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What Portion Do We Have in David?

An heir to his grandfather’s and father’s big legacies, Reheboam had a choice if he would seek God like they did or lean on his own understanding.  Just as we cannot get to heaven on the coattails of another’s faith, the new king should have tapped into what had made David and Solomon’s forty-year reigns great in the first place.

I.  1 Kings 12:1-5.  Born sometime, no doubt, in the spiritual decline of his father’s reign into a chaotic household of 999 stepmothers or “aunts” who worshiped a variety of gods, Reheboam might argue today that he was a victim of a lost world plunged into sin and relative morality.  And yet, he was on the waning edge of Israel’s golden age and knew the covenants God had made with his grandfather.  His dad built the temple!  At the moment of his crowning, however, Reheboam had a choice to make.  Would he include God in his decision-making (Joshua 24:14-15) or would he lean on his own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6)?

II.  1 Kings 12:6-17.  He had at least heard of his father’s wisdom given to him by God (1 Kings 3:10-13) if not seen those coming to the palace seeking it (1 Kings 10:21-27). But, he seemed to have forgotten the important ‘if’ attached to the gift (1 Kings 3:14) and the reason for the spiritual decline of the kingdom because his father had ignored it too (1 Kings 11:1-4).  So, when forced to choose between relying on those who had advised his dad and stepping out on his own, he chose the counsel of the young men who had grown up with him.  The result was that he did get to establish his own legacy–that of splitting God’s kingdom!

III.  John 5:19-23.  Jesus lived to be his Father’s Son as well … except that His Father was God!  He went around doing good (Acts 10:38), spent regular time in prayer (Mark 1:35), insisted on others knowing the Scriptures as He did (Mark 12:24), and was an example for us to live up to (John 13:15).  His dying on a cross and rising from the dead empowered us to be our Father’s children as well (John 20:17).  So, we must seek wisdom (James 1:5-8), answer with gentle words (Proverbs 15:1-5), seek advice from godly counselors (Proverbs 24:6) who follow God’s Word (Psalm 119:24), and live as an imitation of Christ (Ephesians 5:1-2).

Oh, how things might have turned out differently if Reheboam had chosen differently!

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Arms of love

Our Father in Heaven,

You sent your only Son to earth,
to stretch out arms of love on the cross
and receive the sins of the whole world.
He took upon himself our suffering.

Now anyone who wills can come
within reach of your saving embrace.
Hope and faith and life
can now be had by all.

So clothe us in your Holy Spirit,
so that we your humble servants,
reaching forth our hands in love
and sharing words of compassion and truth,
may bring those who do not know you
into your Kingdom of light and love.

Be glorified in us
as you glorify your name
in Christ. Amen.

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By Him All Things Were Created

Since the second Person of the Godhead is eternal, what was Jesus doing from creation through incarnation?  The Great Christology of Colossians 1:15-20 tells us quite a lot.  Far from just arriving on the scene for the first time in Bethlehem (Luke 2:11), God says that He alone would be the Savior (Isaiah 43:11) over seven centuries before.

I.  Colossians 1:15.  Jesus was active as the exact imprint or essence of God.  Ask and someone will say that Lincoln is on the penny.  Is he or is that his image?  Jesus backed this concept up with Caesar (Matthew 22:19-21).  Hebrews 1:1-18 further explains this and its necessity for Jesus’ preeminence over all things but especially our salvation.  He was God to be our Savior but man to be our sacrifice.  Though the subject of theophanies in the Old Testament isn’t conclusive that they are Christ and not angelic ambassadors speaking for God, being the exact representation of God would allow for Jesus to be addressed as God if was indeed Him (Genesis 16:10-13, Genesis 18:17-19, Joshua 5:13 — 6:2, Daniel 3:24-25, et. al.).

II. Colossians 1:16.  All things were indeed created through Jesus (John 1:1-18), and so He has dominion over all things as our Sovereign Lord (Romans 9:16-21).  This also means that because of His sovereignty, all things were created FOR Him as well.  Throughout the Bible, God upholds the idea of property rights (Proverbs 22:28, Acts 5:4).  David brings us back to the concept from creation that all things belong to God (1 Chronicles 29:14-16).

III.  Colossians 1:17.  Jesus has also been active since creation (and still is) at sustaining all things.  This means what we often attribute to the laws of nature are really the laws of Christ.  Again Hebrews 1:1-3 deepens our understanding of Jesus’ work.  That means He was upholding the universe while challenged (Matthew 22:18-21), in the garden (Matthew 26:53-54), before Pilate (John 18:36-37), and at the cross (Luke 23:34).  He is sustaining it now while we are here in this chaotic world and for our loved ones who have died in Him.

That Jesus is in control is a comforting thought, especially when we are bombarded by the world’s headlines.  We must put our trust in Him and in His gospel!

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Before the World Existed

In the 1st century, those who had been with Jesus or witnessed the power of the resurrection of the dead had a difficult time believing that He had been a man.  In the postmodern skepticism of the 21st century, many can’t believe He was ever God.  Jesus was more than a good man and teacher, religious philosopher or advocate for the common man.  The alpha and the omega, He is eternal and through whom all things were made.  Therefore, He cannot be placed on the buffet with other leaders from world religions.  Through His great love for us, though we were sinners, Jesus died and then was raised from the dead for our justification and sanctification.  Jesus stands alone.

I.  John 1:1-18.  Jesus was God and was with God before creation and at creation.  It was through Him that all things were made.  After the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, John records that the Son’s followers saw Jesus’ glory, the glory of the only God, who was at the Father’s side, who had seen God and made God known to us.  From eternity to creation, then, Jesus was in His glory and was awaiting His role as Creator and through whom all was created (Genesis 1:1-27).  Before He took on the image of man, Jesus made man in the image of Himself.

II.  John 17:1-5.  Before Jesus went to the cross, we glimpse from His own lips what He longed for in prayer–the glory He had with His Father “before the world existed.”  This rare peek into His eternal nature also gives us a clue how He endured the pain and shame of the cross.  While fixing His eyes on the glory that He would return to in complete fellowship with His Father, Jesus gave us a way to run the race that is set before each and every one of us (Hebrews 12:1-2).  Told to deny themselves, take up their crosses, and follow Him, three of Jesus’ followers were allowed to witness that glory while Jesus was transfigured (Matthew 17:1-8).

III.  John 17:20-24.  Jesus will only give His glory to those who are seeking the Savior’s glory (Romans 2:6-10).  In this life we hope for it as He who promises it is faithful (Romans 5:1-2).  The sufferings of this life can’t compare to the glory that is promised to us (Romans 8:18-21).  The promise comes in a spiritual body that is resurrected in power and glory (1 Corinthians 15:42-44).

This is why we forsake the world and all its glory (John 12:42-43).  Just as Jesus longed to be clothed once again in the glory He had with His Father before the world existed, we too must live every moment here in a relentless pursuit of the glory that is promised to us in Him.

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I do not pray this for you

I do not pray that God will remove all your troubles, but that you will find in them motive for growth and thanksgiving for his goodness.

I do not pray that you will have an easy way of it, but that you will be given strength for each step and learn dependence upon the Almighty.

I do not pray that you will be saved from the sorrows of this world, but that you will find comfort in the arms of the Heavenly Father. Continue reading “I do not pray this for you”