Week of 3 Advent – EvenThis Bible Study was originally published at:http://shepherdboy.journalspace.com/, (now defunct). It is based on the Lutheran Book of Worship two-year Daily Lectionary for personal devotions p.179-192, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, 1978. The daily readings are according to a Calendar based on the Church Year, which begins on the first Sunday of Advent, usually sometime at the end of November in the year preceding the secular calendar year. Available at: http://shepherdboy.byethost12.com/ (Please bookmark this link). This 'blog is mirrored at: http://shepherdboy-mydailywalk.blogspot.com/ Shepherdboysmydailywalk’s Blog .mp3 Podcasts via Linux Festival text-to-speech and Panopreter Basic text-to-speech are available at: http://shepherdboy.byethost12.com/dw_bible/evenyear/wklx_even.html http://shepherdboy.byethost12.com/dw_bible/oddyear/Wklx_odd.html Please Note: This ‘blog is now available in mobile-optimized format: http://winksite.mobi/shepherdboy/MyDailyWalk Free to distribute; for personal use, Bible Study Groups, and Adult Christian Education. Disk Image and/or .zip file to burn the complete Bible Study to CD are available at: http://shepherdboy.byethost12.com/#Burn_Site_to_CD To get the most from these studies, it is suggested that you first read the scripture texts for the entry, and then the paraphrase and commentary. It is also recommended that you look up the scripture references, unless you recognize and recall them from memory. 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. |
Podcast Download: Week
of 3 Advent – Even
3 Advent – Sunday – Even |
| First posted 12/13/03; Podcast: Sunday |
Amos 9:11-15 –
Prophesy of restoration;
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, 13-17 – The Day of the Lord; John 5:30-47 - Jesus’ relation to God;
Amos Summary:
In the Day of the Lord, the
dynasty of David will be restored. Amos describes the
coming age in which the Lord will again plant his people
upon their land (Amos 9:15) and creation will be freed
from its bondage to decay and restored to its original
created goodness.2 Thessalonians Summary:
Paul warned the
Thessalonians not to be misled by false rumors of the
second coming of Christ, and told them that the revealing
of the “man of lawlessness” (or “man of sin”; i.e. the
antichrist), the “son of perdition” (2 Thessalonians 2:3)
must precede that Day. Paul thus reassures believers that
God has chosen and called us “to be saved through
sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth” (2
Thessalonians 2:13), so that, if we hold fast to the faith
we have received, and continue to live it out in our
lives, we may have confidence, and not fear the coming of
the Lord.
John Summary:
Jesus’ judgment is just,
because he judges according to God’s will. God has borne
witness to Jesus through the witness of John the Baptist (
John 5:33), Jesus’ works ( John 5:36), and scripture (
John 5:39), that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), sent by
God. Those who know God, who have God’s Word abiding in
them, will recognize and acknowledge Jesus as the Christ (
John 5:38-40). How we respond to Jesus reveals whether we
are God’s children or Satan’s ( John 5:42-43). It is not
Jesus who will accuse sinners; their own behavior will
testify against them.
Commentary:
Jesus is the Son of David
(Matthew 1:1) (on his Mother’s side; he was conceived by
the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary: see Luke 1:34-35. God
is his Father, and Jesus is the Son of God; God in
the flesh (Colossians 2:8-9) and thus the fulfillment of
the promise of the eternal heir to David’s throne (2 Sam
7:8-16). He is the Messiah (or Christ; God’s Anointed King
of the Universe). Jesus is going to return to judge the
earth and establish his eternal kingdom (Matthew
25:31-46). Creation will be set free from its bondage to
decay (Romans 8:19-23).
Paul’s teaching in this
passage was intended to reassure believers and encourage
them not to panic at rumors that the Day of the Lord has
come. Jesus told his disciples, in his discourse on the
signs of the end of the age and of his second coming
(Matthew 24:3-31), not to be led astray by false christs
and false prophets; not to run about in panic trying to
locate the Lord at his second coming (Matthew 24:26).
Instead, his disciples are to trust in Jesus, and the Lord
will find them, because his coming will not be confined to
one place; it will be universal (Matthew 24:27-28) and he
will send his angels to gather his elect to himself
(Matthew 24:31).
