ON JULY 17, 180 A.D., A SMALL GROUP FROM THE TOWN IN SCILLI IN NORTH AFRICA WAS SUMMONED TO APPEAR BEFORE THE ROMAN GOVERNOR OF THE PROVINCE. THEY WERE CHARGED WITH BELONGING TO A SEDITIOUS ORGANIZATION, THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. DURING THE TRIAL, A BOX CONTAINING THE LITTLE COMMUNITY'S LIBRARY WAS BROUGHT INTO THE COURT. THE GOVERNOR ASKED THEM WHAT WAS IN THE BOX. THEY REPLIED, "OUR BOOKS, AND THE LETTERS OF PAUL, A RIGHTEOUS MAN." THE LETTERS BROUGHT INTO COURT WERE COPIES OF THE ORIGINALS WRITTEN OVER A HUNDRED YEARS EARLIER. WHO WAS THIS MAN WHOSE LETTERS WERE USED IN EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE CAPITAL CHARGE BROUGHT AGAINST THOSE SCILLITAN MARTYRS? HE WAS PAUL OF TARSUS. IN HIS LETTER THE APOSTLE CALLS HIMSELF PAUL. (ACTS 13:9) IS A TRANSITION POINT FOR HIS NAMES. BEFORE THIS VERSE HE IS CALLED SAUL, AFTER IT PAUL. THE NAME SAUL IS USED CONSISTENTLY IN THE CONVERSION ACCOUNTS, BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER THE TRANSITION VERSE; SEE ACTS 9:4,17; 22:7, 13; 26:14( ALL REFERENCES FROM ACTS) UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED. IT WAS COMMON ENOUGH FOR JEWS TO HAVE TWO NAMES, A HEBREW ONE AND A GREEK OR ROMAN ONE. IT IS LIKELY THAT THE APOSTLE WAS CALLED PAUL FROM BIRTH, AND SAUL WAS THE "ADDED NAME" USED IN JEWISH CIRCLES. PAUL'S BIRTHDATE IS NOT KNOWN. HE IS SPOKEN OF AS A "YOUNG MAN" AT THE STONING OF STEPHEN 7:58. HE WAS BORN IN THE HELLENISTIC TOWN OF TARSUS IN CILICIA, 22:3. HIS JEWISH PARENTS BELONGED TO THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN, ROMANS 11:1. HE HAD A SISTER, 23;16. HIS FAMILY MEMBERS WERE ROMAN CITIZENS, 22:25-29; 23:27. TARSUS WAS A CITY OF CULTURE, PHILOSOPHY, AND EDUCATION. SUCH NOTABLES AS CICERO, JULIUS CAESAR, AND CAESAR AUGUSTUS HAD VISITED THE TOWN.. ON ONE OCCASION, MARK ANTONY PROVIDED A ROYAL RECEPTION FOR CLEOPATRA THERE. PAUL HIMSELF BOASTED
OF THE FACT THAT HE WAS "A CITIZEN OF NO MEAN TOWN," 21:39. MOST LIKELY PAUL RECEIVED HIS EARLY EDUCATION THERE-BUT SEE ALso 22:3. PAUL REFERRED TO HIMSELF AS A JEW (21:39), AN ISRAELITE (2 COR. 11:22). A HEBREW (PHIL.3:5, AND A PHARISEE. WHEN HE WAS INVITED TO APPEAR BEFORE KING AGRIPPA, HE SAID....' ACCORDING TO THE STRICTEST PARTY OF OUR RELIGION. I HAVE LIVED AS A PHARISEE, " (26;5). HE WAS EDUCATED AT THE FEET OF GAMALIEL (22:3) WHO TAUGHT IN JERUSALEM DURING THE PERIOD 2O-50 A.D. PAUL'S ASSOCIATION SUFFICIENT STATUS TO BE APPOINTED TO GO TO DAMASCUS TO CREATE TROUBLE FOR THE CHRISTIAN CAUSE THERE. THOUGH PAUL APPARENTLY DID NOT MEET JESUS PERSONALLY DURING HIS MINISTRY, HE CERTAINLY KNEW WHAT JESUS DISCIPLES WERE CLAIMING ABOUT HIM. LOOKING AT PAUL'S CONVERSION, WHILE SAUL THE PHARISEE WAS ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS TO PERSECUTE FOLLOWERS OF THE WAY, THE RISEN LORD MET HIM AND SAUL THE PHARISEE BECAME PAUL THE APOSTLE. ACTS DESCRIBES THIS EVENT THREE TIMES, 9:19; 22:3-16; 26 4:18. PAUL WROTE ABOUT IT HIMSELF. 1:15,16 AND ALWAYS ASSOCIATED WITH HIS APOSTOLIC COMMISSION, 1 CORINTHIANS 9;1; 15:8. IT WAS, AFTER ALL, THE DECISIVE EVENT IN HIS LIFE. WHICH HE BECAME A SLAVE OF CHRIST. (GAL 1;10.; ROM.1:1 ) AND ONE COMMITTED TO BE ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN, 1 CORINTHIANS 9:22. ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS PAUL WAS NOT CONVERTED FROM A LIFE OF AIMLESS DISSIPATION TO A VISION OF CHRISTIAN VIRTUE, BUT ONE KIND OF DEVOTION (JUDAISM) TO CHRIST).
THE VISION HE HAD ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS WAS VERY DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHERS HE EXPERIENCED SEE 3 CORINTHIANS 12ff. IT WAS COMPARABLE WITH THOSE ENTRUSTED BY THE RISEN LORD TO PETER, JAMES, TWELVE, AND THE 500 HUNDRED. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:3-10. HE KNEW IN AN ACT OF SHEER GRACE, THE RISEN LORD HAD APPEARED TO HIM, THE ARCH- PERSECUTOR, 1 CORINTHIANS 15:9ff. FURTHERMORE, PAUL REALIZED TO PERSECUTE CHRISTIANS WAS TO PERSECUTE CHRIST HIMSELF. ("SAUL, SAUL, WHY DO YOU PERSECUTE ME?" 9:4). PRIOR TO PAUL'S CONVERSION, THE CHRISTIAN CLAIM THAT THE CRUCIFIED JESUS OF NAZARETH WAS MESSIAH AND LORD WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONSIDER., GALATIANS 3:13. NO DOUBT. IT WAS INCOMPREHENSIBLE TO SAUL THE PHARISEE THAT ANY MESSIAH WOULD HAVE IDENTIFIED HIMSELF WITH THOSE LOW-CLASS, SECOND RATE JEWS WHO CONSTITUTED THE CHURCH ( THE PHARISEES WOULD HAVE LOOKED ON THE CHRISTIANS THIS WAY). IT WAS AN INTOLERABLE THOUGHT THAT THE ORDINARY "PEOPLE OF THE LAND " SHOULD PRESUME TO CALL THEMSELVES THE PEOPLE OF GOD. HOWEVER ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS THE RISEN LORD REVEALED TO PAUL HOW WRONG HE HAD BEEN.-- AND IF HE HAD BEEN SO WRONG ABOUT THE "PEOPLE OF THE LAND," WAS IT NOT POSSIBLE THAT HE WAS ALSO WRONG ABOUT THE GENTILES? THESE THOUGHTS WOULD HAVE CREATED TURMOIL IN HIS MIND. DETAILS ABOUT PAUL'S LIFE DURING THE FOURTEEN YEARS AFTER HIS CONVERSION ARE VAGUE. AFTER PAUL'S ARRIVAL IN CAESAREA, FELIX, THE ROMAN GOVERNOR, READ THE TRIBUNES LETTER CONCERNING PAUL'S CASE. FELIX PLACED PAUL UNDER GUARD IN HEROD'S PRAETORIUM UNTIL HIS ACCUSERS ARRIVED, TERTULLUS, THEIR SPOKESMAN, PUT THEIR CASE TO FELIX. PAUL WAS PERMITTED TO RESPOND. FELIX DISMISSED THE JERUSALEM DELEGATION, SAYING HE WOULD DECIDE THE CASE WHEN THE TRIBUNE RETURNS. A FIRE BURNS WITHIN PAUL AS HE WRITES THIS LETTER TO THE GALATIANS. AS PAUL TRAVELLED AROUND THE MEDITERRANEAN WORLD PROCLAIMING THE MESSAGE ENTRUSTED TO HIM, HE STRESSED THAT THE GOSPEL WAS NOT MERELY AN ADDENDUM TO ISRAEL'S FAITH. IT WAS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE PROMISES OF GOD! IT REPLACED THE TORAH! FURTHERMORE, THE TRUTH GOD COMMISSIONED PAUL TO PROCLAIM WAS MEANT FOR THE WHOLE WORLD, NOT JUST THOSE WITHIN ISRAEL'S BOUNDARIES. THE GOSPEL DECLARED THAT, THROUGH THE SAVIOR OF DAVID'S LINE, EVERYONE WHO BELIEVE IS FREED (DECLARED JUSTIFIED.) " FROM EVERYTHING WHICH YOU COULD NOT BE FREED BY THE LAW OF MOSES. ," ACTS 13:39. PAUL THROUGH OPEN THE DOORS OF GOD'S SPIRITUAL TEMPLE AND INVITED ALL TO ENTER: JEWS, PROSELYTES, AND GENTILES. HE OFFERED ALL PEOPLE DIRECT ACCESS TO GOD, BY GRACE, THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST CRUCIFIED, RISEN AND REIGNING. IN SHORT, PAUL SPELLED OUT WHAT HAD BEEN IMPLICIT IN THE EVENTS OF PENTECOST IN THE EVANGELIZATION OF THE SAMARITANS, THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH, CORNELIUS, AND THE GENTILES OF ANTIOCH. AS A RESULT OF THIS PROCLAMATION, A LARGE NUMBER OF GENTILES ENTERED THE CHURCH. THEY DID NOT ENTER BY THE WAY OF JUDAISM, OR AS PROSELYTES, OR BY SUBMITTING TO THE CUSTOMS OF MOSES. AND BEING CIRCUMCISED, BUT DIRECTLY. THEY WERE INVITED TO BECOME FULL MEMBERS OF THE NEW PEOPLE OF GOD JUST AS THEY WERE WHEN GOD CALLED THEM. ALL THIS WAS BOUND TO RAISE QUESTIONS IN THE MINDS OF JEWISH CHRISTIANS. MANY OF THEM COULD NOT, OR WOULD NOT, GRASP THE TOTAL
NEWNESS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT-- THE IMPLICATIONS OF WHAT JOHN THE BAPTIST MEANT WHEN HE SAID, " GOD IS ABLE FROM THESE STONES TO RAISE UP CHILDREN TO ABRAHAM," MATTHEW 3:9. THEY COULD NOT COMPREHEND WHAT JESUS MEANT WHEN HE SAID, IN VIEW OF ONE GENTILE'S FAITH, " MANY WILL COME FROM THE EAST AND WEST AND SIT AT TABLE WITH ABRAHAM, ISAAC, JACOB IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN," MATTHEW 8:11. THE GENTILES WAS NOT TO BE DENIED ADMISSION TO THE CHURCH. THERE WA NO DEBATE ABOUT THAT. THE QUESTION WAS, " ON WHAT TERMS WAS THE GENTILE TO OBTAIN MEMBERSHIP?" WERE ALL ISRAEL'S ANCIENT ORDINANCES TO BE SET ASIDE? WERE THE TOKENS OF COVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD TO BE DISCARDED? WERE ALL THE SACRED CUSTOMS ANNULLED BY THE NEW REVELATION IN CHRIST.? WAS THE ANCIENT PEOPLE OF GOD, WHO CLAIMED ABRAHAM AS FATHER, SIMPLY TO DISAPPEAR UNDER THE INCREASING STREAM OF GENTILE CONVERTS FLOODING THE CHURCH?
