Leviticus 23
This chapter briefly describes each of the seven Holy festivals given to Israel. They reflect the Glory of our Lord in that they demonstrate how He prophetically works in history with the feast days of Israel. Each feast speaks of the Messiah. Below is a simplification of the feast days and how they reflect God’s plan in the Messiah
Passover—the crucifixion and death of Messiah
Unleavened Bread—the fellowship we have with Messiah because of His death
Firstfruits—the resurrection of Messiah
Pentecost—the beginning of the church (two loaves)
Trumpets—Israel brought back into the land (future)
Great Day of Atonement—the work of Messiah upon the Cross for us
Tabernacles—the time when Israel is in the land (future)
The Firstfruits can be kind of confusing. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary rather cryptically identifies this feast with Pentecost. Yet, that does not really capture it. Here is what The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia has this to say:
The phrase “the first of the first-fruits” (Ex23:19; 34:26; Ezk 44:30), . . . is not quite clear. . . . It may mean the first-ripe or the choicest of the first-fruits. . . . The priest waved a re’shith of corn before the Lord on the morrow after the Sabbath in the week of unleavened bread (Lev. 23: 9-11). . . . At the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) seven weeks after the offering of the sheaf, bikkurim of corn in the ear, parched with fire and bruised, were brought to the House of the Lord as a meal offering (Ex 34:22-26; Lev. 2:14-16).
So then, it was kind of a divided holiday. It began on the first Sunday following the Sabbath that fell during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. On this day new sheaves recently sprouted in the field were cut and brought to be offered as a wave offering before the Lord. This was the day that Jesus rose from the grave. Paul, as a good Pharisee recognized this. In 1 Cor 15:20-23 he is indicating more than that Jesus is the first to rise and stay risen from the dead. He is the fulfillment of the Feast of Firstfruits.
Fifty days later when grain had produced ripe heads, they were harvested and brought to the Lord. The Feast of Pentecost was to be celebrated. It was two be celebrated with two loaves of bread made with leaven. This day is the creation of the church. The Mystery is now revealed. Jew and Gentile are blended together into one body. The two loaves become one. But wait a minute! These loaves are made with leaven. Leaven is a symbol of sin. As in the parable of the tares, the Church through the centuries has had to wrestle with sin and evil in its midst. Hmmmm. . . .
The last three festivals fall in the seventh month. Seven is the number of completion. The Feasts of Trumpets and Tabernacles look to the second coming. In the mean time we have the privilege of spreading the good news of His kingdom, of His glory. Is it not amazing how He has it all planned from the foundation of the world? Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 15:1-10
The isles stacked with goods were tall, and they were like a maze. I was less than 5 years old, and I had lost my family. We had gone shopping in the big Sears store in Ft. Wayne. When it looked hopeless, I started crying. A man saw me and asked why I was crying. Not giving him an answer he asked, "Did you lose your parents?" Nodding my head yes, he then took me over to the counter, picked up a microphone, flipped a switch and then said, "Will the parents of the little boy wearing . . . please come to the . . . counter." Within seconds my oldest brother came around the end of the isle. He was laughing. Man it was good to see him!
Jesus rejoices over us when we who were lost find Him again. The illustration I just gave really doesn't fit because in it I was the one who was lost. It describes my joy. Jesus is emphasizing the joy of heaven when we repent. The glory of Jesus is His joy when we repent. It is greater than even our own joy when we have finally accomplished repentance. Think of the joy you felt when you first found Jesus or perhaps you felt when you came back to Him after having gone astray for a while. Remember this, "His joy was even greater!" He loves you that much! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Monday, April 19, 2010
April 18, 2010
Luke 14:25-35
It Takes a Thief, Maverick, Mission Impossible, Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve etc. for some reason we love to watch TV shows & movies about ingenious ways of gaining something that really does not belong to us (better known as stealing). Okay, Okay, I used the plural we. Maybe I should have said, "I." Well even if you won't admit it, there must be others other than me, because these all made money from people watching them. Okay I admit it. I enjoy watching them because I want things that cost more than what I have.
Jesus offers us something that costs more than what we have. He offers us a relationship with Himself. In one sense it is free. In another sense it is not. He says, "Come, take up your cross and follow Me." Now there is only one reason to pick up a cross. It is so you can take it to the place of execution and be nailed to it. There you will hang until dead. Yeah that's right, Jesus wants to leave us hanging-until dead. It is a living death. Doesn't sound too pleasant, does it?
But what do we get in exchange? We get life. We get a moment by moment experience of His beautiful presence. Is it worth it? What little I have experienced of His precious presence in the midst of suffering, I would say, "I will do it all over again for His presence." Of course, I would say, "Lord, can't we do this without the pain?" But for some reason He says, "Not now." By faith I reckon that His life is worth more than this life. In the process of dying, He shows me more of His beauty. It is worth the cost. Have you counted the cost? He calls us to abundant life. But the path to abundant life is found through living death to self. Why would I want to do that? Because His glory is worth it! Danny Ocean might steal and connive his way into millions of dollars, but he loses it all when he dies. I might die to the things I wanted out of this life, but when this death is complete, I will have walked with the King of Glory along the way, and I will have riches that cannot be taken away. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
It Takes a Thief, Maverick, Mission Impossible, Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve etc. for some reason we love to watch TV shows & movies about ingenious ways of gaining something that really does not belong to us (better known as stealing). Okay, Okay, I used the plural we. Maybe I should have said, "I." Well even if you won't admit it, there must be others other than me, because these all made money from people watching them. Okay I admit it. I enjoy watching them because I want things that cost more than what I have.
