Week of 24 Pentecost - C
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Podcast Download: Week of 24 Pentecost - C
Sunday 24 Pentecost - C
First
Posted
November 7, 2010;
Podcast: Sunday 24 Pentecost - C
Exodus 34:5-9 – God Revealed to
Moses;
Psalm 145 – Extolling God's Character;
2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12 – Glorify God;
Luke 19:1-10 – Zacchaeus;
Exodus Background:
The Israelites had broken the covenant with God by
reverting to idolatry while Moses was with God on the
mountain (Horeb; Sinai) for forty days (Exodus
31:18-32:6). Moses interceded for the Israelites to be
forgiven and to renew the covenant with God (Exodus
32:7-20). Moses asked God to reveal himself to Moses
(Exodus 33:13-23). Then Moses returned to Mt. Sinai with
two new stone tablets to renew the covenant (Exodus
34:1-4).
Exodus Paraphrase:
The Lord descended in a cloud and stood with Moses on the
mountaintop and proclaimed the name (the whole person and
character) of the Lord: a gracious and merciful God, slow
to get angry, whose overflowing love and faithfulness are
steady and unwavering, willing to forgive sin
(disobedience of God's Word), transgression (violation of
God's Law), and iniquity (injustice). Nevertheless, God
will not leave the guilty unpunished; he will punish the
iniquity of the fathers upon their children to the third
and fourth generation.
Moses bowed his head and worshiped the Lord, and asked, if
Moses had found favor with the Lord, that the Lord come
among his people, the Israelites, although they were a
stubborn and prideful people. Moses asked the Lord to
forgive the injustice and disobedience of God's people
and make them the heritage of the Lord.
Psalm 145 Paraphrase:
Let us exalt the Lord our God and King; let us bless and
praise his name every day. The Lord is great, even beyond
our understanding, and is worthy of great praise.
Let one generation declare and praise God's works to
another. Let us remember and meditate on the majestic
splendor and wondrous acts of the Lord. Let the
people declare the power of the Lord's awesome works; let
us praise his greatness. God's people should loudly
proclaim his reputation of his abundant goodness and
righteousness.
The steadfast love, mercy and grace of the Lord is
abundant and overflowing; the Lord is good and
compassionate to all that he has created.
All whom the Lord has made will give him thanks, and all
those who are consecrated to his service (i.e., his
saints) shall bless him. They will testify to his power
and the glory of his kingdom, so that all humans may know
his mighty acts and his splendorous kingdom. His kingdom
is eternal, and he will reign eternally throughout all
generations.
Faithful and gracious are the words and acts of the Lord,
and will be glorified by all those who are dedicated to
serving him. Those who stumble, the Lord will uphold, and
he will lift up the spirits of those who are discouraged.
All depend on the Lord to provide their food at the
appropriate time. The Lord satisfies the needs of every
living thing. All of the Lord's ways and deeds are just
and kind. “The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to
all who call upon him in truth” (Psalm 145:18). The
longings of all who fear (have appropriate awe and respect
for the authority and power of) the Lord, he will fulfill.
He will hear their cries and save them. The Lord will
preserve all who love him; but he will destroy the wicked
(those who are evil in principle or practice).
“My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and let all
flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever” (Psalm
145:21).
2 Thessalonians Paraphrase:
Silvanus (Silas) and Timothy had been colleagues in Paul's
second missionary journey, during which they founded the
church at Thessalonica, the capital of Macedonia. It was
one of the first three churches planted in Europe.
Paul greeted the church with the conventional salutations
of Greek and Hebrew respectively: “grace” and “peace,”
which are only truly possible through God the Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul rejoiced and gave thanks to God for the
Thessalonians' growing and abounding faith and love among
their brethren. The Thessalonian congregation continued to
experience severe persecution by the local Jewish
synagogue (see Acts 17:1-11) who regarded the Christian
Church as a heretical sect. So Paul “bragged” about the
steadfastness and faith of the Thessalonian congregation
amidst persecution and affliction.
