Jesus, the Anointed One

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:15–16).

Today I would like to make a brief excursion out of Luke’s gospel and reflect on the majesty of the person of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Once Jesus asked the disciples what people were saying about Him. Some thought He was Elijah come again, while others thought He was one of the other prophets. The disciples, however, because of their close relationship to Him, recognized Him as the Christ.

We are so used to hearing the name “Jesus Christ” that sometimes we think “Christ” was His last name. Actually, Jesus’ full Jewish name would have been Jesus bar Joseph, Jesus son of Joseph. The word Christ is actually a title, the Greek equivalent of the Jewish word Messiah. It means “Anointed One”: Jesus the Anointed One.

For centuries the Jews had been looking for the Messiah. The history of the Jews had been one tragedy after another. For a brief time under David and Solomon, they had enjoyed a day in the sun, with a glorious king on a glorious throne in a glorious city at the center of the world. Soon, however, their sins brought the kingdom to ruin, and though there had been some good times since then, the kingdom had never been restored. Someday, though, a son of David would arise who would restore the kingdom to Israel. Such was their hope.

When Jesus came on the scene. He did not identify Himself as the Messiah. When Jesus did His mighty miracles, the crowd tried to make Him king, but Jesus walked away. Every time someone talked to Jesus about being the Messiah, He avoided the topic.

So Jesus looked at Peter who said, “We know who you are. Despite what others think, we know you are the Christ.” Jesus then pronounced His benediction on Peter saying, “Blessed are you because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in Heaven. He has allowed you to see this.”

It was because Simon Peter and the other disciples were close to Jesus that they recognized Him as the Christ. Make every effort to draw near to Christ so your confession will also express the profound awe of being in His presence.

The Apostle of Those Who Feel Like a Failure

If you ever received an “F” on a report card, blew a big play in sports, or lost a sizable sale, you know what it feels like to fail. Failure is misery. You feel alone, ignorant, and rejected. Peter knew how it felt to fail.

Though impetuous, Peter was not prone to failure. He was the spokesman for the Twelve (Luke 5:5; 12:41) and one of the three who formed the inner circle (Mark 5:37; 9:2). His name heads the lists of the disciples (Mark 3:16). He was the first of the Twelve to acknowledge Jesus as Messiah (Luke 9:20), and to see the risen Lord (Luke 24:34). He became the principal teacher of the new church, a leader filled with God’s power (Acts 3:11–26; 5:1–16). What would such a faithful, dedicated follower know about failure?

While a mighty leader, Peter failed miserably at some crucial moments. He told Jesus to quit talking about His death (Matthew 8:21–23). In their last meal together, he got into an argument with Jesus about washing feet (John 13:4–10). He fell asleep at Gethsemane (Mark 14:37) and tried to kill one of the men who arrested Jesus (John 18:10–11). He disowned Christ publicly and swore he didn’t even know Him (Matthew 26:69–75). Years later, Paul blasted him for folding under pressure (Galatians 2:11–14).

Was he a mighty leader or a miserable failure? Clearly, Peter wasn’t a perfect leader, yet neither was he a complete failure. After the Resurrection, he was instrumental in bringing the Gospel to the Jews and Gentiles.

Of course, Peter could have avoided many of these embarrassing failures by speaking out less, assuming no leadership role, or by turning back with others. He could have refused to answer the call of Christ and stayed in the boat, fishing for the rest of his life. Peter could have avoided failure by avoiding a life of faith.

A life of faith can be frightening to those afraid of taking a risk. Those who desperately want a close relationship with God are sometimes afraid to step out in faith for fear of letting God down. But Peter’s life demonstrates that God’s love is unfailing.

When you feel like a failure, think of Peter. You probably haven’t let Christ down as much as he did. And when you feel afraid to take a risk that faith demands, remember that it’s far better to be a follower who fails than one who fails to follow. 

Is Uncertainty a Virtue?

Increasingly, there is a subtle tendency to sidestep difficult and inconvenient issues by saying we cannot be certain about them. Of course, being non-dogmatic is thought to be a virtue in our culture. Yet it’s one thing to acknowledge a defect in our own understanding, it’s another thing to claim that for everyone else. Open questions and matters indifferent seem to have increased at the expense of the practical authority of Scripture. Sometimes muddying the waters means people feel free to take up a definite alternative position. For instance, where professing evangelicals want to support something like same-sex marriage. If they can make the Biblical passages seem unclear then they feel justified in their position. But where do such claims end in relation to God’s revealed will? What indeed are we saying about God’s ability to give us clear teaching?

Of course, some parts of the Bible need more careful study than others to understand them in the right way. But this is different from saying that they cannot be understood. There can also be doubts and difficulties that we must work through but that is something different to making doubt an essential aspect of our belief. It is different to the idea that the Church must progress (claiming the leading of the Spirit) to believe things that are flatly contradictory to Scripture and to how former generations understood Scripture. One former evangelical has recently written a book called The Sin of Certainty to champion the conviction that striving for certainty is destructive. One may well ask how “certain” the author is about that conviction itself.

This idea of virtuous uncertainty is not, in fact, a biblical idea. God has given us “excellent things in counsels and knowledge” to make us “know the certainty of the words of truth” (Proverbs 22:21). All Scripture…is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). We are meant to be able to handle it skillfully and in the right way (2 Timothy 2:15). We are not meant to “be tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). Our love abounds through knowledge, not through ignorance (Philippians 1:9). Even in things indifferent “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind” (Romans 14:5).

These issues are not in fact new. Samuel Rutherford had to counter a rising skepticism and we can learn a lot from the principles he draws from Scripture. He gives particular focus to the idea that it doesn’t matter what we believe as long as we believe what is necessary to be saved.

1. We Can be Certain About Things that are Not Fundamental

We believe with the certainty of faith, many things which are not fundamental. For example, we are not to be “ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). Many (we may suppose) are in glory that died ignorant of this and without believing or. Or at least they died without any certainty of faith on this point: that with God time has no coexistence of duration whether long and short. Yet Peter asserts that it is to be believed with the certainty of faith.

The Holy Spirit tells us of many historical matters in Hebrews 11. We believe these by the certainty of divine faith but they are not fundamental. If we do not believe all that Paul and the rest of the apostles have written and Moses and the prophets have said we must take them to be false witnesses in saying, preaching and writing what is not true. Paul says so (1 Corinthians 15:15).

The apostles say, “we are witnesses of these things” (Acts 5:32). Now, these things refer not only to Christ’s death and resurrection but also to points that are not fundamental. They include identifying the instruments of His death (verse 30; Acts 4:10 and Acts 3:26). The apostles and the Holy Spirit were witnesses of the truth of both fundamental and non-fundamental things (Acts 1:8). Christ said they were “my witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:48). These things are identified in verse 44, “all things that must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms concerning me”. This includes the sacrifices, types, and particular ceremonies that were shadows of Christ.