So it is not necessary for
“born-again” believers, who have a personal fellowship
with Jesus (as distinct from “nominal” Christians; mere
“professors”), to worry about the details of the Second
Coming. Believers just need to hold onto the faith, and
keep on obeying Jesus’ teachings.
Jesus is going to come again
to judge the living and the dead (i.e. he will judge both
those still physically alive at his coming as well as
those who have died; and he will render judgment as to who
is spiritually alive and who is spiritually dead: 1 Peter
4:5; John 5:28-29). Jesus is the standard against which
everyone will be judged.
All have sinned (Romans
3:23) and the punishment for sin is eternal death (Romans
6:23), but God loves us and doesn’t want us to perish
(John 3:16-17; Romans 5:8). Jesus is God’s only provision
for our salvation; God’s only provision for the
forgiveness of our sin. Acts 4:10-12). Those who have
trusted in Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and have obeyed
his commands will receive eternal life in Heaven with him;
those who have rejected Jesus and have refused to obey his
commands will be condemned to eternal death and
destruction in Hell with Satan and his demons (Matthew
25:31-46).
Not everyone who claims
Jesus as Lord will be saved; only those who have had a
personal fellowship with Jesus, who have been
obedient to his commands and have been born-again (anew)
by the indwelling of his Holy Spirit (Matthew 7:21-23;
John 3:3; Acts 19:2). Jesus is the only way (John 14:6).
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you
Jesus’ disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying
Jesus (John 14:21)? 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)? |
3 Advent – Monday – Even |
| First posted 12/14/03; |
| Podcast: Monday |
Zechariah 1:7-17
- Divine horsemen;
Revelation 3:7-13 - Letter to the church at Philadelphia; Matthew 24:15-31 - Signs of the end;
Zechariah Summary:
Around the end of January of
519 B.C. Zechariah had his first revelation, in the form
of a night vision, of four divine horsemen patrolling the
earth. The angel of the Lord (the intermediary interpreter
between the Lord and the prophet Zechariah) inquired how
long the Lord would withhold his mercy from Jerusalem and
Judah, which had been in exile in Babylon for seventy
years, from 587-517 B.C.
The angel then interpreted
the Lord’s reply to the prophet, saying that the Lord
cared greatly for Jerusalem and Judah, and was very angry
at the “nations that are at ease”, because when the Lord
was less angry, the nations “furthered the disaster”
(weren’t inclined to heed the Lord’s anger and desist)
(Zechariah 1:15). The Lord said, “I have returned to
Jerusalem with compassion; my house shall be built in it
…and the measuring line shall be stretched out over
Jerusalem” (v.16). The Lord promises that he will again
prosper his cities, comfort Zion, and “choose” (favor;
bless) Jerusalem.
Revelation Summary:
The Word of the Lord [the
holy one, and true one, who has the key of David (symbol
of authority)], to the Church at Philadelphia, a small
town in Lydia in Asia Minor (present-day Turkey). The Lord
declares that he has provided an open door of opportunity.
He commends them for their obedience and faithfulness. The
Lord will cause them to be exalted by those who claim to
be people of God but are not, but are of the synagogue of
Satan. Because they have been obedient to the Lord with
patient endurance, the Lord will keep them from the
tribulation which will come to try all those on earth. The
Lord exhorts them to hold fast to their faith. To those
who persevere, he promises an important and permanent
place in the presence of God in his heavenly Temple and in
the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2) of the heavenly
kingdom.
Matthew Summary:
Jesus told his disciples the
signs of the end of the age, in answer to their inquiry.
The desolating sacrilege refers to Daniel 9:27. [The
reference in Daniel is thought by many to refer to
Antiochus Epiphanes, “who in 167 B.C. conquered Palestine,
violated the sanctuary … and offered the abominations of
heathen sacrifice in the Temple”*. Jesus must have meant
it to refer to an unfulfilled future event as well, which
many have interpreted as the revealing of the antichrist
(2Thessalonians 2:3)].
