Week of 4 Pentecost - C - 06/12 - 18/2016

Week of 4 Pentecost - C

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

http://www.commontexts.org/

and:

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

The daily readings are the Propers (Lections) for the following Sunday, so that the daily devotions can prepare us for worship. Additional Lections are from Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church, "Scripture lessons for Matins and Vespers," United Lutheran Church of America, General Rubrics VIII. Scripture lessons for Matins and Vespers, p. 299 - 304, Philadelphia, 1918.
  
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Podcast Download: Week of 4 Pentecost C

4 Pentecost - Sunday - C

First Posted June 20, 2010;
Podcast: Sunday 4 Pentecost C

2 Samuel 11:26-12:10, 13-15 – Nathan Rebukes David;
Psalm 32 – Thanksgiving for Healing ;
Galatians 2:11-21-- Paul Rebukes Peter;
Luke 7:36-50 – Jesus' Anointing;

Samuel Background:

David, the great human shepherd-king of Israel, had adulterous relations with Bathsheba, wife of Uriah the Hittite, and she got pregnant. So David arranged for Uriah to be killed in battle, to conceal his sin (2 Samuel 11:1-25).

2 Samuel 11:26-12:10, 13-15 Paraphrase:

When Bathsheba learned that her husband, Uriah was dead, she mourned according to custom. When her mourning was finished David sent for her and had her brought to him. He married her and she gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.

The Lord sent Nathan, the prophet, to David. Nathan told David a parable of a lamb: There were two men, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had many flocks and herds, but the poor man had only one ewe (female) lamb. The lamb was like a member of his family, eating and sleeping with him, and he raised it like one of his children.

A traveler visited the rich man, and the rich man was unwilling to take a lamb from his own herd to prepare for his guest, so he took the poor man's lamb. When David heard this he was angered and said that the rich man deserved to die, and should repay the poor man with four lambs to compensate him for the rich man's lack of pity.

Nathan told David that David was the rich man in the parable. God had anointed David to be king over Israel and Judah, had delivered David from the Saul (David's enemy and predecessor). The Lord had given David Saul's house and Saul's wives, and the houses (territories; peoples) of Israel (2 Samuel 5:1-5) and Judah (2 Samuel 2:1-4). If that was not enough, the Lord would have doubled that. Why then had David despised the Word of God and done evil in God's judgment? David had slain Uriah by the sword of the Ammonites in battle, and taken his wife to be David's wife. So the sword would never depart from David's House (2 Samuel 12:10a), because of his disrespect for the Lord.

David confessed to Nathan that he had sinned. Nathan pronounced that the Lord had forgiven David; David would not die for it. But because David had utterly disrespected the Lord, the son born from the adulterous relationship would die. Then Nathan left and went home.

Psalm 32 Paraphrase:

The person whose sin is forgiven and blotted out is blessed. The person to whom the Lord does not charge with sin and deceit in his spirit is blessed.

The psalmist (David) testifies that when he denied his sin he was beset with guilt. He groaned all day and his body wasted away. The Lord was convicting him heavily and the psalmist's strength dried up is by summer heat.

Then the psalmist admitted his sin to the Lord and didn't try to conceal his iniquity; When he confessed his transgressions to the Lord, the Lord forgave the psalmist's guilt.

So let all who reverence God pray to him. Then in times of troubles, when they feel beset as by a great flood of waters, they will not be swept away; the flood will not reach him. The Lord is their refuge, preserving them from trouble. He surrounds them with deliverance.

“I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not keep with you" (Psalm 34:9).

The wicked will have much anguish, but those who trust in the Lord will be surrounded by his steadfast love. Let the righteous rejoice and be glad in the Lord! Let those who are upright in heart shout for joy!

Galatians 2:11-21 Paraphrase:

When Cephas (Aramaic for “Peter”) came to Antioch, Paul personally rebuked him, because he had been having meals with Gentiles until certain people came from James (in Jerusalem). Then Peter stopped eating with the Gentiles for fear of the “circumcision party” (“Judaizers;” a faction of Jewish Christians who insisted that Gentiles must keep the Laws of Moses, including circumcision and Jewish dietary laws). The other Jewish Christians present followed Peter's example of insincerity, including even Barnabas.

When Paul saw that these Jewish Christians were not straightforward with the Gospel truth, Paul told Peter in front of all that if Peter, who was a Jew, lived like a Gentile, how could he compel Gentiles to live like Jews? “We ourselves, who are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, yet know that people are not justified (found guiltless) by works (keeping) of the Law but through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the Law will no one be justified” (Galatians 2:14-16).

