AND BRAKE, AND GAVE IT TO THEM. AND THEIR EYES WERE OPENED AND THEY KNEW HIM ( RECOGNIZED) AND HE VANISHED OUT OF THEIR SIGHT. AND THEY SAID ONE TO ANOTHER, DID NOT OUR HEART BURN WITHIN US, WHILE HE TALKED WITH US BY THE WAY (ON THE ROAD) AND WHILE HE OPENED TO US THE SCRIPTURES (EXPLAINED), AND THEY ROSE UP THE SAME HOURAND THEY RETURNED TO JERUSALEM, AND FOUND THE ELEVEN GATHERED TOGETHER.
THE IMPOSSIBILTY OF RECOGNIZING JESUS WITHOUT FAITH INDICATES THAT THE RISEN BODY HAS DIFFERENT QUALITIES THAN IT HAD BEFORE HIS DEATH. OBVIOUSLY THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS DOES NOT IMPLY THE RESUSCITATION
OF A SIX-FOOT, 190-POUND MAN. HE DID NOT COME "BACK" LIKE LAZARUS.
. JESUS RISEN BODY IS A REAL BODY- MATERIAL, YET NOW "SPIRITUAL."
WHAT CAN THIS MEAN? PAUL MAY HELP US, AS HE SPEAKS OF THE KIND OF BODIES WE WILL HAVE/ A NONSENSICAL QUESTION!...WHEN YOU SOW, YOU DO NOT SSSOW THE FULL BLOWN PLANT, BUT A KERNEL OF WHEAT OR SOME OTHER GRAIN, GOD GIVES BODY TO IT AS HE PLEASES- TO EACH SEED ITS OWN FRUITION ... WHAT IS SOWN IN THE EARTH IS SUBJECT TO DECAY, WHAT RISES IS INCORRUPTIBLE. WHAT IS SOWN IS IGNOBLE, WHAT RISES IS GLORIOUS. WEAKNESS IS SOWN, STRENGTH RISES UP, A NATUTAL BODY IS PUT DOWN AND A SPIRITUAL BODY COMES UP ( 1 COR. 15: 35-38, 42-44). JESUS NO LONGERS BELONGS TO OUR SPACE AND TIME. THERE IS NO HOUR GLASS IN HIS LIFE, AND HIS POWER FLOWS TO THE UNIVERSE. HE IS SIMPLY " AVAILABLE" TO ANYONE AND EVERY ONE., ANY PLACE ANY TIME.
" THE INNER MEANING OF THE RESURRECTION.
LEST WE MISS THE FOREST FOR THE TREES, WE MUST ASK OURSELVES WHAT THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS MEANS FOR US TODAY? STARTING ON THE END, WE KNOW BODIES WILL RISE AS HE DID, AND WE WILL SHARE HIS VICTORY AND GLORY AND JOY FOREVER. BUT IN A ONCE- AND- FOR- ALL SENSE, IT MEANS THAT THE FATHER, AS ETERNALLY, PLANNED, RESPONDS, IN THIS FAITHFUL WAY TO THE PERFECT CHILDLIKE TRUST AND OBEDIENCE OF JESUS. HE RAISES HIM UP, AND WITH HIM ALL WHO WISH TO JOIN HIM. JESUS ROSE BY HIS OWN POWER, AND HE WAS RAISED BY THE FATHER (JN 10-18; ROM. 6-4). IT IS ALL ONE- THE MERCIFUL PLAN, THE FATHER, THE SON, AND SPIRIT FORMED FROM ETERNITY.
JESUS IS GOD'S "LAST WORD" HIS DEATH AN RESURRECTION-GLORIFICATION-OUT POURING OF SPIRIT ARE "ALL" THAT EVEN THE INFINITELY MERCIFUL GOD CAN DO. NOW THEIR IS NOTHING LEFTB TO DO- WETHER THE WORLD LASTS A DAY OR A MILLION YEARS. BUT TO DRAW ALL WHO WISH INTO THE SAVING, ENLIVEING LIFE OF JESUS. WHAT JESUS IS, ALL CAN BE: FREE FROM DEATH, SIN, SUFFERING,, EVIL.
THE UNION OF GOD AND HUMAN BEINGS IS SEALED NOW, FOREVER. IT CAN NEVER BE BROKEN BECAUSE JESUS, FINALLY THE HUMAN ONE, HAS MADE THE EXODUS THROUGH THE WATERS OF DEATH TO NEW LIFE, WHICH HE SHARES WITH ALL WHO DESIRES IT. THE DEAD, THE HERITAGE OF SIN IS WIPED OUT. GOD'S LIFE REPLACES DEATH IN THE HEARTS OF ALL.WHO "TURN TO HIM". THE KINGDOM HAS INDEED COME. IT IS JESUS AND ALL HIS FOLLOWERS ALLOWING THEMSELVES TO BE FULLY POSSESSED BY THE LOVE OF THE FATHER.
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS THE TRANSFORMATION OF HUMAN BEINGS BY THE POWER OF JESUS DEATH AND RESURRECTION. WE HAVE SEEN THIS AMAZING CHANGE IN THOSE WHO AT FIRST STUBBORNLY REFUSED TO BELIEVE. THEY BOWED DOWN AND SAID;, " MY LORD AND MY GOD!" THEY RECOGNIZED JESUS AS THE "LORD"
ONE WITH YAHWEH OF CREATION. SO THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS IS INDEED THE WORLD STARTING OVER. JESUS IS THE NEW ADAM, LIFTED UP OUT OF THE OLD ADAM WHICH WAS IMPRISONED IN SIN AND DEATH. THE FIRST ADAM- AND ALL OF US FORFEITED OUR GIFTS. THE NEW ADAM, TRUELY HUMAN IN THE PERSON OF THE SON, MADE THE PERFECT ATONEMENT. HE FULFILLED THE PURPOSE OF ALL SACRIFICE: UNION WITH GOD. THE POWER OF JESUS IS ALWAYS WITH US. IT GIVES US THE POWER TO DIE- PERHAPS A HUNDREAD TIMES A DAY-TO SELFISHNESS AND UNTRUTH AND TO RISE-EVEN THOUGH THE TASTE OF IT MAY BE THERE-TO GREATER UNION WITH THE RISEN JESUS
Friday, December 8, 2017
ISAIAH 55;1-9 [INVITATION TO ABUNDANT LIFE].
GOD IS A VERY INVITING GOD: ISAIAH DESCRIBED IN AMAZING DETAIL, 7OO YEARS IN THE FUTURE HOW CHRIST WOULD COME AND SUFFER AND BEAR THE SINS OF MANY OF GOD'S PEOPLE AND DIE IN OUR PLACE AND RISE AGAIN. THEIR IS THE GREAT SUBSTITUTION. CHRIST IN TO DIE IN OUR PLACE , AND THREE DAYS LATER TO RISE AGAIN. TAKING OUR SINS UPON HIMSELF. HE WAS SINLESS. LETS LOOK AT HIS RESURRECTION, ISAIAH 12: " THEREFORE I WILL DIVIDE HIM A PORTION WITH THE GREAT, AND HE SHALL DIVIDE THE SPOIL WITH THE STRONG; BECAUSE HE HAS POURED OUT HIS SOUL UNTO DEATH;" HE WAS NUMBERED WITH THE TRANSGRESSORS. BUT, GOD HONERED HIM. GOD SENT HIS SON SO THAT WE MAY LIVE. EVEN PAUL FINDS HIMSELF USING IMAGES ISAIAH TO SPEAK THE TRUTH OF JESUS CHRIST. HE IS OUR ROCK, THE LIVING SIGN OF GOD'S FAITHFULNESS. WE ARE FRAGILE CREATURES LIVING IN A WORLD OF TRAGEDY AND TERROR, BUT GOD DOES NOT PUNISH FRAGILITY WITH DEATH. ON THE CONTRARY, GOD SENT JESUS TO US SO THAT WE MAY LIVE. WE MUST GROW IN GOD'S INSCRUTABLE GRACE WHICH CANNOT BE PURCHASED, BUT IS FULFILLEDTHROUGH GOD'S PROMISES TO DAVID.
PAUL SPEAKS OF THE ROCK FOLLOWING THEM AS A SYMBOL OF CHRIST.. ISAIH WHICH SAYS: BY HEARING, YOU SHALL HEAR, BUT NOT UNDERSTAND; AND SEEING YOU SHALL SEE AND NOT PERCIEVE; FOR THE PEOPLE HEART HAVE WAXED GROSS. THE EARS ARE DULL OF HEARING, THEIR EYES ARE CLOSED. LEST AT ANY TIME THEY SHOULD SEE WITH THEIR WITH THEIIR HEART AND UNDERSTAND EYES AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS AND UNDERSTAND AND BE HEALED!
