New Orange Baptist Church – The truth of God's Word spoken

Be Molded into God’s Vessel

JEREMIAH 18:1-17 THE LESSON OF THE POTTER’S HOUSE

VERSES 1-4 JEREMIAH VISITS THE POTTER’S HOUSE

THE WORD WHICH CAME TO JEREMIAH FROM THE LORD, SAYING: ARISE AND GO DOWN TO THE POTTERS HOUSE, AND THERE I WILL CAUSE YOU TO HEAR MY WORDS. THEN I WENT DOWN TO THE POTTERS HOUSE, AND THERE HE WAS, MAKING SOMETHING AT THE WHEEL. AND THE VESSEL THAT HE MADE OF CLAY WAS MARRED IN THE HAND OF THE POTTER; SO HE MADE IT AGAIN INTO ANOTHER VESSEL, AS IT SEEMED GOOD TO THE POTTER TO MAKE.

SOMETIMES GOD INSTRUCTED HIS PROPHETS, THROUGH A LIVING LESSON, SOMETHING FROM DAILY LIFE. THE VESSEL THAT HE MADE OF CLAY WAS MARRED IN THE HAND OF THE POTTER, SO HE MADE IT AGAIN INTO ANOTHER VESSEL: WATCHING THE POTTER AT WORK, JEREMIAH NOTICED A LUMP OF CLAY THAT SEEMED UNCOOPERATIVE. THE POTTER DECIDED TO START AGAIN, MAKING SOMETHING THAT SEEMED GOOD TO THE POTTER TO MAKE. POWER WAS MANIFESTED IN HIS MANIPULATION OF THE CLAY, THE CLAY WAS MARRED, TWISTED; IT FAILED TO EXPRESS THE POTTER’S THOUGHT, BUT THE POTTER DID NOT ABANDON IT. IS THIS NOT WHAT GOD DOES, CONCERNING HIS PEOPLE? HE WILL MOLD US AND IF NEED BE REMOLD US INTO USEFUL INSTRUMENTS FOR HIS PURPOSE AND GLORY.

WE MUST REMEMBER WE ARE BUT DUST.

A MAN NAMED GEORGE GILL ONCE SAID: “GOD REMEMBERS THAT WE ARE DUST, BUT MAN SOMETIMES FORGETS IT. AND HE GETS STUCK ON HIMSELF. AND WHEN DUST GETS STUCK ON ITSELF, IT’S MUD.”

WE MUST REMEMBER GOD IS SOVEREIGN, WHILE WE ARE CLAY. MOST PEOPLE LIVE A LIFE WITH NO REAL PURPOSE OR MEANING. THINK OF THE POTTER WHO HAS FORMED NUMEROUS VESSELS FROM CLAY. THE CLAY IS JUST A HEAP OF SHAPLESS MUD. NO FORM, SEEMINGLY OF NO USE.

BUT WHEN IN THE POTTERS HAND, IT CAN BECOME AN INSTRUMENT OF USE OR BEAUTY. SO ARE WE, A HEAP OF SHAPLESS MUD, TILL WE ALLOW OUR POTTER, OUR MASTER, TO MOLD US INTO INSTRUMENTS OF USE AND BEAUTY THAT HE DESIRES.

VERSES 5-10

GOD’S RIGHT TO DEAL WITH HIS PEOPLE AS HE PLEASES

THEN THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO ME, SAYING: O HOUSE OF ISRAEL, CAN I NOT DO WITH YOU AS THIS POTTER? SAYS THE LORD. LOOK, AS THE CLAY IS IN THE POTTERS HAND, SO ARE YOU IN MY HAND, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL! THE INSTANT I SPEAK CONCERNING A NATION AND CONCERNING A KINGDOM, TO PLUCK UP, TO PULL DOWN, AND TO DESTROY IT,IF THAT NATION AGAINST WHOM I HAVE SPOKEN TURNS FROM ITS EVIL, I WILL RELENT OF THE DISASTER THAT I THOUGHT TO BRING UPON IT. AND THE INSTANT I SPEAK CONCERNING A NATION AND CONCERNING A KINGDOM, TO BUILD AND TO PLANT IT, IF IT DOES EVIL IN MY SIGHT SO THAT IT DOES NOT OBEY MY VOICE, THEN I WILL RELENT CONCERNING THE GOOD WITH WHICH I SAID I WOULD BENEFIT IT.

THROUGH THE VISIT TO THE POTTER’S HOUSE GOD SPOKE TO JEREMIAH AND TO ALL OF ISRAEL, REMINDING THEM OF HIS SOVEREIGN RIGHT TO DO WHAT HE PLEASED WITH A MARRED OR SEEMINGLY UNCOOPERATIVE VESSEL.

AT THIS TIME ISRAEL WAS DIVIDED INTO TWO SEPARATE COUNTRIES. GOD CALLED THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, THE NOTHERN KINGDOM WAS CALLED JUDAH.

IN THIS ILLUSTRATION THE CLAY HAD NO MORAL CHOICE OR DIMENSION, WHEREAS ISRAEL’S DISOBEDIENCE WAS CHOSEN AGAIN AND AGAIN. THE VESSEL AT THE POTTER’S HOUSE WAS MARRED. ISRAEL MARRED THEMSELVES MORALLY AND SPIRITUALLY BEFORE GOD.

THE ILLUSTRATION AT THE POTTER’S DID NOT ONLY DEMONSTRATE GOD’S RIGHT TO DISPLAY JUDGMENT, BUT ALSO HIS RIGHT TO DISPLAY MERCY. HE WAS FREE TO WORK WITH A PREVIOUSLY MARRED VESSEL IF HE CHOSE TO DO SO. YET HE WAS ALSO FREE TO TAKE BACK GOOD HE HAD DONE TO A NATION IF THEY DID EVIL IN HIS SIGHT.

THE MAIN LESSON IS THAT GOD IS FREE TO RESPOND TO HIS PEOPLE ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN MORAL CONDUCT AND CHOICES. PREVIOUS PROMISES DO NOT RESTRICT THE EXERCISE OF HIS CORRECTION OR JUSTICE. PEOPLE ARE NEVER AT THE MERCY OF AN UNFEELING DEITY; IT IS IN OUR POWER TO REPENT AND ALIGN OURSELVES WITH GOD’S PURPOSES. GOD DOES NOT CAST US AWAY, BUT PUTS US BACK ON THE WHEEL, AND MAKES US AGAIN.

WE SHOULD ALWAYS YIELD OURSELVES TO GOD‘S WILL. WE ALL MAR HIS WORK. WE ARE OBLIGATED TO HUMBLY ASK THAT HE SHOULD MAKE US, AND KEEP MAKING US, TILL WE ARE MADE MORE IN HIS IMAGE.

THE POTTER DOES NOT WANT ROCK OR STEEL, BUT CLAY. SOMETHING HE CAN MOLD, SOMETHING HE CAN MAKE INTO THE VESSELS OF HIS DESIRE. SO IT IS WITH US. OUR POTTER, THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, WANTS US TO YIELD OURSELVES TO HIM, AS OUR POTTER, LETTING HIM MOLD US INTO THE VESSELS THAT PLEASE HIM.

WE SHOULD REMEMBER THOUGH, WE DO HAVE FREE WILL. UNLIKE CLAY, WE HAVE A SAY IN OUR BEING ALLOWED TO BE MOLDED. ARE YOU WILLING TO ALLOW THE LORD TO MOLD YOU INTO THE VESSEL HE DESIRES?

WE OFTEN ASK, WHAT IS OUR PURPOSE IN LIFE. THAT SHOULD NOT BE OUR QUESTION, BUT OUR QUESTION SHOULD BE, WHAT IS GOD’S PURPOSE FOR OUR LIFE. OUR PURPOSE MUST BE FOUND IN HIS PURPOSE FOR US. IF OUR PURPOSE IN LIFE IS FOUND IN OUR OWN SELF, THEN WE HAVE A VERY LIMITED PURPOSE, ONE THAT IS LIMITED BY THE AMOUNT OF TIME WE HAVE ON EARTH.

WHEN WE ALLOW OUR PURPOSE TO BE YIELDED TO GOD’S PURPOSE, THE PURPOSE OF OUR LIFE BECOMES AN ETERNAL PURPOSE. WE SHOULD NOT ASK, WHAT IS THE REASON I EXIST TODAY, BUT WHAT IS GOD’S REASON THAT I EXIST TODAY.

IF WE WERE TO WATCH A POTTER AS HE MOLDS HIS LUMP OF CLAY, WE MAY NOT KNOW WHAT HE IS MAKING, TILL IT TAKES SHAPE, BUT THE POTTER DOES. WE MAY NOT KNOW WHY WE GO THROUGH THE THINGS OF LIFE EACH DAY, BUT THE LORLD DOES. HE KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS IN HIS END PRODUCT.

1 JOHN 3:1-6 SAYS: BEHOLD, WHAT MANNER OF LOVE THE FATHER HATH BESTOWED UPON US, THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED THE SONS OF GOD: THEREFORE THE WORLD KNOWETH US NOT, BECAUSE IT KNEW HIM NOT. 2 BELOVED, NOW ARE WE THE SONS OF GOD, AND IT DOTH NOT YET APPEAR WHAT WE SHALL BE: BUT WE KNOW THAT, WHEN HE SHALL APPEAR, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM; FOR WE SHALL SEE HIM AS HE IS. 3 AND EVERY MAN THAT HATH THIS HOPE IN HIM PURIFIETH HIMSELF, EVEN AS HE IS PURE. 4 WHOSOEVER COMMITTETH SIN TRANSGRESSETH ALSO THE LAW: FOR SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW. 5 AND YE KNOW THAT HE WAS MANIFESTED TO TAKE AWAY OUR SINS; AND IN HIM IS NO SIN. 6 WHOSOEVER ABIDETH IN HIM SINNETH NOT: WHOSOEVER SINNETH HATH NOT SEEN HIM, NEITHER KNOWN HIM.

WE ALL SIN, BUT JOHN IS REFERRING TO A LIFESTYLE OF SIN.

OUR HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES US. HE ALLOWS US TO BE CALLED HIS CHILDREN, AND WE REALLY ARE! THE PEOPLE WHO BELONG TO THIS WORLD DO NOT KNOW GOD, THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE HIS CHILDREN. WE ARE ALREADY GOD’S CHILDREN, AND WE CAN NOT IMAGINE WHAT WE WILL BE LIKE WHEN CHRIST RETURNS. BUT WE DO KNOW THAT WHEN HE COMES WE WILL BE LIKE HIM, FOR WE WILL SEE HIM AS HE REALLY IS. ALL WHO BELIEVE THIS WILL KEEP THEMSELVES PURE, JUST AS CHRIST IS PURE.

THOSE WHO SIN ARE OPPOSED TO THE LAW OF GOD, FOR ALL SIN OPPOSES THE LAW OF GOD. AND YOU KNOW THAT JESUS CAME TO TAKE AWAY OUR SINS, FOR THERE IS NO SIN IN HIM.

PSALM 17:15 SAYS: As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. But because I have done what is right, I will see you. When I awake, I will be fully satisfied, for I will see you face to face.

VERSE 11 THE LORD DEVISES A PLAN OF JUDGMENT

NOW THEREFORE, SPEAK TO THE MEN OF JUDAH AND TO THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM, SAYING, THUS SAYS THE LORD: BEHOLD, I AM FASHIONING A DISASTER AND DEVISING A PLAN AGAINST YOU. RETURN NOW EVERY ONE FROM HIS EVIL WAY, AND MAKE YOUR WAYS AND YOUR DOINGS GOOD.

THE LESSON OF THE POTTER’S HOUSE WAS MEANT TO REBUKE THE FALSE CONFIDENCE OF THE MEN OF JUDAH AND JERUSALEM. THEY BELIEVED THAT SINCE THEY WERE GOD’S COVENANT PEOPLE THAT NO HARM COULD COME TO THEM. IT MADE IT EASY FOR THEM TO BELIEVE THE POSITIVE WORDS OF THE FALSE PROPHETS.

AMERICA IS GOING DOWN THE SAME ROAD THAT ISRAEL DID AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING. AS A NATION WE ARE TURNING OUR BACKS ON GOD. WE ARE, AS A NATION, NO LONGER ALLOWING THE POTTER TO MOLD US. WE NOT ONLY RESIST, BUT COMPLETELY IGNORE HIS DESIRES FOR US AS A NATION.

THIS BEING TRUE, KEEP IN MIND, EACH OF US ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR OWN LIVES. THOUGH THE NATION MAY BEHAVE AS STONE, LET THE CHRISTIAN BEHAVE AS CLAY, WILLING FOR THE MASTER POTTER TO MOLD US INTO HIS IMAGE.

BEHOLD, I AM FASHIONING A DISASTER AND DEVISING A PLAN AGAINST YOU: GOD WANTED THE POTTER’S HOUSE LESSON TO AWAKEN THEM TO THE DANGER OF IMPENDING JUDGMENT. JUST AS A POTTER FASHIONS THE CLAY, GOD FASHIONED DISASTER AGAINST HIS UNREPENTANT PEOPLE. DO NOT BE DECEIVED, WHAT THE LORD DID IN THE DAYS OF JEREMIAH, HE WILL DO TODAY. IN THE CASE OF ISRAEL, SHE WOULD GO INTO EXILE.

WE MAY NOT KNOW WHAT GOD PLANS FOR THIS NATION, BUT IF WE KEEP GOING DOWN OUR PRESENT PATH, YOU CAN BE ASSURED JUDGMENT WILL COME UPON US.

THEN THE LORD SAYS: RETURN NOW EVERY ONE FROM HIS WAY, AND MAKE YOUR WAYS AND YOUR DOINGS GOOD: THE LESSON OF THE POTTER’S HOUSE COULD ALSO BE TAKEN AS AN ENCOURAGEMENT, REMINDING THEM THAT REPENTANCE AND SURRENDER TO GOD WAS NOT MEANINGLESS. GOD WAS FREE TO RELENT FROM JUDGMENT IF THEY DID IN FACT REPENT IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.

THIS TRUTH ALSO APPLIES TO OUR NATION, AND TO EACH INDIVIDUAL WHO LIVES A LIFE OF SIN. THERE IS URGENCY IN THESE WORDS: RETURN NOW EVERY ONE FROM HIS WAY.

CHARLES SPURGEON WROTE: “MEN ARE QUITE WILLING TO PROMISE TO RETURN WHEN THEY HAVE GONE A LITTLE FURTHER; WHEN, PERHAPS, THEY WILL HAVE GONE PAST ALL POSSIBILITY OF RETURNING; BUT ‘NOW,’ IS ALWAYS AN UGLY WORD TO THEM. ‘TO-MORROW,’ THEY LIKE MUCH BETTER. ‘NOW,’ IS A MONOSYLLABLE, ( MONOSYLLABLE: THAT IS A WORD CONSISTING OF ONE SYLLABLE), WHICH SEEMS TO BURN INTO THEIR BOSOM LIKE A HOT COAL, AND THEREFORE THEY PLUCK IT OUT, AND THROW IT FROM THEM.”

VERSES 12-17: THE PEOPLE”S RESPONSE , AND GOD’S ANSWER.