If in trying to be justified in Christ we are found to be sinners, is Jesus to blame for our sin? Of course not! But if we reestablish the restrictions of the Law from which we have been freed, we prove to be transgressors (compare Romans 8:1-8). Through reading the scriptures we learn that no one can can be justified by the Law because no one can keep all the law all the time (James 2:10); through the Law we are (eternally) dead, but through Christ we are able to live to serve God. We have been crucified with Christ; so we no longer live for ourselves, but through Christ who lives in us. Now the lives we live in the flesh are by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave his life for us. If we could be justified (judged righteous) by keeping the Law, Christ would have died for no purpose, and God's grace (his free gift; unmerited favor), would be nullified.

Luke 7:36-50 Paraphrase:

Jesus was invited to eat in the home of a Pharisee (a member of a strict legalistic faction of Judaism) named Simon. As Jesus sat (reclined) at table a woman, who was a sinner who had heard where Jesus was, came, bringing an alabaster jar of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet began washing his feet with her tears and drying them with her hair, kissing his feet and anointing them with ointment. When Simon, the Pharisee host, saw this he thought to himself that Jesus must not be a prophet, or he would know the sort of woman she was; that the woman touching Jesus was a sinner.

Jesus knew what he was thinking, and told Simon a parable (a fictional story of a common earthly experience used to teach spiritual truth): A creditor had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii and the other owed fifty. They could not repay, so the creditor forgave both debts. Which debtor would love the creditor more? Simon supposed that the one who was forgiven more would love more. Jesus told Simon that his answer was correct.

Then Jesus directed Simon to look at the woman. When Jesus had entered Simon's house, Simon had given him no water to wash his feet, but this woman had washed Jesus' feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. Simon hadn't greeted Jesus with a kiss, but the woman kissed Jesus' feet over and over. Simon hadn't anointed Jesus head with oil, but she had anointed his feet with ointment. So, one can know that she had been forgiven much because she loved much. But those who are forgiven little, love little. Then Jesus told the woman that her sins had been forgiven. The other guests began to question among themselves who Jesus was, to forgive sins. And Jesus told the woman that her faith had saved her and that she could go in peace.

Commentary:

David's sin was about to be exposed. Bathsheba was pregnant and Uriah and the entire city would know that Uriah was not the father, because Uriah had been on the battlefield. So David tried to conceal his sin by arranging to have Uriah killed in battle, and thus committed a worse sin.

The Lord sent Nathan, the prophet, to confront David, the King. Confronting power with truth is always risky. David could have had Nathan killed on the spot.

David couldn't see the guilt of his own actions, as is often the case in ourselves. Whatever we do seems right to us in our own judgment. When David saw the actions impersonally, in the parable, he immediately recognized the injustice.

When we commit sin (disobedience of God's Word) we do deserve to die [eternally] because God's Word declares that the penalty for sin is [eternal] death (Romans 6:23; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, right). But God is willing to forgive, if we are willing to recognize and confess our sin.

God has blessed us all with life and the goodness of Creation, beyond what we deserve. If we pray in faith (obedient trust) in Jesus' name, God will give us what we truly need (but not necessarily everything we want; see Conditions for Answered Prayer, sidebar, right).

God wants us to honor and obey his Word so that we can have the good life God intends for us. David had broken the Commandments not to kill and not to commit adultery, and the Commandment to love God by trusting and obeying his Word. David had risked all the good things that God had given him, and the good things God had for him in the future.

David was willing to accept the Lord's rebuke through Nathan and recognize and confess his sin. Nathan was an anointed prophet of the Lord by the Holy Spirit which he had been given, with the authority to declare God's Word and the authority to pronounce absolution of sin.

Up until the adultery and murder, David had a great career. God forgave David his sin, but there were consequences. The son of adultery with Bathsheba died. The prophecy of the sword in the House of David was fulfilled. Amnon, David's son by Ahinoam, raped Tamar, Amnon's sister (2 Samuel 13:1-22). Two years later Absalom invited all David's sons to a festival of sheepshearing, and the servants killed Amnon during the festivities, in Absalom's revenge for Tamar's rape (2 Samuel 13:23-33. Absalom later led a revolt and usurped the throne, forcing David to flee Jerusalem (2 Sam. 15:13-16). Civil war broke out. Absalom was killed, and David mourned. Then a dispute broke out between Israel and Judah. Nathan's prophecy was certainly fulfilled. (David died trusting in God and in God's promises.)