Jesus offers us something that costs more than what we have. He offers us a relationship with Himself. In one sense it is free. In another sense it is not. He says, "Come, take up your cross and follow Me." Now there is only one reason to pick up a cross. It is so you can take it to the place of execution and be nailed to it. There you will hang until dead. Yeah that's right, Jesus wants to leave us hanging-until dead. It is a living death. Doesn't sound too pleasant, does it?
But what do we get in exchange? We get life. We get a moment by moment experience of His beautiful presence. Is it worth it? What little I have experienced of His precious presence in the midst of suffering, I would say, "I will do it all over again for His presence." Of course, I would say, "Lord, can't we do this without the pain?" But for some reason He says, "Not now." By faith I reckon that His life is worth more than this life. In the process of dying, He shows me more of His beauty. It is worth the cost. Have you counted the cost? He calls us to abundant life. But the path to abundant life is found through living death to self. Why would I want to do that? Because His glory is worth it! Danny Ocean might steal and connive his way into millions of dollars, but he loses it all when he dies. I might die to the things I wanted out of this life, but when this death is complete, I will have walked with the King of Glory along the way, and I will have riches that cannot be taken away. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Saturday, April 17, 2010
April 17, 2010
April 17 Luke 14:1-24
If you were given an invitation to attend a banquet with the President of the United States, and it was at a time at which you could attend and cost you nothing, would you go? If there were not assigned seating but people were seated on a first-come-first-served basis, where would you sit? If the truth were known, I think most of us would go, even if you didn't like the President's politics. After all, he is the President of the U.S.A. Also, most of us would do our best to be seated nearest the President as possible.
Someone infinitely greater than the President of the U,S.A. is giving a banquet, and all are invited. God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth and His Son Jesus, the Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords have issued and invitation to come and dine with them. It is an invitation that works on a couple of levels. The first and obvious level in this parable is at the end of time we are invited to enter into eternal fellowship with Him. It is at a time at which are able to attend, and in one sense it will cost you nothing. Is it something most are willing to do? Unfortunately many are so focused upon the things of this world that they fail to see the tremendous privilege to which they have been invited. Consequently, they choose things that pale in comparison to the privilege of coming to the banquet. Those things include, marriage, buying real estate, getting your business secure etc. One day they will wake up and find that they chose activities that have come to an end rather than entering into an eternal relationship with their Creator. Theirs will be eternal loss.
This invitation works on another level as well. Jesus bids us daily, indeed moment by moment to enter into a continual feast with Him, a relationship where we constantly are aware and act upon His presence. Unfortunately many are so focused upon the things of this world that we fail to see the tremendous privilege to which we have been invited. Consequently, we choose things that pale in comparison to the privilege of coming to the banquet. Those things include, marriage, buying real estate, getting our employment or retirement secure etc. One day we will wake up to find that we have wasted so much time in a pursuit that was cheap in comparison to what we could have had with Him. Like the final banquet in one sense this banquet is free. In another sense (as we will see tomorrow), it will cost you everything. The question is, "What is His glory worth to us?" Is it worth to us the sacrifice required to see it and to practice it on a daily, yes moment by moment basis? Lord, help us to see your glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
If you were given an invitation to attend a banquet with the President of the United States, and it was at a time at which you could attend and cost you nothing, would you go? If there were not assigned seating but people were seated on a first-come-first-served basis, where would you sit? If the truth were known, I think most of us would go, even if you didn't like the President's politics. After all, he is the President of the U.S.A. Also, most of us would do our best to be seated nearest the President as possible.
Someone infinitely greater than the President of the U,S.A. is giving a banquet, and all are invited. God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth and His Son Jesus, the Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords have issued and invitation to come and dine with them. It is an invitation that works on a couple of levels. The first and obvious level in this parable is at the end of time we are invited to enter into eternal fellowship with Him. It is at a time at which are able to attend, and in one sense it will cost you nothing. Is it something most are willing to do? Unfortunately many are so focused upon the things of this world that they fail to see the tremendous privilege to which they have been invited. Consequently, they choose things that pale in comparison to the privilege of coming to the banquet. Those things include, marriage, buying real estate, getting your business secure etc. One day they will wake up and find that they chose activities that have come to an end rather than entering into an eternal relationship with their Creator. Theirs will be eternal loss.
