Birthday

Today we begin worship with:

Romans 13:11

Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.

The phase "Besides this" means that something important precedes our verse.  It was the command to fulfill the Law through the love of others (Romans 13:10).  

Our verse then begins a paragraph of pitfalls that would prevent reaching that goal.  Namely, the love of self.

Our verse reminds us that we don't have much time to make this true in our lives.  And last week I had a birthday.  So, I am now one year closer to Salvation (sōtēria).  

When we stand with our fellow heirs of salvation, we will truly understand who we loved.

Matthew 25:37-40

Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers [and sisters], you did it to me.’

Ask

Today we begin worship with:

Hebrews 10:19-22a
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.

When I was a child I stuttered badly.  Even today, I will pause unpredictably when speaking.

In today's verse we enter the holy places with confidence (parrēsia).  The root of this word is "speech" (reō).

We are not being told to enter the throne room of God with our head held high and our back straight.  That we must always do with a humble spirit (Luke 18:9-14).  We are being told to speak!  

We are to approach our Heavenly Father like a child, without the filters that come with adulthood.

Matthew 7:7-11

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Listen

Today we begin worship with:

John 14:15-17
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

When the disciples saw the overwhelming need of how to feed the large crowd of people who had followed Jesus to a remote location, they had one solution:

Matthew 14:15
Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”

Jesus had another idea:

Matthew 14:16
But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”

You know the story.  Jesus then proceeded to stretch what they had to meet all the needs.

Back to our verse for today.  Jesus asks us to “keep my commandments”.  Those that heard it instantly thought of their inability to keep the Ten Commandments, let alone the rest of Law passed down through Moses. How are they going to also “keep” (tēreō) what Jesus had taught them?

Jesus had a solution.

He would send a “Helper” (paraklētos).  Please hear in the Greek the words para and kaleō.  This Helper would come alongside you and speak your name.  He invites you into situations where compassion is needed.  He warns you in circumstances where temptation would exceed your faith.  And He cheers you on to finish the race.

Listen.

Remember

Today we begin worship with:

John 16:13

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

When Jesus said this He was being very clear with His disciples as what was about to happen.  One problem though:

John 16:12

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.”

Even after three years of intense training, they were not ready for all that had to be taught.  And in His compassion, Jesus would not go beyond what they could bear.

Praise God we do not have to “get it” the first time, or take hurried notes while the lecture continues, hoping to understand it during review. 

The Spirit is there to teach and to remind. 

John 14:26

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

So, pencils down. Close the notebook. For now, just worship.