2. We Are to Examine the Truth to Gain Certainty

“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21) means to prove and search our the true meaning of divine truths. Having thus proved and believed, hold the truth. It does not mean believe it for a day and yield to the complete contrary tomorrow, and then find and yield to yet another contrary principle the day after. If this was so the Holy Spirit would be commanding doubting, doubting till we lose faith and find it again and lose it again in a circle.

If this was the case, then the Bereans (Acts 17:11) must examine their own examining and their own doubtings and believing, and so on to infinity. It would be as though when they find Christ to be in Paul’s teaching and Moses and the Prophets, yet they must still examine and doubt. As though they should only believe the teaching of the prophets, apostles, and the Holy Spirit with reserve, waiting until they ‘receive’ new and contrary understanding from the Holy Spirit.

This is to teach us to be carried about with every wind of doctrine. Believing the truth of Scripture (whether in fundamental or non-fundamental things), however, is to believe a truth, because the Lord (cannot lie or speak untruth) says so.

3. We Ought to Pray For Certainty

We should pray “Lord enlighten my eyes” but this is not a prayer for conjectural, fluctuating and changeable understanding. Such a prayer for new light is not that the Holy Spirit would teach us to believe truths and falsehoods in a circle. Instead, it is a prayer that God:

• Would give the Spirit of revelation to see gospel truths with a clear revelation of faith;
• That He would be pleased to cause the light by which we see the same ancient gospel truths to shine more fully, with a larger measure of heavenly evidence.
• That our understanding may so grow that we see new deductions, consequences, and heavenly new, fresh conclusions from the former truths of God.

Skeptical faith desires God to give us a contrary new light so that we would believe things to be true which were formerly believed to contradictory to the Word of God. This would turn light into night darkness, the truth into a lie, and make the Spirit of truth the father of lies.

4. The Apostles Encourage Certainty

The apostles never urge us to know any truth of God with a reserve. The apostles and the Holy Spirit in them, urge us to know assuredly that Jesus is Christ the Lord. They exhort us to be rooted and established in the faith (Colossians 2:7). They urge us to be fully persuaded of everything both fundamental and historical concerning Christ. Luke wanted Theophilus to “know the certainty” of the “things most surely believed among us” (Luke 1:1, 4).In Hebrews 5:12-13 the apostle exhorts us to believe many points concerning Christ beyond the first principles of the oracles of God. He exhorts them to progress to maturity (Hebrews 6:1). 

5. The Word of God is Able to Give Us Certainty

The principle of uncertainty implies the Word of God is obscurity and dark, not able to instruct us in all truths. It makes a blasphemous charge against the Holy Spirit as if He had written the Scriptures with the intention that we would have no assured and fixed knowledge. It would leave us not with faith but a mere probable opinion, a conjectural, dubious apprehension of truths, with a reserve to believe the contrary. This would be as though the Lord’s purpose was to make us all skeptics and die doubting.

The apostles command us to believe and be comforted in believing the truths which they themselves believed as Christians and as fellow citizens with us. Are we going to say that the apostles also believed with reserve? That would be blasphemous.

6. We Must Serve God with Believing Conviction

All our practice must be in faith, i.e. with a persuasion that what we do is according to the revealed will of God. If it is otherwise we sin (Romans 14:23) and are condemned in all we do. But if faith with reserve must be the rule of our practice, we can do nothing in faith.

Conclusion

Today we face those who claim to be “progressive Christians”. They tell us that inviting questions is more valuable than supplying answers and we should explore the truth rather than declare it. They seem very uncertain about what God’s Word says but very certain about what human opinion (especially science) maintains. They are ready to say that we can’t be sure that the Bible condemns same-sex marriage but move quickly to say that we can be sure that it is ok. They tell us that we shouldn’t judge others. But that in itself is to pass moral judgment on our conduct. Christ says it is necessary for reconciliation to point out what others have done wrong (Matthew 18:15). The tide of uncertainty is influencing some evangelicals in subtle ways and we need to recognize this so as to resist it.

PODCAST: PreacherCast - Ep. 2 - "Were Adam and Eve Historical Figures?"

This is episode two of THE PREACHER CAST, and today we'll be looking at the rise of "Theybies" (which are children being raised without a gender), then we'll marvel at the The New York Public Library's hosting of "The Drag Queen Hour" for children's storybook time, we'll consider a recent survey showing what ONE THING people would change about their church if they could, and finally consider the controversy of "godly men preferring debt-free virgins who have no tattoos." Later in the show's MAIN SEGMENT, we'll consider the rise and problem of Christians doubting the real, historical existence of Adam and Eve — the latest assault against the book of Genesis. Don't miss Matthew's book recommendation of The Quest for the Historical Adam: Genesis, Hermeneutics, and Human Origins by William VanDoodewaard.

You can play the podcast on the player below, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, subscribe to the podcast on SoundCloud,  or download the MP3 here. You can also grab the following RSS feed here: http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:482899152/sounds.rss

Luke, the Great Historian

"In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach" (Acts 1:1).

Today, I want to show how careful Luke was in compiling his gospel account. Luke is sometimes regarded as the greatest historian of the New Testament. The danger of making this pronouncement is that it might imply that Matthew, Mark, and John are less reliable. In fact, however, it simply means that Luke conforms more to our modern notions of historical research and writing. Luke calls attention to the fact that he researched his books carefully and that he writes things in order (Luke 1:1–4).

Luke’s gospel, along with the rest of the Bible, is divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit, and so we might say, “Well, who wouldn’t be a good historian with such divine help!” At the same time, it took human effort on Luke’s part to put his books together. In order to get the divine message of his book, we have to see what Luke the writer wrote. That means that careful reading, study, and scholarship are needed for us to get the fullness of what God has for us in the various biblical books.

This leads me to make a point about which I feel very strongly. When I was in seminary, I often heard that ministers should never preach above an eighth-grade level. It seemed to be taken for granted that laypeople are just not intelligent enough to grasp really in-depth biblical teaching. Every bone in my body recoils at this idea. It is not only an insult to laypeople, but it means that the Word of God is being shut up from His people. God wants His people to be taught His Word, and we dare not undermine His intention.

Again, too often the modern churches want their preachers to be administrators and counselors, and though these things are important, there are other people (such as elders and deacons) who can take up the slack (Acts 6:2–3). We need to encourage our preachers to study, and to give us the living Word of God in full measure, without omitting anything.

What provision does your church make to enhance your preacher’s need to study? Does this include time, library resources and continuing education study opportunities? Be sure your congregation realizes investment in your preacher potentially reaps a bountiful harvest in your church.

