Leviticus 8
I enjoyed reading J.Vernon McGee’s commentary on this chapter today. I particularly appreciated his interpretation of the significance of Fellowship offerings and the placement of the blood upon the ear, thumb and big toe of the priest:
Actually, fellowship in the New Testament means to share the things of Christ. Only those who are the blood-bought believers can share the things of Christ. The priests had to go inside the holy place to see the beauties of that place. The outside was not very pretty. Just so, the unbelieving world does not see the beauty of Christ and rejects Him, but the child of God is finding new beauties and glories in Him every day.
The blood-tipped ear symbolizes the ear that will hear the voice of God. Without that, friend, you are not going to hear Him. The natural man does not receive the things of Christ. The blood-tipped hand was essential for service. It is impossible to serve the Lord before one is saved. The blood-tipped foot was essential for the walk before God. All of this is symbolic of the fact that the total personality must be presented to God. (J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible Commentary).
Jesus, our High Priest, presented Himself totally to the Father. Let us do the same through the blood of His sacrifice. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 8:26-56
In August of '04 I had the privilege of being one of the adults to take our youth to our national youth conference, Life, in Phoenix, AZ. We took an extra day to take some of them up to the Grand Canyon. It was the first and only time that I have ever seen it. Even the best photographs just do not do it justice. I've seen these panoramic pictures that are extra wide of the Grand Canyon and nothing does it justice. For me it was breath taking. It is interesting, now that I have been there, to go to picture books and look at the little photographs of certain localized spots of the canyon. But now I know that those photographs cannot even begin to communicate the greatness of the glory of the Grand Canyon. And yet there are even larger canyons. The Copper Canyon in Chihuahua, Mexico is reported to be 4 times larger consisting of 6 major canyons that make up the system and over 10,000 miles of winding river passages. It is hard to see the glory of such canyons through just photographs.
The greatness of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ is even greater than the creation, for He made it all and holds it all together by the word of His power. Yet we can get little photographic shots of little niches of His glory. In one sweeping panoramic view Luke reveals Jesus setting one man free from the bondage of sin, cleansing a woman from the stain of sin, and raising a girl temporarily from the penalty of sin. It speaks volumes to what He can and will do in our lives.
The picture of His victory over the demons with the demoniac demonstrates that there is no habit, no bondage to sin, no behavior from which He cannot set us free and give us victory! No drink is too controlling that He cannot bring self-control. No drug is too strong that he cannot bring freedom. No emotion is so overpowering that He is cannot bring relief. No drive is so great that He cannot apply the brakes.
The picture of His healing of the woman with the issue of blood reveals His great power to cleanse us from our sin. In Jesus' culture the woman's physical problem rendered here ceremonially unclean so that she would have been forbidden to participate in acts of worship and even in some social interaction. If she followed the regulations, she would have felt not only physical weakness but also a great deal of isolation because of her ceremonial impurity. Certainly she had to deal with many issues of guilt feelings. Many ills that people endure today stem from guilt feelings resulting from unresolved sin issues or improper thinking concerning their sin. Because of their guilt they feel isolated from others. But Jesus forgives sin. He washes away the guilt associated with our past behavior. We are clean in His sight. No stain is too deep that He cannot remove it. No past is too wrong that He cannot right it.
The picture of His raising Jairus' daughter reveals that one day we too will be raised finally and completely from the dead. Death is an unwanted intruder. It was never part of the original creation. It is the result of sin. The last enemy that will be laid aside by Jesus is death. In His resurrection He has already secured its defeat. But one day He will apply it to all who are in Him. Death has no victory and no sting. The raising of Jairus' daughter reveals that.
Jesus does all of these. He sets us free. He cleanses us. He raises us from the dead. Right now they are little still photographs of a glory that cannot be comprehended in a photo. By the way I read somewhere once that if you reduced the earth to the size of a ball bearing that we cannot make ball bearings that are as smooth as the earth would be. And yet, I am impressed with the Grand Canyon. That presents His glory from a different perspective. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Monday, April 5, 2010
April 4, 2010
Leviticus 7 no comment
Luke 8:1-25
Ever noticed how we all have selective hearing? Of course you have, it’s a common part of our nature. I remember when my mother would call me. If she used the diminutive, 'Johnny,' (which wasn't very often) I could pretty well bet that she was going to ask me something that she wasn't going to force upon me, but I probably wouldn't like. If she used just my first name, I knew that things were ok, and we were basically in the beginning of the obedience test. If she said, "John Craig!" I knew that her patience was strained, and I'd better act. If she said, "John Craig Chaffin!" It was too late, I had already crossed the line of the obedience test, and I had better brace myself for the consequences. I was the last of 5 kids. If she was calling me by starting at the top of the list of my siblings until she got to me, then I knew that she was frustrated or excited about something. It was time to listen closely, lest I further her frustration. My hearing and obedience was selective relative to how I was addressed and the tone of her voice.
As I grew older, I learned that selective hearing worked both ways. Often it is common for a parent to act like they are listening to the ongoing prattle of their child when in fact, their mind is far off. My mom was a school teacher. Sometimes I found that if she was immersed in thought that the best way to get here attention was not to call her, "Mom," but to say, "Mrs. Chaffin." I guess when my daughter wants my attention she says, "Father." She has learned that that usually gets my attention. Why? I never addressed my father as, "Father." It was always, "Daddy," or "Dad." So when I hear, "Father," I automatically feel like I am in a very formal situation, and I begin paying attention.
