His Resurrection is our Assurance

Imagine what the Bible would be like if we cut out all of the references that deal with Christ’s resurrection. It would be no different from other religious records which detail the lives and deaths of their founders. The difference here is that the Scriptures record not only the life and death of Jesus Christ but also His resurrection as the living Savior.

The difference between being followers of Christ and followers of other gods is that we serve a living God. Jesus’ resurrection validated everything He said, and that is the reason we believe everything He said about Jehovah God.

The only people in the world who have a God who can deliver them from their distresses are those of us who have trusted in Jehovah, the living God; and we have been introduced to Him by the living, resurrected Christ. If Jesus Christ had not risen from the dead, what assurance would you and I have that Jehovah God even existed?

Christ’s resurrection assures us that we have eternal salvation. Other religions have their plans of salvation, but here is the difference: Other religions major on performance. Their salvation depends upon what they do as individuals.

When Jesus cried from the cross, “It is finished,” that was His declaration that His part in God’s redemptive plan was completed. When God the Father raised Him from the dead, that was God’s declaration that the plan was in full effect—and now all men everywhere are invited for the forgiveness of their sins.

God validated His plan of salvation with the resurrection of Christ. Jesus made ours a “know so” faith. His resurrection proved forever that everything He promised He had the power to provide. Apart from the Resurrection, you wouldn’t have that assurance. You would face death and God with only a “hope so” faith.

Those who do not understand the atonement of Jesus Christ only hope that God will accept them. The resurrection of Jesus Christ assures us that you and I can face all of our tomorrows triumphantly.

Jesus said to Mary and Martha: “He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). Jesus has become our life! Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

None of us knows what tomorrow holds for us. It could be tragedy or triumph. It could be sickness or health, poverty or prosperity, fame or the opposite. But we have the blessed promise of Jehovah God through His Son, Jesus Christ the Righteous One. 

The Three Temptations

"The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread” (Luke 4:3).

Yesterday we saw that when Satan first approached Eve, he did not initially contradict what God had said, but rather simply questioned God’s Word. He does the same here. God the Father had just told Jesus, “You are My Son, whom I love” (Luke 3:22). Now Satan calls this into question: “If you really are God’s Son, then turn stones into bread.” The issue is the trustworthiness of the Word of God, and Jesus replies to Satan, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone’ ” (Luke 4:4).

Satan comes back with a second temptation. He shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, and says, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours” (vv. 6–7). After all, who will know? And if Jesus acquires the world this way, He won’t have to die. But Jesus replies, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only’ ” (v. 8).

Satan tries a third time, and this time he quotes the Bible back at Jesus. He takes him to the highest point of the Temple and says, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone’ ” (Luke 4:9–11). But Jesus recognizes right away that though Satan is quoting Scripture, he is distorting its meaning. He is pitting Scripture against Scripture. So Jesus answers, “It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’ ” (v. 12).

The most important difference between Adam and Jesus is that when He was tempted, Jesus believed God. He did not just believe in God. Because He trusted God’s Word, He triumphed over Satan.

One of the greatest crises in the church today is the crisis of unbelief. There are many people who believe in God, but not very many who take Him at His Word. There are even fewer who are taking the Word and confronting Satan’s lies and evil programs. How about you? Do you read up on biblical answers to modern problems?

The Last Adam

"Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil(Luke 4:1–2a).

What are the differences between the test that Adam underwent in paradise, and the test Jesus experienced in the wilderness? There are several contrasts we can take note of. First, Adam was tempted in the midst of a beautiful garden, a situation that would reinforce God’s light and truth to him. Jesus, however, was led into a lonely, dry, bleak, and dark wilderness, an environment not very conducive for being strong in the Spirit.

Second, when Adam was faced with Satan’s temptation, he enjoyed the support and camaraderie of his wife. When Jesus was tempted, it was in a context of solitude. We find it easier to compromise our ethics when we are alone, and when we are unknown to those around us. There was no one present to see what Jesus would do. And beyond this, Jesus experienced the pain of loneliness.

Third, God had invited Adam and Eve to eat of every tree in Paradise except one, so that when Satan tempted them, he tempted them on a full stomach. They were not being undermined by physical pain. Jesus was physically drained by 40 days of fasting when Satan came to Him.

The similarity of the two temptation accounts is seen in Satan using the same ploy—denying the Word of God. In the guise of a serpent, Satan approached Adam and Eve and asked, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1). By asking this question, Satan was casting doubt upon the trustworthiness of the Word of God. Eve replied that God had only forbidden one tree, on pain of death. Then Satan moved to a direct contradiction of God’s Word: “You will not surely die” (v. 4). Satan succeeded in that they rejected God’s Word of law and promise. However, the same tactic failed with Jesus, the second Adam.

Satan tries to prevent people from learning and memorizing God’s Word, and if they have learned God’s Word, Satan tries to prevent them from believing it. One of the best ways to memorize Scripture is to sing it. Are you involved in any program of learning to sing the psalms and other scriptures? Shouldn’t you be?

The Jesus of the Bible

"And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14).

Both shepherds and wisemen were challenged by the concept of the Incarnation of God in Jesus Christ. During the next few days we will consider the historical development of the doctrine of Christ.

In our day there is an emphasis on having a personal encounter with Jesus. The important truth in this emphasis is that Jesus Christ is indeed a person, and we need to know Him personally. It is one thing to know about someone, and it is something else to know him personally.

At the same time, if all we have is some kind of personal experience, how do we know that we have “encountered” the real Jesus Christ? We read that Satan poses as an angel of light. Perhaps we have entered into a personal relationship with a demon posing as Jesus. This is an important question because liberalism, modernism, and “neo-orthodoxy” in our day have emphasized such “personal encounters,” but the “person” they are encountering is a far cry from the Christ of the Bible and of historic Christianity. Very often it is just a Christ of their imagination.

