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Reality far from promises

Read Psalm 89

Reality seems far from your promises, Lord.
The Kingdom’s glory seems trampled in the dust.
How long can your people bear up under suffering?

What happy subjects who have learned to worship you!
They joyfully walk in the light of your presence.
They delight in your righteousness.

The heavens praise all your wonders, O Lord.
Who in the heavens can be compared to you?
Among us you are powerful and fearful.

Do not forget us, O God of all eternity.
Enemies overrun your Kingdom.
Where, O Lord, is your former love?

You act with reason and move with purpose.
We trust in you, consoled by your faithfulness.
May you be praised forever. Amen!

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Go to Dark Gethsemane

Often we look for a sanitized version of the gospel.  Jesus is serenely praying in the garden, looking just tired or sad in Pilate’s hall, or calmly awaiting death on the cross.  The hymn, “Go to Dark Gethsemane,” challenges us to step into those scenes and learn from Jesus’ example in submission, suffering, and death for our lives as living sacrifices here (Matthew 26:36–27:50).

I.  Hebrews 5:7-9.  If you go to Gethsemane, you will experience the Savior’s sorrow unto death.  We must linger here to know too how to submit and obey.

Go to dark Gethsemane, Ye that feel the tempter’s pow’r; Your Redeemer’s conflict see; Watch with Him one bitter hour; Turn not from His griefs away; Learn of Jesus Christ to pray.

II.  Philippians 3:8-11.  If you spend time witnessing the sham trials our Lord endured and the terrible suffering that came to him before Calvary, you’ll learn the value of suffering as well.

Follow to the judgment hall; View the Lord of life arraigned; O the wormwood and the gall! O the pangs His soul sustained! Shun not suff’ring, shame, or loss; Learn of Him to bear the cross.

III. Colossians 3:1-4.  If you climb the hill of Golgotha, hear the crowds and the Christ cry out, see the darkness and the agony of the silent Lamb bearing your sin, you may learn to die.

Calv’ry’s mournful mountain climb; There, adoring at His feet, Mark that miracle of time, God’s own sacrifice complete: “It is finished!” hear the cry; Learn of Jesus Christ to die.

The sadness we see early on the first day of the week is that of the women going to the tomb after a somber Sabbath.  It is there that Jesus shows how to rise to walk in new life.

Early hasten to the tomb Where they laid His breathless clay; All is solitude and gloom; Who hath taken Him away? Christ is ris’n! He meets our eyes: Savior, teach us so to rise.

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I Gave My Life for Thee

When my daughter had a flat tire on the highway on the way back to college a few years ago, it was difficult to hear the rough, male voices of the two truckers who stopped to help her change it.  Though they were wonderful Good Samaritans, as a dad I envisioned them abducting her while I was powerless to stop them.

Because of sin, we have earned death (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23).  The hymn, “I Gave My Life for Thee,” challenges us to return all of ourselves to God because Jesus has given all to us (Psalm 91).

I gave My life for thee, My precious blood I shed, That thou might’st ransomed be, And quickened from the dead.

I.  John 17:3-5.  Jesus left the glory of heaven for our sakes.  Since God is His refuge, the same promises are ours if we make our home within His wings.  The question in the chorus challenges us to leave this world for ministry:

My Father’s house of light, My glory circled throne, I left for earthly night, For wand’rings sad and lone;

I left, I left it all for thee, Hast thou left aught for Me?  I left, I left it all for thee, Hast thou left aught for Me?

II.  Hebrews 2:16-18.  Jesus was made like us in every way that He might suffer for us in every way to be a help for us in time of struggle (Isaiah 53:4-6).  Shouldn’t we also suffer all things in this world for Him?

I suffered much for thee, More than thy tongue can tell, Of bitt’rest agony, To rescue thee from hell;

I’ve borne, I’ve borne it all for thee, What hast thou borne for Me?  I’ve borne, I’ve borne it all for thee, What hast thou borne for Me?

