Here we are at one of the best known passages of the Bible and the most disobeyed. What does it mean to have no other gods before Him? Many years ago my bride and I stood before a minister of the Gospel and gave vows to each other to love each other uniquely and supremely as husband and wife till death parted us. Suppose I came home and found that she had added other husbands to her list. In this bedroom Jerry resided. In that bedroom Wilbur took up residence. In another bedroom was George. And me? Well, I am rich; I could go find a motel to stay in somewhere. After all she could maybe have a chat with me for about 30-60 minutes once a week—if she felt like not reading a book. I could not accept that. I would divorce her. I want a relationship with her. I don’t want to be held at a distance.
But wait! That analogy is not strong enough. Jerry, Wilbur or George might actually be better for her than me. So for the analogy’s sake, what if she replaced them with rooms filled with the following. In one room she dedicated a large screen TV that continuously played movies featuring me in my best moments (it would be a short movie) in one continuous loop. Suppose she dedicated another room to numerous statues and busts of me in various walks of life revealing my greatness (yuck. . . ). In another room she had all the recordings of my best sermons playing one right after another so that she could never forget what a great orator I am (ha. . .). But even that does not reflect the passage. Suppose, in order to catch my greatness she used animals or planets to reflect what I was like. So in the TV room she had wonderful nature videos playing as a representation of what I was like. In another room she reproduced wonderful sounds of nature to represent who I am. Another room might be filled with the scents of nature to reflect my wonderfulness (I hope she wouldn’t choose a skunk). Other rooms might be filled with animals that remind her of me. Suppose I came home, and she ignored me. She was two busy watching my videos or caressing my statues or enjoying my scents or stroking the animals that remind her of me. In her mind it was enough that I would watch her in these activities. I’d send her to a mental institution. I want a relationship with her. I don’t want to be held at a distance. It would be insulting to me that she would desire those things over me.
But wait! What if she daily went for a walk downtown. What if, she told all the merchants, “My husband wants this merchandise. My husband wants that merchandise. Here is my husband’s credit card. He’ll take care of it all.” What if in every conversation she threw out my name as if it were some common slur. What if her use of my name became associated with emptiness and meaninglessness?, What right would she have to daily drag my name into the ground by making promises that I had no intention of keeping or in frivolous use that degraded me in the community? It would be insulting to me and an indication that she had no intention to live up to the honor of my name.
But wait! What if I had communicated with her that at least once a week that as much as possible, I would like for her to cease her normal activities to spend that day resting and focusing upon me? But instead of spending it with me, she sought other persons to be with or other things to do. After all, it was the only day of the week that she had for herself. What if I told her that that day would be a special sign to all other people that we were husband and wife? Yet she spent that day pursuing other relationships. Well after all, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to me. I mean she had already spent her week filling her life with things that were less than me. It would be an insult to me that she preferred them over me.
This analogy falls far short for the very reason that I could never be compared to the greatness of the glory of our God. The gap that exists between me and any videos, statues, sound recordings, animals or planets to represent me etc. is much closer than the gap that exists between the glory of God and anything with which we may want to represent Him or replace Him. After all, He is the infinite Creator and everything else is His creation. The right with which I have to request my wife’s affections are far less than the right with which He possesses to command my affections toward Him. After all, He is the infinite Creator, and I am His creation. Yet in breaking these first four of the ten commandments, this is how we how we treat God. This is how we view His glory. That is why we must seek to see His glory every day and share it with others. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
PSALM 68
What makes a leader successful? In 14 & under Pony league baseball I was part of the Murphy Yanks here in Stillwater. The team had a history of being the best team in the city. I played a very special role. I kept the bench warm. The team itself was very successful. My first year on the team, the guys won the state tournament and went on to regionals at Kansas City. Not that I got to go, they only took the good players. Of course there was a big write up in the paper and the triumphant team had their picture in the paper, all of the usual victory celebration. In one respect it was interesting to be part of the best team in the state. In another respect if I could have been traded to the worst team in the league, I would have chosen that. At least then I would have had some playing time during games. At the end of the last season, the coach gathered us all around and assessed our abilities. When he came to me, he said, “Chaffin, you are as good a fielder as anybody on the team, but I swear if I rolled a basketball to you, you couldn’t hit it.” Needless to say, I never played anymore baseball after that. You know, I have no memories of any of the coaches ever trying to teach me how to be a better hitter. Just remember, being ignored. Guess I was a lost cause, and successful coaches don’t waste time with lost causes.