We need some way to prevent our subjective experiences from creating a mythological Christ. A well-known gospel song has this refrain, “You ask me how I know He lives, He lives within my heart.” Of course, the author of this song did not intend to set forth a totally subjective religion, but if the only way we know that we “serve a risen Savior” is to have a subjective “feeling,” then we don’t have much to go on.

I’d rather sing, “Jesus loves me, this I know for the Bible tells me so.” God’s Word is what tells us about the Incarnate Word of God. It is in biblical doctrine that we find the objective balance to our subjective experiences. The Bible tells us about the Person we have encountered, and frees us from demonic delusions and misconceptions.

It is easy to fall into an impersonal “doctrinalism” that neglects to maintain a vibrant relationship with Jesus, but it is also easy to fall into a subjective “experientialism” that makes Jesus into a creation of our own minds. If you are out of balance between these two poles, determine what steps you can take today to correct it.

The First Evangelists

"When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them" (Luke 2:17–18).

We saw yesterday how God announced the birth of His Lamb to shepherds in the fields around Bethlehem. These shepherds did not dismiss this news. They did not debate it. They were excited! We read that when the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about” (Luke 2:15).

We read that they “hurried off” to the city and began to search. It probably took them a while to track down a baby wrapped in rags and lying in a manger. Our Christmas pictures show the infant Jesus lying in a manger of wood in a stable, but the Bible does not explicitly tell us this. In fact, the earliest traditions of the church say that the stables of Bethlehem were a cave and that the manger would be a niche in the wall. So it is probably at such a place that the shepherds finally found Him whom they sought so diligently.

These shepherds went out and told everyone they met about their experience. They told them about the angel of the Lord and his words to them. They told them about the birth of the Lamb of God, the Savior, the Christ, the Lord of history. And we read that those who heard it were astounded at the news. The shepherds also praised God. “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told” (Luke 2:20).

How can we summarize this event? The Word of God came to the shepherds, and the worship of God was revealed to them as the angels sang God’s praises. They received God’s Word as truth, and immediately acted upon it. They sought out Jesus Christ and made His acquaintance. They went out and told other people about it. And they worshiped God with prayer and song because of His Word to them.

How would you have responded in their place? Today and this weekend, meditate on the shepherds’ response to the Good News. Consider how you can maintain or recapture a similar vitality about the truth of this Good News in your life.

The Fullness of Time

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria)" (Luke 2:1–2).

One of the things that stands out about Luke’s gospel is his meticulous care regarding historical details. The gospel account of the birth of Jesus stands in stark contrast to all the pagan religions of antiquity. The Greek gods, for instance, were all regarded as having been born of some other gods or titans, but never in history.

Biblical religion is very much concerned with time and history. The Bible tells us that God created history and has invested great importance in it. Adam and Eve fell in space-time history, and just so, the work of Christ for our salvation was wrought out in real, datable, history.

The New Testament provides us with two different words and concepts for time. The most common term is chronos, which appears in English in words like chronometer, chronicle, and chronology. The word chronos is used in the New Testament for time in its ordinary sequence, the passing of time or events.

The other word is kairos, which does not refer to the general sequential passage of time, but to significant moments in time, moments that encapsulate the meaning of a historical event and shape human destiny. In English, we distinguish between things that are historical and things that are historic. Every event is historical, but not every event is historic in the sense of being especially significant. Such special events take place in history.

In the New Testament, there is another word associated with the coming of Jesus in history, the word pleroma. This word means “fullness,” and we find it in the phrase “in the fullness of time.” It means that God had so orchestrated all of human history and development that now, at the fullness of time, He was ready to bring the most significant events of all of history to pass.

In the day-to-day chronology of our lives, certain obscure events begin to take on added significance. Christ’s birth was not recognized as historic until years later. What in your life has continued to gain significance, taking on kairos proportions, as time goes on?

Preaching: "Exploring the Evidence for Christ"

The Ascension of Jesus Into Heaven

"But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." (John 16:7)

I don’t think that the Christian church has ever fully believed what Jesus says in this verse. I’m sure we don’t really believe it today, unless you're blessed to be in a tradition that emphasizes the mediatorial reign of Christ. Jesus was saying this, “It is better for you that I leave.” Let us briefly look at three reasons why this is so.

The first benefit lies in where Jesus went. He went to the right hand of God and took His seat of cosmic authority. He went to His coronation and investiture. It is because He ascended that He became King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Christ is now reigning as the King, and the kingdom has begun. Even though we don’t see the kingdom in its fullness now, it is no less real today. You and I are children of the King, and that should strongly influence how we move through this life. This would not be so if Jesus had not gone away.

The second benefit lies in the fact that Jesus entered into the heavenly Holy of Holies, the very presence of God, as our High Priest. There He intercedes for us perpetually. If you are a Christian, Jesus is praying for you right now. You have an advocate at the throne. It would not be so if Jesus had not gone away.

There is, though, a sense in which Jesus is with us still. This is because the third benefit of His ascension lies in the fact that He sent the Holy Spirit. There is a sense in which Jesus had to ascend to heaven before He could send the Spirit to endow His church with power. It would not be so if Jesus had not gone away.

Do you really believe what Jesus said in John 16:7, that it is better for you that He be in heaven? Perhaps these are new thoughts to you. If so, jot down these words on a slip of paper: Ascension, coronation, intercession, power. Take it with you and think during the day of the tremendous blessings that come to you from our Lord’s ascension.

The Bearer of the Curse

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).

In our day a curse is regarded as superstitious, but in biblical categories it has a different meaning. The curse in the Old Testament refers to the negative judgment of God—the opposite of blessing. When God gave the covenant to Israel, He listed the curses and blessings, the punishments and rewards, to be dispensed to the faithful or unfaithful (Deuteronomy 28).

In the Bible, blessedness means to be able to come near to the presence of God. The closer you come to a face-to-face relationship with God, the more blessed you are; and the farther you are from God, the more cursed you are. Thus, the curse of God was to be removed from His presence altogether, to be utterly cut off from Him.