Jesus describes a period of
intense tribulation. His word to believers is to not panic
when these signs begin to occur, but to hold fast to their
faith and trust in him. Jesus’ return will be universal (
Matthew 24:26-27) so there is no need for believers to run
about trying to locate him; he will send out his angels to
locate and gather them (v.31). Therefore believers are
encouraged to trust and persevere in faith in Jesus.
Commentary:
The Lord did indeed allow
the exiles in Babylon to return and to rebuild the Temple;
he did indeed establish Jesus as the measuring line
against whom all humanity will be judged. He will prosper
his city, the New Jerusalem, and comfort and favor (bless)
his people.
The Lord promises that those
who hold fast to faith in him will be vindicated and
exalted, and that he will keep them from the great
tribulation which is going to come upon all the earth. He
promises that those who persevere in faith until the end
will be saved, and they will receive a prominent and
permanent place in the kingdom of heaven.
Believers do not have to
worry about the Day of Judgment. They are to trust in the
Lord and continue to follow his commands, and he will see
that they are kept safe: Praise the Lord! Thank You,
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 (John 14:21)? 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)?
*The Oxford Annotated Bible,
Revised Standard Version, Ed. by Herbert G. May and Bruce
M. Metzger, Daniel 9:9-14n, p. 1080, and Daniel 9:25-27n,
p. 1082, New York, Oxford University Press, 1962
|
3 Advent – Tuesday – Even |
| First posted 12/15/03; Podcast: Tuesday |
Zechariah 2:1-13 –
A man to measure Jerusalem;
Revelation 3:14-22 – Letter to the Church at Laodicea; Matthew 24:32-44 – The thief in the night;Zechariah Summary:
Zechariah had a vision of a
man (an angel) with a measuring line in his hand,
preparing to measure Jerusalem. The angel told Zechariah
that the population of Jerusalem would be so vast that it
would be like villages without walls, and the Lord would
be a wall of fire around it and the glory within her. The
Lord says to the exiles in Babylon (the land of the north)
to flee from her and return to Zion. The Lord declares
that the exiles are “the apple of his eye” (the object of
his longing and affection).
The Lord will plunder those
who have plundered the exiles. The Lord exhorts the exiles
(daughter of Zion) to “sing and rejoice…for lo, I come and
I will dwell in the midst of you, and you shall know that
the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.” (Zechariah 2:11)
“The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy
land, and will again choose Jerusalem” Zechariah 2:12).
“Be silent all flesh before the Lord, for he has roused
himself from his holy dwelling (v.13; see Zephaniah 1:7).
Revelation Summary:
The Lord rebukes the church
at Laodicea (a rich and prosperous city near Colossae) as
“lukewarm”: complacent and self-satisfied. Although they
are materially well-off, they are spiritually
poverty-stricken. Jesus is the Amen (“so be it;” “yes;”
Revelation 3:14) because he is the fulfillment of God’s
promises (see 2 Corinthians 1:20), and the beginning and
source of creation (John 1:3; Colossians 1:15, 18). They
are counseled to obtain from him what is truly precious
(faith in Jesus; 1 Peter 1:7) refined by the fire of
testing, and white garments (of salvation; cleansed of
unrighteousness by the blood of Jesus; Revelation 7:14, 1
John 1:7).
God’s chastening is for our
good, to bring us to repentance so that we may be saved.
In order to receive him we need to listen and respond to
his Word and open the door of our hearts to him and invite
him to come in. To those who do invite him in, he will
come in and have close personal fellowship with them
(manifest himself to them; see John 14:21). Those who
overcome the obstacles to faith and endure to the end will
share in the victory and the glory that God has shared
with Jesus.
Matthew Summary:
Jesus says that like the fig
tree, which puts forth leaves as summer approaches, so
when we see the signs of the End (of human history) he has
given (in Matthew 24:3-31), we will know that the
Day of Judgment and the time of Jesus return is near.
Jesus promises that these things will take place; there is
no other possibility; no “plan B” (Matthew 24:34-35). The
Day of Judgment will be like the days of Noah, when God
had made known to Noah that he was going to judge the
world, and Noah obeyed God’s Word and was prepared; but
others went on about their normal lives oblivious of the
impending judgment, and were caught unaware and by
surprise (Genesis 6:5-8).
