Saturday, December 26, 2009

Fearful Expectation of Judgment

Hebrews 10:26-28

This passage is often used to come against the message of pure grace, saying that if people knowingly sin after salvation then there is no forgiveness for that sin. This is reading into a passage what is not there, as a quick look at this verse and the surrounding verses will show.

While verse 26 does not describe a specific sin, verse 29 tells us exactly what that “sin” would be: “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be though worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”

The individual who should expect “judgment and fiery indignation” is the one who walks on the blood of Jesus’ covenant. In other words, he who says “No” to the sacrificial work of Jesus is the man who should expect the wrath of God. John told us as much in John 3:36, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him”.

We should also notice that in verse 26, it never tells us that there is no more forgiveness for us if we sin, but rather there “remains no more sacrifice for sins”. As this book is written to the Hebrews, it is a stern warning to Jewish believers that there is no longer a need for them to continue sacrificing animals. To put bullocks and lambs on the altar is to step on the blood of Jesus, as if His blood was not enough.

Paul’s instruction to the believer comes earlier in the chapter, when he tells us that we can “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22). If we can draw near to God in full assurance of our faith, knowing that we have been washed over by the water of the Word, why should we suddenly live in fearful expectation of the judgment and fiery indignation of God? These passages are to two different groups of people based upon the wording used in each.

Because of the blood of Jesus, you never have to back into the presence of God. Instead, you have “boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19). No born again believer is going to trample on that sacrifice and count it as useless! We have no reason to fearfully expect judgment, for we have “full assurance of faith” that Jesus was judged in our place.

Messages and teachings that make you frightened of your loving Father should be shunned. Wouldn’t you teach your own children to ignore people that say bad things about you? You shower them with such love and affection that they could never believe they should fear and tremble in your presence. True fear of God is like true fear of your parents when you are a child: you know that they will not break your legs or take out their frustration on you, but you also know that they are your final authority. He parents us even better than we parent our own. Let’s learn from Him, shall we?

Friday, December 25, 2009

God’s Gifts Bring Provision

Luke 2:1-15

The story of the birth of Christ is probably the most famous story in the world. Celebrated as Christmas, this birthday marks the arrival of God in human flesh; bringing joy and peace on earth, and goodwill from God to man. As great as this story is, we sometimes miss the lengths to which God goes to provide hope and provision, not only to the world through the gift of Jesus, but even to Mary and Joseph in their hour of need.

The Magi, or Wise Men, that come to the birth of Jesus are a vital part of the story of Christ’s birth. Often misplaced at the manger, these men traveled the farthest to see the child, and were still on the road when the shepherds gathered around the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes. It wasn’t until nearly two years later that they arrived, bearing gifts from the Far East. Luke 2:11 confirms that when they found Jesus, He was “in the house”, not the manger and that He was a “child”, not a baby.

Upon arrival in Palestine, the Wise Men (who could have numbered more than the traditional 3), went to the palace of Herod to inquire as to where they might find the boy. Herod knew nothing of the arrival of Jesus, but is instantly driven to jealousy at the prospect of a Jewish king. At the instruction of the scribes, Herod sends them to Bethlehem. Isn’t it interesting that the scribes knew when and where the Messiah was supposed to be born, yet they refuse to believe that Jesus is the one?

The Wise Men give the family of Jesus three gifts, all which attest to a different aspect of Christ’s purpose on earth: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gold speaks of the royalty of Christ, identifying Him as King of kings. Frankincense was used in the sacrificial offerings, and thus spoke of the divinity of Christ, seeing Him as God worth worshipping. Myrrh was the original antiseptic of the ancient world, often used to bring relief to people in pain and to embalm the dead. This spoke of Jesus’ sufferings which He would take for all mankind.

Joseph and Mary were considered poor, even for that time. We know this because Luke tells us that when Mary brought the baby Jesus into the temple to be dedicated, she brought turtledoves or pigeons as her sacrificial offering. Leviticus 12 allowed this for the poorest of God’s people, while the wealthiest were to bring a bullock. The gifts of the Magi must have seemed like a fortune (as they probably were) to these humble people in Bethlehem.

God had a greater purpose in the arrival of the Magi than to show forth the three-fold aspects of Christ. When Herod learned of Jesus’ birth, he ordered all of the baby boys age 2 and under “in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof” to be slaughtered (Matthew 2:16). Jesus and His family need to be out of there, now that the attack is on to kill Him. Before the arrival of the Magi, there would have been no funds available to make a long journey into Egypt to escape the sword of wrath, but now they have a surplus of funds, making it possible.