PODCAST: PreacherCast - Ep. 1 - "Transgender Deacons, Dinosaurs, and the 'Secret' History of Leviticus"

In this inaugural episode of The PreacherCast, I jump into the world of podcasting! In this first episode, I introduce myself, offer a little biography, cover some recent news items (transgender deacons in the UME, the rejection of religious freedom in the PCUSA, etc.), and offer thoughts on Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. I then spend the back half of the episode looking at the problems with the recent New York Times op-ed by Idan Dershowitz titled "The Secret History of Leviticus." You can play the podcast on the player below, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, subscribe to the podcast on SoundCloud,  or download the MP3 here. 

You can also grab the following RSS feed here and subscribe in your favorite podcast software: http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:482899152/sounds.rss

The Mission of the Twelve

"And he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick" (Luke 9:2).

In Luke 8 we saw Jesus casting out demons and healing the sick. In Luke 9, Jesus transferred to His twelve core disciples both the power and authority to do these things. He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom and to bring home the reality of the kingdom by healing.

He instructed them to “take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic” (v. 3). When we travel, we take along extra clothes and other things to help us. Jesus said to the disciples, “Travel light.” They were being sent on a whirlwind tour, and they were not to settle down for any length of time anywhere.

Verse 5 is almost a harsh statement: “If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town as a testimony against them.” In other words, “Don’t spend too much time in one place. Don’t pour your energy into people who are not willing to hear you. Go to those people who are open. In fact, your mission is so holy that if they don’t receive you, you are to shake the dust off your feet as a sign of God’s displeasure with them.”

And so they “went from village to village, preaching the Gospel and healing people everywhere.” One of the interesting results of their mission is seen in the following verses: “Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life” (vv. 6–8).

We can imagine the impact on the culture that Jesus had when He alone would preach and heal people. Now that ministry had been magnified. There were twelve other people doing the same thing under His power and authority. They were blitzing the cities. Herod, as king, perceived this as destabilizing his kingdom. Something new and powerful was on the scene!

This passage shows us how the Gospel stirs up society. The disciples preached the Word and actively applied it through works of compassion. They stripped down for the task and made themselves busy with it. Think today about what extra baggage you may be carrying and how it deters your work for the kingdom.

The Touch of the Master

"But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” (Luke 8:54).

As Jesus was speaking to the woman who had been healed, messengers came from Jairus’s house and said, “Your daughter is dead. Don’t bother the teacher any more” (v. 49). Surely this message changed the spirit of the crowd. Just as they began to rejoice over the woman’s healing, this horrible news arrived. Now it was too late. Jesus, however, told Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed” (v. 50).

When they arrived at Jairus’s house, Jesus did not let the crowd go in. The people who were already in the house were wailing and mourning. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep” (v. 52). We are not to understand from this that somehow Jesus noticed that the girl was not really dead but only asleep. Nor should we pour into this text the theological idea that believers don’t really die but only “fall asleep in the Lord.” Rather, she really was dead, but Jesus was going to resuscitate her.

The mourners laughed at Him, knowing that she was dead. This was scornful laughter. They could not stand to hear what Jesus was saying, because it sounded like a sick joke. Jesus, however, took her by the hand. By touching her, Jesus went against the letter of the law, which stated that contact with a corpse caused ceremonial uncleanness (Numbers 19). Jesus reached out and touched her anyway. We read that instantly “her spirit returned, and at once she stood up” (v. 55). Like the woman with the issue of blood, she was raised instantaneously.

Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. It is always a good sign when a person who has been sick begins to be hungry. It is a sign that recovery is under way. Once again, this child was instantly healed. Her appetite did not return gradually—it came back immediately. She was restored to the fullness of life by the touch of the Master.

According to Leviticus 15 and Numbers 19, symbolic death spread from person to person under the old covenant. Do you think that such “uncleanness” spread to Jesus when He touched the woman with an issue and Jairus’ daughter? What does Luke 8:46 say? Compare this with John 7:38.

You Will Never Be Truly Content Without Godliness

We all long for a genuinely peaceful satisfaction in life. Yet in our society of conspicuous consumption, and discontent — wanting more and better seem to be valued more. Lifestyle gurus know this and they urge people to be content with who they are and what they have whilst still striving for their goals. Think positively they say, practice gratitude (to no one in particular) be proud of what you have achieved. But this isn’t real contentment because it depends on ourselves and our feelings. It’s a temporary and often imagined state. We need something that transcends not only our immediate circumstances but also ourselves and this brief changeable life. We were not made to live for ourselves or the things of time. We were made for God and for eternity. That’s why we will never be truly content without godliness.

This is what the Apostle Paul says. People make the great mistake of “supposing that gain is godliness” (1 Timothy 6:5). Some think that personal gain is the highest achievement of this life. Even in spiritual things as well as the things of this life we can be entirely focussed on personal gain. They are using spiritual things to advance self. We can think that we are advancing in godliness but actually, the whole activity is all about ourselves. Paul says that we need to know that gain is not godliness but rather “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). These two things go together and cannot be separated. Godliness is profitable for all things both in this life and the life which is to come (1 Timothy 4:8). James Durham explains these points further in a series of sermons from which the following is extracted and updated.

1. What is True Contentment?

It leaves a person in quietness, calmness, and composure of mind. They are so satisfied with God’s dealings that they think whatever they experience is best.

(a) It Involves Moderate Desires

Our inclinations, desires, and plans in relation to ourselves and all the things of this world are moderated. This is the opposite of all inordinate desires for a change in our present lot. It keeps us from seeking “great things” for ourselves (Jeremiah 45:5). One who wants to be rich (1 Timothy 6:9) is the opposite of one who is content. This is because covetousness and contentment are opposed to each other (Hebrew 13:5).

Contentment is silent reverence for God’s way towards us. It restrains us from pressing inordinately after what we have or are able to acquire lawfully. Honest lawful labor is of course not opposed to contentment. We follow our calling as our duty rather than mainly to further our advantage or gain.

(b) It Involves Calm Submission to God’s Providence

It is opposed to fretful anxiety (Philippians 4:6 and Matthew 6:25). We are to follow the duties of our calling without being vexed or anxious about their success.

(c) It Involves Reverent Adoration of God’s Provision

Whether God provides little or much we are to be content with the things that we have (1 Timothy 6:8 and Hebrews 13:5).

(d) It Involves Tranquility of Mind Which Is Satisfied With God’s Dealings

Not only does it not fret against God’s dealings, it gives positive assent to them as being well satisfied with them. It is a sweetly serene frame of soul that makes a Christian say with the apostle, “I have all, I abound, I am full” (see Philippians 4:11-12 and 18; 2 Corinthians 6:8-10). Paul had as much contentment whether he had less or more of the things of the world.