THE TENSIONS THESE QUESTIONS CREATED LED TO THE CALLING OF THE APOSTOLIC COUNCIL AND THE WRITINGS OF PAUL'S LETTER TO THE GALATIANS . THE APOSTOLIC COUNCIL ANSWERED THE QUESTION, "MUST A GENTILE BECOME A PROSELYTE TO JUDAISM IN ORDER TO BE SAVED? " WITH A FIRM, "NO!" WHAT RELATIONSHIP IS TO EXIST BETWEEN THE CIRCUMCISED, RITUALLY CLEAN JEWS
FOR EXAMPLE, FELLOWSHIP MEALS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE LIFE OF THE EARLY CHURCH AND THE LORD'S SUPPER WAS USUALLY CELEBRATED IN CONNECTION WITH THEM. WERE JEWS AND GENTILES TO EAT THESE MEALS TOGETHER? JUDAIZERS HAD A GOOD ANSWER, "LET THE GENTILES BE CIRCUMCISED, AND BECOME GOOD JEWS!" THEIR ATTITUDE MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE LIKE PAUL TO CARRY OUT WHAT THEY KNEW TO BE THE WILL OF GOD. THE APOSTOLIC COUNCIL HAD ASKED THE GENTILES TO ABSTAIN FROM FOODS AND PRACTICES WHICH HAD BEEN EASY AND A NATURAL PART OF THEIR PAGAN PAST-- FOODS SACRIFICED TO IDOLS, FROM BLOOD, FROM WHAT HAD BEEN STRANGLED, AND FROM UNCHASTITY (ACTS 15:29) LOOMED LARGE IN THE LIVES OF THE GENTILES., FOR IT PLAYED A CONSIDERABLE PART IN PAGAN WORSHIP AND FESTIVALS, IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES. THE APOSTOLIC COUNCIL PUT A TERRIBLE BURDEN ON THE GENTILES WHEN THEY ASK THEM TO REFRAIN FROM THESE PRACTICES. BUT, BECAUSE THEY DID, THE OUNCILE SAVED THEM FROM BECOMING A JEWISH SECT AND SAFE- GUARDED IT FROM THE RE-IMPOSITION OF THE MOSAIC LAW. THEY CLAIMED THEY HAD NO INTENTION OF DESTROYING PAUL'S WORK. A. FIRE BURS IN PAL'S AS HE WRITES THIS LETTER. HIS GOSPEL IS BEING ATTACKED-- GOD'S GRACE IS BEING DESTROYED. THAT CALLS FOR A DECLARATION OF WAR ON HIS OPPONENTS. PAUL THROWS A QUESTION AT THE GALILEANS: " HOW DID YOU FIRST RECEIVE SALVATION? BY OBSERVING THE DEMANDS OF THE LAW, OR BY FAITH IN GOD'S FREE GRACE.?" THE ANSWER THEY MUST GIVE IS OBVIOUS. THEY RECEIVED SALVATION BY HEARING WITH FAITH 3:2 IT IS RIDICULOUS TO SUGGEST THAT THEY OBTAINED BY THEIR OWN EFFORTS, FOR GOD GAVE IT TO THEM., EVEN AS HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE MIGHTY WORKS WHICH HAD BEEN DONE AMONG THEM. THEY CONTRIBUTED AS LITTLE TO THEIR SALVATION AS THEY CONTRIBUTED THOSE WORKS 3:1-5. THE ONLY WAY ANY ONE HAS OBTAINED SALVATION HAS BEEN BY FAITH. CONSIDER CASE OF THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL JEWS, ABRAHAM HIMSELF. THE SCRIPTURES SAY THAT "HE" BELIEVED GOD, AND HIS FAITH WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. THOSE WHO WANT TO BE HIS TRUE DESCENDANTS MUST ADOPT HIS POSTURE BEFORE GOD.
THE SCRIPTRES
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Saturday, September 29, 2018
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
ACTS
WHO TODAY WOULD START A WORLDWIDE MOVEMENT AND CHOOSE A CRUCIFIED GALILEAN RABBI AS THE RALLYING POINT, AND ENGAGE FISHERMAN, TAX COLLECTORS AND ILLITERATES (4:13) TO PROCLAIM A MESSAGE? WE MAY NOT GOD DID IN LESS THAN A CENTURY, CHRIST FOLLOWERS SPREAD THEIR MESSAGE THROUGHOUT THE MEDITERRANEAN WORLD, AND PRODUCED A BODY OF LITERATURE THAT HAS CONTINUED TO EXERCISE THE GREATEST MINDS THROUGH THE CENTURIES. LET'S LOOK FROM THE ASCENSION TO RETURN, (MARK 14:62 AND MATTHEW (26:64 AT TIMES GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY EXPECTED CHRIST TO RETURN IN THEIR LIFETIME. LUKE'S VERSION OF JESUS WORDS IS SIGNIFICANT, " BUT FROM NOW ON THE SON OF MAN SHALL BE SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE POWER OF GOD., " 22:67-69. LUKE LOOKS BEYOND THE ASCENSION TO THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH, AND SUGGESTS THAT IT WILL BE SOMETIME BEFORE THE LORD RETURNS. FOR LUKE SALVATION HISTORY CONSISTS OF THREE ERAS (AGES).
1. FROM ANCIENT ISRAEL TO JOHN THE BAPTIST,
2. JESUS EARTHLY MINISTRY,
3. FROM JESUS ASCENSION UNTIL HIS RETURN.
ONLY LUKE REPORTS JESUS ASCENSION, LUKE 24:50-53; ACTS 1: 1-9. THE ACCOUNTS IN ACTS DECLARES THE RISEN JESUS SHARES THE OMNIPRESENCE (PRESENT EVERYWHERE) AND OMNIPOTENCE (ALL POWERFUL ALL KNOWING) OF HIS FATHER
AND DISMISSES THE NOTION THAT HE WILL ESTABLISH ANY KIND OF REALM IN ISRAEL., 1:9) THOUGH HE WILL RETURN TO BE JUDGE OF ALL, THERE IS LITTLE POINT IN SPENDING LIFE LOOKING UP INTO HEAVEN, (ACTS I: II. THERE IS A WORLD TO BE WON FOR HIM! THE PERIOD OF BEING A DISCIPLE ('STUDENT') IS OVER, THE PERIOD OF BEING AN APOSTLE ("SENT ONE") MUST BEGIN! IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW LONG JESUS DELAYS HIS SECOND COMING. HE HAS COMPLETED HIS REDEMPTIVE WORK. HIS FOLLOWERS MUST MAKE THIS TRUTH KNOWN TO ALL NATIONS. OLD ISRAEL FAILED IN HER MISSIONARY TASK. NEW ISRAEL MUST NOT.
THE "PRESENCE OF THE SPIRIT". THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS BEEN AT WORK THROUGHOUT THE THREE AGES (ERAS) OF SALVATION HISTORY ( SEE 1 ABOVE.).
THE OLD ISRAEL PERSISTED IN RESISTING THE HOLY SPIRIT DURING THOSE MANY YEARS HE WORKED IN HER MIDST, ACTS; 7:51. 4:25; THE PURPOSE OF ACTS IS TO REPORT HOW THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL SPREAD IN EVER WIDENING CIRCLES FROM JERUSALEM ( JEWISH CAPITAL OF THE WORLD), TO ROME THE GENTILE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. THE DISCOURSES AND SERMONS IN ACTS POINT TO JESUS AS THE EXPECTED MESSIANIC KING, OUT LINE THE EVENTS OF HIS CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION, AND WITNESS TO HIS CONTINUING PRESENCE IN THE CHURCH.. THEY ALSO SUMMON THE HEARER TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT JESUS OFFER OF SALVATION AND SUMMONS TO DISCIPLESHIP. ALL EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH JESUS MINISTRY WERE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE SPIRIT WHO:
FILLED JOHN THE BAPTIST, LUKE 1:15
EMPOWERED MARY TO CONCEIVE AND BEAR JESUS LUKE: 1:35
FILLED ELIZABETH WHEN SHE GREETED MARY: 1-41
INSPIRED ZECHARIAH AND SIMMEON TO PROPHECY 1:67; 2:27
DESCENDED ON JESUS AT BAPTISM 3:22
DIRECTED AND EMPOWERED JESUS THROUGHOUT HIS MINISTRY, 4:1,14 ETC.
THOUGH JESUS WITHDRAWS HIS BODILY PRESENCE AT THE ASCENSION,HE CONTINUES HIS PRESENCE AMONG HIS PEOPLE IN THREE WAYS.
HE IS THE INTERPRETER OF THE JEWISH SCRIPTURES 24:44
HE MAKES HIS PRESENCE "KNOWN" TO HIS COMMUNITY IN THE EUCHARIST, LUKE 24:30
HE SENDS HIS SPIRIT TO INSTRUCT AND EMPOWER THEM FOR HIS WORLD WIDE MISSION, LUKE 24:45-49.
AFTER JESUS LEAVES HIS DISCIPLES (ACTS 1:11), AND THEY REPLACE JUDAS (1;12-26) TO RESTORE THEIR NUMBER TO TWELVE, JESUS PROMISE TO SEND THE SPIRIT IS FULFILLED. THE PHENOMENA ACCOMPANYING THE COMING OF THE SPIRIT PARALLEL THOSE THAT ACCOMPANIED THE GIVING OF THE LAW AT SINAI, EXODUS 19. THERE IS A NOISE " LIKE THE RUSH OF MIGHTY WIND," ACTS 2:2: SEE EXODUS 19:16. THERE WERE TONGUES LIKES FIRE, ACTS 2:3; EXODUS 19:18. (A JEWISH LEGEND STATED THAT SEVENTY TONGUES OF FIRE APPEARED ON MT. SINAI, (REPRESENTING THE SEVENTY LANGUAGES OF THE SEVENTY NATIONS ON EARTH.)
THE LAW REVEALED ON SINAI REMAINED VERY MUCH THE PRIVATE POSSESSION OF ISRAEL, AND A FEW GENTILES CAME TO KNOW ITS LIGHT. THE SPIRIT CHANGES THIS. FURTHERMORE, THE EFFECTS OF THE "TOWER OF BABEL." ARE REVERSED. THE SPIRIT CHANGES THIS, FURTHERMORE, THE LANGUAGES BECAME CONFUSED, NATIONS WERE SCATTERED, AND BARRIERS BETWEEN NATIONS APPEARED THE SPIRIT WORKS NOW TO OVERCOME ALL BARRIERS, AND TO BRING ALL NATIONS
TOGETHER TO HEAR THE ONE GOSPEL WHICH CAN REDEEM AND UNITE. THE SPIRIT
EMPOWERS THE MESSENGERS AND MESSAGE IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER. HE GIVES THE DISCIPLES COURAGE TO DEFY THE AUTHORITIES, AND TO WITNESS TO CHRIST, ACTS 4:8. HE PLAYS A ROLE IN DETERMINING THE CHOICE OF DEACONS, 6:3 HE EMPOWERS STEPHEN TO WITNESS, AND ENDURE A MARTYR'S DEATH. 7;55.