Notice that God is not responding to Satan’s attack; but rather Satan is responding to God’s Plan. The Magi began their journey a full two years before Satan even figured out that Jesus was on the earth. Once the enemy made a move on Jesus, it was too late, as God had given provision for the journey of protection. When you see Satan rear his head in your life, rejoice! If Satan is moving, it is because he has just learned of God’s provision and grace that is on its way. Hallelujah!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Eating the Body Unworthily

1 Corinthians 11:27

When I was younger, I was afraid to partake in the communion ceremony until I had spent a considerable amount of time on the altar, “taking care of” any and all sinful deeds and thoughts that I had committed. I believed that if I put the bread in my mouth and drank of the cup without properly purging my heart of all sin then I would get sick or diseased, having dared to put God’s holiness in an unclean vessel. Due to this fear, communion didn’t represent anything lovely to me. In fact, I kind of wondered why we would even bother!

As God began to open up the revelation of His grace and favor to me, communion was one of the first things that took on a whole new meaning. If I was truly made the righteousness of God, independent of my works, then I was ALWAYS the righteousness of God, even when bad thoughts crossed my mind, or I did something wrong. If I am always righteous, then I am always qualified to partake of the body and the blood of Jesus through Holy Communion. Then what does Paul mean when he writes about eating and drinking “unworthily” (1 Corinthians 11:27).

The answer is found within the passage, but in two separate ways. The first way is the most obvious: Paul never says “unworthy”; he says “unworthily”. These are two different words with two entirely different meanings. To partake of communion “unworthy” would mean that we are not worthy to take in His body and blood because of our lifestyle. To partake of communion “unworthily” means that we are eating and drinking without knowing why.

The second way to find the answer is to read on just a bit further. Paul says in verse 29, “For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body”. The definition of “unworthily” is found in the last part of that verse: “not discerning the Lord’s body”. When we do not realize that Jesus bore our sicknesses and diseases in His body on the tree; and we do not know that we are eating into us His health and wholeness, then we are partaking “unworthily”.

This does not mean that God then puts cancer and disease on us to teach us a lesson. The “damnation” that we eat and drink to ourselves (verse 29) is what is already in the earth as a result of the curse. Anytime that you think that God is in the business of putting disease and pain onto people, just remember how many people that Jesus touched and GAVE leprosy to. NONE! Jesus was not in the business of taking men’s lives, but saving them.

The broken body of Jesus and His shed blood has been given to all believers through the finished work of the cross. The communion ceremony is ours, whenever we need it, to observe that broken body and shed blood. Just as Israel ate all of the lamb and there were none feeble among their tribes (Psalms 105:37), we have His body, broken for us (Mark 14:22). We have His blood as our justification (Romans 5:9) and it is the seal of the New Covenant. Partake of Holy Communion as often as you like, observing that Jesus bore your suffering so that you could bear His health.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved

John 13:23

My key text records the phrase, “One of His disciples, whom Jesus loved”. This is one of five instances in the book of John in which we hear of this “disciple whom Jesus loved”, and we find him only in this book. Consequently, the name of the apostle John never appears in this book, while we learn in the final chapter that the author is “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. This lets us know that John wrote the book and that he is that disciple whom Jesus loved.

It is interesting that Matthew, Mark and Luke just refer to John by his name, but John refers to himself with this title. Is this cocky on John’s part? Is it foolish? What are we to think of someone who refers to themselves in their own writings as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”? Did Jesus love John more than the other disciples? If so, does He love me more than you or vice versa?

The answer is that Jesus loves all of us the same, for “There is no respect of persons with God” (Romans 2:11). The difference for John was that he practiced a working knowledge of the Savior’s love for him. Rather than spend his time boasting of his love for Jesus; or working to love Jesus more, he learned to rest in Jesus’ love for him. Great things would occur in the life of John because of the knowledge that he was deeply loved. Let’s look at a few of the moments in which John calls himself, “the disciple whom Jesus loved”:

1. John 13:23 – Peter asks “one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved” which disciple would betray Jesus. The text just told us that John was lying against Jesus’ bosom, so why does Peter ask John to ask Jesus, when Peter is nearly as close to Jesus as John? The only conclusion can be that Peter (who boasted of his love for Jesus rather than Jesus’ love for him) felt too distant from the Master for such an intimate question. Practice resting near Jesus’ heart of love for you and people will turn to you for answers, perceiving that you are close to Him.

2. John 19:26 – Standing at the cross next to the mother of Jesus is the one “whom He loved”. There are no other disciples waiting there, only the one who has an awareness of just how loved that he is. Equipped with this love, he is able to stand firm at the crucifixion while all of the others flee. He is also given the intimate task of watching over Mary, the mother of Jesus. A working knowledge that you are loved leads you to the ministry of the Lord.