This invitation works on another level as well. Jesus bids us daily, indeed moment by moment to enter into a continual feast with Him, a relationship where we constantly are aware and act upon His presence. Unfortunately many are so focused upon the things of this world that we fail to see the tremendous privilege to which we have been invited. Consequently, we choose things that pale in comparison to the privilege of coming to the banquet. Those things include, marriage, buying real estate, getting our employment or retirement secure etc. One day we will wake up to find that we have wasted so much time in a pursuit that was cheap in comparison to what we could have had with Him. Like the final banquet in one sense this banquet is free. In another sense (as we will see tomorrow), it will cost you everything. The question is, "What is His glory worth to us?" Is it worth to us the sacrifice required to see it and to practice it on a daily, yes moment by moment basis? Lord, help us to see your glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Friday, April 16, 2010
April 16, 2010
Leviticus 20
Yesterday we looked at reflecting the glory of God in our own lives by being holy because He is holy. That vein of thought continues on in today’s passage. There are a number of associations mentioned here in which God would not allow His people to participate because they would reflect upon His holiness. Included here are: sacrificing children to Molech, turning to mediums and familiar spirits, cursing a parent, adultery, various forms of incest, bestiality and homosexuality. The people of God are not to participate in these activities because they defile His holiness.
Recently I read a book by an accomplished theologian defending the practice of monogamous homosexuality. Certainly he had to explain away passages like this one and a few others found in the Scripture. The gist of his argument in this passage was that the context was reacting to Canaanite worship. These were all practices that the Canaanites had in their worship of their gods. Since God is holy, he argued that the Israelites should not use the heathen practices in their worship of the Lord. He then surmised that unless the practice was forbidden elsewhere in Scripture, then the practices were okay as long as they were not used in worship.
Hmmm. . . I guess that would mean that as long as it was not an act of worship I could sacrifice my children. My children had better look out! I can visit mediums and seek familiar spirits as long as it is not an act of worship. I can curse my parents as long as it is not in a religious ritual. I can go commit adultery as long as it is not a religious ceremony. Incest is fair game, just not in church. Approval of bestiality might open up a whole new market for a dog business. Now in all fairness, I guess I should not have addressed cursing parents and committing adultery for they are forbidden in the ten commandments. Maybe I should put up a palm reading sign on my front door. After all, I wouldn’t use it in a worship service. No! These are not activities that reflect the glory of the Lord in any situation. Is it not better just to say that these are sin? Is it not better to repent if I fall into this sin?
In another light, yesterday we saw the greatest command was to love your neighbor as yourself. What if I have a neighbor who sacrifices his children? The loving thing to do would be to tell the authorities for he must be restrained from sacrificing his children. What if the authorities will not intervene? The loving thing to do would be to love that neighbor and tell him that God does approve of the sacrifice of their child. Would it not be better to help and support that neighbor to make a decision for life? (Do we not have neighbors that practice child sacrifice, abortion?) If we have neighbors who are practicing the dark arts, do we seek to pray for them, love them and share the truth with them? If we have neighbors who are adulterers do we love them and share the truth with them? If we have neighbors who practice incest, should we not tell the authorities? Should we not let them know that this practice is wrong? Would not PETA speak up if I bred dogs for people who practice bestiality? If my neighbor is practicing homosexuality, is it not incumbent upon me to love them and to share with them that this practice is wrong?
Here is the marvelous glory of God. On the one hand, He hates and detests sin. On the other hand, He loves people. He tells us what sin is. He loved us so much that He gave His Only Begotten Son to die for the penalty of our sin. He gives us opportunity to repent and receive forgiveness of sin. How can we do any less? We are to reflect His glory, His holiness. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 13:22-35
I used to live in a relatively small community that experienced horrendous traffic jams. There was one intersection that controlled access between Oak Island, Southport, travel west toward Charlotte and northeast toward Wilmington. If you were on one side of the intersection and needed to get to the other side, there was only one route, through that intersection. DOT had been trying to rebuild the intersection in order to produce better traffic flow. The Construction caused tremendous traffic problems for us. I heard stories of people taking over an hour to get through that one intersection. When I know that a certain direction is going to produce problems, I avoid it. Don’t you?
Jesus was headed for an intersection under construction. Verse 22 says that He was journeying toward Jerusalem. He was going there for one supreme purpose, and He was painfully aware of it. He spoke of it to His disciples as He journeyed. One day some friendly Pharisees came to warn Him of Herod’s intent to kill Him. Their intent was to get Him to take a detour, avoid the intersection. But it was Jesus’ glory that He already knew of the problem and was actually controlling the traffic. He would go there. He would die. He would then defeat death. Purposely He headed there, not because He couldn’t avoid it but because He loved us. In order to bring us into His kingdom, there was only one route, through that intersection. He controlled the construction. He controlled the traffic. He controlled the way.
Along the way He instructed us that if we want to enter the kingdom, its entrance in a narrow gate. He is the gate. Identification often times means heading to a painful intersection. The only route through is death to self. We choose to die with Him that we might be raised with Him. Some seek to enter the kingdom. They see the cost of the entrance at the gate and avoid it. They go a different direction. That is His glory! He chose death and resurrection for us. We have the privilege of identifying with Him. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Yesterday we looked at reflecting the glory of God in our own lives by being holy because He is holy. That vein of thought continues on in today’s passage. There are a number of associations mentioned here in which God would not allow His people to participate because they would reflect upon His holiness. Included here are: sacrificing children to Molech, turning to mediums and familiar spirits, cursing a parent, adultery, various forms of incest, bestiality and homosexuality. The people of God are not to participate in these activities because they defile His holiness.
