Jesus: Jew, Messiah, Saviour

This week’s readings are very much centered in the book of Matthew.  First Gospel in the New Testament.  There are a couple of things that we can notice to help us appreciate what these chapters tell us about Jesus.

First, Matthew was written by the apostle Matthew who was a tax collector before Jesus called him to a new life. The whole theme of the book is to help the Jewish believers and non-believers to see how Jesus was God’s appointed one.  Messiah.

There were many promises given through the prophets that Matthew points out.  For example…

Virgin Birth:

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. 700 B.C.

Mattthew 1:22-23  All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” –which means, “God with us.”

Click here to see a larger list of fulfilled prophecies.

However, this weeks readings point out a couple really amazing stories that Jesus is Messiah… for the Jews and Gentiles.

We start in Matt 5 where Jesus taught revolutionary Kingdom living.  Blessed are the meek, pure in heart, peacemakers and so on.  He is laying out in very plain language the type of life to be lived in the Kingdom of God.  We’ve heard these words before but in the mind of first century Jew this may not have been such an easy thing to hear.  Israel was under the control of the Romans and had been for quite some time.  They had adjusted and a new power brokerage was established.  Still able to do business and go to Synagogue to worship but they had become content and many of the leadership had become complacent and abandoned that heart relationship with God.  The teaching of Jesus was stirring that complacency in some and birthing hope in others.

Time and time again, the Pharisees rejected any thought that Jesus was God’s son.  In fact they used the Law to try and discredit Jesus.  However, Matthew 23 gives Jesus’ response and turns the law on them.

“therefore all that they tell you , do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds: for they say things and do not do them…  ”

Matthew is showing again from the law and prophets that God’s plan is fulfilled with Jesus.  He is the one Israel and the world is waiting for.  As much as Matthew is written for Hebrews by a Hebrew, it’s also for us to stop and listen to God because his plan starts with Israel, but is now extended to us.

Matthew gives us a great appreciation and understanding of the Jewish context of Jesus.  From birth to death.  There’s much to say and even more to learn.  Let this time we spend in Matthew soak into your heart and let it grow your faith.

What About Speaking in Tongues?

I can recall the first time I ever heard someone speak in tongues. It was the day I became a Christ-follower. The guy who introduced me to Jesus prayed for me in a foreign language. I assumed it was Greek, but I couldn’t tell you why! The second time was the night I was baptized in Faith Tabernacle, London.  A young guy in the service started shouting excitedly in a jumble of gibberish and I just about jumped out of my skin!

Just what is tongues about? Some people would rather pass, others want it to happen every service, and still others are freaked out when they hear it. Why would God give us such a funky gift?

I suppose the first thing to note is that it’s just that… a gift. Tongues is a supernatural endowment of the Holy Spirit, according to 1 Corinthians 12:7-10.  And let’s admit it… it is a bit funky! The idea of jabbering off in a language that makes sense to no one, including the speaker, and then blaming it on the Holy Spirit is more than a little strange, but…

But Paul says, “I would like every one of you to speak in tongues…” (1 Corinthians 14:5a) He goes on to add, “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you” (1 Corinthians 14:18). On the other hand, he means to put tongues in its place. It’s useless in public worship unless accompanied by the gift of interpretation, so that all may understand, and be edified (1 Corinthians 14:1-20).

Why would Paul encourage us to experience tongues? “For those who speak in a tongue do not speak to other people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 14:2). Here are three powerful reasons to speak in tongues:

• It’s a form of communication expressly intended for God.
• It involves mysteries that go beyond human understanding.
• It’s an act of the Holy Spirit through your human lips!

How could that possibly help anyone? Paul gives us a hint in Romans 8, where he points out, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us.” Perhaps this is what tongues does for us. It introduces us to a form of prayer where God’s Spirit does the work of praying through us in ways we could not imagine.

One thing Paul makes clear, tongues is a form of prayer that by-passes our rational mind. “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding” (1 Corinthians 14:14-15). Prayer driven by reason is perfectly acceptable, maybe even necessary. But tongues is a form of prayer that by-passes the rational, and exercises the spirit. Christian experience is larger than what can be grasped by the mind, will and emotions. It plumbs to the depths of the human spirit.

That’s why tongues is such a wonderful resource. At the most profound level of our beings, “those who speak in a tongue edify themselves (1 Corinthians 14:4). Of course I want to speak in a way that edifies the entire body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 14 mentions a gift of the Spirit that does that: prophecy—and it says that tongues without interpretation in the gathering of the church is useless because it doesn’t edify the whole body. But Paul also tells believers that of there is no interpreter, “the speaker should keep quiet in the church; let them speak to themselves and to God” (1 Corinthians 14:28). Why? Because it takes an edified and empowered believer to edify and empower others!