When we recognize and confess our sins the Lord is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us of guilt but if we deny our sins we call God a liar and cut ourselves from forgiveness and salvation from eternal death (I John 1:8-10).

The psalmist testifies that the Lord is the only one who can forgive our sins, cleanse us from guilt and deliver us from the eternal consequence of sin. The psalmist asks us to listen to his teaching from his personal experience. But the psalm is also prophetic. The Lord himself wants to teach and guide us by his Word.

Paul (Saul of Tarsus) is deliberately intended by God to be the prototype of a modern, post-resurrection, “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) disciple (student) and apostle (messenger; of the Gospel) of Jesus Christ. Paul was confronted by the risen and ascended Jesus as Paul was on the road to Damascus to persecute Christians. Jesus used the miracle of physical blindness to teach Paul that Paul was spiritually blind. Paul accepted Jesus' rebuke (Acts 9:4-5) acknowledged him as Lord, repented (Acts 9:8-9), became obedient to Jesus (Acts 9:6, 8), was “discipled” by Ananias, a born-again (Acts 9:10-16 Christian disciple, until Paul was born-again (Acts 9:17-18). Then guided by the Holy Spirit, Paul began to proclaim the Gospel (Acts 9:19b-22) and make born-again disciples of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 1:6-7) and taught them to repeat the process (2 Timothy 2:2).

The Church at Antioch had been troubled by Judaisers, and Paul and Barnabas went to Church headquarters in Jerusalem to get a ruling on the issue (Acts 15:1-29). In that Church council, Peter testified that God had shown him by revelation that God made no distinction between Jew and Gentile converts (Acts 15:7-11; see Acts 11:1-18). It was James who presided over the Council meeting to consider the case of the Gentiles, who formulated the apostolic decree which confirmed that the Gentiles were not subject to the Law of Moses. The decree bound Gentiles only to the commandments given by God to Noah and thus to all mankind (Acts 15:29)

It is ironic that Peter, Barnabas and James had been key participants in the apostolic decree and that Peter, Barnabas, and the delegates of James had succumbed to the pressure of the Judaizers. Paul confronted Peter, a key leader of the Church in Jerusalem, with his insincerity. It is notable that his insincerity was contagious, and this is often the case in the Church today, where people compromise Biblical Apostolic Doctrine because of peer pressure within the Church.

There are several false teachings in the first-century Church which are refuted in the Bible, which are present in the Church today. One is called “works-righteousness:” teaching that salvation is earned by works (keeping) of the Law (doing good deeds). Here Paul refutes that teaching by clearly stating that salvation is by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus rather than by doing works of the Law (Galatians 2:16). In his Letter to the Ephesians, he amplifies that salvation is by Grace (a free gift; unmerited favor) which is received by faith (obedient trust), not by works of the Law. (Ephesians 2:8-9). We will do good works because we are “saved” and are filled, guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit to do what God has prepared for us beforehand (Ephesians 2:10).

Saving faith is not a “work” we do by believing “hard enough.” Our “yes” to Jesus as our Savior and Lord is the “mustard seed” of faith which the Lord causes to grow to maturity as we trust and obey his word (Luke 13:19).

The deed of love done to Jesus by the sinner woman was evidence of her faith and her forgiveness. Jesus does have the power and authority to forgive sins (Luke 5:24) in response to faith in the recipient. Jesus delegated the authority to forgive or retain sins to his disciples (John 20:23).

The point of the parable of the creditor and two forgiven debtors is that we are all sinners who fall short of God's standard of righteousness (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). Someone once said that there are two kinds of people in this world, the sinners who think they're righteous, and the righteous who know they're sinners. Simon, the Pharisee, thought he was righteous because he thought he kept the Law of Moses. He only kept some of the Law some of the time.

Simon thought he had no need of forgiveness because he thought he was righteous according to the Law. He didn't love Jesus because he didn't think he needed a Savior.

Under the Old Covenant (Testament) of Law, sacrifices had to be made continually for forgiveness of sins, because people were always sinning. Jesus became the only sacrifice acceptable to God, once for all time and all people who are willing to receive it by faith. The old sacrificial system ended at the cross of Jesus Christ. If we attempt to live by works of the Law, by being a “good person,” Jesus will be of no benefit to us, because his salvation must be received by faith in Jesus (Galatians 5:3-5).

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)?

