Week of 4 Epiphany B - February 1 - 7, 2009

This is a Three-Year Lectionary based on the Lutheran Book of Worship 3-year Lectionary (for public worship), "Prayers of the Day..." (Propers), p. 13-41, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, 1978. It is based, with only minor variations, on the Revised Common Lectionary, used by many denominations, including the Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches:

http://www.commontexts.org/

and:

http://www.commontexts.org/rcl/usage.html

The daily readings are the Propers (Lections) for the following Sunday, so that the daily devotions can prepare us for worship. Additional lections are from Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church. "Scripture lessons for Matins and Vespers," United Lutheran Church of America, General Rubrics VIII. Scripture lessons for Matins and Vespers, p. 299 - 304, Philadelphia, 1918.

The previous 2- year Bible Study based on the Lutheran Book of Worship, Daily Lectionary for personal devotions p.179-192, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, 1978, is available at:

http://shepboy.snow.prohosting.com

Journalspace.com, my former 'blog host has gone out of business. I have also lost mypodcast.com, my podcast host. This 'blog is mirrored at:

http://shepboy.multiply.com/

Please Note: I will post weekly by Saturday, noon, (God willing), Pacific time (UTC-8:00) for the week of the Church Season which begins on Sunday. Please scroll down for the desired day, or save the week to your desktop/hard drive.

4 Epiphany - Sunday (Variable)
First posted February 1, 2009

Deuteronomy 18:15-20 – Test of Prophecy;

Psalm 1 – Rewards of Righteousness; Fate of the Wicked;
1 Corinthians 8:1-13 -- Food Offered to Idols;
Mark 1:21-28 – Jesus Heals;

Deuteronomy Background:

Israel was about to enter the Promised Land. Moses was not allowed to enter, because he had taken God's glory for himself when God provided water from the rock in the wilderness (Numbers 20:8-12). So Moses was giving Israel his last words.

Deuteronomy:

God had told Moses that he would raise up a prophet like Moses from among the Israelites, and Israel was to trust and obey his Word. When God had appeared to Israel at Mount Horeb (Mt. Sinai). Israel had asked Moses to be the spokesman and mediator between Israel and God, because they had been frightened by the voice of God and his appearance as of fire on the mountaintop (Exodus 19:16-24; 20:18-19; Deuteronomy 5:1-5) and God had agreed. God promised to raise up a prophet like Moses, and to give him God's Word to declare to the people, just as he had done with Moses. God will hold accountable anyone who does not obey God's Word. But a prophet who presumes to speak the Word of God without instruction from God, or in the name of any other “god” shall die.

Psalm 1:

People who don't walk according to the counsel of the wicked, nor stand with sinners or sit with unbelievers will be blessed. Righteous people delight in God's Word and meditate on it day and night. They are like trees planted near water. Drought doesn't cause them to wither, they bear fruit abundantly in season, and they prosper in all they do.

The wicked are not like the righteous; they are like chaff that is blown away by the wind. The wicked won't “stand” in the Day of Judgment, nor will sinners sit among the congregation of the righteous. The way of the righteous is known to God; but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

1 Corinthians Background:

The Church at Corinth had been founded by Paul's preaching of the Gospel. In the time of the Apostle Paul, much of the meat for sale in markets was from pagan sacrifices. There was controversy in the congregation as to whether Christians should eat such meat. Social organizations often banquets in pagan temples.

1 Corinthians:

The people who were not bothered by these questions thought they were more knowledgeable than those were bothered. Paul suggested that the guiding motive should be love rather than knowledge. Knowledge tends to make people prideful, but love motivates us to build up one another. Any one who thinks that he knows more than others doesn't yet know what is really important. God knows those who love God.

Concerning food offered to idols, those who considered themselves enlightened among the congregation knew that pagan “gods” don't really exist, and that there is only one true God. There are many so-called “gods” and many lords; but Christians know there is really only one true God, our Father, “from whom are all things and for whom we exist” (1 Corinthians 8:6a) and one true Lord, Jesus Christ, “through whom are all things and through whom we exist” (1 Corinthians 8:6b).

