Week
of Holy Trinity - Even
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devotions p.179-192, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, 1978.
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Podcast Download: Week of Holy Trinity - Even
Sunday Holy Trinity - Even
First Posted
Podcast: Sunday Holy Trinity - Even
Job 38:1-11, 42:1-5 - Job’s answer;
Revelation 19:4-16 - The Word of God;
John 1:29-34 - Baptizer with the Holy Spirit;
Job Paraphrase:
Throughout his ordeal, Job had asked why misfortune had been allowed to
happen to him. Now the Lord appears to Job out of a whirlwind. The Lord,
whose motives Job has questioned, is the Creator of Heaven (Job
38:9-10, 19, 22, 24-25) and Earth (Job 38:4). Job has considered the
works of God and the divine purpose behind them. “I know that thou canst
do all things, and that no purpose of thine can be thwarted” (Job
42:2).
Having therefore come to understand his own human limitations of
knowledge and power, Job repeats the Lord’s question, and then gives his
response: “I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my
eye sees thee” (Job 42:5). Formerly, Job had only known about God, but
had no “first-hand” knowledge of God through personal relationship with
God. Now that Job sees himself in true perspective in relationship to
God, Job repents of his former attitude and recognizes his own
unworthiness.
Revelation Paraphrase:
John (the disciple and evangelist) foresees the victory celebration in
Heaven on the day when God’s ultimate purpose is fulfilled at the
Marriage of the Lamb, which is the union of the Church with Christ in
the eternal kingdom of Heaven. “Blessed are those who are invited to the
marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9). John was told not to
worship the angel who gave him the revelation, since the angel was a
fellow servant holding “the testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of
prophecy” (Revelation 19:10). We are to worship God only.
Then John saw Christ revealed in glory as the victorious warrior,
honored and glorified with many titles: the one who is Faithful and
True, the righteous judge. His greatness is beyond human knowledge
(Revelation 19:12b). He is The Word of God (the personification and
fulfillment of God’s Word; see John 1:1, 14). He will have authority to
rule, judge, and execute judgment on all the people of the earth. He is
King of kings, and Lord of lords.
John Paraphrase:
John the Baptizer bore witness that Jesus is the Messiah (Christ), the
Lamb of God, the one sent by God to be the perfect sacrificial lamb to
be slain as an offering to God for the forgiveness of our sins. John’s
ministry was to baptize with water to prepare Israel for the coming
Messiah (John 1:30), so that the Messiah would be revealed to Israel
(John 1:31). John did not know beforehand who the Messiah was, but the
Lord, who had sent him to baptize, had told John that the one on whom
John saw the Spirit descend and remain was the Messiah, who would
baptize with the Holy Spirit. John testified that he had witnessed the
Spirit descend upon Jesus as a dove from heaven at Jesus’ baptism with
water by John.
Commentary:
Job had thought he knew God because he knew about God from human
perspective and human understanding. Job had thought that he was
righteous and worthy of God’s favor. God reached out to Job and allowed
Job to question God. God offered Job fellowship even though Job was
unworthy on his own merits. Knowing about God is no substitute for
knowing God personally. God initiates and offers the restoration of
personal fellowship with him by his grace (unmerited favor), which we
receive by faith; not because we are worthy.
“…God, the Father Almighty, the creator of Heaven and Earth”, is the
“first person” of the Trinity (one God in three “persons,” or
"expressions"), which we confess in the first article of the Apostle’s
Creed, the historic doctrine of the Church based on the Apostolic Gospel
(the basic teachings of the Apostles) as recorded in the Scriptures.
(We don't have to "understand," from our human perspective, the mystery
of the Trinity, but it is a scriptural and spiritual reality.)
John, the author of Revelation, describes his vision of Jesus’
Coronation as the King of kings, and the inauguration of the eternal
kingdom of God in Heaven. It is the culmination of God’s eternal purpose
to restore his people to fellowship with him. Jesus is Emmanuel (God
with us; Matthew 1:23); Jesus is God in human flesh (Colossians 2:8-9;
John 20:28); the “second person” of the Trinity. He is “Jesus Christ,
the only begotten Son of God, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit”
(Luke 1:35), “born of the virgin Mary” (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:31-35),
“suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried”
(Matthew 27:24-60); “the third day he rose from the dead” (Matthew
28:1-10); “he ascended into heaven” (Acts 1:9-10); he will come again to
judge the living and the dead” (Acts 1:11; John 5:28-29; Matthew
25:31-46), whom we confess in the second article of the Apostles’ Creed.