4 Pentecost - Monday - C

First Posted June 21, 2010;

Podcast: Monday 4 Pentecost C

Psalm 63:1-8 – The Soul that Thirsts; Paraphrase: I seek thee, O God; you are my God. My soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in an arid desert without water. In the sanctuary I have seen you and beheld your power and glory. I will praise you with my lips, because your steadfast love is better than life! As long as I live I will bless you; I will lift up my hands in praise to you and call on your name. My soul is feasted as with rich food. With joyful lips I will praise you aloud, in the night watches, when I meditate on you. I will sing for joy in the shadow of your “wings,” for you have been my source of help. Your right hand upholds me, so my soul clings to you. Commentary: This psalm is attributed to David who, with his army of several hundred men, was being pursued by King Saul. David took refuge in the wilderness of Ziph in the Negeb Desert on the southern border of Judah (1 Samuel 26:1-4). David knew physical thirst and exhaustion in the wilderness, but he recognized that his spiritual thirst and exhaustion was more urgent, and he knew where to find spiritual thirst-quenching and rest in the Lord. He sought the Lord in the sanctuary of God's house, and he beheld God's glory and power. He found that God's love is steadfast (unfailing), and is better than physical life. In the midst of the pursuit by his enemy who was determined to destroy him, and in the hardship of the wilderness, he knew that his great joy was to bless and praise the Lord and call upon his name. He had learned that the Lord could abundantly satisfy his spiritual hunger. When he couldn't sleep during the night because of worry he found the Lord's help in meditating on the Lord. God is like a great eagle protecting her young; they find security in the shadow of his wings. That security makes it possible to praise the Lord in times of trouble. When we trust in the Lord we will come to know (John 6:68) that there is abundant help only in him. Jesus is the right arm and hand of God (Psalm 110:1; 138:7; Hebrews 1:13; Romans 8:34). We are all in the spiritual wilderness and in spiritual night of darkness in this world. We all have spiritual hunger, thirst, and exhaustion and are all seeking to satisfy them. But many are seeking spiritual satisfaction in the wrong places. There is spiritual satisfaction only in Jesus Christ; all other attempts will ultimately disappoint. David sought spiritual satisfaction in the sanctuary of God's house and he saw the Lord and his glory and power. He experienced God's steadfast love and found it better than physical life! The whole meaning and purpose of life in this Creation is to seek and find God (Acts 17:26-27). When we seek the Lord he will allow himself to be found by us, if we seek him with all our hearts (Deuteronomy 4:29). We can seek him in God's Word, the Bible, and in Jesus Christ, God in human flesh (Colossians 2:8-9; John 20:28), the “living Word” (John 1:14). Jesus is the only way to know divine eternal truth, the only way to be forgiven of sin (disobedience of God's Word; Acts 4:12; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, right), the only way to be restored to fellowship with God which was broken by sin, and the only way to have eternal life (John 14:6). If we trust and obey Jesus' teachings, he will reveal himself (John 14:21) and God the Father to us (John 14:23; Matthew 11:27; compare John 14:7-11). If we trust and obey Jesus, we will personally experience God's glory and power. We will come to know him and have fellowship with him 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 event (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). In order to have the help and protection of the Lord we have to stay close to him by trusting and obeying his teachings. We need to read the Bible from cover-to-cover, and we need to read portions daily, because the Lord wants us to seek his guidance and help one day at a time (Matthew 6:11). Our “yes” to Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord is the “mustard seed” of faith (trust and obedience; Matthew 13:31-32). If we begin to trust and obey Jesus, he will show us that he is faithful and able to deliver us from every trouble. As we experience his help we will come to know with certainty beyond mere belief that he is the Lord (John 6:68-69). This is my personal experience and testimony. 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)?