AND THEY SAID, THAT IS HOPELESS! SO WE WILL WALK ACCORDING TO OUR OWN PLANS, AND WE WILL EVERY ONE OBEY THE DICTATES OF HIS EVIL HEART. THEREFORE THUS SAYS THE LORD: ASK NOW AMONG THE GENTILES, WHO HAS HEARD SUCH THINGS? THE VIRGIN OF ISRAEL HAS DONE A VERY HORRIBLE THING. WILL A MAN LEAVE THE SNOW WATER OF LEBANON, WHICH COMES FROM THE ROCK OF THE FIELD? WILL THE COLD FLOWING WATERS BE FORSAKEN FOR STRANGE WATERS? BECAUSE MY PEOPLE HAVE FORGOTTEN ME, THEY HAVE BURNED INCENSE TO WORTHLESS IDOLS. AND THEY HAVE CAUSED THEMSELVES TO STUMBLE IN THEIR WAYS, FROM THE ANCIENT PATHS, TO WALK IN PATHWAYS AND NOT ON A HIGHWAY, TO MAKE THEIR LAND DESOLATE AND A PERPETUAL HISSING; EVERYONE WHO PASSES BY IT WILL BE ASTONISHED AND SHAKE HIS HEAD. I WILL SCATTER THEM AS WITH AN EAST WIND BEFORE THE ENEMY; I WILL SHOW THEM THE BACK AND NOT THE FACE IN THE DAY OF THEIR CALAMITY. THEY REPLIED, “DO NOT WASTE YOUR BREATH. THEY SAID THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO LIVE AS THEY WANT TO, FOLLOWING THEIR OWN EVIL DESIRES. THEN THE LORD SAID, “HAS ANYONE EVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING, EVEN AMONG THE PAGAN NATIONS? MY VIRGIN ISRAEL HAS DONE SOMETHING TOO TERRIBLE TO UNDERSTAND! DOES THE SNOW EVER MELT HIGH UP IN THE MOUNTAINS OF LEBANON? DO THE COLD, FLOWING STREAMS FROM MOUNT HERMON EVER RUN DRY? THESE CAN BE COUNTED ON, BUT NOT MY PEOPLE! FOR THEY HAVE DESERTED ME AND TURNED TO WORTHLESS IDOLS. THEY HAVE STUMBLED OFF THE ANCIENT HIGHWAYS OF GOOD, AND THEY WALK THE MUDDY PATHS OF SIN. THEIR LAND WILL BECOME DESOLATE, A MONUMENT TO THEIR STUPIDITY. ALL WHO PASS BY WILL BE ASTONISHED AND SHAKE THEIR HEADS IN AMAZEMENT AT ITS UTTER DESOLATION. I WILL SCATTER MY PEOPLE BEFORE THEIR ENEMIES AS THE EAST WIND SCATTERS DUST. IN ALL THEIR TROUBLE I WILL TURN MY BACK ON THEM AND REFUSE TO NOTICE THEIR DISTRESS.” JUDAH WAS IN THE TRAGIC PLACE OF FEELING IT WAS HOPELESS TO REPENT. IT SEEMED HOPELESS BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY DID NOT FEEL IT WAS WORTH IT TO CHANGE THE DICTATES OF THEIR EVIL HEART SIMPLY BECAUSE ONE PROPHET TOLD THEM TO.

GOD RESPONDED TO THEIR ANSWER WITH ASTONISHMENT. NOT EVEN AMONG THE GENTILES WAS THERE SUCH FOOLISHNESS AND HARDNESS OF HEART. IT WAS LIKE LEAVING PURE WATERS (SNOW WATER OF LEBANON) FOR STRANGE WATERS, A MUDDY POOL OF FILTH. IT WAS LIKE LEAVING A SAFE AND PAVED HIGHWAY FOR UNSAFE PATHWAYS WHERE MEN TRIP AND FALL. MEN WILL SHAKE THEIR HEADS AT THE NATION’S UNCOMMON STUPIDITY.

GOD COMMANDED THE PRIESTS OF ISRAEL TO BLESS GOD’S PEOPLE, AND PART OF THAT BLESSING WAS THAT THE LORD WOULD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON THEM. IN NUMBER 6:24-26 WE READ: 23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, 24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: 25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. 27 And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.

SHOULD WE NOT, AS CHRISTIANS, SEEK GOD’S BLESSING UPON US, ASKING THAT HE BLESS AND PROTECT US? SHOULD WE NOT ASK THAT GOD SMILE UPON US, AND BE GRACIOUS TO US, AND SHOW US HIS FAVOR AND HIS PEACE? OF COURSE WE SHOULD, EVEN THOUGH MANY AROUND US WILL NEVER RECEIVE THESE BLESSING, WE AS CHRISTIANS, HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASK THESE THINGS FROM OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. ONLY LET HIM MOLD US INTO HIS IMAGE, AS IT PLEASES HIM

PARTIAL OBEDIENCE IS DISOBEDIENCE

THE BOOK OF 1 SAMUEL CHAPTER 15, VERSES 1-23 RECORDS THE ACCOUNT OF SAUL, THE FIRST KING OF ISRAEL.

KING SAUL DISOBEYED A COMMAND OF THE LORD, WHEN HIS ARMY WENT AGAINST A PEOPLE, KNOWN AS AMALEKITES.

VERSES 1-3 GOD MAKES IT CLEAR, KING SAUL AND HIS ARMY ARE COMMANDED TO DESTROY EVERY AMALEK, AND ALL OF THEIR LIVESTOCK.

1 SAMUEL ALSO SAID UNTO SAUL, THE LORD SENT ME TO ANOINT THEE TO BE KING OVER HIS PEOPLE, OVER ISRAEL: NOW THEREFORE HEARKEN THOU UNTO THE VOICE OF THE WORDS OF THE LORD. 2 THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, I REMEMBER THAT WHICH AMALEK DID TO ISRAEL, HOW HE LAID WAIT FOR HIM IN THE WAY, WHEN HE CAME UP FROM EGYPT. 3 NOW GO AND SMITE AMALEK, AND UTTERLY DESTROY ALL THAT THEY HAVE, AND SPARE THEM NOT; BUT SLAY BOTH MAN AND WOMAN, INFANT AND SUCKLING, OX AND SHEEP, CAMEL AND ASS.

SAMUEL TOLD SAUL,THAT HE HAD ANOINTED HIM KING OF ISRAEL BECAUSE THE LORD TOLD HIM TO. LISTEN TO THIS MESSAGE FROM THE LORD! THIS IS WHAT THE LORD ALMIGHTY SAYS: ‘I HAVE DECIDED TO SETTLE ACCOUNTS WITH THE NATION OF AMALEK FOR OPPOSING ISRAEL WHEN THEY CAME FROM EGYPT. COMPLETELY DESTROY THE ENTIRE AMALEKITE NATION–MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN, BABIES, CATTLE, SHEEP, CAMELS, AND DONKEYS.’ “ THIS WAS A MESSAGE FROM THE SPIRITUAL LEADER OF ISRAEL TO THE POLITICAL AND MILITARY LEADER OF ISRAEL.

THE MESSAGE WAS CLEAR: PUNISH WHAT AMALEK DID TO ISRAEL, GO AND ATTACK AMALEK, AND UTTERLY DESTROY ALL THAT THEY HAVE, AND DO NOT SPARE THEM. THE JUDGMENT ISRAEL WAS TO BRING AGAINST AMALEK WAS FRIGHTENINGLY COMPLETE: KILL BOTH MAN AND WOMAN, INFANT AND NURSING CHILD, OX AND SHEEP, CAMEL AND DONKEY.

GOD CLEARLY TOLD SAMUEL TO TELL SAUL TO BRING A TOTAL JUDGMENT AGAINST THE AMALEKITES. UTTERLY DESTROY: THIS HEBREW VERB IS USED SEVEN TIMES IN THIS ACCOUNT. THE IDEA OF TOTAL, COMPLETE JUDGMENT IS CERTAINLY STRESSED.

WHY? WHAT DID THE AMALEKITES DO THAT WAS SO BAD? CENTURIES BEFORE THIS, THE AMALEKITES WERE THE FIRST PEOPLE TO ATTACK ISRAEL AFTER THEIR ESCAPE FROM EGYPT (EXODUS 17). HUNDREDS OF YEARS BEFORE, THE LORD SAID HE WOULD BRING THIS KIND OF JUDGMENT AGAINST AMALEK: THEN THE LORD SAID TO MOSES, “WRITE THIS FOR A MEMORIAL IN THE BOOK AND RECOUNT IT IN THE HEARING OF JOSHUA, THAT I WILL UTTERLY BLOT OUT THE REMEMBRANCE OF AMALEK FROM UNDER HEAVEN.”

MOSES BUILT AN ALTAR AND CALLED ITS NAME, THE-LORD-IS-MY-BANNER; FOR HE SAID, “BECAUSE THE LORD HAS SWORN: THE LORD WILL HAVE WAR WITH AMALEK FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.” (EXODUS 17:14-16) DEUTERONOMY 25:17-19 REPEATS THE POINT: REMEMBER WHAT AMALEK DID TO YOU ON THE WAY AS YOU WERE COMING OUT OF EGYPT, HOW HE MET YOU ON THE WAY AND ATTACKED YOUR REAR RANKS, ALL THE STRAGGLERS AT YOUR REAR, WHEN YOU WERE TIRED AND WEARY; AND HE DID NOT FEAR GOD. THEREFORE, IT SHALL BE, WHEN THE LORD YOUR GOD HAS GIVEN YOU REST FROM YOUR ENEMIES ALL AROUND, IN THE LAND WHICH THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GIVING YOU TO POSSESS AS AN INHERITANCE, THAT YOU WILL BLOT OUT THE REMEMBRANCE OF AMALEK FROM UNDER HEAVEN. YOU SHALL NOT FORGET.

THE AMALEKITES COMMITTED A TERRIBLE SIN AGAINST ISRAEL. WHEN THE NATION WAS WEAK AND VULNERABLE, THE AMALEKITES ATTACKED THE WEAKEST AND MOST VULNERABLE OF THE NATION (ATTACKED YOUR REAR RANKS, ALL THE STRANGERS AT YOUR REAR, WHEN YOU WERE TIRED AND WEARY). THEY DID THIS WITH NO PROVOCATION, NO REASON EXCEPT VIOLENCE AND GREED. GOD HATES IT WHEN THE STRONG TAKE CRUEL ADVANTAGE OVER THE WEAK, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE WEAK ARE HIS PEOPLE. SO GOD PROMISED TO BRING JUDGMENT AGAINST THE AMALEKITES.

ALL THIS HAPPENED MORE THAN FOUR HUNDRED YEARS BEFORE! WHY DID GOD HOLD IT AGAINST THE AMALEKITES? THIS SHOWS US AN IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE: TIME DOES NOT ERASE SIN BEFORE GOD. BEFORE GOD, TIME CANNOT ATONE FOR SIN. ONLY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST CAN ERASE SIN, NOT TIME.

IN FACT, THE TIME WAS TIME THAT THE AMALEKITES WERE MERCIFULLY GIVEN OPPORTUNITY TO REPENT. AND THEY DID NOT REPENT! THE HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF HARDENED UNREPENTANT HEARTS MADE THEM MORE GUILTY, NOT LESS GUILTY!

THIS WAR WAS NOT FOR PLUNDER, FOR GOD COMMANDED THAT ALL THE PROPERTY AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE SHOULD BE DESTROYED. IF GOD WANTED TO JUDGE THE AMALEKITES, WHY DIDN’T HE JUST DO IT HIMSELF? HE COMPLETE DESTROYED THE CITIES OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH WITHOUT ANY HELP FROM MAN. WHY NOT JUST DO THE SAME HERE? GOD HAD A SPECIAL PURPOSE IN THIS FOR HIS ISRAEL. HE WANTED IT TO BE A TEST OF OBEDIENCE FOR SAUL, AND ALL OF ISRAEL.

SINCE AMALEK’S SIN AGAINST ISRAEL WAS A MILITARY ATTACK, GOD WANTED TO MAKE THE JUDGMENT FIT THE SIN. JESUS MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE WAS ESTABLISHING A SPIRITUAL KINGDOM, NOT A POLITICAL OR A MILITARY KINGDOM. JESUS SAID IN JOHN 18:36: MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD. IF MY KINGDOM WERE OF THIS WORLD, MY SERVANTS WOULD FIGHT, SO THAT I SHOULD NOT BE DELIVERED TO THE JEWS; BUT NOW MY KINGDOM IS NOT FROM HERE.

PAUL MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE ENEMIES OF THE CHURCH WERE NOT MATERIAL, BUT SPIRITUAL: FOR WE DO NOT WRESTLE AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES, AGAINST POWERS, AGAINST THE RULERS OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS AGE, AGAINST SPIRITUAL HOSTS OF WICKEDNESS IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES. (EPHESIANS 6:12)

THROUGH THE CENTURIES, WHENEVER THE CHURCH HAS TRIED TO RULE THE WORLD POLITICALLY OR MILITARILY, IT HAS RUN INTO ENORMOUS TROUBLE. WE WANT TO WIN THE WORLD FOR JESUS CHRIST, BUT WE WANT TO DO IT THROUGH THE INFLUENCE OF INDIVIDUAL LIVES, TRANSFORMED ONE AT A TIME BY THE SPIRITUAL POWER OF JESUS CHRIST.

THOUGH GOD NO LONGER CALLS HIS PEOPLE TO TAKE UP ARMS AS INSTRUMENTS OF HIS JUDGMENT, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT GOD HAS STOPPED JUDGING THE NATIONS. WE CANNOT SUPPOSE, FOR A SINGLE MOMENT, THAT THE JUDGMENT OF THE NATIONS IS TO BE RELEGATED TO THAT FINAL DAY. THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD THE NATIONS HAVE BEEN STANDING BEFORE CHRIST’S BAR. NINEVEH STOOD THERE, AS WELL AS BABYLON, GREECE AND ROME, SPAIN, FRANCE, AND GREAT BRITAIN. NATION AFTER NATION HAS FALLEN INTO DECAY: AS THEY TURNED THEIR BACK ON GOD, NEVER WORSHIPPED HIM, OR DID NOT BUILD THEIR NATION UPON GOD‘S TRUTHS.

VERSES 4-6 SAUL PREPARES TO ATTACK THE AMALEKITES

AND SAUL GATHERED THE PEOPLE TOGETHER, AND NUMBERED THEM IN TELAIM, TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND FOOTMEN, AND TEN THOUSAND MEN OF JUDAH. 5 AND SAUL CAME TO A CITY OF AMALEK, AND LAID WAIT IN THE VALLEY. 6 AND SAUL SAID UNTO THE KENITES, GO, DEPART, GET YOU DOWN FROM AMONG THE AMALEKITES, LEST I DESTROY YOU WITH THEM: FOR YE SHEWED KINDNESS TO ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, WHEN THEY CAME UP OUT OF EGYPT.

SO THE KENITES DEPARTED FROM AMONG THE AMALEKITES. SAUL MOBILIZED HIS ARMY OF 230,000 THEN SAUL WENT TO THE CITY OF AMALEK AND LAY IN WAIT IN THE VALLEY. SAUL SENT A MESSAGE TO THE KENITES: “MOVE AWAY FROM WHERE YOU ARE OR YOU WILL DIE WITH THEM. THESE PEOPLE HAD BEEN KIND TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WHEN THEY CAME FROM EGYPT. SO THE KENITES PACKED UP AND LEFT. SO SAUL GATHERED THE PEOPLE TOGETHER AND NUMBERED THEM.

SAUL WAS CERTAINLY A CAPABLE MILITARY LEADER. HE SHOWS HE HAS THE ABILITY TO GATHER AND ORGANIZE A LARGE ARMY. HE ALSO KNEW HOW TO TIME HIS ATTACK PROPERLY; HE LAY IN WAIT IN THE VALLEY. SAUL SHOWS WISDOM AND MERCY IN LETTING THE KENITES GO. GOD’S JUDGMENT WAS NOT UPON THEM, SO HE DID NOT WANT TO DESTROY THEM WITH THE AMALEKITES.

IN VERSES 7-9 SAUL ATTACKS THE AMALEKITES: 7 AND SAUL SMOTE THE AMALEKITES FROM HAVILAH UNTIL THOU COMEST TO SHUR, THAT IS OVER AGAINST EGYPT. 8 AND HE TOOK AGAG THE KING OF THE AMALEKITES ALIVE, AND UTTERLY DESTROYED ALL THE PEOPLE WITH THE EDGE OF THE SWORD. 9 BUT SAUL AND THE PEOPLE SPARED AGAG, AND THE BEST OF THE SHEEP, AND OF THE OXEN, AND OF THE FATLINGS, AND THE LAMBS, AND ALL THAT WAS GOOD, AND WOULD NOT UTTERLY DESTROY THEM: BUT EVERY THING THAT WAS VILE AND REFUSE, THAT THEY DESTROYED UTTERLY.

SAUL SLAUGHTERED THE AMALEKITES. HE CAPTURED AGAG, THE AMALEKITE KING, AND KEPT THE BEST OF THE SHEEP AND CATTLE, THE FAT CALVES, AND LAMBS, AND WHAT EVER APPEALED TO THE KING AND HIS SOLDIER. THEY DESTROYED ONLY WHAT WAS WORTHLESS OR OF POOR QUALITY. ATTACKING THE AMALEKITES WAS GOOD, IN THAT SAUL WAS OBEDIENT TO THE LORD. BUT IT WAS A SELECTIVE, INCOMPLETE OBEDIENCE.

FIRST, SAUL TOOK AGAG KING OF THE AMALEKITES ALIVE, AND UTTERLY DESTROYED ALL THE PEOPLE WITH THE EDGE OF THE SWORD. GOD COMMANDED SAUL TO BRING HIS JUDGMENT ON ALL THE PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE KING.

THE ISRAELITES SPARED THE BEST OF THE SHEEP, THE OXEN, THE FATLINGS, THE LAMBS, AND ALL THAT WAS GOOD, AND WERE UNWILLING TO UTTERLY DESTROY THEM. GOD HAD CLEARLY COMMANDED IN 1 SAMUEL 15:3, THAT EVERY OX AND SHEEP, CAMEL AND DONKEY WAS TO BE DESTROYED. SAUL DID NOT DO THIS. ISRAEL WAS NOT REFLECTING GOD’S HEART IN HIS JUDGMENT. THIS DISHONORED GOD, WHO BRINGS HIS JUDGMENT RELUCTANTLY AND WITHOUT PLEASURE, LONGING THAT MEN WOULD HAVE REPENTED INSTEAD.