John the Baptizer was the “Elijah” (the great prophet) who was to
precede the coming of the Messiah (Matthew 17:10-13). God commissioned
John the Baptizer to prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah,
and God revealed the Messiah to John. John faithfully testified that
Jesus was the Messiah. John baptized with water for repentance, but
Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33; see Matthew 3:11).
Jesus is God’s only provision for the forgiveness of our sins and our
restoration to fellowship with God (Acts 4:12; John 14:6). The Holy
Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God dwelling within
believers, through whom we have personal fellowship with our Lord
(Romans 8:9). The Holy Spirit is the “third person” of the Trinity,
confessed in the words of the third article of the Apostles’ Creed.
From the beginning of Creation, Jesus has been God’s plan to gather his
people to personal fellowship with him (John 1:1; 14). Have you come to a
personal fellowship with God your creator, through faith in his Son
Jesus Christ, by the indwelling of his Holy Spirit?
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)?
Today is the day the Church celebrates the Scriptural Apostolic doctrine of the Holy Trinity.
Monday Holy Trinity - Even
First Posted 06/06/04;
Podcast: Monday Holy Trinity - Even
Proverbs 3:11-20 - Benefits of divine wisdom;
1 John 3:18-4:6 - Christian assurance;
Matthew 11:1-6 - Jesus’ works verify his claim;
The discipline of the Lord is the assurance that we are his children (see Hebrews 12:5-8). Wisdom is the true wealth (but it is not the wisdom of the world which is being referred to; it is divine wisdom, by which the world was created; Proverbs 3:19-20; see Proverbs 9:10; 1 Corinthians 1:18-24). True wisdom is knowing God through a personal fellowship with him, which is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit (see journal entry for yesterday, Trinity Sunday, June 6, 2004, above).
Believers are to apply the Gospel teachings in their daily lives; we are not merely to hold the intention, but to apply it in tangible deeds; not merely to profess, but to apply in practice (see James 1:22). Our obedience to Jesus’ commands is our assurance that we truly abide in Jesus and that he abides in us through his Holy Spirit. We must trust and obey Jesus in order to receive the indwelling Holy Spirit. (Isaiah 42:5e).
The presence of the Holy Spirit within a believer is discernable by the believer; one can know with certainty that he has received the gift of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 19:2). The Holy Spirit is the mark which seals and guarantees that the believer belongs to Jesus and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b). The Lord does not respond to the prayers of those who do not respond in faith and obedience to his Word (see Conditions for answered prayer, sidebar, top right, home).
In John the Baptist’s darkest days, after his imprisonment for the Gospel, he sent his disciples to seek assurance from Jesus that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus told John’s disciples to report to John what they saw Jesus doing. Jesus' works proclaimed who he was, because his works fulfilled the scriptural prophecy regarding the Messiah. (Compare Matthew 11:5-6 with Isaiah 29:18-19; 35:5-6; 61:1).
We are saved by grace (unmerited favor) through faith in Jesus Christ; we are not saved by “good works,” but our works are the assurance that we are saved (Ephesians 2:8-10; James 2:17-18). Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)? Do you expect God to hear and answer your prayers?
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)? Would people be able to look at what you are doing (aside from going to Church on Sunday Mornings and praying before meals) and know that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ? Do you have a personal fellowship with Jesus? Have you received the Holy Spirit since you first believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you carrying out Jesus’ commands to proclaim the Gospel and make disciples, teaching them to obey all that Jesus’ taught (Matthew 28:18-20)?
Tuesday Holy Trinity - Even
First Posted 06/07/04;
Podcast: Tuesday Holy Trinity - Even
Proverbs 4:1-27 - Good parenting;
1 John 4:7-21 - God’s love;
Matthew 11:7-15 - Love triumphs;
Proverbs Paraphrase:
A good parent teaches his child to remember his parent’s instructions and obey his commandments. He instructs his child to seek wisdom (not worldly wisdom but the wisdom of God, by which the world was created; Proverbs 3:19-20; see Proverbs 9:10; 1 Corinthians 1:18-24). The way of wisdom is uprightness. The good parent teaches his child to turn away from wickedness and evil. The good parent wants his child to remember his words and to do them, so that the child may have a good life. The child is counseled to guard his heart from impurity, because from his heart “flows the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23); to avoid lying and deceitfulness, and to walk the straight path of righteousness, not turning from it to yield to temptation to evil.