Not all have this knowledge. Some former pagans have been accustomed to eat food offered to idols, and so their conscience bothers them. Food will not commend or condemn us to God. We are no better or worse in God's judgment regardless of what we eat or abstain from eating. But we should not use our freedom in Christ to injure our weaker brethren. If their weaker brethren saw a more knowledgeable believer eating in a pagan temple, the weaker believer might be tempted to eat food sacrificed to idols, and his faith be damaged. So by one's knowledge a weaker believer is destroyed. Since the weak believer is also one for whom Christ died, the knowledgeable member has sinned against Jesus. So if eating meat injures the faith of a weaker member one should sacrifice one's own freedom to eat meat, in order to save a weaker member from sinning.

Mark:

After Jesus had called the original Twelve to be his disciples, he took them to Capernaum, and Jesus began teaching in the synagogue on the sabbath. The people were amazed at his teaching; he taught with authority, unlike their scribes. Right away, there was a man in the synagogue who had an unclean spirit. The spirit within the man cried out, addressing Christ as Jesus of Nazareth, and acknowledging Jesus as the Holy One of God. The demon asked if Jesus had come to destroy them (presumably the man and his demon). Jesus commanded the demon to be silent and come out of the man. Convulsing the man and crying out loudly, the spirit came out of him. The witnesses were amazed and questioned among themselves what they had witnessed, and called it a new teaching! Jesus has authority to command even unclean spirits and they obey him. Immediately Jesus' fame spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Commentary:

The history of God's dealing with Israel recorded in the Bible is intended to be a series of metaphors for life in this world. Moses is intended by God to foreshadow and illustrate the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the Savior and eternal King, who God has designed into the structure of Creation from the very beginning (John 1:1-5, 14).

God's Word is always fulfilled (Deuteronomy 18:21-22), and because it is eternal, is fulfilled over and over, as the conditions for its fulfillment are met. From the time that Israel entered the Promised Land, God raised up prophets from among Israel to proclaim God's Word.

The first fulfillment of this prophecy was in Joshua, who replaced Moses and who led Israel into the Promised Land, through the Jordan River on dry ground, as Moses had led Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground (Joshua 3:11-17).

God raised up prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Elijah and Elisha, who had personal relationships with God and who proclaimed God's Word. Israel's history is a series of cycles, regarding their heeding of the prophets. When times were good, Israel would fall away from obedient trust in God's Word. The prophets would warn them of the consequences of disobedience and call for repentance, but the people would not repent and return to obedience until God took away his providence and protection. Then, during their suffering, they would repent and return to obedience, and God would eventually restore a renewed people of God, but not necessarily the same people. The people who disobeyed God's command to enter and possess the Promised Land died in the wilderness, and the people went into Babylonian exile died in Babylon, since seventy years was a virtual lifetime for adults at the beginning of the exile.

Moses was the first Judge of Israel (Exodus 18:13-26) and when Israel entered the Promised Land God raised up Judges to lead the people, like Gideon and Samson.

The Lord was the king of Israel, but Israel wanted a human king, like their neighboring countries. Through his prophet God warned Israel what the disadvantages of having a human king would be (1 Samuel 8:5-21), but God allowed them to establish the monarchy. David was the shepherd boy who became the great human king of Israel, who foreshadows the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the son (descendant) of David and the eternal King and heir to the throne of David (2 Samuel 7:5-13; Psalm 89:20-29).

Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of the promise of a prophet like Moses, whom God's people are to trust and obey, the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14), and eternal King of God's people.

Moses was the mediator of the Old Covenant of Law. Moses was the prophet who had a close personal relationship with God, and who proclaimed God's Word to God's people. Jesus is the “New Moses,” the mediator of the New Covenant (Testament; Hebrews 9:15) of Grace, the New Passover, which Jesus established on the night of his Last Supper (Matthew 26:26-28, RSV note "g").

Jesus is the “New Moses” who leads his people out of bondage to sin and death in the “Egypt” of this present world order, through the “sea” of baptism into Jesus Christ, by which we pass through without “getting wet” and by which our enemies are separated from us and destroyed. Jesus leads us through the “wilderness” of this lifetime, guiding us by the indwelling Holy Spirit which is the “pillar” of cloud and fire (Exodus 13:21-22). Jesus (the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name “Joshua”) is the “New Joshua” who leads us through the “river” of physical death, without getting “wet feet” (physical death cannot harm us; Joshua 3:14-17) and into the eternal Promised Land of God's eternal kingdom in Heaven.