ISAIAH 55 INVITES US TO A GREAT INVITATION. THE FIRST PEOPLE TO BE INVITED ARE THOSE WHO ARE THRISTY AND THOSE WHO HAVE NO MONEY. TWO THINGS THIRSTY AND CAN'T PAY. AT THE BEGINNING OF ADVENT, IS A TIME THAT POINTS THE PEOPLE OF GOD TOWARD THE THREE COMINGS OF THE LORD JESUS. HE CAME AMONG US AT BETHLEHEM. HE COMES AMONG US IN THE SCRIPTURES, THE WATERS OF BAPTISM, THE EUCHARISTIC MEAL, AND THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH. HE WILL COME AGAIN IN THE GLORY TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD. KEEP AWAKE, FOR HIS COMING IS CERTAIN, AND HIS DAY DRAWS NEAR. (WATCH THE NEWS! )
BUT THIS TIME OF YEAR, WE HAVE TO BE HONEST, ADVENT IS NOT ON OUR MIND, WE ARE THINKING OF CHRISTMAS. DURING THIS SEASON, WE REMEMBER ADVENT NOT AS A FRANTIC COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS BUT AS AN INTENTIONAL TIME OF PERSONAL RENEWAL FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD. WE LOOK AT THESE FOUR WEEKS, THAT THE BIBLICAL TRUTH THAT JESUS WILL RETURN ONE DAY. IT IS A DAY THAT BRINGS FEAR AND JOY, REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS! ISAIAH 64:1-9 REMINDS US THAT WE ARE INFECTED WITH THIS UNIVERSAL DISEASE CALLED "SIN."
THAT CANNOT BE "WISHED" AWAY BUT ONLY HEALED THROUGH GOD'S INTERVENTION. IN 1 CORINTHIANS 1:3-9 PAUL ADMONISHES BELIEVERS TO WAIT EAGERLY FOR HIS RETURN WITH THANKSGIVING AND BLAMELESS LIVING. MARK TELLS US ( 13: 24-37), WHILE WE MISSED JESUS FIRST COMING, IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO MISS HIS SECOND. JESUS RETURN WILL BE DRAMATIC AND GLOBAL.
AGAIN THE WARNING, " STAY AWAKE" AND NO MATTER THE TIME, DAY OR NIGHT, "STAY ALERT." IF THERE IS ONE CONSISTENT MESSAGE FOR ADVENT, IT COMES FROM JOHN THE BAPTIST AND IT IS CALLED "REPENTANCE!" (MARK 1: 1-8). WITH JOHN SAYING "PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD!"
SO WETHER IN THE DESERT OR WITHIN OUR HEARTS, THE THREE READINGS URGE US TO BEGIN THAT JOURNEY ON OUR KNEES, GOD IS NOT SLOW TO RETURN BUT RATHER SHOWING GREAT PATIENCE AND MERCY BY GIVING US TIME TO REPENT BEFORE RETURNING " LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT." ALSO ADVENT IS A TIME OF MYSTERY BECAUSE OF EXPECTATION AND HOPE, FOR WHAT WE DO NOT SEE, WE WAIT FOR IT WITH PATIENCE. ADVENT LIKE EACH SEASON OF GRACE, GIVES US THE OPPORUNITY TO REDISCOVER "HOLY GROUND." WHEN THE SON-OF-MAN COMES WITH THE CLOUDS, STAND-UP LIFT OUR HEADS, OUR REDEMPTION IS AT HAND. EITHER WE RISE FROM THE GRAVE, OR PUSH OPEN THE SCREEN DOOR STEP OUT ON THE FRONT DOOR TO MEET HIM, DEPENDING WHAT TIME HE MAKES HIS ADVENT.
BE READY FOR THE RETURN OF CHRIST. JESUS TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES ABOUT THE SIGNS OF THE END TIMES. WHILE HE TAUGHT, HE STOOD ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES
DIRECTLY OPPOSITE THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM. PETER, JAMES, JOHN, AND ANDREW ASKED HIM TO EXPLAIN WWHEN THE END WOULD COME? IN MARK (13:32); IT SAYS: OF THE LAST DAY AND THAT HOUR KNOWETH NO MAN, NOT EVEN THE ANGELS WHICH ARE IN HEAVEN, NEITHER THE SON, BUT THE FATHER. TAKE HEED, WATCH AND PRAY! FOR THE SON IS AS A MAN TAKING A FAR JOURNEY, WHO LEFT HIS HOUSE, AND GAVE AUTHORITY TO HIS SERVANTS, AND TO EVERY MAN HIS WORK, AND COMMANDED THE PORTER TO WATCH, FOR YOU DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE RETURNS. EVEN THE AGELS ARE IGNORANT, THOUGH THEY KNOW MANY SECRETS AND MYSTERIES OF GOD, THE DAY IS NOT EVEN TO JESUS IN HIS STATE OF HUMILIATION. EXACT TIME IS NOT KNOWN UPON EARTH!
THE PEOPLE OF GOD TOWARD THE THREE COMINGS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
PAUL SPEAKS OF THE ROCK FOLLOWING THEM AS A SYMBOL OF CHRIST.. ISAIH WHICH SAYS: BY HEARING, YOU SHALL HEAR, BUT NOT UNDERSTAND; AND SEEING YOU SHALL SEE AND NOT PERCIEVE; FOR THE PEOPLE HEART HAVE WAXED GROSS. THE EARS ARE DULL OF HEARING, THEIR EYES ARE CLOSED. LEST AT ANY TIME THEY SHOULD SEE WITH THEIR WITH THEIIR HEART AND UNDERSTAND EYES AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS AND UNDERSTAND AND BE HEALED!
ISAIAH 55 INVITES US TO A GREAT INVITATION. THE FIRST PEOPLE TO BE INVITED ARE THOSE WHO ARE THRISTY AND THOSE WHO HAVE NO MONEY. TWO THINGS THIRSTY AND CAN'T PAY. AT THE BEGINNING OF ADVENT, IS A TIME THAT POINTS THE PEOPLE OF GOD TOWARD THE THREE COMINGS OF THE LORD JESUS. HE CAME AMONG US AT BETHLEHEM. HE COMES AMONG US IN THE SCRIPTURES, THE WATERS OF BAPTISM, THE EUCHARISTIC MEAL, AND THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH. HE WILL COME AGAIN IN THE GLORY TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD. KEEP AWAKE, FOR HIS COMING IS CERTAIN, AND HIS DAY DRAWS NEAR. (WATCH THE NEWS! )
BUT THIS TIME OF YEAR, WE HAVE TO BE HONEST, ADVENT IS NOT ON OUR MIND, WE ARE THINKING OF CHRISTMAS. DURING THIS SEASON, WE REMEMBER ADVENT NOT AS A FRANTIC COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS BUT AS AN INTENTIONAL TIME OF PERSONAL RENEWAL FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD. WE LOOK AT THESE FOUR WEEKS, THAT THE BIBLICAL TRUTH THAT JESUS WILL RETURN ONE DAY. IT IS A DAY THAT BRINGS FEAR AND JOY, REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS! ISAIAH 64:1-9 REMINDS US THAT WE ARE INFECTED WITH THIS UNIVERSAL DISEASE CALLED "SIN."
THAT CANNOT BE "WISHED" AWAY BUT ONLY HEALED THROUGH GOD'S INTERVENTION. IN 1 CORINTHIANS 1:3-9 PAUL ADMONISHES BELIEVERS TO WAIT EAGERLY FOR HIS RETURN WITH THANKSGIVING AND BLAMELESS LIVING. MARK TELLS US ( 13: 24-37), WHILE WE MISSED JESUS FIRST COMING, IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO MISS HIS SECOND. JESUS RETURN WILL BE DRAMATIC AND GLOBAL.
AGAIN THE WARNING, " STAY AWAKE" AND NO MATTER THE TIME, DAY OR NIGHT, "STAY ALERT." IF THERE IS ONE CONSISTENT MESSAGE FOR ADVENT, IT COMES FROM JOHN THE BAPTIST AND IT IS CALLED "REPENTANCE!" (MARK 1: 1-8). WITH JOHN SAYING "PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD!"
SO WETHER IN THE DESERT OR WITHIN OUR HEARTS, THE THREE READINGS URGE US TO BEGIN THAT JOURNEY ON OUR KNEES, GOD IS NOT SLOW TO RETURN BUT RATHER SHOWING GREAT PATIENCE AND MERCY BY GIVING US TIME TO REPENT BEFORE RETURNING " LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT." ALSO ADVENT IS A TIME OF MYSTERY BECAUSE OF EXPECTATION AND HOPE, FOR WHAT WE DO NOT SEE, WE WAIT FOR IT WITH PATIENCE. ADVENT LIKE EACH SEASON OF GRACE, GIVES US THE OPPORUNITY TO REDISCOVER "HOLY GROUND." WHEN THE SON-OF-MAN COMES WITH THE CLOUDS, STAND-UP LIFT OUR HEADS, OUR REDEMPTION IS AT HAND. EITHER WE RISE FROM THE GRAVE, OR PUSH OPEN THE SCREEN DOOR STEP OUT ON THE FRONT DOOR TO MEET HIM, DEPENDING WHAT TIME HE MAKES HIS ADVENT.