Good to Know…

Sometimes when we read Psalms, the context is not completely clear or who the author is for that matter.  However, the Psalms are packed with a lot of personal emotion which makes it hard not to relate in some way. 

It would seem as though the writer of this Psalm (121) was experiencing some sort of a struggle.  This struggle reminds the Psalmist of God’s greatness compared to the surrounding environment (and probably circumstance).  Even though the surroundings seem vast, expansive, intimidating, the Psalmist is quick to claim that God “maker of heaven and earth” is greater.   

Amongst such a vast surrounding, the Psalmist declares confidently that God is present, in control, and in charge.  It seems to be a declaration of faith and trust in the God of Israel that in the midst of whatever circumstance, God has His hand upon His nation.  God will be constant and faithful to take care of His people. 

Does life weigh on us at times?  It sure does.  Do we sometimes feel surrounded by trouble from every side?  We sure do.  We’re real people living through the reality of real life…life that’s as hard as the climb of a mountain.  But I am reminded that the same God who would surround, protect, and guard His people (Israel) would commit to doing the same for me.  God is for me! 

I’m not sure how your day or week has been.  Just remember that God is for you; He is sovereign to take care of you completely, at the peak and through the valley! 

Blessings, 

Tim 

 

Appreciating Job

Here’s a character in the Bible we think we know. The basic contour of his story is pretty familiar. Faithful believer seems betrayed by God into the hands of Satan… but with limits on how far the devil can destry him. He tries to vindicate himself to his friends. He wishes he could have it out with God. But the story says, “in all this Job never sinned.” So in the end God does vindicate him, and blesses him, and the moral of the story is…
Time out!
There’s more to Job than the surface of the story, or the beautiful poetry you’ll be catching in these brief readings. By the way don’t be too quick to take them at face value. Some of these are the words of Job’s buddies and though they sound right, at times, in the context of the Book of Job, his friends are dead wrong! That’s just one of the ironies of Job. Rather than finding comfort in the wisdom of his friends, and at times what they say makes very good biblical sense… Job is driven to distraction by them!
Even his wife gets in on the torment when she tells him to “curse God and die!!” (2:9)
But Job appears to stay faithful. At least that’s God’s assessment of him. He chastises the friends at the end by telling them, “You have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has (42:8).” And yet Job has had audacity to talk to God the way he has. At least, it must seem that way to bystanders like you and me. After all Job charges God with being arbitrary (7:11-20)! He challenges God to meet him in a court of law (31:35-37)! He’d like to meet God face to face, and have it out (13:23-24)! Guy’s got jam!
But God never comes down on him. He never so much as speaks a word against Job. In fact part of the frustration of the book is that in 39 chapters God never really gives Job an answer. What he does, however, is absolutely stunning. Chapters 40-41 contain God’s response. Not an answer, but a challenge, if you will. And it comes in a series of probing questions pitting human limitation against divine soveriegnty and the power of the Almighty. Cataloguing the majestic variety of creation, God simply asks Job, “Where were you?”
Then at the end of the tale, God blesses Job. For each head of cattle he has lost through Satanic disaster, God gives Job twice as many. And he replaces his ten children, with ten new kids. And Job lives happily ever after. And the moral is…
Wait a second!! God wiped out all Job’s kids, and then thinks that it’s happily ever after when he gives him another ten??!!??
It’s hard to fully extract any one easy moral from Job’s story… at least its difficult for me. As the writer of Ecclesiates concludes at the end of that cofusing book, God is God. An sometimes that answer will have to suffice, however crazy the world gets!

A Weeeee Little Man!

Throughout your daily reading this week, you will focus on one of my favourite stories in the Bible.  And if you grew up in Sunday School, this story was probably one of those “stick to you for life” Sunday School lessons.  I’m talking about the story of a “wee little man” named Zacchaeus (I bet you’re singing the Zacchaeus song right now!)  This fairly short interaction in Luke 19 packs a big punch.  Also this won’t be an on-line sermon, I do want to highlight a few things simply to stimulate your thinking.  

Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector…lowest of the lows in that day.  But he was wealthy and didn’t have to worry about what people thought.  What do you think it was that caused Zacchaeus to be so determined to see Jesus walk by? 

Jesus was probably mobbed by many people as he entered Jericho.  Of all the people Jesus could have ministered to, why do you think he chose Zacchaeus? 

We read how the crowd reacted to Jesus’ invite.  If you were one of Jesus’ disciples, how would you have reacted to something that seemed so unusual?  Or put yourself as a crowd member in that moment, how would you have felt watching Jesus do what he did with Zacchaeus?

How might this story help shape your view about the “outcast” of society? 

What truth(s) do you learn about God from this story?

Happy reading!