Jesus is the Word of God fulfilled, embodied and exemplified human flesh in this temporal world (John 1:1-5, 14). Jesus' word is the Word of God (John 14:10, 24), with the creative force of God's Word (Mark 4:39-41; compare Genesis 1:3, 9). God will hold us accountable on the Day of Judgment for whether we have trusted and obeyed Jesus or not.

We will be accounted righteous (doing what is right, good, and true, according to God's Word) with the righteousness of Jesus Christ, if we have believed (trusted and obeyed) Jesus and have accepted him as our Lord. God knows who has followed God's Word of righteousness, and God has made known in his Word the fate of those who have rejected Jesus as Lord and have refused or failed to trust and obey Jesus' teachings (Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10).

Jesus is the only way to be forgiven our sin (disobedience of God's Word), the only way to know divine, eternal truth, and the only way to have eternal life (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right). This is only possible through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus, by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). It is not possible for one to be “born-again” by the indwelling Holy Spirit and not personally know it with certainty (Acts 19:2).

Believing that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), the Holy one of God, won't save us. Even demons know that (James 2:19); they just won't voluntarily obey Jesus' teaching. Faith is not getting whatever we believe if we believe “hard enough.” Faith is not like wishing on a star. Saving faith is obedient trust in Jesus' teachings. Jesus warns us that calling Jesus our Lord and claiming to be his disciples (the definition of a Christian; Acts 11:26c) won't save us (Matthew 7:21-27; Luke 6:46).

Jesus has the power and authority to command us and we would have no choice but to obey him, but it is God's purpose to allow us the freedom to choose whether to trust and obey Jesus or not. Most often Jesus referred to himself as the Son of man, which is true, and allows his hearers to decide for themselves who Jesus is. There is a Day of Judgment coming when he will command and we will have to obey; but in that Day our eternal destinies will be fixed and unchangeable.

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

4 Epiphany - Monday (Variable)
First Posted February 2, 2009

Psalm 147:1-13 – Praise the Lord;

Let us praise the Lord! Our Lord is merciful, kind and compassionate, and he is worthy of our praise. The Lord builds up Jerusalem. He restores the outcasts to Israel. The Lord heals those who are brokenhearted, and bandages the wounded. He determines the number of stars in the heavens, and knows all their names. Great is our Lord; abundant is his power and beyond measure is his understanding. “The Lord lifts up the downtrodden; he casts the wicked to the ground” (Psalm 147:6).

In thanksgiving let us sing to the Lord and make music to our God with stringed instruments. He is the Lord who makes clouds in the skies and provides rain for the earth. He covers the hills with grass. He feeds all the animals.

The Lord doesn't delight in the strength of a horse, or in the physical abilities of mankind; his pleasure is in those who fear (have the appropriate awe and respect for the power and authority of) God and trust in God's steadfast love.

Let Jerusalem (the City of God; the Church) and Zion (the temple mount; the citadel of David) praise the Lord their God! It is the Lord who strengthens their fortifications and blesses their sons and daughters within.

Commentary:

The Lord is the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. He has been progressively revealing his glory to us, first through the goodness of Creation itself, then through God's Word, the Bible, and ultimately through God's only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, the “living Word” (John 1:1-5, 14). Everything in Creation glorifies God, except mankind; we have been given the freedom to choose whether to praise and glorify God or not.

This Creation has been designed from the beginning to accomplish God's eternal purpose. God's purpose is to establish an eternal kingdom of God's people who willingly trust and obey God. God has designed Creation knowing that, given the freedom to choose, we would choose to do our own will rather than God's. Disobedience of God's Word is the definition of sin. We have all sinned and fallen short of God's standard of righteousness (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10), recorded in the Bible and demonstrated in Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ has been designed into Creation from the very beginning (John 1:1-5, 14). He is not an afterthought after mankind fell into sin. God knew, from the beginning of Creation, that we would all sin. Jesus Christ is God's one and only provision for forgiveness of our sin and our salvation from eternal condemnation (Acts 4:12; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).