BE READY FOR THE RETURN OF CHRIST. JESUS TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES ABOUT THE SIGNS OF THE END TIMES. WHILE HE TAUGHT, HE STOOD ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES
DIRECTLY OPPOSITE THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM. PETER, JAMES, JOHN, AND ANDREW ASKED HIM TO EXPLAIN WWHEN THE END WOULD COME? IN MARK (13:32); IT SAYS: OF THE LAST DAY AND THAT HOUR KNOWETH NO MAN, NOT EVEN THE ANGELS WHICH ARE IN HEAVEN, NEITHER THE SON, BUT THE FATHER. TAKE HEED, WATCH AND PRAY! FOR THE SON IS AS A MAN TAKING A FAR JOURNEY, WHO LEFT HIS HOUSE, AND GAVE AUTHORITY TO HIS SERVANTS, AND TO EVERY MAN HIS WORK, AND COMMANDED THE PORTER TO WATCH, FOR YOU DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE RETURNS. EVEN THE AGELS ARE IGNORANT, THOUGH THEY KNOW MANY SECRETS AND MYSTERIES OF GOD, THE DAY IS NOT EVEN TO JESUS IN HIS STATE OF HUMILIATION. EXACT TIME IS NOT KNOWN UPON EARTH!
THE PEOPLE OF GOD TOWARD THE THREE COMINGS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
SECOND SUNDAY ADVENT [ MATT.3; 1-12]
AT THE HEART OF OUR PREPARATIONS FOR THIS SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT, STANDS JOHN THE BAPTIST, WHO CALLS US TO REPENT AND MAKE A NEW BEGINNING, AS THE DARKNESS INCREASES, WE TURN TOWARD THE LIGHT OF CHRIST'S COMING. FOR CHRISTIANS HE IS THE ROOT OF JESSE, THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE WHO WELCOMES ALL, ESPECIALLY THE POOR AND MEEK OF THE EARTH.
WE WAIT WITH HOPE FOR THAT DAY WHEN THE WOLF WILL DWELL WITH THE LAMB, THERE WILL BE NO MORE HURT OR DESTRUCTION. WHEN WE LEAVE THE LORD'S TABLE, WE ARE SENT IN THE SPIRIT OF JOHN THE BAPTIST TO PROCLAIM THAT IN CHRIST THE KINGDOM OF GOD HAS COME NEAR. OUR O.T. READING (ISAIAH 11:1-10) THE PROPHET DESCRIBES THE IDEAL RULER WHO WILL COME IN THE FUTURE AS A GREEN SHOOT SPRINGING FROM A DEAD STUMP ( DAVID'S ROYAL LINE) OF JESSE( DAVID'S FATHER). GIFTED BY THE SPIRIT, THIS MESSIAH WILL SEEK JUSTICE FOR THE POOR, AND THE REIGN OF THIS MONARCH WILL BE EXPERIENCED AS PARADISE IS REGAINED.
IN THOSE DAYS JOHN THE BAPTIST CAME PREACHING IN THR DESERT OF JUDEA AND SAYING " REPENT THE KIGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND." THIS IS HE WHO WAS SPOKEN THROUGH THE PROPHET ISAIAH: A VOICE OF ONE CALLING IN THE DESERT. PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE LORD, MAKE STRAIGHT PATHS FOR HIM. JOHN'S CLOTHES WERE MADE OF CAMEL'S HAIR AND HE HAD A LEATHER BELT AROUND HIS WAIST ( THE GARMENTS OF ELIJAH) THE PROPHET WHO WOULD COME BEFORE THE MESSIAH. JOHN'S FOOD WAS LOCUSTS AND WILD HONEY. PEOPLE WENT OUT TO HIM FROM JERUSALEM AND ALL JUDEA AND THE WHOLE REGION OF THE JORDAN RIVER.
BUT WHEN HE SAW MANY OF THE PHARISEES, AND SADDUCEES COMING TO WHERE HE WAS BAPTIZING, HE SAID TO THEM "YOU BROOD OF VIPERS!" WHO WARNED YOU TO FLEE FROM THE COMING WRATH?" PRODUCE FRUIT IN KEEPING WITH REPENTANCE.. AND DO NOT THINK YOU CAN SAY TO YOURSELVES, " WE HAVE ABRAHAM AS OUR FATHER" I TELL YOU THAT OUT OF THESE STONES GOD CAN RAISE UP CHILDREN FOR ABRAHAM, AND THE AX IS ALREADY AT THE ROOT OF THE TREES, AND EVERY TREE THAT DOES NOT PRODUCE GOOD FRUIT WILL BE CUT DOWN. AND THROWN INTO THE FIRE. " I BAPTIZE YOU WITH WATER FOR REPENTANCE. BUT AFTERME WILL COME ONE WHO IS MORE POWERFUL THAN I, WHOSE SANDALS, I AM NOT FIT TO CARRY. HE WILL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND FIRE.
MATTHEW TELLS US THAT THE AREA OF JOHN'S PREACHING WAS IN THE DESERT COUNTRY NEAR THE DEAD SEA ALONG THE JORDAN RIVER. IT ALSO CALLS TO MIND THE WILDERNESS WHERE THE ISRAELITE'S WANDERED FOR 40 YEARS WHEN THEIR UNBELIEF DELAYED THEIR ENTRY INTO THE PROMISED LAND. IN THE WILDERNESS JOHN THE BAPTIST CALLED PEOPLE TO REPENT OF THEIR SINS, AND HE POINTED TO THE MESSIAH, WHO ALONE COULD BRING PEOPLE INTO THE KINGDOM. JOHN MESSAGE OF REPENTANCE ECHOED THE CALL OF ALL THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS, AND SOON JESUS WOULD ALSO BE CALLING HIS PEOPLE TO REPENTANCE. NOW REPENTANCE INVOLVES A CHANGE OF DIRECTION (THINKING) OF MIND AND HEART IN DAILY BEHAVIOR AND LIFE. THE FULL RECOGNIZING YOUR SIN AS DISOBENDIENCE TO GOD'S COMMANDENTMENTS, FEELING TRUELY SORRY FOR YOUR SIN, HAVING SINCERE DESIRE TO AMEND YOUR SINFUL WAYS, TRUSTING IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, FOR FOREGIVENESS AND SALVATION.
REPENTANCE IS NOT A ONE-TIME ACT. IN HIS FAMOUS "95 THESES, WHICH" MARKED THE BEGINNING OF THE "REFORMATION." MARTIN LUTHER DECLARED THAT THE ENTIRE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN IS TO BE CHARACTERIZED BY REPENTANCE. WE ARE TOLD THROUGH BAPTISM, WE ARE TO DROWN OUR OLD ADAM BY DAILY CONTRITION AND REPENTANCE. REPENTANCE OF ALL OUR SINS, EVEN THOUGH WE MAY BE UNAWARE, AND JESUS FORGIVENESS IS ALSO TOTAL. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JOHN'S BAPTISM AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR JESUS TO RECEIVE THIS BAPTISM WITH OLD TESTAMENT INTRODUCTION TO JOHN IN (VV2B-3). BRINGING OLD AND NEW TOGETHER.
A VOICE CRYING OUT IN THE WILDERNESS IS PROMISED AND JOHN APPEARS ON THE SCENE. THIS PREPARES A PARALLEL THAT EXPLAINS THE MORE DIFFICULT FIGURE IN THE O.T. PASSAGE. WHAT DOES IT EXACTLY MEAN TO PREPARE A WAY FOR GOD?
JOHN'S ANSWER TO THAT IS TO CALL PEOPLE TO REPENTANCE AND THROUGH HIS BAPTISM, TO SHOW THEM HOW DESPERATELY IN NEED OF A THOROUGH CLEANSING THEY ARE. THIS IS HOW THE OBSTACLES ARE TO BE CLEARED
AWAY. THIS IS HOW THE PERVERSELY CROOKED WAYS OF RELATEING TO EACH OTHER AND TO GOD WILL BE MADE STRAIGHT. REPENTANCE AND THE CONFESSION OF SINS EVEN'S OUT THE BUMPS IN THE ADVENT ROAD. WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL THAT THE SIGN'S ARE ALL AROUND US ANNOUNCING HIS IMMINENT SUDDEN APPEARANCE. A FRIEND OF MINE AND I WERE TALKING BASEBALL AFTER CHURCH, AND HE WAS TELLING ME HOW HIS DAD WOULD LISTEN TO THE CARDINALS ON THE RADIO RATHER THEN TO WATCH THEM. HE SAID EVEN THOUGH I NEVER QUITE INHERITED THAT ASPECT OF MY FATHER'S FAITH. HE WAS AMAZED AT THE ABILITY OF CERTAIN ANNOUNCERS TO CREATE THE WHOLE GLORIOUS PICTURE OF WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE IN THE STADIUM. A GOOD ANNOUNCER WAS ABLE TO MAKE THE LISTNER FULLY EXPERIENCE THE TENSION, EXCITEMENT, OF FANS IN THE STANDS. ANOTHER PICTURE WAS THE (FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS.) HE SAID AFTER HIS FATHER BEGAN WATCHING GAMES ON T.V., HE WOULD TURN OFF THE SOUND, AND LISTEN TO HIS FAVORITE RADIO ANNOUNCER. WE ARE ALSO TO BE ANNOUNCERS, THE VOICES THAT OPENS THE EYES OF THE WORLD ABOUT THE DRAMA THAT IS UNFOLDING AROUND US, LIKE MY FRIEND SAYS: " WE ARE IN THE LATE INNINGS!"