John’s Gospel opens with the statement, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” The word translated with implies “face to face.” Originally, the Son of God was face to face with God.

When we read of the passion of Jesus, two things stand out. First, Jesus was judged by Gentiles. He was sent out of the covenant community of Israel into the realm of those who were strangers to the covenant. Second, according to the law, a man who was hanged on a tree was cursed (Deuteronomy 21:23).

When Jesus bore the punishment for our sins, He experienced God’s curse and rejection. In spiritual torment He cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Why? So that He might die that we might live.

At the Cross we see the truest picture of the horror of our sin. Reflect on that for a few moments, and then thank God that Jesus was willing to undergo the curse on your behalf. As you ponder both the physical pain and the spiritual anguish which Jesus, the eternally Beloved Son and Innocent One, experienced, use a hymnal to read or sing several of the stirring hymns about the Crucifixion.

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (JOHN 12:12–19)

"The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!” (John 12:12–13).

The first thing the crowd shouted was “Hosanna!” As they shouted this word, they waved palm branches and laid them in His path. The word hosanna was shouted as we cry “Hurray!” today. Beyond this, however, hosanna was a word that referred to a palm branch. Palm branches were symbolically associated with peace, particularly with peace that results from a crucial victory. When they waved palms and shouted “Hosanna” at Jesus, they were celebrating an anticipated victory over the Romans that they expected their Messiah to achieve.

Jesus did indeed come to defeat someone, but it was not Rome. Rather, the warfare to which Jesus committed Himself was a cosmic warfare against all the powers of sin and evil. The liberation He came to bring was not simply freedom from Rome, but freedom from sin and Satan.

Secondly, they shouted “Blessed is the King of Israel, who comes in the name of the Lord!” They were not just celebrating a king; they were indicating that this King was coming in the name of God. In saying this, they were using the vocabulary that was reserved for the Messiah, the One who would restore the kingdom to Israel.

Certainly Jesus was the King who had come to bring the kingdom of God, but the people did not understand. They were filled with political expectations, and this explains why these same people later shouted “Crucify Him!” Instead of leading them to victory against Rome, He had meekly submitted to Roman arrest and trial. He had not lived up to their expectations and they were bitterly disappointed.

It is easy to think that our greatest problems today are political problems. But the Bible teaches that man’s problem is sin, and the solution is redemption and sanctification. Christians should be active in society and in politics, but we must always keep first things first. How about you? Would you have been disappointed in Jesus?

The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost/Shavuot), the Christian Church, and the Holy Spirit

Leviticus 23:9–22

9 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12 And you shall offer on that day, when you wave the sheaf, a male lamb of the first year, without blemish, as a burnt offering to the Lord. 13 Its grain offering shall be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to the Lord, for a sweet aroma; and its drink offering shall be of wine, one-fourth of a hin. 14 You shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your God; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 

15 “You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. 16 You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the Lord. 17 You shall bring from your dwelling places two loaves of bread to be waved, made of two tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour, and they shall be baked with leaven, as firstfruits to the Lord. 18 And you shall present with the bread seven lambs a year old without blemish, and one bull from the herd and two rams. They shall be a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 19 And you shall offer one male goat for a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old as a sacrifice of peace offerings. 20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before the Lord, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the Lord for the priest. 21 And you shall make a proclamation on the same day. You shall hold a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a statute forever in all your dwelling places throughout your generations. 22 “And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.”

A study of Leviticus 23:9-22 will yield us much fruit (pun intended)! This lesson demonstrates how God provided an occasion for his people to meet together as a family of Israelites for the giving of thanks, fellowship, forgiveness, and spiritual dedication. This study is about the Feast of Weeks, which is an unusual term for a one-day celebration. Some of its features made it the preferred event for those who lived at great distances from Jerusalem.

Background to Leviticus 23:9-22

The first Passover in Egypt demonstrated to the Israelites that God was on their side. Next, Moses led the Israelites in an unusual direction—into the wilderness of the Red Sea area. The Lord used a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to guide, protect, and assure the people that they were going where he wanted them to be (Exod. 13:21, 22).

The Israelites experienced at the Red Sea yet another mighty deliverance after Pharaoh changed his mind about the departure of his labor force and went after the Israelites. Pharaoh’s army was destroyed by God in the Red Sea and they were in hot pursuit. As the journey continued, God met the needs of his people. 

Now, there was a question: the Israelites knew that the Lord was God, but what did he expect from them? God was ready to tell them, and that was the purpose of their stay at Mount Sinai, which lasted almost a year. When God gave the people manna on the way to Sinai, they learned that God expected them to rest on the seventh day, and that expectation was reinforced as part of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20).

This was followed by his giving laws (chaps. 21–23) that collectively are called “the Book of the Covenant” (24:7). It contained upwards of 70 rules that the people needed immediately for the governing of social relationships. It could be called their bill of rights, but perhaps bill of responsibilities for producing a just society is better.

These laws introduced for the first time the fact that the Israelites were to have three feasts during the year (Exodus 23:14–17). In past weeks we talked about the first one, the Passover Feast. Passover was a one-day observance that was to be followed by seven days during which the only bread that could be eaten was to be unleavened. These seven days constituted the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the two feasts were functionally considered the same event since they were right next to each other on the calendar.

This lesson is about the second of the three annual feasts: the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot. This feast is different from the others (Passover and Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot) in that it is not associated with a historical event. There is a tradition that the Feast of Weeks commemorates the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses at Sinai, but the first mention of that idea is postbiblical.

The Feast of Weeks received its name because it was to be celebrated seven weeks after Passover. Therefore the Feast of Weeks was to take place in late May or early June. It is not given a name in today’s text, but it has other names attached to it elsewhere: Feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22a; Numbers 28:26b), Feast of Harvest (Exodus 23:16a), and sometimes the day of the firstfruits (Numbers 28:26a). In the New Testament it is called Pentecost (Acts 2:1; 20:16; 1 Corinthians 16:8), a Greek word that means “fiftieth.”

