May 17, 2010

Numbers 26

People and families are important to God. That is why there are chapters like this in the Bible, especially Numbers. It is also important to God that we treat Him as Holy. That is why there are reminders of Korah, Er, Onan, Nadab, Abihu. All were men, important in the family, but did not treat the Lord as Holy. They died untimely deaths. But largely this chapter is a reminder of a whole generation, important to God, but they did not treat the Lord as holy. They refused to believe and enter the land. The result was a purposeless life wandering in the wilderness. They could have done great things for the Lord to display His holy name and awesome power. Instead, they reaped death in the wilderness. They failed to trust and obey.

Like them, you and I have the opportunity to live purposeful lives. We have opportunity to display to our families and the larger human family the glory of the Lord. He has lands for us to conquer. Not literal lands but spiritual ones. Yes there are giants in the land. But the Lord is with us. Will we trust and obey? If so, his glory will be displayed in our victories. If not, His glory will be displayed in our purposeless lives and ultimate death. The choice is ours. However, it will involve laying everything on the line. Will we do it? It is the only way to see His glory in a pleasant way. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

John 5:25-47

Mars is farther from the sun than the earth. Try as I might I could not convince my sixth grade teacher. She knew I was wrong and would not believe me. There have been many times in my life when I have not been believed. Why should anyone have believed Jesus? After all, there have been many prophets who have made many claims, many outlandish claims. And there have been those who sought to be witnesses for them. What witnesses of Jesus do we have that substantiate His glory? We have three, His works, His Father and His Word.

The works which Jesus did were and are unequaled by any other. He healed the sick. He made lepers clean, the dumb to talk, the blind to see. He multiplied food, walked on water, turned water to wine. He raised the dead and was Himself raised from the dead. It was the Holy Spirit, who did these things through Him. Essentially His works are the testimony of the Holy Spirit as to who Jesus is. The works the Holy Spirit does in us is in essence a testimony to who Jesus is.

The Father verbally testified several times of Jesus. He testified verbally at Jesus’ baptism saying, “This is My beloved Son. . .” (Matt. 4:17). He would testify again on the mount of Transfiguration saying, “This is My beloved Son. . .” (Matt. 17:5). Again the Father testified on the night on which Jesus was betrayed. He answered Jesus’ prayer to glorify His own name saying, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again,” (John 12:28). The greatest testimony of the Father occurred on resurrection morning when He commanded the stone to be rolled back and Jesus came forth from the dead!

The third witness is the Eternal Word, the written word of God. The Scriptures drip with testimony of Jesus. He is:

The One Who will crush the Serpent’s head, Gen 3:15;

The seed of Abraham who blesses all nations, Gen 12:3;

Our Ram in the thicket, Gen. 22:13;

The Man who wrestled Jacob, Gen 32:24-30;

Our Passover Lamb, Ex. 12:6 & 1 Cor. 5:7b;

Our Parting of the Red Sea, Exodus 14:13,22;

Our Healer, Exodus 2:26; Isa. 53:5;

The Rock Who followed Israel Ex. 17:6; Num 22:8; 1 Cor. 10:4;

The Tabernacle and all its furniture;

Our cleft in the rock, Ex. 33:17-23;

The Sacrifices in Leviticus;

The One Whose face shines upon us, Num. 6:22-26;

Our Name, Num. 6:27;

Our Communication with God, Num. 7:89;

The One Who is revealed to us, Deut. 29:29;

Our Joshua, Deut. 31:3;

Our Commander, Josh. 5:14,15;

Our Deliverer, Judges;

Our Kinsman Redeemer, Ruth;

Our Promised Ruler of David, 2 Sam. 7:16;

Our Holy One, Isaiah 6:1-3 & John 12:41;

Our Suffering Messiah, Psalm 22:1-21, Isaiah 53;

Our Ruling Messiah, Psalm 2:7-12; 8; 22:22-31; 24:7-10; Isaiah 9:6,7; 65:24,25;

Our New Covenant, Jeremiah 31-34;



This is the short list. Can I have a witness? Let God be true but every man a liar! Jesus is glorious! By the way, Mars is farther from the sun than the earth. It did not matter that the authority did not believe it. There is a greater witness in the sky. It does not matter what any earthly person says, Jesus has three eternal witnesses of His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john