PARTIAL OBEDIENCE IS COMPLETE DISOBEDIENCE. SAUL AND HIS MEN OBEYED AS FAR AS SUITED THEM.

VERSES 10-11 TELL US OF GOD’S WORD TO SAMUEL: 10 THEN CAME THE WORD OF THE LORD UNTO SAMUEL, SAYING, 11 IT REPENTETH ME THAT I HAVE SET UP SAUL TO BE KING: FOR HE IS TURNED BACK FROM FOLLOWING ME, AND HATH NOT PERFORMED MY COMMANDMENTS. AND IT GRIEVED SAMUEL; AND HE CRIED UNTO THE LORD ALL NIGHT.

THE LORD SAID TO SAMUEL THAT HE WAS SORRY THAT HE MADE SAUL KING FOR HE WAS NOT LOYAL TO THE LORD AND REFUSED TO OBEY HIM. SAMUEL WAS SO DEEPLY MOVED WHEN HE HEARD THIS THAT HE CRIED OUT TO THE LORD ALL NIGHT. GOD’S HEART WAS BROKEN OVER SAUL’S DISOBEDIENCE.

THE MAN WHO STARTED OUT HUMBLE AND SUBMISSIVE TO GOD WAS NOW BOLDLY GOING HIS OWN WAY IN DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD. IT GRIEVED SAMUEL, AND HE CRIED OUT TO THE LORD ALL NIGHT: SAMUEL SHOWS THAT HE HAS GOD’S HEART. IT HURT GOD TO REJECT SAUL, AND IT HURT GOD’S PROPHET TO SEE HIM REJECTED.

WE ARE CLOSE TO GOD’S HEART WHEN THE THINGS THAT GRIEVE HIM GRIEVE US, AND THE THINGS THAT PLEASE GOD PLEASE US. IN VERSES 12-13 SAUL GREETS SAMUEL 12 AND WHEN SAMUEL ROSE EARLY TO MEET SAUL IN THE MORNING, IT WAS TOLD SAMUEL, SAYING, SAUL CAME TO CARMEL, AND, BEHOLD, HE SET HIM UP A PLACE, AND IS GONE ABOUT, AND PASSED ON, AND GONE DOWN TO GILGAL. 13 AND SAMUEL CAME TO SAUL: AND SAUL SAID UNTO HIM, BLESSED BE THOU OF THE LORD: I HAVE PERFORMED THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD.

EARLY THE NEXT MORNING SAMUEL WENT TO FIND SAUL. SOMEONE TOLD HIM, “SAUL WENT TO CARMEL TO SET UP A MONUMENT TO HIMSELF; THEN HE WENT ON TO GILGAL.” WHEN SAMUEL FINALLY FOUND HIM, SAUL GREETED HIM CHEERFULLY. “MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU,” HE SAID. “I HAVE CARRIED OUT THE LORD’S COMMAND!” RELUCTANTLY, SAMUEL (WHO HAD ANOINTED SAUL AS KING YEARS BEFORE) NOW COMES TO DISCIPLINE THE DISOBEDIENT KING.

WAS SAUL GRIEVED OVER HIS SIN? NOT AT ALL. INSTEAD, HE SET UP A MONUMENT FOR HIMSELF. SAUL WAS QUITE PLEASED WITH HIMSELF! HE FELT HE HAD DONE SOMETHING GOOD, AND HE BELIEVED HE WAS TOTALLY JUSTIFIED IN WHAT HE HAD DONE. THERE IS NOT THE SLIGHTEST BIT OF SHAME OR GUILT IN SAUL, EVEN THOUGH HE HAD DIRECTLY DISOBEYED THE LORD.

IN COMING CHAPTERS, GOD WILL RAISE UP ANOTHER MAN TO REPLACE SAUL AS KING. DAVID, IN CONTRAST TO SAUL, WAS KNOWN AS A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART (1 SAMUEL 13:14). EVEN THOUGH DAVID, AS KING OF ISRAEL, WOULD ALSO DISOBEY GOD, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIM AND SAUL WAS GREAT. DAVID FELT THE GUILT AND SHAME ONE SHOULD FEEL WHEN THEY SIN. SAUL DID NOT FEEL IT. SAUL SHOWS BY SETTING UP A MONUMENT FOR HIMSELF, HE IS NO LONGER THE HUMBLE PERSON PRESENTED IN 1 SAMUEL 9:21 AND WHO ONCE HID OUT OF SHYNESS (1 SAMUEL 10:22). THE YEARS, THE MILITARY VICTORIES, AND PRESTIGE OF THE THRONE OF ISRAEL HAVE ALL REVEALED THE PRIDE IN SAUL’S HEART. THE TRUTH IS, HE WAS ZEALOUS FOR HIS OWN HONOUR AND INTEREST, BUT LUKEWARM WHERE GOD WAS CONCERNED.

SAUL SAID TO SAMUEL, “BLESSED ARE YOU OF THE LORD! I HAVE PERFORMED THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD.” HOW COULD SAUL DO THIS? HOW COULD HE COME TO THE PROPHET OF GOD WITH SUCH BOLDNESS, SUCH CONFIDENCE, AND BOAST OF HIS OBEDIENCE? BECAUSE OF HIS PRIDE, SAUL IS SELF-DECEIVED. HE PROBABLY REALLY BELIEVED WHAT HE TOLD SAMUEL. HE PROBABLY BELIEVED, “I HAVE PERFORMED THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD.” PRIDE ALWAYS LEADS US INTO SELF-DECEPTION!

IN VERSES 14-16 SAUL EXPLAINS HIS SIN TO SAMUEL: 14 AND SAMUEL SAID, WHAT MEANETH THEN THIS BLEATING OF THE SHEEP IN MINE EARS, AND THE LOWING OF THE OXEN WHICH I HEAR? 15 AND SAUL SAID, THEY HAVE BROUGHT THEM FROM THE AMALEKITES: FOR THE PEOPLE SPARED THE BEST OF THE SHEEP AND OF THE OXEN, TO SACRIFICE UNTO THE LORD THY GOD; AND THE REST WE HAVE UTTERLY DESTROYED. 16 THEN SAMUEL SAID UNTO SAUL, STAY, AND I WILL TELL THEE WHAT THE LORD HATH SAID TO ME THIS NIGHT. AND HE SAID UNTO HIM, SAY ON.

SAMUEL DEMANDS TO KNOW ABOUT THE BLEATING OF SHEEP AND LOWING OF CATTLE. SAUL REPLYS THAT IT IS TRUE THAT THE ARMY SPARED THE BEST OF THE SHEEP AND CATTLE, BUT THEY ARE GOING TO SACRIFICE THEM TO THE LORD YOUR GOD. WE HAVE DESTROYED EVERYTHING ELSE.” THEN SAMUEL SAID TO SAUL, “STOP! LISTEN TO WHAT THE LORD TOLD ME LAST NIGHT!” “WHAT WAS IT?” SAUL ASKED. SAUL HAD BEEN PROUD OF HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS. HE SET UP A MONUMENT FOR HIMSELF. HE COULD OPENLY, AND IN HIS OWN MIND, HONESTLY SAY “I HAVE PERFORMED THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD.” AT THE SAME TIME, THE EVIDENCE OF HIS DISOBEDIENCE COULD BE HEARD. AS HE SPOKE, THE LIVESTOCK THAT GOD CLEARLY COMMANDED TO BE KILLED COULD BE HEARD, SEEN, AND SMELT AS SAUL SAID, “I HAVE PERFORMED THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD.”

PRIDE AND DISOBEDIENCE MAKE US BLIND, OR DEAF, TO OUR SIN. WHAT WAS COMPLETELY OBVIOUS TO SAMUEL WAS INVISIBLE TO SAUL. WE ALL HAVE BLIND SPOTS OF SIN IN OUR LIVES, AND WE NEED TO CONSTANTLY ASK GOD TO SHOW THEM TO US. WE NEED TO SINCERELY PRAY THE PRAYER OF PSALM 139:23-24: SEARCH ME, O GOD, AND KNOW MY HEART: TRY ME, AND KNOW MY THOUGHTS: AND SEE IF THERE BE ANY WICKED WAY IN ME, AND LEAD ME IN THE WAY EVERLASTING.

SAUL’S EXCUSES ARE REVEALING.

HE BLAMES THE PEOPLE, NOT HIMSELF (THEY HAVE BROUGHT THEM . . . THE PEOPLE SPARED THE BEST OF THE SHEEP AND THE OXEN).
HE INCLUDES HIMSELF IN THE OBEDIENCE (THE REST WE HAVE UTTERLY DESTROYED).
HE JUSTIFIES WHAT HE HAS KEPT BECAUSE OF ITS FINE QUALITY (THE BEST OF THE SHEEP AND THE OXEN).
HE CLAIMS TO HAVE DONE IT FOR A SPIRITUAL REASON (TO SACRIFICE TO THE LORD YOUR GOD). WHILE THIS MADE PERFECT SENSE TO SAUL (IN HIS PROUD SELF-DECEPTION), IT MEANT NOTHING TO GOD AND SAMUEL. IN FACT, IT WAS WORSE THAN NOTHING – IT SHOWED THAT SAUL WAS DESPERATELY TRYING TO EXCUSE HIS SIN BY WORD GAMES AND HALF-TRUTHS.

THIS REMINDS ME OF MANY PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY MANY POLITICIANS. BUT EVEN IN HIS EXCUSE, SAUL REVEALS THE REAL PROBLEM: HE HAS A POOR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. NOTICE HOW HE SPEAKS OF GOD TO SAMUEL: “TO SACRIFICE TO THE LORD YOUR GOD.” THE LORD WAS NOT SAUL’S GOD. SAUL WAS SAUL’S GOD. THE LORD WAS THE GOD OF SAMUEL, NOT SAUL. IN HIS PRIDE, SAUL HAS REMOVED THE LORD GOD FROM THE THRONE OF HIS HEART.

SAUL STATES, “THE REST WE HAVE UTTERLY DESTROYED”. THIS WAS NOT TRUE. THERE WERE AMALEKITES HE LEFT ALIVE. DAVID LATER HAD TO DEAL WITH THE AMALEKITES (1 SAMUEL 27:8, 30:1, 2 SAMUEL 8:12). MOST IRONIC OF ALL, WHEN SAUL WAS KILLED ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE, THE FINAL THRUST OF THE SWORD WAS FROM THE HAND OF AN AMALEKITE! (2 SAMUEL 1:8-10).

THEN SAMUEL SAID TO SAUL, “BE QUIET!” SAMUEL HAS HAD ENOUGH. HE WILL LISTEN TO NO MORE FROM SAUL. THE EXCUSE WAS REVEALED FOR WHAT IT WAS – JUST A LAME EXCUSE. NOW IT IS TIME FOR SAUL TO BE QUIET, AND TO LISTEN TO THE WORD OF THE LORD THROUGH SAMUEL. EVEN IN THIS, SAUL CAN’T SHUT UP. HE SHOWS HIS PROUD DESIRE TO RETAIN SOME CONTROL BY REPLYING, “SPEAK ON.” AS IF THE PROPHET OF GOD NEEDED SAUL’S PERMISSION! HE WOULD SPEAK ON, BUT NOT BECAUSE SAUL HAD GIVEN HIM PERMISSION. HE WOULD SPEAK ON BECAUSE HE WAS A MESSENGER OF GOD.

IN VERSES 17-21 SAMUEL BRINGS THE CHARGE AGAINST SAUL, AND HIS FEEBLE DEFENSE:

17 AND SAMUEL SAID, WHEN THOU WAST LITTLE IN THINE OWN SIGHT, WAST THOU NOT MADE THE HEAD OF THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, AND THE LORD ANOINTED THEE KING OVER ISRAEL? 18 AND THE LORD SENT THEE ON A JOURNEY, AND SAID, GO AND UTTERLY DESTROY THE SINNERS THE AMALEKITES, AND FIGHT AGAINST THEM UNTIL THEY BE CONSUMED. 19 WHEREFORE THEN DIDST THOU NOT OBEY THE VOICE OF THE LORD, BUT DIDST FLY UPON THE SPOIL, AND DIDST EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD? 20 AND SAUL SAID UNTO SAMUEL, YEA, I HAVE OBEYED THE VOICE OF THE LORD, AND HAVE GONE THE WAY WHICH THE LORD SENT ME, AND HAVE BROUGHT AGAG THE KING OF AMALEK, AND HAVE UTTERLY DESTROYED THE AMALEKITES. 21 BUT THE PEOPLE TOOK OF THE SPOIL, SHEEP AND OXEN, THE CHIEF OF THE THINGS WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN UTTERLY DESTROYED, TO SACRIFICE UNTO THE LORD THY GOD IN GILGAL.

SAMUEL TOLD SAUL THE LORD HAS ANOINTED YOU KING OF ISRAEL. AND THE LORD SENT YOU ON A MISSION AND TOLD YOU, ‘GO AND COMPLETELY DESTROY THE SINNERS, THE AMALEKITES, UNTIL THEY ARE ALL DEAD.’ WHY HAVEN’T YOU OBEYED THE LORD? WHY DID YOU RUSH FOR THE PLUNDER AND DO EXACTLY WHAT THE LORD SAID NOT TO DO?” I DID OBEY THE LORD,” SAUL INSISTED. “I CARRIED OUT THE MISSION HE GAVE ME. I BROUGHT BACK KING AGAG, BUT I DESTROYED EVERYONE ELSE. THEN MY TROOPS BROUGHT IN THE BEST OF THE SHEEP AND CATTLE AND PLUNDER TO SACRIFICE TO THE LORD YOUR GOD IN GILGAL.”

GOD HAD GIVEN HIM A SPECIFIC COMMAND, AND HE HAD DIRECTLY DISOBEYED IT. THOUGH THE DISOBEDIENCE WAS THE MOST APPARENT SIN, THE ROOT OF SAUL’S DISOBEDIENCE WAS FAR WORSE: PRIDE. SAMUEL REFERS TO THIS WHEN HE REMEMBERS WHEN THINGS WERE DIFFERENT WITH SAUL: WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE IN YOUR OWN EYES, WERE YOU NOT THE HEAD OF THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL? AND DID NOT THE LORD ANOINT YOU KING OVER ISRAEL? NOW, IT COULD NO LONGER BE SAID OF SAUL, YOU ARE LITTLE IN YOUR OWN EYES. HE WAS BIG IN HIS OWN EYES, AND THAT MADE THE LORD SMALL IN HIS EYES! SAUL FIRST INSISTS THAT HE IS INNOCENT. BUT HE IS SO SELF-DECEIVED, THAT HE CAN SAY, I HAVE OBEYED THE VOICE OF THE LORD AND THEN IMMEDIATELY DESCRIBE HOW HE DID NOT OBEY THE VOICE OF THE LORD! (SAUL ADMITS THAT HE BROUGHT BACK AGAG KING OF AMALEK).

SAUL’S CLAIM, I HAVE UTTERLY DESTROYED THE AMALEKITES IS PLAIN EVIDENCE OF THE POWER AND DEPTH OF HIS SELF-DECEPTION.

HE ADMITS THAT HE BROUGHT BACK AGAG KING OF AMALEK. THERE WAS AN AMALEKITE RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM WHOM WAS NOT UTTERLY DESTROYED!
THE BIBLICAL RECORD MAKES IT CLEAR THAT SAUL HAD NOT EVEN UTTERLY DESTROYED THE AMALEKITES, BECAUSE LATER DAVID FOUGHT THEM (1 SAMUEL 27:8, 30:1, 2 SAMUEL 8:12), AND SAUL HIMSELF WAS KILLED BY AN AMALEKITE! (2 SAMUEL 1:8-10) YET, SAUL CAN “HONESTLY” SAY, “I HAVE OBEYED THE VOICE OF THE LORD” AND “I HAVE UTTERLY DESTROYED THE AMALEKITES” BECAUSE HE IS SELF-DECEIVED.

AFTER INSISTING HE IS INNOCENT, SAUL THEN BLAMES THE PEOPLE FOR THE SIN. HIS STATEMENT IS A HALF-TRUTH THAT IS A WHOLE LIE. IT IS TRUE THAT THE PEOPLE TOOK THE PLUNDER, BUT THEY DID SO BY FOLLOWING SAUL’S EXAMPLE (HE SPARED AGAG KING OF AMALEK), AND SAUL DID NOTHING TO STOP OR DISCOURAGE THEM.