HE CONFIRMS THE VALIDITY OF THE WORK DONE AMONG SAMARITANS (8:17-19)) AND GENTILES 10:44. HE CONFIRMS SAUL'S CONVERSION, 9:17. HE GUIDES THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AS IT CHOOSES WORKERS FOR SPECIAL TASKS. WE LOOK AT THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL, IN HIS OPENING SERMON AT NAZARETH (LUKE 4:16-30), JESUS POINTS OUT THAT THE GENTILES HAVE BEEN MORE WILLING TO HEAR GOD'S TRUTH THAN THE JEWS. FURTHERMORE, HE SENDS OUT BOTH TWELVE (9:1ff), AND THE "SEVENTY," 1O:1.ff ; MOST LIKELY THE "TWELVE" SIGNIFY THE MISSION TO ISRAEL AND THE "SEVENTY" FORESHADOW THE MISSION TO THE GENTILE NATIONS. ALTHOUGH ISRAEL IS TO HEAR THE GOSPEL FIRST , THEIR REJECTION TO IT IS TO LEAD TO ITS PROCLAMATION TO THE GENTILES (ACTS 13;46; ROMANS 1:16. PRIOR TO HIS ASCENSION, THE RISEN LORD OUTLINES THE PROGRAM HIS APOSTLES ARE TO PURSUE. THEY TO BEAR WITNESS TO HIM IN JERUSALEM, THEN JUDEA, THEN SAMARIA, AND THEN TO THE END OF THE EARTH, (ACTS 1:8).
THE FIRST SEVEN CHAPTERS OF ACTS ARE SET IN JERUSALEM. THERE THE MESSAGE MEETS WITH SUCCESS (2:41), BUT ALSO ENCOUNTERS VIOLENT OPPOSITION, 4; 17-22; 5:40. JEWISH THREATS AND PUNISHMENT ARE POWERLESS TO PREVENT GROWTH OF THE MOVEMENT. HOW EVER, AFTER STEPHEN DELIVERS A SCATHING SPEECH AGAINST THEM (ACTS 7: 1:53), THE JEWS REACT VIOLENTLY. THEY KILL STEPHEN, AND INSTIGATE A PERSECUTION, 7:54-8:3 THE PERSECUTION MERELY FURTHERS THE CAUSE OF THE CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT. FOR IT RESULTS IN PHILIP GOING TO SAMARIA AND PREACHING THERE 8:4-8 ALSO 11:19. THE SAMARITANS WERE LIKE THE JEWS, A SEMITIC PEOPLE. THEIR SCRIPTURES CONSISTED OF THE PENTATEUCH.
THE CHIEF BONE ON CONTENTION BETWEEN THEM AND THE JEWS WAS THE QUESTION OF A LEGITIMATE WORSHIP SIGHT- GERIZIM OR JERUSALEM? AFTER THE GOSPEL IS PROCLAIMED IN SAMARIA, PETER AND JOHN VISITED THE REGION, GIVE THE WORK THERE THEIR SANCTION, AND WITNESS TO NUMEROUS SAMARITAN VILLAGES IN THE COURSE OF THEIR RETURN TO JERUSALEM, 814-17,25.
PHILIPS PERSISTS IN HIS EFFORTS AFTER THE SAMARITAN MISSION. ON THE ROAD BETWEEN JERUSALEM AND GAZA, HE WITNESSES TO AN ETHIOPIAN (8:26-40), WHO RECEIVES THE WORD AND BAPTISM, AND RETURNS TO HIS HOMELAND WITH JOY.
ACTS 8:1 INTRODUCES US TO SAUL OF TARSUS IN CONNECTION WITH STEPHENS EXECUTION. THE IRONY IS THAT GOD USES STEPHENS DEATH TO BRING PAUL UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE GOSPEL AND TO PREPARE HIM FOR THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF LAUNCHING THE MISSION TO THE GENTILES. WITNESS TO CHRIST CONTINUES IN SPITE OF, BUT BY HUMAN OPPOSITION.
1. FROM ANCIENT ISRAEL TO JOHN THE BAPTIST,
2. JESUS EARTHLY MINISTRY,
3. FROM JESUS ASCENSION UNTIL HIS RETURN.
ONLY LUKE REPORTS JESUS ASCENSION, LUKE 24:50-53; ACTS 1: 1-9. THE ACCOUNTS IN ACTS DECLARES THE RISEN JESUS SHARES THE OMNIPRESENCE (PRESENT EVERYWHERE) AND OMNIPOTENCE (ALL POWERFUL ALL KNOWING) OF HIS FATHER
AND DISMISSES THE NOTION THAT HE WILL ESTABLISH ANY KIND OF REALM IN ISRAEL., 1:9) THOUGH HE WILL RETURN TO BE JUDGE OF ALL, THERE IS LITTLE POINT IN SPENDING LIFE LOOKING UP INTO HEAVEN, (ACTS I: II. THERE IS A WORLD TO BE WON FOR HIM! THE PERIOD OF BEING A DISCIPLE ('STUDENT') IS OVER, THE PERIOD OF BEING AN APOSTLE ("SENT ONE") MUST BEGIN! IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW LONG JESUS DELAYS HIS SECOND COMING. HE HAS COMPLETED HIS REDEMPTIVE WORK. HIS FOLLOWERS MUST MAKE THIS TRUTH KNOWN TO ALL NATIONS. OLD ISRAEL FAILED IN HER MISSIONARY TASK. NEW ISRAEL MUST NOT.
THE "PRESENCE OF THE SPIRIT". THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS BEEN AT WORK THROUGHOUT THE THREE AGES (ERAS) OF SALVATION HISTORY ( SEE 1 ABOVE.).
THE OLD ISRAEL PERSISTED IN RESISTING THE HOLY SPIRIT DURING THOSE MANY YEARS HE WORKED IN HER MIDST, ACTS; 7:51. 4:25; THE PURPOSE OF ACTS IS TO REPORT HOW THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL SPREAD IN EVER WIDENING CIRCLES FROM JERUSALEM ( JEWISH CAPITAL OF THE WORLD), TO ROME THE GENTILE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. THE DISCOURSES AND SERMONS IN ACTS POINT TO JESUS AS THE EXPECTED MESSIANIC KING, OUT LINE THE EVENTS OF HIS CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION, AND WITNESS TO HIS CONTINUING PRESENCE IN THE CHURCH.. THEY ALSO SUMMON THE HEARER TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT JESUS OFFER OF SALVATION AND SUMMONS TO DISCIPLESHIP. ALL EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH JESUS MINISTRY WERE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE SPIRIT WHO:
FILLED JOHN THE BAPTIST, LUKE 1:15
EMPOWERED MARY TO CONCEIVE AND BEAR JESUS LUKE: 1:35
FILLED ELIZABETH WHEN SHE GREETED MARY: 1-41
INSPIRED ZECHARIAH AND SIMMEON TO PROPHECY 1:67; 2:27
DESCENDED ON JESUS AT BAPTISM 3:22
DIRECTED AND EMPOWERED JESUS THROUGHOUT HIS MINISTRY, 4:1,14 ETC.
THOUGH JESUS WITHDRAWS HIS BODILY PRESENCE AT THE ASCENSION,HE CONTINUES HIS PRESENCE AMONG HIS PEOPLE IN THREE WAYS.
HE IS THE INTERPRETER OF THE JEWISH SCRIPTURES 24:44
HE MAKES HIS PRESENCE "KNOWN" TO HIS COMMUNITY IN THE EUCHARIST, LUKE 24:30
HE SENDS HIS SPIRIT TO INSTRUCT AND EMPOWER THEM FOR HIS WORLD WIDE MISSION, LUKE 24:45-49.
AFTER JESUS LEAVES HIS DISCIPLES (ACTS 1:11), AND THEY REPLACE JUDAS (1;12-26) TO RESTORE THEIR NUMBER TO TWELVE, JESUS PROMISE TO SEND THE SPIRIT IS FULFILLED. THE PHENOMENA ACCOMPANYING THE COMING OF THE SPIRIT PARALLEL THOSE THAT ACCOMPANIED THE GIVING OF THE LAW AT SINAI, EXODUS 19. THERE IS A NOISE " LIKE THE RUSH OF MIGHTY WIND," ACTS 2:2: SEE EXODUS 19:16. THERE WERE TONGUES LIKES FIRE, ACTS 2:3; EXODUS 19:18. (A JEWISH LEGEND STATED THAT SEVENTY TONGUES OF FIRE APPEARED ON MT. SINAI, (REPRESENTING THE SEVENTY LANGUAGES OF THE SEVENTY NATIONS ON EARTH.)
THE LAW REVEALED ON SINAI REMAINED VERY MUCH THE PRIVATE POSSESSION OF ISRAEL, AND A FEW GENTILES CAME TO KNOW ITS LIGHT. THE SPIRIT CHANGES THIS. FURTHERMORE, THE EFFECTS OF THE "TOWER OF BABEL." ARE REVERSED. THE SPIRIT CHANGES THIS, FURTHERMORE, THE LANGUAGES BECAME CONFUSED, NATIONS WERE SCATTERED, AND BARRIERS BETWEEN NATIONS APPEARED THE SPIRIT WORKS NOW TO OVERCOME ALL BARRIERS, AND TO BRING ALL NATIONS
TOGETHER TO HEAR THE ONE GOSPEL WHICH CAN REDEEM AND UNITE. THE SPIRIT
EMPOWERS THE MESSENGERS AND MESSAGE IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER. HE GIVES THE DISCIPLES COURAGE TO DEFY THE AUTHORITIES, AND TO WITNESS TO CHRIST, ACTS 4:8. HE PLAYS A ROLE IN DETERMINING THE CHOICE OF DEACONS, 6:3 HE EMPOWERS STEPHEN TO WITNESS, AND ENDURE A MARTYR'S DEATH. 7;55.
HE CONFIRMS THE VALIDITY OF THE WORK DONE AMONG SAMARITANS (8:17-19)) AND GENTILES 10:44. HE CONFIRMS SAUL'S CONVERSION, 9:17. HE GUIDES THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AS IT CHOOSES WORKERS FOR SPECIAL TASKS. WE LOOK AT THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL, IN HIS OPENING SERMON AT NAZARETH (LUKE 4:16-30), JESUS POINTS OUT THAT THE GENTILES HAVE BEEN MORE WILLING TO HEAR GOD'S TRUTH THAN THE JEWS. FURTHERMORE, HE SENDS OUT BOTH TWELVE (9:1ff), AND THE "SEVENTY," 1O:1.ff ; MOST LIKELY THE "TWELVE" SIGNIFY THE MISSION TO ISRAEL AND THE "SEVENTY" FORESHADOW THE MISSION TO THE GENTILE NATIONS. ALTHOUGH ISRAEL IS TO HEAR THE GOSPEL FIRST , THEIR REJECTION TO IT IS TO LEAD TO ITS PROCLAMATION TO THE GENTILES (ACTS 13;46; ROMANS 1:16. PRIOR TO HIS ASCENSION, THE RISEN LORD OUTLINES THE PROGRAM HIS APOSTLES ARE TO PURSUE. THEY TO BEAR WITNESS TO HIM IN JERUSALEM, THEN JUDEA, THEN SAMARIA, AND THEN TO THE END OF THE EARTH, (ACTS 1:8).
THE FIRST SEVEN CHAPTERS OF ACTS ARE SET IN JERUSALEM. THERE THE MESSAGE MEETS WITH SUCCESS (2:41), BUT ALSO ENCOUNTERS VIOLENT OPPOSITION, 4; 17-22; 5:40. JEWISH THREATS AND PUNISHMENT ARE POWERLESS TO PREVENT GROWTH OF THE MOVEMENT. HOW EVER, AFTER STEPHEN DELIVERS A SCATHING SPEECH AGAINST THEM (ACTS 7: 1:53), THE JEWS REACT VIOLENTLY. THEY KILL STEPHEN, AND INSTIGATE A PERSECUTION, 7:54-8:3 THE PERSECUTION MERELY FURTHERS THE CAUSE OF THE CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT. FOR IT RESULTS IN PHILIP GOING TO SAMARIA AND PREACHING THERE 8:4-8 ALSO 11:19. THE SAMARITANS WERE LIKE THE JEWS, A SEMITIC PEOPLE. THEIR SCRIPTURES CONSISTED OF THE PENTATEUCH.