Recently I read a book by an accomplished theologian defending the practice of monogamous homosexuality. Certainly he had to explain away passages like this one and a few others found in the Scripture. The gist of his argument in this passage was that the context was reacting to Canaanite worship. These were all practices that the Canaanites had in their worship of their gods. Since God is holy, he argued that the Israelites should not use the heathen practices in their worship of the Lord. He then surmised that unless the practice was forbidden elsewhere in Scripture, then the practices were okay as long as they were not used in worship.
Hmmm. . . I guess that would mean that as long as it was not an act of worship I could sacrifice my children. My children had better look out! I can visit mediums and seek familiar spirits as long as it is not an act of worship. I can curse my parents as long as it is not in a religious ritual. I can go commit adultery as long as it is not a religious ceremony. Incest is fair game, just not in church. Approval of bestiality might open up a whole new market for a dog business. Now in all fairness, I guess I should not have addressed cursing parents and committing adultery for they are forbidden in the ten commandments. Maybe I should put up a palm reading sign on my front door. After all, I wouldn’t use it in a worship service. No! These are not activities that reflect the glory of the Lord in any situation. Is it not better just to say that these are sin? Is it not better to repent if I fall into this sin?
In another light, yesterday we saw the greatest command was to love your neighbor as yourself. What if I have a neighbor who sacrifices his children? The loving thing to do would be to tell the authorities for he must be restrained from sacrificing his children. What if the authorities will not intervene? The loving thing to do would be to love that neighbor and tell him that God does approve of the sacrifice of their child. Would it not be better to help and support that neighbor to make a decision for life? (Do we not have neighbors that practice child sacrifice, abortion?) If we have neighbors who are practicing the dark arts, do we seek to pray for them, love them and share the truth with them? If we have neighbors who are adulterers do we love them and share the truth with them? If we have neighbors who practice incest, should we not tell the authorities? Should we not let them know that this practice is wrong? Would not PETA speak up if I bred dogs for people who practice bestiality? If my neighbor is practicing homosexuality, is it not incumbent upon me to love them and to share with them that this practice is wrong?
Here is the marvelous glory of God. On the one hand, He hates and detests sin. On the other hand, He loves people. He tells us what sin is. He loved us so much that He gave His Only Begotten Son to die for the penalty of our sin. He gives us opportunity to repent and receive forgiveness of sin. How can we do any less? We are to reflect His glory, His holiness. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 13:22-35
I used to live in a relatively small community that experienced horrendous traffic jams. There was one intersection that controlled access between Oak Island, Southport, travel west toward Charlotte and northeast toward Wilmington. If you were on one side of the intersection and needed to get to the other side, there was only one route, through that intersection. DOT had been trying to rebuild the intersection in order to produce better traffic flow. The Construction caused tremendous traffic problems for us. I heard stories of people taking over an hour to get through that one intersection. When I know that a certain direction is going to produce problems, I avoid it. Don’t you?
Jesus was headed for an intersection under construction. Verse 22 says that He was journeying toward Jerusalem. He was going there for one supreme purpose, and He was painfully aware of it. He spoke of it to His disciples as He journeyed. One day some friendly Pharisees came to warn Him of Herod’s intent to kill Him. Their intent was to get Him to take a detour, avoid the intersection. But it was Jesus’ glory that He already knew of the problem and was actually controlling the traffic. He would go there. He would die. He would then defeat death. Purposely He headed there, not because He couldn’t avoid it but because He loved us. In order to bring us into His kingdom, there was only one route, through that intersection. He controlled the construction. He controlled the traffic. He controlled the way.
Along the way He instructed us that if we want to enter the kingdom, its entrance in a narrow gate. He is the gate. Identification often times means heading to a painful intersection. The only route through is death to self. We choose to die with Him that we might be raised with Him. Some seek to enter the kingdom. They see the cost of the entrance at the gate and avoid it. They go a different direction. That is His glory! He chose death and resurrection for us. We have the privilege of identifying with Him. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Thursday, April 15, 2010
April 15, 2010
Leviticus 19
Years ago a friend of mine and his twenty-something son were helping me install the plumbing in a house which I was building. It was the end of the day, and we were grubby from crawling under the house all day installing pipes. We were ready to sweat in the copper pipes to the water heater, but we had no matches to light the torch. The man’s son and I went around the block to the nearest neighbor to beg for some matches. A young lady was home. She seemed fearful of us, but nevertheless she gave us a handful of books of matches. We returned to my house and finished the installation of the pipes.
The next day I needed to get a permit to burn a pile of construction debris that I had accumulated. While at the police station filling out the application for the permit, a woman walked up to talk to the officer. She identified herself as living at the house where my friend and I had begged the matches. She said, “Yesterday my daughter was home alone when these two unsavory characters knocked on the door and asked for some matches. I just wanted to know if there is some kind of scam going on in our neighborhood.” You should have seen the look on her face when I identified myself as one of those unsavory characters and announced that I was going to be her new neighbor—priceless.
Is it not interesting how people associate the moral character of a person with the clothes they wear? We instinctively try to determine what someone is like by association. In some ways those associations are accurate. That is why the Lord says, “You shall be holy for I am holy.” But what associations are there that indicate holiness? Is it clothing?