4 Pentecost - Tuesday - C
First Posted June 22, 2010; Podcast: Tuesday 4 Pentecost C
Zechariah 12:7-10 – The Ideal King; Paraphrase: This is God's Word of prophecy concerning Israel: The Lord declares that it is he who created heaven and earth, and formed the spirits of people within them. He is going to make Israel a cup of drunken staggering to all the surrounding peoples coming against Judah in the siege against Jerusalem. In that day the Lord will make Jerusalem like a heavy stone for all people who try to lift it; and they will hurt themselves grievously. And, together, all the nations of the earth will come against it. The horse will be stricken with panic, and the rider with madness, by the Lord in that day. The Lord will watch over Judah; he will strike the eyes of the horses of the [enemy] peoples with blindness. In that day the families of Judah will realize that the the inhabitants of Jerusalem have been given strength by their God, the Lord of hosts (multitudes; armies). In that day the Lord will make the households of Judah like a blazing pot set upon wood, or a flaming torch among sheaves; all the [foreign] peoples round about will be devoured, while Jerusalem shall remain inhabited. The Lord will give glory to the households of Judah first, so that they will not be diminished by the glory of Jerusalem and the house of David. In that day the Lord will place a shield around the people of Jerusalem. The feeblest of them will be as mighty as David, and David's house will be mighty like God, like the angel of the Lord, leading them. The Lord will destroy all the nations which come against Jerusalem in that day. The Lord will give the household of David and the residents of Jerusalem a spirit of compassion and supplication, so that when they see the one whom they have pierced (Jesus; John 19:33-37; 20:20), they will mourn for him as for a first-born and only child (Luke 2:7; John 1:14, 18 KJV). Commentary: Chapters 9-14 of Zechariah were written by disciples of Zechariah sometime in the fourth and third centuries B.C.. Zechariah's prophecies were made during 520-518 BC and are recorded in Chapters 1-8.* This is the prophecy of the Battle of Armageddon that will usher in the end of the age and the return of Jesus Christ: the “Second Coming.” The pagan nations will gather and attack Israel, but it is they who will be destroyed. Jesus' millennial (thousand-year) reign [on earth] will be established. Jesus Christ is the Son of David (Matthew 1:1; 21:9), and the eternal heir to the throne of David (2 Samuel 7:5-13; Psalm 89:20-29). David is the forerunner and illustration of the Christ (Messiah; both words mean [God's] “anointed” [eternal Savior and King] in Greek and Hebrew, respectively). David was the great human shepherd-king of Israel. Jesus is the perfect, sinless (Hebrews 4:15) and ideal, good shepherd-king of Israel (John 10:14-15). I have had a vision a long time ago of the panic and madness of the Last Days. That experience is part of what brought me to repentance and conversion. The [true] Church is the new Jerusalem. The Lord will place a shield around his people. His people will be as mighty as David, who slew Goliath. Jesus is the leader of God's people, in the strength and power of God (Colossians 2:8-9; John 20:28). Jesus' “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) disciples will have experienced his great power personally in their lives. I have. I have experienced his shield of protection, and his empowering of me. We see the “Gentiles” (pagan nations) gathering against Israel right now in the world today. We also see pagans gathering against the Church. But these things cannot take place until God's will permits it, just like Jesus was not crucified until God's timing was fulfilled. A note of warning: Preaching on “End Times Prophecy” is useful to confront and convince people to repent and turn to the Lord, just as the Lord did for me. But new believers must not get hung up on End Times speculation. Jesus specifically warns his (not yet born-again) disciples not to speculate on times and seasons which the Lord has fixed by his authority (Acts 1:6-7). Nominal Christians have damaged the Gospel message by professing to know when the end will come. Further, new believers have been hindered in their spiritual growth by being caught up in endless speculation (1 Timothy 1:4. I personally have encountered a new believer who preferred to speculate on “End Times” rather than to learn discipleship, and carry on the mission of the Gospel. I personally am no authority on End Times because I have not pursued that subject. Preaching on End Times Prophecy led to my conversion, thirty years ago. Then I read the Bible from cover-to-cover, began reading portions of the Bible daily with meditation and prayer, began trusting and obeying Jesus' teachings, sought 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) and then began proclaiming the Gospel (compare Paul's conversion, Acts 9:1-22). 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, Zechariah introduction, p. 1148, New York, Oxford University Press, 1962.

4 Pentecost - Wednesday - C

First Posted June 23, 2010;