This Psalm is so rich with the Glory of God! David as a successful warrior-king envisions God coming in His glory as a conquering king in His victory procession to receive and display His glory among His people. It used to be when conquering kings/warriors returned home that a victory parade would be given in honor of the victors. The last real victory parades in the USA were at the end of WWII. I have seen news reels of them and read about them. Perhaps you have too. It was common in ancient times to march the captives in the victory procession. It was also common for the king to pay his soldiers using the booty collected among the conquered people. (Which in ancient times is what motivated soldiers. War has almost always been about economics and greed.)
The nations are depicted as being jealous of Israel because of her great King. He is a king that has a heart for the widow and fatherless. He is a King that receives gifts among men. Paul quotes the Septuagint translation of verse 18 in Ephesians 4:8. Ps 68:18: “You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men, Even from the rebellious, That the LORD God might dwell there.” The Septuagint words it a little differently so that it reads in Ephesians 4:8: Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” He gives us gifts that we may give them back to Him. What a gracious King! We who were once captives, enemies of His, are now enlisted in His army! We are given gifts to give back to Him to enhance His glory, and in so doing we improve the state of His kingdom, and we get to march in His victory procession not as defeated foes but as victorious comrades! He has no lost causes on his team. Unlike earthly coaches, he enters our lives gifting, coaching, enabling, empowering us to do the task for which He has designed for us to fulfill on his victorious team. He indwells us! Because He indwells me, I get to play! I don't have to sit and watch. I’ll gladly march into hell for this King because I know that He will bring me through it victoriously! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
JOB 38
I have a brother, who is now with the Lord, who is 9 years older than I. When he was 18, he joined the National Guard. After returning from basic training and AIT, he was at the peak of his physical condition. We (my siblings and neighbor kids) were out in the yard playing some kind of game. For some reason I became infuriated with him. I launched all of my anger against him. He grabbed me by both arms and held me out from himself at a right angle where I couldn’t hurt him, and then, he just laughed.
Do you ever wonder what tone of voice the Lord used when He addressed Job? What emotion was behind these words? What was His tone? Was He angry? Disturbed? Angry sarcasm? Sparring? Semi-joking? Tender? Indifferent sarcasm? Did the questions come out in rapid fire like an automatic weapon, or did He give Job time to think and ponder on each one? Did each question pound its point home like a the mighty thunderbolt of the accompanying storm, or were they like scattered lightning bolts all across the sky bringing a general sense of fear that the atmosphere was no longer safe? The unanswerable questions eject out of God’s mouth as guided missiles to destroy the strongholds of Job’s haughty thoughts.
Indeed, could you answer God’s questions? We did not exist when He created the world. Although we can measure the earth, we are not the ones who determined its size. The theories as to how the earth was created are numerous indeed. As we look at the different theories we find little things within them that conflict with others that indicate that we really don’t know how the earth was created. The accepted theories change yearly. Even if we could determine exactly how God created the earth, we could never match it with our own power. We could never duplicate it. God has already done it.
We cannot control the level of the seas. It is quite possible that global warming is causing our polar ice caps to disappear. If they disappear, it probably will raise the sea level drowning many coastal cities and towns. But how do we know that our activity is what is causing global warming? Could it not be part of the natural flow of nature as the earth has been changing constantly since the flood of Noah? God can control these; we cannot.
Can we really change the rotation of the earth to affect the length of days or change the weather? We cannot figure out how to travel out of our own solar system, much less to other star systems or even outside of our own galaxy. How could we ever change the position of the constellations? We cannot, but God can.
We can barely remove the snow from our own streets and highways, much less control when, where and how much of it will come. But He controls it. Our Oklahoma weathermen love to chase thunderstorms and tornadoes in bravado in an attempt to warn people of the coming dangers, but God can stop it instantly.