Paul considered their tribulations evidence of God's
righteous judgment, so that the Thessalonian Christians
were being made worthy of God's eternal kingdom through
their suffering (compare Hebrews 12:1-13). So Paul prayed
for the Thessalonian Christians that God would make them
worthy of his calling, that God would fulfill their good
resolve and works of faith by his power (his Holy Spirit
working within them by their spiritual rebirth; John 3:3,
5-8), to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, and
that they would be glorified in the Lord by the grace
(unmerited favor) of God and Jesus Christ.
Luke Paraphrase:
Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, where he knew that he
was going to be crucified, accompanied by his disciples
and a large crowd. As he approached Jericho, east and
slightly north of Jerusalem (perhaps thirteen miles, in a
straight line). A chief tax collector in Jericho, named
Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus as he passed by, but because
Zacchaeus was short in stature, he could not see over the
crowd, so he ran ahead and climbed into Sycamore tree
(Sycamine; Mulberry) so that he could get a better look at
Jesus as he went by.
When Jesus came by, he looked up into the tree and called
Zacchaeus by name, saying that Jesus needed to be the
guest at the home of Zacchaeus that day. Zacchaeus hurried
down and welcomed Jesus. The people in the crowd were
amazed that Jesus would have fellowship with a person they
regarded as a sinner. Zacchaeus told Jesus that he would
give half of his possessions to the poor and would repay
four times the amount to anyone he had cheated. Jesus
declared that salvation had come that day to Zacchaeus'
household, since Zacchaeus was a son of Abraham,
regardless of his former behavior, because Jesus had come
to seek and save those who were spiritually “lost” and
headed to eternal destruction because of their sin.
Themes: knowing God, praising and glorifying God; seeing
God
Commentary:
I am convinced that the meaning and purpose of life is to
seek and come to know and have a personal relationship
with God, our Creator (Acts 17:26-27). Then we will know
by personal experience his character, power, faithfulness
and saving acts. New believers and seekers, can first know
the Lord through the testimony of others, recorded in the
Bible, and by the testimony of truly 'born-again”
Christians (John 3:3, 5-8).
Moses asked God to reveal himself to him. As we trust in
God's Word in the Bible, the Lord will reveal himself to
us personally, also. If we earnestly seek him with the
commitment to trust and obey him, we will come to know the
Lord personally. We will no longer have to rely on the
testimony of others; we will know with certainty for
ourselves.
I personally testify that the Lord has revealed himself to
me through his Word in the Bible, in devotional meditation
with prayer, and in daily personal experiences of his
fulfillment of his promises (see Personal Testimonies,
sidebar, top right, home). When I first began to seek the
presence of the Lord I didn't know any Psalm by reference
except the Twenty-Third. As the Lord began to reveal
himself to me, he asked me to do something I considered
risky in worldly terms. A thought came into my mind to
look up Psalm 91, which contained great reassurance that
the Lord was able and faithful to protect me from harm.
I was like Paul (Acts 9:5a), and asked the Lord who
it was who was leading me. The Lord replied, that it
was the “Lord and Giver of Life,” (The Holy Spirit, as
defined in the third article of the Nicene Creed), This
identification was uniquely meaningful to me personally,
because of my background in a “liturgical” (i.e. following
a formal ritual of public worship) Church. The Lord can
reveal himself to others in a way that is uniquely
personally meaningful to them.
The Psalmist urges one generation to praise their personal
experience of the Lord's faithfulness and powerful acts to
another. One must first have a personal relationship with
the Lord through the “baptism” 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
baptism of the Holy Spirit is a personally discernible,
ongoing, daily experience (Acts 19:2). 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).
Unfortunately, the nominal Church is failing to make
“born-again” disciples (students) and apostles
(messengers; of the Gospel) of Jesus Christ. Without
born-again members, the Church will not have born-again
leaders to choose from their membership. Church “members”
are failing to, and cannot, pass on testimony and praise
of God's works to their children or to older generations
who have not been spiritually “reborn.”
With a personal relationship with the Lord through the
baptism of the indwelling Holy Spirit we will be able to
recall, from personal experience, in times of trouble, the
Lord's power and faithfulness. As the Lord demonstrates
his power and faithfulness to us personally, our faith
will grow from a tiny “mustard seed” (our “yes” to trust
and obedience to the Lord) into the supernaturally large
“tree” of mature faith (Matthew 13:31-32). We will be able
to praise him to others so that they can trust in him and
be saved.