Podcast: Wednesday 4 Pentecost C

Galatians 3:23-29; Paraphrase: Before (the New Covenant of) faith came, we were restrained under the Law (of Moses; the Old Covenant recorded in God's Word, the Bible), until “faith” was revealed. Law was our “caretaker” until Christ came, so that we could be justified (judged blameless; pardoned; the opposite of condemned) by faith. Now that faith (obedient trust; in Jesus Christ) has come, believers are no longer under the restraint of our “caretaker.” All believers are sons (and daughters) of God by faith. Those who have been baptized in Christ have been clothed in Christ. There is no longer any distinction between Jew and Greek, nor slave and free, nor male and female, because we're all the same in Christ. Moreover, if we are in Christ, we are [spiritual] children of Abraham, and heirs of God's promise. Commentary: Jesus came to establish a New Covenant (Testament) of grace to be received by faith (obedient trust; Ephesians 2:8-9). Until that time, God's people were under the Old Covenant of Law, recorded in the Old Testament of the Bible. God's people were unable to keep the Law, and the priests had to offer continual sacrifices for the forgiveness of the sins of themselves and the people. God has been revealing his plan for Creation through the history of his relationship with Israel recorded in the Bible. The Law was intended to teach people God's standard of righteousness (doing what is right, good and true according to God's Word) and to restrain God's people until the time for the New Covenant to be established by the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The Old Covenant system of sacrifices was intended to show God's people that they could not satisfy the requirements of the Law by their own human strength (James 2:10) and that blood sacrifice was necessary for the forgiveness of sin (Hebrews 9:18-22). Old Covenant sacrifices involved a feast of the slain animal, after parts were offered on the altar. The original Passover was intended to foreshadow and illustrate what God would do in Jesus Christ. A perfect lamb was to be slain. The lamb's blood would mark the Israelites to be “passed over” by the destroying angel when the first-born of the Egyptians was slain; and the lamb's flesh provided the feast (Exodus 12:1-14). Jesus has been God's one and only plan for Creation from the very beginning (John 1:1-5, 14). At the right moment in history, according to God's will and timing, Jesus came in the flesh to establish the New Covenant, and to die as the one and only sacrifice acceptable to God (Acts 4:12), from then on, for the forgiveness of sin, to be received by faith in Jesus. Jesus is the “unblemished lamb” sacrificed on the cross for our forgiveness. His blood marks believers as God's people, and his flesh provides the feast of the New Passover, the Lord's Supper (Holy Communion; Eucharist), in the elements of wine (or grape juice) and bread (John 6:35, 48-50). Jesus instituted the New Passover during the celebration of the Jewish Passover with his disciples on the night of his betrayal and arrest (Matthew 26:26-28; and see note “g” RSV; Hebrews 8:8-13, 12:24). The blood of Jesus cleanses believers and makes it possible for them to become temples 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). This gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit is not automatically conferred by the “Church” by water baptism (see False Teachings, sidebar, right). The true Church “disciples” new believers and encourages them to seek the “baptism” of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1: 4-5, 8). We are all sinners and fall short of God's standard of righteousness (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10), and the penalty for sin is [eternal] death (Romans 6:23). Jesus is God's only provision for our forgiveness and salvation (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, right). This lifetime in this world is our opportunity to seek, find and have fellowship with God our Creator (Acts 19:2), and be spiritually “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8), and this is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ. This lifetime is our opportunity to learn by trial-and-error that God's way is good, possible to do, and our very best interest (Romans 12:2). This lifetime is our chance to choose whether to live in God's eternal kingdom, according to God's standard of righteousness, or not. God has designed this temporal world to allow for sin (disobedience of God's Word) so that we can have the freedom to choose whether to trust and obey God or not. But God is not going to tolerate rebellion and disobedience forever, and not at all in the perfect paradise of his kingdom in heaven or it wouldn't be heaven. Under the Old Covenant, his people were motivated by fear; under the New Covenant we are motivated by love and by the empowerment of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 8:1-13). The only distinction which matters is whether one is in Christ or not. A Christian is a disciple of Jesus Christ who has been born again by the baptism of the indwelling Holy Spirit. It is not the physical children of Abraham but the spiritual children of Abraham who are the heirs of God's promises in the Bible (Galatians 3:7-9). 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)?

4 Pentecost - Thursday - C

First Posted June 24, 2010;
Podcast: Thursday 4 Pentecost C

Luke 9:18-24 – Peter's Confession;

Paraphrase:

With his disciples, Jesus had gotten away, from the crowds, in order to pray, and he asked his disciples who people were saying that Jesus was. They replied that some said Jesus was John the Baptizer, others said he was Elijah or one of the prophets of old that had risen from the dead. Then Jesus asked his disciples who they thought Jesus was and Peter declared that Jesus was the Christ (Messiah) of God. But Jesus commanded them to tell no one. Then Jesus told them that he, “the Son of Man,” would have to suffer much and be rejected by the Jewish elders, priests and teachers of the Law of Moses. Jesus would be killed and would rise again from death on the third day.

Jesus said, to all, that anyone who decides to follow Jesus must deny his own self-interest and must pick up his own cross every day and follow Jesus. Anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for Jesus' sake will save it.