Jesus’ coming will be
universal (Matthew 24:26-27), but the gathering of his
elect will be very selective; unbelievers won’t get caught
up with the saved just because of their physical
proximity, even if they coincidentally happen to be in
church at the moment of Jesus’ return! Jesus return and
the Day of Judgment will come suddenly and unexpectedly,
like a thief in the night. No one knows when that Day will
be; not angels or even Jesus; only God the Father knows
(Matthew 24:36), so we are well advised to prepare and be
vigilant now (Matthew 24:44).
Commentary:
Jesus is the “measuring
line”; the standard by which all the earth will be judged.
He is also the Judge, the Lord, who is preparing to
conduct the “measuring” of the world. The Lord loves us
and wants us to return to him, so that he can be a wall of
salvation around us. Believers can rejoice in our
salvation through Jesus Christ, God’s only provision for
our salvation (Acts 4:10-12; John 14:6) who is the Lord
who comes to dwell among and within us (Zechariah 2:11).
The Lord warns those who are
complacent and self-satisfied, who trust in their own
works, or their physical, intellectual and material
resources. The only lasting security is through faith in
Jesus Christ; the only righteousness is by Jesus’ blood,
shed for us on the Cross. Jesus is the Lord who comes to
dwell among and within us, but he awaits our invitation
and our opening of the door. He makes himself known to
those who receive him as Lord and obey his Word (John
14:21). Born-again Christians don’t just hope that Jesus
is the truth; they experience Jesus and come to know with
certainty that Jesus lives and that the Gospel is true
(John 6:68-69).
“The (past) times of
ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all (people)
everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which
he will judge the world in righteousness by a man (Jesus)
whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance
to all (people) by raising him from the dead” (Acts
17:30-31). The Day of Judgment will come like a thief in
the night. Are you ready, or are you still an “exile in
Babylon”?
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you
Jesus’ disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying
Jesus (John 14:21)? 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)? |
3 Advent – Wednesday – Even |
| First posted 12/16/03; Podcast: Wednesday |
Zechariah 3:1-10
- Joshua before the throne of God;
Revelation 4:1-8 - Vision of God on his throne; Matthew 24:45-51 - Wise or wicked servants;Zechariah Summary:
Zechariah had a vision of
Joshua, the High Priest in Zerubbabel’s administration,
before the throne of God’s judgment, with Satan as his
accuser. The Lord silenced the accuser, and said “is this
not a brand (ember) plucked from the fire?” (Zechariah
3:2; indicating that Joshua had been saved from
destruction). Joshua was clothed in filthy garments, and
the Lord had him re-clothed in clean garments. The Lord
told Joshua that if he would walk in the Lord’s ways and
keep his commands, then he would rule the Lord’s house and
have charge of the Lord’s courts, and have access to the
Lord’s presence. The Lord promised to bring forth the
Lord’s servant, the Branch (the Messiah), who will remove
the guilt of the land (Zechariah 3:9) and bring peace and
security (Zechariah 3:10; see Micah 4:4).
Revelation Summary:
The Apostle John’s vision of
the glory of God on his throne describes the splendor in
terms of precious stones. (The seven spirits of God
suggest the fullness of God’s power and energy; the twenty
four elders are the twelve Old Testament patriarchs and
the twelve New Testament Apostles; the four living
creatures represent the angels, mankind, and all the
animals: the beasts and the birds).
Matthew Summary:
At the end of his discourse
on the signs of the end of the Age (of human history)
Jesus warned his hearers to be faithful and wise servants
over the master’s household, giving those of the household
their food at the proper time. They will be blessed when
the master returns and finds them so doing. Woe to the
wicked servant who, thinking that the master’s return will
be delayed, abuses the members of the household and
indulges himself without regard to his duties or those in
his charge. The master will return unexpectedly and will
punish him and cast him out with the hypocrites.
