Depend

Today we begin worship with: 

Deuteronomy 31:8 

It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

This was said by Moses to Joshua, who was about to lead Israel into the promised land, which he did and it took place just as Moses said.  The LORD went first. 

Joshua 3:17

The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

That is a great picture of God going before us.  But listen to the conditions at the time.

Joshua 3:15-16

Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest.Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off.

No, it is not flat and level.  No, it is not easy.  It is actually pretty scary.  But God makes a way.  We have to depend on Him!

Notice that the whole time we cross, He is there.  We can depend on Him!

 

Told you so!

 On this Easter morning we begin worship with:

Luke 24:1-6 

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.  Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, .  .  ."

The group of women that went to the tomb to prepare the body of Jesus were "perplexed" and "frightened".  Contrast that with the message from the angels.  They were matter-a-fact.  What had happened was foretold.  And because it was foretold, by Christ himself, there should not have been any doubt that it would happen.  As such they said there was no reason for the woman to have come there!

Three times that prediction is recorded:

Matthew 17:22-23

As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.

Mark 9:30-32

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.  

 

Luke 9:43-45

But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying. 

And it was three named woman that returned with the news:

Luke 24:10-11

Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.

But still the disciples would run to the tomb to again look for Jesus among the dead!

Lord, give us simple faith to believe the testimony of your Word.

He is risen indeed!

Don’t Forget

Today, we begin worship with:

John 12:13

So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”

The night before, Jesus was dining with Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. No, it was not the infamous argument dinner, but rather the second celebratory dinner, celebrating Lazarus being raised from the dead.   It was there that Mary anointed Jesus (John 12:3).

To that place a large crowd came, because of that miracle.

John 12:9

When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 

There they heard the testimony of those present at the miracle.

John 12:17

The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness.

It was because of that witness, because of that miracle, that Jesus was first anointed and second made King. Let us not forget, for soon Jerusalem forgot and the cries changed to “Crucify Him!”.

Two Things

 Today we begin worship meditating on:

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

The ESV seems to imply the work started, but it may have stopped, but assures us that it will be completed at the return of Christ.  The NASB has does similar, assuring us that the work will complete just in time:

Philippians 1:6 (NASB)

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus.

It is tough to convey both things that are going on.  The first is perfection (epiteleō) and second is progression (achri).  But some translations do combine the two ideas fabulously:

Philippians 1:6 (ASV)

. . . being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Paul goes on to explain the process:

Philippians 1:9-11 (ESV)

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

As we understand our own imperfection and our personal lack of progress, it is joy to know God will continue His patient perfection of us until it is truly complete.  We simply must commit:

Psalm 37:5-6
Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him, and he will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, 
   and your justice as the noonday.

 

Mine

This week we begin worship with:

2 Corinthians 6:16b

We are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

The word for temple (naos) is specifically the sanctuary itself (The Holy Place and the Holy of Holies).  This is the portion of the temple where the Glory of the Lord dwelt and where the priests operated.  It is not the outer courts where lay people were permitted to worship.

But this verse upsets that order.  Paul, using multiple verses from the Old Testament, declares that we are instead that sanctuary and are indwelled by the Living God.

What is the difference between something sacred and something profane (For example, a church and any other building)?  It is not the type of masonry, paint, or the color of the carpet.  It is that it has been set aside for God's use.  

This verse then reminds us that because we are God's dwelling we are to be set aside exclusively for His use.  

One can hear that exclusivity in the word "my".  We are to be no other's.

Boom

 This morning we start worship with:

2 Corinthians 9:8-9

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency[a] in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,

“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;

    his righteousness endures forever.” 

 

This verse starts with a bang.  That little word that describes God as "able" (dynatos) is the word from which we get dynamite!

Nothing seems to be left out -- "all grace", "all sufficiency", "all things", "at all times".  His power is present and available to us all the time.

But that power is not available for all purposes.  It is only available for good (agathos) works.  Yes, if you have ever met a person named Agatha, they are named for this singular purpose.

So, have you ever felt exhilarated after helping someone?  Now you know why.  

Level

This morning we begin worship with:

Psalm 143:10

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

This is not a plea for an easy life.  Not all hikes are on level ground.

"Level ground" (mîšôr) is translated by many other English translations as "uprightness" and carries the meaning of justice.

This is a plea to know what God would want done.  

As we face a difficult conversation or relationship or circumstance, we are asking that the Holy Spirit guide us to that place of level justice.  There we love not based on merit and, if it is our position to do so, that we execute justice with impartiality.

While at work, my actions/words are frequently adjusted based to a person's organizational position.  Those adjustments ascribe to them their due authority.  This verse does not conflict with that, but pleads for the wisdom to stay level during that interaction.

Reigning

Today we begin worship with this introductory statement:

Romans 5:10

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

The passage goes on to explain how sin entered through one man (Romans 5:12-14) and produced death. But that work of our Lord Jesus Christ, though similarly through one man, was very very different.

Romans 5:17

For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

The difference is subtle but profound. While it was that death (the punishment) reigned, because of Adam’s sin, we (the recipients of God’s grace) will reign with Him in eternal life.

Ascribe

This morning we begin worship with:

Psalm 96:7-9 

Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!

The key word is "ascribe" (yaw-hab').  It is said using the ancient highlighter of repetition.  Three times the reader is asked to give God his due worship.  It is a simple word meaning to give.

Silence in the face of God and surrounded by His creation is unacceptable.  Worship should naturally flow from us.

Never may we be silent, particularly around our children and grand-children.  Let us always ascribe to God the greatness due His greatness, love, and providence.

In the mirror

This week we begin worship with:

1 Corinthians 13:12

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

This verse comes after the wonderful definition of love (1 Corinthians 13:1-7), which concludes with this important statement:

1 Corinthians 13:8

Love never ends. 

While we easily recall that love bears all things, we often forget that for that to be true, it must then never end.  

Leaving the reader stunned at our insufficiency to love in this way, Paul goes on to speak of our transition through life.  At that end of which we experience one more transition from observing in a mirror dimly to seeing face to face.

Reading too quickly, we might assume that the person whom we will see face-to-face, is Christ.  While that is true, in this passage Paul is describing when we will be seeing ourselves face-to-face.  

For we will then see clearly for the first time all our faults. We will then know, as Christ does, all the times that He had endured our sin and still loved us.  It is His love that never ends.

Blessed

 This week we begin worship with:

James 1:2-4 

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James was present and heard the Beatitudes spoken by Jesus himself.  But when he heard them, he did not believe.

John 7:5

For not even his brothers believed in him. 

He was not even present at the crucification, so Jesus transferred the responsibility for the care of Mary to John (John 19:25-27).  

But James was converted sometime after the crucification and had a key role in the Jerusalem Council where the Gospel was extended to the Gentiles (Acts 15:12-21).

Then the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-11) became real for him and in this verse he bursts forth with joy over the accomplished ("Blessed") nature of those future ("shall be") blessings.