What does selective hearing have to do with today's passage on the glory of Christ? Jesus addressed the multitudes in parables, which most of them did not understand. We humans have selective hearing. It is the glory of Christ to plainly tell His message to everyone. Yet, only those who listen will understand. It is so important for us to take heed as to how we hear. Only those who concentrate upon hearing Him will understand and obey. Spiritually, most of us have attention deficit disorder, ADD. For a period in time, even Jesus' mother and brothers were suffering from spiritual ADD. They thought Jesus had gone mad. They had come to collect Him. What was Jesus' response? "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."
Our obedience level is directly connected to our selective hearing level. He is not a God that will demean Himself by ignoring our inattentiveness. However, He does arrange circumstances in our lives so that we will sharpen our hearing faculties. Hence for the disciples, they immediately cross the sea of Galilee, Jesus falls asleep and a great storm threatens to destroy them. Hadn't they listened to the parable of the sower and hearing and obedience? Well, yes, but in the storm He had their full attention. Their hearing was no longer selective. They saw His great glory. Are you in a storm? Pay attention! It is in the storm where you can see His glory at its greatest! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Luke 8:1-25
Ever noticed how we all have selective hearing? Of course you have, it’s a common part of our nature. I remember when my mother would call me. If she used the diminutive, 'Johnny,' (which wasn't very often) I could pretty well bet that she was going to ask me something that she wasn't going to force upon me, but I probably wouldn't like. If she used just my first name, I knew that things were ok, and we were basically in the beginning of the obedience test. If she said, "John Craig!" I knew that her patience was strained, and I'd better act. If she said, "John Craig Chaffin!" It was too late, I had already crossed the line of the obedience test, and I had better brace myself for the consequences. I was the last of 5 kids. If she was calling me by starting at the top of the list of my siblings until she got to me, then I knew that she was frustrated or excited about something. It was time to listen closely, lest I further her frustration. My hearing and obedience was selective relative to how I was addressed and the tone of her voice.
As I grew older, I learned that selective hearing worked both ways. Often it is common for a parent to act like they are listening to the ongoing prattle of their child when in fact, their mind is far off. My mom was a school teacher. Sometimes I found that if she was immersed in thought that the best way to get here attention was not to call her, "Mom," but to say, "Mrs. Chaffin." I guess when my daughter wants my attention she says, "Father." She has learned that that usually gets my attention. Why? I never addressed my father as, "Father." It was always, "Daddy," or "Dad." So when I hear, "Father," I automatically feel like I am in a very formal situation, and I begin paying attention.
What does selective hearing have to do with today's passage on the glory of Christ? Jesus addressed the multitudes in parables, which most of them did not understand. We humans have selective hearing. It is the glory of Christ to plainly tell His message to everyone. Yet, only those who listen will understand. It is so important for us to take heed as to how we hear. Only those who concentrate upon hearing Him will understand and obey. Spiritually, most of us have attention deficit disorder, ADD. For a period in time, even Jesus' mother and brothers were suffering from spiritual ADD. They thought Jesus had gone mad. They had come to collect Him. What was Jesus' response? "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."
Our obedience level is directly connected to our selective hearing level. He is not a God that will demean Himself by ignoring our inattentiveness. However, He does arrange circumstances in our lives so that we will sharpen our hearing faculties. Hence for the disciples, they immediately cross the sea of Galilee, Jesus falls asleep and a great storm threatens to destroy them. Hadn't they listened to the parable of the sower and hearing and obedience? Well, yes, but in the storm He had their full attention. Their hearing was no longer selective. They saw His great glory. Are you in a storm? Pay attention! It is in the storm where you can see His glory at its greatest! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Saturday, April 3, 2010
April 3, 2010
Leviticus 6
13‘A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out.“ Fire is both a symbol of purity and passion. The fire should never go out. If we are now a tabernacle of God, what does the fire, which never goes out, symbolize? The Fire of purity and passion for the glory of God should never be allowed to come to a smolder. How can I do that unless daily I come to Him to gaze upon His awesome glory? Lord show me Your glory! Don’t let the fire die. Indeed You are a glorious King. Enable me to speak Your glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 7:31-50
I think we often play mental games with whether we love God more than other people. In our own minds we come up with all kinds of ways to measure that love. Usually it involves things like, “Do I commit adultery either physically or mentally?” If not then I must love God more than those who do. “Do I give 1%, 10% or 90% of my income to God?” If I give 1%, then I must love God more than those who give 0. If I give 10% then I must love God more than those who give 1%. If I give 90%, then I must love God more than those who give 10%. Somehow we equate how much we love God with how good we are. There is a bit of truth to that for Jesus did say, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” However, that is twisted when we start trying to compare ourselves to others on the basis of the good things we do or bad things we don’t do.
Simon the Pharisee had a problem with that. Jesus was at Simon’s house for a meal. What better way to show your love for someone than to invite them into your home for a meal. Simon did that. Somehow a sinful woman gained access to the house during the meal. With tears of repentance, she washed Jesus’ feet, dried them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with costly oil. Simon was offended that Jesus would permit such a sinful woman to touch Him. Hmmm, giving a meal or kissing feet. . . which do you think shows the greater love?