THE CHIEF BONE ON CONTENTION BETWEEN THEM AND THE JEWS WAS THE QUESTION OF A LEGITIMATE WORSHIP SIGHT- GERIZIM OR JERUSALEM? AFTER THE GOSPEL IS PROCLAIMED IN SAMARIA, PETER AND JOHN VISITED THE REGION, GIVE THE WORK THERE THEIR SANCTION, AND WITNESS TO NUMEROUS SAMARITAN VILLAGES IN THE COURSE OF THEIR RETURN TO JERUSALEM, 814-17,25.
PHILIPS PERSISTS IN HIS EFFORTS AFTER THE SAMARITAN MISSION. ON THE ROAD BETWEEN JERUSALEM AND GAZA, HE WITNESSES TO AN ETHIOPIAN (8:26-40), WHO RECEIVES THE WORD AND BAPTISM, AND RETURNS TO HIS HOMELAND WITH JOY.
ACTS 8:1 INTRODUCES US TO SAUL OF TARSUS IN CONNECTION WITH STEPHENS EXECUTION. THE IRONY IS THAT GOD USES STEPHENS DEATH TO BRING PAUL UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE GOSPEL AND TO PREPARE HIM FOR THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF LAUNCHING THE MISSION TO THE GENTILES. WITNESS TO CHRIST CONTINUES IN SPITE OF, BUT BY HUMAN OPPOSITION.
Saturday, September 22, 2018
FROM CREATION TO CHRIST "DIVINE PERSONALITY."
A WOMAN GOES INTO A SHOP TO BUY A HAT. THE ASSISTANT SUGGESTS FIRST THIS ONE, THEN THAT ONE, AND THEN ANOTHER ONE-- UNTIL FINALLY SHE PRODUCES ONE SHE INSISTS, " SUITS MADAM PERFECTLY." THE ASSISTANT IS SUGGESTING THAT THE HAT EXPRESSES HER CLIENTS PERSONALITY SIMILARLY, HUMAN BEINGS PUT A VARIETY OF "PERSONALITY HATS" ON GOD'S HEAD." SOME PUT ACADEMIC HAT ON HIM. AFTER ALL, HE KNOWS EVERYTHING. (JOHN 21:17). SOME PUT A POLICEMAN'S HAT ON HIM. THEY THINK OF HIM AS ONE WHO CONSTANTLY SPIES ON THEM FROM THE HEIGHTS OF HEAVEN TO CATCH THEM WHEN THEY DO WRONG WHEN THEY DO WRONG. PSALM 139: 1-12; GENESIS 3:8- 10. THERE ARE THOSE THAT PUT A CHIEF'S HAT ON GOD. THEY BELIEVE HE EXISTS MERELY TO PROVIDE THEM WITH AN AMPLE SUPPLY OF FOOD AND DRINK. PSALM 145: 15,16. SOME COMPLAIN WHEN THEY FEEL HE IS NOT GENEROUS AS HE MIGHT BE. OTHERS THINK OF GOD AS KIND A HEAVENLY FATHER CHRISTMAS, OR SANTA CLAUS, WHOSE JOB IT IS TO SUPPLY THEM WITH ALL KINDS OF PLEASANT THINGS TO OWN AND ENJOY. SOME GET A LITTLE PEEVED WITH HIM WHEN THEY HAVE TO GO SHORT OF SOMETHING. MATTHEW 6:31, 32a. MANY LOOK ON A MAGICIAN'S HAT AS A "MUST." FOR THEY THINK OF GOD AS THE GREAT MIRACLE WORKER, EXODUS 7-10; 14: 10-31. MANY BELIEVE THAT A CROWN IS AN APPROPRIATE HAT FOR GOD. THE BIBLE OFTEN USE WORDS LIKE "KING " AND "KINGDOM" WHEN REFERRING TO HIM, PSALM 24:7-10; MARK 1:15. BECAUSE MANY UNINFORMED PEOPLE VIEW THE CHRISTIAN FAITH AND LIFE MERELY AS A MATTER OF "DO" AND "DON'T," THEY THINK OF A PURITAN'S HAT AS A SUITABLE GARB FOR GOD, MARK 10: 17-2. SOME THINK OF GOD WHEN THEY ARE SICK, PSALM 103:3; MARK 5: 21-43, REMARKABLY, MANY PEOPLE ARE QUICK TO ASK., " WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS"? WHEN THEY ARE SICK, BUT SLOW TO ASK THE SAME QUESTION WHEN THEY ARE WELL. THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF TRUTH IN THE MESSAGES OF ALL THESE HATS. EACH REFLECTS SOMETHING OF WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT GOD AND HIS ATTRIBUTES. IT IS ESSENTIAL, HOWEVER,, TO KEEP IN MIND THAT GOD'S ALL-EMBRACING QUALITY IS LOVE. THIS BINDS ALL OF HIS OTHER QUALITIES TOGETHER AS A CORD BINDS THE STALKS IN A SHEAF OF HAY. GOD IS WHAT HE-IS NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF HIM. OUR TASK IS TO COME TO GRIPS WITH HIS SELF- DESCRIPTION, HIS CHARACTER AND HIS WAY OF DOING THINGS. HE ONCE DID WEAR A HAT AND IT WAS MADE OF "THORNS." HE DID NOT CHOOSE IT FOR HIMSELF. MEN FASHIONED IT AND PLACED IT ON HIM IN MOCKERY..
HOWEVER, WHAT THEY PLACED THERE WILL SERVE A USEFUL TEACHING PURPOSE FOR US.
HOWEVER, WHAT THEY PLACED THERE WILL SERVE A USEFUL TEACHING PURPOSE FOR US.
Friday, September 21, 2018
OBSERVATIONS
JESUS CLAIMED FOR HIMSELF THE RIGHT TO FORGIVE SINS MARK 2:1-12. HIS CLAIM INCENSED THE SCRIBES, WHO INSISTED ONLY GOD COULD FORGIVE SINS, 2:7. THEY WERE CORRECT, BUT IN THEIR BLINDNESS COULD NOT SEE WHO STOOD BEFORE THEM. JESUS NEVER DID ANYTHING TO BENEFIT HIMSELF. HE CONSISTENTLY REFUSED TO USE HIS DIVINE POWER TO PERFORM A MIRACLE TO SERVE HIS OWN PERSONAL NEEDS. EVEN WHEN HE WAS HUNGRY, HE CHOSE TO REMAIN HUNGRY RATHER THAN TO CHANGE STONES INTO BREAD, MATTHEW 4:4. JESUS WAS ALWAYS THE "SERVANT;" HE SOUGHT ONLY TO PLACE HIMSELF AND HIS POWERS AT THE SERVICE OF HUMANITY. AS JESUS MOVED AMONG PEOPLE, HE DEMONSTRATED A REMARKABLE COMPASSION. FOR EXAMPLE, BEFORE, HEALING A LEPER, HE REACH OUT AND TOUCHED HIM, 1:40-45 THE PHARISEES ON OCCASION THREW ROCKS ON LEPERS AND SAID THAT THEIR SUFFERING WAS THE RESULT OF SOME SIN THEY HAD COMMITTED. FURTHERMORE, JESUS SOUGHT THE COMPANY OF "SINNERS, TAX COLLECTORS," AND THE LIKE 2:15-17 HIS ACTIONS UPSET THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES FOR THEY FELT THAT IF HE REALLY WAS THE MESSIAH, HE WOULD SEEK OUT THE "RIGHTEOUS" (NAMELY THEMSELVES). JESUS' CONCERNS FOR THE GENTILES WOULD ALSO BEEN REPUGNANT TO MANY IN ISRAEL WHO BELIEVED THAT WHEN FINALLY WHEN THE MESSIANIC AGE CAME, THE GENTILES WOULD BE DESTROYED, OR AT BEST MADE SLAVES OF THE JEWS; 7:24-30.
JESUS IGNORED TRADITIONAL ATTITUDES CONCERNING THE OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH, 1,21; 2:23; 3:2. WHAT MATTERED TO HIM WAS THE WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE, NOT KEEPING OF RITUALS AND TRADITIONS. THIS WAS BOUND TO BRING HIM INTO A HEADLONG CONFRONTATION WITH THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, FOR HIS ACTIONS CALLED INTO QUESTION THE VALIDITY OF THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAW. ALL BUT ONE OF JESUS MIRACLES ( AS REPORTED IN MARK) WAS DONE IN AND AROUND GALILEE. JESUS PERFORMS ONLY ONE MIRACLE AFTER LEAVING GALILEE. HE HEALS BLIND BARTIMAEUS NEAR JERICHO 10:46-52.
HE PERFORMS NO MIRACLE IN OR NEAR JERUSALEM, THE "CITY OF OPPOSITION."
WHEN JESUS WAS RECOGNIZED, HE WARNED THE PERSON OR SPIRIT WHO HAD RECOGNIZED HIM TO SAY NOTHING ABOUT THE MATTER, 1:33,44; 5:43; 9;9. WHY?
FIRST, JESUS WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THE MESSIANIC AGE HAD COME, AND HE WAS INDEED THE MESSIAH. SECOND, HE WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR WHAT KIND OF A MESSIAH HE HAD COME TO BE. THE COMMUNITY HAD CONTAINED MANY BURNING WITH DESIRE TO BE RID OF THE ROMANS AND TO GAIN POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE. JESUS NEEDED TIME TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HE WAS NOT THE KIND OF MESSIAH WHO WOULD FIT THAT KIND OF EXPECTATION. HE HAD NOT COME TO BE A POLITICAL DELIVERER. (NOTE THE EXCEPTION OF MARK 5:19, 20. WHERE JESUS COMMANDS THE MAN HEALED OF DEMON POSSESSION TO BEAR WITNESS IN GENTILE TERRITORY!) IN MARK 8:27-30 JESUS PUTS TWO QUESTIONS TO HIS DISCIPLES:" WHO DO MEN SAY THAT I AM?" THE SECOND IS: WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?" THOUGH HE DID NOT PREVIOUSLY PUT THESE QUESTIONS TO ANYONE, HE WAS RECOGNIZED PRIOR TO THE TIME BY THE DEMONS! (1:24; 1:34; 3:11; 5:7).
JESUS WAS ALWAYS THAT OF A SERVANT. HE DEMONSTRATED GREAT COMPASSION TO THOSE WITH WHOM HE CAME INTO CONTACT. AT THE SAME TIME, HE CONSISTENTLY REFUSED TO USE HIS POWER TO BENEFIT HIMSELF IN ANY WAY. THE PEOPLE, THE AUTHORITIES AND HIS DISCIPLES FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO RELATE HIS LIFESTYLE TO TRADITIONAL EXPECTATIONS ABOUT WHAT THE MESSIAH WOULD BE LIKE AND WHAT HE WOULD ACCOMPLISH.
JESUS IGNORED TRADITIONAL ATTITUDES CONCERNING THE OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH, 1,21; 2:23; 3:2. WHAT MATTERED TO HIM WAS THE WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE, NOT KEEPING OF RITUALS AND TRADITIONS. THIS WAS BOUND TO BRING HIM INTO A HEADLONG CONFRONTATION WITH THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, FOR HIS ACTIONS CALLED INTO QUESTION THE VALIDITY OF THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAW. ALL BUT ONE OF JESUS MIRACLES ( AS REPORTED IN MARK) WAS DONE IN AND AROUND GALILEE. JESUS PERFORMS ONLY ONE MIRACLE AFTER LEAVING GALILEE. HE HEALS BLIND BARTIMAEUS NEAR JERICHO 10:46-52.
HE PERFORMS NO MIRACLE IN OR NEAR JERUSALEM, THE "CITY OF OPPOSITION."
WHEN JESUS WAS RECOGNIZED, HE WARNED THE PERSON OR SPIRIT WHO HAD RECOGNIZED HIM TO SAY NOTHING ABOUT THE MATTER, 1:33,44; 5:43; 9;9. WHY?
