Matthew 21:45, They Perceived

The Triumphal Entry marks a turning point in Jesus' ministry, and his actions appear more provocative to Jerusalem's religious leaders. After this, they become hell-bent on destroying Jesus.

After clearing the temple, the annoyed priests and elders challenge Jesus' authority. Completely blind to the works [of the Father] Jesus performs in the temple after clearing it (Matt 21:14-15), they try to trap him diplomatically. The ensuing dialog ends with Jesus speaking parables against the priests and Pharisees.

Back in Matthew 13, Jesus said, "This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand." He fulfilled Isaiah 6:9-10 and darkened the religious leaders with his teaching.

But now his teaching has changed with his actions. Consider verse 45, "When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them." Somewhere inside their self-centered brains Jesus finally unlocked the capability to discern his meaning. The leaders knew Jesus was calling them the disobedient, lazy son and the belligerent, murderous tenants. Though they did not perceive until Jesus finished his parables, for they spoke judgment on themselves, "They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons”" [Matt 21:41].

And the final irony is they still would not listen. Their ears and minds were finally opened and they still rejected Jesus, trying to arrest him [v46]. Rather, they should have listened to the Parable of the Two Sons and repented, "And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe [John]" [Matt 21:32]. Instead they confirmed the parables and remained hard-hearted.

May our generation heed the voice of God and turn to His Son for repentance. May we each hear and perceive, see and follow the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Judgment Day

October 21, 2011 marked the end of the world if you happen to believe a singular radio personality, and while the globe may be heating up, it has certainly not been consumed by a fireball. When this man's original prediction failed in May, many throughout the world mocked him for his folly. Sadly, many mocked Christianity as this one person became the straw man for all Christians. While he was predictably wrong about the date, he is not entirely wrong about a coming judgment.

For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all—so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. (Luke 17:24-30 ESV)

Belief in the consummation of God's redemptive plan--the return and judgment of Christ--is an orthodox belief. Many debate the details, but all Bible-believing Christians agree that Christ is coming again. Despite various disagreements, one element all should be unified on is the impossibility of knowing when Christ will return. The Son of God himself that we cannot know the day or the hour.

But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. (Matthew 24:36 ESV) [This verse itself probably deserves a blog post some day.]

Anyone choosing, calculating, or prophesying the day or the hour is arrogantly claiming to have wisdom greater than the Son. However, just because we cannot know the day does not mean we should not be prepared. The point of Jesus' message was to ensure his disciples had their affairs in order, "Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" (Matt 24:42-44). Be ready! Do you know your Savior? Is Jesus Christ your life, your truth and your hope?

The deceived followers need to read 2 Thessalonians 2, which was part of today's M'Cheyne reading. 2 Peter 3 would be another good passage to read. Believers need not be alarmed about the Day of the Lord (it will not be missed). And we ought to be grateful for the forbearance of our Lord--that we were not and are not swept away in a global judgment as in Noah's day. But our time is short. We must urgently proclaim the gospel, for as sure as the sun sets today, the Day of the Lord will come. The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

1 Thessalonians 1: Pauline Triad

One of the things Paul is well known for is his "triad": faith, hope and love. D.A. Carson has a spectacular devotional on the topic in the October 11 entry within his first For the Love of God book. The triad shows up again at the introduction of Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians. One lesson I (hope I) have learned this year is to be careful with the beginning and end of each epistle. I too often mentally skip over paragraphs because I have perceived them as mere hellos or goodbyes, but they often contain a treasure of theological truth packed into very small spaces.

In this beginning chapter of 1 Thessalonians, Paul teaches us to pray, and he ties his prayer to faith, hope and love. Paul prays for the Thessalonians without doubt, but his prayers have a specific object associated with them: remembering the church's action in the triad. What's interesting is that Paul prays for them constantly, remembering their work, implying an ongoing labor in these three elements. So Paul is thankful to God for them, but part of the point of Paul's remembering seems to be intercession--that the Thessalonian believers would continue the work begun in them.

In verse three we gain a little more color on the triad: this is a work of faith, a labor of love and a steadfastness of hope. Possessing these three elements produces effects in our lives. Faith, hope and love aren't theoretical niceties--they move our beings.