2. How is Godliness Gain?

(a) It Extends to All Kinds of People

Its gain extends to individuals of every sex, age, rank, class, calling position and relationship.

(b) It Extends to All Kinds of Conditions

It is profitable in prosperity and in lack, making us always content in every condition. It is soundness to the bones in health and has an inward life and cheerfulness. In sickness and death, it is eminently profitable. Its great gain and advantage beautifully blossom forth then, when all earthly comforts wither.

(c) It Extends to All Kinds of Activities

It is profitable in worship and the duties of our ordinary callings (Psalm 1:3).

(d) It Extends to This Life and Eternity

It has outward gain (so far as is fitting for themselves and those of their company). It always has inward gain through their secret converse with and walk before God (1 Timothy 4:8).

3. Why is There no Contentment Without Godliness?

If we look through the Scriptures, we will always find that it is the godly man that is the contented man. Godly Paul learned this great lesson and was taught this divine art. You can see from Philippians 4 and 2 Corinthians 6:3-4 how he arrived at this height. He could say “having nothing, yet possessing all things”. This is because contentment does not consist in the things we possess but in the right frame of mind. There is nothing that can put and keep us in such a right frame of mind except godliness.

(a) Godliness Shows Us the Emptiness of All Creature-Comforts

It sobers our spirit in pursuing creature-comforts saying to us to be content with food and clothing (1 Timothy 6:9). It limits our desires and intentions that we may be content even though we do not have many thousands or this or that among the fine things in the world.

(b) Godliness Moderates Our Affections in Using the Things of This World

It keeps us from being anxious in seeking and pursuing after the things of the world. It makes us quiet and satisfied in using and enjoying them. Without contentment through godliness, a person is both vexed and perplexed in seeking and enjoying without satisfaction. This is because they seek and expect more from these things than they find.

But the godly man weeps as though he did not weep, rejoices as though he did not rejoice. He buys as though he did not possess and uses this world without abusing it (see 1 Corinthians 7:29-31). Godliness is the living water spoken of by our Lord (John 4:13) which when someone drinks they do not thirst again. It quenches those disquieting, gasping desires after the things of the world which all naturally have.

(c) Godliness Sets Our Affections on More Excellent Things

It takes our affections off these things and sets them on another more noble, excellent and durable object which alone can satisfy. There is no true contentment nor solid soul-satisfaction to be had except in God and looking to Him aright. Godliness takes us away from the empty and broken cisterns that can hold no water and leads us to the fountain of living waters (Jeremiah 2).

It makes us consider that the Lord has a holy sovereign hand in everything and teaches us to be quiet and content. It teaches us to pray, praise, believe, rest on God and trust in Him for deliverance from all difficulties. Now and then the godly have some sweet manifestations of God to their soul. These mightily and marvelously outlast the impressions that the lack of outward things makes on their spirits (see Psalm 4:6-7). It is impossible for the mind to be quiet and content without having some satisfying object effectually offered to it. Only godliness does this. Even heaven could not make us content unless we had godliness (if it were possible for someone to be there without it). This is because without it the mind would not be adapted to the place.

(d) Godliness Gives Us Access to All the Promises

Access to all the exceeding great and precious promises makes us content. “Godliness” (says the apostle) “is profitable for all things, having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:7). Suppose a godly man in difficulty to get his dinner or supper and how to get his family provided for and sustained. When the children begin to weep for bread in beginning to hunger, he has a sweet word of promise to support his mind. God has said that He will never leave nor forsake him in Hebrews 13:5-6. This verse contains five negatives in the original language to maximize assurance.

The words that follow are: “we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man shall do unto me”. Godliness looks to what God has said and no one except the godly can say that God has said such things to them. The promise is in some ways as meaningful and satisfying (perhaps more) as if they had the thing itself in their hand. They can say boldly “the Lord is my helper” and “the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (Psalm 23:1) and so quiet and content themselves. There is no condition the godly may be in without a promise for it.

Godliness gives access and right to the promise. Exercising godliness gives the promise (as it were) a new and fresh luster. The godly rest satisfied in the promise and neither having nor not having disturbed their peace and contentment. They know that if necessary this pain and sickness and this affliction or other will be removed and this or that need supplied. If it continues it will be for their best. This is in accordance with Romans 8:28 “All things work together for good to them that love God and are the called according to his purpose”. What more is needed? The godly may take hold of the promise boldly, no one else has the right to do this. Godliness does not meri the promise but God has made it the way by which we receive it. If you love and desire contentment, love godliness and exercise yourselves to it in a serious way.

(e) Godliness Helps Us Put Sin to Death

Lack of contentment of mind arises from some sin within which has not been put to death, as James tells us (James 4:1). Where godliness is in exercise, it keeps down and subdues pride and restrains lust. When corruption is ready to rise and fretting, impatience and discontent break out, godliness makes us say with Eli “It is the Lord” (1 Samuel 3:18). It makes us dare not give way to our corruption. The great thing that disquiets us is always something that is sinful. Godliness prevents or restrains that which leads to discontentment. It helps put sin to death and keep the mind calm.

4. Why is Contentment Necessary for Making Progress in Godliness?

The Holy Spirit joins these two things together to show that one helps and advances the other. A defect in either one is obstructive to the other. Those who are not exercised to godliness cannot have true contentment. Those who do not have contentment cannot advance in godliness. Will or can someone who is discontent pray effectually? It is impossible. It mars his liberty and boldness in prayer.

The discontented man cannot praise because praise flows from a satisfied mind and he lacks this. The discontented man cannot properly read, listen to sermons, or meditate because his mind is confused. Discontentment weakens the mind and makes us disinclined to and indisposed for godly exercise.

Conclusion

Look on and accept these two things as motives and helps to each other. Let them go hand in hand together. Neither of them will go alone, they must go together. Will I not then strive for contentment with my lot, whatever it may be? Will I not more than ever love and prize the connection between contentment and godliness? Will I not through grace believe more thoroughly this great truth, that godliness with contentment is great gain? Let it stand as an eternal and unchangeable verity. Let it stand like a great and immovable rock in the midst of the sea against which the waves of the world’s contradictory, false and foolish notions beat and break themselves.

Touching the Master

"She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped" (Luke 8:44).

Jesus had been asked by Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, to come and heal his dying daughter. Luke tells us that “as Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him” (v. 42). In that crowd was a woman who had been subject to an issue of blood for twelve years. She was desperate. We are told that she had visited every physician she knew and had been unable to get any relief.

Her problem was not only physical. Under the laws of Leviticus 15, the fact her malady was an issue of blood made her ceremonially unclean for twelve years. Almost like a leper, she was a pariah to the synagogue, to the community, and to her family. No wonder she was desperate!