FIRST, JESUS WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THE MESSIANIC AGE HAD COME, AND HE WAS INDEED THE MESSIAH. SECOND, HE WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR WHAT KIND OF A MESSIAH HE HAD COME TO BE. THE COMMUNITY HAD CONTAINED MANY BURNING WITH DESIRE TO BE RID OF THE ROMANS AND TO GAIN POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE. JESUS NEEDED TIME TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HE WAS NOT THE KIND OF MESSIAH WHO WOULD FIT THAT KIND OF EXPECTATION. HE HAD NOT COME TO BE A POLITICAL DELIVERER. (NOTE THE EXCEPTION OF MARK 5:19, 20. WHERE JESUS COMMANDS THE MAN HEALED OF DEMON POSSESSION TO BEAR WITNESS IN GENTILE TERRITORY!) IN MARK 8:27-30 JESUS PUTS TWO QUESTIONS TO HIS DISCIPLES:" WHO DO MEN SAY THAT I AM?" THE SECOND IS: WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?" THOUGH HE DID NOT PREVIOUSLY PUT THESE QUESTIONS TO ANYONE, HE WAS RECOGNIZED PRIOR TO THE TIME BY THE DEMONS! (1:24; 1:34; 3:11; 5:7).
JESUS WAS ALWAYS THAT OF A SERVANT. HE DEMONSTRATED GREAT COMPASSION TO THOSE WITH WHOM HE CAME INTO CONTACT. AT THE SAME TIME, HE CONSISTENTLY REFUSED TO USE HIS POWER TO BENEFIT HIMSELF IN ANY WAY. THE PEOPLE, THE AUTHORITIES AND HIS DISCIPLES FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO RELATE HIS LIFESTYLE TO TRADITIONAL EXPECTATIONS ABOUT WHAT THE MESSIAH WOULD BE LIKE AND WHAT HE WOULD ACCOMPLISH.
Thursday, September 20, 2018
MESSIANIC MINISTRY MARK 1:14-8:30
AFTER JOHN THE BAPTIST IS ARRESTED, JESUS GOES INTO GALILEE WHERE HE PROCLAIMS: " THE TIME IS FULFILLED, AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND; REPENT, AND BELIEVE THE GOSPEL, " 1:15. WITH THIS, JESUS MESSIANIC MINISTRY GETS UNDER WAY. WHAT HAPPENS? THE TRUE ISRAEL BEGINS TO GATHER ABOUT HIMSELF A NEW PEOPLE. HE CONFRONTS PETER AND ANDREW, JAMES AND JOHN, AND SAYS, " FOLLOW ME." 1:17. THERE IS NO TEST TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THEY ARE WORTHY OF BEING IN JESUS COMPANY. NO STUDY IS MADE OF THEIR FAMILY BACKGROUND TO CHECK OUT THEIR PEDIGREE. THERE IS ONLY AN URGENT SUMMONS, 2:13,14. A LITTLE LATER, THE TWELVE ARE SET ASIDE AS THE NUCLEUS OF THE NEW ISRAEL THAT IS BEING FORMED, 3:13-18. THE MESSIANIC MINISTRY IS INDEED GETTING UNDERWAY. WHAT FORM DID THE MESSIANIC MINISTRY TAKE? MARK 1:14-8:30 OUTLINES THE BULK OF JESUS MINISTRY. HOWEVER, IT IS ONLY TOWARD THE CLOSE OF THIS MAJOR SECTION OF JESUS MINISTRY THAT HE PUTS TWO CRUCIAL QUESTIONS TO HIS DISCIPLES. THE FIRST IS: " WHO DO MEN SAY THAT I AM?" THE SECOND IS: "WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?" THOUGH JESUS DOES NOT ASK THIS QUESTION IN WORDS PRIOR TO THIS OCCASION, NEVERTHELESS HE POSES THE QUESTION TO HIS WATCHING AUDIENCE AND TO HIS DISCIPLES CONTINUALLY THROUGH HIS ACTIONS! THE WHOLE POINT OF HIS EARLY MESSIANIC MINISTRY IS TO MAKE PEOPLE THINK ABOUT WHO HE IS, WHAT HE IS DOING, AND WHY HE IS DOING IT. THROUGHOUT 1:14-8-30, MARK DEVOTES MUCH ATTENTION TO JESUS MIRACLES. TRUE, MARK FREQUENTLY DESCRIBES JESUS AS "TEACHING." HE RECORDS TEN INSTANCES WHERE JESUS IS ADDRESSED AS "TEACHER." HE SAYS HEARERS ARE ASTONISHED AT HIS TEACHING. DESPITE ALL THIS, MARK TELLS US LITTLE ABOUT WHAT JESUS ACTUALLY TAUGHT. HE RECORDS ONLY TWO.EXTENDED PARABLES, EVEN THOUGH HE SAYS THAT JESUS WAS ACCUSTOMED TO USE THIS FORM OF TEACHING, 4:2, 12:1. IF MARK PLACES SO MUCH EMPHASIS ON JESUS MIRACLES, ONE MUST ASK. " WHAT WAS THE INTENDED MESSAGE?! OF THOSE MIRACLES. JESUS STATED ON ONE OCCASION THAT OTHERS IN PALESTINE WERE ABLE TO CAST OUT DEMONS, MATTHEW 12:27 IT WAS BELIEVED THAT A PERSON COULD PERFORM MIRACLES. IN THE POWER OF GOD BUT ALSO IN THE POWER OF SATAN. MARK 3:22. THE MIRACLES JESUS DID WERE DESIGNED TO SPEAK A POWERFUL MESSAGE ABOUT WHO HE WAS, AND WHAT AGE HAD BROKEN IN WITH HIS MINISTRY.
THE ISAIANIC SIGNS. THE TERM " ISAIANIC" IS DERIVED FROM "ISAIAH." A RATHER PUZZLING EXCHANGED RECORDED IN MATTHEW 11: 2-6 AND LUKE 7: 18-23 HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND HOW THESE "SIGNS" WERE TO BE UNDERSTOOD. JOHN THE BAPTIST IS IN PRISON. HIS LIFE IS IN DANGER. HE SENDS SOME OF HIS FOLLOWERS TO JESUS TO ASK, IF HE REALLY IS THE ONE THEY HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR. JESUS DOES NOT ANSWER WITH A VERBAL "YES." INSTEAD, HE POINTS TO THE THINGS HE HAS DONE. JESUS ACTIONS REVEALS WHO HE IS. IN MATTHEW 11:5 JESUS SAYS, " THE BLIND RECEIVE THEIR SIGHT AND THE LAME WALK, LEPERS ARE CLEANSED
AND THE DEAF HEAR, AND THE DEAD ARE RAISED UP AND THE POOR HAVE GOOD NEWS PREACHED TO THEM. HUNDRED OF YEARS BEFORE, THE PROPHET ISAIAH WROTE:( THEN WHEN THE MESSIANIC AGE FINALLY COMES: THE EYES OF THE BLIND SHALL BE OPEN, AND THE EARS OF THE DEAF SHALL BE UNSTOPPED.) THEN SHALL THE LAME MAN SHALL LEAP LIKE A HART, AND THE TONGUE OF THE DUMB WILL SING FOR JOY," ISAIAH 35:5,6; NOTE ALSO ISAIAH 42:7 AND 61:1. THE JEWS BELIEVED THAT WHEN THE MESSIANIC AGE FINALLY CAME, THE "SIGNS" ISAIAH HAD REFERRED TO WOULD BE DONE--EVIDENCE THAT THE MESSIANIC AGE HAD COME. THEREFORE, THOUGH THE MIRACLES JESUS DID FOR THE BLIND, DEAF, DUMB, AND THE LAME WERE STUPENDOUS AND ASTONISHING, THEY WERE PRIMARILY INDICATIONS THAT THE HOPES ISRAEL HAD LONG CHERISHED WERE BEING FULFILLED. THAT SAID VOLUMES ABOUT WHO JESUS WAS. JESUS ACTIONS NEEDED TO BE READ WITH GREAT CARE. TOWARD THE CLOSE OF HIS MINISTRY, JESUS QUESTIONED THE DISCIPLES ABOUT HOW THEY HAD READ THOSE ACTIONS, MARK 8: 27-3O.
THE MIRACLES OVER NATURE MARK REPORTS THAT JESUS STILLED A STORM ( 4: 35-41.) WALKED ON WATER (6:45-52), AND FED THE MULTITUDES, 6:30-44; 8:1-1O. AGAIN, THERE IS MORE TO THESE MIRACLES THAN THE MERE WONDER OF THE EVENT. THE JEWS WERE AFRAID OF THE OCEANS AND THE DEEP. THEY NEVER BECAME A SEA-FARING PEOPLE AND PREFERRED TO LET OTHER PEOPLE'S PROVIDE THEIR SEA- TRANSPORTATION NEEDS. ONE ALMOST CAN HEAR THE SIGHS OF RELIEF IN REVELATION 21:1 WHERE JOHN SPEAKS OF THE COMING OF "A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH," AND THEN ADDS, " THE SEA WAS NO MORE." HOWEVER, A JEW TOOK COMFORT IN THE FACT THAT HIS GOD COULD CONTROL THE SEAS, THE ROARING OF THE WAVES," PSALM 89:9 IS SIMILAR IN TONE, " THOU DOST RULE THE RAGING OF THE SEA. " WHEN ITS WAVES RISE, THOU STILLEST THEM. WHEN JESUS STILLED THE STORMS ON THE SEA OF GALILEE AND WALKED ON WATER, HE DEMONSTRATED THAT HE HIMSELF POSSESSED THOSE POWERS THAT JEWS HAD ALWAYS ASSIGNED TO GOD, PSALM 107:23-32.
MARK CONTAINS TWO FEEDING MIRACLES. MARK 6:30-44 DESCRIBES THE FEEDING OF THE FIVE-THOUSAND (JEWS). MARK 8: 1-10 DESCRIBES THE FEEDING OF THE FOUR THOUSAND (GENTILES.) AS GOR HAD FED HIS PEOPLE OUT IN THE WILDERNESS (EXOD. 16; Ps 78:23-29), SO JESUS FED HIS "NEW PEOPLE " OUT IN THE WILDERNESS.
PRIOR TO JESUS MINISTRY, rabbis STATED THAT WHEN THE MESSIAH FINALLY CAME, THE HEAVENLY MANNA WOULD FALL ONCE AGAIN, 2 BARUCH 29:8. IN THESE FEEDING MIRACLES JESUS DOES WHAT THE "OLD TESTAMENT GOD ONCE DID BECAUSE HE IS THAT OLD TESTAMENT GOD.