"Work of faith" is intriguing because of the distinction Paul often makes between works and faith (Rom 3:20, Gal 2:16, Eph 2:8-9). Our primary work is not of the Law but of Faith. And the work flows from the faith, not the other way around. A "work of faith" implies the faith existed and the work comes because the faith was already there.

"Labor of love," we are to work in love, and we are to work at love. Unlike work of faith, which ties faith as a kind of work, love is a labor, or a continuous toil. We must cultivate the garden of our love, for if we slack for a moment, the weeds of selfishness will grow in our hearts.

"Steadfastness of hope" shows that the work of faith and labor of love we're engaged in will not be smooth sailing. For we meet trials of various kinds, and the testing of our faith produces steadfastness (James 1:2-3). But it is the hope within us that helps us endure the test of faith, "for this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison" (2 Cor 4:17). Christian have the greatest hope in the world, as "we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord" (2 Cor 5:8).

Finally, this opening prayer has a triad of another kind, the Trinity. Verse 1 says, "To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ," and the prayer is sandwiched with verse 4, "because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction."

How do we do a work of faith, a labor of love and have steadfastness of hope?

1 Kings 17: Belief in Suffering

1 Kings 17 ends with the verse, "And the woman said to Elijah, 'Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.'" She confesses this after Elijah raises her son from the dead. Who wouldn't utter such truth after a miraculous display of God's power? What may be surprising, however, is that the widow would begin her exclamation with "now I know," for she is the same woman Elijah had prophesied an unspendable flour and oil supply. Her life was already daily preserved according to the word of this man of God. So why would she say she believes now?

Naturally, I cannot read the mind of this widow. She was clearly enduring life-altering stress. First, she believed that she and her son were on the brink of starving to death. "And she said, 'As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die'" (1 Kings 17:12 ESV). Even after this miracle had sustained her for "many days," her son still died. "After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him" (1 Kings 17:17 ESV). It's hard to blame her for having doubts. I cannot fathom losing a child, or how I might react toward God in that situation (oh how I pray that my faith would grow).

Drawing from other parts of the Bible, it's possible to see where this mother may have been coming from. The first lesson is that belief doesn't inherently flow from witnessing miracles. During the exodus, Israel did not believe in God as they should have, perpetually complaining to Moses and building golden calves at their first temptation of doubt. Their unbelief dominated despite seeing miraculous power of unparalleled display, excepting the work of Jesus himself. And even during the life of Jesus, his dominion over the physical world was not enough witness for the hard-hearted pharisees. At one point Jesus even teaches [by parable] that miracles will not convince a person unless they already believe the Law and Prophets: "He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead'" (Luke 16:31 ESV). Someone has risen from the dead, yet many (most) do not believe. If only they would look on him whom they have pierced!

But it's unlikely that this widow had an entirely rebellious heart of rejection. She was probably struggling with faith the same way most Christians today struggle with their own faith. When encountering suffering, how many people turn to their pastor, or even ask proverbially, "Where is God in all of this?" This widow asked this her own way, "What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!" (1 Kings 17:18 ESV).

What can a person do when faced with agonizing suffering? Turn to the Lord. This is exactly what Elijah did. He went up to the child and prayed to God. This was not a case of prophetic foreknowledge; Elijah did not already know the child had died and that he would rise. He earnestly sought the Lord in supplication and faith. God answered his prayer with a 'yes', and he may do the same in our hour of suffering. He may also say, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9). Peter and James teach that God will use trials to grow and purify our faith.

We are real people, with real fears, doubts and suffering. God does not expect us to be spiritual superheroes and suck it up. He tells us to call on him and believe. Confess disbelief and cry out, "Now I know, Jesus my Savior, that you are the Man of God."

"But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "'If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, 'I believe; help my unbelief!' (Mark 9:22-24 ESV)

Galatians 6 - Marks of Jesus

Paul's efforts are spent reminding the Galatians that they are saved through the gospel of Jesus Christ and not by the works of the Law. One focus of the letter is circumcision. The Judiazers claimed that only a Law-abiding Jew could be a real Christian. Their real motives were rooted in pride and fear of man (Gal 6:12-13). But Paul says that trying to keep the law is vanity (Gal 5:3-4).