As the crowd pressed around Jesus, she got close to Him and simply touched the edge of His cloak. She did not see herself as worthy to call such attention to herself. With one touch of the hem of the robe of Christ, twelve years of agony came instantly to an end.

Jesus was aware that power had gone out of Him, and demanded to know who it was that had touched Him (vv. 45–46). When the woman realized that Jesus knew about her, she “came trembling and fell at His feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched Him and how she had been instantly healed.” Then Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace” (vv. 47–48).

Jesus noticed what everyone else had overlooked. This woman did not have the nerve to talk to Jesus. She thought she was too insignificant to be worthy of His attention. But that was not Jesus’ attitude. He stopped to give her His undivided attention. Here we see God’s compassion for and interest in the smallest individual in the world.

Nobody is insignificant to Christ. He took notice that she was made in the image of God, just as we are. When she reached out to touch Him, He stopped to touch her.

Some have called God’s compassion the “Divine Stoop.” From heaven on high, He has bent low to meet our needs and comfort His people. Because He is not a respecter of persons, there are none too insignificant to escape His notice. Thank God today for His compassionate stoop.

Jesus: What kind of man is this?

"In fear and amazement, they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him” (Luke 8:25b).

Luke tells us that one day Jesus told His disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake” (v. 22). They got into a boat and began to cross the Sea of Galilee. Jesus fell asleep, and while He was asleep, a ferocious storm arose on the lake and threatened to swamp the boat.

Such storms are not unknown on the Sea of Galilee. Due to the position of the hills around the lake, the weather patterns are such that tremendous windstorms sweep into the area from time to time. Though Jesus’ disciples included several seasoned fishermen, they were all afraid. They woke Jesus and told Him they feared they might drown. Jesus “got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm” (v. 24).

Some have suggested that Jesus slept so soundly through the storm because He was exhausted. Another theory is that because He was sinless, He was not out of sorts with God’s creation and thus was not threatened by it. For whatever reason, the storm that so greatly frightened these fishermen made no impression on Jesus at all.

This must have been some storm to defeat and terrify seasoned boatmen like Peter, Andrew, James, and John! Fearful as the storm was, however, the disciples were even more afraid after Jesus’ display of power over nature. They asked each other, “What kind of man is this?” The answer: He was the sinless incarnation of the second person of the Godhead.

Many people want to classify Jesus only as a “great religious teacher.” It is ridiculous, however, to put Jesus Christ in the same category as other “great religious teachers.” Did Mohammed ever command the sea? Could Gautama Buddha raise the dead? Does anyone claim Confucious was without sin? None of these men can be compared to Jesus Christ. The disciples were properly in a state of awestruck fear and reverence. They were afraid because they sensed in Him the presence of God Incarnate.

Where have you sensed God’s power unleashed in an extraordinary manner? Was it connected to answered prayer, a dramatic conversion, or a radical change of circumstances? Recall whether you had Peter’s good sense to be awestruck at the revelation of His presence.

The True Family of Jesus

"He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice” (Luke 8:21).

Luke 8:19 says that “Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd.” This reference to Jesus’ brothers, along with other passages that speak of His brothers and sisters, has occasioned a good deal of debate in the church.

Roman Catholic theology is committed to the doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary. Thus, Roman Catholic exegetes have proposed two explanations for Jesus’ “brothers.” The first is the suggestion that Joseph had been married previously and thus these were half-brothers. Yet, there is not a shred of New Testament or early church evidence for this, or that he married Mary in his old age.

The second suggestion comes from the fact that the words brother and sister can sometimes by extension refer to cousins, so that it was actually Jesus’ cousins that are referred to here. Again, there is no foundation for this, and why would cousins be accompanying Mary?

Unfortunately, much of Roman Catholic moral theology accepts the notion that sexual relations are always tainted by sin, even within marriage, and even when children are the result. Thus, since they believe Mary was sinless, they also maintain she could never have enjoyed marital relations with Joseph. This, of course, involves a frightful distortion of the biblical view of the goodness and sanctity of marriage and of marital relations.

Let’s turn to what the passage actually addresses. When Jesus became aware that His natural family was in the crowd, He told the crowd that His true relatives are those who obey God’s Word. It is not the natural family that will inherit the kingdom, but the spiritual family.

We often hear about the universal Fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man. There is a limited sense in which this is true by creation (Acts 17:28), but in terms of redemption, only those adopted into God’s new family are His children and Jesus’ true brothers and sisters.

The spiritual family of Christ, known through the church, is frequently seen as a broken, disgruntled family. Each believer is charged with the work of an ambassador, reconciling members one to another in love. Assume more personal responsibility to promote love of the brethren today.

Let Your Light Shine

“For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open” (Luke 8:17).

After discussing the fruit that must be produced by righteous soil, Jesus provides another comparison. He says, “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light” (v. 16). By this, He means that we shine our light before men, and it would be just short of treason to our Lord to pretend that we are not Christians.

There is no point in trying to avoid exposure as Christians because eventually everyone will be exposed before God. Those who are willing to be known as serious believers need not fear that exposure because their sins are hidden in Christ. Those who seek to conceal their sins and refuse to ally with the Lord in this world, however, will be exposed on the Day of Judgment.

Jesus makes an application in verse 18: “Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.” Jesus is saying we must open our ears to God’s Word. When it comes to the words of Christ, there is no neutrality: You either respond in faith and move from grace to grace and from light to light, or else you respond in unbelief and move from darkness to darkness and from death to death. Those who have received the kingdom will get more and more as they listen, while those who close their ears will lose even the little that they have.

Let me ask you this question: How do you handle your secrets? What are the things you seek to conceal from other people, and what do they tell you about your life? Are those things hid in Christ—secrets you keep in order to avoid scandal to the Gospel or to protect someone’s reputation; or are they shameful things you are trying to conceal from the gaze of God? If the latter, surely they will be exposed by Christ. Those are the only options we have. With Christ, there is no neutrality.

Believers are faced with the daily temptation to hide their light. Peer pressure (whether in school, neighborhood or the business community) can be strong and intimidating. How well does your light shine? Decide today how you can make your faith more visible to those around you.

The Prophetic Preacher and the Sin of Abortion

To what lengths should a godly minister go toward protecting innocent human life? Preachers already feel pulled in so many directions. We rightly put our energies into preaching the Gospel, church growth, and exciting programs. But has God no concern for the rights of the weak and defenseless?

Certainly, a minister’s primary responsibility is to preach the Word (2 Timothy 4:2). This involves a call to repentance as well as a call to faith in Christ Jesus. Jesus said, “Repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15). In His last public discourse, Jesus exposed and denounced the sins of the religious leaders of that day. Likewise, in the midst of secular Athens, Paul declared that God is “now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent”—pagan Greeks as well as Jews.

