May 21

NUMBERS 30
I am sitting here at the donut shop. A group of 3 men are sitting at a table next to me talking about the split they had in their church about a year ago. They are speaking loudly, so it is not like I am eavesdropping. Obviously, it was a very emotional parting. When Jesus prayed in John 17:21, “That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me,” what did He mean? What is He asking for? When Jesus said in John 13:34–35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another,” what did He mean? What about the lines of authority that He has established? What is our responsibility in the midst of these relationships? When do we part company? Divorce among couples in the church in the USA is running around 50%. Is it surprising then that splits within the church are so rampant? What does God expect for us to maintain unity?
This chapter in Numbers deals with unity in the family. I can hear the feminists crying, “Foul! A man should not be able to rule over a woman like that! It makes women the chattel of men!” They are missing the point. As human beings, we are created, male and female, in the image of God. We are to reflect what God is like in our union as male and female and become one flesh. God is one in essence, yet He eternally exists in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Our unity is not the same thing, but it is to reflect the same thing. Within the Trinity the Father is the head decision maker, and yet the Son and the Holy Spirit have the ability to make decisions. They choose to submit to each other. Yet we could not describe either the Son or the Holy Spirit as the chattel of the Father.
What we have here in Numbers 30 is a clear-practical-case outworking of lines of authority when a couple or family or church lives in unity in a way that reflects the unity of the Trinity. What does God expect for us to maintain unity? He expects love and purity. He expects death. Jesus died for His bride. He expects a husband to die to his selfishness in relation to his wife. He expects him to love his wife perfectly. While He still expects the wife to use her brain and contribute to the relationship, when the decision making time comes, He expects her to submit even as Jesus and the Holy Spirit submit to the Father. He expects mutual submission within the body. He expects the body and family to respect the lines of authority. You see we are to reflect the glory of the Trinity! And what glory that is! Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. He died, so we can die too. He submitted to the Father, so we too can submit to each other. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

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PSALM 140
Early teen-aged-years are a very volatile time in life. In my experience it was a time filled with pride filled remarks, both giving and receiving. The insecurity of growing up and not really knowing who one is leads to some very proud comments on one’s own part and against others. Most early teens mask their insecurities with proud statements or statements of sarcasm toward others. I had one or two acquaintances who never grew out of that. I saw one at our 20th year high school reunion. His first comment at the reunion toward me was very negative. I hadn’t even had a chance to greet or offend him, before it was out of his mouth. He had become a pretty successful surgeon. I guess what Matthew Henry says about this Psalm aptly described him, “Proud men, when they prosper, are made prouder, grow more impudent against God and insolent against his people . . . ” Although I noted the sarcasm, I just ignored it. I figured that he just hadn’t grown up. My best friend from high school was standing there, heard the comment, and came to my rescue with a retort that made our acquaintance know that his comment was out of line.
So how does the glory of God fit into this? The wicked advance themselves by tearing others down. For one who knows who he is in relation to the glory of God, the evaluation of others, no matter how successful they are, is of little importance. Even if that evaluation is able to bring harm to one’s life, it matters little because what really matters is the evaluation of the Almighty God. The Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:3–4:
3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.
He is the Almighty God and will safely bring us into His presence. Not so with the wicked. They will have many challenges to face in the presence of the Holy God. I am confident that the Lord will handle it justly and well. So when others slander me out of their own insecurities, it is best for me to do as the Psalmist has done, and let the Lord take care of it. After all, He is the judge, and that is His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