1 John Paraphrase:
Those who are born of God and know God will love one another. God’s central attribute is love; God revealed that love, in sending his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. God sent his Son into the world to pay the penalty for our sins, not because we loved him, but because he loved us. Because God loved us, we should likewise love one another. We cannot see God, but we can see God’s presence in his people by their love for one another as it is maturing in them. His indwelling Holy Spirit is our assurance that we abide in Christ and he in us.
We have come to personally know that Jesus has been sent by God as the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses Jesus is the Son of God abides in God and God in him. God’s love is being developed to maturity in us so that we have confidence for the Day of Judgment and trust in God’s love; if we trust in God’s love we will not need to fear his punishment.
We are able to love because God first loved us. One cannot honestly claim to love God if one does not love one’s brother or sister. How can we love God who is unseen if we cannot love our brothers and sisters who we have seen? If we love God we will keep his commands; and God has commanded us to love one another.
Matthew Paraphrase:
Jesus asked the crowds why they had gone out into the wilderness to John the Baptizer. Surely they didn’t go out to see some insignificant and unremarkable occurrence. Neither should they have expected to see someone who was a smooth-talker who would win their approval by telling them what they wanted to hear. The crowds had been drawn to John the Baptizer because they recognized that he was a prophet.
Jesus declared that John the Baptizer was more than just a prophet; John was the fulfillment of the scripture which prophesied that Elijah would return to prepare the way of the coming of Messiah. Jesus declared that although John the Baptizer was the greatest of prophets, John was unable to change the world or bring about the kingdom of heaven himself; people still did violence to God’s plan. But the least disciple of Christ can have a greater impact than John through the Gospel of Jesus by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Commentary:
God is our good parent. He has created our world founded on his wisdom. He loves us and wants what is going to be best for us. He has given us instruction in how to live, so that we can have a long, good life.
God loved us before we knew him; God sent his Son to pay the price for our sins so we wouldn’t have to; Jesus came to die in our place, so that we could live eternally. If we realize how much he loves us, we will love him and we will show that love by obeying him and loving others as he has loved us.
John the Baptizer may have been the greatest of prophets, but just knowing and doing God’s Word is not the way to salvation. We cannot seize eternal life for ourselves by obeying God’s commandments.
John the Baptizer represents the end of the line of Old Testament Prophets. The Old Testament prophets proclaimed God’s Word, but they were not able to help people do it. John announced the coming of Jesus as the Christ, our savior.
Apart from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, it is impossible to please God. Jesus is God’s only provision for our salvation (Acts 4:12, John 14:6). Jesus is the bridge between where we are and where God is. Jesus makes it possible for his Holy Spirit to dwell within us. Only through the Holy Spirit is it possible to have a personal relationship with Jesus, and to live according to his commands.
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)?
Wednesday Holy Trinity - Even
First Posted 06/08/04;
Podcast: Wednesday Holy Trinity - Even
Proverbs 6:1-19 - Character traits to avoid;
1 John 5:1-12 - Victorious faith;
Matthew 11:16-24 - Spiritual maturity;
Proverbs Paraphrase:
We are warned against several personal faults. We should not enter into a legal obligation to a neighbor, particularly someone we do not know well. If we have become so obligated, we are warned not to let pride induce us to continue in it. Rather we should seek release from such an obligation, even if it means humbling ourselves and irritating our neighbor. Idleness should be avoided. Evil-mindedness will lead to disaster. Seven bad character traits are pride, deceit, meanness, wicked intentions, evil actions, false witness, and troublemaking.
1 John Paraphrase:
Those who believe that Jesus is the Christ are children of God. Anyone who loves the Father loves his children. Loving God produces obedience to God’s commandments; following God’s commandments is the way to demonstrate love for his children. God’s commands are not unreasonable. Whoever is born of God overcomes the world, and our faith results in that victory. Believing that Jesus is the Son of God results in victory over the world. We receive Jesus by the water of our baptism and by the cleansing of his blood shed on the Cross for our sins [which we receive in the Sacrament of the Eucharist (Holy Communion)].
The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, bears witness. God’s promise is secured by our baptism, our believing participation in the Sacrament of Holy Communion, and the testimony of the indwelling Holy Spirit. If we believe the testimony of men, God’s testimony is much more reliable.