SAUL COULD BE ZEALOUS IN COMMANDING HIS ARMY WHEN IT SUITED HIM. IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER, HE COMMANDED A DEATH SENTENCE ON ANYONE WHO ATE ANYTHING ON THE DAY OF BATTLE. HE WAS WILLING TO EXECUTE HIS OWN SON IN HIS ZEAL TO HAVE HIS COMMAND OBEYED. SAUL WAS FULL OF FIRE AND ZEAL WHEN IT CAME TO HIS OWN WILL, BUT NOT WHEN IT CAME TO THE WILL OF GOD.

IN VERSES 22-23 SAMUEL PROPHESIES GOD’S JUDGMENT AGAINST SAUL 22 AND SAMUEL SAID, HATH THE LORD AS GREAT DELIGHT IN BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES, AS IN OBEYING THE VOICE OF THE LORD? BEHOLD, TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE, AND TO HEARKEN THAN THE FAT OF RAMS. 23 FOR REBELLION IS AS THE SIN OF WITCHCRAFT, AND STUBBORNNESS IS AS INIQUITY AND IDOLATRY. BECAUSE THOU HAST REJECTED THE WORD OF THE LORD, HE HATH ALSO REJECTED THEE FROM BEING KING.

SAMUEL REPLIED, WHAT IS MORE PLEASING TO THE LORD: OUR BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES OR OUR OBEDIENCE TO HIS VOICE? OBEDIENCE IS FAR BETTER THAN SACRIFICE. LISTENING TO HIM IS MUCH BETTER THAN OFFERING THE FAT OF RAMS.

REBELLION IS AS BAD AS THE SIN OF WITCHCRAFT, AND STUBBORNNESS IS AS BAD AS WORSHIPING IDOLS. BECAUSE SAUL REJECTED THE WORD OF THE LORD, THE LORD REJECTED SAUL FROM BEING KING. HAS THE LORD AS GREAT DELIGHT IN BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES, AS IN OBEYING THE VOICE OF THE LORD? BEHOLD, TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE, AND TO HEARKEN THAN THE FAT OF RAMS. RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE WITHOUT OBEDIENCE IS EMPTY BEFORE GOD. THE BEST SACRIFICIAL OFFERING WE COULD BRING TO GOD IS A REPENTANT HEART (PSALM 51:16-17), AND OUR BODIES SURRENDERED TO HIS SERVICE FOR OBEDIENCE (ROMANS 12:1).

ONE COULD MAKE A THOUSAND SACRIFICES UNTO GOD; WORK A THOUSAND HOURS FOR GOD’S SERVICE; OR GIVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO HIS WORK. BUT ALL OF THOSE SACRIFICES MEAN LITTLE IF THERE IS NOT A SURRENDERED HEART TO GOD, SHOWN BY SIMPLE OBEDIENCE. WHEN WE ARE OBEDIENT WE OFFER OUR OWN WILL BEFORE GOD.

MATRIN LUTHER USED TO SAY, “I HAD RATHER BE OBEDIENT, THAN ABLE TO WORK MIRACLES.” A REBELLIOUS, STUBBORN HEART REJECTS GOD JUST AS CERTAINLY AS SOMEONE REJECTS GOD BY OCCULT PRACTICES OR IDOLATRY.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY FOR SAUL TO POINT HIS FINGER AT THE AMALEKITES OR THE PHILISTINES AND SAY, “LOOK AT THOSE GODLESS IDOLATERS. THEY DO NOT WORSHIP THE TRUE GOD LIKE I DO.” BUT SAUL DID NOT WORSHIP THE TRUE GOD EITHER, BECAUSE THE REAL WORSHIP OF GOD BEGINS WITH SURRENDER. ALL CONSCIOUS DISOBEDIENCE IS IDOLATRY, BECAUSE IT MAKES SELF-WILL, INTO A GOD.

BECAUSE YOU HAVE REJECTED THE WORD OF THE LORD, HE ALSO HAS REJECTED YOU FROM BEING KING: IN HIS EMPTY RELIGIOUS PRACTICE, REBELLION, AND STUBBORNNESS AGAINST GOD, SAUL WAS REJECTING GOD’S WORD. SO GOD REJECTED HIM AS KING OVER ISRAEL. IT WOULD BE ALMOST 25 YEARS BEFORE THERE WAS ANOTHER KING ENTHRONED IN ISRAEL. SAUL’S REJECTION WAS FINAL, BUT IT WAS NOT IMMEDIATE. IT WOULD TAKE ALMOST 25 YEARS TO TRAIN UP THE RIGHT REPLACEMENT FOR SAUL!

VERSES 24-25 SPEAK OF SAUL’S WEAK ATTEMPT TO REPENT THEN SAUL SAID TO SAMUEL, “I HAVE SINNED, FOR I HAVE TRANSGRESSED THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD AND YOUR WORDS, BECAUSE I FEARED THE PEOPLE AND OBEYED THEIR VOICE. NOW THEREFORE, PLEASE PARDON MY SIN, AND RETURN WITH ME, THAT I MAY WORSHIP THE LORD.” SAUL’S STATEMENT BEGINS LIKE A GENUINE CONFESSION, REFLECTING A GENUINELY REPENTANT HEART. BUT THAT CHANGES AS HE CONTINUES: BECAUSE I FEARED THE PEOPLE AND OBEYED THEIR VOICE. IN THIS, SAUL REFUSES TO OWN UP TO HIS SIN; INSTEAD HE BLAMES THE PEOPLE WHO “MADE HIM” DO IT. ON THE SURFACE, THIS IS NOT A BAD STATEMENT OF REPENTANCE. IT IS BETTER THAN MOST OF THE CONFESSIONS OF SIN WE HEAR TODAY! YET, AT THE SAME TIME, THESE WERE ONLY WORDS FOR SAUL. HIS HEART WAS NOT IN THOSE WORDS. IF SAUL HAD TRUSTED IN GOD, HE WOULD NOT HAVE TO FEAR THE PEOPLE.

NOW THEREFORE, PLEASE PARDON MY SIN, AND RETURN WITH ME, THAT I MAY WORSHIP THE LORD: INSTEAD OF DEALING WITH THE DEEP ISSUE OF HIS HEART OF REBELLION AND STUBBORNNESS AGAINST GOD, SAUL THINKS THAT WITH A WORD FROM SAMUEL, EVERYTHING CAN BE FIXED. BUT A WORD OR TWO FROM SAMUEL WILL NOT CHANGE THE NATURE OF SAUL’S HEART.

GOD KNEW SAUL’S HEART. NOT ONLY DID HE KNOW IT WAS FULL OF REBELLION AND STUBBORNNESS, BUT IT WAS SETTLED IN THAT CONDITION. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT NO MAN COULD KNOW WITH CERTAINTY, LOOKING FROM THE OUTSIDE. BUT GOD KNEW IT, AND GOD HAD TOLD SAMUEL THE PROPHET THIS WAS THE SETTLED STATE OF SAUL’S HEART. A SIMPLE “PLEASE PARDON MY SIN” WOULD NOT DO WHEN ONE’S HEART IS SETTLED IN REBELLION AND SIN AGAINST THE LORD.

THE CONCLUSION OF THE MATTER:

ALWAYS DO WHAT YOU KNOW THE LORD WANTS YOU TO DO. DO IT TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, AND DO IT COMPLETELY. ALWAYS GIVE OF YOUR BEST TO THE LORD.
DO NOT LET THE TROUBLES OF THE WORLD LEAD YOU TO BE REBELLIOUS OR STUBBORN REGARDING THE LORD.
IT DOES NO GOOD TO STAND BEFORE THE LORD AND GIVE HIM EXCUSES FOR YOUR SINS.
DO NOT THINK THAT IN ASKING FOR FORGIVNESS, YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN, IF YOU HEART IS NOT RIGHT WITH GOD.

Secret of Grace

SIN SEPARATES US FROM GOD

ISAIAH 59:1-2 1 BEHOLD, THE LORD’S HAND IS NOT SHORTENED, THAT IT CANNOT SAVE; NEITHER HIS EAR HEAVY, THAT IT CANNOT HEAR: 2 BUT YOUR INIQUITIES HAVE SEPARATED BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR GOD, AND YOUR SINS HAVE HID HIS FACE FROM YOU, THAT HE WILL NOT HEAR. THE LORD IS NOT TOO WEAK TO SAVE YOU, HE IS NOT DEAF. HE CAN HEAR YOU WHEN YOU CALL.

THERE IS A PROBLEM–YOUR SINS HAVE CUT YOU OFF FROM GOD. BECAUSE OF YOUR SIN, HE HAS TURNED AWAY AND WILL NOT LISTEN ANYMORE.

ROMANS 3:23-26 23 FOR ALL HAVE SINNED, AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD; 24 BEING JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE THROUGH THE REDEMPTION THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS: 25 WHOM GOD HATH SET FORTH TO BE A PROPITIATION THROUGH FAITH IN HIS BLOOD, TO DECLARE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS THAT ARE PAST, THROUGH THE FORBEARANCE OF GOD; 26 TO DECLARE, I SAY, AT THIS TIME HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS: THAT HE MIGHT BE JUST, AND THE JUSTIFIER OF HIM WHICH BELIEVETH IN JESUS.

ALL HAVE SINNED; ALL FALL SHORT OF GOD’S GLORIOUS STANDARD. GOD IN HIS GRACIOUS KINDNESS DECLARES US NOT GUILTY. HE HAS DONE THIS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS, WHO HAS FREED US BY TAKING AWAY OUR SINS. GOD SENT JESUS TO TAKE THE PUNISHMENT FOR OUR SINS AND TO SATISFY GOD’S ANGER AGAINST US.

WE ARE MADE RIGHT WITH GOD WHEN WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS SHED HIS BLOOD, SACRIFICING HIS LIFE FOR US.

GOD WAS BEING ENTIRELY FAIR AND JUST WHEN HE DID NOT PUNISH THOSE WHO SINNED IN FORMER TIMES. AND HE IS ENTIRELY FAIR AND JUST IN THIS PRESENT TIME WHEN HE DECLARES SINNERS TO BE RIGHT IN HIS SIGHT BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IN JESUS.

VERSES 23-24 DEALS WITH JESUS’ TEACHING ABOUT SALVATION AROUND THREE THEMES

JUSTIFICATION: AN IMAGE FROM THE COURT OF LAW, JUSTIFICATION IS AN ACT WHICH JUSTIFIES AN ACTION OR ATTITUDE. JUSTIFICATION SOLVES THE PROBLEM OF MAN’S GUILT BEFORE A RIGHTEOUS JUDGE.
REDEMPTION: AN IMAGE FROM THE SLAVE MARKET. REDEMPTION SOLVES THE PROBLEM OF MAN’S SLAVERY TO SIN, THE WORLD, AND SATAN.
PROPITIATION: AN IMAGE FROM THE WORLD OF RELIGION, APPEASING GOD THROUGH SACRIFICE. PROPITIATION SOLVES THE PROBLEM OF OFFENDING GOD, OUR CREATOR.

AS ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD, SO IS THE OFFER OF BEING JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE. IT IS OPEN TO EVERYONE WHO WILL BELIEVE; THE HARLOT, THE LIAR, THE MURDERER ARE SINNERS, BUT SO ARE WE. THEY STAND AT THE BOTTOM OF A MINE, AND YOU ON THE CREST OF A MOUNTAIN; YOU ARE UNABLE TO TOUCH THE STARS AS THEY ARE. EVERYONE FALLS SHORT, BUT EVERYONE CAN BE JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE. dont-measure-up HOW DO WE FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD? IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO DESCRIBE EVERY WAY, BUT HERE ARE IMPORTANT WAYS WE FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.

WE FAIL TO GIVE GOD THE GLORY DUE HIM, IN OUR WORDS, THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS. THUS WE FAIL TO QUALIFY FOR, THE GLORY AND REWARD THAT GOD GIVES HIS FAITHFUL SERVANTS.
WE FAIL TO PROPERLY REFLECT GOD’S GLORY, BY REFUSING TO BE CONFORMED INTO HIS IMAGE. MANY FAIL TO OBTAIN THE FINAL GLORY GOD WILL BESTOW ON HIS PEOPLE AT THE END OF HISTORY.

JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE: BEING IN SUCH A SINFUL STATE, THE ONLY WAY WE CAN BE JUSTIFIED IS TO BE JUSTIFIED FREELY. WE CAN NOT PURCHASE IT WITH OUR GOOD WORKS. IF IT IS NOT FREE TO US, WE CAN NOT HAVE IT. SO WE ARE JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE – HIS UNMERITED FAVOR, GIVEN TO US WITHOUT REGARD TO WHAT WE DESERVE. IT IS A GIVING MOTIVATED PURELY BY THE GIVER, AND MOTIVATED BY NOTHING IN THE ONE WHO RECEIVES. gods-grace THE WAY THIS WORD FREELY IS USED IN OTHER NEW TESTAMENT PASSAGES HELPS US UNDERSTAND THE WORD. MATTHEW 10:8 (FREELY YOU HAVE RECEIVED, FREELY GIVE) AND REVELATION 22:17 (AND WHOEVER DESIRES, LET HIM TAKE THE WATER OF LIFE FREELY) THESE WORDS SHOW THAT THE WORD MEANS TRULY FREE, NOT CHEAP OR DISCOUNTED. AS THERE WAS NOTHING IN JESUS DESERVING OF MAN’S HATRED, THERE IS NOTHING IN US DESERVING OF JUSTIFICATION, ALL THE REASONS ARE IN GOD.

CALVIN ON THE USE OF BOTH THE WORDS FREELY AND GRACE: “HE THUS REPEATS THE WORD TO SHOW THAT THE WHOLE IS FROM GOD, AND NOTHING FROM US, LEST WE SHOULD IMAGINE A HALF KIND OF GRACE, HE AFFIRMS MORE STRONGLY WHAT HE MEANS BY A REPETITION, AND CLAIMS FOR GOD’S MERCY ALONE THE WHOLE GLORY OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

THROUGH THE REDEMPTION THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS: AGAIN, PAUL’S GOSPEL CENTERS SQUARELY IN CHRIST JESUS. SALVATION IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE REDEMPTION FOUND IN JESUS. GOD CANNOT GIVE US HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS APART FROM JESUS CHRIST.

REDEMPTION HAS THE IDEA OF BUYING BACK SOMETHING, AND INVOLVES COST. HOWEVER, GOD PAYS THE COST AND SO WE ARE JUSTIFIED FREELY. THE WORD REDEMPTION HAD ITS ORIGIN IN THE RELEASE OF PRISONERS OF WAR ON PAYMENT OF A PRICE AND WAS KNOW AS THE “RANSOM.” AS TIME WENT ON, IT WAS EXTENDED TO INCLUDE THE FREEING OF SLAVES, AGAIN BY THE PAYMENT OF A PRICE.THE IDEA OF REDEMPTION MEANS THAT JESUS BOUGHT US, THEREFORE WE BELONG TO HIM. PAUL EXPRESSED THIS THOUGHT IN 1 CORINTHIANS 6:20: FOR YOU WERE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE; THEREFORE GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR BODY AND IN YOUR SPIRIT, WHICH ARE GOD’S.

VERSES 25-26 HOW THE DEATH OF JESUS SATISFIES THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT OF GOD

25 WHOM GOD HATH SET FORTH TO BE A PROPITIATION THROUGH FAITH IN HIS BLOOD, TO DECLARE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS THAT ARE PAST, THROUGH THE FORBEARANCE OF GOD; 26 TO DECLARE, I SAY, AT THIS TIME HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS: THAT HE MIGHT BE JUST, AND THE JUSTIFIER OF HIM WHICH BELIEVETH IN JESUS.

PROPITIATION MEANS SUBSTITUTE. JESUS, BY HIS DEATH, AND SHEDDING HIS BLOOD WAS OUR PROPITIATION, THAT IS OUR SUBSTITUTE SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS. JESUS WAS JUDGED IN OUR PLACE, THE FATHER DEMONSTRATES HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS IN JUDGMENT AGAINST SIN, WHILE SPARING THOSE WHO DESERVED THE JUDGMENT.

good-news-of-jesus GOD PASSED OVER THE SINS OF OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS WHO TRUSTED IN THE COMING MESSIAH. AT THE CROSS, THOSE SINS WERE NO LONGER PASSED OVER, THEY WERE PAID FOR. THE IDEA IS THAT THROUGH THE ANIMAL SACRIFICE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, THOSE WHO LOOKED IN FAITH, TO THE COMING MESSIAH, HAD THEIR SINS “COVERED” BY A SORT OF AN “IOU” OR PROMISSORY NOTE. THAT TEMPORARY COVERING WAS REDEEMED FOR FULL PAYMENT AT THE CROSS.