THE ISAIANIC SIGNS. THE TERM " ISAIANIC" IS DERIVED FROM "ISAIAH." A RATHER PUZZLING EXCHANGED RECORDED IN MATTHEW 11: 2-6 AND LUKE 7: 18-23 HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND HOW THESE "SIGNS" WERE TO BE UNDERSTOOD. JOHN THE BAPTIST IS IN PRISON. HIS LIFE IS IN DANGER. HE SENDS SOME OF HIS FOLLOWERS TO JESUS TO ASK, IF HE REALLY IS THE ONE THEY HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR. JESUS DOES NOT ANSWER WITH A VERBAL "YES." INSTEAD, HE POINTS TO THE THINGS HE HAS DONE. JESUS ACTIONS REVEALS WHO HE IS. IN MATTHEW 11:5 JESUS SAYS, " THE BLIND RECEIVE THEIR SIGHT AND THE LAME WALK, LEPERS ARE CLEANSED
AND THE DEAF HEAR, AND THE DEAD ARE RAISED UP AND THE POOR HAVE GOOD NEWS PREACHED TO THEM. HUNDRED OF YEARS BEFORE, THE PROPHET ISAIAH WROTE:( THEN WHEN THE MESSIANIC AGE FINALLY COMES: THE EYES OF THE BLIND SHALL BE OPEN, AND THE EARS OF THE DEAF SHALL BE UNSTOPPED.) THEN SHALL THE LAME MAN SHALL LEAP LIKE A HART, AND THE TONGUE OF THE DUMB WILL SING FOR JOY," ISAIAH 35:5,6; NOTE ALSO ISAIAH 42:7 AND 61:1. THE JEWS BELIEVED THAT WHEN THE MESSIANIC AGE FINALLY CAME, THE "SIGNS" ISAIAH HAD REFERRED TO WOULD BE DONE--EVIDENCE THAT THE MESSIANIC AGE HAD COME. THEREFORE, THOUGH THE MIRACLES JESUS DID FOR THE BLIND, DEAF, DUMB, AND THE LAME WERE STUPENDOUS AND ASTONISHING, THEY WERE PRIMARILY INDICATIONS THAT THE HOPES ISRAEL HAD LONG CHERISHED WERE BEING FULFILLED. THAT SAID VOLUMES ABOUT WHO JESUS WAS. JESUS ACTIONS NEEDED TO BE READ WITH GREAT CARE. TOWARD THE CLOSE OF HIS MINISTRY, JESUS QUESTIONED THE DISCIPLES ABOUT HOW THEY HAD READ THOSE ACTIONS, MARK 8: 27-3O.
THE MIRACLES OVER NATURE MARK REPORTS THAT JESUS STILLED A STORM ( 4: 35-41.) WALKED ON WATER (6:45-52), AND FED THE MULTITUDES, 6:30-44; 8:1-1O. AGAIN, THERE IS MORE TO THESE MIRACLES THAN THE MERE WONDER OF THE EVENT. THE JEWS WERE AFRAID OF THE OCEANS AND THE DEEP. THEY NEVER BECAME A SEA-FARING PEOPLE AND PREFERRED TO LET OTHER PEOPLE'S PROVIDE THEIR SEA- TRANSPORTATION NEEDS. ONE ALMOST CAN HEAR THE SIGHS OF RELIEF IN REVELATION 21:1 WHERE JOHN SPEAKS OF THE COMING OF "A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH," AND THEN ADDS, " THE SEA WAS NO MORE." HOWEVER, A JEW TOOK COMFORT IN THE FACT THAT HIS GOD COULD CONTROL THE SEAS, THE ROARING OF THE WAVES," PSALM 89:9 IS SIMILAR IN TONE, " THOU DOST RULE THE RAGING OF THE SEA. " WHEN ITS WAVES RISE, THOU STILLEST THEM. WHEN JESUS STILLED THE STORMS ON THE SEA OF GALILEE AND WALKED ON WATER, HE DEMONSTRATED THAT HE HIMSELF POSSESSED THOSE POWERS THAT JEWS HAD ALWAYS ASSIGNED TO GOD, PSALM 107:23-32.
MARK CONTAINS TWO FEEDING MIRACLES. MARK 6:30-44 DESCRIBES THE FEEDING OF THE FIVE-THOUSAND (JEWS). MARK 8: 1-10 DESCRIBES THE FEEDING OF THE FOUR THOUSAND (GENTILES.) AS GOR HAD FED HIS PEOPLE OUT IN THE WILDERNESS (EXOD. 16; Ps 78:23-29), SO JESUS FED HIS "NEW PEOPLE " OUT IN THE WILDERNESS.
PRIOR TO JESUS MINISTRY, rabbis STATED THAT WHEN THE MESSIAH FINALLY CAME, THE HEAVENLY MANNA WOULD FALL ONCE AGAIN, 2 BARUCH 29:8. IN THESE FEEDING MIRACLES JESUS DOES WHAT THE "OLD TESTAMENT GOD ONCE DID BECAUSE HE IS THAT OLD TESTAMENT GOD.
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
PREPARING - "SON OF GOD" (MARK).
TRADITIONALLY, THE TERM "SON OF GOD" IS INTERPRETED TO MEAN THAT JESUS IS TRUE GOD, HE WAS AND IS THAT. IN HIM THE FULLNESS OF DEITY TOOK INTO HIMSELF THE FULLNESS OF A HUMAN NATURE, SO THAT IN ONE PERSON, JESUS CHRIST, A UNION OF TWO NATURES TOOK PLACE. THAT WHICH IS FULLY GOD UNITED ITSELF WITH THAT THAT WHICH IS FULLY. HUMAN.. POSSIBLY THE TERM SAYS MORE THAN THAT IN 1:1. IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, WAS CALLED THE SON OF GOD (EXODUS 4: 21-23: HOSEA 2:1. THEREFORE TO CALL JESUS "SON OF GOD." WITH THE PASSING OF THE YEARS WAS TO DECLARE THAT THE TRADITIONAL "SON OF GOD" (ISRAEL) HAD BEEN SUPERSEDED BY A NEW "SON OF GOD." WITH THE PASSING OF THE YEARS, THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL HAD COME TO THIS, THAT THE "REMNANT"
OF THE TRUE PEOPLE OF GOD NOW NUMBERED ONE, "JESUS CHRIST. THIS NEW NUMBERED "SON OF GOD." WAS NOT SOME UPSTART OR USURPER. HE DESCENDED FROM SOME JEWISH "GREATS" AS " ABRAHAM AND DAVID". THROUGH HIM GOD WAS NOT MERELY CONTINUING THE HISTORY OF HIS PEOPLE. HE WAS MAKING A NEW BEGINNING TO HIS PEOPLE. THE WORDS OF ISAIAH 4O:3 (MARK 1:3). ARE FOUND IN ALL FOUR GOSPELS, AND DEFINE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JESUS APPROACHING MINISTRY. ISAIAH FIRST SPOKE THESE WORDS TO THE EXILES IN BABYLON. HE ASSURED THEM GOD WAS ABOUT TO RESCUE THEM FROM CAPTIVITY AND LEAD THEM BACK TO THEIR HOMELAND! THEIR MESSAGE IN THE GOSPELS IS: GOD IS ABOUT TO CARRY OUT THE GREAT AND FINAL RESCUE OF HIS PEOPLE. THEY ARE BEING HELD CAPTIVE, NOT EGYPT, ASSYRIA, OR BABYLON, TO THE POWER OF SIN, SATAN AND DEATH. THEY ARE CAPTIVE TO THEIR TRADITIONS AND RITUALS, AND TO THEIR OBSESSION WITH THE DESCENT FROM ABRAHAM AND FAMILY GENEALOGIES. JESUS IS COMING TO FREE THEM FROM THESE BONDS, AND LEAD THEM INTO THE LIBERTY OF TRUE SONSHIP WITH GOD. AS MALACHI OF OLD HAD PREDICTED (3:1, 4:5), ONE HAD BEEN SENT TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE MESSIAH.
JOHN THE BAPTIST HAD CARRIED OUT HIS MISSION IN THE WILDERNESS, THE PLACE OF EXPECTATIONS, NEW BEGINNINGS, THE PLACE GOD TOOK HIS PEOPLE TO RENEW THEM AND DRAW THEM CLOSER TO HIMSELF. APPARENTLY, CONSIDERABLE NUMBERS WENT OUT INTO THE WILDERNESS TO HEAR JOHN AND BE BAPTIZED BY HIM. THAT JEWS SHOULD HAVE SUBMITTED TO HIS BAPTISM IS REMARKABLE, FOR TRADITIONALLY ONLY GENTILES WERE BAPTIZED WHEN THEY CONVERTED TO JUDAISM. JOHN ONLY PREPARED THE WAY FOR JESUS. HE WHO WOULD FOLLOW WOULD BE MUCH GREATER THAN HE WAS. JOHN DID NOT DESERVE EVEN TO BE HIS SLAVE, TO PERFORM THE MOST MENIAL OF DUTIES FOR HIM. JOHN COULD BAPTIZE WITH WATER, TRUE! ONE TO WHOM HE POINTED, WOULD BAPTIZE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT! IMAGINE! HE WOULD BESTOW THE "HOLY SPIRIT", NOT JUST ON A FEW SELECT ONES IN THE NATION SUCH AS JUDGES AND KINGS, BUT ON ALL WHO CAME TO HIM TO RECEIVE WHAT HE HAD TO GIVE; SEE JOEL 2:28,29.
JESUS WAS LIVING IN THE NORTHERN REGION OF GALILEE WHEN JOHN BEGAN HIS WORK OF "PREPARATION." JESUS HEADED SOUTH TO WHERE JOHN WAS WORKING, THAT JOHN MIGHT BAPTIZE HIM ALSO. JESUS DID NOT NEED BAPTISM FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF ANY SINS HE DID NOTHING FOR FORGIVENESS. HE WAS THE "SINLESS ONE" HOWEVER, JESUS SOUGHT BAPTISM FROM JOHN TO IDENTIFY HIMSELF WITH THE NEW AGE HIS FATHER WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN IN AND THROUGH HIM. AFTER ALL HE WAS, THE NEW "SON OF GOD." AS THE OLD SON OF GOD PASSED THROUGH THE WATERS OF THE RED SEA AND THE JORDAN, SO THE NEW SON OF GOD MUST PASS THROUGH WATER, THE WATER OF JOHN'S BAPTISM. HE WOULD LEAD HIS PEOPLE INTO THE INHERITANCE OF ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER. WHEN JESUS WAS COMING OUT OF THE WATER AFTER HIS BAPTISM, " HE SAW THE HEAVENS OPENED AND THE SPIRIT DESCENDING UPON HIM LIKE A DOVE,
1:1O. CENTURIES BEFORE THE PROPHET HAD CRIED OUT, "O THAT THOU WOULDST REND THE HEAVENS ASUNDER AND COME DOWN ( ISAIAH 64:1) IN A FORM THAT RESEMBLED A DOVE. AT JESUS BAPTISM THE HEAVENS WERE INDEED RENT, AND THE SPIRIT HIMSELF CAME DOWN IN A FORM THAT RESEMBLED A DOVE AND HOVERED OVER THE HEAD OF JESUS. THE RABBIS (TEACHERS) SPOKE OF THE DOVE AS THE SYMBOL OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL. AT JESUS BAPTISM, THE SPIRIT IN THE FORM OF A DOVE HOVERED OVER THE HEAD OF THE "NEW SON OF GOD," THE TRUE ISRAEL. HE WAS TO LEAD A LIFE, LEAD BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. AT HIS BAPTISM JESUS WAS ANOINTED INTO THE OFFICE DEFINED BY THE VOICE FROM HEAVEN : " THOU ARE MY BELOVED SON: WITH THEE I AM WELL PLEASED : THIS STATEMENT SPEAKS VOLUMES " THOU ARE MY BELOVED SON," REFLECTS PSALM 2:7. THIS PSALM WAS USED IN ANCIENT ISRAEL AT THE CORONATION OF A KING FROM THE LINE OF DAVID. THE VOICE OF JESUS BAPTISM DECLARED THAT GOD HAD KEPT HIS PROMISE AND HAD NOT PERMITTED THE LINE OF DAVID TO DIE OUT. JESUS WAS, INDEED THE LONG AWAITED DESCENDANT OF DAVID, THE LONG-EXPECTED MESSIANIC KING WHO HAD COME TO RULE GOD'S PEOPLE THAT THEY MIGHT FIND THE ULTIMATE BLESSED-NESS WHICH HAD BEEN THE FOCUS OF ALL THEIR HOPES. THE DIRECTION THE LIFE OF THE MESSIANIC KING WOULD TAKE WOULD BE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT MANY WOULD BE EXPECTING. " WITH THEE I AM WELL PLEASED" 1:11 IS A QUOTATION FROM ONE OF ISAIAH'S SERVANT SONGS (42: 1-4; NOTE V.1). AS MESSIANIC KING, JESUS WOULD BE THE SERVANT. HE WOULD BE DESPISED, REJECTED, AND HIS PEOPLE WOULD DO THEIR VERY WORST TO HIM. THEY WOULD CRUCIFY HIM! HOWEVER THROUGH HIS DEATH HE WOULD LAVISH ON THEM THE OFFER OF A COMPLETE, PERFECT PARDON, AND DRAW THEM INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIMSELF IN WHICH THEY WOULD HAVE LIFE, NOW AND FOREVER. AFTER JESUS WAS ANOINTED INTO OFFICE AS THE LONG-AWAITED KING, AND THE NATURE OF HIS LONG AWAITED KINGSHIP DEFINED. HE WAS LED BY THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS. OLD ISRAEL HAD BEEN TAKEN INTO A WILDERNESS AFTER PASSING THROUGH WATER. SHE HAD BEEN TAKEN THERE TO BE TESTED AND TRIED, AND HAD DONE LITTLE ELSE BUT SIN. THE RECORD OF HER "FORTY- YEARS" IN THE WILDERNESS IS A MISERABLE ONE. THE NEW ISRAEL, THE NEW SON OF GOD, WAS LED BY THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS TOBE TESTED AND TRIED BY SATAN FOR FORTY-DAYS. THERE JESUS PUT AN END TO SATAN'S RUN OF SUCCESSES WITH THE HUMAN RACE--HE DID NOT YIELD TO HIM. IN CHRIST, SATAN DID NOT MEET HIS MATCH--- HE MET HIS CONQUEROR! MARK STATES IN 1: 13b, " JESUS WAS WITH WILD BEASTS, AND THE ANGELS MINISTERED TO HIM." SOME SEE IN THIS VERSE A REFERENCE TO THE "NEW ADAM" REGAINING CONTROL OVER THE REALM OF NATURE ON A COSMIC SCALE. OTHER'S SEE IN THIS VERSE A SUBTLE SUGGESTION THAT JESUS REMAINED " IN THE WILDERNESS OF TEMPTATION," LOCKED IN COMBAT WITH SATAN THROUGHOUT HIS MINISTRY. MATT 4:11 AND LUKE 4;13 SAY SATAN LEFT JESUS AFTER THE TEMPTATION. THAT COMMENT IS NOT MADE IN MARK,
WHERE THE CONFLICT BETWEEN JESUS AND SATAN CONTINUES TO THE CROSS WHERE THE APPARENT CONQUEROR (SATAN) IS CONQUERED. (NOTE THAT THE FIRST MIRACLE JESUS PERFORMS IN MARK AFTER HIS TEMPTATION INVOLVES A STRUGGLE WITH A DEMONIAC.
