The opening of Psalm 22 should sound familiar to you as Jesus uttered these words from the cross. Yet, David wrote these words 1000 years before the Word became flesh and could bear our sins on the tree. Not only are the details in this psalm so vivid that they place us there at Calvary, but Jesus quoting its opening question and God telling us directly in John 19:24 shows us that David indeed wrote about his descendant dying on the cross for us. Continue reading “Why Have You Forsaken Me?”
Go in This Might of Yours
Falling into sin again after 40 years of serving the Lord, God’s people are told by a prophet that it is their fear of the world that has caused them to disobey. That’s not how the people understand it though. When the angel first comes to Gideon, this son hiding his threshing from the Midianites believes that God has forsaken them (Judges 6). Continue reading “Go in This Might of Yours”
You Shall Not Fear
In the 1939 classic, “The Wizard of Oz,” Dorothy, the Scarecrow, and the Tinman enter the Haunted Forest while famously chanting, “Lions, and tigers, and bears–oh my!” to push through their fear. Like God’s people in the time of Judges who had disobeyed God because they feared the world (Judges 6:7-10), God’s people today must not keep the gospel within the walls of our church buildings because we fear the hostile culture around us. Continue reading “You Shall Not Fear”
There Is No God
I’ve called April 1 Atheists’ Day because Psalm 14 and Psalm 53 begin, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.'” But, not only atheists but backsliding Christians (2 Peter 2:20-21) and those who don’t seek God fall into the category of fool, according to the rest of this short psalm.
I. Romans 3:9-24. The application of Psalm 14 and Psalm 53 is made here. After describing how we are all alike under sin, this New Testament passage explains how God’s righteousness is made available through Jesus’ work on the cross for those who do seek Him.
II. Hebrews 10:26-31. As the wicked eat up the generation of the righteous, we understand that God gives salvation to all who call upon His name (Romans 10:9-13). Those who sin after the knowledge of the gospel will face judgment as they should know better.
III. Matthew 13:36-43. The last verse of these psalms proclaims that those who do seek God will find restoration, rejoicing, and gladness. Salvation came into Zion (John 12:13-15) and would indeed go forth from there (Acts 1:8). The righteous will shine like the sun.
By your living, do you say in your heart, ‘There is no God’?
Not Remain Your Own?
Detractors have often described the Lord’s church as governed by socialist … or even communist principles. They’ll point to verses like Acts 4:32 as proof, “… no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.” In heaven, we are ruled by a benevolent monarchy with the King of Kings on the throne, but on earth do our possession really belong to the church and its leaders, forcing us to give, decide how to distribute them all?
I. Acts 5:1-14. Wanting to look good to their brothers and sisters in Christ, Ananias and Sapphira “lied” to God and pretended to give the full amount for property they sold while keeping back part for themselves. Peter expresses that when it was unsold, it was their own, and when it was sold, it was at their disposal. This tells us that the church was not forcing Christians to give, but that it was an internal decision each made to be a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9).
II. 2 Peter 1:3-8. Restored to His image because of Christ’s work in the gospel, Christians should desire to be like Jesus and to walk like Him in every way. God gives us the opportunity to participate in His divine nature and escape the corruption of the world by continually adding virtues to ourselves. Being generous and honest (2 Corinthians 8) in our giving, like the Macedonians in character, will help us not to be ineffective and unfruitful in His kingdom.
III. Matthew 5:13-16. Because God made an example of Ananias and Sapphira, fear of God gripped the church and the a harvest of souls occurred. It’s so easy today to live as a version of the world (1 John 2:15) while deceiving your fellow Christians, but we can not become salt without flavor! Instead, we must be light on a hill for all to see, so glory and thanksgiving will go to our God.
Is your thanks-living resulting in thanksgiving?
She Gave Him Milk
Because Barak was reluctant to obey God’s commands though God had promised to be with him, Deborah told him that the glory that Barak could have gained from defeating Sisera would go to a woman. While shrinking back, Barak still tried to regain that glory on his own … but you can’t thwart God.
I. Judges 4:8-23. Deborah is remembered as the leader of God’s people in the battle with Sisera, the commander of the Canaanite army. While Sisera marched against Israel with 900 chariots, it is Deborah who tells Barak to fight in the battle that the Lord would win for him. Jesus dying on the cross was part of God’s plan (Acts 2:23), and Gamaliel rightly warned the Sanhedrin that they could find themselves opposing God (Acts 5:39). You can’t thwart God.
II. Judges 5:7-31. Though Jael’s husband was a Levite, he was friendly with the Canaanites that had oppressed Israel for twenty years, so Sisera believed he had found rest and safety in his flight after the battle. Using her wiles to conquer her enemy, Jael gave him milk when he asked for water and curds in a nobleman’s bowl while she waited for him to sleep. Barak arrived to late to gain the glory as Jael had already “staked” out her victory.
III. Acts 4:23-31. The account closes with the idea that God’s enemies perish but His friends rise in His might. It’s not just important to be on God’s side but to be courageously and wholeheartedly serving Him. Though Peter and John had suffered at the hands of the Sanhedrin, they prayed for boldness and spoke about how futile it was to try to fight against God. His will will always be done. If you are cowardly like Barak, you won’t gain glory.
God always finds a way for His will to be done. You’re either with Him or against Him by your courage or cowardice.
As Though By Our Own
In recent years, the world has grown aggressively antagonistic to Christianity, and yet the church’s response has been to compromise with the culture and blend in to with every secular help agency to win souls. Rather, let us hold out the treasure of the gospel and point to Jesus no matter what the cost.