THAT HE MIGHT BE JUST AND THE JUSTIFIER OF THE ONE WHO HAS FAITH IN JESUS: AT THE CROSS, GOD DEMONSTRATED HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS BY OFFERING MAN JUSTIFICATION, A LEGAL VERDICT OF “NOT GUILTY”, WHILE REMAINING COMPLETELY JUST BECAUSE THE RIGHTEOUS PENALTY OF SIN HAD BEEN PAID AT THE CROSS.

GOD DISPLAYED BOTH HIS JUSTICE AND MERCY.

HIS JUSTICE, IN REQUIRING A SACRIFICE, AND ABSOLUTELY REFUSING TO GIVE SALVATION TO A LOST WORLD IN ANY OTHER WAY
HIS MERCY, IN PROVIDING THE SACRIFICE WHICH HIS JUSTICE REQUIRED.

YOU CAN NOT SAVE YOURSELF

EPHESIANS 2:1-10 COMPARING WHAT WE WERE TO WHAT WE ARE AS CHRISTIANS

1 AND YOU HATH HE QUICKENED, WHO WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINS; 2 WHEREIN IN TIME PAST YE WALKED ACCORDING TO THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD, ACCORDING TO THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, THE SPIRIT THAT NOW WORKETH IN THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE: 3 AMONG WHOM ALSO WE ALL HAD OUR CONVERSATION IN TIMES PAST IN THE LUSTS OF OUR FLESH, FULFILLING THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH AND OF THE MIND; AND WERE BY NATURE THE CHILDREN OF WRATH, EVEN AS OTHERS. 4 BUT GOD, WHO IS RICH IN MERCY, FOR HIS GREAT LOVE WHEREWITH HE LOVED US, 5 EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN SINS, HATH QUICKENED US TOGETHER WITH CHRIST, (BY GRACE YE ARE SAVED;) 6 AND HATH RAISED US UP TOGETHER, AND MADE US SIT TOGETHER IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS: 7 THAT IN THE AGES TO COME HE MIGHT SHEW THE EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE IN HIS KINDNESS TOWARD US THROUGH CHRIST JESUS. 8 FOR BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES: IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD: 9 NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST. 10 FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS UNTO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD HATH BEFORE ORDAINED THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM. ONCE YOU WERE DEAD, DOOMED FOREVER BECAUSE OF YOUR MANY SINS.

TO THE CHRISTIANS HE SAYS WE USED TO LIVE JUST LIKE THE REST OF THE WORLD, FULL OF SIN, OBEYING SATAN. THE SPIRIT AT WORK IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO REFUSE TO OBEY GOD. ALL OF US USED TO LIVE THAT WAY, FOLLOWING THE PASSIONS AND DESIRES OF OUR EVIL NATURE. WE WERE BORN WITH AN EVIL NATURE, AND WE WERE UNDER GOD’S ANGER JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. BUT GOD IS SO RICH IN MERCY, AND HE LOVED US SO MUCH, WHILE WE WERE DEAD BECAUSE OF OUR SINS, HE GAVE US LIFE WHEN HE RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD.

IT IS ONLY BY GOD’S SPECIAL FAVOR THAT SAVES US. HE RAISED US FROM THE DEAD ALONG WITH CHRIST, AND WE ARE SEATED WITH HIM IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS–ALL BECAUSE WE ARE ONE WITH CHRIST JESUS. GOD CAN POINT TO US AS EXAMPLES OF THE INCREDIBLE WEALTH OF HIS FAVOR AND KINDNESS TOWARD US, AS SHOWN IN ALL HE HAS DONE FOR US THROUGH CHRIST JESUS.

GOD SAVES BY HIS SPECIAL FAVOR WHEN WE BELIEVE. WE CAN NOT TAKE CREDIT FOR THIS; IT IS A GIFT FROM GOD. SALVATION IS NOT A REWARD FOR THE GOOD THINGS WE HAVE DONE, NONE OF US CAN BOAST ABOUT IT.

WE ARE GOD’S MASTERPIECE. HE HAS CREATED US ANEW IN CHRIST JESUS, SO THAT WE CAN DO THE GOOD THINGS HE PLANNED FOR US LONG AGO.

THE NEED FOR RECONCILIATION

VERSE 1 CHRISTIANS ARE ALIVE FROM THE DEAD

AND YOU HE MADE ALIVE, WHO WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINS

alive-in-christ THE WORDS HE MADE ALIVE ARE IN ITALICS, WHICH INDICATES THAT THEY ARE ADDED TO THE TEXT BUT IMPLIED FROM THE CONTEXT.

PAUL WRITES TO BELIEVERS WHO HAVE BEEN MADE ALIVE BY GOD’S WORK. PAUL ENDED THE LAST CHAPTER BY CONSIDERING THAT THE ULTIMATE EXAMPLE OF GOD’S POWER WAS THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS.

NOW PAUL CONSIDERS WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS OF JESUS’ RESURRECTION POWER ARE FOR OUR LIFE. WHO WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINS: THOUGH CHRISTIANS ARE NOW ALIVE, THEY MUST NEVER FORGET WHERE THEY CAME FROM. THEY WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINS. NOT MERELY SICK OR INJURED, BUT SPIRITUALLY DEAD. THE DEATH DESCRIBED IS NOT FIGURATIVE. BY NATURE, APART FROM THE SPIRITUAL RESURRECTION OF GOD, MAN IS TRULY SPIRITUALLY DEAD. THE MOST VITAL PART OF MAN’S PERSONALITY, HIS SPIRIT, IS DEAD, TO THE MOST IMPORTANT INDIVIDUAL IN ALL OF CREATION, GOD.

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NOT A VOW TO DO BETTER. IT IS A TRANSFORMATION FROM DEATH TO LIFE.

THE IDEA BEHIND TRESPASSES IS THAT WE HAVE CROSSED A LINE, CHALLENGING GOD’S BOUNDARIES.
THE IDEA BEHIND SINS IS THAT WE HAVE MISSED A MARK, THE PERFECT STANDARDS OF GOD.
TRESPASSES SPEAKS OF MAN AS A REBEL
SINS SPEAKS OF MAN AS A FAILURE.
BEFORE GOD WE ARE BOTH REBELS AND FAILURES

. god-formed-me

VERSES 2-3 SPEAKS OF A LIFE OF DEATH

IN WHICH YOU ONCE WALKED ACCORDING TO THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD, ACCORDING TO THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, THE SPIRIT WHO NOW WORKS IN THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE, AMONG WHOM ALSO WE ALL ONCE CONDUCTED OURSELVES IN THE LUSTS OF OUR FLESH, FULFILLING THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH AND OF THE MIND, AND WERE BY NATURE CHILDREN OF WRATH, JUST AS THE OTHERS.

AT ONE TIME, WE LIVED IN TRESPASSES AND SINS, ACCORDING TO THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD, WHICH IS ORCHESTRATED BY SATAN.

SATAN, THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, IS STILL VERY MUCH ACTIVE AMONG THOSE IN REBELLION AGAINST GOD, THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE.

OUR OLD SELF IS CRUCIFIED WITH JESUS AT THE TIME OF CONVERSION. THE OLD SELF IS INFLUENCED BY ADAM’S INHERITANCE, BUT ALSO BY THE WORLD AND BY SATAN. IN SIN WE RESPOND TO SATAN’S GUIDANCE.

THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR: THIS TITLE FOR SATAN SPEAKS OF HIS AUTHORITY, PRINCE, AND HIS REALM, THE AIR, A WAY OF REFERRING TO SATAN’S ENVIRONMENT.

WE CHRISTIANS AMONG THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE, PROVEN BY OUR CONDUCT. WE EMBRACED THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH, WHICH ARE PRIMARILY PERVERSIONS OF THE LEGITIMATE DESIRES OF HUMAN NATURE. BECAUSE OF OUR SURRENDER TO THE OLD MAN, THE WORLD, AND SATAN, WE WERE BY NATURE CHILDREN OF WRATH. WE RIGHTFULLY DESERVED GOD’S WRATH, AND DESERVED IT BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE BY OUR HERITAGE.

THE BIBLE DOES NOT CONTAIN THE IDEA THAT ALL MEN ARE “CHILDREN OF GOD,” EXCEPT IN THE SENSE THAT HE IS OUR COMMON CREATOR (ACTS 17:28). PAUL SAYS THAT THERE IS A “FAMILY” OF WRATH THAT HAS ITS CHILDREN, AND JESUS CALLED THE PHARISEES “A FAMILY OF SNAKES” (MATTHEW 3:7, 12:34, AND 23:33) AND SAID THAT THEIR FATHER WAS THE DEVIL (JOHN 8:44). WE MUST TAKE SERIOUSLY THE IDEA THAT THE CHILDREN OF WRATH RIGHTLY DESERVE GOD’S WRATH. THEY ARE NOT “VICTIMS” OF ANYTHING EXCEPT GOD’S JUSTICE.

B. THE PROCESS OF PERSONAL RECONCILIATION TO GOD

VERSE 4 GOD’S MOTIVE IN RECONCILIATION

BUT GOD, WHO IS RICH IN MERCY, BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE WITH WHICH HE LOVED US. PAUL EXPLAINS GOD’S REASON BEHIND RECONCILING MAN TO HIMSELF, AND THE REASONS ARE FOUND TOTALLY IN GOD. THE REASONS ARE HIS RICH MERCY AND HIS GREAT LOVE, WHICH HE HAS FOCUSED ON US.

god-loves-youthis-much WE MIGHT IMAGINE A GOD OF RICH MERCY AND GREAT LOVE WHO DID NOT FOCUS THAT MERCY AND LOVE UPON US. BUT BEHIND THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD’S SALVATION OFFERED IN JESUS IS THE FACT THAT THIS MERCY AND LOVE IS EXTENDED TO US. SOME HAVE WARPED THE IDEA OF GOD’S GREAT MERCY AND LOVE INTO SOMETHING THAT JUSTIFIES OUR PRIDE.

SOME IMAGINE THAT WE MUST BE SO LOVABLE THAT GOD HAS DECIDED TO GIVE US THIS GREAT LOVE! INSTEAD, THE TRUTH IS THAT GOD’S LOVE IS SO GREAT THAT IT EXTENDS EVEN TO THE UNLOVELY, TO THE CHILDREN OF WRATH.

EVERY REASON FOR GOD’S MERCY AND LOVE IS FOUND IN GOD. WE GIVE GOD NO REASON TO LOVE US, YET IN THE GREATNESS OF HIS LOVE, HE LOVES US WITH THAT GREAT LOVE ANYWAY. THEREFORE, WE MUST STOP TRYING TO MAKE OURSELVES LOVABLE TO GOD, AND SIMPLY RECEIVE HIS GREAT LOVE WHILE RECOGNIZING THAT WE ARE UNWORTHY OF IT

– THIS IS THE GRACE SECRET OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE –

Jesus – Fully God, Fully Man

TODAYS MESSAGE IS TAKEN FROM HEBREWS 2:1-18.

VERSE 1 SAYS: Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

CHRISTIANS MUST GUARD AGAINST INATTENTION AND NEGLECT OF GOD’S MESSAGE THAT HE GAVE US THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

IN CHAPTER TWO OF HEBREWS GOD GIVES US A WARNING AGAINST DRIFTING AWAY. JESUS CHRIST IS MUCH MORE SUPERIOR TO THE ANGELS AND WE MUST GIVE HEED JESUS MORE THAN ALL THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN. CHAPTER ONE OF HEBREWS WE ARE REMINDED THAT JESUS IS NOT ONLY SUPERIOR TO ANGELS, BUT THAT HE IS THE SON OF GOD. IF WE DO NOT LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY TO THE TRUTH WE HAVE HEARD IN GOD‘S WORD, WE MAY DRIFT AWAY FROM IT.

listentogod THE SCRIPTURAL FACT OF JESUS’ SUPERIORITY OVER THE ANGELS HAS LIFE-CHANGING APPLICATION, AND NOW WE MUST CONSIDER THAT APPLICATION. WHAT WE MUST DO IS TO GIVE MORE EARNEST HEED TO THE WORDS OF JESUS. IT’S EASY TO THINK THIS EXHORTATION TO GIVE THE MORE EARNEST HEED IS DIRECTED TO UNBELIEVERS; BUT IT IS SOMETHING “MATURE” CHRISTIANS MUST BE CHALLENGED WITH ALSO.

WE CAN BECOME DESENSITIZED TO THE GLORY OF JESUS’ MESSAGE, THINKING WE KNOW IT ALL, BUT WE NEVER WILL IN THIS LIFE. GIVE THE MORE EARNEST HEED HAS NOT ONLY THE IDEA OF HEARING CAREFULLY, BUT ALSO IN DOING WHAT WE HAVE HEARD. IF NOT WE WILL DRIFT AWAY. DRIFTING IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS QUITE AUTOMATICALLY WHEN WE ARE NOT ANCHORED TO ANYTHING SOLID; IF WE ARE NOT “ANCHORED” IN THE SUPERIORITY OF JESUS, WE WILL DRIFT WITH THE CURRENTS OF THE WORLD, THE FLESH, AND SATAN.

WE DO NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING TO SIMPLY DRIFT AWAY. MOST CHRISTIAN REGRESS COMES FROM A SLOW DRIFTING, NOT FROM A SUDDEN DEPARTURE.

drft-away AN UNGODLY FARMER DIED, AND LEFT HIS FARM TO SATAN. THE COURT, DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT. HOW DO YOU GIVE A FARM TO SATAN? THE JUDGE DECIDED, THE BEST WAY TO CARRY OUT THE WISHES OF THE DECEASED IS TO ALLOW THE FARM TO GROW WEEDS, THE SOIL TO ERODE, AND THE HOUSE AND BARN TO ROT. THE BEST WAY TO LEAVE SOMETHING TO SATAN IS TO DO NOTHING. WE CAN LEAVE OUR LIVES TO SATAN THE SAME WAY, DO NOTHING, DRIFTING WITH WHATEVER CURRENTS WILL DRIVE US.

VERSES 2-4 EMPHASIZE HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE IF WE NEGLECT SO GREAT A SALVATION?

For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

THE MESSAGE GOD DELIVERED THROUGH ANGELS HAS ALWAYS PROVED TRUE. THE PEOPLE WERE PUNISHED FOR EVERY VIOLATION OF THE LAW AND EVERY ACT OF DISOBEDIENCE. WHAT MAKES US THINK THAT WE CAN ESCAPE IF WE ARE INDIFFERENT TO THIS GREAT SALVATION THAT WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE LORD JESUS HIMSELF? IT WAS PASSED ON TO US BY THOSE WHO HEARD HIM SPEAK. GOD VERIFIED THE MESSAGE BY SIGNS AND WONDERS AND VARIOUS MIRACLES AND BY GIVING GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHENEVER HE CHOSE TO DO SO.

THE WORD SPOKEN THROUGH ANGELS IS A WAY OF DESCRIBING THE MOSAIC LAW, WHICH WAS RECEIVED BY THE DIRECTION OF ANGELS (ACTS 7:52-53). Which of the prophets did your ancestors fail to persecute? They killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. You received the Law as ordained by angels, and yet you didn’t obey it!”

HERE THE WRITER IS SPEAKING TO THE JEWS WHO HAD RECEIVED GOD’S LAW. THE IDEA IS THAT THE LAW WAS DELIVERED TO MOSES BY THE HANDS OF ANGELS. (THE CONCEPT THAT ANGELS MEDIATED THE LAW IS FOUND IN DEUTERONOMY 33:2, ACTS 7:53, GALATIANS 3:19).

THE MOSAIC LAW WAS STEADFAST AND STRICT. EVERY TRANSGRESSION AND DISOBEDIENCE RECEIVED A JUST REWARD. IT DEMANDED TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. IF WE MUST TAKE THE WORD WHICH CAME BY ANGELS SERIOUSLY, HOW MUCH MORE SERIOUSLY MUST WE TAKE THE WORD WHICH CAME BY THE SON OF GOD, WHO HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE GREATER THAN THE ANGELS? A GREATER WORD, BROUGHT BY A GREATER PERSON, HAVING GREATER PROMISES, WILL BRING A GREATER CONDEMNATION IF NEGLECTED.

THEREFORE, WE MUST NOT NEGLECT SO GREAT A SALVATION. THE WORD NEGLECT MEANS TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, BUT TO IGNORE OR DISREGARD IT. THIS IS A WORD TO BELIEVERS, NOT TO THE UNSAVED. THE DANGER DESCRIBED IS NOT REJECTING SALVATION, THOUGH THE PRINCIPLE APPLIES, BUT NEGLECTING OUR SALVATION. HEBREWS WAS WRITTEN AS AN ENCOURAGEMENT AND WARNING TO DISCOURAGED CHRISTIANS, THOSE WHO NEGLECTED AN ABIDING WALK WITH JESUS. neglect-salvation

THIS WORD WAS SPOKEN BY JESUS, THEN CONFIRMED BY EYEWITNESSES, THEN CONFIRMED WITH SIGNS, WONDERS, MIRACLES AND GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVEN BY GOD.