THE PURPOSE OF JOHN'S MINISTRY WAS NOT TO GAIN FOLLOWERS FOR HIMSELF, BUT TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO JESUS, THE LAMB OF GOD, WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD. FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF HIS MINISTRY, JOHN SPOKE OF THE MORE POWERFUL ONE, FOR WHOM HE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE THE LOWLIEST SERVANT. THIS MORE POWERFUL ONE " WILL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE OLY SPIRIT."
JOHN ENDS HIS DISCOURSE WITH ANOTHER DESCRIPTION OF GOD'S JUDGMENT. HE SPEAKS OF A FARMER SEPARATING THE GRAIN FROM THE CHAFF ON HIS THRESHING FLOOR. AS A FARMER WOULD TOSS THE THRESHED GRAIN INTO THE AIR, THE BREEZE WOULD CARRY AWAY THE LIGHT CHAFF, HEAVIER KERNALS WOULD FALL TO THE GROUND. IN THE SAME, CHRIST WILL SEPARATE BELIEVERS FROM UNBELIEVERS. HE WILL CONSIGN UNBELIEVERS TO HELL., AND BELIEVERS INTO HEAVENLY MANSIONS. THE MESSAGE OF JOHN AND JESUS IS TIMELESS AND UNIVERSAL. NOBODY WILL BE ABLE TO ESCAPE GOD'S JUDGMENT, AND THERE WILL BE NO APPEALS TO ANOTHER COURT. " WHOEVER BELIEVES AND IS BAPTIZED WILL BE SAVED, BUT WHOEVER DOES NOT BELIEVE WILL BE CONDEMNED."" MARK 16:16)."
THAT'S WHAT THE WHOLE BIBLE IS ALL ABOUT.
WE WAIT WITH HOPE FOR THAT DAY WHEN THE WOLF WILL DWELL WITH THE LAMB, THERE WILL BE NO MORE HURT OR DESTRUCTION. WHEN WE LEAVE THE LORD'S TABLE, WE ARE SENT IN THE SPIRIT OF JOHN THE BAPTIST TO PROCLAIM THAT IN CHRIST THE KINGDOM OF GOD HAS COME NEAR. OUR O.T. READING (ISAIAH 11:1-10) THE PROPHET DESCRIBES THE IDEAL RULER WHO WILL COME IN THE FUTURE AS A GREEN SHOOT SPRINGING FROM A DEAD STUMP ( DAVID'S ROYAL LINE) OF JESSE( DAVID'S FATHER). GIFTED BY THE SPIRIT, THIS MESSIAH WILL SEEK JUSTICE FOR THE POOR, AND THE REIGN OF THIS MONARCH WILL BE EXPERIENCED AS PARADISE IS REGAINED.
IN THOSE DAYS JOHN THE BAPTIST CAME PREACHING IN THR DESERT OF JUDEA AND SAYING " REPENT THE KIGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND." THIS IS HE WHO WAS SPOKEN THROUGH THE PROPHET ISAIAH: A VOICE OF ONE CALLING IN THE DESERT. PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE LORD, MAKE STRAIGHT PATHS FOR HIM. JOHN'S CLOTHES WERE MADE OF CAMEL'S HAIR AND HE HAD A LEATHER BELT AROUND HIS WAIST ( THE GARMENTS OF ELIJAH) THE PROPHET WHO WOULD COME BEFORE THE MESSIAH. JOHN'S FOOD WAS LOCUSTS AND WILD HONEY. PEOPLE WENT OUT TO HIM FROM JERUSALEM AND ALL JUDEA AND THE WHOLE REGION OF THE JORDAN RIVER.
BUT WHEN HE SAW MANY OF THE PHARISEES, AND SADDUCEES COMING TO WHERE HE WAS BAPTIZING, HE SAID TO THEM "YOU BROOD OF VIPERS!" WHO WARNED YOU TO FLEE FROM THE COMING WRATH?" PRODUCE FRUIT IN KEEPING WITH REPENTANCE.. AND DO NOT THINK YOU CAN SAY TO YOURSELVES, " WE HAVE ABRAHAM AS OUR FATHER" I TELL YOU THAT OUT OF THESE STONES GOD CAN RAISE UP CHILDREN FOR ABRAHAM, AND THE AX IS ALREADY AT THE ROOT OF THE TREES, AND EVERY TREE THAT DOES NOT PRODUCE GOOD FRUIT WILL BE CUT DOWN. AND THROWN INTO THE FIRE. " I BAPTIZE YOU WITH WATER FOR REPENTANCE. BUT AFTERME WILL COME ONE WHO IS MORE POWERFUL THAN I, WHOSE SANDALS, I AM NOT FIT TO CARRY. HE WILL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND FIRE.
MATTHEW TELLS US THAT THE AREA OF JOHN'S PREACHING WAS IN THE DESERT COUNTRY NEAR THE DEAD SEA ALONG THE JORDAN RIVER. IT ALSO CALLS TO MIND THE WILDERNESS WHERE THE ISRAELITE'S WANDERED FOR 40 YEARS WHEN THEIR UNBELIEF DELAYED THEIR ENTRY INTO THE PROMISED LAND. IN THE WILDERNESS JOHN THE BAPTIST CALLED PEOPLE TO REPENT OF THEIR SINS, AND HE POINTED TO THE MESSIAH, WHO ALONE COULD BRING PEOPLE INTO THE KINGDOM. JOHN MESSAGE OF REPENTANCE ECHOED THE CALL OF ALL THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS, AND SOON JESUS WOULD ALSO BE CALLING HIS PEOPLE TO REPENTANCE. NOW REPENTANCE INVOLVES A CHANGE OF DIRECTION (THINKING) OF MIND AND HEART IN DAILY BEHAVIOR AND LIFE. THE FULL RECOGNIZING YOUR SIN AS DISOBENDIENCE TO GOD'S COMMANDENTMENTS, FEELING TRUELY SORRY FOR YOUR SIN, HAVING SINCERE DESIRE TO AMEND YOUR SINFUL WAYS, TRUSTING IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, FOR FOREGIVENESS AND SALVATION.
REPENTANCE IS NOT A ONE-TIME ACT. IN HIS FAMOUS "95 THESES, WHICH" MARKED THE BEGINNING OF THE "REFORMATION." MARTIN LUTHER DECLARED THAT THE ENTIRE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN IS TO BE CHARACTERIZED BY REPENTANCE. WE ARE TOLD THROUGH BAPTISM, WE ARE TO DROWN OUR OLD ADAM BY DAILY CONTRITION AND REPENTANCE. REPENTANCE OF ALL OUR SINS, EVEN THOUGH WE MAY BE UNAWARE, AND JESUS FORGIVENESS IS ALSO TOTAL. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JOHN'S BAPTISM AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR JESUS TO RECEIVE THIS BAPTISM WITH OLD TESTAMENT INTRODUCTION TO JOHN IN (VV2B-3). BRINGING OLD AND NEW TOGETHER.
A VOICE CRYING OUT IN THE WILDERNESS IS PROMISED AND JOHN APPEARS ON THE SCENE. THIS PREPARES A PARALLEL THAT EXPLAINS THE MORE DIFFICULT FIGURE IN THE O.T. PASSAGE. WHAT DOES IT EXACTLY MEAN TO PREPARE A WAY FOR GOD?
JOHN'S ANSWER TO THAT IS TO CALL PEOPLE TO REPENTANCE AND THROUGH HIS BAPTISM, TO SHOW THEM HOW DESPERATELY IN NEED OF A THOROUGH CLEANSING THEY ARE. THIS IS HOW THE OBSTACLES ARE TO BE CLEARED
AWAY. THIS IS HOW THE PERVERSELY CROOKED WAYS OF RELATEING TO EACH OTHER AND TO GOD WILL BE MADE STRAIGHT. REPENTANCE AND THE CONFESSION OF SINS EVEN'S OUT THE BUMPS IN THE ADVENT ROAD. WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL THAT THE SIGN'S ARE ALL AROUND US ANNOUNCING HIS IMMINENT SUDDEN APPEARANCE. A FRIEND OF MINE AND I WERE TALKING BASEBALL AFTER CHURCH, AND HE WAS TELLING ME HOW HIS DAD WOULD LISTEN TO THE CARDINALS ON THE RADIO RATHER THEN TO WATCH THEM. HE SAID EVEN THOUGH I NEVER QUITE INHERITED THAT ASPECT OF MY FATHER'S FAITH. HE WAS AMAZED AT THE ABILITY OF CERTAIN ANNOUNCERS TO CREATE THE WHOLE GLORIOUS PICTURE OF WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE IN THE STADIUM. A GOOD ANNOUNCER WAS ABLE TO MAKE THE LISTNER FULLY EXPERIENCE THE TENSION, EXCITEMENT, OF FANS IN THE STANDS. ANOTHER PICTURE WAS THE (FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS.) HE SAID AFTER HIS FATHER BEGAN WATCHING GAMES ON T.V., HE WOULD TURN OFF THE SOUND, AND LISTEN TO HIS FAVORITE RADIO ANNOUNCER. WE ARE ALSO TO BE ANNOUNCERS, THE VOICES THAT OPENS THE EYES OF THE WORLD ABOUT THE DRAMA THAT IS UNFOLDING AROUND US, LIKE MY FRIEND SAYS: " WE ARE IN THE LATE INNINGS!"