When troubles come, it is hard to remember what the Lord
has done for us in the past. I keep a personal log of
blessings and answered prayer. When I'm experiencing
troubles and discouragement, I can look back on other
times that the Lord has delivered me and brought me
through. I also review it annually before the Thanksgiving
holiday.
The Lord is loving and forgiving to all who love, trust
and obey him; but those who refuse or fail to accept his
love and forgiveness which he has provided through Jesus'
sacrifice on the cross will be eternally condemned and
destroyed.
Worldly wisdom attributes success and wealth to God's
favor, and tribulation to God's disfavor, but that is not
so, as Paul testified. Christians can expect to be hated
and persecuted by the world, as the world treated Jesus.
Christians who don't experience persecution are failing to
carry out their ministry of the Gospel. But the ministry
of the Gospel cannot be carried out by our human strength
and resources; we can only fulfill it by the power and
resources provided by the baptism of the indwelling Holy
Spirit (Zechariah 4:6; Romans 8:15-17; 1 Corinthians
12:3; Mark 13:11; Luke 12:11-12). Jesus warns that
we must be born-again before carrying the Gospel message
to the world (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8).
Jesus knew Zacchaeus completely before Zacchaeus met Jesus
(compare John 1:47-50; 4:16-19). The Lord knows all about
us, too. Zacchaeus was a sinner (disobedient of God's
Word) even as are we all (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10).
Zacchaeus realized that Jesus was the promised Messiah
(Christ), and repented of his sin (Luke 19:8).
All who accept Jesus as Lord (the Messiah; Christ; God's
chosen Savior and eternal King) are spiritual sons of
Abraham, entitled to the inheritance of God's promise
(Romans 8:15-17; Galatians 3:26-29). The Jews considered
themselves children of Abraham, but didn't acknowledge
Jesus as the Christ, and Jesus called them children of the
devil (John 8:42-44).
Jesus came to bring forgiveness and eternal salvation to
all who acknowledge their sin and spiritual “lostness,” to
eternal condemnation and destruction. Jesus cannot help
those who consider themselves righteous (doing what is
right, good, and true according to God's Word). There is a
Day of Judgment coming when everyone who has ever lived in
this world will be accountable to the Lord for what they
have done in their lifetime. Those who have accepted Jesus
as Savior and Lord, and have trusted and obeyed Jesus will
have been spiritually reborn in this lifetime, and will
enter paradise and eternal life in heaven with all
believers. Those who have rejected Jesus as Lord and have
refused or failed to trust and obey Jesus will be
condemned to eternal death and destruction in Hell with
all evil (John 5:28-29; Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians
1:5-10).
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you
Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? 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)?
Monday 24 Pentecost - C
First
Posted November 8, 2010;
Podcast: Monday 24 Pentecost - C
Psalm 148 – All Creation:
Praise the Lord!
Paraphrase:
Praise the Lord! Let all things in heaven praise him: all
angels, all his host (a large army); praise him from the
mountain tops!
Praise the Lord, sun, moon, and all stars; the highest
heavens, and the storehouses of rain. Let all praise the
name (character and person) of the Lord. They were created
by his command; they were established forever and their
boundaries are fixed by his command.
Let all the earth praise the Lord, all monsters and
creatures of the depths. All fire, frost, snow, hail and
stormy wind obey his command.
Let all creation praise the Lord: all hills, and trees,
beasts and cattle, crawling things and soaring birds!
Praise the Lord, all people: princes and rulers of the
earth, children, young and old people, join in the praise
of the Lord.
The name of the Lord is worthy of praise; his name alone
is worthy of exaltation. High above earth and heaven is
his glory.
The Lord has raised up a horn (of salvation) for his
people, his saints (those consecrated to the Lord's
service), the people of Israel who are near to him.