THE WRITER CONFIRMS HE IS NOT A FIRST GENERATION CHRISTIAN. HE HAS HEARD THE MESSAGE SECOND-HAND THROUGH THE APOSTLES AND EYE-WITNESSES OF JESUS’ MINISTRY.

GOD CONFIRMS HIS WORD WITH VARIOUS MIRACLES, AND GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, BUT DOING IT ACCORDING TO HIS OWN WILL. JESUS SAID MIRACULOUS SIGNS WOULD FOLLOW THOSE WHO BELIEVE (MARK 16:17); IF THERE IS NO ELEMENT OF THE MIRACULOUS, ONE MAY QUESTION WHETHER THERE IS TRUE BELIEF IN JESUS OR IF THE WORD OF GOD IS TRULY BEING PREACHED. AFTER ALL, IS THE PREACHER GIVING ANYTHING FOR GOD TO CONFIRM?

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE SPIRIT BRINGS SUCH MIRACLES AND GIFTS ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. MIRACLES CAN NOT BE “WORKED UP” AND HYPED; MUCH DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE BY THOSE WHO DO NOT THINK ENOUGH MIRACLES ARE HAPPENING, AND WANT TO “PRIME THE PUMP” THROUGH THE ENTHUSIASM OF THE FLESH.

IT’S HARD TO SAY WHICH IS WORSE – THE DENIAL OF MIRACLES AND THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, OR THE FLESHLY COUNTERFEIT OF THEM. BUT SATAN DOES NOT CARE WHICH SIDE OF THE BOAT HE THROWS YOU OVER, JUST AS LONG AS YOU GET SOAKING WET!

IN VERSES 5-9 WE ARE TOLD THAT JESUS IS HUMAN, BECAUSE GOD PUT THE WORLD IN SUBJECTION TO MAN, NOT ANGELS:

PSALM 8:4-9 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

THE FUTURE WORLD WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WILL NOT BE CONTROLLED BY ANGELS. SOMEWHERE IN THE SCRIPTURES IT SAYS, “WHAT IS MAN THAT YOU SHOULD THINK OF HIM, AND THE SON OF MAN THAT YOU SHOULD CARE FOR HIM? FOR A LITTLE WHILE YOU ARE MADE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS, AND CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR.

JESUS HAS GIVEN US AUTHORITY OVER ALL THINGS. WHEN IT SAYS “ALL THINGS,” IT MEANS NOTHING IS LEFT OUT. BUT WE HAVE NOT YET SEEN ALL OF THIS HAPPEN. WHAT WE DO SEE IS JESUS, WHO “FOR A LITTLE WHILE WAS MADE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS” AND NOW IS “CROWNED WITH GLORY AND HONOR” BECAUSE HE SUFFERED DEATH FOR US. BY GOD’S GRACE, JESUS TASTED DEATH FOR EVERYONE IN ALL THE WORLD.

IN CHAPTER ONE, THE WRITER TO THE HEBREWS DEMONSTRATED THE DEITY OF JESUS AND HIS SUPERIORITY OVER ALL ANGELS BRILLIANTLY FROM THE SCRIPTURES. NOW HE WILL DEMONSTRATE THE HUMANITY OF JESUS FROM THE SCRIPTURES, AND APPLY THE IMPLICATIONS OF JESUS’ HUMANITY.

IT IS SCRIPTURALLY WRONG TO THINK OF JESUS AS MERELY GOD OR MERELY MAN. IT IS WRONG TO THINK OF HIM AS 50% GOD, 50% MAN (OR ANY OTHER PERCENTAGE SPLIT). IT IS WRONG TO THINK OF HIM AS “MAN ON THE OUTSIDE” AND “GOD ON THE INSIDE.” THE BIBLE TEACHES JESUS IS FULLY GOD AND FULLY MAN, THAT A HUMAN NATURE WAS ADDED TO HIS DIVINE NATURE, AND BOTH NATURES EXISTS IN ONE PERSON, JESUS CHRIST.

fully-god-fully-man

THE FIRST FALSE TEACHING ABOUT JESUS ARISING IN THE CHURCH WAS NOT THAT HE WAS NOT GOD, BUT THAT HE WAS NOT REALLY HUMAN AND HE ONLY SEEMED TO BE HUMAN. THE HERESY WAS CALLED DOCETISM, COMING FROM THE GREEK WORD TO SEEM, GOD NEVER GAVE ANGELS THE KIND OF DOMINION MAN ORIGINALLY HAD OVER THE EARTH (GENESIS 1:26-30); ANGELS DO NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER THIS WORLD, OR THE WORLD TO COME.

THE SCRIPTURE ASKS: WHAT IS MAN: THE QUOTATION FROM PSALM 8:4-6 SHOWS BOTH THE SMALLNESS OF MAN IN RELATION TO THE GOD OF CREATION, AND THE DOMINION THAT GOD HAS GIVEN MAN, EVEN THOUGH HE IS A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS. HE LEFT NOTHING THAT IS NOT PUT UNDER HIM: THE WRITER EMPHASIZES THE POINT: GOD HAS PUT ALL THINGS, NOT SOME THINGS, UNDER SUBJECTION TO HUMAN BEINGS. HOW CAN JESUS RULE AND REIGN OVER THE WORLD TO COME IF HE IS NOT HUMAN? THEN GOD’S PROMISE TO PUT THE WORLD UNDER SUBJECTION TO MAN WOULD BE UNTRUE.

lower-than-angels

THE PROBLEMS AND SOLUTION ARE NOW DEALT WITH. WE DO NOT YET SEE ALL THINGS PUT UNDER HIM. BUT WE SEE JESUS, WHO WAS MADE A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS, FOR THE SUFFERING OF DEATH CROWNED WITH GLORY AND HONOR, THAT HE, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, MIGHT TASTE DEATH FOR EVERYONE. BUT NOW WE DO NOT YET SEE ALL THINGS PUT UNDER HIM: HOW CAN WE SAY THAT ALL THINGS ARE SUBJECT TO MAN? IT SEEMS TO BE AN UNFULFILLED PROMISE. BUT WE SEE JESUS: THE PROMISE IS FULFILLED IN JESUS, WHO IS LORD OVER ALL, AND THROUGH WHOM MAN CAN REGAIN THE DOMINION ORIGINALLY INTENDED FOR ADAM (REVELATION 1:6, 5:10; MATTHEW 25:21).

HOW MANY THINGS WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND ARE PUT INTO PROPER FOCUS IF WE WILL ONLY SEE JESUS! THE ANSWERS TO LIFE’S MOST PERPLEXING QUESTIONS ARE NOT QUESTIONS OF “WHY?” THOUGH WE OFTEN TORTURE OURSELVES ASKING “WHY?” THE GREATEST ANSWER IS A WHO – JESUS CHRIST! THIS PROMISE OF DOMINION COULD ONLY BE FULFILLED THROUGH THE HUMILITY (A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS) AND SUFFERING (THE SUFFERING OF DEATH) OF JESUS, WHO DEFEATED THE EVIL ADAM HAD INTRODUCED INTO THE WORLD – WHICH WAS DEATH (ROMANS 5:12).

GOD GAVE MAN DOMINION OVER THE EARTH, BUT MAN FORFEITED HIS POWER (NOT HIS RIGHT OR AUTHORITY) TO TAKE THAT DOMINION THROUGH SIN, AND THE PRINCIPLE OF DEATH TOOK AWAY THE POWER TO RULE. BUT JESUS CAME, AND THROUGH HIS HUMILITY AND SUFFERING, DEFEATED THE POWER OF DEATH, AND MAKES POSSIBLE THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S PROMISE THAT HUMANS WILL HAVE DOMINION OVER THE EARTH – FULFILLED BOTH THROUGH JESUS’ OWN DOMINION, AND THE RULE OF BELIEVERS WITH HIM. (REVELATION 20:4)

power-over-death IN VERSES 10-13 WE KNOW JESUS IS HUMAN, BECAUSE HE CALLS US BRETHREN.

For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

IT IS RIGHT THAT GOD–WHO MADE EVERYTHING AND FOR WHOM EVERYTHING WAS MADE–SHOULD BRING HIS CHILDREN INTO GLORY. THROUGH THE SUFFERING OF JESUS, GOD MADE HIM A PERFECT LEADER, ONE FIT TO BRING THEM INTO THEIR SALVATION. child-of-god JESUS AND THE ONES HE MAKES HOLY HAVE THE SAME FATHER. THAT IS WHY JESUS IS NOT ASHAMED TO CALL THEM HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS. FOR HE SAID TO GOD, “I WILL DECLARE THE WONDER OF YOUR NAME TO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. I WILL PRAISE YOU AMONG ALL YOUR PEOPLE.” HE ALSO SAID, “I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM.” AND IN THE SAME CONTEXT HE SAID, “HERE I AM–TOGETHER WITH THE CHILDREN GOD HAS GIVEN ME.” NOT ONLY WAS IT NECESSARY – IT WAS FITTING FOR THE SOVEREIGN GOD – FOR WHOM ARE ALL THINGS AND BY WHOM ARE ALL THINGS TO BE MADE PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERINGS IN THE TASK OF BRINGING MANY SONS TO GLORY.

GOD COULD HAVE ENGINEERED A WAY TO SAVE US THAT DID NOT REQUIRE THE SUFFERING OF THE SON OF GOD; BUT IT WAS FITTING FOR JESUS TO SAVE US AT THE COST OF HIS OWN AGONY. THIS IS THE ULTIMATE ILLUSTRATION OF THE FACT THAT REAL LOVE, REAL GIVING, INVOLVES SACRIFICE. AS DAVID SAID, NOR WILL I OFFER . . . OFFERINGS TO THE LORD MY GOD WHICH COSTS ME NOTHING (2 SAMUEL 24:24).

GOD’S LOVE FOR US HAD TO SHOW ITSELF IN SACRIFICE, AND WHAT COULD GOD SACRIFICE UNLESS HE ADDED HUMANITY TO HIS DEITY AND SUFFERED ON OUR BEHALF? JESUS WAS MADE PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERINGS. IT IS NOT THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING LACKING IN HIS DEITY, BUT ONLY IN HIS EXPERIENCE. THIS IS HOW GOD IN HEAVEN KNOWS SUFFERING, BY EXPERIENCE. gods-love THE POINT IS THAT IT WAS FITTING FOR THE FATHER TO DO THIS, IN THE SENSE THAT IT PLEASED THE LORD TO BRUISE HIM (ISAIAH 53:10) FOR THE SAKE OF BRINGING MANY SONS TO GLORY. THEREFORE, WE ARE SANCTIFIED BY ONE WHO HAS BEEN SANCTIFIED. WE ARE ALL OF THE SAME HUMAN FAMILY, SO JESUS IS NOT ASHAMED TO CALL THEM (THAT IS, US) BRETHREN. HE COULD NOT BE OUR BROTHER UNLESS HE WAS ALSO HUMAN LIKE US. JESUS IS NOT ASHAMED TO CALL US BRETHREN. BUT ARE WE ASHAMED TO OPENLY SAY THAT WE BELONG TO JESUS? WHO SHOULD BE MORE EMBARRASSED?

VERSES 14-16 SPEAKS OF WHAT JESUS DID AS OUR BROTHER

BECAUSE GOD’S CHILDREN ARE HUMAN BEINGS, MADE OF FLESH AND BLOOD.

Christ shared man’s mortal nature, that by His dying men might be freed from death Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

JESUS ALSO BECAME FLESH AND BLOOD BY BEING BORN IN HUMAN FORM. FOR ONLY AS A HUMAN BEING COULD HE DIE, AND ONLY BY DYING COULD HE BREAK THE POWER OF SATAN, WHO HAD THE POWER OF DEATH. ONLY IN THIS WAY COULD HE DELIVER THOSE WHO HAVE LIVED ALL THEIR LIVES AS SLAVES TO THE FEAR OF DYING.

WE ALL KNOW THAT JESUS CAME TO HELP THE DESCENDANTS OF ABRAHAM, NOT TO HELP THE ANGELS. FOR JESUS TO TRULY FULFILL THE ROLE OF “ELDER BROTHER” FOR THE FAMILY OF THE REDEEMED, HE HAD TO TAKE ON FLESH AND BLOOD. HE HAD TO ENTER INTO THE PRISON TO FREE THE CAPTIVES. THROUGH DEATH HE MIGHT DESTROY HIM WHO HAD THE POWER OF DEATH, THAT IS, SATAN.

SOME TAKE THIS AS MEANING THAT JESUS DESTROYED SATAN’S “RIGHT” TO RULE OVER MAN, WHICH WAS PRESUMABLY GIVEN TO HIM IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN THROUGH ADAM’S REBELLION. THE IDEA IS THAT JESUS TOOK AWAY SATAN’S “RIGHT” TO RULE BY ALLOWING SATAN TO “UNLAWFULLY” TAKE JESUS’ LIFE ON THE CROSS, AND SATAN’S “UNLAWFUL” ACTION AGAINST JESUS FORFEITED HIS RIGHT TO RULE OVER MAN.

IN THIS THINKING, THE END RESULT IS THAT SATAN HAS NO RIGHT OVER THOSE WHO COME TO GOD THROUGH JESUS’ WORK ON THE CROSS. SINCE DEATH ONLY HAS DOMINION OVER THOSE WHO ARE BORN SINNERS OR WHO HAVE SINNED (ROMANS 5:12), SATAN HAD NO “RIGHT” TO TAKE THE LIFE OF JESUS, WHO HAD NEVER SINNED NOR WAS BORN A SINNER . BY THIS THINKING, SATAN COMMITTED MURDER, WHICH IS ACCORDING TO HIS NATURE (JOHN 8:44).

JESUS ALLOWED SATAN TO BRUISE HIS HEEL SO THAT HE COULD BRUISE SATAN’S HEAD (GENESIS 3:15). THE PROBLEM WITH THIS APPROACH IS THAT WE KNOW SATAN DID NOT TAKE JESUS’ LIFE; HE LAID IT DOWN OF HIS OWN ACCORD, AND NO ONE TOOK IT FROM HIM (JOHN 10:17-18).

ONE MIGHT SAY SATAN IS GUILTY OF “ATTEMPTED MURDER” OVER SOMEONE HE HAD NO RIGHTS OVER, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO STAIN OF SIN ON JESUS. SATAN CERTAINLY WANTED TO MURDER JESUS, AND TRIED TO, AND IS GUILTY OF THAT.

THE FEAR OF DEATH RULES AS A TYRANT OVER HUMANITY. SOME TRY TO MAKE PEACE WITH DEATH BY CALLING IT THEIR FRIEND. BUT CHRISTIANS HAVE NO FEAR OF DEATH (THOUGH PERHAPS A FEAR OF DYING), NOT BECAUSE DEATH IS THEIR FRIEND, BUT BECAUSE IT IS A DEFEATED ENEMY WHO NOW SERVES GOD’S PURPOSE IN THE BELIEVER’S LIFE.

THE FATHER’S WORK IN JESUS WAS NOT FOR THE SAKE OF ANGELS IT IS FOR THE PEOPLE OF FAITH. SEED OF ABRAHAM HERE IS USED IN THE SENSE OF THOSE WHO ARE ABRAHAM’S CHILDREN INWARDLY, NOT ETHNICALLY (ROMANS 2:28-29, GALATIANS 3:7).

VERSES 17-18 TELLS US THAT JESUS IS OUR FAITHFUL HIGH PRIEST.

Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.

(THE WORD SUCCOR MEANS TO HELP) IT WAS NECESSARY FOR JESUS TO BE IN EVERY RESPECT LIKE US, HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS, SO THAT HE COULD BE OUR MERCIFUL AND FAITHFUL HIGH PRIEST BEFORE GOD. HE THEN COULD OFFER A SACRIFICE THAT WOULD TAKE AWAY THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE.

SINCE HE HAS GONE THROUGH SUFFERING AND TEMPTATION, HE IS ABLE TO HELP US WHEN WE ARE BEING TEMPTED. IF JESUS WERE NOT LIKE US, HE COULD NOT BE OUR HIGH PRIEST, REPRESENTING US BEFORE THE FATHER AND MAKING ATONEMENT (PROPITIATION) FOR OUR SINS. NEITHER THE DEITY NOR THE HUMANITY OF JESUS ARE NEGOTIABLE. IF WE DIMINISH EITHER HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO SAVE US.