Between the two, Simon and the woman, the woman is the one who really understood the glory of Jesus. You see the glory of Jesus is revealed in His great forgiveness of our great sin. The woman understood that and received the forgiveness that Jesus offered. The result was an overwhelming joy that she could participate in His glory. Simon thought that the glory of God was increased because he sinned less than the woman. Non-sense! Can you ever imagine the Great God of Glory saying, “Oh thank you so much! You have increased My Glory by sinning less than others! I am so grateful that you have done this for me!” God’s glory is not changed by our obedience. Maybe the ability of other people to see his glory is changed by our obedience. What we really need to do is to learn to bask in the greatness of His forgiveness. As we do, we are changed. Sin decreases in proportion to our focus on His glory—because we love Him. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
13‘A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out.“ Fire is both a symbol of purity and passion. The fire should never go out. If we are now a tabernacle of God, what does the fire, which never goes out, symbolize? The Fire of purity and passion for the glory of God should never be allowed to come to a smolder. How can I do that unless daily I come to Him to gaze upon His awesome glory? Lord show me Your glory! Don’t let the fire die. Indeed You are a glorious King. Enable me to speak Your glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 7:31-50
I think we often play mental games with whether we love God more than other people. In our own minds we come up with all kinds of ways to measure that love. Usually it involves things like, “Do I commit adultery either physically or mentally?” If not then I must love God more than those who do. “Do I give 1%, 10% or 90% of my income to God?” If I give 1%, then I must love God more than those who give 0. If I give 10% then I must love God more than those who give 1%. If I give 90%, then I must love God more than those who give 10%. Somehow we equate how much we love God with how good we are. There is a bit of truth to that for Jesus did say, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” However, that is twisted when we start trying to compare ourselves to others on the basis of the good things we do or bad things we don’t do.
Simon the Pharisee had a problem with that. Jesus was at Simon’s house for a meal. What better way to show your love for someone than to invite them into your home for a meal. Simon did that. Somehow a sinful woman gained access to the house during the meal. With tears of repentance, she washed Jesus’ feet, dried them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with costly oil. Simon was offended that Jesus would permit such a sinful woman to touch Him. Hmmm, giving a meal or kissing feet. . . which do you think shows the greater love?
Between the two, Simon and the woman, the woman is the one who really understood the glory of Jesus. You see the glory of Jesus is revealed in His great forgiveness of our great sin. The woman understood that and received the forgiveness that Jesus offered. The result was an overwhelming joy that she could participate in His glory. Simon thought that the glory of God was increased because he sinned less than the woman. Non-sense! Can you ever imagine the Great God of Glory saying, “Oh thank you so much! You have increased My Glory by sinning less than others! I am so grateful that you have done this for me!” God’s glory is not changed by our obedience. Maybe the ability of other people to see his glory is changed by our obedience. What we really need to do is to learn to bask in the greatness of His forgiveness. As we do, we are changed. Sin decreases in proportion to our focus on His glory—because we love Him. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Friday, April 2, 2010
April 2, 2010
April 2, 2010 Leviticus 5
Thank you, Lord, that my trespasses against you can be atoned for. They are paid for and covered over by the blood of the sacrifice of Your Son. Indeed You are a glorious King. Enable me to speak Your glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
April 2 Luke 7;1-30
Circumstances often discourage us. We get a picture in our minds of how things ought to be. Then they don’t turn out that way, and it is hard for us reconcile what God had done or should I say allowed to happen with the picture in our minds. In the spring of ’75, Gene challenged me to go to Africa that summer on a project with Campus Crusade for Christ. I prayed about it and felt that that was the direction that the Lord was leading. If I remember correctly, the cost was going to be around $1,700. That was a substantial sum for a college student in ’75. Gene challenged me to pray, ask the Lord, tell people of my need, and ask the Lord to lay it upon their hearts. If the Lord wanted me to go, He would raise the funds. I did, and I began the process. My pastor soon contacted me and politely and kindly asked me not to talk to anyone in the church about my trip. He said the church was in bad financial situation at the time and my fund raising would draw off needed resources. So, I ceased activity in what I thought would have been a major source of God’s provision. Gene suggested that I speak to another pastor in town, one which was financially well off. I did and the church decided to give $50.00. They were capable of doing much more, had they wanted to do more. This was not matching the picture in my mind of how things should go. Gene encouraged me to keep trusting the Lord and see what He would do. Funds slowly began coming in from many different sources. Some of them were quite surprising. But three days before the deadline when I had to mail in all of the money, I was still $500.00 short. I had contacted everyone I knew. It didn’t look too likely that it was going to happen. This wasn’t playing out like the picture in my mind. But Gene encouraged me to pray right up to the deadline and not give up. The night before I had to send my money in I received two phone calls. Both calls were from uncles, living in two different cities. Both uncles informed me that they had sent a gift for me to headquarters. The combined sums exceeded what I needed to go. I even had a little spending money. God supplied, but it wasn’t the picture I had in mind.
John the Baptist had much time to think sitting in Herod’s prison cell. He no longer had anyone to whom he could preach. Occasionally, Herod would bring him out of his cell to discuss theology with him. But it soon became apparent because of his hard stance on repentance as preparation for the Kingdom of God that he would never leave his cell. What’s more is that Jesus was doing nothing about it. This wasn’t playing out like the picture he had in his mind. Sure he had said, “He must increase and I must decrease!” But that really meant to him that Jesus would become the Righteous King who would usher in a righteous kingdom, while John retired to perhaps a more contemplative life in the desert. But Jesus had made no moves to build a kingdom, and John was permanently in jail. Definitely not the picture he had in mind. He had plenty of time in his jail cell to think discouraging thoughts.