The purpose of this post isn't to delve deeply into the overall message of Galatians (though that would be a very worthy topic), but that context cannot be ignored either. Paul shows how the gospel saves us. It's not by keeping the law but by believing in faith (Gal 5:6). We have been crucified with Christ (Gal 2:20) which makes us a new creation (Gal 6:5, 2 Cor 5:17). Our flesh is dead, so circumcision has no meaning (Gal 5:24).

However, Paul does bear marks in his flesh. He speaks not of his own circumcision--the marks of which he would have as a devout Pharisee. These marks show that he is a disciple of Christ. Because of his bold proclamation, Paul has endured a lifetime's worth of physical abuse. In 2 Corinthians 11 we hear Paul tell the church that he is a man...

with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches (2 Corinthians 11:23-28 ESV).

So to those who preach the mark of the Jew, he can say, "From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus" (Gal 6:17). So rather than accept the mark of the Old Covenant, let's accept the mark of the New Covenant. We are called to take up our cross and follow Jesus. Peter says we grieve and James says to find joy when we meet trials of various kinds. "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Tim 3:12).

Most of us won't suffer as Paul. Not many will become martyrs, but a hallmark of the Christian's call are persecutions, the marks of Jesus. They show you are set apart in Christ.

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe” (John 20:27).

2 Samuel 24: Costly Sacrifice

2 Samuel 24 lays the groundwork for the building of the temple. David takes a census of Israel with the wrong heart. Even Joab knows that David's command is sinful. [Note: If a deceitful murderer says you are wrong, perhaps you should listen!] God sends a pestilence through Israel as punishment, and relents when the destroying angel comes to Jerusalem. The 1 Chronicles 21 account allows your mind's eye to envision the terror.

    And God sent the angel to Jerusalem to destroy it, but as he was about to destroy it, the LORD saw, and he relented from the calamity. And he said to the angel who was working destruction, “It is enough; now stay your hand.” And the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. And David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, and in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces...Now Ornan was threshing wheat. He turned and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves...And David built there an altar to the LORD and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings and called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him with fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering. Then the LORD commanded the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath. (1 Chronicles 21:15-16,20,26-27 ESV)

David goes to build an alter on this land at Gad's direction and offers to buy it from Ornan (Araunah). Ornan is willing to quickly give it to David, but David insists on paying for the land saying:

     I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing.

The narrative shows that God ordained this site for the Temple, but other lessons can be coaxed from the text.

1. Obviously, our offerings to God must cost us something. If we do not sacrifice, it's not an offering. If your heart in giving to church is "I give what I can," then it's not really an offering. Consider Mark 12:41-44.
2. The offering does not avert disaster. God relents from the pestilence first, then David is called to build an alter and sacrifice to the Lord. After the offering is accepted, the angel sheaths his sword. God demonstrates grace first, David responds to the Word of the Lord in faith, and then David and Jerusalem are saved.
3. The grace offered to us in salvation through Jesus Christ is not free. It is freely offered, but it cost God dearly--the life of his only begotten Son. It is by the sacrifice of the infinitely worthy that we have hope in having our infinite debt satisfied.

2 Samuel 19: David Does Right Too Late

Sin is a nasty little bugger. It wraps its tentacles around parts of life that you might not see, so when you try to remove it, it rips out good with the bad. The longer the sin can fester and grow, the thicker and deeper the tentacles will reach, and far more collateral damage will ensue.

Looking at David's life as he tries to restore family and kingdom after Absalom's rebellion, it's not hard to see the pervasive effects of sin reverberate through the lives of those closest to David.

The restored king makes a very bold decision: Amasa replaces Joab as commander over King David's army.

And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if you are not commander of my army from now on in place of Joab’” (2 Samuel 19:13).

Frankly, Joab should have been deposed long ago, but David never took decisive action. Though this wasn't final enough, for Joab (along with Abishai and Ittai) was still in charge of a third of the army.