THE PURPOSE OF JOHN'S MINISTRY WAS NOT TO GAIN FOLLOWERS FOR HIMSELF, BUT TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO JESUS, THE LAMB OF GOD, WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD. FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF HIS MINISTRY, JOHN SPOKE OF THE MORE POWERFUL ONE, FOR WHOM HE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE THE LOWLIEST SERVANT. THIS MORE POWERFUL ONE " WILL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE OLY SPIRIT."
JOHN ENDS HIS DISCOURSE WITH ANOTHER DESCRIPTION OF GOD'S JUDGMENT. HE SPEAKS OF A FARMER SEPARATING THE GRAIN FROM THE CHAFF ON HIS THRESHING FLOOR. AS A FARMER WOULD TOSS THE THRESHED GRAIN INTO THE AIR, THE BREEZE WOULD CARRY AWAY THE LIGHT CHAFF, HEAVIER KERNALS WOULD FALL TO THE GROUND. IN THE SAME, CHRIST WILL SEPARATE BELIEVERS FROM UNBELIEVERS. HE WILL CONSIGN UNBELIEVERS TO HELL., AND BELIEVERS INTO HEAVENLY MANSIONS. THE MESSAGE OF JOHN AND JESUS IS TIMELESS AND UNIVERSAL. NOBODY WILL BE ABLE TO ESCAPE GOD'S JUDGMENT, AND THERE WILL BE NO APPEALS TO ANOTHER COURT. " WHOEVER BELIEVES AND IS BAPTIZED WILL BE SAVED, BUT WHOEVER DOES NOT BELIEVE WILL BE CONDEMNED."" MARK 16:16)."
THAT'S WHAT THE WHOLE BIBLE IS ALL ABOUT.
Monday, December 4, 2017
THE CHOICE! THE TWELVE.
WHY DID JESUS SELECT EXACTLY TWELVE? , NO MORE NO LESS? THIS WAS A CONSIDERABLE RETINUE FOR A TEACHER TO HAVE. THREE MEN WOULD HAVE BEEN A RESPECTALE FOLLOWING; SIX MEN WOULD ATTRACT NOTICE; TWELVE ARE REMARKABLE. EVERY VILLAGE MUST HAVE TURNED OUT TO SEE WHAT IT MEANT TO BAND TWELVE YOUNG MEN OF CHARACTER AND PURPOSE UNDER ONE HEAD, THE SELECTION OF TWELVE WAS EXTRAORDINARY, BECAUSE FOR A TIME, THERE SEEMED TO BE NOTHING FOR THEM TO DO. NOW THEY HAVE NO OCCUPATION. THEY HAVE GIVEN UP THEIR PURSUITS IN WHICH THEY WERE ENGAGED: THEIR FISHING, THEIR TAX-GATHERING, THEIR AGRICULTURE. THEY CARRY ON NO BUSINESS. THEY SIMPLY WALK BEHIND THEIR LEADER, TALKING TO EACH OTHER, OR TO HIM; AND WHEN HE SPEAKS TO THE PEOPLE WHO BEGIN TO GATHER, THEY LISTEN JUST LIKE OTHERS. EVERY VILLAGE MUST HAVE TURNED OUT TO SEE WHAT IT MEANT TO BAND TWELVE YOUNG MEN OF CHARACTER AND PURPOSE UNDER ONE HEAD. DR.J. ELDER CUMMING SUGGESTS THAT THE SELECTION OF THE TWELVE
WAS EXTRA ORDINARY BECAUSE FOR A TIME, THERE SEEMED NOTHING FOR THEM TO DO.
NOW THEY HAVE NO OCCUPATION. THEY HAVE GIVEN UP THE PURSUITS IN WHICH THEY WERE ENGAGED: THEIR FISHING, THEIR TAX GATHERING, THEIR AGRICULTURE. THEY CARRY ON BUSINESS. THEY SIMPLY WALK AROUND AND BEHIND THEIR LEADER, TALKING TO EACH OTHER, OR TO HIM; AND WHEN HE SPEAKS TO THE PEOPLE WHO BEGAN TO GATHER; THEY LISTEN JUST LIKE THE OTHERS. THE ONLY THING THEY DO IS TO GO WITH HIM FROM PLACE TO PLACE.
THEY ARE IDLE! AND IT BEGINS TO BE A QUESTION WHETHER IT IS NOT DOING HARM, AND GIVING RISE TO REPROACH, THAT TWELVE MEN ARE BEING KEPT IDLE FOR NO APPARENT REASON OR PURPOSE, NEGLECTING OBVIOUS DUTIES IN ORDER TO BE SO. THIS WAS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MOVEMENT; AFTER DISCIPLES. FOR A TIME THEY WERE , " ALSO CALLED LEARNERS," AND THEY HAD TO LEARN BEFORE THEY COULD TEACH, HENCE THEIR OBSERVATION OF CHRIST, BUT WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANT BEHIND THE EXACT NUMBER CHOSEN, AS WELL AS BEHIND THE MEN CHRIST CHOSE? TWELVE IS THE NUMBER SUGGESTING " GOVERNMENTAL PERFECTION, SO IT WAS NO ACCIDENT THAT HE SELECTED SUCH A NUMBER. DR. SAMUEL SHADWICK SAYS THAT SINCE JESUS APPOINTED TWELVE IS CLEAR ILLUSTRATION TO THE TRIBES OF A NEW PEOPLE, WHY DID JESUS SELECT EXACTLY TWELVE?, NO MORE NO LESS? THIS WAS A CONSIDERABLE RETINUE FOR A TEACHER TO HAVE. THREE MEN WOULD HAVE BEEN A RESPECTABLE FOLLOWING; SIX MEN WOULD HAVE ATTRACT NOTICE; TWELVE MEN ARE REMARKABLE. EVERY VILLAGE MUST HAVE TURNED OUT TO SEE WHAT IT MEANT TO BAND TWELVE YOUNG MEN OF CHARACTER AND PURPOSE UNDER ONE HEAD.
THE SELECTION OF TWELVE WAS EXTRAORDINARY, BECAUSE, FOR A TIME THEIR WAS NOTHING FOR THEM TO DO.
NOW THEY HAVE NO OCCUPATION. THEY HAVE GIVEN UP PURSUITS IN WWHICH THEY WERE ENGAGED: THEIR FISHING, TAX GATHERING, THEIR AGRICULTURE. THEY CARRY ON NO BUSINESS. THEY SIMPLY WALK AROUND BEHIND THEIR LEADER (JESUS), TALKING TO EACH OTHER OR HIM; WHEN HE STOPS TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE WHO BEGIN TO GATHER, THEY LISTEN JUST LIKE OTHERS. THE ONLY THING THEY DO IS TO GO WITH HIM FROM PLACE TO PLACE JUST LIKE OTHERS. THEY ARE IDLE! AND IT BEGINS TO BE A QUESTION WHETHER IT IS NOT DOING HARM, AND GIVING RISE TO REPROACH, THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE MOVEMENT AFTER THE DISCIPLES HAD BEEN CHOSEN. FOR A TIME THEY WERE DISCIPLES, " OR LEARNERS," AND THEY HAD TO LEARN BEFORE THEY TEACH.
HENCE THEIR OBSERVATION OF CHRIST AS THEY BEGAN TO FOLLOW HIM. BUT WHAT WAS THE SIGNFICANCE BEHIND THE EXACT NUMBER CHOSEN, AS WELL AS BEHIND THEMEN CHRIST CHOSE? TWELVE IS THE NUMBER SUGGESTING GOVERMENTAL PERFECTION, SO IT WAS NO ACCIDENT THAT HE SELECTED SUCH A NUMBER., BY "JESUS APPOINTED TWELVE IS CLEAR ILLUSTRATION TO THE TRIBES OF A NEW PEOPLE. HE CAME AS MESSIAH AND WAS CUT OFF THAT HE MIGHT BRING A SPIRITUAL NATION INTO BEING ISA.11: 6-10). BEFORE HIM NO RABBI HAD DARED TO ASSERT SUCH A CLAIM. A.B. BRUCE SAYS: IT HAPPILY EXPRESSED IN FIGURES WHAT JESUS CLAIMED TO BE, AND WHAT HE HAD COME TO DO, AND THUS FURNISHED A SUPPORT TO THE FAITH AND STIMULUS TO THE DEVOTION OF HIS FOLLOWERS. IT SIGNIFICANTLY HINTED THAT JESUS WAS THE DIVINE MESSIANIC KING OF ISRAEL, COME TO SET UP THE KINGDOM WHOSE ADVENT WAS FORETOLD BY PROPHETS IN GLOWING LANGUAGE, SUGGESTED BY THE BALMY DAYS OF ISREAL'S HISTORY, WHEN THE THEOCRATIC CONSISTED IN ITS INTEGRITY, AND ALL THE TWELVE TRIBES WERE UNITED UNDER THE ROYAL HOUSE OF DAVID. THAT THE NUMBER TWELVE WAS DESIGNED TO BE SUCH A MYSTIC MEANING, WE KNOW FROM CHRIST'S OWN WORDS TO THE APOSTLES ON A LATER OCCASION, WHEN DESCRIBING TO THEM THE REWARDS AWAITING THEM IN THE KINGDOM FOR PAST SERVICES AND SACRIFICES, HE SAID, " VERLY I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT YE WHICH YOU HAVE FOLLOWED ME, IN THE REGENERATION WHEN THE SON OF MAN SHALL SIT IN THE THRONE OF HIS GLORY, YET SHALL ALSO SIT UPON TWELVE THRONES, JUDGING THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL" ( MATT. 19;28).THE RELIGOUS LEADERS OF THE TIME EAGERLY SCANNED THE PROPHECIES AND PROPHETS WITH MINDS ALERT TO THE LATEST SIGNS OF THEIR TIMES (JOHN 1:19). AND IT WOULD SEEM AS IF CHRIST WAS MAKING A DIRECT APPEAL TO THEIR IMAGINATION AND FAITH, WHICH THE TWELVE SHARED. SO BY THIS NUMBER THOUGHTS WERE DIRECTED, NOT ONLY TO THE PATRIARCHS, BUT ALSO TO THE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY," THE BOND OF ONE WITH WHOM IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO LIE. THIS WAS TO BE THE ANCHOR OF THE TWELVE ENABLING THEM TO OUTRIDE THOSE STORMS WHICH LATER, WHICH, LATER, WERE TO BREAK ON THEM WIH HURRICANE FORCE.