Commentary:
Jesus is the “horn of salvation” which God has raised up
for his people. God instructed the Israelites to build
altars with upraised triangular corners which were called
“horns” (Exodus 27:2; 30:10). A person who was in danger
of being killed could take hold of the horns of the altar
and be spared (1 Kings 1:50).
Jesus is God's “anointed” (designated) eternal savior who
has been built into the very structure of this world (John
1:1-5). Those who come and lay hold of Jesus in faith
(obedient trust) will be spared from eternal death, which
is the penalty for sin (Romans 6:23).
We are all sinners who fall short of God's standard of
righteousness (doing what is good, right, and true
according to God's Word in the Bible and in the teaching
and example of Jesus, the “living Word,” fulfilled,
embodied and exemplified; John 1:14). Jesus'
blood-sacrifice on the cross is God's only provision for
our forgiveness and salvation (Acts 4:12; John 14:6), to
be received by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus.
There is a Day of Judgment coming for everyone who has
ever lived in this world. Jesus has promised to return to
judge the living (“quickened”) and the dead (1 Peter 4:5;
John 5:28-29) Those who accept Jesus as their Lord (One
who has power and authority; a master; a ruler; a
governor; a prince; a proprietor) and Savior, and trust
and obey his teachings will be spiritually “reborn” (John
3:3, 5-8) to eternal life in this lifetime, and will enter
eternal life in paradise restored in God's kingdom in
heaven. Those who have rejected Jesus and have refused or
failed to trust and obey Jesus will be spiritually
“unborn” and will receive eternal condemnation and
destruction in Hell with all evil (Matthew 25:31-46; 2
Thessalonians 1:5-10).
On the Day of Judgment every knee will bow and every
tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of
God (Philippians 2:9-11). In that Day, it will be too late
to change one's eternal destiny.
Spiritual rebirth and eternal life are only by the
“baptism” 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 “baptism” of the
indwelling Holy Spirit is a personally discernible,
ongoing, daily experience (Acts 19:2). 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).
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you
Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? 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)?
Tuesday 24 Pentecost - C
First
Posted November 9, 2010;
Podcast: Tuesday 24 Pentecost - C
1 Chronicles 29:10-13 – David's
Prayer;
Paraphrase:
(On the occasion of the succession of Solomon, the son of
David, to his father's throne), David offered a prayer,
blessing the Lord for ever. David acknowledged that
greatness, power, glory, victory, and majesty belong to
the Lord, since everything in this world belongs to God.
The Lord is the true king of the kingdom, exalted above
all others. All riches and honor come from the Lord and he
reigns over all. Power and might, greatness and strength
all come from God. Therefore David, and all God's people
give thanks to the Lord our God, and praise his glorious
name (his person and character).
Commentary:
David was the shepherd boy who became the great human king
of Israel. David was deliberately intended by God to be
the forerunner and illustration of the promised Messiah
(Christ). Solomon was the physical son of David who
ascended to the throne. Jesus was the ultimate heir (son
of David; Matthew 1:1; 21:9) to the eternal throne of
David, through Jesus' earthly father, Joseph (Matthew
1:20-21), according to the promise God had given (2 Samuel
7:5-13; Psalm 89:20-29).
God is the Creator and ruler of everything in this world.
The Lord is the true and rightful king of the universe.
The authority of human rulers has been delegated by God
(Romans 13:3-7). David recognized God's power and
authority over Creation and that David's power and
authority were by God's delegation.
God is the source of every good and necessary thing. All
riches, honor, strength, greatness, power, glory, victory
and majesty belong to the Lord. Worldly people haven't
discovered this; they think that this world is all there
is, and there is no purpose in life but to satisfy their
own physical desires and accumulate material things. They
don't realize that their achievements aren't by their own
abilities and efforts, but are the gift of God. God allows
times of trial, want, and need, to happen to us in hope
that we will realize our dependence on his providence.
When we understand our relationship to and dependence upon
the Lord and the blessings he's given us, we will rejoice
in him and gladly give him thanks and praise. As we praise
and thank the Lord he blesses us with his loving presence
and touch.
This world was intentionally created by God to provide us
with the freedom and opportunity to seek, find and have
fellowship with God, our Creator. This is only possible
through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus, who alone gives
the “baptism” of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John
1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus
(John 14:15-17).