The Lord lays out several associations in this chapter. But there is one here that Jesus and the apostles quote in the New Testament, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Everything in this chapter would be fulfilled if we fulfilled that one commandment. It is a very demanding command. By the time Jesus arrived, 1400 years later, the rabbis had reinterpreted it to make it possible to keep. So when a lawyer asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied with the story of the Good Samaritan. The story is scathing in its implications. The Samaritans were enemies of the Jews. They were unsavory characters. Yet a Samaritan is the hero in this story which defines a neighbor. But is this not what the Lord has done for us? While were yet sinners, Christ died for us. While we were enemies of God, alienated from Him, He took the initiative to come down and deliver us. He is Holy. In His holiness He associates with us in His love. The “holy” people of His day associated Him with sinners. He was an unsavory character. Yet He was without sin.
I hope that when I stand before the judgment seat of Christ that He can say of me, “You associated with sinners yet remained unspotted by the world.” Why? Because then I will have reflected His glory. He will receive honor for what He has done. I want to be part of that kind of unsavory character’s club—not one of man’s associations. I want to be holy as He is holy, loving people into the presence of God, remaining unspotted by the world. When that happens, only He can truly receive glory because only He could change me in that way. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 13:1-21
Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does it seem, when you are doing your best to follow after the Lord, is when you get attacked the hardest? Why did God even allow sin anyway? Each of these questions has buried under it somewhere deep in its supporting premises that I don't deserve to be treated the way I am being treated. Let's go have a pity party. Let's rail against God for permitting it. So when those who heard about the Galileans reported it to Jesus, He gave what seems at first a very harsh and cryptic answer, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."
Ouch, Lord, I was just trying to get a little comfort here in what seemed to be a terrible tragedy. And you tell me that I am a terrible sinner? And He answers, "Yep."
But don't stop there. He goes on to warn that unless one's repentance begins to bear fruit that one will be cut down. Ouch! Add a little salt to the wound and rub it in! But don't stop there. He goes on to loose a woman who had been bound over with an infirmity for eighteen years. Immediately she was made straight and what? She glorified God! Somehow I think her whole life was changed from that moment on. It was not just a glorifying God for the moment, but it became a lifestyle. This was in direct opposition to the synagogue ruler who thought he was pretty good because he observed the Sabbath. Deep inside he thought he had not experienced any bad things because he was good. But he was wrong.
The glory of Jesus is that He has come to set us free from the power and bondage of sin. Ultimately, we deserve any bad thing that happens to us. We are sinners. We deserve death. We are in rebellion against the Holy God. It is only by His mercy that we continue to live. It is by His grace that we are delivered and set free! Where is the glory of Jesus? When we repent and believe in Jesus, He plants the seed of the Kingdom of God in us. Slowly it begins to grow and germinate and change us. It produces real fruit. We are changed from one bound in sin to one growing in righteousness. Now that is glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Years ago a friend of mine and his twenty-something son were helping me install the plumbing in a house which I was building. It was the end of the day, and we were grubby from crawling under the house all day installing pipes. We were ready to sweat in the copper pipes to the water heater, but we had no matches to light the torch. The man’s son and I went around the block to the nearest neighbor to beg for some matches. A young lady was home. She seemed fearful of us, but nevertheless she gave us a handful of books of matches. We returned to my house and finished the installation of the pipes.
The next day I needed to get a permit to burn a pile of construction debris that I had accumulated. While at the police station filling out the application for the permit, a woman walked up to talk to the officer. She identified herself as living at the house where my friend and I had begged the matches. She said, “Yesterday my daughter was home alone when these two unsavory characters knocked on the door and asked for some matches. I just wanted to know if there is some kind of scam going on in our neighborhood.” You should have seen the look on her face when I identified myself as one of those unsavory characters and announced that I was going to be her new neighbor—priceless.
Is it not interesting how people associate the moral character of a person with the clothes they wear? We instinctively try to determine what someone is like by association. In some ways those associations are accurate. That is why the Lord says, “You shall be holy for I am holy.” But what associations are there that indicate holiness? Is it clothing?
The Lord lays out several associations in this chapter. But there is one here that Jesus and the apostles quote in the New Testament, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Everything in this chapter would be fulfilled if we fulfilled that one commandment. It is a very demanding command. By the time Jesus arrived, 1400 years later, the rabbis had reinterpreted it to make it possible to keep. So when a lawyer asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied with the story of the Good Samaritan. The story is scathing in its implications. The Samaritans were enemies of the Jews. They were unsavory characters. Yet a Samaritan is the hero in this story which defines a neighbor. But is this not what the Lord has done for us? While were yet sinners, Christ died for us. While we were enemies of God, alienated from Him, He took the initiative to come down and deliver us. He is Holy. In His holiness He associates with us in His love. The “holy” people of His day associated Him with sinners. He was an unsavory character. Yet He was without sin.
I hope that when I stand before the judgment seat of Christ that He can say of me, “You associated with sinners yet remained unspotted by the world.” Why? Because then I will have reflected His glory. He will receive honor for what He has done. I want to be part of that kind of unsavory character’s club—not one of man’s associations. I want to be holy as He is holy, loving people into the presence of God, remaining unspotted by the world. When that happens, only He can truly receive glory because only He could change me in that way. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 13:1-21
Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does it seem, when you are doing your best to follow after the Lord, is when you get attacked the hardest? Why did God even allow sin anyway? Each of these questions has buried under it somewhere deep in its supporting premises that I don't deserve to be treated the way I am being treated. Let's go have a pity party. Let's rail against God for permitting it. So when those who heard about the Galileans reported it to Jesus, He gave what seems at first a very harsh and cryptic answer, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."