WAS EXTRA ORDINARY BECAUSE FOR A TIME, THERE SEEMED NOTHING FOR THEM TO DO.
NOW THEY HAVE NO OCCUPATION. THEY HAVE GIVEN UP THE PURSUITS IN WHICH THEY WERE ENGAGED: THEIR FISHING, THEIR TAX GATHERING, THEIR AGRICULTURE. THEY CARRY ON BUSINESS. THEY SIMPLY WALK AROUND AND BEHIND THEIR LEADER, TALKING TO EACH OTHER, OR TO HIM; AND WHEN HE SPEAKS TO THE PEOPLE WHO BEGAN TO GATHER; THEY LISTEN JUST LIKE THE OTHERS. THE ONLY THING THEY DO IS TO GO WITH HIM FROM PLACE TO PLACE.
THEY ARE IDLE! AND IT BEGINS TO BE A QUESTION WHETHER IT IS NOT DOING HARM, AND GIVING RISE TO REPROACH, THAT TWELVE MEN ARE BEING KEPT IDLE FOR NO APPARENT REASON OR PURPOSE, NEGLECTING OBVIOUS DUTIES IN ORDER TO BE SO. THIS WAS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MOVEMENT; AFTER DISCIPLES. FOR A TIME THEY WERE , " ALSO CALLED LEARNERS," AND THEY HAD TO LEARN BEFORE THEY COULD TEACH, HENCE THEIR OBSERVATION OF CHRIST, BUT WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANT BEHIND THE EXACT NUMBER CHOSEN, AS WELL AS BEHIND THE MEN CHRIST CHOSE? TWELVE IS THE NUMBER SUGGESTING " GOVERNMENTAL PERFECTION, SO IT WAS NO ACCIDENT THAT HE SELECTED SUCH A NUMBER. DR. SAMUEL SHADWICK SAYS THAT SINCE JESUS APPOINTED TWELVE IS CLEAR ILLUSTRATION TO THE TRIBES OF A NEW PEOPLE, WHY DID JESUS SELECT EXACTLY TWELVE?, NO MORE NO LESS? THIS WAS A CONSIDERABLE RETINUE FOR A TEACHER TO HAVE. THREE MEN WOULD HAVE BEEN A RESPECTABLE FOLLOWING; SIX MEN WOULD HAVE ATTRACT NOTICE; TWELVE MEN ARE REMARKABLE. EVERY VILLAGE MUST HAVE TURNED OUT TO SEE WHAT IT MEANT TO BAND TWELVE YOUNG MEN OF CHARACTER AND PURPOSE UNDER ONE HEAD.
THE SELECTION OF TWELVE WAS EXTRAORDINARY, BECAUSE, FOR A TIME THEIR WAS NOTHING FOR THEM TO DO.
NOW THEY HAVE NO OCCUPATION. THEY HAVE GIVEN UP PURSUITS IN WWHICH THEY WERE ENGAGED: THEIR FISHING, TAX GATHERING, THEIR AGRICULTURE. THEY CARRY ON NO BUSINESS. THEY SIMPLY WALK AROUND BEHIND THEIR LEADER (JESUS), TALKING TO EACH OTHER OR HIM; WHEN HE STOPS TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE WHO BEGIN TO GATHER, THEY LISTEN JUST LIKE OTHERS. THE ONLY THING THEY DO IS TO GO WITH HIM FROM PLACE TO PLACE JUST LIKE OTHERS. THEY ARE IDLE! AND IT BEGINS TO BE A QUESTION WHETHER IT IS NOT DOING HARM, AND GIVING RISE TO REPROACH, THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE MOVEMENT AFTER THE DISCIPLES HAD BEEN CHOSEN. FOR A TIME THEY WERE DISCIPLES, " OR LEARNERS," AND THEY HAD TO LEARN BEFORE THEY TEACH.
HENCE THEIR OBSERVATION OF CHRIST AS THEY BEGAN TO FOLLOW HIM. BUT WHAT WAS THE SIGNFICANCE BEHIND THE EXACT NUMBER CHOSEN, AS WELL AS BEHIND THEMEN CHRIST CHOSE? TWELVE IS THE NUMBER SUGGESTING GOVERMENTAL PERFECTION, SO IT WAS NO ACCIDENT THAT HE SELECTED SUCH A NUMBER., BY "JESUS APPOINTED TWELVE IS CLEAR ILLUSTRATION TO THE TRIBES OF A NEW PEOPLE. HE CAME AS MESSIAH AND WAS CUT OFF THAT HE MIGHT BRING A SPIRITUAL NATION INTO BEING ISA.11: 6-10). BEFORE HIM NO RABBI HAD DARED TO ASSERT SUCH A CLAIM. A.B. BRUCE SAYS: IT HAPPILY EXPRESSED IN FIGURES WHAT JESUS CLAIMED TO BE, AND WHAT HE HAD COME TO DO, AND THUS FURNISHED A SUPPORT TO THE FAITH AND STIMULUS TO THE DEVOTION OF HIS FOLLOWERS. IT SIGNIFICANTLY HINTED THAT JESUS WAS THE DIVINE MESSIANIC KING OF ISRAEL, COME TO SET UP THE KINGDOM WHOSE ADVENT WAS FORETOLD BY PROPHETS IN GLOWING LANGUAGE, SUGGESTED BY THE BALMY DAYS OF ISREAL'S HISTORY, WHEN THE THEOCRATIC CONSISTED IN ITS INTEGRITY, AND ALL THE TWELVE TRIBES WERE UNITED UNDER THE ROYAL HOUSE OF DAVID. THAT THE NUMBER TWELVE WAS DESIGNED TO BE SUCH A MYSTIC MEANING, WE KNOW FROM CHRIST'S OWN WORDS TO THE APOSTLES ON A LATER OCCASION, WHEN DESCRIBING TO THEM THE REWARDS AWAITING THEM IN THE KINGDOM FOR PAST SERVICES AND SACRIFICES, HE SAID, " VERLY I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT YE WHICH YOU HAVE FOLLOWED ME, IN THE REGENERATION WHEN THE SON OF MAN SHALL SIT IN THE THRONE OF HIS GLORY, YET SHALL ALSO SIT UPON TWELVE THRONES, JUDGING THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL" ( MATT. 19;28).THE RELIGOUS LEADERS OF THE TIME EAGERLY SCANNED THE PROPHECIES AND PROPHETS WITH MINDS ALERT TO THE LATEST SIGNS OF THEIR TIMES (JOHN 1:19). AND IT WOULD SEEM AS IF CHRIST WAS MAKING A DIRECT APPEAL TO THEIR IMAGINATION AND FAITH, WHICH THE TWELVE SHARED. SO BY THIS NUMBER THOUGHTS WERE DIRECTED, NOT ONLY TO THE PATRIARCHS, BUT ALSO TO THE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY," THE BOND OF ONE WITH WHOM IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO LIE. THIS WAS TO BE THE ANCHOR OF THE TWELVE ENABLING THEM TO OUTRIDE THOSE STORMS WHICH LATER, WHICH, LATER, WERE TO BREAK ON THEM WIH HURRICANE FORCE.
Saturday, December 2, 2017
"THE CROSS IN CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE." [MATT 16:24].
TEXT: IF ANY MAN WILL COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS, AND FOLLOW ME! (MATT 16:24).
THE CROSS IS THE CENTER POINT, THE THEME OF ANY BIBLICAL MESSAGE. ALL PREACHING, WHETHER EVANGELISTIC, OR EDIFYING, MUST, MUST REVOLVE AROUND THE CROSS OF CALVARY. NO OTHER SUBJECT IS SO CALCULATED TO BE THE TOUCHSTONE OF HUMAN CHARACTER AS IS THE CROSS. LUTHERAN MINISTERS HAVE ALWAYS, ADVISED "PREACH THE CROSS," AND GOD WILL BLESS YOUR MINISTRY. ALL OTHER DOCTRINES SUBORDINATE THEMSELVES TO THE CROSS.