The ESV Study Bible notes say that David may have done this to punish Joab for killing Absalom. That's a bit speculative, because there are many good reasons to install Amasa. Joab may have upset David when rebuking him (2 Samuel 19:1-8). Perhaps Amasa was installed as a political maneuver. Since Amasa was chosen to be commander of Abaslom's army, David may have wanted to integrate the two factions and show unity (he was also David's nephew along with Joab and Abishai according to 1 Chronicles 2). David may not like that Joab was a bit of a loose cannon, first murdering Abner then killing Absalom against David's instruction. Or, perhaps it was a little bit of all these reasons.

Whatever the reason, as David starts to take the right steps, it doesn't solve the problem. He has allowed sin to fester in his own life and in the life of Joab for too long, and with little surprise, Joab murders Amasa from apparent jealousy.

When they were at the great stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a soldier's garment, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened on his thigh, and as he went forward it fell out. And Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. But Amasa did not observe the sword that was in Joab's hand. So Joab struck him with it in the stomach and spilled his entrails to the ground without striking a second blow, and he died.
    Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. And one of Joab's young men took his stand by Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.” (2 Samuel 20:8-11 ESV)

The saddest part about all of this is that, yet again, David does nothing. He doesn't even mourn this time. It is matter of fact that Joab is commander again (2 Samuel 20:23), and no justice is sought.

But Joab does not ultimately escape justice. For those reading the M'Cheyne Bible reading plan, they will see on September 30th that it takes David's son to finally seek the life of the murderer that David should have demanded years ago.

2 Corinthians 12: A Leader's Resume

When applying for a new job or a promotion, what type of resume would you submit? Naturally, you would share your education and work credentials to show your qualification for the job. In gospel work, however, the ways of the world are foolishness.

In 2 Corinthians, Paul defends his ministry to the church at Corinth against the so-called super-apostles. They not only boasted in their accomplishments (2 Cor 10:12), but they derided Paul because he would not (2 Cor 10:10). From here he takes an interesting tactic. Paul reinforces that all boasting is to be done in the Lord, and not in self-commendation (2 Cor 10:17-18). He shows them what foolishness boasting in the flesh is:

I repeat, let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. What I am saying with this boastful confidence, I say not as the Lord would but as a fool. Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast...But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. (2 Corinthians 11:16-18,21-23).

Paul really was far more qualified than anyone else, but he loathed fleshly boasting. He mentioned that he was playing the fool six times in chapter 11.

Paul finishes his foolishness in chapter 12 and then demonstrates the real strength of his resume.

On my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. (2 Corinthians 12:4)

Why would he do that? Because the real source of qualification does not come from within but from God. So there is no room for personal boasting, and Paul demonstrates all boasting is in the Lord.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
(2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV)

How many churches would hire a pastor if all he interviewed on was his weaknesses? I'm guessing none, but he would probably be the most qualified applicant they've ever seen.

2 Samuel 18: The Web of Sin

Today's chapter in 2 Samuel is a tragic one. David's men fight against Absalom, and it ends with Joab killing Absalom. So despite explicit instructions from David, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom," he mourns at the end, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"

The sequence of events can be traced to David's earlier failings, and they're all related to David's passivity. Even men after God's own heart are not perfect. David sacrificed his moral integrity for political expediency.

The first problem is that David did not bring Joab to justice when he murdered Abner, "And when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the stomach, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother" (2 Samuel 3:27). Abner killed Asahel in battle, within the rules of war, but Joab murdered Abner in premeditated revenge. David did not punish Joab for this sin, so Joab was still the commander of David's army. Perhaps David feared Joab or thought he was an irreplaceable commander. David's rationalization does not excuse Joab's sin.

The second problem came when David failed to act yet again. Amnon, David's son, raped his half-sister Tamar. "When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry" (2 Samuel 13:21), but he did not lift a finger. Absalom was Tamar's full brother, both born of Maacah. When David did not execute justice on behalf of Tamar, Absalom took justice into his own hands two years later by killing his own brother Amnon (2 Samuel 13:23-33).