Ministers must likewise follow the example of Jesus and Paul. The taking of innocent human life in abortion is a sin. So a minister should preach against abortion. But should a minister do more to protect innocent human life than simply preach against it?

Should anyone need to be reminded, we learn from Paul that a minister must not only call others to righteous living, he must pursue after it himself: “Pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace” (2 Timothy 2:22). Central to righteous living is a self-giving love for one’s neighbor. In the case of the weak and defenseless, it is taking up their cause. God has said. “I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things” (Jeremiah 9:24).

Conversely, God hid Himself from Israel when they only prayed and sacrificed, for He said. “What are your multiplied sacrifices to me?… I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly” (Isaiah 1:13). Iniquity in their instance was that they did not seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow—basic acts of justice. Does God now tolerate a lack of concern for justice on our part?

Taking up the cause of the unborn means action, public action. For James asks, “If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?”

The call to righteous living, in this case, is a call to give these needy persons clothing and food. If this much is required, how much more should we seek to prevent the taking of innocent human life? “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:18).

Christ said to His followers, “You are the salt of the earth.… You are the light of the world.” Paul admonished, you are now “light in the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them” (Ephesians 5:8ff.). When God commissioned Paul, He appointed him “to open (the Gentiles’) eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light … performing deeds appropriate to repentance” (Acts 26:18ff). Our main purpose is to expose the unfruitful deeds of darkness and to exhort people to turn to Christ. Again, in the abortion crisis, the light is not meant to shine behind closed doors.

Abortion is indeed an “unfruitful deed of darkness” which we are to expose. Its forces are impressive and are on the attack. But we serve the “Light of the World,” and as Martin Luther reminds us: “If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are attacking at that moment, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all battlefields besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.”

God appointed Ezekiel to be a “watchman for the house of Israel.” But God warned:

When I say to the wicked, “O wicked man, you shall surely die,” and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hands. But if you on your part warn a wicked man to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he will die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your life.”

This same compulsion rests upon prophetic preachers today. Occasions arise when the Word of God cannot be held in, and to do so would make us guilty of the blood of others. Infants are dying painful deaths today in abortion chambers. We must face the horror of abortion. These are extraordinary times which call for extraordinary actions. We cannot afford to ignore what is taking place.

Notably, whenever Peter or Paul spoke to a Gentile audience, they spoke of coming judgment and exhorted people to flee from the wrath to come. This is a Good News act. It flows from true love for the lost. James concludes: “He who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins” (5:20).

In sum, our call to preach the Gospel, to live righteously, to be salt and light, and to proclaim God’s judgment is a call to act prophetically. It is true that the New Testament office of minister is not equivalent to a prophet. But there is a prophetic aspect to preaching, for prophets were directed by God to speak forth His word in an open forum, often in hostile circumstances, to bring repentance. Preachers are God’s primary mouthpieces today.

There are parameters to our protest. The first is that God’s purposes are not served if we break His Law. Destroying property or hurling abuse at others is contrary to God’s desires.

Also, God is against violence. We are a nonviolent people, based on the commandment: “Thou shalt not kill.” No form of violence should be tolerated, not even hate. Those involved in abortion desperately need God’s forgiveness in Christ.

We are motivated out of love and concern for unborn children, for mothers who out of ignorance or callous indifference abort their children, even for the clinic personnel. We must warn them to flee the wrath to come. Are we willing to love them that much?

A godly protest will be covered with prayer, conducted with reverence, and be an occasion for witnessing to Christ’s love. We must be ready to offer love and help as we show alternatives to the horrendous choice of abortion.

The Parable of the Sower

“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God” (Luke 8:11).

The parable of the sower might better be called the parable of the soils. In the story, a sower throws seed indiscriminately on four different kinds of soil. The four soils respond to the seed in four different ways. Jesus tells us that the seed is the Word of God, while the soils represent different kinds of people.

In the first case, the message falls on a path, never gets plowed under, and is eaten by the birds. How often the Word of God bounces off of people in just this fashion. They hear it on the radio or happen to visit a church, but they are completely bored and uninterested in it.

In the second case, the message falls on rocky soil. This is soil that has a hard layer of bedrock just under the surface. The roots cannot sink deep and thus find no moisture. Just so, there are people who are initially excited by the Gospel. They join the church, buy a Bible, and tell everyone they’ve become a Christian—and then after a while, they drop out. Such people have only had an emotional experience, and never really became Christians.

In the third case, the message falls among thorns and weeds. As the plant grows, it flourishes briefly, but eventually is “choked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures, and they do not mature” (v. 14). These people drift away from the church, sink into a worldly lifestyle, and are lost. Only those who persevere to the end are saved.

Then, Jesus describes the fourth kind of soil. “It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown,” and it “stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop” (vv. 8, 15). These people have a deep interest in God’s Word and seek to put it into practice. Their lives are really changed and bear fruit by patient persevering. They don’t expect sudden miracles and changes, but by diligent obedience, produce a great crop.

Jesus wants fruit from His people—fruit that grows from a heart committed to Him. Fruit comes from patient feeding on God’s Word and obedience. You should see fruit in your life today, no matter how young a believer you are. Obviously the older in Christ, the more fruit you should bear. Evaluate your fruitfulness in the light of this parable.

Women Who Served Jesus

"And also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means" (Luke 8:2–3).

Sometimes Luke’s gospel is humorously described as the Ladies’ Home Journal of the Bible, because Luke pays more attention to the women that were involved in Jesus’ ministry than any other writer in the New Testament. Luke shows that Jesus treated women with great honor and dignity. While women were much better off in Jewish culture than in most, Jesus’ treatment of women was exceptional even among the Jews. A few of those women are mentioned specifically here by name.

The first is Mary Magdalene. She is described as a woman out of whom seven demons had been driven. Interestingly, in the Christian tradition and art, Mary Magdalene has functioned as a symbol representing the fallen woman. She is portrayed as a prostitute, and often identified with the sinful woman who anointed Jesus’ feet (Luke 7:36–50). But nowhere in the New Testament is there any suggestion that Mary Magdalene was involved in prostitution or any such illicit life.

Then we read of Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Cuza. Her husband held a position of power and wealth in the household of King Herod. Thus, Joanna was one of the women who was able to help Jesus and the Twelve financially. We also find in Luke 24:10 that Joanna was among the women who went to Jesus’ tomb to anoint His body and who were the first witnesses of His resurrection. Susanna is also mentioned. We know nothing else about her, but it is surely enough that she served Jesus.

Luke also states that many others served Jesus out of their financial resources. Remember that as Jesus and the disciples toured the countryside and cities preaching, they were not bringing in any income. It was wealthy converts, especially women, according to Luke, who financed Jesus’ mission.