3. John 21:20 – One of the final moments in the earthly ministry of Christ revolves around a revelation concerning the “disciple whom Jesus loved”. Peter asks what that disciple will do to which Jesus responds, “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me” (John 21:22). This led to a rumor that John would not taste death, but would be alive when Jesus returned. This rumor was no doubt fueled by the fact that John lived to be over 100 years old and died of natural causes; long after the other disciples had met their martyrdom. The knowledge that he was beloved brought a revelation of long life to this special disciple. If it was good for him, why not for us?

When John wrote his little epistles (1, 2, 3 John), he filled them with the knowledge of God’s love for the believer. He has been rightfully called the Apostle of Love, for no other disciple seemed to grasp God’s love for mankind quite like the Apostle John. May each of us learn to see ourselves as the Christian whom Jesus loves; resting close to His heart; prepared to be used for ministry; and receiving fresh revelation of how to love life and see good days. You are more than just loved, you are beloved!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Wrong Doctrine; Right Heart

John 20:11-16

On Resurrection Morning, Mary Magdalene stood outside the tomb of Jesus weeping, for she saw that His tomb was empty and she did not know where He was. Her first assumption is the natural one: Jesus’ body had been stolen in the night and moved to another location. She was there to anoint His body in the Hebrew custom, and now she would have to go home without having accomplished her task.

In her state of trouble and fear, she seems unfazed at the two angels that speak to her from within the empty tomb; one seated at the head and one at the feet. Just like the cherubim’s that cover the Mercy Seat on the Ark, these two angels now sit at the place of God’s mercy and justice. With the tomb empty, Jesus is alive, meaning that He is now able to live in the hearts of all mankind. It may have been lost on Mary Magdalene, but may it not be lost on us!

Mary turns to leave the tomb and sees Jesus, though she “knew not that it was Jesus” (John 19:14), supposing Him to be the garden keeper (verse 15). In His glorified state, Jesus obviously had a different look about Him, though it becomes obvious that He retains the same physical qualities that He had while on this earth (John 20:27). They hold a brief conversation, within which we learn an important lesson into the heart of God.

“Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?” (John 20:15) is the question that Jesus poses to Mary. She doesn’t recognize Him and answers, “Sir, if you have taken Him from here, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away” (John 20:15). It had become common knowledge that Jesus had been buried in a borrowed tomb, so the assumption might have been that the gardener had come and removed the body so that it could be buried in a family tomb, now that the Jewish feast of Passover was finished. Her response shows that she has no suspicion that Jesus has resurrected, but rather that He is still dead in another location.

Notice that Mary does not believe in the resurrection of Jesus. She walked with Him and talked with Him, but she still has problems with her doctrine. In spite of the obvious flaw in her faith, Jesus reveals Himself to her by saying her name, “Mary” (John 20:16). There was something about the way that He said her name that made her heart leap with joy. The intimate sound of Jesus whispering your name will still warm the heart of even the coldest sinner. There is nothing like knowing Jesus, except perhaps the revelation that He knows you!

With this serious doctrinal flaw (not believing in the resurrection), surely Jesus would not give a revelation of His love, right? We are often taught that if there is a problem in your doctrine that God will not bless you. In fact, I used to hear it preached by men that I greatly respected (and still do respect), that “God will not bless error”. They meant that if your doctrine is wrong, your blessings are limited. According to that teaching, Jesus should have just answered “Sorry mam, I haven’t taken Him anywhere”. It would have been an answer perfectly acceptable to Mary based upon her question. Thank God that Jesus sees past our doctrinal flaws and peers all the way into our hearts!

You may not have it all figured out today (join the club!), but you can rest assured that Jesus knows your heart, even when your doctrine falters. He will give you a revelation of His love by saying your name when He sees that your heart is hungry for more of Him. Seek Him and you will find Him, even when you are seeking in the wrong places.

Monday, December 21, 2009

High Priest and Husband

John 19:23-27

Let’s look at two things that are recorded in John’s gospel regarding Christ’s final moments on the cross. Both of these happenings lend to Christ’s role as head of the church. On one hand, Jesus is the High Priest of the church, serving as the mediator between the saint and the Father, just as Aaron was the liaison between the people and God. On the other hand, Jesus is the husband with the church serving as the Bride of Christ. He calls Himself our Husband (Isaiah 54:5), and He loves us as a Heavenly Husband (Ephesians 5:23).

Christ can take upon Himself no role or title that was not paid for at Calvary, thus if He is our High Priest and our Husband, He must have paid for those positions with His own body and blood on the tree. The Apostle John gives us unique insight into both of those payments as he records the soldiers gambling for Jesus’ garments near the foot of the cross and Jesus’ own mother standing nearby the cross next to the author. These back-to-back stories are the details of Jesus’ payment to be our High Priest and our Husband.

