The good news of Christ
That confident Man who moved in Israel,
Aware of Heaven’s power at work in Him,
Confronted evil and gave Himself to die
At the hands of sinful men upon the Cross.
In that shadow I die, and in His light
I live to follow His lead — Humbly I step,
With knowledge that daily He saves my soul.
More, O God, make me to be like Him.
The idea for this prayer came from this quote.
The answer to the question: because it works! The world is large and scary, and although we see ourselves as Christians as great warriors for the faith standing our ground, it is doing a great job of containing the gospel and our works of service to the walls of our church buildings. In the 21st century we fear the world more than we fear God (Psalm 2:1-12).
I. John 11:47-50. “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?” the psalmist asks. After all, don’t they know that it’s useless to fight against the God that created the universe and sustains us? It didn’t stop those in power from scheming to put Jesus to death and thus falling into God’s plan to bring about redemption for mankind. God’s wrath for them is expected (Romans 1:18-23). In the 1st century, Christians did not shrink back from the world’s attacks but were emboldened because they feared God (Acts 4:24-26).
II. Hebrews 1:2-8. It’s vain because God has set His Son on His holy hill in Zion, who will destroy His enemies with a rod of iron (Hebrews 10:26-31). The best that the world could muster to oppose the gospel in the 1st century fell woefully short (Acts 4:27-28) because God had planned beforehand how to bring about such a salvation (Acts 2:23-24). Since none can oppose His will, we should fear God and not the world.
III. Matthew 10:26-28. It is with fear and trembling that mankind should approach God. The world can only kill the body, not put body and soul in hell. Therefore, it is God we should fear. We should work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) and take refuge in God, not the false friendship of the world. When the world sought to intimidate early Christians, they prayed for boldness and it was given to them (Acts 4:29-31). We too must be of those who do not shrink back and are destroyed but of those who through faith preserve their souls (Hebrews 10:35-39).
Is the church (and not God) a refuge for you to escape the world or a gathering of warriors regrouping to battle the world?
Last July, six year-old Bridger Walker threw himself in front of a mean dog to shield his little sister from certain death. After the dog tore open his face, he still got her to safety. When asked why he did it, he said that as the big brother, “If someone had to die, I thought it should be me.” Isn’t this what Jesus determined at Gethsemane and Calvary that He must do for us? Just as the scars that Bridger carries are a reminder of the love he has for his sister, Jesus, being fully God, shields us from certain death by rising from the grave.
I. Luke 24:1-7. At the tomb, Jesus conquered our death problem. Because we’ve all sinned (Romans 3:23), we’ve all earned death, but the gift of eternal life can now come to us because Jesus conquered death (Romans 6:23). He was fully man to be our sacrifice, yes, but He was fully God to be our Savior. We no longer need to be held in slavery to our fear of death because Jesus conquered (Hebrews 2:14-16).
II. 1 Corinthians 15:1-26. At the tomb, Jesus had to be fully God to be our Savior. The leaders of every other world religion died; only in Christianity do we serve a risen Savior. Jesus reveals His divinity by promising to raise Himself from the dead (John 2:18-22). On Pentecost, Peter confirms this by stating that God raised Him (Acts 2:22-24). Because Jesus was fully God, the gospel can save us.
III. 1 Corinthians 15:42-57. We can rise with Jesus who was fully God to be our Savior. We, who die in Christ, will also live in Him. Because death has been conquered, we can have victory in Jesus. But we must obey. Jesus’ work at the cross and at the tomb is ours to obey (Romans 6:3-5). Because Jesus overcame death, He became our source of eternal salvation if we obey (Hebrews 5:7-9).
As noble as Bridger Walker’s saving of his sister was, Jesus’ conquering of death for all who obey the gospel is a better salvation story. Have you obeyed it?
Holy Father, praise is yours from all
creation, and from those on earth you call
to love and service. You, O Lord, are blessed,
who sends from heaven the Holy One, the best
and purest soul, to save us by his death —
Breathe in us the Holy Spirit’s breath!
Heavenly Father above, who is in all, and through all, and for all —
In Christ’s name we pray with thanks and praise. Keep us awake, to win over the weakness of the flesh.