THE CROSS WAS, TRANSFORMED BY CHRIST FROM A SYMBOL OF SHAME, IGNORANCE, AND CRUELTY, TO A SYMBOL OF BEAUTY, LOVE AND WORSHIP. IT IS AT THE HEART OF SYMBOLISM OF THE CHRISTIAN LITURGY AN EXAMINATION OF THE TEACHING OF JESUS, PREACHING OF THE APOSTLES, AND OF THE APPEAL OF THE EPISTLES REVEALS THAT ECLIPSING TOPIC IS THE CROSS. AND ITS REDEEMING SACRIFICE. BY THE CROSS OUR GUILT IS WASHED AWAY, CONDEMNED CONSCIENCES ARE JUSTIFIED, HUMAN NATURE IS RENEWED, HABITS ARE BROKEN. AND HEARTS ARE HEALED.
WE ARE TAUGHT BY ST. PAUL THAT THE CROSS IS TO BE THE SOURCE OF ALL BLESSING.THIS MAY BE ILLUSTRATED BY HIS REFERENCE TO THE CROSS IN THE GALATIAN EPISTLE WHERE EVERY CHAPTER PRESENTS THIS THEME. IN 1:4 HE SAID, " WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR OUR SINS, THAT HE MIGHT DELIVER US FROM THE PRESENT EVIL WORLD; (AGE). IN 2:20 HE SAID, " I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST: NEVERTHELESS I LIVE; YET NOT I, BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME: AND NOW THE LIFE I LIVE IN THE FLESH, I LIVE BY THE FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD, WHO LOVED ME, AND WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME.
WE ARE TAUGHT BY ST.PAUL THAT THE CROSS IS TO BE THE SOURCE OF ALL BLESSING. " CHRIST HAS REDEEMED US FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW, BEING MADE A CURSE FOR US; FOR IT IS WRITTEN, CURSED IS EVRYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE.." 4:4,5, GOD HAS SENT FORTH HIS SON, MADE OF WOMEN, MADE UNDER THE LAW, THAT WE MIGHT RECEIVE THE ADOPTION OF SONS; IN CHAPTER 5:11 HE SAID:IF I YET PREACH CIRCUMCISION, WHY DO I YET SUFFER PERSECUTION? THEN IS THE OFFENSE OF THE CROSS CEASED; IN 6:14 HE SAID, " BUT GOD FORBID I SHOULD GLORY SAVE IN THE CROSS. OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. TIME HAS SHOWN THAT EVERY RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT LEAVING OUT THE CROSS ENDS IN IMPOTENCE. THERE IS NO LIFE IN A REDEMPTON-LESS CHRISTIANITY. THERE NEVER WAS A GREAT CHRISTIAN CONVERSION, WITHOUT A SOUL KNEELING AT THE CROSS IN CONTRITION, CONFESSION AND FAITH. THE GRAND NEED FOR THE WORLD TODAY IS THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS., BOTH AS DOCTRINE AND AS LIFE. THAT'S WHY ST. PAUL SAID, " OUR REDEMPTION BY CHRIST WAS THROUGH THE CROSS. WE PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED, UNTO THE JEWS A STUMBLING BLOCK, UNTO THE GREEKS, FOOLISHNESS; BUT UNTO THEM WHO ARE CALLED BOTH JEWS AND GREEKS, CHRIST IS THE POWER OF GOD, AND WISDOM OF GOD. JOHN BUNYAN, IN HIS POEM:
"PILGRIM'S PROGRESS," PILGRIM, HAVING RESPONDED TO THE PREACHING OF AN EVANGELIST'S MESSAGE. BEGAN HIS JOURNEY OUT OF THE CITY OF DESTRUCTION, BY THE SLOUGH OF DESPOND, UNDER THE DANGERS OF THE HILL OF MORALITY, UNTIL HE FINALLY ENTERED THE WICKET GATE. AND BEGAN THE ASCENT TOWARD THE CROSS. ALL THIS TIME, THE BURDEN WAS STRAPPED TO HIS BACK GREW HEAVIER AND HEAVIER AND HE FOUND NO MEANS OF RELIEF. BUT, AS HE CAME BY THE CROSS, HIS BURDEN BECAME LIGHTER, AND HE INCREASED HIS SPEED OF HIS APPROACH TILL HE CAME TO THE FOOT OF THE CROSS AND KNELT, WHEN HIS BURDEN ROLLED FROM HIS BACK AND CONTINUED DOWN THE HILL UNTILL IT ENTERENED AN OPEN SEPULCHRE AND WAS SEEN NO MORE. THIS EXPERIENCE IS EXPRESSED IN THE MUCH LOVED HYMN.
THE EMPHASIS UPON THE CROSS, IS MEANT AS A MEANS OF SALVATION BY JESUS. THE TEACHING OF JESUS OF THE CROSS AS AN INEVITABLE FACT, THE MEANING OF WHICH WAS INTERPRETED IN LIGHT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURE, WHICH PROVIDED THE CONTENT OF THE APOSTOLIC GOSPEL. THE REFERENCES OF JESUS TO THE EXPECTATION OF THE CRUCIFIXION ARE NUMEROUS IN THE GOSPELS. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS TEXT. HE SAID, " HE MUST GO TO JERUSALEM AND SUFFER MANY THINGS OF THE ELDERS AND CHIEF PRIESTS AND SCRIBES, AND BE KILLED, AND BE RAISED AGAIN THE THIRD DAY.
AFTER HIS RESURRECTION, THE LORD JESUS INTERPRETED THE MEANING OF THE CROSS FOR HIS DISCIPLES. ON THE ROAD TO EMMANUS HE REASONED WITH HIS PERPLEXED DISCIPLES, SAYING, " O FOOLS, AND SLOW OF HEART TO BELIEVE ALL THAT THE PROPHETS HAVE SPOKEN : OUGHT NOT CHRIST TO HAVE SUFFERED THESE THINGS, AND TO ENTER INTO HIS GLORY? AND BEGINNING WITH MOSES AND ALL THE PROPHETS, JESUS EXPLAINED THAT IN THE SCRIPTURES THE THINGS CONCERNING HIMSELF." LATER WHEN HE APPEARED TO HIS DISCIPLES BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, HE OPENED THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCRIPTURES BY SAYING, " THUS IT IS WRITTEN THAT CHRIST WAS TO SUFFER, AND RISE FROM THE DEAD ON THE THIRD DAY: AND THAT REPENTANCE AND REMISSION OF SIN SHOULD BE PREACHED TO ALL NATIONS IN HIS NAME. LUKE 24-25). THE MEANING OF THE INCARNATION, THE LIFE AND DEATH, THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST WAS PLAILY SPOKEN BY CHRIST HIMSELF. THE SHEPHERD SAYS :ONLY THROUGH ME DO YOU GET TO GO THROUGH THE GATE, INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
SO, HERE IS THE GREAT ALTRNATIVE WHICH CONFRONTS EVERY CHRISTIAN. TO BE HALF HEARTED- COMPLACENT, ONLY CASUALLY INTERESTED IN THE THINGS OF GOD, IS TO PROVE ONESELF NOT A CHRISTIAN AT ALL AND TO BE DISTASTEFUL TO CHRIST AS TO BE IN DANGER OF REJECTION BY THE LORD. BUT TO BE WHOLE-HEARTED IN ONE'S DEVOTION TO CHRIST, IS TO BE GIVEN THE PRIVILEGE BOTH OF SUPPING WITH HIM ON EARTH AND OF REIGNING WITH HIM IN HEAVEN. HERE IS A CHOICE. WE MUST THROW OPEN THE DOOR TO HIM OR KEEP IT CLOSED IN HIS FACE. THIS THEN IS CHRIST'S VIEW OF US- OF THE NOMINAL CHRISTIAN. MORALLY AND SPIRITUAL SUCH A PERSON IS A NAKED, BLIND BEGGAR. HE IS A BEGGAR BECAUSE HE HAS NOTHING WITH WHICH TO PURCHASE HIS FORGIVENESS OR AN ENTRY INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. HE HAS NO CLOTHES TO FIT HIM TO STAND BEFORE GOD. HE IS BLIND BECAUSE HE HAS NO IDEA EITHER OF HIS SPIRITUAL POVERTY OR OF HIS SPIRTUAL DANGER. IN THE OLDEN DAYS, THE SPIRIT SPOKE THROUGH THE PROPHETS AND NOW THROUGH THE APOSTLES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
IF WE LET CHRIST ENTER THE HOUSE OF OUR HEART. HE WILL LET US ENTER THE HOUSE OF HIS FATHER. FURTHER, IF WE ALLOW CHRIST TO SIT WITH US AT OUR TABLE, HE WILL ALLOW US TO SIT WITH HIM ON HIS THRONE. ( REV. 4:2).