Commentary:
Zechariah’s vision of Joshua
before the throne of God is a picture of believers on the
Day of Judgment. They have been plucked from the fire
(Zechariah 3:2) and have been re-clothed in righteousness
through faith in Jesus, the Messiah who silences the
accuser of our souls, removes guilt and brings peace and
security (Zechariah 3:9-10). Those who trust in Jesus as
their Lord and who obey his commands will reign in his
house with Jesus, and will have access to the Lord’s
presence for all eternity.
John’s vision is an attempt
to describe the unimaginable joy of the presence of the
Lord. Born-again Christians experience only brief glimpses
of that joy and glory now, in transcendent moments in
worship and fellowship with the Lord, but that is just a
foretaste of the life in heaven for eternity.
Jesus’ warning is a word to
all Christians not to become complacent and to begin to
neglect their duty to follow Jesus’ commands but to wait
expectantly for his return. Not everyone who calls Jesus
“Lord” will be saved; he will acknowledge only those who
by their obedience have shown that Jesus truly is their
Lord (Matthew 7:21-23).
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you
Jesus’ disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying
Jesus (John 14:21)? 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)? |
3 Advent Thursday – Even |
| First posted 12/17/03; Podcast: Thursday |
Zechariah 4:1-14
- Vision of the Golden Lampstand;
Revelation 4:9-5:5 - The Throne of God and the Lamb; Matthew 25:1-13 - The Wise and Foolish Maidens;Zechariah Summary:
Zechariah had a vision of a
golden lampstand, with two olive trees beside it. The Lord
said to Zerubbabel “Not by might, or by power, but by my
Spirit…” (Zechariah 4:6) Zerubbabel had begun the
rebuilding of the Temple (and the restored Jewish
community), and he would complete it. It will be a great
accomplishment worthy of much rejoicing. (The two olive
trees may signify Joshua and Zerubbabel. The golden
lampstand represents the Lord.)
Revelation Summary:
This is John’s vision of
worship and praise before the throne of God in heaven. God
holds a scroll sealed with seven seals (God’s plan for the
future; fixed and unalterable, and unrevealed to others),
and there is a call for someone who is worthy to break the
seals and open the scroll. Then Jesus, “the Lion of the
tribe of Judah, the root of David” is declared worthy
because he has conquered (death and Satan, by Jesus’ death
on the Cross and his resurrection).
Matthew Summary:
Jesus said that the kingdom
of heaven is like maidens waiting for the bridegroom. Some
of the maidens had been wise to bring enough oil, while
others were foolish and had not prepared for a wait. While
waiting for the bridegroom they dozed. At midnight the cry
went up that the bridegroom was coming, and they arose to
meet him. The wise maidens refilled their lamps, but the
foolish maidens’ lamps were running out of oil.
The foolish maidens were
unable to borrow oil from the others and were forced to
leave and try to locate oil for themselves, but while they
were gone, the bridegroom came. The others went into the
feast with him, and the door was shut. When the foolish
maidens returned they were unable to enter. Jesus warned
his hearers to watch and be prepared, because his return
will be unexpected.
Commentary:
Jesus is the light of the
world. Without his light in us, it is impossible to have
spiritual sight; one would thus be forced to stumble in
darkness. Jesus is the lampstand of our restoration to a
right relationship with God, our creator. We are unable to
save ourselves by our own efforts. Jesus is the key to the
future.
God has an eternal future
prepared for those who trust in Jesus. Only through Jesus
will that future be revealed to us. Jesus is the
bridegroom who comes to claim his bride (the Church).
Jesus is the oil for the lamps of our salvation. Those who
are prepared for the bridegroom’s return, who have Jesus
as their Lord, will be able to enter into the eternal
marriage feast in Heaven with the Lord. His coming will be
at a time we do not expect. We must be ready!
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you
Jesus’ disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying
Jesus (John 14:21)? 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)? |
3 Advent – Friday – Even |
| First posted 12/18/03; Podcast: Friday |
Zechariah 7:8-8:8 –
The Lord promises restoration;
Revelation 5:6-14 – Worthy is the Lamb; Matthew 25:14-30 – Parable of the talents; Zechariah Summary:
The Lord desires true
judgment (justice), kindness and mercy, but the people of
Israel disregarded the words of the Lord. The Lord
declared that since they would not listen when he called,
he would not listen when they called. Because of their
disobedience he scattered them abroad, and their homeland
was desolate. But the Lord loves his people and promises
that he will restore his people and bring them back to
Zion and dwell in the midst of them. They will be his
people and he will be their God.