Ouch, Lord, I was just trying to get a little comfort here in what seemed to be a terrible tragedy. And you tell me that I am a terrible sinner? And He answers, "Yep."
But don't stop there. He goes on to warn that unless one's repentance begins to bear fruit that one will be cut down. Ouch! Add a little salt to the wound and rub it in! But don't stop there. He goes on to loose a woman who had been bound over with an infirmity for eighteen years. Immediately she was made straight and what? She glorified God! Somehow I think her whole life was changed from that moment on. It was not just a glorifying God for the moment, but it became a lifestyle. This was in direct opposition to the synagogue ruler who thought he was pretty good because he observed the Sabbath. Deep inside he thought he had not experienced any bad things because he was good. But he was wrong.
The glory of Jesus is that He has come to set us free from the power and bondage of sin. Ultimately, we deserve any bad thing that happens to us. We are sinners. We deserve death. We are in rebellion against the Holy God. It is only by His mercy that we continue to live. It is by His grace that we are delivered and set free! Where is the glory of Jesus? When we repent and believe in Jesus, He plants the seed of the Kingdom of God in us. Slowly it begins to grow and germinate and change us. It produces real fruit. We are changed from one bound in sin to one growing in righteousness. Now that is glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
April 14, 2010
Leviticus 18
Various sexual perversions and sins are addressed here. God’s people are to reflect His glory. If we are caught up in sexual perversion, we mar the image of His glory. The practices that are mentioned here are things that were practiced in Egypt and in the countries in which God was removing the people to give the land to Israel. Notice that verses 24 & 25 specifically state that it was because of these practices that God was removing them from the land. In general the practices included: various forms of incest, sexual impurity, child sacrifice, homosexuality, and bestiality. His glory is not found in these practices. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 12:32-59
Wal*Mart once had a bunch of shopping baskets lined up in the isle near the cash registers. They were full of clearance items. One basket had a bunch of toys marked $3.00. My first thought was, "I'd bet Liam might like something in there." My eyes landed on a Fantastic Four toy. My thought was, "Surely that toy is not $3.00!" I picked it up and took it over to the scanner. Sure enough, if it was $3.00, it hadn't made it into the computer yet. The computer price was more than I was willing to pay out of my budget. I was born with a sin nature, yet I desire to give things to my children. I enjoy making them happy. But I also am constrained by wise use of the money that God has given me over which He has made me a steward and by what is good for them. I put the toy back.
Jesus says that the Father desires to give us the Kingdom. He takes pleasure in it! He is absolutely good. Then why don't we have the entire kingdom right now? He is constrained only by His own goodness and by what is good for us. After Jesus says that the Father takes pleasure in giving to us the kingdom, He launches into a variety of things in which we are given responsibility. Do you suppose there is a connection between the Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom, what is good for us and the responsibilities He lays upon us?
My three oldest children are in their twenties. I never gave any of them a car when they were living at home. Part of the reason was that I simply could not afford it. But then, my parents never gave me a car either. I remember buying my first car. It cost me something. I didn't take it lightly. I learned responsibility for taking care of it. I had it three months, and then it died. I sold it to a junk yard. I had acquaintances in high school whose parents gave them everything. One of them had a parent who gave him a brand new Z-28 for high school graduation. He wrecked in a high speed race within a year. I guess that he didn't know how to use it wisely. It really didn't mean anything to Him. It didn't cost him anything. If I had been able, I probably would never have given my children a car, when they were in their teens. They needed to learn some responsibility first. I am constrained not only by my lack of ability but also by my goodness and by what is good for them.
It is the pleasure of the Father and Jesus to give us the kingdom. They are constrained only by their goodness and what is good for us. What are the responsibilities that we have? First, we are to learn the inestimable value of the eternal kingdom by investing what we cannot keep of this earthly kingdom for the eternal kingdom. You will learn the value of the eternal kingdom and receive of that kingdom in direct proportion to what you are willing to invest right now. So many people make such an issue out of tithing. It is like they are tied to some magical percentage of 10%. It is like they have the mindset, "How much of this earthly kingdom can I keep for myself?" If we really understand this principle, our mindset is, "How much of this earthly kingdom, which I am going to lose anyway, can I invest in the eternal kingdom, which I will never lose? How much can I give away?"
Second, we are to be looking for the second coming of Jesus. If I really believe He is returning, I will be working to hasten His return. I will be seeking to build His kingdom now as opposed to just enjoying the kingdom of this earth.
Third, I will understand that building His kingdom will bring opposition from those who desire to build an earthly kingdom, perhaps even within your own family unit. We should always strive to be at peace with people but never at the cost of turning from Jesus.