There was a widow in the village of Nain. She had one son, now a young man. Not only were her emotional hopes tied up in the young man, but in her culture, much of her financial security would have found its provision in his successful economic endeavors. The young man died. First her husband died, then her only son. Definitely not the picture she had in mind. She was filled with discouraging thoughts as the funeral procession advanced out of town toward the tomb. When the Lord saw her, He had compassion. He raised the young man to life. There was joy in the camp!
John sent a message to Jesus, “Are you the Coming One, or do we look for another?” His discouragement had dropped to the point that he wondered if any of the picture that he had in his mind was correct. What was Jesus’ answer? “Tell John . . . the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” Yes, He is the Coming One. No, His actions do not always proceed like the pictures in our minds. The end result for the widow was that she received back her son. He would die another day. The end result for John was that he would remain in jail to eventually lose his head on a chopping block.
When we are discouraged, it is time to dwell on the glory of the Lord. He is the One who makes the blind see, the lame to walk, the lepers to be cleansed, the deaf to hear and raises the dead. Surely He will meet us in our circumstances. But remember when He meets us, He might raise the dead, or He might say, “My grace (glory) is sufficient for you.” We can ask, but He paints the picture. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Thank you, Lord, that my trespasses against you can be atoned for. They are paid for and covered over by the blood of the sacrifice of Your Son. Indeed You are a glorious King. Enable me to speak Your glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
April 2 Luke 7;1-30
Circumstances often discourage us. We get a picture in our minds of how things ought to be. Then they don’t turn out that way, and it is hard for us reconcile what God had done or should I say allowed to happen with the picture in our minds. In the spring of ’75, Gene challenged me to go to Africa that summer on a project with Campus Crusade for Christ. I prayed about it and felt that that was the direction that the Lord was leading. If I remember correctly, the cost was going to be around $1,700. That was a substantial sum for a college student in ’75. Gene challenged me to pray, ask the Lord, tell people of my need, and ask the Lord to lay it upon their hearts. If the Lord wanted me to go, He would raise the funds. I did, and I began the process. My pastor soon contacted me and politely and kindly asked me not to talk to anyone in the church about my trip. He said the church was in bad financial situation at the time and my fund raising would draw off needed resources. So, I ceased activity in what I thought would have been a major source of God’s provision. Gene suggested that I speak to another pastor in town, one which was financially well off. I did and the church decided to give $50.00. They were capable of doing much more, had they wanted to do more. This was not matching the picture in my mind of how things should go. Gene encouraged me to keep trusting the Lord and see what He would do. Funds slowly began coming in from many different sources. Some of them were quite surprising. But three days before the deadline when I had to mail in all of the money, I was still $500.00 short. I had contacted everyone I knew. It didn’t look too likely that it was going to happen. This wasn’t playing out like the picture in my mind. But Gene encouraged me to pray right up to the deadline and not give up. The night before I had to send my money in I received two phone calls. Both calls were from uncles, living in two different cities. Both uncles informed me that they had sent a gift for me to headquarters. The combined sums exceeded what I needed to go. I even had a little spending money. God supplied, but it wasn’t the picture I had in mind.
John the Baptist had much time to think sitting in Herod’s prison cell. He no longer had anyone to whom he could preach. Occasionally, Herod would bring him out of his cell to discuss theology with him. But it soon became apparent because of his hard stance on repentance as preparation for the Kingdom of God that he would never leave his cell. What’s more is that Jesus was doing nothing about it. This wasn’t playing out like the picture he had in his mind. Sure he had said, “He must increase and I must decrease!” But that really meant to him that Jesus would become the Righteous King who would usher in a righteous kingdom, while John retired to perhaps a more contemplative life in the desert. But Jesus had made no moves to build a kingdom, and John was permanently in jail. Definitely not the picture he had in mind. He had plenty of time in his jail cell to think discouraging thoughts.
There was a widow in the village of Nain. She had one son, now a young man. Not only were her emotional hopes tied up in the young man, but in her culture, much of her financial security would have found its provision in his successful economic endeavors. The young man died. First her husband died, then her only son. Definitely not the picture she had in mind. She was filled with discouraging thoughts as the funeral procession advanced out of town toward the tomb. When the Lord saw her, He had compassion. He raised the young man to life. There was joy in the camp!
John sent a message to Jesus, “Are you the Coming One, or do we look for another?” His discouragement had dropped to the point that he wondered if any of the picture that he had in his mind was correct. What was Jesus’ answer? “Tell John . . . the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” Yes, He is the Coming One. No, His actions do not always proceed like the pictures in our minds. The end result for the widow was that she received back her son. He would die another day. The end result for John was that he would remain in jail to eventually lose his head on a chopping block.