The meaning and purpose of life in this Creation is to seek and come to know and have fellowship with God, our Creator (Acts 17:26-27), and to be spiritually “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) to eternal life. These are only possible through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (John 14:6), by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17).The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). The gift of the Holy Spirit is a personally discernible ongoing event; if one has been “reborn” (Acts 19:2) it is impossible not to know it with certainty for oneself.

The indwelling Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9), through whom we have personal knowledge of and fellowship with God, our Creator, and our Lord Jesus Christ. By the indwelling Holy Spirit we feel the love of God for us. It is only by the indwelling Holy Spirit that we can truly praise and glorify our Lord (John 4:23-24; Romans 8:14-16; Galatians 4:6).

The only true security in this world is in the Lord. People can build fortresses, gather armies, train them, and equip them with the latest technology, but unless they trust and obey the Lord, their efforts are ultimately futile (Psalm 147:10-11; compare Psalm 33:17; 127:1-2 RSV). People can build “castles” with security gates and bars and “panic rooms,” they can hoard food and money for times of disaster, but unless they trust and obey the Lord they will ultimately come to eternal spiritual disaster.

God sent his Son into the world to heal the spiritually wounded and brokenhearted. Jesus is the only one who can restore the downtrodden and outcast. But those who think that they can provide their own wellbeing and security will ultimately be overthrown and will spend eternity in eternal destruction in Hell with all evil.

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

4 Epiphany - Tuesday (Variable)
First Posted February 3, 2009

Job 7:1-7 -- Suffering

Life is hard and one's days are like that of a hireling. The hireling longs for his wages; the slave longs for shade. Job's life was months of emptiness and nights of misery, tossing and turning until dawn. Job's flesh was filthy and covered with worms. It crusted over and then re-erupted. The days of his life fled faster than a weavers shuttle and ended without hope. Job asked God to remember that his life was fleeting; Job feared that he would never again see goodness in life.

Commentary:

Job had been afflicted with boils, and he was in physical misery (Job 2:1-8). The three friends who came to him believed that Job had done evil and had brought this suffering upon himself.

Job saw his life passing by while he was in misery; his days were empty, and he couldn't sleep at night. When he thought his skin was healing it broke out again. He feared that he would never see goodness in life.

Sickness and suffering are not signs of God's disapproval, and wealth and prosperity are not evidence of God's approval. The world is quick to blame suffering on the sufferer.

Job was a believer in God but he hadn't had a personal knowledge of and fellowship with God (Job 42:5). Job had no reason to believe that there was life beyond physical death, but he hoped ultimately to see God (Job 19:25-27).

Job longed for a mediator between God and mankind (Job 9:33-35 RSV), and an advocate to defend mankind before God (Job 16:19-21). He believed that the Lord was his redeemer, and that he would come to earth in the last days, and all would face eternal judgment (Job 19:29).

Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of Job's hope of a redeemer and vindicator, a mediator between God and mankind (Hebrews 9:15), an advocate for mankind before God (Hebrews 2:17; 4:14-16), and the Righteous Judge (2 Timothy 4:8), to whom all will be accountable on the Day of Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46). Jesus is the fulfillment of Job's hope that his Redeemer would stand upon the earth, and Job would behold him face to face.

God doesn't cause suffering but he allows it to happen. Sin (disobedience of God's Word) is the cause of suffering and evil in this world. When we don't trust and obey God's Word he lifts his favor and protection from us and allows us to suffer, in the hope that we will realize our need for him and return to him, so that we can have eternal life in his heavenly kingdom.

God can use our suffering to cause us to examine our beliefs, and to seek God's Word. Job grew spiritually through his suffering (Job 42:5). God is able to restore us again (Job 42:10-17). I personally testify that this has been my personal experience (see Personal Testimonies, sidebar, top right)

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

4 Epiphany - Wednesday (Variable)
First posted February 4, 2009

1 Corinthians 9:16-23 – All Things to All People;

Paul could not boast about preaching the Gospel, because it was an obligation. He would receive a reward for doing this willingly, but if he were doing it unwillingly he would still do it because he had a commission. Paul delighted in preaching the Gospel without charge, although he would be entitled to earn his living as an Apostle (messenger; preacher).