THE HIGH PRIEST WORE A BREASTPLATE THAT HAD STONES, ENGRAVED WITH THE NAMES OF THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, ON BOTH HIS CHEST AND HIS SHOULDERS. THE HIGH PRIEST WOULD THEREFORE BE IN CONSTANT SYMPATHY WITH THE PEOPLE OF GOD, CARRYING THEM ON HIS HEART AND IN HIS WORK (ON THE SHOULDERS). jesus-human

BECAUSE JESUS ADDED HUMANITY TO HIS DEITY, AND HAS EXPERIENCED HUMAN SUFFERING, JESUS IS ABLE TO AID THOSE WHO ARE BEING TEMPTED, AND WHEN WE ARE SUFFERING. HE REALLY DOES KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH! IT IS ASTONISHING: THERE IS A GOD IN HEAVEN WHO BY EXPERIENCE KNOWS WHAT I AM GOING THROUGH, AND CAN AID ME, NOT JUST FEEL BAD FOR ME! THIS IS THE MOST POWERFUL PRESERVATIVE AGAINST DESPAIR, AND THE FIRMEST GROUND OF HOPE AND COMFORT, THAT EVER BELIEVING, PENITENT SINNERS COULD DESIRE OR HAVE

Be Bold and Loyal with The Good News

2 TIMOTHY 1:8-14

DO NOT BE ASHAMED: 2 Timothy 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

PAUL TOLD TIMOTHY ABOUT THE SPIRIT OF POWER, LOVE, AND A SOUND MIND, WITH COURAGE, THE BIRTHRIGHT OF EVERY BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST

– NOW, PAUL TELLS TIMOTHY HOW TO LET WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN HIM GUIDE HIS THINKING. IF TIMOTHY WILL TAKE THE COURAGE GOD WILL GIVE, HE WILL NOT BE ASHAMED OF THE TESTIMONY OF OUR LORD. WE OFTEN FAIL TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT WASN’T EASY TO FOLLOW A CRUCIFIED MASTER.

TODAY, WE HAVE SANITIZED JESUS, AND DISINFECTED THE CROSS, MAKING IT ALL “SAFE.” BUT IN THE DAY PAUL WROTE THIS, IT WOULD SEEM STRANGE INDEED TO FOLLOW A CRUCIFIED MAN AND CALL HIM “SAVIOR.” THINK OF JESUS’ TEACHING; IF YOU WANT TO BE GREAT, BE THE SERVANT OF ALL; BE LIKE A CHILD, LIKE A SLAVE, LIKE THE YOUNGER, LIKE THE LAST INSTEAD OF THE FIRST. THIS IS A TESTIMONY SOME WOULD BE ASHAMED OF!

PAUL KNEW THAT THE PLAN OF GOD IN JESUS CHRIST SEEMED FOOLISH TO MANY; BUT HE ALSO KNEW IT WAS THE LIVING, ACTIVE, POWER OF GOD TO SAVE SOULS AND TRANSFORM LIVES. PAUL WOULD NOT BE ASHAMED OF IT, AND NEITHER SHOULD TIMOTHY – OR WE! IF TIMOTHY WILL TAKE THE COURAGE GOD WILL GIVE, HE WILL NOT BE ASHAMED OF PAUL (NOR OF ME HIS PRISONER) –

IT WASN’T EASY TO SUPPORT AN IMPRISONED APOSTLE. NOR OF ME HIS PRISONER: PAUL SEES HIMSELF NOT AS THE PRISONER OF ROME, BUT AS A PRISONER OF GOD. PAUL CAN SEE GOD AS THE LORD OF EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE, AND IF HE IS FREE, HE IS THE LORD’S FREE MAN, IF HE IS IMPRISONED, HE IS THE LORD’S PRISONER.

BUT SHARE WITH ME: IT ISN’T ENOUGH THAT PAUL TELLS TIMOTHY TO NOT BE ASHAMED OF HIM AND HIS CHAINS; HE INVITES TIMOTHY TO SHARE IN IT ALL! HOW CAN WE SHARE IN THE SUFFERINGS? WE SHARE IN THE SAME WAY PAUL SPOKE OF IN ROMANS 12:15: REJOICE WITH THOSE WHO REJOICE, AND WEEP WITH THOSE WHO WEEP. WE CAN IDENTIFY WITH OUR SUFFERING BRETHREN ACROSS THE WORLD THROUGH PRAYER, THROUGH A HEART OF CONCERN, AND THROUGH WISE ACTION. ACCORDING TO THE POWER OF GOD: WAS PAUL REALLY SUFFERING ACCORDING TO THE POWER OF GOD? YES! THE POWER OF GOD IS ALWAYS THERE, BUT IT IS NOT ALWAYS THERE TO REMOVE THE DIFFICULTY. SOMETIMES IT IS THERE TO SEE US THROUGH THE DIFFICULTY.

IN ONE SENSE, IT IS ABSURD FOR PAUL TO TALK ABOUT THE POWER OF GOD – THE POWER OF ROME MIGHT SEEM A LOT MORE REAL! BUT GOD’S POWER HAS BEEN VINDICATED BY HISTORY; THE ROMAN EMPIRE IS GONE, BUT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST LIVES ON.

DO NOT BE ASHAMED OF GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION:

2 Timothy 1: 9-10 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: SAVED US AND CALLED US: WE COME TO GOD AS A RESPONSE TO HIS CALL IN OUR LIVES. WE DID NOT INITIATE THE SEARCH; WE DO NOT “FIND” GOD,

GOD FINDS US

SO WE MUST RESPOND TO HIS CALL WHEN WE SENSE IT.

WHY DID GOD CALL US? NOT ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS OWN PURPOSE. IT WASN’T ANYTHING GREAT WE WERE, OR ANYTHING GREAT WE HAD DONE, BUT BECAUSE IT FIT IN WITH HIS PURPOSE – BECAUSE HE WANTED TO. GRACE WHICH WAS GIVEN TO US IN CHRIST JESUS BEFORE TIME BEGAN: GOD DIRECTED HIS GRACIOUS WORK TOWARDS US WHEN WE ONLY EXISTED AS A FACT IN GOD’S KNOWLEDGE. JUST AS A COUPLE LOVINGLY PLANS FOR A BABY BEFORE THE BABY IS BORN, SO GOD PLANNED FOR US.

BEFORE TIME BEGAN ALSO REMINDS US THAT TIME IS SOMETHING GOD CREATED TO GIVE ORDER AND ARRANGEMENT TO OUR PRESENT WORLD; TIME IS NOT ESSENTIAL TO GOD’S EXISTENCE. HE EXISTED BEFORE TIME WAS CREATED, AND WILL REMAIN WHEN TIME IS ENDED – AND WE LIVE ON IN ETERNITY WITH HIM.

GOD’S PURPOSE AND GRACE WERE REVEALED BY THE APPEARING OF OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST: HE FULFILLED THE ETERNAL PLAN OF GOD; JESUS TRULY SHOWS US WHAT GOD AND HIS PLAN ARE ALL ABOUT. THAT’S WHY WE CAN NEVER KNOW JESUS TOO MUCH; IF YOU WOULD KNOW AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT THE INVISIBLE GOD IN THE HEAVENS, GOD HAS REVEALED HIMSELF TO US ALL IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST. JESUS REVEALS HIM.

BECOME A PH.D. IN THE STUDY OF JESUS! WHAT JESUS DID: HE ABOLISHED DEATH. DEATH ISN’T DEATH ANYMORE. IN REGARD TO BELIEVERS, IT IS CALLED SLEEP – NOT BECAUSE WE ARE UNCONSCIOUS, BUT BECAUSE IT IS PLEASANT AND PEACEFUL. DEATH DOES NOT TAKE ANYTHING FROM THE CHRISTIAN; IT GRADUATES THEM TO GLORY! THE CHRISTIAN HAS NO PLACE FOR “RIP” ON HIS TOMBSTONE; “REST IN PEACE” DOES NOT ADEQUATELY DESCRIBE OUR ETERNAL FATE. WHY NOT THE LETTERS “CAD”? “CHRIST ABOLISHED DEATH” WOULD LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT WE ARE MORE ALIVE THAN EVER, ENJOYING THE ETERNAL GLORY OF OUR LORD. WHAT JESUS DID: HE BROUGHT LIFE AND IMMORTALITY TO LIGHT THROUGH THE GOSPEL.

THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE AFTER-LIFE WAS MURKY AT BEST IN THE OLD TESTAMENT; BUT JESUS LET US KNOW MORE ABOUT HEAVEN – AND HELL – THAN ANYONE ELSE COULD. HE CREATED THEM! JESUS BROUGHT THE TRUTH ABOUT OUR IMMORTAL STATE TO LIFE THROUGH HIS OWN RESURRECTION; HE SHOWED US WHAT OUR OWN IMMORTAL BODIES WOULD BE LIKE, AND ASSURED US THAT WE WOULD IN FACT HAVE THEM. THESE THINGS MAKE JESUS A MORE RELIABLE SPOKESMAN REGARDING THE WORLD BEYOND THAN ANYONE WHO HAS A “NEAR-DEATH” EXPERIENCE.

GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION BEGAN FOR US IN ETERNITY PAST, BEFORE TIME BEGAN; IT CONTINUED WITH THE APPEARING OF OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, AND CAME TO US WHEN HE SAVED US AND CALLED US, CONTINUES AS WE LIVE OUR HOLY CALLING, AND WILL ONE DAY SHOW ITSELF IN IMMORTALITY – ETERNAL LIFE!

WHEN WE CONSIDER THE GREATNESS OF THIS MESSAGE, NO WONDER PAUL CALLS IT THE GOSPEL – GOOD NEWS!

IT IS GOOD NEWS THAT GOD THOUGHT OF YOU AND LOVED YOU BEFORE YOU EVEN EXISTED;
GOOD NEWS THAT JESUS CAME TO PERFECTLY SHOW US GOD,
GOOD NEWS THAT HE CALLED US AND SAVED US,
GOOD NEWS THAT HE GIVES US A HOLY CALLING,
AND GOOD NEWS THAT HE SHOWS US AND GIVES US ETERNAL LIFE.

NO WONDER PAUL WAS WILLING TO GO TO JAIL – EVEN DIE – RATHER THAN BE SILENT ABOUT THIS GREAT MESSAGE!

THE BOLDNESS GOD GIVES, WILL ENABLE PAUL TO STAND STRONG FOR THE LORD IN THE MIDST OF HIS PRESENT DISTRESS.: 2 Timothy 1:11-12 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

TO WHICH I WAS APPOINTED A PREACHER: WE CAN ALMOST SENSE PAUL GROWING IN STRENGTH AS HE PENS THESE WORDS; HE UNDERSTANDS AGAIN THAT IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO SUFFER FOR SUCH A GREAT GOSPEL – SO FAR FROM BEING ASHAMED, HE IS HONORED! THE SERMONS HE HAS PREACHED (A PREACHER), THE CHURCHES HE HAS LED (AN APOSTLE), AND THE DIVERSE NATIONS HE HAS BROUGHT TO JESUS CHRIST (A TEACHER OF THE GENTILES).

HOW COULD PAUL BE SO BOLD? SO HONORED BY SOMETHING OTHERS MIGHT BE ASHAMED OF?

FIRST, BECAUSE I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED. PAUL KNEW THE GOD HE WAS SERVING. WE MUST KNOW WHAT WE BELIEVE; BUT IT IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHOM WE BELIEVE.
WHEN WE KNOW HOW GREAT GOD IS; WHEN GOD AND HIS GLORY BECOMES THE GREAT FACT OF OUR LIVES, THEN WE HAVE REAL BOLDNESS. CHARLES SPURGEON WROTE; “‘KNOW THYSELF,’ SAID THE HEATHEN PHILOSOPHER; THAT IS WELL, BUT THAT KNOWLEDGE MAY ONLY LEAD A MAN TO HELL. ‘KNOW CHRIST,’ SAYS THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER, ‘KNOW HIM, AND THEN YOU SHALL KNOW YOURSELF,’ AND THIS SHALL CERTAINLY LEAD YOU TO HEAVEN, FOR THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS IS SAVING KNOWLEDGE.”
PAUL COULD BE SO BOLD, BECAUSE HE WAS PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE TO KEEP WHAT I HAVE COMMITTED TO HIM UNTIL THAT DAY. PAUL GAVE JESUS HIS LIFE, AND KNEW JESUS WAS FULLY ABLE TO KEEP IT! WHAT WAS IT THAT PAUL COMMITTED TO HIM? SURELY, HE FIRST HAS IN MIND HIS LIFE. PAUL KNEW HE COULD NOT KEEP HIS OWN LIFE; HE KNEW THAT ONLY GOD COULD KEEP IT.
GOD WAS ABLE; PAUL WAS NOT. KNOWING THIS MADE PAUL FULL OF BOLDNESS, BUT IT WASN’T BOLDNESS IN SELF, BUT IN GOD!

BUT IT WASN’T ONLY HIS LIFE THAT PAUL HAD COMMITTED TO GOD. PAUL HAD COMMITTED EVERYTHING TO JESUS – HIS LIFE, HIS BODY, HIS CHARACTER AND REPUTATION, HIS LIFE’S WORK, EVERYTHING THAT WAS PRECIOUS. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO COMMIT TO HIM? EVERYTHING THAT IS PRECIOUS! THAT DAY. WHAT DAY? YOU KNOW WHAT DAY – THE DAY PAUL WOULD SEE JESUS; EITHER BY JESUS COMING FOR PAUL OR BY PAUL GOING TO JESUS. THEY LIVED IN SUCH AWARENESS OF THAT DAY, THEY DID NOT EVEN NEED TO IDENTIFY IT. THAT DAY WAS ENOUGH. HOW PRECIOUS IS THAT DAY TO YOU? IT PROBABLY DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH YOU HAVE COMMITTED TO HIM!

FAITHFULNESS MATTERS, SO HOLD FAST THE TRUTH: 2 Timothy 1:13-14 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

AFTER SPEAKING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF BOLDNESS, PAUL NOW CALLS TIMOTHY TO HOLD FAST THE PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS – TIMOTHY, AND ALL GODLY MINISTERS, ARE CALLED TO BE FAITHFUL TO THE TRUTH. HOLD FAST SUGGESTS SOMEONE OR SOMETHING WILL TRY TO TAKE THE TRUTH FROM US; UNLESS WE HOLD ON IN FAITHFULNESS, IT WILL BE SNATCHED FROM US.

EPHESIANS 4:14 SPEAKS OF A SPECIAL MAN OR WOMAN TO TRULY HOLD FAST; IT TAKES SOMEONE WHO IS NOT TOSSED TO AND FRO AND CARRIED ABOUT BY EVERY WIND OF DOCTRINE, BY THE TRICKERY OF MEN.

ISN’T THIS AN IMPORTANT MEASURE FOR ANY PASTOR? DOES HE HOLD FAST THE PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS?

THE PRIMARY MEASURES SHOULDN’T BE, “HE’S REALLY FUNNY” OR “HE’S REALLY EXCITING” OR “HE’S NEVER BORING” OR EVEN
“HE HAS A REAL HEART FOR THE LOST” BECAUSE SOME, CLAIMING A HEART FOR THE LOST, HAVE ABANDONED THE GOSPEL.
THE TRUE MEASURE IS TO ASK, “DOES HE HOLD FAST THE PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS?” THE PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS SUGGESTS THAT TRUE TEACHING, ACCORDING TO GOD’S TRUTH, HAS A CERTAIN “PATTERN” TO IT – A PATTERN THAT CAN BE DETECTED BY THE DISCERNING HEART. WHICH YOU HAVE HEARD FROM ME: THE SOUND WORDS TIMOTHY WAS TO HOLD FAST CAME TO HIM FROM A MAN – PAUL THE APOSTLE.

GOD USES HUMAN INSTRUMENTS TO COMMUNICATE HIS ETERNAL TRUTH. WE MUST ALWAYS BEWARE OF THE PERSON WHO REJECTS ALL HUMAN TEACHERS AND SAYS, “IT’S JUST ME AND MY BIBLE.”

GOD USED PAUL TO COMMUNICATE THE PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS TIMOTHY WAS EXPECTED TO BE FAITHFUL TOO. GOD USES OTHER MEN AND WOMEN TO COMMUNICATE THAT SAME TRUTH TODAY.

TIMOTHY’S FAITHFULNESS HAS TO BE TEMPERED WITH FAITH AND LOVE WHICH ARE IN CHRIST JESUS. SOME PEOPLE TAKE GOD’S WORD AND CONSIDER IT ONLY AN INTELLECTUAL MATTER, AND LEAVE OUT FAITH AND LOVE. FAITH AND LOVE DESCRIBE HOW THE TRUTH IS TO BE HELD.