Revelation Summary:
The revelator, the Apostle
John, sees a vision of Jesus, the Lamb, slain as the
sacrifice to God for our sins, preparing to open the
scroll of God’s plan for our future. The assembly declares
that Jesus is worthy to take the scroll and open its seals
because he has given his life as a ransom for the sins of
all people and has made, from the ransomed, a kingdom and
priests to God. The ransomed (i.e. the Church) have become
the people of God; they have received the promise which
was formerly given to Israel (Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9).
All the saints on earth and heaven join in the worship of
God and Jesus as equally worthy of worship and glory.
Matthew Summary:
Jesus illustrated the
kingdom of heaven with the parable of the “talents” (an
amount of money thought to be worth a thousand dollars).
The master was going on a journey and called his servants
and entrusted his investments to them, according to their
ability. To one he gave ten talents, to another five, to
another two, to another one. The servant who had received
the ten went and invested and doubled the sum. So likewise
the servants with the five and the two also invested and
doubled their sums. But the one who had received the one
talent buried his talent and hid it in the ground.
After a long time, the
master returned and asked for an accounting. The servants
who had invested what they had been given and had
increased the amounts were commended, and the master
rewarded them with greater position in his kingdom. But
the one who had buried his talent justified his action by
declaring that he thought his master was difficult to
please and, since he was afraid, he had hidden the talent
for safekeeping. The master condemned the wicked servant,
because he could have at least put the talent in the bank
were it would earn interest. The master ordered the talent
be taken from the wicked servant and given to the servant
who had managed the ten, and the wicked servant was fired.
Commentary:
The Lord desires obedience
to his will. Because of disobedience, Israel was exiled to
Babylon. The Lord brought a remnant of Israel back to
their land again. In a wider sense this also applies to
all people on earth. We have all been in exile in the
“Babylon” of sin because of our disobedience to God’s will
(We have all sinned; Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). He
promises that a remnant will return to the “Zion” of the
kingdom of heaven, where he will dwell in our midst for
eternity. God is God, regardless of our response to him,
but he chooses to fulfill his duty to be the loving father
and provider that being God implies, only to those who are
willing to be his people. He doesn’t force anyone; we each
make our own choice.
Notice that John’s vision of
heaven doesn’t include any atheists. There won’t be any
demonstrators advocating against prayer or the worship of
God. Heaven will be full of people who love God and want
to do what he desires. People who have learned during
their life on earth to know and serve God will be ready
for eternal life. People who hate him and want their own
selfish way wouldn’t be happy there.
Jesus’ parable of the
talents suggests that we have all been given talents
(resources) by the Lord. We can learn to use those
resources to further the Lord’s purposes, or we can use
them to further our own selfish purposes. The wicked
servant selfishly buried his master’s talent in the ground
to avoid being held accountable to his master for his
handling of it. The master proved to be generous and fair
to the servants who were faithful in the performance of
their duties. The wicked servant thought his master was
mean because the wicked servant was not willing to fulfill
his duties as a servant. It was his choice; the master
didn’t force him to be his servant; but the servant must
bear the consequences.
We’ve been given the gift of
life. We can use that life to seek God and his will (Acts
17:26-27), or we can use it to satisfy our own selfish
desires. Jesus is God’s only plan for our redemption (Acts
4:10-12). Salvation is the free gift of God; we don’t
deserve it, can’t earn it or buy it, or take it by force
or deception (Ephesians 2-8-9). We must simply receive it
(John 1:12) by trusting in Jesus as our Lord and obeying
him (Revelation 3:20).