To Christ we go for forgiveness. His blood cleanses us from the guilt of sin. Let us stay near his cross at every hour.
In Christ are all spiritual blessings. Bless us that we might be a blessing to others.
With Christ we walk. Give us your strength and wisdom to follow him faithfully and reach the goal of faith, the salvation of our souls.
For Christ we speak. Make all other topics pale, and may all subjects be made to lead to him.
For Christ we wait. We pray “Maranatha, Come, Lord Jesus.” Send our Master to receive us in the heavens.
Amen.
Of course the Bible tells us to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on every first day of the week, but many are looking for a particular emphasis on this topic on the cultural (and religious) holiday many call ‘Easter.’ It doesn’t happen very often, but this year that day falls on April 1. So, just who were made fools because Jesus was raised from the dead?
2. Romans 1:18-32. Sinners are next. These are people who do not retain the knowledge of God although God’s eternal power (the resurrection) and divine nature are clearly seen from what has been made. Without excuse, these unrepentant sinners plunge willingly into their various sins, while believing themselves wise, enlightened “Christians.” God gives these “fools” over to their sins.
3. Psalm 14:1. God calls atheists fools. In their book, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist, Geisler and Turek argue that in the face of such overwhelming evidence for the existence of God, great faith is needed to hold to the untenable position of disbelief. Beyond that, how sad that atheists let go of any hope for eternity that comes through Jesus’ resurrection overcoming sin and death.
We should not be fooled by Jesus’ resurrection. Rather, that He was risen ought to help us prepare.
Yours is a beautiful world, O Lord, full of power and precision and sights and sounds. We marvel before all creation, what we can see of it, knowing that it declares your greatness.
Even more beautiful, Savior of mankind, is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins. In his pain, in the gore of suffering, in the cries and darkness and sweat and tears, rose the sparkling water of life and the brilliant light of glory.
Our sight is unfocused. Our sense of right is warped. Our perception of your goodness has been distorted by the father of lies.
Let us see your glory. Make us know your righteousness. Awaken us to your mercy.
May the splendor of Christ far outshine this world’s glory in our eyes.
“Then Jesus said to them, ‘The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath’” Luke 6:5. Do we exist to obey laws or do laws exist to benefit us? One of the Ten Commandments for the Israelites was to keep the Sabbath. Nibbling on a few heads of grain to satisfy hunger was allowed by the Law, but the Pharisees saw that being done on the seventh day, in a very technical sense, as doing work and called Jesus out on it. Jesus used the feeding of David’s men with the consecrated bread when they were fleeing Saul as an example from the past and then an illustration in the present to get to the very heart of the issue: “which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” God didn’t create laws, then, just for something for us to obey; they are to help us as individuals or as a collective to draw closer to Him. As a society, we create laws that we deem are necessary to benefit society. A police officer could ticket a man for driving the speed limit if the conditions are icy and he is a danger to others or himself. It is only in grasping this concept that we can draw deeper into our relationship with the Lord of the Sabbath when we are under grace and truth. Do you?
I. Luke 6:1-11. Was what Jesus’ followers were doing ‘unlawful’? Technically, yes, but that was a strictly by the letter of the Law. They were doing work on the Sabbath. By the example of David eating the consecrated bread (1 Samuel 21:4-6), however, Jesus pointed out that obedience to God’s commands are also in spirit. The Law exists to serve man rather than man existing to serve the Law.
II. Romans 2:25-29. Though written to Jews who were trusting in their circumcision to save them, the same could be said to Christians who only trust in an outward checklist of hearing, belief, repentance, confession, and baptism to enter heaven one day. An inward circumcision of our hearts, a living out of a submissive obedience, is also necessary. This is why God, not ourselves, is the Judge when someone dies. We can know if the person ever outwardly obeyed in baptism to receive the promise of eternal life, but only God can judge how that person lived out his obedience in daily living.