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ISAIAH 51
The mere fact that you are reading this indicates that you have somewhat of a desire to follow after righteousness. Some of you have a stronger or purer desire than others, but I don’t think that you would even bother reading this if there were not some desire present in your heart. As I was meditating earlier on Psalm 140, I was reminded of a time when in the wickedness of my own heart I inflicted harm on an emotional enemy. Now it was all legal, I did it in the context of football practice. I was doing what I was supposed to do, but in my heart I wanted him to hurt. I eventually gave him a slight concussion. Now concussions are a part of the game, and I did nothing illegal. But in my heart I wanted him to hurt. Had we had a fight in the locker room and had I given him a concussion, there could have been some serious sanctions against me, but not on the football field. What I desired in my heart would have been no different. There was a desert in my heart for righteousness. That is not an isolated event in my life where there was a desert for righteousness.
Jerusalem sits on the edge of the Judean wilderness, a desert. Once you cross from Jerusalem over the Mount of Olives headed toward the Jordan/Dead Sea, the landscape quickly becomes desert. Here is what it looks like:

This is the wilderness. This is a waste place of Zion. This is a Judean desert. The Lord promises to one day make this desert a garden. Right now, I would not want to live here. But He will one day make it blossom. Can the Lord make this desert blossom? Of course He can.
Can the Lord make the desert of righteousness in my heart blossom? Of course He can. Look at what he says,

9Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD! Awake as in the ancient days, In the generations of old. Are You not the arm that cut Rahab apart, And wounded the serpent? 10Are You not the One who dried up the sea, The waters of the great deep; That made the depths of the sea a road For the redeemed to cross over?

Rahab of course is the name of the harlot that hid the spies at Jericho. She became famous in Israel, but her name also became a nickname for Egypt because of her profession before she met the Lord. The serpent of course is not just the hated reptile, but also synonymous with Satan, and here in this context it is also used of Egypt. The Lord delivered them out of Egypt by drying up the Sea. He is able to redeem Israel at this time. He will bring them back with great singing and joy. Can He make the desert of righteousness bloom in my heart? He stretched out the heavens. He planted the foundations of the earth. He pleads the cause of His people. Of course He can make a garden of righteousness bloom in my heart. That is His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

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JOHN 7:1-24
Jesus knew His time, and He sought the Father's glory. Do I know my time, and do I seek the Father's Glory? The average age at which my four grandparents died is about 88 years of age. Assuming no accidents or disease, similar genetic livelihood, better lifelong living conditions, improved medical practices and that I take care of my body properly (all of which are pretty big assumptions), I could very well live to be 95+. Hmmm… If that is true I have 41+ years left to live. Well, I am past the half-way mark. Okay kids, you are going to be senior citizens before you get any inheritance from me. Of course that assumes that I have anything worth giving you and that I live that long. But I really don't have that guarantee that I will live that long. My time is always ready. Even if I do live that long or longer, my grandmother, who lived to be 104, spent the last 10 years of her life suffering from Alzheimer’s. I could very well have a similar fate.
But Jesus knew when He was going to die. Wow, that would be interesting. I wonder, “Why did He pack all His ministry in those last 3+ years of His life?” If I knew the day I was going to die, I'd probably procrastinate a lot of things. But I don't believe Jesus procrastinated anything. He always did things in the fullness of time. I think those first 30 years of His life were spent in three major areas:
1. Preparing for the last 3+ years
2. Fulfilling commitment to His family
3. Working and enjoying life
He told His brothers that His time wasn't ready, but theirs was always ready. That is a picture of a masterfully planned life. I am really amazed.
All of His work was done to glorify the Father. There was no unrighteous work in Him. What do we live for as Americans? We live to retire so that we can spend our time and money on ourselves. What a waste! Some years ago I heard John Piper give a sermon on missions. I don't remember exactly what he said, but I do remember that the gist of it was that we should retire so that we can become missionaries. Retire to go to the field to give our lives to the glory of God and the service of others! Hmmm. . . Interesting idea. I have some questions about the practicality of it. But it sure would beat other ways of dying. I did have the privilege of meeting Armin Guesswein late in his life. He died at around 90. He was ministering to others right up until the end. Like Jesus His whole life was to glorify God. Sure he began to slow down later in life; that is expected. But he still had a passion for sharing Jesus. Why? Because he had a glimpse of the glory of Jesus--it was the glory of the Father, full of grace and truth. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John