I. Acts 3:5-16. Peter healed a man lame from birth and an utterly astounded crowd soon came running. Had it been the expected alms, like the silver or gold that everyone expected, then perhaps no one would have taken note. But a complete healing of the man so that he could leap and praise God stood out dramatically. Instead of blending in, God’s power was at work. The gospel also heals us completely from sin, yet the church would rather be like every other agency to keep from being noticed.
II. Hebrews 7:11-16. Peter was quick to tell the gathering crowd that it was not by their own power or piety that the man was healed. Rather, he pointed to Jesus’ authority, power, and indestructible life. Being sinful, we can do little (Romans 7:18-20), but Jesus was sinless (Hebrews 4:15). Christians have often served without thanks, but when great things happen because God worked through us, we should acknowledge Him who is able to do all things.
III. Acts 12:21-24. Peter then preaches the gospel to them (1 Corinthians 15:3-5), explaining that is faith through Jesus (John 8:24) that distinguishes us. Yet, the Lord’s church attempts to compete with the world by means of the world. We strive to have the same programs and ministries, the same facilities and advertising campaigns that the world has. In doing so, we hope we’ll stand out enough to grow in numbers while not enough to incur the world’s wrath.
Because our Savior was on a mission (Luke 19:10), we who wear His name must be as well. We must have the courage to stand out in a world that stands against us.
I Am Your Portion
Is fairness everyone getting an equal portion or what he or she needs? Was it fair that Uzzah died trying to steady the ark (1 Chronicles 13-15) or should the priests have stepped up to do what was only their job?
I. Numbers 18:20-23. God made the Levites priests and said that He would be their portion and inheritance in this life, and so as they served Him–which included carrying the ark of the Lord, He would care for them. A treasured possession the whole nation were priests (Exodus 19:5-6, Lamentations 3:21-26), and thus in the New Testament so are Christians (1 Peter 2:4-5). Thus, God is our portion too.
II. Joshua 21:41-42. God scattered his priests of the Old Testament and New Testament (Acts 8:1-4) so they could capture souls and keep others connected to Him. So, seeking and saving the lost (Luke 19:10) is our work (1 Corinthians 15:58). When we bury the talent with which we were entrusted (Matthew 25:24-29), then the Uzzahs around us touch the ark we should be carrying and die.
III. Jonah 4:9-11. When we don’t invest what God has entrusted us with to yield interest for Him, He tells us that even what we do have He’ll take away. Many times we justify not investing because we’ve judged others as unworthy of salvation. That’s what Jonah did. Rather, we must help others (Galatians 6:1-2) out of sincere love for them (1 John 4:20). Then we can run our race with perseverance (Hebrews 12:1).
We’ve been entrusted with the gospel message. How many Uzzahs are steadying arks on carts around us while we remain silent? Is the Lord your portion?
All That Is Written
While singing with kids, I’d sometimes ask why we used an open hands motion for “Bible” rather than a closed hands one? Their honest answer was that we should be reading and living it. Far too often there’s dust on our Bibles. This was certainly true in Josiah’s time.
I. 2 Chronicles 34:1-13. Was God’s Word missing or hidden? After all, for the previous six decades, God’s people had endured Manasseh’s 55-year and then Amon’s 2-year idolatrous reigns. Would the 8-year old Josiah be any different. Then, we’re told that at 16 he began to seek God. At 20 he enacted reforms and at 26 repairs to the temple. That’s when God’s Word was brought out.
II. 2 Chronicles 34:14-21. The priest Hilkiah “found” it who gave it to the secretary Shaphan to read to the king who seemed to have a different spirit than what the nation had known. Josiah’s reaction was to tear his clothes and to take action. From his repentance, he asked that God be sought and laid their struggles upon their not doing “all that is written in this book.”
III. Psalm 1:1-3. The same restoration spirit is needed today. Rather than one copy collecting dust, we live in a time where we are surrounded by physical and digital copies of God’s Word, yet ours have just as much dust upon them. We need to recognize its usefulness in equipping us (2 Timothy 3:16-17), tear our clothes figuratively and take similar literal actions like Josiah did.
The decision starts with yourself to blow the dust off your Bible and devote yourself to its instruction and rebuke. Then we will see changes happen in our families and in the Lord’s church.
And the Lord Added
Any bride beginning a new marriage would have trouble if she only spent 1-3 hours with her husband, spoke to him only when she needed something, made excuses to not study him, and never wanted to spend time with his family. Yet, that’s often how we treat our relationship with our Bridegroom, Christ (Acts 2:42-47).
I. Ephesians 5:21-24. Our work in our relationship with Christ is to devote ourselves to Him. One of the words used to describe how we are to work in 1 Corinthians 15:58 is ‘steadfast,’ which is the way that the KJV translates how early Christians approached their new relationship with their Bridegroom. Other translations use ‘devoted,’ which Paul and James say is to wholeheartedly submit to our Husband (James 4:7-10).
II. Ephesians 5:25-27. There’s mutual benefit when both work in a relationship. Jesus sanctifies His bride, the church, so that it can glorify Him. He died for us to give us life, so we set our hearts and minds on things above (Colossians 3:1-4). When someone’s hobby, such as fishing or cars, is his life, it’s obvious. Christ is our life now, and so this ought to be obvious in what is important to us and how we live. This was obvious with the early Christians.
III. Ephesians 5:28-30. Faithfulness and steadfast love being the foundation of God’s character (Psalm 89:14), He never changes in our relationship with Him (2 Timothy 2:11-13). He equips us out of love with what we need, but our job is to grow in Him (Ephesians 4:15-16). In the ‘Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20, we can see the dating phase that with our Bridegroom’s authority, we are to make disciples. The wedding occurs as they are baptized and the Lord adds them to His bride, the church.
Then, the marriage begins as we work to keep them as disciples with Jesus’ help. Any relationship takes much work to maintain. How are you growing in yours?