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you
Jesus’ disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying
Jesus (John 14:21)? 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)? |
3 Advent – Saturday – Even |
| First posted 12/19/03; Podcast: Saturday |
Zechariah 8:9-17
- The promise of restoration;
Revelation 6:1-17 - Opening the first six seals; Matthew 25:31-46 - The Great Judgment;Zechariah Summary:
The Lord said to the exiles
who had returned from Babylon that since they had begun
rebuilding the Temple of the Lord, the Lord would restore
and bless them. Where before there had been chaos and
disorganization, strife and want, the Lord would bring
peace and prosperity. He will save his people, who had
become a “byword of cursing” (i.e. an object of scorn) and
they will become a blessing (rather than a curse). As the
Lord punished them relentlessly when they were
disobedient, he now will reward them abundantly as they as
they submit to his will and obey his commands. The Lord
requires justice and peace, love for one another (rather
than plotting evil against one another; v. 17a) and
honesty.
Revelation Summary:
In a vision, the revelator,
John, the Apostle, sees the Lamb (Jesus) open the first
six seals of the seven-sealed scroll, which is God’s
future plan. The first seal reveals a white horse and a
rider with a bow and a crown (probably symbolizing the
Christ as the victorious conqueror). With the opening of
the second seal, a red horse and its rider (symbolizing
war) come forth. The third seal reveals a black horse and
rider (symbolizing famine). At the fourth seal’s opening,
a pale horse and its rider, Death, are revealed. (These
are commonly known as The Four Horsemen of the
Apocalypse.) They were given power to kill over a fourth
of the earth.
When the fifth seal was
opened, John saw a vision of the souls of the martyrs in
heaven, under the altar because they had been sacrificed
for the cause of the Gospel. They pray for divine
vindication. They are given white robes symbolizing
righteousness and victory. The opening of the sixth seal
reveals great disturbances of nature: a great earthquake,
the Sun extinguished, the Moon blood-red, all the stars
falling. The sky disappears and the whole earth is shaken.
All the people on earth are in fear of the Lord, but there
is no way to hide; the Day of Judgment has come.
Matthew Summary:
Jesus taught that he would
return in glory, with all the angels, and would sit on his
glorious throne and judge all the people on earth, and he
would separate them into two groups, like a shepherd
separates sheep from goats. Those who by their obedience
to his teaching have shown that Jesus is their Lord will
receive eternal life in his heavenly kingdom with Jesus.
Those who have shown by their disregard for his teaching
that Jesus is not their Lord will receive the condemnation
of eternal death in Hell with Satan and his demons.
Commentary:
When the exiles had returned
from Babylon, they neglected the worship of God while they
pursued their own success. As a result, God withheld his
blessings so that great effort produced little reward (see
Haggai 1:1-15). Then they repented and became obedient,
and began to rebuild the Temple, and the Lord had restored
his blessings so that they prospered.
The Lord promises to save
and restore his people, who are obedient to his will. What
God promised to the returning Jewish exiles then, applies
also to us today. He promises to bless those who are
obedient to his Word, and punish those who aren’t. He
promises to save his people (those who obey him) and that
they will become a blessing rather than a curse.
John’s vision is of the
Second Coming of Jesus and of the Day of Judgment. Jesus
will come in glory as a victorious conquering King, with a
vast army of angels. War, famine and death, and the great
disturbances in nature are symbolic of the widespread
punishment of the wicked. The martyrs, who have been
killed for the cause of the Gospel, will be vindicated and
clothed in righteousness and salvation (as will the
redeemed, but we haven’t gotten to that point in the
narrative yet).
Jesus foretold his Second
Coming and the Day of Judgment. He will be the Judge, and
he is also the standard of judgment. God promised to save
his people; Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise.
Jesus is God’s only provision for our salvation (Acts
4:12). Salvation is by grace (unmerited, free gift) of God
by faith in Jesus; not by works (deeds; acts; Ephesians
2:8-10); but those who truly have faith in Jesus will do
what he teaches (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46). Those who
have accepted Jesus as their Lord and have been obedient
to his commands will have a personal relationship now in
this life (John 14:21).
The risen Jesus is the Holy
Spirit; don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits
to see if they are of God (1 John 4:1). Christians have
the certainty that God has given us eternal life in Jesus
Christ; if we have the Son we know we have life; those who
do not have the Son do not have life (1 John 5:11-12).
Those who are truly Christian disciples need have not fear
of the Day of Judgment.
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you
Jesus’ disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying
Jesus (John 14:21)? 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)? |