Through the “baptism” of the Holy Spirit we are
spiritually “reborn” (John 3:3, 5-8) to true eternal life
(John 14:6). The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a
personally discernible, ongoing, daily experience (Acts
19:2). 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).
This world has been created to allow us the freedom to
choose whether to trust and obey God or not, but God is
not willing to tolerate rebellion and disobedience
forever, or at all in his eternal kingdom, so this
creation and we ourselves are limited by time. This world
and we ourselves will pass away.
We will all die physically once, and then will face the
Lord's judgment (Hebrews 9:27), and the judge and standard
of judgment will be Jesus Christ. Those who have accepted
Jesus as Lord and Savior, and have trusted and obeyed his
teachings and example will have been spiritually
“born-again” in this lifetime and will enter eternal life.
Those who have rejected Jesus as Lord and Savior, and have
refused or failed to trust and obey him will be condemned
to eternal death and destruction in Hell with all evil. At
the moment of our physical death (or mental impairment by
stroke, dementia, or other disability), or at the Day of
Christ's Second Coming, our eternal destinies will be
fixed and unalterable.
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you
Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? 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)?
Wednesday 24 Pentecost - C
First
Posted November 10, 2010;
Podcast: Wednesday 24 Pentecost - C
2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5 –
Thanks and Praise to the Lord;
Paraphrase:
Paul constantly thanked God for the Christians at
Thessalonica (in Macedonia; on the European Continent),
who were beloved by God, and were chosen by God to be
saved through sanctification [the process of bringing to
spiritual maturity, by work of the Holy Spirit through
faith (obedient trust) in the truth (the Gospel of Jesus
Christ), those who have been “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8),
filled with the anointing of the indwelling Holy Spirit].
God had called them (and all believers) through the Gospel
[the “Good News” of forgiveness of sin (disobedience of
God's Word) and salvation from eternal condemnation, which
is the penalty for sin (Romans 6:23; see God's Plan of
Salvation, sidebar, top right, home]. Believers are called
through the Gospel to attain the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ. So we must be steadfast in faith to the teachings
which Paul and his fellow missionaries, Silas (Silvanus)
and Timothy had made known to them by by word (and
example) in person, and by letter.
Now Paul prayed for the believers, that God the Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ would comfort and establish their
hearts in good words and deeds. The Lord loved us and gave
us eternal comfort and hope by grace (his unmerited favor;
a free gift).
Paul asked the Thessalonian church to pray for Paul's
ministry, that the Lord would hurry and complete his
ministry of the Word of God through Paul, and that Paul
and fellow missionaries would be delivered from wicked and
evil people, because not everyone accepts the Gospel
truth. The Lord is entirely faithful, and will deliver
believers from all evil. Paul was confident that believers
were doing and would do as Paul had taught them. So Paul
asked that the Lord would guide their hearts “to the love
of God and to the steadfastness of Christ” (2
Thessalonians 3:5b).
Commentary:
By the preaching of the Gospel by Paul, the Church at
Thessalonica was one of the first churches founded on
European soil. Paul's ministry was very successful among
Gentiles (non-Jews), and received much opposition from the
local synagogue (because the Jews had hoped to convert
them to Judaism, and regarded Christianity as a heretical
sect).
We are all beloved by God, and his love is revealed
by his sending of his only “begotten” Son, begotten by the
Holy Spirit, to die on the cross as the only sacrifice
acceptable to God for the forgiveness of our sin and our
salvation from eternal condemnation and death, which is
the penalty for sin.
The blood of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is intended to
cleanse us from all sin by faith, so that we are able to
receive the “baptism” of the Holy Spirit, through whom we
are spiritually “born-again” to eternal life. Only Jesus
baptizes with the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34),
only his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John
14:15-17). The baptism of the indwelling Holy Spirit is a
personally discernible, ongoing, daily experience (Acts
19:2). 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).