Those who have believed in the Son of God have the testimony in themselves; they have come to know Jesus personally through the Holy Spirit. Those who do not believe God have called God a liar, because they have rejected the God’s testimony concerning his Son. “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his son. He who has the Son has life; he who has not the Son of God has not life” (1 John 5:11-12).
Matthew Paraphrase:
Jesus criticized the society in his day for immaturity in their expectation that others should conform to their own immature and worldly standards. John the Baptizer didn’t conform to their standards of behavior because he did not drink or “party,” so they accused him of being crazy. Jesus came, and he ate, drank and fellowshipped with outcasts of society, so people accused him of being a glutton and a drunkard.
Jesus criticized the cities where most of his miracles had been done, because they had not repented. Chorazin (near Capernaum) and Bethsaida were towns Jesus had frequented. (Jesus had fed the five thousand and healed a blind man near Bethsaida). Jesus declared that Tyre (a notoriously idolatrous city condemned by the prophets, who predicted its final destruction) and Sidon would fare better in the judgment than the Galilean cities he had named. Sodom (the notoriously wicked city destroyed by God) would have repented and been saved if they had witnessed the miracles done by Jesus in Capernaum. Sodom will fare better on the Day of Judgment than will Capernaum.
Commentary
Jewish wisdom warned against making promises on behalf of someone else, particularly someone whose character was not reliable. It was advised that if one found oneself in such a position, to grovel and irritate, if necessary, in order get out of the obligation.
God knows that we are of notably unreliable character, and yet he has offered a great promise on our behalf. God has promised that if we will believe in his Son, Jesus Christ, we will have victory over this world, and eternal life with him in Heaven. God has given us three guarantees of his promise: The waters of our Baptism; our participation in the blood of Jesus’ sacrificial death on the Cross as an offering for the forgiveness of our sins through the Sacrament of Holy Communion; and the indwelling Holy Spirit, who is the seal and guarantee of the promise of our salvation and eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b).
John bore witness that the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus at his baptism, and God revealed to John, by this sign, the Messiah who baptizes with the Holy Spirit (John 1:32-34). The Jews were strictly forbidden to drink blood, because of the belief that the blood contained the life spirit of the animal (Genesis 9:4), and yet Jesus gave his disciples wine at the Last Supper and told them to drink, declaring that it is his blood securing the New Covenant with God (Hebrews 9:18; 22-26), for the forgiveness of their sins (Matthew 26:26-28) as a free gift to be received by faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9). Believers are born again by the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 3:3-6). The Lord wants us to be filled with his Holy Spirit.
How is the Church doing? The Church has received the Gospel of Jesus, the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion, and the promise of the Holy Spirit. What will be Jesus’ judgment of the Church (the institution which professes to be Christian, as distinct from the truly born-again disciples who are the body of Christ in this world)? Will we be found to be mature Spirit-anointed disciples, or will we be found to be immature and worldly people who expect Jesus to conform to our societies’ standards and expectations?
Has the Church been making disciples and teaching them to obey Jesus’ teachings, or has it been making “fair-weather,” “professing Christians;” those who claim Jesus as their Lord, without doing what he says (see Matthew 7:21; Luke 6:46). Does the Church think it can act like Sodom and yet avoid God’s judgment? “For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God: and if it begins with us, what will the end be of those who do not obey the gospel of God” (1 Peter 4:17)?
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)?
Thursday Holy Trinity - Even
First Posted 06/09/04;
Podcast: Thursday Holy Trinity - Even
1 John 5:13-21 - Christian assurance;
Matthew 11:25-30 - The Lord’s discipline;
Proverbs Paraphrased:
We are advised to keep the Lord’s commandments, because they are the way to life. Wisdom is portrayed as a woman, and insight as her sister. We are urged to make them our sister and friend, instead of consorting with adultery which is wicked and deadly. Adultery is illustrated as an enticing woman. Temptation overrules common sense; the victim fails to realize the danger. The way to adultery is the way to death. Spiritual adultery is also described and condemned. Spiritual adultery is the performance of religious ritual without inner commitment to apply faith to life by obedience to God’s Word (Proverbs 7:14-15).