WE HOLD IT IN FAITH, TRULY BELIEVING IT AND PUTTING OUR LIVES ON IT;
AND WE HOLD IT IN LOVE, NOT IN PROUD ARROGANCE OR SELF-SEEKING SUPERIORITY.

IF YOU THINK YOU ARE BEING FAITHFUL TO THE TRUTH, BUT AREN’T SHOWING FAITH AND LOVE IN YOUR LIFE, YOU MAY BE NOTHING MORE THAN A PHARISEE. THEY WERE A GROUP IN JESUS’ DAY THAT WAS VERY COMMITTED TO HOLDING CERTAIN TEACHINGS, BUT HAD NO FRUIT OF FAITH AND LOVE FLOWING IN THEIR LIVES.

TIMOTHY HAD SOMETHING COMMITTED TO HIM – PAUL CALLS IT THAT GOOD THING, NO DOUBT MEANING THE GOSPEL AND THE TRUTH OF GOD – AND HE NEEDED TO HAVE FAITHFULNESS TO KEEP THAT GOOD THING. GOD HAS COMMITTED MANY GOOD THINGS TO US; WILL WE BE FAITHFUL AND KEEP THEM?

KEEP HAS MORE THAN JUST THE IDEA OF HOLDING ON TO SOMETHING; IT ALSO MEANS TO GUARD IT AND TO USE IT WISELY. WHAT GOOD THINGS HAS GOD COMMITTED TO YOU?

HIS WORD? A FAMILY? TIME? GIFTS AND TALENTS? AN EDUCATION?

ARE YOU BEING FAITHFUL WITH THOSE THINGS?

WE LIVE IN A TIME WHERE FAITHFULNESS IS ONLY EXPECTED SO LONG AS IT SERVES OUR OWN INTERESTS. WHEN IT STOPS BEING IN OUR IMMEDIATE ADVANTAGE TO BE FAITHFUL, MANY PEOPLE FEEL JUST FINE ABOUT GIVING UP THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. BUT THIS IS NOT HONORING TO GOD. BEING FAITHFUL TO GOD MEANS HAVING THE HEART THAT WILL DO WHAT IS RIGHT EVEN WHEN IT SEEMS TO BE CRAZY TO DO SO.

BUT HE HONORS THOSE WHO FEAR THE LORD; HE WHO SWEARS TO HIS OWN HURT AND DOES NOT CHANGE (PSALM 15:4). WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE FAITHFUL TO SOMETHING WHEN IT COST YOU TO BE FAITHFUL? GOD IS FAITHFUL WITH WHAT WE COMMIT TO HIM (2 TIMOTHY 1:12). WILL WE BE FAITHFUL WITH WHAT HE HAS COMMITTED TO US?

THE LAST PHRASE OF 2 TIMOTHY 1:14 GIVES US THE KEY TO FAITHFULNESS: KEEP BY THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO DWELLS IN US. GOD REQUIRES A FAITHFULNESS FROM US THAT IS GREATER THAN WE CAN FULFILL BY OUR OWN RESOURCES. UNLESS WE ARE WALKING IN THE SPIRIT AND FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE CANNOT BE FAITHFUL TO WHAT WE MUST BE FAITHFUL TO.

SHOWING MERCY TO OTHERS!

LUKE 9:51-56

JESUS SET HIS FACE LIKE A FLINT TO GO TO JERUSALEM

51 AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THE TIME WAS COME THAT HE SHOULD BE RECEIVED UP, HE STEDFASTLY SET HIS FACE TO GO TO JERUSALEM,

52 AND SENT MESSENGERS BEFORE HIS FACE: AND THEY WENT, AND ENTERED INTO A VILLAGE OF THE SAMARITANS, TO MAKE READY FOR HIM. 53 AND THEY DID NOT RECEIVE HIM, BECAUSE HIS FACE WAS AS THOUGH HE WOULD GO TO JERUSALEM.

54 AND WHEN HIS DISCIPLES JAMES AND JOHN SAW THIS, THEY SAID, LORD, WILT THOU THAT WE COMMAND FIRE TO COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, AND CONSUME THEM, EVEN AS ELIJAH DID?

55 BUT HE TURNED, AND REBUKED THEM, AND SAID, YE KNOW NOT WHAT MANNER OF SPIRIT YE ARE OF.

56 FOR THE SON OF MAN IS NOT COME TO DESTROY MEN’S LIVES, BUT TO SAVE THEM. AND THEY WENT TO ANOTHER VILLAGE. THE TIME WAS DRAWING NEAR WHEN JESUS WAS TO BE CRUCIFIED, AND THREE DAYS LATER WOULD RISE FROM THE DEAD, THEN LATER ASSEND INTO HEAVEN.

JESUS RESOLUTELY SET OUT FOR JERUSALEM: DETERMINED, WITH FIXED PURPOSE: HE SENT MESSENGERS AHEAD TO A SAMARITAN VILLAGE TO PREPARE FOR HIS ARRIVAL. BUT THEY WERE TURNED AWAY. THE PEOPLE OF THE VILLAGE REFUSED TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH JESUS BECAUSE HE HAD RESOLVED TO GO TO JERUSALEM.

WHEN JAMES AND JOHN HEARD ABOUT IT, THEY SAID TO JESUS, “LORD, SHOULD WE ORDER DOWN FIRE FROM HEAVEN TO BURN THEM UP?” BUT JESUS TURNED AND REBUKED THEM. SO THEY WENT ON TO ANOTHER VILLAGE.

JESUS SAID HE CAME TO SAVE MEN, NOT TO DESTROY THEM. LUKE 19:10 10 FOR THE SON OF MAN IS COME TO SEEK AND TO SAVE THAT WHICH WAS LOST. LORD, DO YOU WANT US TO COMMAND FIRE TO COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND CONSUME THEM, JUST AS ELIJAH DID?

JAMES AND JOHN OUTRAGED BY THE POOR RECEPTION JESUS RECEIVED AMONG THE SAMARITANS, OFFERED TO DESTROY THE CITY IN SPECTACULAR JUDGMENT FOR JESUS SAKE. IT’S INTERESTING AND PERHAPS AMUSING THAT JAMES AND JOHN WERE SO CONFIDENT THAT THEY COULD DO THIS, ESPECIALLY AFTER THEIR RECENT FAILURE WITH THE DEMON POSSESSED BOY. THEIR ANGRY REACTION SHOWS WHY JESUS SOMETIMES CALLED THEM SONS OF THUNDER.

IT IS BEST OFTEN TO CONSULT THE LORD BEFORE WE MAKE DECISIONS OR ACT ON SOMETHING.

JESUS TURNED AND REBUKED THEM: THEIR OFFENCE – EVEN ON BEHALF OF HIMSELF – WAS NOT APPRECIATED. THE DETERMINATION OF JESUS MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS VERSES DID NOT MEAN THAT HE WAS TOUGH OR ANGRY. THEY SAW THE FLINT-FACE OF JESUS AND SEEMED TO MISUNDERSTAND WHY HE LOOKED AS HE DID. THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND THAT IT MEANT HE WAS BEING MORE FOCUSED ON LOVE THAN EVER BEFORE.

THAT FLINT-LIKE FACE WILL END UP ON THE CROSS IN THE ULTIMATE DEMONSTRATION OF LOVE, NOT THE ULTIMATE DEMONSTRATION OF ANGER.

YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT MANNER OF SPIRIT YOU ARE OF. FOR THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO DESTROY MENS LIVES BUT TO SAVE THEM: JESUS EXPLAINED THEIR FAILING, WHICH CAME IN TWO WAYS.

THEY DIDNT KNOW THEMSELVES. PERHAPS THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE BEING LIKE JESUS, OR SHOWING THE CHARACTER OF GOD. THEY WERE MISTAKEN, AND DID NOT REPRESENT GOD AND HIS HEART. JESUS LOVED THE SAMARITANS AND WANTED THEM TO REPENT AND BE SAVED. THEY DIDNT KNOW JESUS AND HIS MISSION. HE CAME TO SAVE THE LOST, NOT TO BURN THEM UP WITH FIRE FROM HEAVEN.

FOLLOWING JESUS MEANS BEING MERCIFUL TO OTHERS, INSTEAD OF HARSH WITH THEM. ESPECIALLY, WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT GOD SAYS VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY, SAYS THE LORD, ROMANS 12:19. JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR HIS ENEMIES, WE SHOULD NEVER THINK OF AVENGING ON OUR PERSECUTORS.

VERSE 51 AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THE TIME WAS COME THAT HE SHOULD BE RECEIVED UP, HE STEDFASTLY SET HIS FACE TO GO TO JERUSALEM, WHEN THE TIME HAD COME FOR HIM TO BE RECEIVED UP: THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A NEW SECTION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE. JESUS WAS ON HIS WAY TO JERUSALEM TO BE RECEIVED UP. HE WOULD BE RECEIVED UP TO THE HIGHER-ELEVATION CITY OF JERUSALEM. HE WOULD BE RECEIVED UP ON A CROSS HE WOULD BE RECEIVED UP TO HEAVEN IN A GLORIOUS ASCENSION. HE STEADFASTLY SET HIS FACE TO GO TO JERUSALEM: JESUS UNDERTOOK THIS FINAL JOURNEY TOWARDS JERUSALEM WITH STEADFASTNESS FITTING THE DIFFICULTY OF THE TASK AHEAD OF HIM.

ISAIAH 50:7 SPEAKS PROPHETICALLY OF THE MESSIAH, FOR THE LORD GOD WILL HELP ME; THEREFORE I WILL NOT BE DISGRACED; THEREFORE I HAVE SET MY FACE LIKE A FLINT, AND I KNOW THAT I WILL NOT BE ASHAMED. THIS IS JESUS, WHO STEADFASTLY SET HIS FACE – LIKE A FLINT, AS ISAIAH WROTE – GOING TO JERUSALEM TO SUFFER AND DIE. JESUS HARDENED HIS FACE; NOT IN THE SENSE OF BECOMING A HARD OR ANGRY MAN, BUT IN THE SENSE OF HAVING FOCUS THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME.

THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF COURAGE – THE COURAGE OF MOMENT, WHICH REQUIRES NO PREVIOUS THOUGHT, AND A PLANNED COURAGE, WHICH SEES THE DIFFICULTY AHEAD AND STEADFASTLY MARCHES TOWARDS IT. JESUS HAD THIS KIND OF COURAGE; HE SAW THE CROSS ON THE HORIZON, BUT STILL STEADFASTLY SET HIS FACE TO GO TO JERUSALEM.

SPURGEON HAD A MESSAGE ON ISAIAH 50:7 TITLED, THE REDEEMERS FACE SET LIKE A FLINT. IN IT, HE CONSIDERED HOW SEVERELY THE STEADFAST RESOLVE OF JESUS WAS TESTED.

BY OFFERS FROM THE WORLD.
BY THE PERSUASIONS OF HIS FRIENDS.
BY THE UNWORTHINESS OF HIS CLIENTS.
BY THE EASE AT WHICH HE COULD HAVE BACKED OUT IF HE HAD WISHED TO.
BY THE TAUNTS OF THOSE WHO MOCKED HIM.
BY THE FULL STRESS AND AGONY OF THE CROSS.

VERSE 52-53 AND SENT MESSENGERS BEFORE HIS FACE: AND THEY WENT, AND ENTERED INTO A VILLAGE OF THE SAMARITANS, TO MAKE READY FOR HIM. AND THEY DID NOT RECEIVE HIM, BECAUSE HIS FACE WAS AS THOUGH HE WOULD GO TO JERUSALEM. THEY ENTERED A VILLAGE OF THE SAMARITANS, BUT THEY DID NOT RECEIVE HIM: BECAUSE JESUS WENT TO JERUSALEM THESE PARTICULAR SAMARITANS DID NOT WELCOME JESUS. THEY DID NOT HAVE GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE JEWS, AND WERE PREJUDICED AGAINST THEM.

WE MAY ALSO SEE SUCH OPPOSITION IN OUR LIVES. THE MORE STEADFASTLY WE SERVE OUR LORD, TO DO HIS WILL THE MORE LIKELY IT WILL THAT WE WILL BE REJECTED BY OTHERS. THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN TO ALL WHO SET THEIR FACE STEADFASTLY TO DO GODS WILL.

SAMARITAN PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE BEEN THE INTERMARRYING OF JEWS FROM THE NORTHERN KINGDOM WITH IMPORTED NON-JEWISH COLONISTS. 2 KINGS 17: 37-41

37 BE CAREFUL TO OBEY ALL THE LAWS, REGULATIONS, INSTRUCTIONS, AND COMMANDS THAT HE WROTE FOR YOU. YOU MUST NOT WORSHIP ANY OTHER GODS. 38 DO NOT FORGET THE COVENANT I MADE WITH YOU, AND DO NOT WORSHIP OTHER 39 YOU MUST WORSHIP ONLY THE LORD YOUR GOD. HE IS THE ONE WHO WILL RESCUE YOU FROM ALL YOUR ENEMIES.” BUT THE PEOPLE WOULD NOT LISTEN AND CONTINUED TO FOLLOW THEIR OLD WAYS. 41 SO WHILE THESE NEW RESIDENTS WORSHIPED THE LORD, THEY ALSO WORSHIPED THEIR IDOLS. AND TO THIS DAY THEIR DESCENDANTS DO THE SAME. THESE MIXED JEWS-GENTILES DEVELOPED THEIR OWN TRANSLATION OF THE PENTATEUCH (SAMARITAN PENTATEUCH), BUILT THEIR OWN TEMPLE OF WORSHIP ON MT. GERAZIM.

WE READ IN JOHN CHAPTER 4, ABOUT JESUS AND THE WOMAN AT THE WELL IN SAMARIA. A WOMAN WHO HAD 4 HUSBANDS, AND THE MAN SHE NOW LIVED WITH SHE WAS NOT MARRIED TO.

JOHN 4:19-26: 19 THE WOMAN SAITH UNTO HIM, SIR, I PERCEIVE THAT THOU ART A PROPHET. 20 OUR FATHERS WORSHIPPED IN THIS MOUNTAIN; AND YE SAY, THAT IN JERUSALEM IS THE PLACE WHERE MEN OUGHT TO WORSHIP. 21 JESUS SAITH UNTO HER, WOMAN, BELIEVE ME, THE HOUR COMETH, WHEN YE SHALL NEITHER IN THIS MOUNTAIN, NOR YET AT JERUSALEM, WORSHIP THE FATHER 22 YE WORSHIP YE KNOW NOT WHAT: WE KNOW WHAT WE WORSHIP: FOR SALVATION IS OF THE JEWS. 23 BUT THE HOUR COMETH, AND NOW IS, WHEN THE TRUE WORSHIPPERS SHALL WORSHIP THE FATHER IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH: FOR THE FATHER SEEKETH SUCH TO WORSHIP HIM 24 GOD IS A SPIRIT: AND THEY THAT WORSHIP HIM MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH. 25 THE WOMAN SAITH UNTO HIM, I KNOW THAT MESSIAS COMETH, WHICH IS CALLED CHRIST: WHEN HE IS COME, HE WILL TELL US ALL THINGS 26 JESUS SAITH UNTO HER, I THAT SPEAK UNTO THEE AM HE. THIS TEMPLE WAS LATER DESTROYED.

THE SAMARITANS ALSO CELEBRATED THEIR OWN PASSOVER. VERSE 54 AND WHEN HIS DISCIPLES JAMES AND JOHN SAW THIS, THEY SAID, LORD, WILT THOU THAT WE COMMAND FIRE TO COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, AND CONSUME THEM, EVEN AS ELIJA DID? VERSES 55-56 BUT HE TURNED, AND REBUKED THEM, AND SAID, YE KNOW NOT WHAT MANNER OF SPIRIT YE ARE OF. 56 FOR THE SON OF MAN IS NOT COME TO DESTROY MEN’S LIVES, BUT TO SAVE THEM. AND THEY WENT TO ANOTHER VILLAGE. LIKE JESUS WE SHOULD BE WILLING TO FOLLOW OUR FATHER’S LEAD, NO MATTER WHERE IT LEADS. WE SHOULD NEVER TRY TO GO AHEAD OF WHAT THE LORD WANTS OF US, AS JOHN AND JAMES SEEMED TO DO WHEN THEY WERE REBUFFED IN A VILLAGE IN SAMARIA. WE SHOULD NEVER FEEL BAD OR ANGRY, WHEN AS A CHRISTIAN, WE ARE DISCRIMATED AGAINST OR EVEN PERSECUTED.

NOW FOR ALL WHO KNOW THE LOVE OF GOD, THROUGH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST “GRACE TO YOU AND PEACE FROM GOD OUR FATHER, AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST” ROMANS 1:7