Notice that these women had the liberty to use their household money to further the extension of the Gospel. Notice also that though they did not engage in formal preaching as ministers, they worked hard in the more general work of the ministry. The church today is still largely supported both in finances and service by godly women. Express your appreciation of them today.

Knowing Peace With God

"Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (Luke 7:50).

As we saw yesterday, a woman of ill repute entered the house of Simon the Pharisee and washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and anointed them with expensive perfume. When Simon condemned Jesus in his heart for allowing this, Jesus rebuked him because he had failed to offer even the most elementary of courtesies to Jesus when the Lord came into his house. He had provided no water for Jesus to wash the dust off of His feet, as was customary, nor had he given Jesus the normal kiss of welcome. By way of contrast, this repentant woman had washed His feet with her own tears and had also kissed them.

Jesus told her that her sins were forgiven, which caused a stir among the other guests, since only God can forgive sins. Then He told her that her faith had saved her. This does not mean that she was saved by means of her good works or act of faith, but that she had received God’s gift of salvation because she had thrown herself upon His mercy. Finally, Jesus said, “Go in peace” (vv. 48–50).

This woman had evidently made quite a bit of money, as we see from the expensive perfume she was able to use. She may well have had a certain amount of respect among her class of people. But one thing she did not have was peace. All the money in the world cannot buy peace.

When I was in seminary, my wife and I struggled to make ends meet, living one paycheck to the next with little left over and many meals of cheap food to dine on to make things work. Later on, after I was called as a minister and came into the ministry our situation improved considerably, I reflected on the fact that even though things were better in many ways, still I had had about the same amount of peace when we were poor.

Let me ask you: Do you know peace? Is there peace in your life, or are you experiencing warfare inside yourself and with God? When you surrender to Christ, the war is over. The first fruit of salvation is peace with God.

Too often we let our relationship with God grow cold, and we lose our sense of peace. If you are not experiencing much peace, you need to renew your relationship with God. Spend time reading His Word, talking with Him, pouring out your needs and imploring His salvation.

Love and Forgiveness: The Perfume Woman

"And as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them" (Luke 7:38).

Jesus was invited by a Pharisee to dine with him. During the dinner, a “woman of the streets” entered the room with an alabaster jar of perfume. She came up behind Jesus, washed His feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed them with her perfume. This was possible because Jesus and the others at the dinner were reclining facing the low table, with their feet behind them. The perfume this woman used was expensive and precious. We know this because it was contained in an alabaster jar, itself an expensive container.

No one moved to stop this woman, doubtless to see what Jesus would do. Simon the Pharisee thought to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner” (v. 39). Under the “oral law traditions” of the Pharisees, being touched by such a sinner would make you “ceremonially unclean.” Thus, Simon figured that if Jesus really was a prophet, He would know this woman for what she was, and would shrink from her.

The law of God, however, contained no such rule, and Jesus had no respect for the traditions of the Pharisees. Far from rejecting her, Jesus accepted her gift and praised her faith (v. 50). It was Simon who was rebuked.

Jesus, knowing his thoughts, told Simon a parable. Two men owed debts to a moneylender, and neither could pay him. The moneylender could have had these men put into prison, but instead forgave them both. Jesus then asked Simon who would be more grateful: the man who was forgiven a debt of 500 denarii, or a man who was forgiven a debt of 50. Simon correctly replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled” (vv. 40–43).

Then Jesus said that this woman was grateful because she had been forgiven much. “But he who has been forgiven little loves little” (v. 47).

The point of Jesus’ parable is not that some have been more forgiven than others. Rather it is that the more aware we become of how much we have been forgiven, the deeper is our love of Christ. Reconsider the incalculable debt paid by Christ, and ask God through His Spirit to enlarge your heart’s capacity to love the Savior.

Times and Occasions

“To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like?” (Luke 7:31).

After Jesus’ speech about John the Baptist, some of the people praised God, but others were angry at Jesus (Luke 7:29–30). This provoked Jesus to condemn the people of that generation. He states that they are like children who refuse to play the game. First, the other children call to them to dance, but they refuse. Then the other children call them to play the mourning game, but still they refuse. Like such contrary children, the Pharisees and other leaders of Jesus’ generation were refusing the kingdom.

Jesus draws the analogy to John the Baptist and Himself. “For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say ‘He has a demon’ ” (Luke 7:33). John was calling them to play the “mourning game.” John was practicing a form of asceticism, refraining from strong drink and even daily bread. The Pharisees, however, said John had a demon.

Then Jesus said, “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners” ’ ” (Luke 7:34). Jesus had called them to dance, but they had refused that also. They tried to make Jesus look bad because He participated in the social life of the people, going to the wedding parties, drinking wine and enjoying normal food, and worst of all, befriending the “untouchables” of His generation.

Jesus concluded, “But wisdom is proved right by all her children” (Luke 7:35). The point of this aphorism is that a wise course of action is shown by the fruit that it bears. As the Old Testament wisdom literature (Ecclesiastes 3) shows us, there is a time to sing and dance, and a time to weep and mourn. There is a time when associating with the needy and lost, even to the point of joining in their feasts, is a very appropriate course of action for a man or woman of God. There are also times when withdrawing from society into rigorous discipline is appropriate.

Some people display a contentious spirit with respect to Jesus and find Him at fault no matter what He said or did. Like the Pharisees, they hope to excuse their rejection of Him in so doing. Be prepared to respond to such charges against the character of Christ.

The Least in the Kingdom

“I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Luke 7:28).

While in prison, John the Baptist experienced doubts about Jesus. Remember, this happened before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and John did not have the kinds of “spiritual reserves” that believers enjoyed after Pentecost. He sent his own followers to ask Jesus if He really was the promised Messiah. Jesus replied that they should tell John that “the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor” (Luke 7:22).

After John’s disciples had left, Jesus began to praise John as the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. He told the crowd that John was in fact “more than a prophet,” because he was the promised forerunner of the Messiah (Luke 7:26–27). Then Jesus stated, “among those born of women there is no one greater than John.” He said there was never a prophet greater than John.

Then Jesus stated that he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than John. The weakest Christian in all the world is greater than John the Baptist. What did Jesus mean by this? Jesus is not using the word great here in the way we use it, but in a Hebrew sense. We use great to mean a person’s personal achievement, or his value to society. The Hebrew sense, however, sees greatness in terms of one’s capacity to receive blessedness.

Jesus means that though John exercised the highest role of any prophet in history, he did not live to see the full arrival of the messianic age. He lived before the resurrection and ascension of Christ. He lived before the enthronement of Jesus Christ as King. He lived before the coming of the Holy Spirit to bring in the last times.