First off, note that there are two ritual events in the liturgical calendar which we just read about in the text. Each of them in a sense announce the beginning of the harvest season… The first was the ceremony of firstfruits (vv. 9–14), and the second was the Feast of Weeks (or Pentecost) (vv. 15–22).

The provision of firstfruits (Lev. 23:9–22). After the redemption of Israel from Egyptian servitude, the Lord led his people into the desert where he demonstrated his provision and care for them, even when they were rebellious. The most important provision was the land that he led them to possess—the land of Canaan, where he had chosen their fathers and promised to give them this land. Upon arriving in the land, the people were to recognize God’s grace by taking the first produce of the land’s harvests and offering a portion to the Lord as a symbolic gesture of worship to the God of their provision. The day of firstfruits was embedded in the week’s celebration of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which stretched from the fifteenth to the twenty-second of the first month. It was offered up on the second day of that feast, that is, the sixteenth day of the first month. This would fall in the months of March/April. The ritual of firstfruits entailed presenting the first sheaf of the barley harvest to the priest at the sanctuary, who on behalf of the worshipper lifted it up before the Lord, indicating that the worshipper offered thanksgiving to God as the source of his livelihood. It was the first evidence of the coming months of spring harvest. The memorial included animal sacrifice and grain offerings. The people were not to indulge in the grain of the land until God had received his due first (v. 14). This was God’s harvest; he was the owner of the land, and its produce was his to do with as he pleased. He graciously shared the land and its harvests with the people to farm as tenants. By their offering of firstfruits the people acknowledged that theirs was a bounty that had come from the Lord. The benefit of the land remained theirs as long as they lived as good tenants, keeping the agreements made with the divine Landowner (Leviticus 26:3–13).

The second harvest celebration, known as the Feast of Weeks, followed seven weeks after the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This was the second pilgrim feast in the liturgical calendar. The date for the Feast of Weeks was determined by counting fifty days from the day after the Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Although this celebration was in the third month of the year, our May/June months, we can tie it to the first month by virtue of its association with the Feast of Unleavened Bread (v. 15). It was the celebration of the harvest of grain. The celebration was an elaborate one, involving a full week of special activities. The people were forbidden to work at their ordinary duties, setting the week aside for special recognition of the Lord. This festival focused on the grain crops. Special loaves of bread were baked and waved before the Lord at the sanctuary. Unlike the Feast of Unleavened Bread, these loaves were made with leaven, indicating the season of joyful gladness at God’s provision. Additional animal offerings accompanied the bread, making a full meal, so to speak, in which the Lord partook.

That the ritual was not a superficial show for the bystanders to enjoy is shown by the instructions regarding the responsibility of the people in sharing their produce. The Lord compassionately shared the land with his people, and in turn they were to provide for the poor (v. 22). That the Lord instructed the Hebrews to share with others reflects again that ultimately the harvest belonged to God. The Hebrew landowners were prohibited from reaping every row of grain, taking it all for themselves and their workers. There were members of the community who could not benefit materially from God’s blessing since they had no land to work or were unable to work as day laborers. By leaving gleanings in the fields, the poor could make bread from the grain, which was the main staple for their daily diet. The succession of the gift was important theologically as well as practically. God gave the land to his people, and by enriching them the people could assist others. At the people’s faithful obedience to the Lord, he supplied more than enough for their needs, which meant that the landowner shared his wealth with others too. The Apostle Paul recognized this principle and instructed the church, “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11). God gives to us liberally so we can be generous to others.

Many peoples yesterday and today formally commemorate seasons of harvest. But there was an important difference in the practice of Israel compared to their neighbors. Whereas the nations focused on the earth as the source of their wealth, the Israelites remembered that the harvest season was tied to a great historical act of divine promise. It was not merely a celebration of the cycle of nature but a remembrance of the Lord’s gift of the land. By miraculous deeds, the Lord fought the battles of Israel and brought them safely into the land of plenty. There is a similarity in our celebration at Thanksgiving, or at least should be. Thanksgiving is not an annual celebration that is focused on the bounty of American life but has its roots in a gracious historical act on behalf of God toward the first pilgrims to this land. It was a historical event that we remember each Thanksgiving Day—the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one that sustained the fledgling colonists who had arrived the year earlier on the Mayflower. The native Indians who were instrumental in the Plymouth colonists’ survival joined in the celebration.

So, let me ask you a couple of questions about these texts and then I want to look at a connection with the New Testament…

What Do You Think?

What do you think of this idea of blessings the blessers (v. 20)? It’s interesting that the Lord’s directions for the Feast of Weeks include some offerings that were to be burnt to please him, while others were for his servants, the priests. That was commanded by God. We should not need a command today to bless in return those who have been a blessing to us as they serve the church, for example the elders, teachers, ministry leaders, volunteers, etc.

How can Christians offer “firstfruits” to the Lord? In finances, in time, in talents?

What do you think of this idea of not being stingy or greedy which is embodied in the text (v. 22)?At first glance, this verse may seem out of place. Its stipulations were given earlier (Leviticus 19:9, 10), so why is it repeated in conjunction with the Feast of Weeks? The answer may be that since this is a harvest celebration, it is appropriate to mention one of the laws of the harvest: God is concerned for the welfare of those in need. The harvesters are to reap so that there will be something left for them. It is noteworthy that the verse does not say that harvested grain is simply to be provided for the poor and for the sojourner. Rather, those in need are to go to the fields and do the work of harvesting themselves. An outstanding example of this practice is found in the book of Ruth, specifically chapter 2.

Cross-Canonical Connection (Acts 2:1-4)

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)

Acts 2:1 tells us that “the day of Pentecost” had arrived. This was fifty days after Passover, and that is what Pentecost means—“the fiftieth.” Passover occurred in mid-April, so Pentecost was at the beginning of June. It was the best-attended of the great feasts because traveling conditions were at their best. There was never a more cosmopolitan gathering in Jerusalem than this one. It was the perfect time for the descent of the Holy Spirit of God.