III.  Matthew 4:5-7.  Because He did not yield to temptation, Jesus was able to bring us salvation, pardon and love.  The last stanza of the hymn speaks of His protection and provision and asks:

And I have brought to thee, Down from My home above, Salvation full and free, My pardon and My love;

I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee, What hast thou brought to Me?  I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee, What hast thou brought to Me?

Thankfully, my daughter got the help she needed to change her tire.  Dead in our sins and separated from God, Jesus gave His life for us to ransom us from hell.  What is our response to that?

I gave, I gave My life for thee, What hast thou giv’n for Me?  I gave, I gave My life for thee, What hast thou giv’n for Me?

 

 

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So That You Might Follow

I remember trudging behind my dad in the deep snow when I was little.  My short legs had a hard time just lifting out of the hole.  At some point he must have looked back to see me struggling because he began encouraging me and lessening the length of his stride.

We think of the gospel as only Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, but His incarnation and intercession are essential as well.  John 1:14 tells us, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us ….”  There’s more than just His work on the cross and tomb; Jesus’ example shows us how to live our lives in the flesh (1 Peter 2:21-24) … and His footsteps are not always easy to follow!

I.  1 Peter 3:8-11.  We are called to follow Jesus’ example, but His steps lead through Gethsemane and onto Golgotha.  He did all that because of our sin and for our sin.  What a heavy burden it was to bear, and what a burden we too must bear if we truly place our feet in the deep depressions His feet have made.  But, we see the cross as God’s wisdom and power.

II.  1 Corinthians 1:18-29.  Jesus led by facing whatever challenges were before Him by faith.  He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly, and so must we!  Through that same lens of faith, the ‘nots’ see the world differently.  As Jesus’ suffering brings a blessing to us, we consider wise the things the world finds foolish and find a stepping stone in what the world considers a scandal.

III.  Acts 2:22-39.  Jesus did all of that so we might die to sins and live for righteousness.  Many choose not to after they initially obey the gospel by believing, confessing ‘Jesus is Lord,’ repenting, and being baptized into Jesus for the forgiveness of sins.  Faithful living, however, must characterize the lives of the ‘nots’ as all we have to boast in is Jesus’ faithful walk while in the flesh.

Obeying the gospel is an event; living as a new creation takes a lifetime.  Jesus gave us an example of how to do it.  The path is difficult, but He is with you.  Are you willing to follow in His steps?

 

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In All Circumstances

Americans have a history of rebelling against what they perceive is wrong.  From the Boston tea party through Rosa Parks to stadiums erupting in “Let’s Go, Brandon!” they find ways to let the status quo know how they feel.  So, how does a Christian rebel?  Perhaps in ways like 1 Thessalonians 5:18 begins by telling us to “give thanks in all circumstances.”  We’re not just thankful when things are going our way–but even when there’s no earthly way the things we are going through can be good (Mark 8:34-35).  Take that, world!

I.  Matthew 5.  To rebel against the world, we must choose man’s weakness.  The Sermon on the Mount is a Christian’s Declaration of Independence!  In it, Jesus turns all of man’s wisdom and weapons upside down.  In it we are blessed if we are poor in spirit, meek, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, and persecuted.  It’s only with God’s wisdom that we’re better off if we mourn or hunger and thirst for righteousness, and isn’t it weak to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and turn the other cheek?  Yet, Jesus showed us at the cross that this denying of ourselves works!

II.  1 Thessalonians 5:14-22.  We must also choose God’s strength.  In the closing of his letter, Paul outlines actions that the Christians in Thessalonica could do to rebel against the world like admonishing the idle, encouraging the fainthearted, helping the weak, being patient and our brother’s keeper, doing good, rejoicing always, praying unceasingly, and giving thanks in all circumstances ….  Just as Jesus chose the Father’s will over His own (Luke 22:41-43), so must we if we are a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2).  It is only by doing what is most difficult that we carry our crosses!