Jesus' death and resurrection make it possible for us to
have a personal relationship with God the Father and our
Lord Jesus Christ by the “infilling” of the Holy Spirit
(John 16:7), the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ
(Romans 8:9). By the indwelling Holy Spirit we are led in
spiritual growth to spiritual maturity at the Day of
Christ's Second Coming (Philippians 1:6: “fulfill;”
“perfect”). Spiritual growth requires the baptism of the
Holy Spirit, the knowledge of, and obedient trust in God's
Word, in the Bible and in Jesus Christ, the “living Word,”
fulfilled, embodied and exemplified (John 1:1-5, 14).
Through the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we
are called to follow Jesus' example and teaching, so that
we can attain the glory (the blessings and honor, the
moral attributes of God's own righteousness, the bliss of
eternal life in heaven) which Jesus has received. Jesus is
God's only begotten Son, but we can become God's “adopted”
sons and daughters through faith in Jesus.
This world has been designed to allow the possibility of
sin (disobedience of God's Word, so that we have the
freedom to choose for ourselves whether to trust and obey
God or not. But this world and we ourselves have been
limited by time, because God is not willing to tolerate
rebellion and disobedience forever, or at all in his
eternal kingdom, or it wouldn't be “Heaven.” This lifetime
is our opportunity to seek, find and have fellowship with
God, our Creator (Acts 17:26-27), and to be spiritually
reborn, by the baptism of the Holy Spirit through faith in
Jesus. Those who have been truly born-again will
demonstrate their spiritual rebirth (regeneration) by
their words and deeds.
The indwelling Holy Spirit comforts believers in times of
suffering and persecutions. In his Gospel, John uses the
Greek word “parakletos,” from which we get “Paraclete,”
meaning intercessor, consoler, advocate, comforter. The
KJV translates it as “Comforter;” the RSV translates it as
“Counselor.”
Christians should pray for the ministry of the Gospel
through missionary evangelists like, Paul, and through
ourselves. We have personally experienced the truth of the
Gospel and are enabled to proclaim it by the Holy Spirit
working in and through us. We must learn to step out in
faith. But the ministry of the Gospel can only be carried
out by the Holy Spirit, not by our own human abilities and
efforts (Zechariah 4:6; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8).
Christians can expect the same opposition to the Gospel
that Jesus, Paul, and the Thessalonian Christians
experienced from worldly people. We must respond with love
and steadfastness which are only possible through Jesus.
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you
Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? 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)?
Thursday 24 Pentecost - C
First Posted
November 11, 2010;
Podcast: Thursday 24 Pentecost - C
Luke 20:27-38 – Questions
about Resurrection;
Paraphrase:
The Sadducees were a faction of Judaism who did not
believe in resurrection. They came to Jesus and asked him
a question to challenge Jesus' teaching on resurrection.
Hypothetically, if a man's brother died, leaving a wife
but no children, the man was obligated to take the widow
as his own wife, in order to raise up children for his
brother. Suppose that there were seven brothers, and each
in turn assumed the obligation for their brother, but none
produced children. These brothers all died, and so also
did the woman. So, in the resurrection, whose wife will
the woman be, for she was the wife of all seven.
Jesus told the Sadducees that marriage is the practice of
this world (and marriage is terminated by physical death).
But in the world to come, there is no marriage (the
earthly marriage won't carry on in Heaven), since they can
no longer die. Being children of the resurrection, they
are like angels, and are children of God. But even Moses
demonstrated the truth of the resurrection, in the passage
of the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-12), where Moses calls the
Lord the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (father, son,
and grandson of the patriarch of Israel). God is not God
of the dead, but of the living, for all live by and for
him.
Commentary:
Judaism was based partly on inheritance of property in the
Promised Land, which points to spiritual inheritance in
the eternal Promised Land of God's kingdom in Heaven. The
husband who produced no children, had none to inherit his
portion of the land, so brothers were to assume the
responsibility of producing heirs for their dead brother.
In the eternal kingdom to come, there won't be any need to
procreate physically. Each one will have inherited their
place in the eternal Promised Land, and since they will
never die, they have no need to produce heirs. We will
know and recognize the members of our families who have
been born-again by the “baptism” 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) during
their earthly physical lifetime.
We can't take anything from this world into eternity
except the eternal souls of our families and loved ones.