And here is the beautiful connection between the OT and the NT in our study tonight. There’s a divinely arranged appropriateness in that the feast of Pentecost provides the background for the giving of the Holy Spirit. As the day of the firstfruits, Pentecost was eminently appropriate for the bestowal of the Holy Spirit and the conversion of 3,000 souls—because you see THEY were the firstfruits of an even greater harvest that God was ordaining in the world.

It was also fitting that the church began on Pentecost/Feast of Weeks because by the time of Christ, Pentecost was considered the anniversary of the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, and thus it provided a perfect opportunity to contrast the giving of the Law with the giving of the Spirit. 

You see, the Spirit’s coming is in continuity of God’s purpose in giving the law and yet… the Spirit’s coming signals the essential difference between the Jewish faith and commitment to Jesus… the former is Torah-centered and Torah-directed, the latter is Christ-centered and Spirit-directed.” Pentecost occurred by GOd’s sovereignly designed arrangement.

So, what happened on that special day?

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (vv. 1–4)

As the apostles’ heads were bowed in prayer, a breeze began to move across them, and then it was more than a breeze. Literally, “an echoing sound as of a mighty wind borne violently”  roared through the house like the whirr of a tornado, so that their robes flapped wildly. The Spirit of God was coming upon them! A fiery presence was in their midst, and (as the Greek indicates) it suddenly divided into separate flame-like tongues that individually danced over the heads of those present. Fire had always meant the presence of God. Through John the Baptist, God had promised a baptism with fire (Matthew 3:11), and now it was here. They were “filled with the Holy Spirit” and in an electrifying instant began to speak in other languages—literally, “as the Spirit continued giving them to speak out in a clear, loud voice.”  They spoke as clearly and powerfully as the Old Testament prophets.

This event may seem esoteric and mysterious, with its “wind,” “fire,” and supernatural utterance. It has a primal ring like the Greeks’ earth, fire, wind, and water. But in the Jewish context the phenomenon was perfectly understandable. The Hebrew word for “wind,” ruach, and the Greek word pneuma are both used for the Holy Spirit. 

Ezekiel used ruach to describe the Spirit of God moving over a valley of dry bones (representing a spiritually dead Jewish nation), so that suddenly there was thunder and the clattering of bones as they came together “bone to bone.” Then came the wonderfully macabre spectacle of growing sinews and flesh, and finally skin, and then Ezekiel’s words at God’s command:

"Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’ 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army." (Ezekiel 37:9–10)

In the end, it was during the Feast of Weeks, at Pentecost, that the reviving winds of the Spirit came upon the apostles with incredible spiritual life and power. In a future day this will achieve final fulfillment in the Messianic Age. The apostles now had God’s life-giving Spirit in a more intimate and powerful way than they had ever known—than anyone had ever known.

So, what does the study of the traditions of Leviticus 23 leave us with in summary? 

Well, we learn that the Lord is in the process of providing for his people by giving them a land that flows with milk and honey, a land where they can flourish (Deuteronomy 31:20, “When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their ancestors, and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant.”). 

But not only that, the Lord also is providing ways for his people to remember the source of their blessings: they are to have feasts that enable them to join with others in celebrations in the giving of thanks. Passover, Unleavened Bread, Weeks, and Booths—they are reminders of the blessings of harvest and/or famous events in the nation’s history. God is good, all the time!

Finally, as mentioned, the Day of Pentecost—the later designation for the Feast of Weeks—is the birthday of the church (Acts 2). The Bible does not say why God chose this occasion for the church to begin. But the way that it was celebrated made it the perfect tool to fulfill God’s plan to spread the gospel from Jerusalem into Judea, Samaria, and “to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Pentecost drew many Jews from distant parts of the Roman Empire (compare Acts 2:5–11). The rainy season was over, and the weather was warm and delightful for travel. Some who made a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Jerusalem for Passover perhaps remained “on vacation” through Pentecost.

In any case, it is fascinating that the death and resurrection of Jesus occurred during the time of Passover and Unleavened Bread and that seven weeks later the church began on Pentecost. The people who were in Jerusalem at these times had the privilege of being among the first to be introduced to the gospel, which they could take with them on their return home. About 3,000 people were convinced, and they responded to Peter’s instructions to repent and to be baptized for the remission of sins and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38, 41). As they returned to all parts of the Roman Empire and elsewhere, they became the vanguard for the spreading message of redemption.

Video: "Jesus Made in America" with Dr. Stephen J. Nichols

Our culture is willing to voice respect for Jesus, but the Jesus it respects is not the God-man of Scripture. More often than not, the Jesus in view is just one among many saviors, a man who is nothing more than our brother and friend. 

In this session, Dr. Stephen Nichols reminds us that although Jesus is indeed our brother and friend, He is also the King of kings and Lord of lords. Calling on God to restore us to a high view of the biblical Christ, Dr. Nichols presents the biblical view of Jesus’ love and majesty that we must lift up as the only light that can overcome the darkness around us.

Ephesians 1:15-23 and God's Power

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (Ephesians 1:15-23)

In his prayer for the Ephesians, Paul asked God to enlighten their eyes so they could better understand the message encoded in His Word, especially the “exceeding greatness of His power.”

What is God’s power like? We see it displayed in:

Nature. The hymnist speaks of “Thy power throughout the universe displayed.” Have you ever marveled at the power of God in a thunderstorm?

Answered prayer. James 5:16 says, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

Changed lives. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” 

(2 Cor. 5:17).

Daily victory. When you see a Christian living above the circumstances (rather than under them), you can credit the uplift of God’s power (Isa. 40:30–31; 41:10).

Christian ministry. Jesus said, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me” (Acts 1:8).