When we are discouraged, it is time to dwell on the glory of the Lord. He is the One who makes the blind see, the lame to walk, the lepers to be cleansed, the deaf to hear and raises the dead. Surely He will meet us in our circumstances. But remember when He meets us, He might raise the dead, or He might say, “My grace (glory) is sufficient for you.” We can ask, but He paints the picture. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Thursday, April 1, 2010
April 1, 2010
Leviticus 4
“So the priest shall make atonement for his sin that he has committed, and it shall be forgiven him." I am so thankful that my High Priest, the Lord Jesus the Messiah, took my sin upon Himself and offered His own body for my sin so that I am forgiven by trusting in Him. I committed the sin. He made the atonement with His own body. Thank you Lord Jesus. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 6:27-49
Since World War II the USA has tried to improve the nations we first subjugated. Study World History and you will find that, that is pretty different from what most nations do to those whom they defeat. The USA has had mixed motives in doing this. Some of it is that we have come to see that it is in our best interest to feed our enemy and help him rise from the dust that we put him in. The reason we have somewhat decent relations with Germany and Japan today is because we helped in the post-war years feed their people and rebuild their economy. We have since learned that in general, countries that we have helped don't usually attack. Hence, the rationale for our continued involvement Iraq is that if we rebuild a secure Iraq, we will have a more secure future. But what has caused us to take that route after WWII? Part of it is that at that time we were still a Christian culture. The teaching of Jesus to love your enemy, do good to those who hate you, was at least partially embedded in the culture. It wasn't purely from that motive, but that motive was undeniably part of it.
I am currently reading Tea with Hezbollah by Ted Dekker. It is fascinating reading, and I recommend it if you would like to meditate some more on Jesus’ teaching concerning loving your enemy, and how that plays out in our world.
Jesus offers us the commands to love our enemies, not because we might become their friends if we do, although that might happen. He offers the commands because it is the right thing to do. It is also the glorious thing to do. Look at His example. He died for the sins of the whole world. But the whole world does not receive the provision for which he died. He loves the world none-the-less. Yes, many of us become His friends because He turned the other cheek on the cross. But many still find the cross an abomination, a stumbling block. But right up until their death Jesus extends the offer of forgiveness. Now that is glory! I cannot prove it with chapter and verse but I think that at the Great White Throne Judgment, when He has the final judgment of all those who refused to receive Him, they will bow the knee, but not willingly. They will go into Eternal Judgment still rejecting Him, still fighting Him. It will be clear to all of us that He is just in sending them to the lake of fire. After all, He died in their place, He turned the cheek and they struck it again and again and again. He loved them but they refused to acknowledge their utter need for Him. Love will not force love to be returned.
He loves us. Even when we were still enemies with Him, He loved us. As we fall in love with Him and gaze upon His glory, we are changed into that same likeness. To build upon any other foundation brings extreme ruin. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
“So the priest shall make atonement for his sin that he has committed, and it shall be forgiven him." I am so thankful that my High Priest, the Lord Jesus the Messiah, took my sin upon Himself and offered His own body for my sin so that I am forgiven by trusting in Him. I committed the sin. He made the atonement with His own body. Thank you Lord Jesus. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 6:27-49
Since World War II the USA has tried to improve the nations we first subjugated. Study World History and you will find that, that is pretty different from what most nations do to those whom they defeat. The USA has had mixed motives in doing this. Some of it is that we have come to see that it is in our best interest to feed our enemy and help him rise from the dust that we put him in. The reason we have somewhat decent relations with Germany and Japan today is because we helped in the post-war years feed their people and rebuild their economy. We have since learned that in general, countries that we have helped don't usually attack. Hence, the rationale for our continued involvement Iraq is that if we rebuild a secure Iraq, we will have a more secure future. But what has caused us to take that route after WWII? Part of it is that at that time we were still a Christian culture. The teaching of Jesus to love your enemy, do good to those who hate you, was at least partially embedded in the culture. It wasn't purely from that motive, but that motive was undeniably part of it.
I am currently reading Tea with Hezbollah by Ted Dekker. It is fascinating reading, and I recommend it if you would like to meditate some more on Jesus’ teaching concerning loving your enemy, and how that plays out in our world.
Jesus offers us the commands to love our enemies, not because we might become their friends if we do, although that might happen. He offers the commands because it is the right thing to do. It is also the glorious thing to do. Look at His example. He died for the sins of the whole world. But the whole world does not receive the provision for which he died. He loves the world none-the-less. Yes, many of us become His friends because He turned the other cheek on the cross. But many still find the cross an abomination, a stumbling block. But right up until their death Jesus extends the offer of forgiveness. Now that is glory! I cannot prove it with chapter and verse but I think that at the Great White Throne Judgment, when He has the final judgment of all those who refused to receive Him, they will bow the knee, but not willingly. They will go into Eternal Judgment still rejecting Him, still fighting Him. It will be clear to all of us that He is just in sending them to the lake of fire. After all, He died in their place, He turned the cheek and they struck it again and again and again. He loved them but they refused to acknowledge their utter need for Him. Love will not force love to be returned.
He loves us. Even when we were still enemies with Him, He loved us. As we fall in love with Him and gaze upon His glory, we are changed into that same likeness. To build upon any other foundation brings extreme ruin. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
March 31, 2010
Leviticus 2,3
Twelve times in these two chapters the Lord says the offerings should be made by fire. Why does He repeat Himself so many times? Why couldn’t it have been a different kind of offering? What is He trying to teach by making such an issue of fire? He also says that the offerings needed to be salted. Is there some kind of link between fire and salt? What do they have in common? Both are purifying agents. What is He trying to teach us? Could it be His own purity? Part of His glory is that He is perfectly pure. To be in His presence demands purity. As sinners, we need a substitute to make us pure. He has provided it for us in Jesus. The sacrifices speak of Him. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 6:1-26
My church experience of my years of 2nd grade through part of 7th grade were spent in a little country church in Oklahoma. During those 7.5 years, I had 7 different pastors. A couple of them left on good terms. One was a missions candidate and he left for Africa. Another was there for 6 months and then left. He never really said why. Another was there for over a year. He left because it became too much of a strain on his family to drive from Tulsa every weekend. The rest were not 'happy' partings. It left an indelible mark upon me. When God first began to speak to me about ministry, I wanted nothing to do with it. Part of the reason was because of what I had observed. I just cannot stand conflict. I've concluded that conflict is a given in ministry. Even Paul had to deal with it in the church in Corinth. Fleshliness had raised its ugly head even there. Wherever there are people, it is there.