We who live after these things are “greater” because we have been given a greater blessedness by God. However, because we have a greater privilege, we are also more accountable for our sins and doubts.

Our doubts are more serious because we are doubting in the face of the completed Word of God and in the face of the outpoured Holy Spirit. If you are plagued by doubts about the truthfulness of God, take time today to cry out to Him to reassure you. Restore your confidence and enjoy the blessedness of the kingdom.

God Visits His People

"They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has visited his people” (Luke 7:16).

Jesus had just raised a widow’s son to life. The crowd responded by praising God and saying “God has visited His people.” The idea of God’s visiting His people has rich roots in the Old Testament. The prophets had often said that in the last days God would visit His people. When John the Baptist was born, his father had sung “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and redeemed his people” (Luke 1:68).

The verb to visit is related to the Greek noun episkopos. It is composed of two parts. Skopos comes into English as scope, as in telescope and microscope. Epi simply intensifies the meaning of the word, so that an episcope is something you might use to look at something very closely. The word episkopos comes into English as episcopal, because the New Testament word for bishop is episkopos.

A bishop is an overseer, one who watches over the church under his care. He visits his parishioners, checking up on them, making sure everything is going well, and providing comfort and encouragement, and rebuke if needed. The pastor-elder is to bring something of the presence of Christ into the place of need, because the highest model of the role of the bishop is God Himself.

Jesus is called a Bishop in 1 Peter 2:25: “For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer [Bishop] of your souls.” He exercised the classic role of the bishop when He visited a village called Nain. He visited a woman in the midst of her grief. He visited the funeral, and He visited the dead man and brought him back to life.

In this act, the people did not simply recognize the visit of an itinerant preacher or traveling evangelist. They understood that this represented the visitation of God. Thus, the crowd at Nain was saying that God had come to bishop His people. The Bishop had come to care for them.

Christ has promised that He will continue to play the role of the Bishop of your soul. If you are in need this day, go to Him in prayer. God is alert to the cries of His people, and He promises that eventually He will wipe away every tear from your eyes.

Faithful to God's Will

"He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).

I am often asked by people to help them discern God’s will for their lives. I have to answer, “If you are asking me how you can know whether God wants you to live in Chattanooga or St. Louis, or to marry Mabel or Isabel, that’s a difficult question. But I can tell you this: The will of God for your life is your sanctification. Make the kingdom of God and His righteousness the main goal of your life, for God is not as concerned whether you live in Tuscaloosa or St. Paul or whether you marry Rose or Violet.”

What does God require of us? He requires us to walk by faith, which means to walk trusting Him. First, He calls on us to act justly, to do what’s right. If we trust Him, we will obey Him. We will be a people who avoid sin and pursue righteousness. Sometimes doing things justly is painful and risky, but if we trust God, we will do what is right anyway.

Second, He calls on us to love mercy. The word mercy can also be translated “lovingkindness” or “steadfast love.” Another translation can be “to love with loyalty.” Are we loyal in our love for those around us, or are we fickle? We could put it this way: Are we trustworthy? If God is trustworthy, we are supposed to be trustworthy also. How many of us have been deeply hurt because we confided something in a friend, only to have that friend betray our trust? More importantly, have we ever betrayed confidences and shown ourselves to be untrustworthy? We want others to be merciful to us and to guard our confidences. Just so, we must be merciful to others.

And third, He calls on us to walk humbly with our God. We can afford to walk with God because He is completely trustworthy. We can open ourselves up to Him in prayer because He will never betray us. We can submit to Him because He will never cause us to come to any real harm, even when He chastises us.

As we’ve looked at the life of faith we’ve seen that faith in action means obedience. Today’s meditation focuses on trustworthiness. As you look at your past, have you ever abused the trust someone put in you? Are there confidences you are guarding right now that you must keep secure in order to be trustworthy?

Abraham's Proven Faith

"By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son" (Hebrew 11:17).

Hebrews 11 is a chronicle of people who lived by faith. In each case, we find that faith was not a mere intellectual exercise or mystical feeling, but faith meant loyalty and humble submission to God. Faith issued in fruitful service to God, even in the midst of pain and crisis.

One example is that of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac, recorded for us in Genesis 22. God determined to test Abraham’s faith in terms of his obedience. God told Abraham, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about” (v. 2).

We read that Abraham arose “early the next morning” (v. 3). I imagine Abraham could not sleep, and finally got up so that he could get going on this horrible mission. As the account continues it says that he “saddled his donkey” and that he cut the wood. I doubt if Abraham, one of the wealthiest sheikhs in the ancient world, normally saddled his own donkey, and I doubt if he ever cut his own wood. Today, however, he needed something to occupy his hands to take his mind off what was coming.

God’s test of Abraham must have been sheer torture for him. God might have said, “Kill him right now. Get it over with.” Instead, God kept him thinking about it for three days. The torture continued as Abraham was asked questions by his trusting son. “The fire and wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” (v. 7).

Finally, Abraham arrived at the place. He built an altar. He arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac on it. And then he took the knife to kill him. Suddenly God interrupted him, and provided an animal substitute. Abraham had shown his faith—through obedience.

Contemplate for a moment the story Abraham's call to sacrifice Isaac. That God stayed Abraham’s hand, preventing him from sacrificing Isaac, is sufficient proof that God would never ask that of us. However, consider to what extent you are prepared to go to demonstrate your faith.

Faithful in the Face of Death

"If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised" (1 Corinthians 15:13).

Death is the last enemy (v. 26). It is not our friend. It is hard, frightening, and absurd. Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus and shrank from death on the Mount of Olives. Because death is so fearful, it is difficult to retain faith in the face of it, but thankfully the Holy Spirit enables us to.

Philosophers such as Plato and Immanuel Kant have wrestled with the problem of death, but they cannot give us any assurance of a life to come. It is only in the Gospel that we find the facts that enable us to die in faith. Primary among those facts is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. His resurrection in a glorious body proves that there is a new life in glory for believers.

Paul argues in 1 Corinthians 15 that the resurrected Christ appeared “to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than 500 of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all He appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born” (vv. 5–8).

Notice that Paul does not say that the apostles drew a deduction from the empty tomb. It is not as if they went to the tomb, found it vacant, and decided that Christ had come back from the dead. No, they were personal eyewitnesses of Jesus Himself in His glorified body.

Paul proves the resurrection of the body throughout chapter 15. Death is an enemy Paul has fought more than once. Confident in his own resurrection, he ends this way: “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality” (vv. 52–53). Because Christ has been raised, we can face death in faith.

Death is the punishment for sin because death destroys sin. We must accept death, unpleasant though it is. The Bible assures us, however, of a life beyond death. If we die in faith, death holds no fear; if we die in our sins, great fear is appropriate. Reaffirm your standing today in the light of God’s promises.