We do that by passing on the Gospel testimony to them.
Too often, sadly, the nominal Church and nominal
Christians are failing to pass on the Gospel to older as
well as younger generations, both within families and
among our acquaintances. We cannot pass on the Gospel to
others without having personally experienced its truth
(Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8) and without the
empowerment of the Holy Spirit within and through us
(Zechariah 4:6; Luke 12:11-12; 21:14-15; 1 Corinthians
12:3; Romans 8:15-17).
God is not the God of those who are dead (un-reborn; in
the spiritual sense). God is God, whether we acknowledge
him or not, but God has designed this world to allow us to
choose for ourselves whether to accept him as our God and
Lord or not. Those who reject the Lord, may be physically
alive for a time, but are spiritually dead. God is not
their God because they do not trust and obey God.
On the Day of Judgment when Christ returns, Jesus will
judge the living and the dead in both the physical and
spiritual senses (1 Peter 4:5). Those who have accepted
Jesus as Lord will have been spiritually born-again to
eternal life in this world and will enter God's eternal
heavenly kingdom. Those who are judged by Jesus to be
spiritually dead will have not accepted Jesus as their
Lord and Savior, and will have refused or failed to trust
and obey Jesus. They will not have been spiritual “reborn”
to eternal life, and will not enter life in God's heavenly
kingdom. They will be separated eternally from God and
every good thing; they will die eternally in total misery.
Can one imagine how it will be to exist eternally
separated from God's love and providence? In heaven there
will be no more sickness, sorrow, tears, death, crying, or
pain (Revelation 21:4); In Hell there will be nothing but
sickness, sorrow, tears, death, crying and pain for all
eternity.
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you
Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? 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)?
Friday 24 Pentecost - C
First
Posted November 12, 2010;
Podcast: Friday 24 Pentecost C
Colossians 1:9-14 –
Thanksgiving and Intercession;
Background:
Colossae was a small town near Ephesus, in the district of
Phyrigia in western Asia Minor (present-day Turkey). Paul
had sent Epaphras, a fellow missionary, native to Colossae
and founder of the church there, to preach. Epaphras had
reported to Paul the love in the Spirit within the
congregation.
Paraphrase:
Since Epaphras' report, Paul had been praying for the
congregation, that they would be filled with the knowledge
of God's will, “in all spiritual wisdom and understanding”
(Colossians 1:9b), so that they could truly lead lives
worthy and pleasing to the Lord, bearing spiritual fruit
in good works, and growing in spiritual knowledge of God.
Paul prayed that the Colossian Christians would be
strengthened by the full power of the Lord's great might
(by the indwelling Holy Spirit), so that they could have
the full necessary endurance and patience, with great joy,
always giving thanks to God the Father, since he has given
us the right to share in the eternal inheritance of the
saints (those consecrated to God's service) of light
(righteousness). Believers have been transferred
from the power of darkness to the kingdom of God's beloved
Son, through whom we have redemption (purchase) from
eternal condemnation (the penalty for sin, which is
disobedience of God's Word), and forgiveness.
Commentary:
The meaning and purpose of life in this temporal world is
to seek, find, and have fellowship with God, our Creator
(Acts 17:26-27). God has plans for each believer, and he
wants to reveal them to us, if we are willing to seriously
commit ourselves to do his will. God won't reveal his will
to those who are just “window-shopping:" those who want to
know God's will first, and then decide if they'd prefer to
do God's will or their own.
Christians are, by definition, spiritually “born-again”
(John 3:3, 5-8) disciples of Jesus Christ (Acts 11:26).
Christian discipleship is a spiritual growth process. The
“mustard seed” of faith (Matthew 13:31-32; 17:20) is our
“yes” to trust and obey God's Word, in the Bible, and in
Jesus Christ, the “living Word,” fulfilled, embodied, and
exemplified in human flesh in this world (John 1:1-5, 14).
The Lord wants us to trust and obey his promises in his
Word and Holy Spirit, so that we can personally experience
his power and faithfulness to fulfill his Word. Each such
experience causes our faith to grow, ultimately to
spiritual maturity.