Commentary:

Each of us must decide for ourselves who Jesus is. Jesus referred to himself as the Son of man, which was true, but which allowed people to decide for themselves whether he was the Son of God (Luke 1:31-35), with a hint from Daniel 7:13-14.

Jesus wants people to follow him by their own free will. Jesus warned his disciples not to try to tell anyone that Jesus was the Christ (Messiah; both mean [God's] “anointed” [prophet; priest; king] in Greek and Hebrew respectively). They must come to that realization on their own. One cannot be saved by taking their parents or their pastor's word that Jesus is the Christ.

I have talked with some who thought that John the Baptizer was intended by God to be the Christ, but failed. Not so! John was the fulfillment of the prophecy of the return of (a prophet like) Elijah to herald the coming of the Christ (Malachi 3:1, 4:5; Matthew 17:10-13), and in fact, Elijah did return (Matthew 17:1-8) and was witnessed by the three disciples of Jesus' inner circle: Peter, James and John.

The mission of John the Baptizer was to prepare people to receive the Christ by spiritually cleansing them by water baptism for repentance (Luke 3:1-9), and to point them to Christ (John 1:31-34; Luke 3:21). This is the role that the Church has inherited. Only Jesus' disciples baptized with water; not Jesus himself (John 4:2). Only Jesus baptizes with the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17).

Jesus' word is the Word of God, with the creative force of God's Word (Mark 4:39-41; Compare Genesis 1: 9). Jesus could command us and we would have no choice but to obey. There is a day coming when Jesus will command us either to enter his eternal kingdom or to depart into eternal hell (John 5:28-29; Philippians 2:9-11).

Jesus prophesied his crucifixion and resurrection at least three times (Matthew 16:21; 17:22; 10:17-19; compare Luke 18:31-34). The defining characteristic of God's Word is it's fulfillment; God's Word is always fulfilled (Deuteronomy18:21-22), and it is eternal: it is fulfilled over and over as the conditions for its fulfillment are met.

Worldly people hated Jesus and tried to destroy him. His disciples cannot expect to be treated better, if they are being true to Jesus' teachings (John 15:18, 25). Jesus' disciples need not fear them; the worst that the worldly can do is to kill us physically, but God will raise us to eternal life (Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:4).

Disciples of Jesus Christ must be willing to set aside their personal interests in order to follow Jesus. We really don't know what we want and truly need. Left to ourselves we will self-destruct. When it is too late, we will find that what we pursued was eternally worthless and ultimately unsatisfying. If we love our lives now in this fallen world, we will lose the chance for eternal life in paradise restored in God's kingdom in heaven.

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)?

4 Pentecost - Friday - C

First Posted June 25, 2010; Podcast: Friday 4 Pentecost C Romans 8:13-23 – Spirit and Sonship; Paraphrase: If we live according to the flesh we will die [eternally], but if we put to death the deeds of the flesh we will live [eternally]. “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons [children] of God” (Romans 8:14). We are not given the spirit of slavery, so that we fall back into fear, but we receive the spirit of sonship [adoption]. “When we cry, 'Abba! Father!' it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:15b-16), and if children, then we are heirs, if we are willing to suffer for the Gospel as Jesus suffered, in order to be glorified with him. The Apostle Paul considered that the suffering for the sake of the Gospel was insignificant compared to the glory which will be revealed to us. Creation has been in bondage to futility, as it awaits with eager longing, the revealing of the children of God. God subjected Creation to futility, not by its own will, but by the will of God, in hope [of release], since Creation will be eventually set free from bondage to decay and will obtain the glorious liberty of God's children. All this time Creation has been groaning as in the travail of childbirth, and not only Creation, but we ourselves groan as we await the redemption of our bodies and adoption as children of God. Commentary: We're all going to die physically, sooner or later. But God has intended for us to live eternally with him in paradise restored in his eternal kingdom. This temporal lifetime is our one and only opportunity to learn to trust and obey God and to be “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) to true, eternal life, which is only possible through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, right) by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Only Jesus “baptizes” with the Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). The “anointing” of the indwelling Holy Spirit is a personally discernible, ongoing, daily, experience (Acts 19:2); it is impossible to be filled with the Holy Spirit and “hardly know it.” It is impossible to overcome the weakness of our physical nature without the help of the Holy Spirit. God is not going to give us the gift of his indwelling Holy Spirit unless he is reasonably certain that we intend to be obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit. We can expect to be tested to see whether we are committed to obedient trust in Jesus before we're given the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Premature spiritual rebirth would be a spiritual disaster for us (Hebrews 6:4-6). By the anointing of the indwelling Holy Spirit we have a foretaste of glory in God's eternal kingdom. It isn't true that we cannot know whether the Gospel of eternal life is true until we die physically. Those who believe come to certain, assured knowledge (John 6:68-69). Eternal life begins now in this temporal world, for those who believe. “Abba” is the Aramaic word for “Father.” The phrase was used in the first-century Church in worship. It is impossible to truly praise the Lord without the anointing of the indwelling Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3; Romans 8:15-17). Don't expect worldly people to treat Christians any better than they treated Jesus. We're going to encounter tribulation and suffering for the sake of the Gospel. But we can experience the joy of the presence of the Lord through the gift of the Holy Spirit now, and be assured that the suffering is well worth while. 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)?