Most of us don’t fully appreciate and appropriate God’s power in our lives. Paul devotes the last paragraph of Ephesians 1 to describing this divine power as:

1. Resurrection Power: verses 19–20 says: “...the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead....” How often we’ve stood by a casket and wanted to touch the body lying there and restore it to life. We can’t do it, but God can reverse the death process. The same power that raised Christ from the grave is available to change our lives, to answer our prayers, to resolve our difficulties, to give us immortality.

2. Exaltation Power: “and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places....” After Christ’s resurrection, He ascended and sat at the Father’s right hand. If we had a telescope powerful enough to peer into the highest heaven, we would see Christ now seated on the throne, exalted in layers of light, surrounded by His angels, enveloped with glory. The power that exalted Christ is available to change our lives, to answer our prayers, to give us daily strength.

3. Lordship Power: “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” Christ is higher than the angels, greater than the demons, wider than the universe. He rules in the affairs of men and directs history toward its pre-appointed end. That Lordship power of Jesus Christ is the same power available to meet our needs.

4. Headship Power: “...and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Christ is the boss of His church, the senior pastor, the archbishop, the great shepherd. He’s our great High Priest. And the work that He does in this world, He does through His church. The parts of my body are useless unless directed by my brain. Christ is our Head, we are His body. Our only job is to obey His commands.

Are you living in the supernatural power of Jesus Christ? That power is measured by His resurrection, His exaltation, His Lordship, and His Headship. And that is available to change your life, to answer your prayers, to resolve your difficulties, and to give you everlasting life.

Shalom (Mark 5:21-34)

21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” 24 And he went with him.  

And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” (Mark 5:21-34)

Many of you are familiar with the Hebrew word shalom. If you wanted to greet someone in Hebrew, you would say, “Shalom.” When you leave someone you don’t say, “Later, Dude,” or all of the American stuff we’ve come up with. You simply say, “Shalom” —”Peace!” This is the word Jesus used in Mark 5:34.

In the background of Mark 5:21–24, remember that Jesus had been in Capernaum on the western shores of the Lake of Galilee. He had sailed southeast to the Gentile section of Galilee and healed a demoniac. When the people of the region begged Jesus to leave them, He returned to Capernaum. Here he was met by a distraught father, but before He could deal with Jairus’ problem, a needy woman sought to touch Him.

Think about this woman in the context of first-century Judaism. Religious law (see Leviticus 15) had very serious regulations concerning hemorrhaging. The laws of bleeding not only made the woman herself unclean, but whatever and whoever she touched also became unclean. The result was embarrassment, isolation, and religious stigma. Before we think this was too horrible, remember that in biblical times people didn’t have the medicines and medical knowledge we have today. But additionally, there was fatigue. Physicians tell us when you lose more blood than you are able to create, you become anemic. This women was tired, fatigued, exhausted.

The Talmud suggested eleven specific cures for bleeding, such as sitting at a crossroads with a cup of wine, waiting for someone to come from behind to frighten you. This woman had tried every cure and spent all she had on doctors who, at that time in history, were scorned and, in this case, ineffective.

Her touching Christ was an incredible act of courage. According to the law, whoever this woman touched became unclean; yet she reached out to touch the Lord, to touch His robe. “If I can just touch Him,” she said to herself, “I know I will be healed.”

Two miracles occurred here: (1) her bleeding stopped; (2) her strength returned instantly.

When you begin touching people at the point of their need, there is a cost, a drain of spiritual power. Nothing fatigues me like preaching or ministering. But instead of being irritated, Jesus looked at this poor woman as a father would his daughter. He said: “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in Shalom.” 

This is the word I want you to remember. It inferred wholeness of body and soul. It implied living a life in harmony with others, to live with the fullness and the wholeness of all of God’s blessings. 

In Numbers 6:22, the rabbis believed that the giving of peace was the climax of God’s blessings. Here was a woman isolated from her family, friends, and religious community. Jesus looked at her with fatherly compassion and said, “Daughter, go in Shalom. When you go back to your house, you go to your house in peace. When you eat with your family, you eat in Shalom. When you talk, you talk in Shalom. When you hug, you hug in Shalom. Go in Shalom.” He was bestowing on her all God’s richest blessings (see Isaiah 55:10–12). 

When Jesus says to you and me, “Go in peace,” He is saying, “Go back to your family in harmony. Recognize that once you were unclean, but now you are clean, you are literally under all of the blessings of God. Go in joy; go with celebration. Go in Shalom.”

Where is this Shalom available? Isaiah 9:6 says: “And His name will be called...”

• Wonderful Counselor. This woman had sought the advice of rabbis and doctors, to no avail, but Jesus had just the words and power she needed. Perhaps you’ve been spending a lot of money for help and advice instead of listening to the Lord and His Word. 
• Mighty God. Only God could have done for her what Jesus did. 
• Everlasting Father. Jesus said to her, “Daughter....” He is for us a compassionate “Dad.” 
• Prince of Peace. Where can we find this Shalom? Only in Christ, the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. 

Come to Jesus today and listen to Him say to you, “Son, daughter—go in Shalom.”

The Smell of Jesus (Ephesians 5:1-7)

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Eph. 5:1–2)

The sins that Paul combats in Ephesians 5:1-7 are formidable: lust and greed. Paul writes with some stridency about these because he wants to protect the Christian community, the building that is rising to the glory of God, from these corrupting influences that can rot the church from the inside. God commands purity. That is nothing new. But knowing the command does not always lead to honoring it. So Paul comes after our heart through our nose. He says we need to...

...SAVOR OUR IDENTITY (Eph. 5:1–2)

The apostle tells the Ephesians to “be imitators of God.” He reminds God’s people that they are “dearly loved children.” In the knowledge of that love provided by Christ’s blood rather than their performance, power for obedience springs. Such power will be needed because of the nature of the command that immediately follows.