We are angry with God. Like spoiled little 9 year old boys we yell and kick at God. We blame Him for the pain we experience. At times I think he just picks us up by both arms and holds us out where we can’t hurt ourselves, and He laughs. He laughs at our puny attempts at trying to beat Him. He laughs that we could actually think so highly of ourselves. He laughs so that we might consider who He really is. He laughs giving us time to repent, lest wrath come. He laughs teaching us to laugh also. He laughs because His glory is so much greater than ours. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
MARK 11:19-33
I lived briefly in Norman, Oklahoma. My house sat on 8.5 acres. For exercise I used to jog the fence perimeter of my land a couple of times each morning. We had a peach tree right next to the fence. When the peaches became ripe, I would stop on my way by and pick a peach or two to eat for breakfast. I love tree ripened peaches. Those peaches were small and wormy but they had good flavor. Something happened later in the year and the tree withered and died.
Other than the cross, did Jesus ever have any mountains to move? I mean really, He is the Man of Glory. If faith moves mountains, why did He curse the fig tree rather than blessing it so that it would produce fruit? There are some things that Jesus can do but will not do. He could force us to receive Him, but He woos us to Himself. He could force us to love Him, but He chooses to enable us to love. He could force us to bear the fruit of the Spirit, but He chooses to make His Spirit available to us so that we may permit His life flow in us.
When Jesus came to the nation at the Triumphal entry and presented Himself as King, He had the power to make Himself King. But He let the religious leaders reject Him. They should have borne the fruit of joyful reception to their King, but it was not there. If the leaders of His people will not receive Him as King, then how will He set up His Kingdom? If the leaders of His people will not recognize the source of His authority and power, then how can He become king? Now there is a mountain of a conundrum.
The glory of Jesus is that He can move mountains! Sometimes you have to remove a tree in order to get a tree that produces fruit. He cursed the fruitless fig tree and used that as an illustration for the disciples about the value of faith and prayer. But wouldn't it have been better to have blessed it to make it produce fruit rather than curse it and make it wither? Jesus had a mountain to move here. He came as the King of kings, but the leaders of His subjects refused to receive Him. Sometimes you have to remove a tree to get a tree that produces fruit. Sometimes you have to remove some people from a congregation to get a congregation that produces fruit.
The glory of Jesus is that He can move mountains! Sometimes you have to forgive those who stand in the way in order move the mountain. Do you suppose Jesus forgave those leaders for rejecting Him? I know that on the cross He cried out, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do." He in turn instructs us to forgive in order that we may experience forgiveness. The implication is that then we will have what we pray for.
Jesus wants to produce fruit in us. What mountains are in the way? Is it unbelief? Is it unforgiveness? What mountains are in your way? Believe and they'll be removed. I miss my peach tree. Maybe I'll plant another this week. A few years from now I should have some fruit. Do you suppose that Jesus misses fruit in us? Do you have anyone you need to forgive? Jesus can empower you to move that mountain. That is part of His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
When my son and I were in Jerusalem, we walked to the top of the Mount of Olives and down toward the southern end. Perhaps it was somewhere near this spot, from which I took this picture, that Jesus had the discussion with the disciples concerning the fig tree and faith that moves mountains. From there we had this view of the Herodium off in the distance. The Herodium was built by Herod the Great on top of the mountain in the distance. You will notice to the left of the mountain a smaller mountain with a flat top. Herod actually had the top third of the mountain on the left removed and used it heighten the other mountain and to build his Herodium. He moved a mountain, so to speak. The Rabbis of Jesus’ day used to talk about how idols should be thrown into the Dead Sea, which is East of (to the left) of the Herodium. The Herodium would have represented the powers and forces of this world which stood in opposition to the Kingdom of Heaven, an idol so to speak. What a visual representation that Jesus was probably using to teach us the spiritual power that is available to us to advance the Kingdom of God! If Herod, using fleshly tools, can move mountains, how much more can we in advancing His Kingdom!
No comments:
Post a Comment