There are so many things that divide God's people. The hot issue in Jesus' day was how one observed the Sabbath. The Law is clear that one should do NO work on the Sabbath. It did give some exceptions. So, what constituted work? Kindling a fire was considered work. Today there are still ultra-orthodox Jews who will not turn on a stove on the Sabbath because that would constitute work. There are a few streets in Jerusalem where I am told that if you drive on them on the Sabbath that people will pick up rocks and throw them at you because you are breaking the Sabbath.
The disciples were hungry as they walked from one ministry location to another on the Sabbath. Fortunately for them, they were going through a grain field. They plucked the ripe wheat heads as they walked along. Now that is harvesting, and harvesting is work. Then they would rub the husks and chaff off of the heads of grain. Now that is threshing, and threshing is work. Then they ate. Now this was just too much for the Pharisees. They thought the disciples were clearly in violation of the fourth commandment.
What was the purpose of the fourth commandment? For the nation of Israel it was a sign of the covenant. For everybody, it was to give man an opportunity to cease worldly activities in order to focus on God. Six days is enough to focus on the world. We need one day to focus on God's glory. We need to be refreshed by Him. When we focus on having to define what is and isn't work in order to keep the letter of the Law, we are missing the point. The point is being refreshed by the glory of God! What was Jesus' answer? It was "The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath." The disciples were focusing upon the Son of Man on the Sabbath. What difference did it make if they refreshed themselves by a little "work" while they walked? Their focus was on Him. He is the glory of the Sabbath. Our activities on the Sabbath should be constrained by the principle, "Will this help or hinder my focus on Him? Will He be revealed as Lord by my doing this?" and nothing else.
On another Sabbath they were watching to see if He would heal. Healing would be work, a clear violation of the Sabbath law. Jesus gave them something to have conflict about. He healed the man. What greater glory could there be than healing and giving life on the Sabbath. He healed the man to reveal His glory. The Pharisees? They were filled with rage, so filled that they could not see His glory as it stood in front of them.
Luke contrasts this with the choosing of the disciples, more healing and then the Beatitudes. The poor in spirit recognize a need for the glory of God. Those who hunger for righteousness will do all they can to see His glory. Those who see they lack righteousness will weep until they receive His glory. Focusing on His glory will eventually cause some others to hate you. Why? Because His glory so blatantly reveals their emptiness. I guess fleshliness will always be here until He returns, even in me. That is why I need to see His glory so much. When I see His glory, there is only one thing to do with the flesh--kill it--count it crucified with Him. If we would do this, it would eliminate so much of what divides us. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Twelve times in these two chapters the Lord says the offerings should be made by fire. Why does He repeat Himself so many times? Why couldn’t it have been a different kind of offering? What is He trying to teach by making such an issue of fire? He also says that the offerings needed to be salted. Is there some kind of link between fire and salt? What do they have in common? Both are purifying agents. What is He trying to teach us? Could it be His own purity? Part of His glory is that He is perfectly pure. To be in His presence demands purity. As sinners, we need a substitute to make us pure. He has provided it for us in Jesus. The sacrifices speak of Him. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 6:1-26
My church experience of my years of 2nd grade through part of 7th grade were spent in a little country church in Oklahoma. During those 7.5 years, I had 7 different pastors. A couple of them left on good terms. One was a missions candidate and he left for Africa. Another was there for 6 months and then left. He never really said why. Another was there for over a year. He left because it became too much of a strain on his family to drive from Tulsa every weekend. The rest were not 'happy' partings. It left an indelible mark upon me. When God first began to speak to me about ministry, I wanted nothing to do with it. Part of the reason was because of what I had observed. I just cannot stand conflict. I've concluded that conflict is a given in ministry. Even Paul had to deal with it in the church in Corinth. Fleshliness had raised its ugly head even there. Wherever there are people, it is there.
There are so many things that divide God's people. The hot issue in Jesus' day was how one observed the Sabbath. The Law is clear that one should do NO work on the Sabbath. It did give some exceptions. So, what constituted work? Kindling a fire was considered work. Today there are still ultra-orthodox Jews who will not turn on a stove on the Sabbath because that would constitute work. There are a few streets in Jerusalem where I am told that if you drive on them on the Sabbath that people will pick up rocks and throw them at you because you are breaking the Sabbath.
The disciples were hungry as they walked from one ministry location to another on the Sabbath. Fortunately for them, they were going through a grain field. They plucked the ripe wheat heads as they walked along. Now that is harvesting, and harvesting is work. Then they would rub the husks and chaff off of the heads of grain. Now that is threshing, and threshing is work. Then they ate. Now this was just too much for the Pharisees. They thought the disciples were clearly in violation of the fourth commandment.
