February 15, 2010

Genesis 48

What is your name? What does it mean? What difference does it make? Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons by giving them the names of his fathers and his own name. Abraham means father of a multitude. Isaac means he laughs. Which of his own names did he pass on to them, Jacob or Israel. Jacob means supplanter. Israel means God prevails or prince of God. God gave Abraham and Israel their names. Is there anything significant in that? Maybe it is this: God wants them to be the father of a multitude of people who laugh and over whom God prevails. There wasn’t much laughter recorded in Israel’s life nor in Isaac’s life. But somehow I think that when the Spirit of God is truly prevailing in one’s life that there will be frequent times of laughter. After all, the joy of the Lord is our strength, and the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy. . . Somehow I think that the Glory of God is increased when we experience joy and laughter because of him. In passing on his names to Joseph’s sons I think that is part of what Israel was trying to impart.

What really ought to excite us as believers is that He has invited us to share in His name. After all, He has adopted us as His children. Do we reflect His name to others? Or do we reflect our old name? Is what radiate to others, supplanter? Or is what we radiate to others, laughter because He has prevailed? Some people whom I have met take their Christianity very seriously, and we ought to. But some are so straight laced that I think if they laughed, their skin would split. Is that the way God wants us to be? Certainly He demands that we take our relationship with Him seriously. I remember being with Fred Hartley as we traveled in Senegal. We took the mission we were on very seriously. But when the work was done, and the trip was done, Fred was full of laughter. God had prevailed, and it filled our hearts with joy. I think that is a great way to reflect His glory. When we are a people over whom He prevails, it is seen in obedience and joy. We laugh. Can you see Him laughing? Now that is glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

Matthew 27:27-50

No illustration can do it justice. How can one describe the glory of our Lord in His crucifixion? He is the King of the universe. Nothing exists that He did not create. Yet here He is permitting the soldiers of a lesser king to strip Him. He could have destroyed them all instantly just by speaking the word. But He allowed them to mock His Kingship. Weaving a crown of thorns they crushed it upon His head. Mocking His anointing as King they anointed Him with their spit. What should have been kisses of loyalty became beatings with reeds and whips. Leading Him off to be crucified, He fell, too weakened by the loss of blood to carry the massive beam of the cross. They drafted a man from the crowd to bear His cross. At the Place of a Skull they offered Him a cheap drug that might deaden some of the pain. But He was born for this. He chose to feel all the pain that would be inflicted by our sin upon Him. Crucifying Him they then gambled for His only earthly possessions, His clothes. Then in continuance of the mocking of this "King," they placed a plaque above His head which read, "This is the King of the Jews." Indeed He is the King of the Jews as well as every other ethnic group that has or ever will live. But this obviously was cast in derision of what He claimed.

Those passing by blasphemed Him. They used His words against Him, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself!" Little did they know but as they spoke those words He was in the process of doing just that. He was allowing them to tear down the temple of His body. In three days He was going to build it back up again. Do you suppose that any of those who walked by wagging their heads in derision, after the resurrection repented of their unbelief and recanted their words? Even the robber crucified with Him reviled Him.

But all these were not the greatest pain. The greatest pain for our Lord came from noon until 3 in the afternoon. An eerie darkness fell upon the land. Why? I believe it was because at that time the Father placed all the sin of the world, my sin and your sin, upon Him upon that cross. During that time the Father poured out His holy justice upon Him as He hung between heaven and earth. He, who knew no sin, became sin on our behalf. For the first time the Father was in His face with all His terrible wrath being poured out upon Him. He knew the absolute terror that all of those who choose to go to hell know. He knew the terror of being the recipient of eternal wrath. In agony of the spiritual pain He cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" Crying again, He yielded up His spirit. It was not wrenched from Him. He gave it willingly. This is glory that cannot be illustrated only received. Have you received it? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John