III.  Matthew 27:28-31.  Finally, we must choose Jesus’ path.  We lose many, especially boys, when we only portray a meek and mild Jesus.  Both the Jesus who loves and judges must be balanced.  As the Lamb of God, He is concealed; as the Lion of Judah, He is revealed.  The same Jesus who asked the little children to gather to Him is the Word of God on a white horse with a sword coming from His mouth to strike down the nations.  We must be willing to drink His cup (Matthew 20:21-23) while we walk as He did (1 John 2:5-6).  Only then can we live in true rebellion against the world!

If you only live a little different in degree but not character than the world, then you are in a very silent rebellion against it.  How will you win souls for Christ with your example or your teaching if you’re not denying yourself, taking up your cross, and following Him?

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Even If You Suffer

Suffering results from consequences of our bad choices and of our good choices.  Many reap harvest from sin and smugly assume that all suffering is for righteousness’ sake, but it is only suffering for doing good that God says He will bless you (1 Peter 3:13-18).

I.  Philippians 3:8-11.  We endure righteous suffering because of our relationship with Christ.  If God is truly our refuge where we abide and store our treasure (Matthew 6:20-21), then He will bless us when we suffer along with the prophets (Matthew 5:11-12).  Christ put the relationship with His Father first and suffered to make the gospel possible, so we must die to sin and selfishness to live in Him as a new creation (Romans 6:3-5).

II.  1 Peter 1:14-15.  We endure righteous suffering because of our relationship with ourselves in Christ.  If we are fearful or anxious for what the world can do to us, then we have a very low faith and trust in God, the only One we should fear (Matthew 10:28).  Rather, because He endured suffering and chose to be holy because His Father was holy, we too must choose, as we die to self and live for Him (Romans 6:6-8), to be holy for our own sakes.

III.  2 Corinthians 5:18-20.  We endure righteous suffering because of our relationship with the lost.  The sinless Christ died for us when we were unrighteous (Romans 5:6-8), so he has done for all while hoping for their repentance (2 Peter 3:9).  Since He chose to suffer for the lost, shouldn’t we who have obeyed the gospel and are in Christ already be willing servants or ambassadors for Christ by being gentle and respectful towards them (Galatians 6:1) that we might win some?

Many avoid suffering at all costs, often compromising with and blending in with the world.  But Christ suffered for righteousness’ sake for you who were lost.  Shouldn’t you who are in Christ because of His suffering be willing to suffer to bring the lost to Christ?

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Sought Him with Their Whole Desire

After the moral decline of Solomon’s reign and Reheboam’s unwise decision that split God’s people, his grandson, Asa, made a courageous move to rid Judah of its idolatry and return them to God (2 Chronicles 14).  What will God do for His people when a good leader gets those in his sphere of influence to seek Him with their whole desire?

I. 2 Chronicles 15:1-15.  Asa was given an ‘if’ by God, but unlike Solomon (1 Kings 3:14), Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:38), and Reheboam (1 Kings 12:7), he rose to the challenge.  He entered into a covenant with the people he led to seek God with their whole desire, and because they did, God gave them rest, peace, and possession of the land.

II. Hebrews 13:7-17.  We are to examine our leaders and imitate their faith.  This would include Jesus, who suffered–meaning that we may need to suffer as well.  Knowing their difficult position, we should make their job easier by obeying them.  Jesus seeks us (Luke 19:10).  But, do we want to be found (Luke 15:4-5)?  We must also seek God (Matthew 7:7-8), who promises that we will find Him.  Yet, we all are leaders in our sphere of influence (Matthew 25:20-27).  Let us love God fully (Luke 10:25-28), seeking Him with our whole desire.