What was the purpose of the fourth commandment? For the nation of Israel it was a sign of the covenant. For everybody, it was to give man an opportunity to cease worldly activities in order to focus on God. Six days is enough to focus on the world. We need one day to focus on God's glory. We need to be refreshed by Him. When we focus on having to define what is and isn't work in order to keep the letter of the Law, we are missing the point. The point is being refreshed by the glory of God! What was Jesus' answer? It was "The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath." The disciples were focusing upon the Son of Man on the Sabbath. What difference did it make if they refreshed themselves by a little "work" while they walked? Their focus was on Him. He is the glory of the Sabbath. Our activities on the Sabbath should be constrained by the principle, "Will this help or hinder my focus on Him? Will He be revealed as Lord by my doing this?" and nothing else.
On another Sabbath they were watching to see if He would heal. Healing would be work, a clear violation of the Sabbath law. Jesus gave them something to have conflict about. He healed the man. What greater glory could there be than healing and giving life on the Sabbath. He healed the man to reveal His glory. The Pharisees? They were filled with rage, so filled that they could not see His glory as it stood in front of them.
Luke contrasts this with the choosing of the disciples, more healing and then the Beatitudes. The poor in spirit recognize a need for the glory of God. Those who hunger for righteousness will do all they can to see His glory. Those who see they lack righteousness will weep until they receive His glory. Focusing on His glory will eventually cause some others to hate you. Why? Because His glory so blatantly reveals their emptiness. I guess fleshliness will always be here until He returns, even in me. That is why I need to see His glory so much. When I see His glory, there is only one thing to do with the flesh--kill it--count it crucified with Him. If we would do this, it would eliminate so much of what divides us. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
March 30, 2010
Leviticus 1
I remember my agnostic philosophy professor stating very clearly that he thought it was unjust that an innocent party should pay the penalty for a guilty party even if the innocent one was absolutely willing to do so. No wonder he was an agnostic! If he was right, and if sin is deserving of death, then there can be no just redemption of sinners in the universe. Since any rational person observing the universe would have to admit that we are all sinners, reality would be hopeless. We would all have to bear the death due our own sin. Is it just for an innocent party to pay the penalty for a guilty party?
Why would the slaughter and burning of an animal be a sweet aroma to the Lord? How does that increase His glory? If we can explain that properly, then we have the key to unlock the book of Leviticus. Some have called Leviticus the gospel of the Old Testament. I have read that in Paul’s day, Jewish boys would begin memorizing Scripture at 2 years old, and those would begin with Leviticus. Talk about tough discipline! Maybe the burning was a sweet aroma not because of the actual smell but because of what it represented. It represents the just forgiveness and cleansing of a sinner because an innocent party willingly took the guilt of the guilty. It represented what Jesus would do for us. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 5:17-39
A pastor friend of mine told me this true story of a pastor friend of his who went on a short-term mission trip to India. It was an inter-denominational trip of a few churches from the same local area. His pastor friend was of the independent-fundamental Baptist type variety that believed the miracle gifts-particularly healing ceased with the passing of the Apostles. As they were ministering, the pastor fell and broke a shoulder or elbow or something. Here he is in a third-world country, where he doesn't speak the language and is skeptical of the quality of medical provision at best. If he goes to the hospital, he will have to deal with the doctors with a language barrier. Sitting in the house contemplating what he should do, one of the pastors indigenous to the area came in. It seems this pastor was of the variety of Christians who believe that when the Lord is near, so is His power to heal. He regularly prayed for healings and had seen many healings. He asked the injured pastor if he could pray and ask God to heal him. The injured pastor's immediate response was from his theological framework. The answer was absolutely not! He sat in the room in great pain contemplating his situation. Should he return immediately to the states to get attention, or should he chance the local physicians with whom there would be language problems? The pain was incredible. Finally, the thought occurred to him, "What would it hurt to let him pray?" Humbling himself, he asked the pastor to come back to pray for him. The pastor did. He was instantaneously healed. The pain left instantly. The bone mended instantly. This was a strange thing to his theological paradigm. It really disrupted it.
The Lord was ministering in Galilee. Luke says, "The power of the Lord was present to heal them." (Does this imply that there were times when the power of the Lord was not present to heal?) In the presence of that power, he told a paralytic, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." Now this really disrupted the Pharisees theological paradigm. In their paradigm only God could forgive sins and Jesus was not God. Demonstrating His power to heal and forgive, Jesus gave the command and the paralytic rose and walked. This was a strange thing to their theological paradigm. But the glory of God was shining through!
The Lord went to Levi's (Matthew) house. Levi was a tax-collector. Now tax-collectors were considered to be traitors and sinners by the Pharisees. There was great enmity between the two groups. That Jesus, who purported to be a holy man, would enter a sinner's house to eat with him was indeed a strange thing to their theological paradigm. Then Jesus gave an even stranger response, "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." But the glory of God was shining through!
The Lord seemed to like to enjoy food. He never fasted or abstained from drink. The Pharisaical mindset was that fastings were a required part of making oneself holy. This was a strange thing to their theological paradigm. But the glory of God was shining through! Jesus' response was that new wine requires new wineskins! The person who drinks old wine prefers old wine. New wine should be put in a new wine skin. Otherwise, the fermentation process will burst the old wineskin. This was a strange thing to their theological paradigm. Theirs was an old paradigm. God was doing a new thing. They preferred the old. He was doing a new paradigm.