We cannot accomplish God's will in our own human strength
(Zechariah 4:6), but only by the power of the “baptism” of
the indwelling Holy Spirit within us, which only Jesus
gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and
obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The baptism of the indwelling
Holy Spirit is a personally discernible, ongoing, daily
experience (Acts 19:2). 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 indwelling Holy Spirit teaches us all things, recalls
to us all Jesus' teachings (John 14:26), and gives us what
to say at the moment it is needed (Luke 12:11-12;
21:14-15). By the Holy Spirit we are given the
encouragement to wait patiently for the fulfillment of
God's promises, the consolation to endure persecution and
affliction, and the great experience of the love and joy
that are only possible through the Holy Spirit with in us.
We have all sinned and fall short of God's righteousness
(Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). The penalty for sin is
condemnation to eternal death and destruction in Hell with
all evil, separated forever from the love and providence
of God (Romans 6:23). Jesus has redeemed us (paid the
ultimate consequence) from our sin by his sacrificial
death on cross so that we wouldn't have to die for them
eternally ourselves (Romans 5:8). Jesus' blood sacrifice
is the only sacrifice acceptable to God for our
forgiveness and salvation, which we must receive by faith
(obedient trust) in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-10; see God's
Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right, home).
This lifetime is our only opportunity to be spiritually
born-again to eternal life by the baptism of the
indwelling Holy Spirit. Today is the Day of Salvation (2
Corinthians 6:2). Yesterday is gone, tomorrow may never
come. At the moment of our death (or at some mental
impairment), it will be too late to change our eternal
destinies.
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you
Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? 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)?
Saturday 24 Pentecost - C
First
Posted November 13, 2010;
Podcast: Saturday 24 Pentecost - C
Matthew 9:18-26 – Healing and
Resurrection;
Paraphrase:
A leader of the synagogue (Jairus, according to Mark 5:22;
Luke 8:41) came to Jesus as he was teaching, and knelt at
Jesus' feet. Jairus told Jesus that Jairus' daughter had
just died, and asked Jesus to come and lay hands on her,
declaring his faith that by Jesus' touch, Jairus' daughter
would live again. Jesus and his disciples got up and
followed Jairus home.
On the way, a woman who had suffered for twelve years with
a hemorrhage, came up behind Jesus and touched the fringe
of Jesus' robe, believing that she would be healed just by
touching it. Jesus turned and looked at the woman and
declared that her faith had made her well, and she was
healed instantly.
Arriving at Jairus' house, Jesus saw professional mourners
bewailing the girl's death, as was the custom. Jesus told
them to leave, because the girl was not dead; merely
sleeping. The crowd laughed because they did not believe
Jesus. When the mourners were sent away, Jesus went in and
took the girl by her hand, and she arose. News of this
event traveled throughout the region.
Commentary:
Jesus' miracles of physical healing and resurrection were
intended to show us that he is also, more importantly,
able to heal us spiritually and raise us from physical
death to eternal life. Many people were attracted to Jesus
for only his physical miracles, and without faith in his
power to perform spiritual healing and resurrection,
missed the opportunity to receive spiritual benefits only
Jesus can provide. Physical healing and resurrection
results are only temporary; the healed will get sick again
or die physically again. Spiritual healing and
resurrection are for eternity.
For those who are seeking miracles in order to believe in
Jesus, there are none. But those who believe in Jesus will
personally experience many miracles.
Jesus' power is not limited by what worldly people
consider possible. Jesus' miracles of resurrection of the
dead, and his own resurrection, demonstrated that there is
existence after physical death. Physical death is not
“nothingness,” and there is no such thing as
“reincarnation” (Hebrews 9:27). The issue is where we will
spend eternity.
Jesus told Nicodemus that one must be spiritually
“born-again” during this earthly lifetime in order to see
God's eternal kingdom all around us now, and to enter it
in eternity (John 3:3, 5-8). We are spiritually born-again
to eternal life by the “baptism” 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
baptism of the indwelling Holy Spirit is a personally
discernible, ongoing, daily experience (Acts 19:2). 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).
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you
Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? 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)?
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Week of 24 Pentecost - C - 11/03 - 09/2013
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