THE CROSS IS THE CENTER POINT, THE THEME OF ANY BIBLICAL MESSAGE. ALL PREACHING, WHETHER EVANGELISTIC, OR EDIFYING, MUST, MUST REVOLVE AROUND THE CROSS OF CALVARY. NO OTHER SUBJECT IS SO CALCULATED TO BE THE TOUCHSTONE OF HUMAN CHARACTER AS IS THE CROSS. LUTHERAN MINISTERS HAVE ALWAYS, ADVISED "PREACH THE CROSS," AND GOD WILL BLESS YOUR MINISTRY. ALL OTHER DOCTRINES SUBORDINATE THEMSELVES TO THE CROSS.
THE CROSS WAS, TRANSFORMED BY CHRIST FROM A SYMBOL OF SHAME, IGNORANCE, AND CRUELTY, TO A SYMBOL OF BEAUTY, LOVE AND WORSHIP. IT IS AT THE HEART OF SYMBOLISM OF THE CHRISTIAN LITURGY AN EXAMINATION OF THE TEACHING OF JESUS, PREACHING OF THE APOSTLES, AND OF THE APPEAL OF THE EPISTLES REVEALS THAT ECLIPSING TOPIC IS THE CROSS. AND ITS REDEEMING SACRIFICE. BY THE CROSS OUR GUILT IS WASHED AWAY, CONDEMNED CONSCIENCES ARE JUSTIFIED, HUMAN NATURE IS RENEWED, HABITS ARE BROKEN. AND HEARTS ARE HEALED.
WE ARE TAUGHT BY ST. PAUL THAT THE CROSS IS TO BE THE SOURCE OF ALL BLESSING.THIS MAY BE ILLUSTRATED BY HIS REFERENCE TO THE CROSS IN THE GALATIAN EPISTLE WHERE EVERY CHAPTER PRESENTS THIS THEME. IN 1:4 HE SAID, " WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR OUR SINS, THAT HE MIGHT DELIVER US FROM THE PRESENT EVIL WORLD; (AGE). IN 2:20 HE SAID, " I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST: NEVERTHELESS I LIVE; YET NOT I, BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME: AND NOW THE LIFE I LIVE IN THE FLESH, I LIVE BY THE FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD, WHO LOVED ME, AND WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME.
WE ARE TAUGHT BY ST.PAUL THAT THE CROSS IS TO BE THE SOURCE OF ALL BLESSING. " CHRIST HAS REDEEMED US FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW, BEING MADE A CURSE FOR US; FOR IT IS WRITTEN, CURSED IS EVRYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE.." 4:4,5, GOD HAS SENT FORTH HIS SON, MADE OF WOMEN, MADE UNDER THE LAW, THAT WE MIGHT RECEIVE THE ADOPTION OF SONS; IN CHAPTER 5:11 HE SAID:IF I YET PREACH CIRCUMCISION, WHY DO I YET SUFFER PERSECUTION? THEN IS THE OFFENSE OF THE CROSS CEASED; IN 6:14 HE SAID, " BUT GOD FORBID I SHOULD GLORY SAVE IN THE CROSS. OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. TIME HAS SHOWN THAT EVERY RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT LEAVING OUT THE CROSS ENDS IN IMPOTENCE. THERE IS NO LIFE IN A REDEMPTON-LESS CHRISTIANITY. THERE NEVER WAS A GREAT CHRISTIAN CONVERSION, WITHOUT A SOUL KNEELING AT THE CROSS IN CONTRITION, CONFESSION AND FAITH. THE GRAND NEED FOR THE WORLD TODAY IS THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS., BOTH AS DOCTRINE AND AS LIFE. THAT'S WHY ST. PAUL SAID, " OUR REDEMPTION BY CHRIST WAS THROUGH THE CROSS. WE PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED, UNTO THE JEWS A STUMBLING BLOCK, UNTO THE GREEKS, FOOLISHNESS; BUT UNTO THEM WHO ARE CALLED BOTH JEWS AND GREEKS, CHRIST IS THE POWER OF GOD, AND WISDOM OF GOD. JOHN BUNYAN, IN HIS POEM:
"PILGRIM'S PROGRESS," PILGRIM, HAVING RESPONDED TO THE PREACHING OF AN EVANGELIST'S MESSAGE. BEGAN HIS JOURNEY OUT OF THE CITY OF DESTRUCTION, BY THE SLOUGH OF DESPOND, UNDER THE DANGERS OF THE HILL OF MORALITY, UNTIL HE FINALLY ENTERED THE WICKET GATE. AND BEGAN THE ASCENT TOWARD THE CROSS. ALL THIS TIME, THE BURDEN WAS STRAPPED TO HIS BACK GREW HEAVIER AND HEAVIER AND HE FOUND NO MEANS OF RELIEF. BUT, AS HE CAME BY THE CROSS, HIS BURDEN BECAME LIGHTER, AND HE INCREASED HIS SPEED OF HIS APPROACH TILL HE CAME TO THE FOOT OF THE CROSS AND KNELT, WHEN HIS BURDEN ROLLED FROM HIS BACK AND CONTINUED DOWN THE HILL UNTILL IT ENTERENED AN OPEN SEPULCHRE AND WAS SEEN NO MORE. THIS EXPERIENCE IS EXPRESSED IN THE MUCH LOVED HYMN.
THE EMPHASIS UPON THE CROSS, IS MEANT AS A MEANS OF SALVATION BY JESUS. THE TEACHING OF JESUS OF THE CROSS AS AN INEVITABLE FACT, THE MEANING OF WHICH WAS INTERPRETED IN LIGHT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURE, WHICH PROVIDED THE CONTENT OF THE APOSTOLIC GOSPEL. THE REFERENCES OF JESUS TO THE EXPECTATION OF THE CRUCIFIXION ARE NUMEROUS IN THE GOSPELS. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS TEXT. HE SAID, " HE MUST GO TO JERUSALEM AND SUFFER MANY THINGS OF THE ELDERS AND CHIEF PRIESTS AND SCRIBES, AND BE KILLED, AND BE RAISED AGAIN THE THIRD DAY.
AFTER HIS RESURRECTION, THE LORD JESUS INTERPRETED THE MEANING OF THE CROSS FOR HIS DISCIPLES. ON THE ROAD TO EMMANUS HE REASONED WITH HIS PERPLEXED DISCIPLES, SAYING, " O FOOLS, AND SLOW OF HEART TO BELIEVE ALL THAT THE PROPHETS HAVE SPOKEN : OUGHT NOT CHRIST TO HAVE SUFFERED THESE THINGS, AND TO ENTER INTO HIS GLORY? AND BEGINNING WITH MOSES AND ALL THE PROPHETS, JESUS EXPLAINED THAT IN THE SCRIPTURES THE THINGS CONCERNING HIMSELF." LATER WHEN HE APPEARED TO HIS DISCIPLES BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, HE OPENED THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCRIPTURES BY SAYING, " THUS IT IS WRITTEN THAT CHRIST WAS TO SUFFER, AND RISE FROM THE DEAD ON THE THIRD DAY: AND THAT REPENTANCE AND REMISSION OF SIN SHOULD BE PREACHED TO ALL NATIONS IN HIS NAME. LUKE 24-25). THE MEANING OF THE INCARNATION, THE LIFE AND DEATH, THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST WAS PLAILY SPOKEN BY CHRIST HIMSELF. THE SHEPHERD SAYS :ONLY THROUGH ME DO YOU GET TO GO THROUGH THE GATE, INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
SO, HERE IS THE GREAT ALTRNATIVE WHICH CONFRONTS EVERY CHRISTIAN. TO BE HALF HEARTED- COMPLACENT, ONLY CASUALLY INTERESTED IN THE THINGS OF GOD, IS TO PROVE ONESELF NOT A CHRISTIAN AT ALL AND TO BE DISTASTEFUL TO CHRIST AS TO BE IN DANGER OF REJECTION BY THE LORD. BUT TO BE WHOLE-HEARTED IN ONE'S DEVOTION TO CHRIST, IS TO BE GIVEN THE PRIVILEGE BOTH OF SUPPING WITH HIM ON EARTH AND OF REIGNING WITH HIM IN HEAVEN. HERE IS A CHOICE. WE MUST THROW OPEN THE DOOR TO HIM OR KEEP IT CLOSED IN HIS FACE. THIS THEN IS CHRIST'S VIEW OF US- OF THE NOMINAL CHRISTIAN. MORALLY AND SPIRITUAL SUCH A PERSON IS A NAKED, BLIND BEGGAR. HE IS A BEGGAR BECAUSE HE HAS NOTHING WITH WHICH TO PURCHASE HIS FORGIVENESS OR AN ENTRY INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. HE HAS NO CLOTHES TO FIT HIM TO STAND BEFORE GOD. HE IS BLIND BECAUSE HE HAS NO IDEA EITHER OF HIS SPIRITUAL POVERTY OR OF HIS SPIRTUAL DANGER. IN THE OLDEN DAYS, THE SPIRIT SPOKE THROUGH THE PROPHETS AND NOW THROUGH THE APOSTLES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
IF WE LET CHRIST ENTER THE HOUSE OF OUR HEART. HE WILL LET US ENTER THE HOUSE OF HIS FATHER. FURTHER, IF WE ALLOW CHRIST TO SIT WITH US AT OUR TABLE, HE WILL ALLOW US TO SIT WITH HIM ON HIS THRONE. ( REV. 4:2).
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