In savoring their new identity the Ephesians are reminded that they are to live not only as children of God, but also to live as the Child of God. In a world full of people caught up in sinful practices and attitudes, living like Jesus for the sake of others will involve both the giving of ourselves and the dying of self. Why is this a comfort? Because it allows me to confess that there is nothing unusual or odd in me when the purity and integrity to which God calls me also hurt me. In fact, without the pain of giving and sacrifice there could be no fragrant offering to God. What enables us to bear and offer this pain is savoring our identity as children of God, and remembering that we are called to live as the Child of God who offered and sacrificed himself for us.

...SAVOR OUR PURITY (Eph. 5:3–4)

Purity is a struggle, so Paul continues his instructions by telling us how to experience the purity our heart desires. We can experience purity only by denying ourselves impurity. This means that we must deal radically with sins we are tempted to excuse such as immorality and greed. For such the apostle urges a starvation diet. We must confess what is not right for our heart, and give it no place in our life. We may need to seek the counsel of a confidential mentor or group of friends to develop accountability and honest assessment of habits. And if we are with Christian brothers and sisters whose movie, music, and television habits have been unexamined, we may need to stir up the love and courage to question whether the Bible or the culture is guiding their lives. We should be willing to be thought odd for the sake of Christ, for if we cannot stand for our convictions among Christians, then it is unlikely that we can be a witness in the world.

The apostle continues to describe our sin-starvation diet by commanding us not to indulge greed (Eph. 5:3, 5). This is the second category of sin that Paul forbids in this passage. They seem an unlikely duo: lust and greed. Why link them? Some explain that in New Testament usage the word for greed here may be laden with sexual connotation, as in being greedy for another person’s body or beauty. That dimension of greed is certainly included in this text. But the separate listing of the sin of greed seems to indicate that Paul’s reach may also be broader, as though he wants us to recognize the commonalities of sexual lust and material greed. In essence, both are the consequence of concluding that what God provides is not enough. 

Believers wrestle with the idolatry of greed when they envy a person who has a nicer car and apartment; a pastor may wrestle with similar idolatry when he sees the more luxurious lives of laypersons in his church, or other ministers in larger or more affluent churches. Greed of all kinds—sexual and material—is a destructive force of great power. A telltale sign of such idolatry is growing discontent with God’s provision for our lives. When we borrow, spend, or pout for more than we have, often we are bowing to the idol of greed. And by listing greed in the list of sins we must starve, Paul urges contentment with God’s provision.

Throughout this portion of Ephesians, the apostle confronts sin with its substitute. Christians are exhorted not to lie but to tell the truth (Eph. 4:25), not to steal but to work (Eph. 4:28), not to express bitterness but rather kindness (Eph. 4:31–32). That pattern now continues as Paul exhorts believers not to speak what is filthy, foolish, or coarse, but rather to offer thanksgiving (Eph. 5:4).

Why is thanksgiving the proper substitute for impurity? Because it is the replacement of idol worship with worship of God. Simply seeing sin’s deceptive nature will not in itself create the praise that Paul wants to substitute for idolatry. In order for Paul to elicit the thanksgiving that he believes will provide spiritual power for the Ephesians, he must also make clear the nature of God’s provision. To do so, Paul calls sin idolatry (Eph. 5:5), and he calls the people saints (Eph. 5:3). 

Paul is not talking to those who have perfect lives. If the Ephesians were perfect, there would be no reason to write to them of their idolatries of lust and greed. Yet Paul addresses these people, among whom great sin must be present, as holy ones. They are not holy by their actions, but by God’s forgiveness in Christ—the root concept motivating all imperatives in this passage. Praise to God—not simply lip service or religious ritual but profound gratitude and love for what Christ has done—fills the heart that knows God’s love. And the heart that is filled with a responsive love for God has no place for idolatry. When we fully understand the love that makes us holy, then we live as God has already reckoned us to be.

Paul teaches us to provide power over sin by proclaiming the holy status of those who are in Christ Jesus. When I know that I am not made for sin, that I am a fundamentally different creature in Christ Jesus—still sinful but reckoned holy so that no sin will satisfy me or have ultimate power over me—then I am filled with thanksgiving. And because God inhabits the praise of his people, when we are filled with his praise, we are filled with his power.

...SAVOR YOUR SECURITY (Eph. 5:5–7)

Though we gain strength for the Christian life by savoring our purity and savoring our identity, we ultimately must face the dangers of sin. If we do not recognize the danger, then we are not prepared to live the holy lives God desires. 

The requirements to heed the warning against sin and to expose the darkness in which it thrives, put every Christian in the so-called Puritan dilemma of needing to be “in the world but not of it.” Seeking to engage, rebuke, and redeem our culture remains a battle of conscience and responsibility. The battle will test us until Christ returns. But we cannot achieve any measure of victory in the battle if we simply abandon biblical instruction.

Paul cautions instead that there can be no true morality without piety, no real witness without purity, no significant revival of the soul when there is regular compromise of the heart. Paul has said to these Ephesians already that they are a temple of God (Eph. 2:21), and now he says that they are his children, his holy ones (Eph. 5:1, 3). This is the knowledge that is to fill them with praise and make out of place the impurities and idolatries of the world. They are no longer made in such a way that these things of the world can bring satisfaction; these things will, in fact, bring greater pain. These same dynamics will occur in our lives, so Paul seeks to overwhelm us with the savor of our identity, the blessings of purity, and the warnings of grace. We are to imitate God because we are his children. Nothing else will do any more; nothing else will satisfy. Paul tells us that as an odor of a sweet savor to God, we should be what we are. We are his children and we are saints. 

So we should live that way!

The Advent of Grace

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, This was He of whom I said, He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me. And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” (John 1:14–18)

Grace is a five-letter word that can also be spelled J-E-S-U-S. The Word—God Himself—became flesh and dwelt among us. That’s not a popular message in a day when Christianity is suffering in the public square. But it’s the theme of our lives, and nothing is stopping you and me from keeping Christ central to our celebration, even as we pray for others to find Him too. 