OF THE TRUE PEOPLE OF GOD NOW NUMBERED ONE, "JESUS CHRIST. THIS NEW NUMBERED "SON OF GOD." WAS NOT SOME UPSTART OR USURPER. HE DESCENDED FROM SOME JEWISH "GREATS" AS " ABRAHAM AND DAVID". THROUGH HIM GOD WAS NOT MERELY CONTINUING THE HISTORY OF HIS PEOPLE. HE WAS MAKING A NEW BEGINNING TO HIS PEOPLE. THE WORDS OF ISAIAH 4O:3 (MARK 1:3). ARE FOUND IN ALL FOUR GOSPELS, AND DEFINE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JESUS APPROACHING MINISTRY. ISAIAH FIRST SPOKE THESE WORDS TO THE EXILES IN BABYLON. HE ASSURED THEM GOD WAS ABOUT TO RESCUE THEM FROM CAPTIVITY AND LEAD THEM BACK TO THEIR HOMELAND! THEIR MESSAGE IN THE GOSPELS IS: GOD IS ABOUT TO CARRY OUT THE GREAT AND FINAL RESCUE OF HIS PEOPLE. THEY ARE BEING HELD CAPTIVE, NOT EGYPT, ASSYRIA, OR BABYLON, TO THE POWER OF SIN, SATAN AND DEATH. THEY ARE CAPTIVE TO THEIR TRADITIONS AND RITUALS, AND TO THEIR OBSESSION WITH THE DESCENT FROM ABRAHAM AND FAMILY GENEALOGIES. JESUS IS COMING TO FREE THEM FROM THESE BONDS, AND LEAD THEM INTO THE LIBERTY OF TRUE SONSHIP WITH GOD. AS MALACHI OF OLD HAD PREDICTED (3:1, 4:5), ONE HAD BEEN SENT TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE MESSIAH.
JOHN THE BAPTIST HAD CARRIED OUT HIS MISSION IN THE WILDERNESS, THE PLACE OF EXPECTATIONS, NEW BEGINNINGS, THE PLACE GOD TOOK HIS PEOPLE TO RENEW THEM AND DRAW THEM CLOSER TO HIMSELF. APPARENTLY, CONSIDERABLE NUMBERS WENT OUT INTO THE WILDERNESS TO HEAR JOHN AND BE BAPTIZED BY HIM. THAT JEWS SHOULD HAVE SUBMITTED TO HIS BAPTISM IS REMARKABLE, FOR TRADITIONALLY ONLY GENTILES WERE BAPTIZED WHEN THEY CONVERTED TO JUDAISM. JOHN ONLY PREPARED THE WAY FOR JESUS. HE WHO WOULD FOLLOW WOULD BE MUCH GREATER THAN HE WAS. JOHN DID NOT DESERVE EVEN TO BE HIS SLAVE, TO PERFORM THE MOST MENIAL OF DUTIES FOR HIM. JOHN COULD BAPTIZE WITH WATER, TRUE! ONE TO WHOM HE POINTED, WOULD BAPTIZE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT! IMAGINE! HE WOULD BESTOW THE "HOLY SPIRIT", NOT JUST ON A FEW SELECT ONES IN THE NATION SUCH AS JUDGES AND KINGS, BUT ON ALL WHO CAME TO HIM TO RECEIVE WHAT HE HAD TO GIVE; SEE JOEL 2:28,29.
JESUS WAS LIVING IN THE NORTHERN REGION OF GALILEE WHEN JOHN BEGAN HIS WORK OF "PREPARATION." JESUS HEADED SOUTH TO WHERE JOHN WAS WORKING, THAT JOHN MIGHT BAPTIZE HIM ALSO. JESUS DID NOT NEED BAPTISM FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF ANY SINS HE DID NOTHING FOR FORGIVENESS. HE WAS THE "SINLESS ONE" HOWEVER, JESUS SOUGHT BAPTISM FROM JOHN TO IDENTIFY HIMSELF WITH THE NEW AGE HIS FATHER WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN IN AND THROUGH HIM. AFTER ALL HE WAS, THE NEW "SON OF GOD." AS THE OLD SON OF GOD PASSED THROUGH THE WATERS OF THE RED SEA AND THE JORDAN, SO THE NEW SON OF GOD MUST PASS THROUGH WATER, THE WATER OF JOHN'S BAPTISM. HE WOULD LEAD HIS PEOPLE INTO THE INHERITANCE OF ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER. WHEN JESUS WAS COMING OUT OF THE WATER AFTER HIS BAPTISM, " HE SAW THE HEAVENS OPENED AND THE SPIRIT DESCENDING UPON HIM LIKE A DOVE,
1:1O. CENTURIES BEFORE THE PROPHET HAD CRIED OUT, "O THAT THOU WOULDST REND THE HEAVENS ASUNDER AND COME DOWN ( ISAIAH 64:1) IN A FORM THAT RESEMBLED A DOVE. AT JESUS BAPTISM THE HEAVENS WERE INDEED RENT, AND THE SPIRIT HIMSELF CAME DOWN IN A FORM THAT RESEMBLED A DOVE AND HOVERED OVER THE HEAD OF JESUS. THE RABBIS (TEACHERS) SPOKE OF THE DOVE AS THE SYMBOL OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL. AT JESUS BAPTISM, THE SPIRIT IN THE FORM OF A DOVE HOVERED OVER THE HEAD OF THE "NEW SON OF GOD," THE TRUE ISRAEL. HE WAS TO LEAD A LIFE, LEAD BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. AT HIS BAPTISM JESUS WAS ANOINTED INTO THE OFFICE DEFINED BY THE VOICE FROM HEAVEN : " THOU ARE MY BELOVED SON: WITH THEE I AM WELL PLEASED : THIS STATEMENT SPEAKS VOLUMES " THOU ARE MY BELOVED SON," REFLECTS PSALM 2:7. THIS PSALM WAS USED IN ANCIENT ISRAEL AT THE CORONATION OF A KING FROM THE LINE OF DAVID. THE VOICE OF JESUS BAPTISM DECLARED THAT GOD HAD KEPT HIS PROMISE AND HAD NOT PERMITTED THE LINE OF DAVID TO DIE OUT. JESUS WAS, INDEED THE LONG AWAITED DESCENDANT OF DAVID, THE LONG-EXPECTED MESSIANIC KING WHO HAD COME TO RULE GOD'S PEOPLE THAT THEY MIGHT FIND THE ULTIMATE BLESSED-NESS WHICH HAD BEEN THE FOCUS OF ALL THEIR HOPES. THE DIRECTION THE LIFE OF THE MESSIANIC KING WOULD TAKE WOULD BE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT MANY WOULD BE EXPECTING. " WITH THEE I AM WELL PLEASED" 1:11 IS A QUOTATION FROM ONE OF ISAIAH'S SERVANT SONGS (42: 1-4; NOTE V.1). AS MESSIANIC KING, JESUS WOULD BE THE SERVANT. HE WOULD BE DESPISED, REJECTED, AND HIS PEOPLE WOULD DO THEIR VERY WORST TO HIM. THEY WOULD CRUCIFY HIM! HOWEVER THROUGH HIS DEATH HE WOULD LAVISH ON THEM THE OFFER OF A COMPLETE, PERFECT PARDON, AND DRAW THEM INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIMSELF IN WHICH THEY WOULD HAVE LIFE, NOW AND FOREVER. AFTER JESUS WAS ANOINTED INTO OFFICE AS THE LONG-AWAITED KING, AND THE NATURE OF HIS LONG AWAITED KINGSHIP DEFINED. HE WAS LED BY THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS. OLD ISRAEL HAD BEEN TAKEN INTO A WILDERNESS AFTER PASSING THROUGH WATER. SHE HAD BEEN TAKEN THERE TO BE TESTED AND TRIED, AND HAD DONE LITTLE ELSE BUT SIN. THE RECORD OF HER "FORTY- YEARS" IN THE WILDERNESS IS A MISERABLE ONE. THE NEW ISRAEL, THE NEW SON OF GOD, WAS LED BY THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS TOBE TESTED AND TRIED BY SATAN FOR FORTY-DAYS. THERE JESUS PUT AN END TO SATAN'S RUN OF SUCCESSES WITH THE HUMAN RACE--HE DID NOT YIELD TO HIM. IN CHRIST, SATAN DID NOT MEET HIS MATCH--- HE MET HIS CONQUEROR! MARK STATES IN 1: 13b, " JESUS WAS WITH WILD BEASTS, AND THE ANGELS MINISTERED TO HIM." SOME SEE IN THIS VERSE A REFERENCE TO THE "NEW ADAM" REGAINING CONTROL OVER THE REALM OF NATURE ON A COSMIC SCALE. OTHER'S SEE IN THIS VERSE A SUBTLE SUGGESTION THAT JESUS REMAINED " IN THE WILDERNESS OF TEMPTATION," LOCKED IN COMBAT WITH SATAN THROUGHOUT HIS MINISTRY. MATT 4:11 AND LUKE 4;13 SAY SATAN LEFT JESUS AFTER THE TEMPTATION. THAT COMMENT IS NOT MADE IN MARK,
WHERE THE CONFLICT BETWEEN JESUS AND SATAN CONTINUES TO THE CROSS WHERE THE APPARENT CONQUEROR (SATAN) IS CONQUERED. (NOTE THAT THE FIRST MIRACLE JESUS PERFORMS IN MARK AFTER HIS TEMPTATION INVOLVES A STRUGGLE WITH A DEMONIAC.