Paul was free of obligation to anyone, but he voluntarily accepted an obligation to everyone so that he might attract many to their salvation. He appealed to Jews as a Jew, in order to save them. To those who were under the Law he appealed to them as one under Law, although he was not personally obligated to the Law. To those outside the Law (the Gentiles) he appealed to them as if he were outside the Law, although he was under the law of Christ (Romans 8:1-9). To those who were weak he became like them, so that he could win some to salvation. Paul surrendered his self-will to become the servant of all, so that some might be saved, and so that Paul might share in the blessings of the Gospel himself.

Commentary:

Paul was the prototype and example of a “modern,” “post-resurrection,” “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) disciple and apostle of Jesus Christ, as we can become. He had personally experienced the joy of forgiveness and salvation, and he wanted to share that with others (Acts 9:1-22).

All Christians are by definition “born-again” disciples of Jesus Christ (Acts 11:26c). We are to be led in discipleship by “born-again” disciples within the Church (the New Jerusalem) until we have been spiritually “reborn” before going into the world with the Gospel (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8). Then we have a commission from Jesus Christ to make “born-again” disciples of Jesus Christ, and teach them to trust and obey all that Jesus taught (Matthew 28:19-20).

“Born-again” Christians have come to know from experience the truth and joy of Jesus Christ, and want to share that with their families, friends and neighbors. We not only want to share the Gospel but are obligated. Who would not speak out if we saw someone doing something that would kill them? If we know the secret of a better way to live, who would not share it with their families, friends and acquaintances?

The meaning and purpose of life in this world is to seek, find, and have fellowship with God, our Creator, and this is only possible through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (John 14:6). This lifetime is our only opportunity to be spiritually reborn to eternal life. Eternal life and fellowship with God are only possible by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit which only Jesus gives (John1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). It is possible for one to know with certainty if one has been spiritually reborn (Acts 19:2).

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

4 Epiphany - Thursday (Variable)
First posted February 5, 2009

Mark 1:29-39 – Jesus' Ministry Begins;

After gathering Simon, Andrew, James and John along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus began his ministry at the synagogue in Capernaum (Mark 1:16-28). Immediately afterward he entered the home of Simon (Peter) and Andrew with James and John. Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. Jesus came, took her hand, lifted her up, her fever left, and she served them.

That same evening at sunset, all who were sick or demon-possessed were brought to him and Jesus healed them all. Jesus would not let the demons speak because they knew Jesus.

Very early the next day Jesus rose and went to an isolated place to pray. His disciples followed him, and told him that lots of people were looking for him. Jesus told his disciples to go with him to the next town, so that Jesus could proclaim his Gospel there also; that was the reason Jesus had gotten up so early. So “he went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons” (Mark 1:39).

Commentary:

Jesus' Gospel (meaning “good news”) is of forgiveness of sin (disobedience of God's Word) and salvation from eternal death, which is the penalty for sin ( Romans 6:23; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).

Jesus began his ministry by teaching in synagogues. At the synagogue in Capernaum Jesus healed a man who had been demon-possessed, and the news of the healing quickly spread throughout Galilee.

After “church” Jesus and his disciples visited the home of Simon and Andrew, where Simon's mother-in-law was sick with a fever, and Jesus healed her. That evening great crowds of people gathered at the door for healing of physical illness and demon exorcism. Jesus' healing was so sought for that he had to leave very early the next morning, or he would not have been able to teach in other synagogues in Galilee.

Jesus' ministry was primarily to bring spiritual healing, spiritual feeding and spiritual, eternal life. Jesus' physical healing, feeding, resurrection, and demon exorcism were intended to show that Jesus can also heal us spiritually. Physical healing only lasts until the next illness, and physical feeding only lasts until the next meal. What good is physical health if one spends eternity in Hell?

Many people were attracted to Jesus only for what he could do for them physically. Unless they realized their need for spiritual healing they missed what only Jesus can provide. If Jesus had allowed it, his entire ministry would have been spent satisfying people's physical needs.