Thomas Brooks wrote, “Saving grace makes a man willing to leave his lusts as a slave is willing to leave his galley, or a prisoner his dungeon, or a thief his bolts, or a beggar his rags.” Grace is the key, and while it appears in human form in Bethlehem, it is explained theologically in the epistles. In this post, I would like to show you some facets of grace that Paul outlines in the book of 2 Corinthians.

Facet #1—God’s Grace Is Our Grace (2 Cor. 6:1–2). The church in Corinth was in trouble, morally and doctrinally confused, and divided. Writing to them, Paul pleaded with them not to waste God’s grace. Christ came to earth that grace be given to us. This is not our grace. It is a gift from God to be treasured and experienced every day.

Facet #2—God’s Grace Is Relational Grace (2 Cor. 8:8–9). Paul realized the church in Corinth was on the verge of becoming selfish with the grace God had given them. But, just as God had freely given grace to the Corinthians, they were to freely express the grace of God to others. The sincerity of our grace will be tested time and time again in the way we lavish God’s grace on others. It makes us reach out to others in tangible ways that meet their needs. We become not just recipients but conduits of God’s grace.

Facet #3—God’s Grace Results in Abounding Grace (2 Cor. 9:6–11). God’s grace should motivate each Christian to be a gracious giver. Just as the grace of God caused Him to give us His own Son at Christmas, it motivates us to give of ourselves, as well. Giving should be the result of an inward resolve resulting in an outward expression. Therefore, when we give we do so cheerfully, knowing that we are giving as an extension of God’s grace to us. The supply of God’s riches will never run dry. It is always abounding. Perhaps this Christmas season, there is a special need you can meet in someone’s life. Perhaps God will lead you to take on a special project, to find a family or individual to care for.

Facet #4—God’s Grace is a Conquering Grace (2 Cor. 10:3–5). If we want to be full of God’s grace we cannot be full of self. Grace is not to be used as an excuse for sin. Instead grace is to be used as a divine weapon to tear down strongholds and set us free! We fight spiritual battles constantly, and by exercising God’s grace we can be more than conquerors.

Facet #5—God’s Grace is Enough Grace (2 Cor. 12:7–10). The word sufficient in this setting means “more than enough.” God told Paul that His power was made perfect in weakness. The more a Christian acknowledges his or her weaknesses the more evident the power of God’s grace becomes. The grace of God is enough. It is all we need.

Karl Barth once wrote that “Grace must find expression in life, otherwise it is not grace.” God wants to fill us full of His grace—full of Jesus. And He wants us to be free from self and free to give in every facet of our lives. This is all possible through the gift of grace found in Jesus Christ.

What is a Talent? Reflections on Working for the Master

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

  “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’

  “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

  “The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’

  “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

  “Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

  “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.’

  “ ‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ” (Matthew 25:14-30)

In the parable of the talents, Jesus tells of a rich man who is about to go off on a journey. He calls three of his servants together and gives them money to be used while he is gone. He gives five talents to the first, two talents to the second, and one talent to the third. In Palestine, a talent was not a coin; it was a measure of weight. Because coins could be of copper, silver, or gold, and Jesus does not specify the kind of coinage in his story, it is impossible to calculate how valuable the talents were. It is sufficient to say that each was a large amount. If a talent was six thousand denarii, it would have taken a worker twenty years to earn that much money, so we are thinking here of hundreds of thousands of dollars at least. The footnote in the NIV specifies “more than a thousand dollars,” but this amount is too low.

Yet the amount is unimportant, and so is the fact that the parable is about money. Money is one thing God entrusts to us that we often misuse. But the same is true of many other endowments. J.C. Ryle says rightly, “Anything whereby we may glorify God is ‘a talent.’ Our gifts, our influence, our money, our knowledge, our health, our strength, our time, our senses, our reason, our intellect, our memory, our affections, our privileges as members of Christ’s Church, our advantages as possessors of the Bible—all, all are talents.” 

The point of the story is that waiting for Christ’s return and being ready for it are not passive matters. We must work faithfully and energetically for him now. The decisive matter is the way in which the two good servants and the one bad servant related to the master. The faithful servants served well because they loved him and wanted to please him, while the wicked servant failed to serve well because he actually hated and resented his master.

When the master returns for their accounting and the faithful servants tell what they have done, their words do not merely report that they have doubled the amount they were given. The man who was given five talents seems to have come with two bags, each containing five talents, and what he literally says is, “Master, five talents you placed in my hands; look, an additional five talents I have gained.” You can almost feel his proper pride in the achievement. 

The man’s eyes are sparkling. He is bubbling over with enthusiasm, is thoroughly thrilled, and, as it were, invites his master to start counting. The man has been waiting for this moment and is pleased at having done so well. The master is equally delighted. “Well done,” he says. We might almost translate his reply as, “Excellent!” “Great!” or “Wonderful!” It is the same with the servant who was given two talents. He says the same thing and receives an identical word of commendation.

By contrast, we can hardly fail to hear the angry, self-justifying, accusing tone of the servant who hid the master’s talent in the earth. “Master, I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you” (vv. 24–25). This accusation was not true. The master was not a hard man. He had been generous in giving his servants much wealth to work with. But this man hated him. We can hear his contempt as he resentfully throws his talent on the table. “Here is what belongs to you,” he says. It was returned exactly as the master had given it, not a bit more and no less.

In response, the master condemns him both for his wickedness and for being lazy—wicked because he accused his master unjustly, and lazy because he did not faithfully use what he was given. The master then gives the talent to the one who has ten, on the principle that “everyone who has will be given more” and “whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him” (v. 29). He then has the lazy servant cast “outside, into the darkness” (v. 30).

The point is this: we must avoid a “do nothing” Christianity, of course. To have done no harm is praise for a stone, not for a man. But the situation here is worse than that. To have done nothing is proof that we do not love Jesus Christ, do not belong to him, and have no share in his kingdom. It is to perish forever. Let us be found faithful and lovingly working for the Master.