This is the glory of Jesus. It is His pleasure and the Father's pleasure to give us the kingdom. But our ability to receive the eternal kingdom is in direct proportion to our focus upon Him. How much of His glory can we really see? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Various sexual perversions and sins are addressed here. God’s people are to reflect His glory. If we are caught up in sexual perversion, we mar the image of His glory. The practices that are mentioned here are things that were practiced in Egypt and in the countries in which God was removing the people to give the land to Israel. Notice that verses 24 & 25 specifically state that it was because of these practices that God was removing them from the land. In general the practices included: various forms of incest, sexual impurity, child sacrifice, homosexuality, and bestiality. His glory is not found in these practices. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 12:32-59
Wal*Mart once had a bunch of shopping baskets lined up in the isle near the cash registers. They were full of clearance items. One basket had a bunch of toys marked $3.00. My first thought was, "I'd bet Liam might like something in there." My eyes landed on a Fantastic Four toy. My thought was, "Surely that toy is not $3.00!" I picked it up and took it over to the scanner. Sure enough, if it was $3.00, it hadn't made it into the computer yet. The computer price was more than I was willing to pay out of my budget. I was born with a sin nature, yet I desire to give things to my children. I enjoy making them happy. But I also am constrained by wise use of the money that God has given me over which He has made me a steward and by what is good for them. I put the toy back.
Jesus says that the Father desires to give us the Kingdom. He takes pleasure in it! He is absolutely good. Then why don't we have the entire kingdom right now? He is constrained only by His own goodness and by what is good for us. After Jesus says that the Father takes pleasure in giving to us the kingdom, He launches into a variety of things in which we are given responsibility. Do you suppose there is a connection between the Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom, what is good for us and the responsibilities He lays upon us?
My three oldest children are in their twenties. I never gave any of them a car when they were living at home. Part of the reason was that I simply could not afford it. But then, my parents never gave me a car either. I remember buying my first car. It cost me something. I didn't take it lightly. I learned responsibility for taking care of it. I had it three months, and then it died. I sold it to a junk yard. I had acquaintances in high school whose parents gave them everything. One of them had a parent who gave him a brand new Z-28 for high school graduation. He wrecked in a high speed race within a year. I guess that he didn't know how to use it wisely. It really didn't mean anything to Him. It didn't cost him anything. If I had been able, I probably would never have given my children a car, when they were in their teens. They needed to learn some responsibility first. I am constrained not only by my lack of ability but also by my goodness and by what is good for them.
It is the pleasure of the Father and Jesus to give us the kingdom. They are constrained only by their goodness and what is good for us. What are the responsibilities that we have? First, we are to learn the inestimable value of the eternal kingdom by investing what we cannot keep of this earthly kingdom for the eternal kingdom. You will learn the value of the eternal kingdom and receive of that kingdom in direct proportion to what you are willing to invest right now. So many people make such an issue out of tithing. It is like they are tied to some magical percentage of 10%. It is like they have the mindset, "How much of this earthly kingdom can I keep for myself?" If we really understand this principle, our mindset is, "How much of this earthly kingdom, which I am going to lose anyway, can I invest in the eternal kingdom, which I will never lose? How much can I give away?"
Second, we are to be looking for the second coming of Jesus. If I really believe He is returning, I will be working to hasten His return. I will be seeking to build His kingdom now as opposed to just enjoying the kingdom of this earth.
Third, I will understand that building His kingdom will bring opposition from those who desire to build an earthly kingdom, perhaps even within your own family unit. We should always strive to be at peace with people but never at the cost of turning from Jesus.
This is the glory of Jesus. It is His pleasure and the Father's pleasure to give us the kingdom. But our ability to receive the eternal kingdom is in direct proportion to our focus upon Him. How much of His glory can we really see? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
April 13, 2010
Leviticus 17
Humans have always tried to create God in our likeness. Our Lord is not created in our likeness. He is beyond us. He is separate from us. He is different. He is holy. It is easy for us in our own minds to put parameters upon God, to define what He is like, to make Him fit our own paradigms. This has always been true of humanity. It is as true today as it was in the days of the ancients. However, the ancients were often more blatant in expressing it. In the days of Moses and the Egyptians they included their gods in everything. Hence, if they were going to have meat at a meal they would offer the animal first to their idols as a way of sanctifying the meal. Here, the Lord is making sure that the Israelites break from their Egyptian idolatry.
He forbids them to eat sacrificial meat. The meat which they bring to the tabernacle is left there. Only the priests ate of it. If they ate meat at home, it was to be completely drained of the blood. Why? Because of God’s holiness. One constant for all ages is that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. That is why Cain’s sacrifice was not accepted. It was not a blood sacrifice. Life is in the blood. Sin requires death. Therefore, for the remission of sin, blood must be shed. Out of that death, our Lord brings life. Out of His death the Lord brings life. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 12:1-31
If I were to ask you, "What is the greatest and most common sins among Americans?" What would you say? Would it be sexual immorality? Certainly our television programming and movies are full of it. I don't watch much broadcast TV but when I do it seems to be filled with references to divorce, adultery, fornication and homosexuality. These are all different forms of breaking the seventh commandment. Or would your answer be violence and hatred. Again the media is filled with violence. We seem to go from war to war. Our video games highlight violence. Again these are all forms of breaking the sixth commandment. Maybe you would say, "Sabbath breaking," or, "dishonoring parents," the fourth and fifth commandments. Or, would you say, "Stealing and lying," the eighth and ninth commandments? Or perhaps you would say that taking the Lord's name in vain is the most pervasive sin, the third commandment?