Our greatest needs are spiritual, but many do not know or acknowledge that. Unless we realize our spiritual needs, Jesus can't help us (Mark 2:17).

In many instances, demon-possession is what many today would call psychiatric illness. It is a great physical symbol of spiritual illness. We are all in bondage to Satan (Romans 3:23; Hebrews 2:14-15), unless Jesus frees and heals us by the gift of his indwelling Holy Spirit.

There are demonic forces at work in our world today. As long as we are unaware of them, they don't make their presence known; it is not in their interest. Unless we have been set free we don't realize how much we have been controlled and manipulated by them.

Satan and his demons know who Jesus is; they just don't willingly obey him. Jesus can and does command and they must obey. Jesus commanded this demon not to say who Jesus is, because Jesus wants every one to decide for themselves who Jesus is. Jesus also didn't want those who he healed to spread that news, so that his spiritual ministry would not be impeded by people seeking only physical benefits (John 6:26-27).

Jesus could command us and we would have no choice but to obey, but he chooses not to. It is God's purpose to allow us the freedom to choose whether or not to trust and obey him. There is a day coming, the Day of Judgment, when Christ returns, when he will command and we will all, believers and unbelievers, obey, but in that day it will be too late to change our eternal destinies (Matthew 25:31-46).

There are many nominal “Christians” today who are only interested in what the “Church” can do for them physically. Not every one who calls themselves “Christian” is. A Christian is by definition a disciple of Jesus Christ (Acts 11:26c) who has been spiritually “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8), by the gift (“baptism;” “anointing;”) of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). If we have experienced his spiritual healing, we will certainly want to serve him. The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). It is impossible to be truly “born-again” and not know it personally with certainty by oneself (Acts 19:2).

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

4 Epiphany - Friday (Variable)
First posted February 6, 2009

Ezekiel 33:10-16 – Personal Responsibility;
Colossians 3:12-17 – New Life Duties;

Ezekiel:

God commanded the prophet to declare that God's people had acknowledged that their sins were upon them and they were wasting away because of them. The Lord is not pleased by the death of the wicked; he desires that they turn back from their wickedness. Why would they choose death? They should turn away from their sins. The righteousness of the righteous will not save them if they turn from righteousness to sin, nor will the wickedness of the wicked condemn them if they turn from their wickedness. The righteous are warned that if they commit what is wicked, their past righteousness will not save them. Similarly, if the wicked truly repent and make restitution for their wickedness and live according to God's Word, their past wickedness will not be remembered by God and they will not be condemned to eternal death.

Colossians:

New believers are to put off the old worldly nature and put on the new nature of life in the likeness of our Creator (Colossians 3:9-10).

Let us put on the new nature which befits us as God's chosen, holy (consecrated to God's use) and beloved people. We are to become compassionate, kind, lowly, meek and patient, forbearing (tolerant) and forgiving of one another, if having a complaint against another. We must forgive others as the Lord has forgiven us (Matthew 6:14-15). Above all of these we are to apply love, which binds all together in complete harmony. Let us allow the peace of Christ to reign in our hearts, as one body, for which we were called. Let us remember to be thankful. May the fullness of Christ's word dwell in us as we teach and admonish one another in (divine) wisdom, and as we sing psalms and songs of praise inspired by the Holy Spirit, with thanksgiving to God. Let us, in every word and deed, do so in the name of our Lord, Jesus, with thanksgiving to God through him.

Commentary:

Good works will not save a person who willfully commits sin, and past sins will be forgiven and expunged, if the wicked truly repents and changes his behavior.

We have all sinned (disobeyed God's Word), and have fallen short of his righteousness (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10), and the penalty for sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). Jesus is God's only provision for our forgiveness and salvation from eternal condemnation and death (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).

When we acknowledge our sinfulness and accept salvation through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus, we will turn from our former life and behavior, and learn to live according to Jesus' word, his teaching and example, one day at a time (Matthew 6:11, 34). As we demonstrate our sincere commitment, we will receive the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). By the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit we are spiritually “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) to eternal life. The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

It is by the indwelling Holy Spirit that our minds are opened to understand the Bible scriptures (Luke 24:25-27, 32, 45), and to know divine eternal truth (John 14:17). The Holy Spirit teaches us all things and brings all of Jesus' teachings to our remembrance (John 14:26). It is only by the indwelling Holy Spirit that we can truly worship the Lord (John 4:23-24; Romans 8:15-16). The Holy Spirit will provide what to say at the moment we need to testify (Matthew 10:19-20; Luke 21:14-15).