The 4 soldiers that put Jesus on the cross are bored with the dying criminals and the carpenter. They turn their attention to games of chance, dividing his clothes among themselves as souvenirs before turning to His outer garment. The garment that Jesus wore was seamless having been woven from the top down. This was the same type of garment that was worn by the high priest of Israel and it was considered quite valuable. When the soldiers spotted its quality, they decided to cast lots for it (equivalent to drawing straws, or “paper, rock, scissors”) to determine who would keep it.

They were unaware (and unconcerned) that they were helping fulfill scripture by casting lots for Jesus’ garments (Psalms 22:18). They also could not have known that the garment that they were gambling for was essential to the high priesthood of Israel. If the seamless garment of the high priest was torn then he could not perform the morning or the evening sacrifice until he had a new garment made. Without coincidence, the high priest Caiaphas had torn his just hours earlier when he accused Jesus of blasphemy (Matthew 26:65). By leaving the outer garment of Jesus untorn, these soldiers were unwittingly qualifying Jesus to be the new high priest. What is Jesus first act as new high priest? He takes care of the morning sacrifice (He goes on the cross at 9 a.m.) and He takes care of the evening sacrifice (He dies at 3 p.m.).

Mary, mother of Jesus, stood by the cross near some more acquaintances of Jesus, including the disciple whom Jesus loved (John). Jesus speaks directly to Mary when He says, “Woman, behold thy son!” (John 19:26), and then He turns to John and declares, “Behold thy mother!” (19:27). God had given specific instructions concerning marriage when He said, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). With the Father having already turned His back on His Son, Jesus must now be rid of the responsibility of His mother. Once He has placed her in the care of John, He is free to “cleave unto His wife”, with His wife being the church. Jesus has now paid to be our Husband!

Let the glorious knowledge that Jesus went to such lengths to be your High Priest before God and that He is your loving Husband right now. You are dead to your first husband (the Law), “by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead” (Romans 7:4).

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Remember Me

Luke 23:39-45

The cry of the criminal on the cross marks the simplest and most complete version of a sinner’s prayer found anywhere in the annals of human literature. No more words are needed when coupled with a heart of faith. From the lips of a fallen and failed creation to the ears of the Son of God, “Remember me” stands as man’s highest form of prayer and the gateway into the glories of everlasting life.

It seems strange that a moment as complex and well orchestrated as the cross, would be brought to its climax by a brief statement from a common criminal. Hanging between two thieves, Jesus suffers the scorn of man and the wrath of His Father, while for a moment He endured the mocking of those very thieves themselves (Mark 15:32). But Christ’s refusal to defend Himself or to return fire to those who were reviling Him must have had a profound effect on one of these dying men.

While one criminal continues the barrage against Jesus, the other has a convicted conscience, asking his fellow criminal, “Do you not fear God, seeing you are in the same condemnation?” (Luke 23:40). What a powerful question! While hanging on a cross dying for crimes committed, shouldn’t one be thinking of the after-life and whether or not they are ready to face God? These men were obviously Jews, since they have a working knowledge of condemnation and the fear of God (also, they wouldn’t be Roman citizens since Rome never crucified their own). Whatever led them down the road to destruction has brought them to this place, where not only they but all men must make a decision about the crucified Christ.

“And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward for our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss” (Luke 23:41). This criminal cannot possibly realize the importance of what he has just said, but in a nutshell, he just gave the New Covenant. We are all guilty of sin and we deserve to die. Jesus lived a sin-free life and did not deserve to die. Instead of forcing us to pay-up for our own sins, Jesus was made to be our sin so that we could be made to be His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). The criminal has just confessed that Jesus is Lord and he is about to believe in his heart (Romans 10:9, 10).

“And he said unto Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom’” (Luke 23:42). The same Spirit that caused David to appeal to covenant when standing before Goliath causes the criminal on the cross to appeal to the New Covenant at Calvary. David fought Goliath with the knowledge that Goliath was “uncircumcised” meaning that Goliath had no Covenant promise on his side. The criminal says, “Remember me”, meaning, “Remember why you died here, for poor, guilty criminals like me”. When that criminal, or all of us criminals for that matter, appeal to the purpose of the cross, we are admitting our hopelessness and accepting Christ as our substitute. We are placing faith in a perfect, finished work, allowing Christ’s blood to wash away our sins.

Every person who has ever cried out to Jesus for redemption from sins has said, in so many words, “Remember me!” It is the cry of the lost world, and it still moves the heart of a God who remains stirred by sacrifice of His Son. Just as Jesus said to that man, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43), He says the same to you and I. We are in a paradise of His love and favor right now, all because we once cried out, “Remember me!”