1 John Paraphrase:
John has just said that eternal life is only in Jesus Christ. “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12). He wrote this to assure those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that they have eternal life. If we pray in accordance with God's will, he hears our prayers. If we know that God hears our prayers we can be assured that we have received what we have requested. If our brother sins we are to pray for his forgiveness. (Jesus declared that all sins are forgivable except the sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit; Mark 3:28-29). We are to abstain from all forms of idolatry, which is anything which interferes with our obedience to God.
Matthew Paraphrase:
Commentary:
Jesus is God’s only provision for our salvation (Acts 4:12; John 14:6). God wants us to live eternally with him in Heaven, but eternal life will be received only by those who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through his indwelling Holy Spirit. Those who have received the Holy Spirit can be assured that they have eternal life. Those who do not have the indwelling Holy Spirit do not belong to Christ (Romans 8:9b), and do not have eternal life. It is possible to know with certainty that one has received the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:2; 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14), and therefore possible to know with certainty where one will spend eternity.
We must trust and obey Jesus in order to receive the Holy Spirit. God does not give the Holy Spirit to those who will not obey his commands (Isaiah 42:5e). There are conditions which we must meet if we expect God to hear and answer our prayers (see Conditions for Answered Prayer, sidebar top right). Just adding Jesus’ name to the end of our prayers does not obligate God to do our will!
God made the world and he makes the rules by which it operates. God wants to give us eternal life, but we must accept his rules in order to receive it. The rich and powerful of this world would be tempted to seize eternal life for themselves without regard to God’s rules, except that God has anticipated and prevented that possibility. Jesus is the door to the sheepfold of eternal life. Anyone who tries to enter by another way is a thief and a robber (John 10:1).
No one can come to God or know God except through Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:27; John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Coming to Jesus requires following in obedience to him. We may resist the idea of giving up our self-centered independence, but his yoke is not oppressive but life-giving. The things we must surrender are those things which would destroy us; what we gain is rest, peace and life eternally with him.
Have you accepted Jesus as 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 his Holy Spirit since you first believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus and teaching them to obey Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
Friday Holy Trinity - Even
First Posted 06/10/04;
Podcast: Friday Holy Trinity - Even
2 John 1-13 - Warning against false teachers;
Matthew 12:1-14 - Lord of the Sabbath;
Proverbs Paraphrase:
Wisdom is portrayed as a prophetess. Her wisdom is the divine wisdom of God, by which the world was created, in contrast to worldly wisdom (see Proverbs 9:10; 1 Corinthians 1:18-24). True wisdom evidences righteousness, truth, prudence, and discretion; there is no wickedness, deceit or perversion; no pride, arrogance or evil works. Divine wisdom is required if leaders are to rule justly. Divine wisdom can be found by those who seek it diligently. The rewards of divine wisdom are true wealth and eternal prosperity.
2 John Paraphrase:
The author warns against false teaching which is creeping into the church. An example of false teaching is the denial of the coming of the deity of Christ in human flesh (see Colossians 2:8-9). Anyone who does not abide in the apostolic (as proclaimed by the apostles who were eyewitnesses), scriptural (as recorded in the Bible) doctrine of Christ is not in fellowship with God. Anyone who believes in the apostolic, scriptural Jesus abides in both Jesus and God. Christians are not to welcome or fellowship with those who do not affirm the apostolic, scriptural Gospel of Jesus Christ. Those providing hospitality and tolerance of false teaching will be held responsible for working in opposition to the Gospel.
Matthew Paraphrase:
Jesus entered the synagogue and encountered a man with a withered hand. The religious authorities asked Jesus if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath, hoping that Jesus would say something they could use to accuse him. Jesus asked them who among them would not rescue one of his animals from an accident on the Sabbath. Since they could not deny that, Jesus proclaimed it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, and he healed the man’s withered arm. But the religious leaders did not rejoice that the man had been healed, or believe in Jesus because of the miracle; instead they hated Jesus and plotted to destroy him.
Commentary:
Eyewitnesses to Jesus’ earthly ministry were still alive to contradict false teachings, and yet false teachings were springing up in the Church. The believer’s only defense against false teaching is to read and believe the Bible for him- or herself. Just because a “church” mentions Jesus prominently in its name doesn’t guarantee that it teaches the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. There isn’t “another gospel” and there isn’t “another scripture” (or “another testament”) (Galatians 1:6-9) than the apostolic, scriptural Gospel of Jesus Christ recorded in the Bible.