Tim

 

 

 

 

 

A Godly Reno

Have you ever been asked to fix something and then realize afterwards that you did it wrong? I remember once I put a kitchen sink in for a friend and I thought I knew what I was doing. So I went to Home Depot and purchase all the wood and tools that I thought I would need. But, I was humbled when the “sink” guy came and look at what I did and asked why is this done this way.
Perhaps sometimes, the expert should be the one to do the job.
Psalms 127 reminds of just what our role is in building our lives.

“Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain.”

When we are striving to be perfect usually we are doing it in our own strength and we will eventually fail. Only with God as the master builder are we to build our lives.
What does that mean? James 4:13-15 says…

13 And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, “Today-at the latest, tomorrow-we’re off to such and such a city for the year. We’re going to start a business and make a lot of money.”14 You don’t know the first thing about tomorrow. You’re nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing.15 Instead, make it a habit to say, “If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that.”

With God leading the reno, His will will be done and that is a success. Take your life to God and lay it down, only then will you see what living is. His eternal plan is for good things for us. The next verse tells us what comes to those who love and trust him. The promise from God is that we will have rest.

Don’t you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves?

Our life can seem so busy and get filled with soccer practice, late night projects, and tough circumstances. But God’s rest is where we find strength and joy. Let us begin to take our life choices to God and pray about them first. As we submit to God, he brings life and rest. An amazing promise!

Just as a thought for free, in the following verses, it tells of how children are gift from the Lord.

Luke: A Travelogue

Whenever we drive through a city on vacation, I love to have a some kind of travel guide. We used to get those CAA books for every state we drove through on the way to Florida, not so much because we were going to visit there, but just so we could read up on what was happening in the various towns we were passing through. It’s kind of neat to know the Wright brothers came from Dayton, Ohio, and that their dad was a pastor. Or that Lexington Kentucky is the thoroughbred capital of the world.
This week we begin a tour of Luke’s gospel and there’s a few things you need to know to orient you. Wouldn’t you hate to be visiting some place like Craigellachie, B.C. and not know that the last spike of the CPR driven in there. History turns on such moments!
Similarly there are some themes you need to be looking for in Luke to truly appreciate his gospel. Here are five.

1.    Salvation

Luke’s Gospel is about Salvation. Well, duuhh… that’s the theme of the whole Bible isn’t it? Yes it is, but Luke has that notion at its core. In the first two chapters, the Christmas chapters, Luke mentions salvation-related words six times (1:47, 69, 71, 77; 2: 11, 30). “The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost (19:9).” The entire Gospel of Luke pictures Jesus as reaching out to the lost in remarkable ways, with compassion, healing, and forgiveness.

 

2.    The Holy Spirit and the Supernatural

Luke emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit in ways that no one else does. He tells us that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, was filled by the Spirit, and carried out his ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit (1:35; 3:22; 4:1, 14, 18). More than that the Spirit inspires powerful prophetic utterances (1:41, 67; 2:25-27). These are themes Luke will pursue at length in Luke Part 2… commonly known as the Book of Acts.

 

3.    Women… and Other Outcasts

Luke emphasizes the role of women in his gospel. What makes this particularly interesting is how Jesus elevates women to equal partners in a man’s world that considered women to be just above property. Elizabeth, Mary and Anna feature prominently in the first chapter. But Mary Magdalene, and the women who supported Jesus ot of their wealth show up in chapter 8. But Jesus reaches out to all classes of people with a compassion that is compelling. Notice it particularly in Luke 5 with a man with leprosy, ritually unclean, according to the Law of Moses, and with Levi the tax collector, socially unclean because of his low-life collusion with the Romans. Or again in Luke 7 with the prostitute who washes his feet with her tears. Jesus touched all with dignity and grace.

 

4.    Prayer

Jesus prays a lot in this gospel. Especially we find him praying at turning point moments in his life: at his baptism (3:21); when he chooses the Twelve (6:12); the Transfiguration (9:28-29); his arrest (22:40-46), and his death (23:34, 46). Sometimes you just find him paying (5:16; 9:18; 11:1) for no special reason, just because that’s what he did. Personally, I find it convicting… but also comforting.

 

5.    The Kingdom

Luke is particularly interested in the kingdom of God in this gospel. The term appears at least 42 times. So where is this place? Is there a map to get there? The kingdom of God is not so much a place as a condition. “The kingdom of God,” Jesus said, “is within you (17:21).” The kingdom is wherever Jesus is, since he is the King! The rule and reign of the Christ is central to Luke’s concern.

Motive Check…

As we journey through God’s Word this week, I want to draw your attention to Jeremiah 42. It is here we find the remnant of a crippled nation looking for some sort of peace and security after experiencing the Fall of Jerusalem and Judah through Babylonian invasion.