The Holy Spirit is given to us to help us live according to God's Word (Romans 8:1-9), motivated by love, rather than by fear (John 14:15). It is by the Holy Spirit that we experience the love of the Lord for us. It is by the indwelling Holy Spirit that we have personal knowledge of and fellowship with God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:23). It is by the indwelling Holy Spirit that we have the peace of Christ within us (John 14:27; Hebrews 2:14-15).

We are all God's “chosen” people. God has chosen us to be his obedient trusting children. Have we chosen him to be our Father and our Lord?

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

4 Epiphany - Saturday (Variable)
First posted February 7, 2009

Matthew 13:24-30 – Weeds Among Wheat;

In a parable, Jesus described the kingdom of God like a wheat field. The farmer sowed good seed, but during the night his enemy sowed weeds among the wheat. When the wheat sprouted the weeds sprouted also. The farmer's servants asked the farmer how the weeds got into the field and the farmer told them that his enemy had done this. The servants asked if they should weed the field, and the farmer told them not to, or they might damage the wheat. The farmer allowed both to grow until the harvest. Then God's reapers will bind the weeds into bundles and burn them, and gather the wheat into the farmer's barn.

Commentary:

A parable is a story of a common earthly experience used to describe a spiritual truth. This Creation is God's wheat field, where he is growing people who will trust and obey God, to become citizens of God's eternal kingdom in heaven. The weeds are the children of Satan, the enemy of God.

This Creation has been designed for God's purpose, to allow people freedom to choose whether or not to obey God's Word, and the opportunity to learn by trial and error that God's will is their best interest. God allows the wicked to live among the righteous (those who do what is right, good and true according to God's Word) for now, but at the end of time the angels of God will gather the weeds and burn them, and will gather the wheat into God's “barn,” God's kingdom in heaven.

God created this world and it was very good (Genesis 1:31). God didn't cause the evil that is present in the world, but he allowed it to happen because he allowed for the possibility for sin (disobedience of God's Word). Otherwise we would not be free to choose whether to trust and obey God or not. It is people who have caused this Creation to be less than the perfect world God created, because we haven't trusted and obeyed God's Word.

We are all guilty of sin because we have all disobeyed God's Word and fall short of God's righteousness (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). The penalty for sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). God knew when he created this world that we would sin, and he designed a Savior, Jesus Christ, into Creation from the very beginning (John 1:1-5, 14, Romans 5:8; John 3:16-17; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).

God is not willing to tolerate rebellion and disobedience forever, or at all in his eternal kingdom. So this Creation and we ourselves have been limited by time. Time will end for each of us at the moment of our death, and the next moment is Judgment, not reincarnation, not “nothingness,” at the throne of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:27). Each of us will be accountable to the Lord on the Day of Judgment for what we have done in this lifetime (John 5:28-29).

There is forgiveness of sin and salvation from eternal condemnation and death only by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus (Acts 4:12; John 14:6). Salvation is the free gift of God to all who are willing to receive it through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). Those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord, who have trusted and obeyed Jesus will have been spiritually “reborn” (John 3:3, 5-8) by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit now, in this lifetime, and will enter God's eternal kingdom in heaven. Those who have rejected Jesus as Lord, who have refused or failed to trust and obey Jesus will be condemned to eternal death in Hell with all evil (Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10).

The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). Only Jesus gives the gift (“anointing;” “baptism”) of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17).

Not everyone who claims to be a Christian, who claims to be “born-again,” who claims that Jesus is their Lord, is going to be saved (Matthew 7:21-27; Luke 6:46). Saving faith is not getting whatever one believes, if one believes “hard enough.” Saving faith is not an “opinion.” Saving faith is obedient trust in Jesus Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

No one can be sure of living until tomorrow. Today is the only day we can be sure of. Today is the Day of Salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?