III. 1 John 2:3-6. We must live in Jesus by grace and truth (John 1:17). This does not, however, give us a license to sin (Galatians 5:13) or go to the opposite extreme by making Christianity a list of dos and don’ts (Colossians 2:20-23). Rather, our daily walk must be as Jesus walked, being a true worshipper, worshipping in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).
Though God and Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus while in flesh had to submit in every way just as we do. He set us an example by showing us that true obedience to God is in both spirit and truth.
What’s the difference between a chicken and a pig? Well, in terms of what they each provide for breakfast, the chicken in involved while the pig is committed! Our pews may be full of involved Christians, some who have attended for years, but, like Simon, God confronts us to be committed to Him.
I. Luke 4:14-37. After Jesus’ baptism and time of temptation, He began His ministry and was gaining quite a reputation for Himself around Galilee. After Andrew introduced his brother to Jesus, the Savior said that Simon would be called Peter or ‘Rock’ (John 1:42). But, that would not become his name that day as Simon just stayed involved with Jesus through the healing of his mother-in-law and the use of his boat for Jesus to teach from while Simon washed his nets after working hard all night (but catching nothing) from his own strength (Luke 4:38 – 5:3). Like so many of us, he was content to have his ears tickled by this great man’s teaching without recognizing that it was the Creator in his craft.
II. Luke 5:4-11. Jesus then confronts Simon by asking him to put his nets out into deep water. Exhausted by his own limitations, Simon does not recognize what is possible for him through Jesus but does what Jesus asks. It is in verse 8 that this simple but involved fisherman crosses over into being committed. Never so tall as when he’s on his knees, never so much the solid ‘rock’ as when he is weakest, Simon recognizes his sinfulness in the presence of God in the flesh and is called ‘Peter’ here first. Verse 11 demonstrates that committment as he and his partners “left everything and followed” Jesus.
III. Romans 4:1-5. Even though Jesus could have pointed to His power as reason enough for Peter to follow Him, He instead pointed out what Peter could do through Him. The fisherman could become a fisher of men. If we were Peters instead of Simons, what could we do for Jesus as Jesus can do all things through us (John 14:12-14)? To do that, we must be committed to God (Mark 8:34-35).
Are you a chicken or a pig? Are you involved or committed? Are you trying to serve God by your own strength or are you serving Him through His? Are you still Simon or have you become Peter?
“Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” Luke 4:20-21. For centuries, God’s chosen people had been expecting a Savior, God Himself. In one of those passages, Isaiah had written over 700 years before that the Messiah would fulfill certain requirements: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” After returning to Galilee after His baptism and temptation in the power of the Spirit, news spread about Him and He taught in the area’s synagogues. It was in His hometown of Nazareth, however, where everyone knew Him as ‘Joseph’s son,’ that He chose to declare Himself, through the fulfillment of Isaiah 61, to be the Christ and God Himself! No wonder those who remembered Jesus lugging tools for His earthly father were furious and wanted to drive Him off a cliff. Who do you understand Jesus to be?
As all were praising Jesus at the beginning of His ministry, He went back to His hometown.
I. Luke 4:14-22. A hometown boy was gaining noteriety, and so the synagogue in Nazareth must have been packed when Jesus was handed the scroll of Isaiah and read a prophecy of the coming Messiah that they had all heard numerous times before. Then, he did the unthinkable; He assigned those words uttered seven centuries before to Himself and let them sink in to the local crowd.
II. Luke 4:23-30. It was blasphemy if not true, the fulfillment of all that the Jews had been waiting for if it was. But, rather than letting the neighbors from His childhood wrestle with this, Jesus confronted them with the truth–that accepting Him as the prophesied Christ meant that God would open the gospel to all people. This was something the crowd gathered to hear the old stories wasn’t ready for.
III. Luke 8:5-15. How about us? Many of us gather in Jesus’ hometown every Sunday morning out of habit or because we’re hoping to be entertained. We can’t wait to hear what He’s been up to lately and some of the old stories that are comfortable. But, He confronts us there on a personal level, challenging our understanding of who He is. Will we accept that or try to drive Him over a cliff?
Sometimes it is those who have known Him the longest who need re-assess our view of Jesus. If He truly is the Christ, how does that change us?