SPIRITUAL WORK "PREPARATION"
JESUS WAS TIRED. THE LITTLE THAT WE KNOW OF THE HISTORY JUST BEFORE, YET ENABLES US TO SEE CAUSE WHY HE SHOULD BE TIRED.. HE HAD BEEN, FOR LONG MONTHS, ENGAGED IN ACTIVE EFFORTS TO SAVE MEN'S SOULS- TO LIFT MEN OUT OF THEIR SLUGGISHNESS AND WORLDLINESS TOWARD GOD. THAT IS HARD WORK FOR MIND AND HEART. AND HE HAD BEEN AT WORK AMONG MANY WHO WERE JEALOUS.
THE DISCIPLES OF JOHN WERE SOME OF THEM ENVIOUS THAT THEIR MASTER WAS DECREASING AND ANOTHER INCREASING, THOUGH JOHN SAID IT WAS RIGHT AND GOOD; AND WHEN THE PHARISEES HEARD THAT JESUS WAS BAPTIZING MORE DISCIPLES THAN JOHN, THEY WERE JEALOUS. THEY MADE IT NEEDFUL THAT HE SHOULD WITHDRAW FROM JUDEA, AS SO MANY OFTEN DURING HIS BRIEF MINISTRY HE HAD TO WITHDRAW FROM THE JEALOUSY OF HIS ENEMIES OR THE FANATICISM OF HIS FRIENDS, AND SEEK A NEW FIELD. WORN OUT AND PERHAPS SAD AT HEART, THE REDEEMER SAT ALONE BY JACOB'S WELL. WE SHOULD HAVE TWO PICTURES IN THE BACK OF OUR MIND. THE ONE OF JESUS, AS THE DISCIPLES SAW HIM WHEN THEY TURNED BACK TO LOOK, ON THEIR WAY TO BUY FOOD, AS HE SAT AND RESTED, LEANING WITH LIMBS RELAXED, WITH FACE WEARY, YET GENTLE; AND THE OTHER OF JESUS AS THEY FOUND HIM WHEN THEY CAME BACK, SITTING UP NOW WITH ANIMATED LOOK ON HIS FACE, BUSILY, EAGERLY TALKING.
AH! THERE WAS AN OPENING TO DO GOOD, AND HE WHO "WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD. WOULD GIVE UP HIS NEEDED REST, AND OFTEN DID, TO DO GOOD TO THE LEAST, AND THE LOWEST. THE DISCIPLES WONDERED WHAT HE WAS READY TO DO GOOD; THEY HAD SEEN THAT OFTEN ALREADY. THEY WONDERED THAT HE WAS TALKING TO A WOMEN FOR, THAT WAS CONTRARY TO THE DIGNITY OF A MAN ACCORDING TO THE IDEAS OF THAT TIME AND COUNTRY- TO BE SEEN TALKING WITH A WOMEN IN PUBLIC. THEY WONDERED; THEY KNEW NOT YET WHAT MANNER OF CHARACTER THIS WOMAN WAS, BUT JESUS KNEW.
WE ALL KNOW THE POWER OF THE BODY OVER THE MIND, AND WE KNOW THE POWER OF THE MIND OVER THE OF THE BODY. WE MUST BE STIRRED TO NEW ACTIVITIES UNTIL THE MAN WHO IS TIRED BY ANIMATING A THEME IN WHICH HE AND HIS MIND IS INTERESTED. IF WE LOVE SPIRITUAL WORK IT WILL KINDLE OUR SOULS, IT WILL EVEN GIVE HEALTH AND VIGOR TO OUR BODIES. THE ONLY WAY TO LEARN TO PREACH IS TO PREACH. THERE ARE SEASONS OF SOWING AND SEASONS OF REAPING JUST AS THERE ARE IN FARMING. THEY SOWED THEIR WHEAT IN DECEMBER; AND THEY BEGAN TO REAP IN APRIL. SAY NOT THERE ARE FOUR MONTHS TO THE HARVEST? BEHOLD I SAY TO YOU, LIFT UP YOUR EYES AND LOOK ON THE FIELDS; FOR THEY ARE WHITE ALREADY TO HARVEST. IN THE SPIRITUAL SPHERE. IT WAS HARVEST TIME THEN, AND THEY WERE BIDDEN TO GO FORTH AND REAP THE HARVEST THAT WAVED WHITE AND PERISHING. SPIRITUAL WORK WILL BE REWARDED IN THE LORD OF THE HARVEST'S COMMENDATION AND WELCOME.
AH, HE WILL KNOW WHICH WAS THE SOWING AND WHICH WAS THE REAPING. THE WORLD MAY NOT KNOW; WE MAY NEVER HEAR, BUT HE WILL KNOW WHICH WAS THE REAPING AND WHO TRIED TO DO GOOD AND THOUGHT HE HAD NOT DONE IT. WITH THE THOUGHT OF BEING UNABLE TO BE USEFUL. HE WILL KNOW AND REWARD EVEN THE DESIRE OF THE HEART, WHICH THERE WAS NO OPPORTUNITY TO CARRY OUT. HE WILL REWARD THE EMOTION THAT TREMBLED ON THE LIP AND FIND NO UTTERRANCE. HE WILL REWARD DAVID FOR WANTING TO BUILD THE TEMPLE AS WELL AS SOLOMON FOR BUILDING IT. HE WILL REWARD ALL THAT WE DO, AND ALL THAT WE TRY TO DO., AND ALL THAT WE WISH TO DO. HE WILL BE YOUR REWARD AND MINE, FOREVER AND FOREVER. REMEMBER SIMPLICITY IN SPEAKING ABOUT THE LORD. WE USE THE EXAMPLE THE WORD " JUSTIFICATION." LET'S LOOK AT WHAT PAUL MEANS, WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT BEING JUSTIFIED? THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF MISAPPREHENSION AS TO HIS MEANING.
MARTIN LUTHER WAS ALL WRONG IN HIS EARLY LIFE BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN REARED UPON THE IDEA THAT A JUSTIFIED MAN MEANS SIMPLY A JUST MAN, A GOOD MAN, AND THAT HE COULD ACCOUNT HIMSELF JUSTIFIED OR HOPE FOR SALVATION UNTIL HE WAS A THOROUGH GOOD MAN. NOW, THE LATIN WORD FROM WHICH WE BORROW OUR WORD "JUSTIFIED" DOES NOT MEAN TO MAKE JUST, AND AS THE ROMANISTS USE THE LATIN, THEIR ERROR IS NATURAL. BUT PAUL'S GREEK WORD MEANS NOT TO MAKE JUST., BUT TO REGARD AS JUST AND TREAT AS JUST.
THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE-- NOT TO MAKE JUST. BUT REGARD AND TREAT AS JUST. HOW WOULD GOD TREAT YOU, IF YOU WERE A RIGHTEOUS MAN, IF YOU HAD, THROUGH ALL YOUR LIFE, FAITHFULLY PERFORMED ALL YOUR DUTIES, CONFORMING TO ALL YOUR RELATIONS TO YOUR FELLOW-BEINGS. HOW WOULD HE REGARD YOU AND TREAT YOU. HE WOULD LOOK UPON YOU WITH COMPLACENCY
HE WOULD SMILE ON YOU AS ONE THAT WAS IN HIS SIGHT PLEASING. HE WOULD LOOK UPON YOU, AND BLESS YOU AS LONG AS YOU LIVED IN THIS WORLD AND, WHEN YOU WERE DONE WITH THIS WORLD, HE WOULD DELIGHT TO TAKE YOU HOME TO HIS BOSOM, WITH THE GREETING: COME AND REST "GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT." THE CHURCH ISN'T A PLACE FOR SAINTS, THERE ALL IN HEAVEN. THE CHURCH IS A PLACE FOR SINNERS LIKE OURSELVES. THE POWER OF PRAYER MUST HAVE A CLEAN HEART THROUGH WHICH TO OPERATE. THE LAW OF THE HEART IS INEXORABLE. JESUS IS USHERING IN THAT NEW AGE WHICH THE JEWS HAVE BEEN EXPECTING FOR CENTURIES. "THE GOOD NEWS" IS, THE NEED TO WAIT IS NO LONGER. THE MESSIANIC AGE HAS ARRIVED! THE REST OF MARK'S GOSPEL GRAPPLES WITH THE QUESTION, " WHAT WAS THE NATURE OF THE MESSIANIC AGE THAT BROKE IN WITH JESUS?" WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN INTIMATE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE REAL CAUSE BEHIND MOST OF OUR PROBLEMS. WE ARE GOING TO LEAD UP TO A STUDY OF THE FREE FLOW OF DIVINE ENERGY INTO YOUR LIFE. FIRST WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE NEGATIVE ASPECTS, WHICH IS THE SHORT CIRCUIT IN OUR CONSCIOUSNESS. YOU MUST REPAIR IT. BELIEVE CHRIST IS ALIVE AND HE SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER, THEN THE FREE FLOW OF THE POWER OF LIFE THROUGH THE "HOLY SPIRIT", ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE LOVE IN YOUR LIFE, WHICH WILL SHOW LOVE IN YOUR ACTIONS, JOY IN YOUR HEART, WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING IN YOUR MIND, HEALTH IN YOUR BODY, VITALITY IN YOUR ACTIONS. COULD YOU WANT MORE THAN THAT? REMEMBER THE POWERFUL LAW OF THE HEART. THIS LAW IS MORE POWERFUL AND IS EVEN MORE POWERFUL AND ACCURATE THAN THE SCIENTIFIC LAWS YOU STUDIED IN SCHOOL. "THE LAW" OF THE HEART IS THIS "PERFECT LOVE", "CASTETH OUT FEAR, THE TWO DEVILS INTIMATELY CONNECTED WITH EACH OTHER WHICH OUR LORD ASSOCIATES WITH HATE AND FEAR, WHICH CAN ONLY BE DONE AWAY WITH THROUGH THE 1ST LAW OF THE HEART, WHICH IS "LOVE.?" WHEN YOU START TO FEEL THE RISING RESENTMENT OF HATE AND FEAR. STOP FOR A MOMENT, BEFORE IT TURNS INTO FULL BLOWN HATE. "STOP! ASK YOURSELF WHAT'S BEHIND IT? FACE THESE DEVILS OUT IN THE OPEN AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. YOU WILL BE BORN AGAIN. NOW YOUR READY AGAIN TO GRASP WITH MARK, THE GOOD (NEWS THAT THE CHRIST, THE MESSIAH, THE ANOINTED ONE IS USHERING IN THE NEW AGE THAT THE JEWS HAVE BEEN EXPECTING FOR CENTURIES. THEY NEED TO WAIT NO LONGER. " THE MESSIANIC AGE HAS ARRIVED!" WE LOOK WITH MARK, TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? JESUS RESCUES HUMANITY FROM BONDAGE TO SATAN, SIN, LAW, AND DEATH THROUGH JESUS SAVING MISSION, WHICH STARTS WITH BAPTISM, USHERING IN THE "NEW CREATION, AND WITH IT THE FINAL GREAT "EXODUS" (RESCUE) EVENT. HE RESCUES HUMANITY FROM "SATAN" ALL THINGS ARE MADE NEW, NOT WITHIN THE MATERIAL ORDER, BUT WITHIN PEOPLE'S HEARTS. JESUS SUMMONS AND PLANTS THE "1ST LAW" ON HIS PEOPLE'S HEARTS, LOVE. NOT SERVING SELF, BUT TO SHARE HIS SERVANT MISSION.
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OF THE
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