It is at this point in chapter 42 they seek the assistance of the Prophet Jeremiah. They call on Jeremiah to petition to the Lord on their behalf wanting to know where they should go and what they should do (v. 3). Jeremiah is glad to do so warning them that they need to act in accordance to what the Lord will instruct them to do.

At this point, the crippled remnant longs to escape the war and captivity of the Babylonians so Egypt looks great. Ten days later, God speaks to Jeremiah to let them know they will find peace right where they are, not in Egypt. However, they choose not to obey God and proceed to travel to Egypt anyway where, as God would warn, they would eventually walk into more destruction “You will die by the sword, famine and plague in the place you want to go to settle” (42:21).

I know this was a “Coles” notes version, but the point is clear…Israel acted in disobedience. What poked at me was this: “Indeed, all who are determined to go to Egypt to settle there will die…” (v. 17). They asked for the Lord’s will with no intention of following it. This made me think…how often do I do that in my walk with God?

Seriously, have you ever prayed sounding like you’re want to know the will of God (you cry out, “which way God”), but the truth is you’ve already made up your mind? When we seek God’s will and purpose for our everyday lives, we need to be constantly checking our motives. Are we longing to do what God is blessing or simply hoping God will confirm what we decide for ourselves to do?

Food for thought….enjoy your week!

Tim
Psalm 139:23-24

Spoiler Alert: Jesus Wins…

This week Eat This Book will be starting into the last book of the Bible, Revelations.  Often times this book  we are stepping into,  can be confusing.  However, it comes with a promise.  Blessed is the one who reads the words of this book.  Rev 1:3.  God’s purpose in revelations is not to confuse but to give a glimpse into the plans he has.  To comfort, correct and communicate to the Church… the bride of Christ.

Our opening is to see just what Jesus was thinking of the churches growing.  There is much to say about Jesus’ message to the churches.  He rebuked their tolerance for idols, encouraged them with loving words.  He directed and corrected.  If anything, we see just how Jesus views his bride.  Jesus cares about the church and longs to teach and grow those who are trusting Him.

Looking ahead we will see the end times.  With much imagery and vivid descriptions, John the apostle described what he saw.  Jesus revealed to him on the Island which he was sentenced to, all the glory that is coming.  Truly it can be scary and perhaps confusing.  One thing to hang onto is that in the end, death and the devil are ultimately destroyed and Jesus wins.

Let Revelations be a comfort to you.  Because time is nothing for God.  He works his plan on his time table and Revelation is there to show us a revelation of Jesus and his coming glory.

Enjoy as we dig into Revelation… of course there are other readings.  Enjoy them all.

Have an awesome day!!

 

Keeping Balance…

 This week we move forward through the book of John and get a taste in the book of Jeremiah.  I’m sure you have found (just like I have found) a bit of a contrast as you read from the Old Testament and New Testament on the same day. 

 Jeremiah…

 Prophet and priest called of God to deliver some pretty harsh messages to His chosen nation (north = Israel, south = Judah).  Jeremiah is being used of God to deliver a message that God is a just God and the sin of this nation must be punished.  Yet, if they turn from their wicked ways, God will restore them.

“If you will return, O Israel, return to me, declares the Lord.  If you put your detestable idols out of my sight and no longer go astray, and if in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ then the nations will be blessed by him and in him they will glory”. This is what the LORD says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns. ⁴ Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, circumcise your hearts, you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire because of the evil you have done—burn with no one to quench it. (4:1-4)

When you read this, you can’t help but get a sense of fear before God because He means business especially with words like “wrath, burn, fire”.    

John…

This book oozes the theme of Jesus being the giver of life for humanity, ironically done by way of touching on the significance of Jesus’ death. 

I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep…I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep.  The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life…(10: 11, 14-15, 17)

Jesus answered:  “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  (14:6)

When you read this, you can’t help but get a sense of God’s love and grace because He is willing to sacrifice for us, “I am the good shepherd…I lay down my life for the sheep”.

During my years around the church scene, I have met many Christ-followers who are attracted to the God of the Old Testament.  They define God and His character with words like punish and wrath.  And I have met many who are attracted to the God of the New Testament, defining God with words like love and grace.  The truth is we do see God punish and send His wrath.  But we also read of a God of love and grace.  So which is it…where’s the balance?  How do we know who God is and what He’s like?  It’s all found in His Word; Old and New Testament. 

As you read this week, ask yourself “where do I lean”?  If you find yourself leaning one way or another, take time to redefine your view in a way that can bring proper balance that’s accurate with the entire biblical picture (start with this in mind:  “God is love” and go from there).  I think you will find this challenging, stimulating, and refreshing.  I think you may even see this become a healthy life-long daily exercise as you grow in God through His Word.  I think in doing this, your love for God will grow deeper and deeper. 

Tim