Somebody once asked a very rich man (I have heard this attributed to J.P. Morgan and to Rockefeller), "How much is enough?" His answer was, "Just a little bit more." That is the heart of covetousness, the tenth commandment. You know our economy is somewhat based upon covetousness. We produce things people want. In order to get people to buy our brand, we come up with commercials and advertisements that incite the covetous nature in people. This product is better than that product--just a little bit more. For some people their self-concepts are formed by how well they meet the standards of Madison Avenue. Unless they have the latest clothes, electronic gadget, music or what have you, they think their life is unfulfilled. Somehow we let the advertising community tell us that our lives consist of the abundance of things we posses or the achievements we attain.
Many years ago, I heard (via CD) the testimony of Neil Jeffries. He was the quarterback for the Baylor Bears in the early-mid-seventies when they defeated the Texas Longhorns for the first time in 17 years. This was the height of his career. He said that with in just a few hours after the victory and emptiness settled in. It wasn't enough. It didn't satisfy. He wanted more. Somehow we begin to think that life consists of the things we possess or the accomplishments we achieve or the recognition we receive.
Of what then, does life consist? Well He is our Creator-not a watch maker who put us together and then left us to ourselves. He is intimately involved in all our affairs! He has Created us to enjoy Him forever. If that is true then, when we put our focus on the things He has created rather than upon Him, we are essentially turning our back on life itself. We are turning our back on that of which life consists! That is why focusing upon His glory is so important. If we are ashamed of His glory, it is only reasonable that He would be ashamed of us. It is time to quit focusing on creation and focus on the Creator. That is why I follow Jesus. He is my Creator. I rebelled against Him. He loved me in my rebellion. He died for me when I ignored Him. He sought me when I turned my back on that of which life consists! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Humans have always tried to create God in our likeness. Our Lord is not created in our likeness. He is beyond us. He is separate from us. He is different. He is holy. It is easy for us in our own minds to put parameters upon God, to define what He is like, to make Him fit our own paradigms. This has always been true of humanity. It is as true today as it was in the days of the ancients. However, the ancients were often more blatant in expressing it. In the days of Moses and the Egyptians they included their gods in everything. Hence, if they were going to have meat at a meal they would offer the animal first to their idols as a way of sanctifying the meal. Here, the Lord is making sure that the Israelites break from their Egyptian idolatry.
He forbids them to eat sacrificial meat. The meat which they bring to the tabernacle is left there. Only the priests ate of it. If they ate meat at home, it was to be completely drained of the blood. Why? Because of God’s holiness. One constant for all ages is that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. That is why Cain’s sacrifice was not accepted. It was not a blood sacrifice. Life is in the blood. Sin requires death. Therefore, for the remission of sin, blood must be shed. Out of that death, our Lord brings life. Out of His death the Lord brings life. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 12:1-31
If I were to ask you, "What is the greatest and most common sins among Americans?" What would you say? Would it be sexual immorality? Certainly our television programming and movies are full of it. I don't watch much broadcast TV but when I do it seems to be filled with references to divorce, adultery, fornication and homosexuality. These are all different forms of breaking the seventh commandment. Or would your answer be violence and hatred. Again the media is filled with violence. We seem to go from war to war. Our video games highlight violence. Again these are all forms of breaking the sixth commandment. Maybe you would say, "Sabbath breaking," or, "dishonoring parents," the fourth and fifth commandments. Or, would you say, "Stealing and lying," the eighth and ninth commandments? Or perhaps you would say that taking the Lord's name in vain is the most pervasive sin, the third commandment?
Somebody once asked a very rich man (I have heard this attributed to J.P. Morgan and to Rockefeller), "How much is enough?" His answer was, "Just a little bit more." That is the heart of covetousness, the tenth commandment. You know our economy is somewhat based upon covetousness. We produce things people want. In order to get people to buy our brand, we come up with commercials and advertisements that incite the covetous nature in people. This product is better than that product--just a little bit more. For some people their self-concepts are formed by how well they meet the standards of Madison Avenue. Unless they have the latest clothes, electronic gadget, music or what have you, they think their life is unfulfilled. Somehow we let the advertising community tell us that our lives consist of the abundance of things we posses or the achievements we attain.
Many years ago, I heard (via CD) the testimony of Neil Jeffries. He was the quarterback for the Baylor Bears in the early-mid-seventies when they defeated the Texas Longhorns for the first time in 17 years. This was the height of his career. He said that with in just a few hours after the victory and emptiness settled in. It wasn't enough. It didn't satisfy. He wanted more. Somehow we begin to think that life consists of the things we possess or the accomplishments we achieve or the recognition we receive.
Of what then, does life consist? Well He is our Creator-not a watch maker who put us together and then left us to ourselves. He is intimately involved in all our affairs! He has Created us to enjoy Him forever. If that is true then, when we put our focus on the things He has created rather than upon Him, we are essentially turning our back on life itself. We are turning our back on that of which life consists! That is why focusing upon His glory is so important. If we are ashamed of His glory, it is only reasonable that He would be ashamed of us. It is time to quit focusing on creation and focus on the Creator. That is why I follow Jesus. He is my Creator. I rebelled against Him. He loved me in my rebellion. He died for me when I ignored Him. He sought me when I turned my back on that of which life consists! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
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