4 Pentecost - Saturday - C

First Posted June 26, 2010; Podcast: Saturday 4 Pentecost C

Luke 6:36-42 – Christian Lifestyle; Paraphrase: We should be merciful in dealing with others as God our Father has been merciful to us. Let us not judge others, and then we won't be judged ourselves. Let us not condemn others, and then we won't come under condemnation. If we want forgiveness, we must forgive others. If we give generously to others, God will give to us generously, in our laps, in full measure, overflowing. Jesus taught in parables (stories of common earthly experiences used to teach spiritual truth). How can a blind man lead a blind man; they'll both fall into a pit! A disciple is not greater than his teacher, but when fully taught will be like his teacher. We tend to notice tiny flaws in others more readily than we notice large flaws in ourselves. How can we presume to correct someone else before dealing with our own flaws? Let us first deal with our own flaws, and then we will be able to help our brother clearly. Commentary: One of the great problems of our human nature is that we tend to do whatever seems right in our own eyes (Deuteronomy 12:8; Judges 17:6, 21:25; Proverbs 12:15). The reason is because we have no “King” (God; Lord); we want to be our own “king” (Genesis 3:5b). When people do what is right in their own judgment there is chaos and anarchy. In society today, particularly in America, many people reject an absolute standard of right and wrong. They think, "How can one say what is right for someone else?" So people do whatever is right in their own judgment. There is an absolute standard, and that standard is the Word of God, recorded in the Bible. The Bible contains both precious promises and ominous warnings. The Word of God is eternal and is fulfilled over and over, as the conditions for its fulfillment are met. If we obey God's Word we will receive the blessings; if we disobey, we will receive the penalties God's warnings were intended to help us avoid. When we're our own “god,” it seems O.K. to judge and condemn others. We don't feel the need of forgiveness because we think we're doing right according to our own standard. We don't value mercy for ourselves, or give it to others. Or we may think that by being generous, forgiving and merciful to others that we are entitled to the same forgiveness, generosity and mercy. Being non-judgmental of others doesn't mean that we have to suspend our discernment. We have been born into a world of spiritual darkness. We are spiritually blind until the Lord opens our spiritual eyes to understand God's Word. (Luke 24:45). This lifetime is our opportunity to seek, find and have fellowship with God our Father, and this is only possible through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, right). Only Jesus “baptizes” (anoints) with the Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). This lifetime is our one and only opportunity to be spiritually “born-again” to eternal life (John 3:3, 5-8). It is impossible to be baptized with the Holy Spirit and “hardly know it” (Acts 19:2). The baptism of the indwelling Holy Spirit is personally discernible, ongoing, daily experience. We have a hard time understanding spiritual things. The material realm seems so much more real and substantial to us. We can see and touch what is material. But material substance will pass away and only what is spiritual will remain. Jesus used parables to teach spiritual truth in a way we can understand from our earthly experience. In the world and even in the nominal Church today there are many blind guides. In particular, the nominal Church has failed to make born-again disciples of Jesus Christ and has settled for making “members.” The result is that there are no born-again disciples of Jesus Christ to select for Church leaders. Too often nominal Church leaders are “blind guides” because they have not been spiritually reborn by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It takes born-again disciples of Jesus to make born-again disciples. If unregenerate (not born-again) leaders knew what they lacked and how to get it, they wouldn't be unregenerate. We need to become disciples of Jesus Christ first, staying within the Church (the New Jerusalem) being discipled by born-again disciples until we have been born again, before going into the world with the Gospel (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8; Matthew 28:19-20). Paul's (Saul of Tarsus') conversion is the example of a modern, post-resurrection, born-again, disciple (student) and apostle (messenger; of the Gospel) of Jesus Christ, as we all can and should be (Acts 9:1-20). 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)?