III. Ephesians 6:10-13.  To seek God with our whole desire and get others to do so as well, we must take a stand by donning the armor of God.  At the time of captivity, God searched for someone who would stand in the breach but found none (Ezekiel 22:30).  God needs good leaders like Asa who will help a whole generation find Him.  The church is not a club that does some good in the world.  It is the spiritual vehicle to lead us to eternity (Hebrews 12:22-29).  It is where we seek Him with our whole desire here, to spend eternity with Him there.

Are you seeking Him with your whole desire?

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Work Out Your Own Salvation

After the wedding is over, who does the work in the marriage relationship?  The answer is both … if the marriage is to be successful.  So it must be when we enter into a relationship with Christ.  The Bridegroom has conquered sin and death by the cross and the tomb, but believers meet Him at the altar by obeying the gospel.  In baptism the wedding is over, how now can the marriage work?

I.  Galatians 3:26-29.  When we enter that covenant, we become “heirs according to the promise.”  No longer separated by our sins from God, we become children of God, “provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Romans 8:16-17).  Some of that suffering comes from choosing to walk according to Scripture instead of in the way of the religious world around us.  It’s a very narrow path to navigate (Matthew 7:13-14).  Stray a little too much towards ritual and our faith becomes a Checklist Christianity; a little too much towards relationship and it becomes Cultural Christianity.  Rather, true worshipers will worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

II.  Philippians 2:12-16.  For our part, we must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.  And it is hard work indeed.  Maintaining any good relationship is.  We must not grumble or argue to not wreck our influence for the gospel of Christ.  There is a process of partaking in the divine nature and escaping the corruption of the world.  We must add various virtues one to another in increasing measure and practice them with diligence to not fall and find a rich welcome in the Kingdom of God (1 Peter 1:3-11). Only you can strengthen or destroy your own relationship in Christ.

III.  Hebrews 10:38-39.  For His part, God promises to work in you, to work and to will for His pleasure.  So, as you are working out your own salvation, He is molding and shaping you into His Son’s image.  So, faithful living requires many moment-to-moment decisions to walk as Christ did (1 John 2:6).  We can no longer live for ourselves but rather make it our aim to please Him (2 Corinthians 5:9).  As two become one in marriage, we are, as members of Christ’s bride, united with our Bridegroom in death and so also life (Galatians 2:20 and Romans 6:5).  Therefore, we do not shrink back but live by faith

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Thank you for this pandemic

Lord God, Father who hears his children,

Thank you for answering my pleas. To have the Creator and Sovereign of the universe pay attention to me is a wonderful thing. I deserve nothing, yet you have given me so much — hope, love, joy and peace that passes all understanding.

Preserve me for your purposes, O Lord. Make me a genuine servant, seeking you with all my heart. Let my circumstances be merely a colorful background for the joy of your love in my life.

Thank you for this pandemic. Save people from suffering and dying — we wish no one ill — and also let us see how this moment serves your purpose to save the souls of many.

Use our modest efforts to point others to the Cross of Christ and the blessed entrance into the Kingdom of Power.

Let Jesus reign in our hears, in whom we pray and rejoice. Amen.

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Our isolated brothers and sisters in the Middle East

Father, today we remember to pray for our isolated brothers and sisters in the Middle East, who live under the stress of threats. They often must move for their safety or send family members to different location. They change their phones and take other precautions against persecution. Many of them meet in secret.

Bless these saints who are often in danger of their lives and well-being. Protect them in their faith. Let the gospel grow and be strong among them. Make them sure of their reward in Christ. Let them know that they have a brotherhood scattered among the world who also suffers in many ways.

And we also ask for all of us who seek to live godly lives, constantly under assault from the evil one, ever under duress from temptation, from the injustice and immorality of this world. Let us not be weighed down by the struggle. Rather, let us be joyful that we suffer for the name of Christ. Remind us that our present sufferings are but a light weight, for a little time, here on the earth.

We await the coming of our Lord. We want to rejoice at his appearance. We look for salvation. May he come soon!