When God wants do a new thing, His glory shines through. When we like the old way that He showed His glory, it makes us uncomfortable. We then have a choice. We can recognize that He always is breaking our paradigms to show us His glory. If we prefer the old, we can recognize that it is possible for Him to reveal Himself in new ways and accept it, even though we prefer the old. Or we can fight against the new. If we prefer the new, we can recognize that it is possible for Him to reveal Himself in the old ways and accept it, even though we prefer the new. Or we can fight against the old.
In either case, I don't believe it is the Lord's desire for us to fight. But He simply wants us to enjoy His glory. He is so beautiful. Part of His glory is that while He never changes, we are finite and are changing; therefore, to grasp a little of His glory, we must at times change in order to appreciate the greatness of the appearance of His glory. In enjoying it we will indeed encounter some strange things, not to Him but to us. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
I remember my agnostic philosophy professor stating very clearly that he thought it was unjust that an innocent party should pay the penalty for a guilty party even if the innocent one was absolutely willing to do so. No wonder he was an agnostic! If he was right, and if sin is deserving of death, then there can be no just redemption of sinners in the universe. Since any rational person observing the universe would have to admit that we are all sinners, reality would be hopeless. We would all have to bear the death due our own sin. Is it just for an innocent party to pay the penalty for a guilty party?
Why would the slaughter and burning of an animal be a sweet aroma to the Lord? How does that increase His glory? If we can explain that properly, then we have the key to unlock the book of Leviticus. Some have called Leviticus the gospel of the Old Testament. I have read that in Paul’s day, Jewish boys would begin memorizing Scripture at 2 years old, and those would begin with Leviticus. Talk about tough discipline! Maybe the burning was a sweet aroma not because of the actual smell but because of what it represented. It represents the just forgiveness and cleansing of a sinner because an innocent party willingly took the guilt of the guilty. It represented what Jesus would do for us. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 5:17-39
A pastor friend of mine told me this true story of a pastor friend of his who went on a short-term mission trip to India. It was an inter-denominational trip of a few churches from the same local area. His pastor friend was of the independent-fundamental Baptist type variety that believed the miracle gifts-particularly healing ceased with the passing of the Apostles. As they were ministering, the pastor fell and broke a shoulder or elbow or something. Here he is in a third-world country, where he doesn't speak the language and is skeptical of the quality of medical provision at best. If he goes to the hospital, he will have to deal with the doctors with a language barrier. Sitting in the house contemplating what he should do, one of the pastors indigenous to the area came in. It seems this pastor was of the variety of Christians who believe that when the Lord is near, so is His power to heal. He regularly prayed for healings and had seen many healings. He asked the injured pastor if he could pray and ask God to heal him. The injured pastor's immediate response was from his theological framework. The answer was absolutely not! He sat in the room in great pain contemplating his situation. Should he return immediately to the states to get attention, or should he chance the local physicians with whom there would be language problems? The pain was incredible. Finally, the thought occurred to him, "What would it hurt to let him pray?" Humbling himself, he asked the pastor to come back to pray for him. The pastor did. He was instantaneously healed. The pain left instantly. The bone mended instantly. This was a strange thing to his theological paradigm. It really disrupted it.
The Lord was ministering in Galilee. Luke says, "The power of the Lord was present to heal them." (Does this imply that there were times when the power of the Lord was not present to heal?) In the presence of that power, he told a paralytic, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." Now this really disrupted the Pharisees theological paradigm. In their paradigm only God could forgive sins and Jesus was not God. Demonstrating His power to heal and forgive, Jesus gave the command and the paralytic rose and walked. This was a strange thing to their theological paradigm. But the glory of God was shining through!
The Lord went to Levi's (Matthew) house. Levi was a tax-collector. Now tax-collectors were considered to be traitors and sinners by the Pharisees. There was great enmity between the two groups. That Jesus, who purported to be a holy man, would enter a sinner's house to eat with him was indeed a strange thing to their theological paradigm. Then Jesus gave an even stranger response, "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." But the glory of God was shining through!
The Lord seemed to like to enjoy food. He never fasted or abstained from drink. The Pharisaical mindset was that fastings were a required part of making oneself holy. This was a strange thing to their theological paradigm. But the glory of God was shining through! Jesus' response was that new wine requires new wineskins! The person who drinks old wine prefers old wine. New wine should be put in a new wine skin. Otherwise, the fermentation process will burst the old wineskin. This was a strange thing to their theological paradigm. Theirs was an old paradigm. God was doing a new thing. They preferred the old. He was doing a new paradigm.
When God wants do a new thing, His glory shines through. When we like the old way that He showed His glory, it makes us uncomfortable. We then have a choice. We can recognize that He always is breaking our paradigms to show us His glory. If we prefer the old, we can recognize that it is possible for Him to reveal Himself in new ways and accept it, even though we prefer the old. Or we can fight against the new. If we prefer the new, we can recognize that it is possible for Him to reveal Himself in the old ways and accept it, even though we prefer the new. Or we can fight against the old.
In either case, I don't believe it is the Lord's desire for us to fight. But He simply wants us to enjoy His glory. He is so beautiful. Part of His glory is that while He never changes, we are finite and are changing; therefore, to grasp a little of His glory, we must at times change in order to appreciate the greatness of the appearance of His glory. In enjoying it we will indeed encounter some strange things, not to Him but to us. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
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