Are our Churches today proclaiming the apostolic, scriptural Gospel, or are they interpreting God’s Word to accomplish their own agendas? The answer is yes; some are, some aren’t, in each category. The standard against which they are to be evaluated is God’s Word. The standard is NOT scripture and church tradition; there is a long tradition of false teachers in the Church, all the way back to the first century!
Tradition which is not supported by the Bible is not true doctrine. Are the doctrines being taught supported by the Bible? Have you found true wisdom? Anyone can read the entire Bible in a year or less. (see Bible-reading plans under Links to Bible-study tools; sidebar, top right) Have you read the Bible? Are you a member of a Bible-believing, Bible-reading, Bible-preaching, Bible-living church? Have you received the Jesus Christ of the Bible as your Lord and Savior? Are you following and obeying the Biblical Jesus?
Saturday Holy Trinity - Even
First Posted 06/11/04;
Podcast: Saturday Holy Trinity - Even
3 John 1-15 - Follow truth;
Matthew 12:15-21 - Fulfillment of scripture;
Proverbs Paraphrase:
Wisdom was the first-born of creation. All creation was established according to divine wisdom. (Divine wisdom is distinct from the wisdom of the world; divine wisdom is the true wisdom of God, by which the world was created; Proverbs 3:19-20; see Proverbs 9:10; 1 Corinthians 1:18-24). Wisdom is pictured as a master craftsman who attended creation. Therefore we are well advised to live according to God’s wisdom; to listen to God’s instruction and not neglect his teachings. “Happy is the man (or woman) who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord; but he who misses me injures himself; all who hate me love death” (Proverbs 8:34-36).
3 John Paraphrase:
The elder of the church (probably the Apostle John) wrote to Gaius, a member of a congregation which was being led by a renegade pastor, Diotrephes, who refused to recognize John’s spiritual authority. John acknowledged and commended Gaius for living out the Gospel truth in his daily life (3 John 2b-4). John also thanked Gaius for his support of traveling missionaries. In contrast, Diotrephes apparently put his own ambition and interests ahead of his concern for others or the Gospel.
John had written to Diotrephes and sent emissaries to the church to correct this situation, but Diotrephes had refused to acknowledge John’s authority. Diotrephes had ignored the letters, denounced John to the congregation, refused to receive John’s emissaries, and had excommunicated church members who welcomed them. John’s response was that people who do evil are not of God, and that people who are truly of God do what is good and right. Demetrius was probably the bearer of this letter, and John’s emissary. John attests to Demetrius’ sound doctrine.
Matthew Paraphrase:
In contrast to Diotrephes who was apparently motivated by personal ambition (“...who likes to put himself first;” 3 John 9b RSV), Jesus was not pursuing personal glory and self- aggrandizement. He healed the sick out of love and concern for them. “He ordered them not to make him known” Matthew 12:16.” Jesus' ministry was in complete obedience to God’s will. Diotrephes prated (chattered; talked long and idly) against John with evil words (3 John 10b); Jesus fulfilled the scripture that God’s servant would not wrangle or cry aloud, or make his voice heard in the streets (Matthew 12:19). Diotrephes kicked people out of his congregation for showing hospitality to emissaries from the Apostle and Elder, John (3 John 10c, d); Jesus does not break a bruised reed, or quench a smoldering wick (Matthew 12:20).
Commentary:
Jesus is the wisdom of God in the flesh [compare Proverbs 8:22-31 with John 1:1-5, 14; 1 Corinthians 1:24, (18-23)].
Whose Church is it, anyway? Diotrephes was apparently intent on turning the congregation into his own private empire. Diotrephes refused to acknowledge the apostolic (as testified to by the apostles) scriptural (as recorded in the Bible) Gospel of Jesus Christ. Diotrephes claimed to be of God, but he didn’t live according to God’s Word. John’s counsel: you can know a tree by its fruit (in the words of Jesus; see Matthew 12:33).
How are we doing, Church? Are we building the Church of Christ, or are we building private empires for ourselves? Are we building personal monuments; spiritual Country Clubs? Or are we making disciples and teaching them to obey what Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)?
The Lord says, “Happy is the (person) who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord; but he who misses me injures himself; all who hate me love death” (Proverbs 8:34-36). Are we seeking the Lord’s wisdom and guidance daily in his Word and prayer? Are we following the Lord’s Word, or are we doing our own thing? Are we bearing fruit for the Kingdom of God?
