March 31, 2010

Leviticus 2,3

Twelve times in these two chapters the Lord says the offerings should be made by fire. Why does He repeat Himself so many times? Why couldn’t it have been a different kind of offering? What is He trying to teach by making such an issue of fire? He also says that the offerings needed to be salted. Is there some kind of link between fire and salt? What do they have in common? Both are purifying agents. What is He trying to teach us? Could it be His own purity? Part of His glory is that He is perfectly pure. To be in His presence demands purity. As sinners, we need a substitute to make us pure. He has provided it for us in Jesus. The sacrifices speak of Him. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

Luke 6:1-26

My church experience of my years of 2nd grade through part of 7th grade were spent in a little country church in Oklahoma. During those 7.5 years, I had 7 different pastors. A couple of them left on good terms. One was a missions candidate and he left for Africa. Another was there for 6 months and then left. He never really said why. Another was there for over a year. He left because it became too much of a strain on his family to drive from Tulsa every weekend. The rest were not 'happy' partings. It left an indelible mark upon me. When God first began to speak to me about ministry, I wanted nothing to do with it. Part of the reason was because of what I had observed. I just cannot stand conflict. I've concluded that conflict is a given in ministry. Even Paul had to deal with it in the church in Corinth. Fleshliness had raised its ugly head even there. Wherever there are people, it is there.

There are so many things that divide God's people. The hot issue in Jesus' day was how one observed the Sabbath. The Law is clear that one should do NO work on the Sabbath. It did give some exceptions. So, what constituted work? Kindling a fire was considered work. Today there are still ultra-orthodox Jews who will not turn on a stove on the Sabbath because that would constitute work. There are a few streets in Jerusalem where I am told that if you drive on them on the Sabbath that people will pick up rocks and throw them at you because you are breaking the Sabbath.

The disciples were hungry as they walked from one ministry location to another on the Sabbath. Fortunately for them, they were going through a grain field. They plucked the ripe wheat heads as they walked along. Now that is harvesting, and harvesting is work. Then they would rub the husks and chaff off of the heads of grain. Now that is threshing, and threshing is work. Then they ate. Now this was just too much for the Pharisees. They thought the disciples were clearly in violation of the fourth commandment.

What was the purpose of the fourth commandment? For the nation of Israel it was a sign of the covenant. For everybody, it was to give man an opportunity to cease worldly activities in order to focus on God. Six days is enough to focus on the world. We need one day to focus on God's glory. We need to be refreshed by Him. When we focus on having to define what is and isn't work in order to keep the letter of the Law, we are missing the point. The point is being refreshed by the glory of God! What was Jesus' answer? It was "The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath." The disciples were focusing upon the Son of Man on the Sabbath. What difference did it make if they refreshed themselves by a little "work" while they walked? Their focus was on Him. He is the glory of the Sabbath. Our activities on the Sabbath should be constrained by the principle, "Will this help or hinder my focus on Him? Will He be revealed as Lord by my doing this?" and nothing else.

On another Sabbath they were watching to see if He would heal. Healing would be work, a clear violation of the Sabbath law. Jesus gave them something to have conflict about. He healed the man. What greater glory could there be than healing and giving life on the Sabbath. He healed the man to reveal His glory. The Pharisees? They were filled with rage, so filled that they could not see His glory as it stood in front of them.

Luke contrasts this with the choosing of the disciples, more healing and then the Beatitudes. The poor in spirit recognize a need for the glory of God. Those who hunger for righteousness will do all they can to see His glory. Those who see they lack righteousness will weep until they receive His glory. Focusing on His glory will eventually cause some others to hate you. Why? Because His glory so blatantly reveals their emptiness. I guess fleshliness will always be here until He returns, even in me. That is why I need to see His glory so much. When I see His glory, there is only one thing to do with the flesh--kill it--count it crucified with Him. If we would do this, it would eliminate so much of what divides us. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John