The third problem is a complex assortment of scheming by both Joab and Absalom. Absalom fled, but again David threw his arms up and did nothing. Through the actions of Joab and Absalom, who were not on great terms with each other (2 Samuel 14:30), Absalom returned to Jerusalem and grew a heart that despised his father and lusted after power. So Absalom won the hearts of the Israelites, conspired a coup and warred to finish off David [2 Samuel 14-17].

David's men were mightier and won the war, but Joab purposely killed Absalom in the forest in a less than honorable fashion:

And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on... And [Joab] took three javelins in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak. And ten young men, Joab's armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him. [2 Samuel 18:9,14-15]

Sin has consequences, and often one sin leads to a chain of others, even when (perhaps especially when) it's refusing to do what's right via non-action. There are many things David could have done differently so that neither he nor Absalom had to die.

A final point of reflection is that God can and does use all of the actions of men (good and bad) to accomplish his purposes. In a complex plot that even Shakespeare couldn't invent, God used the royal drama to fulfill two plans.

1. Absalom was the the instrument of punished against David that Nathan promised in 2 Samuel 12:11.
2. God brought justice to Absalom for his sin against Amnon and David while being God's agent: 2 Samuel 17:14.

This ends up being a microcosm of the issues Israel struggled with during the exile, that God would use a sin-overflowing, evil, pagan nations to punish his chosen people.

2 Corinthians 8: Money, The New Covenant's Manna

Paul devotes a lot of space to the issues of money and generosity in 2 Corinthians 8. His main argument in the chapter is that Jesus Christ became poor so that they may become rich (2 Cor 8:9), so have the same heart, go and do likewise (2 Cor 8:10-11). There may be a little surprise in what Paul is saying here, for he says he is not giving them a new command (2 Cor 8:8), but rather promoting the love for their brothers in Christ they ought to have had (John 13:34).

Paul could have stopped there and told them to be generous because Christ has been supremely generous with us and, frankly, he commanded it. But he doesn't end with that exhortation, he uses a reference to manna in the wilderness (from Exodus 16) in verse 15:

For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.” (2 Corinthians 8:13-15 ESV)

Care should be taken in extending the analogy, but there is a relationship that Paul is making between the manna God provided wandering Israel with and the money he gives us today. The analogy is anchored to 'supplying need' or 'having no lack.' God ensured that his people had enough to eat while they wandered in the wasteland for 40 years, and Paul exhorts the Corinthian church to supply the needs of other Christians or other churches who were in a position of need.

If it can be extended, the analogy might fit on the other end as well: no one should have an excess. For those who gathered too much manna, they found their stores corrupted by rot and worms. Even though that does not physically happen to an accumulation of money, it can certainly have the same effect on our hearts, for the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. There are certainly Christians who live by this principle: they set a maximum income they'll live by and give the rest away. The point isn't to set a rule, however, it's about having the right heart. It would be easy to set a standard of living cap and have a miserable attitude, and that would be sinful (it does not proceed from faith, and God loves a cheerful giver). However, I believe most people struggle not with this heart so much as the first one: actually giving away in a sacrificial manner. Fear of sin of one extreme is not license to sin in the other extreme.

Aside from trying to zip up the analogy from bottom to top, however, it appears that God's heart for the collection of manna and money are the same. Do not collect too much for yourself; it's purpose is so that everyone has their needs met. Money should be like water in our hands, and we should position ours over those whose hands are dry and blistered. Paul shows us that we should have the heart of Macedonia. This is a sacrificial heart--the heart of Christ in giving:

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. (2 Corinthians 8:1-5 ESV)

I know I need to grow in this heart. And it comes by giving ourselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to others. Macedonia loved the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength and their neighbor as themselves, and proved it through their wallets.

Ezekiel 15 and John 15: The Vine

The M'Cheyne readings for Sunday and Monday both included illustrations using the vine as a metaphor. This post will look at them in reverse reading order, but historical chronological order.

Ezekiel 15: The Vine Is Charred

First, through Ezekiel, God has been describing to Jerusalem precisely how evil their behavior had become. See yesterday's post for a taste, or better yet, read Ezekiel for yourself to see how Jerusalem decayed. In chapter 15 (a very short chapter), God describes Jerusalem as a useless vine:

Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any wood, the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest? Is wood taken from it to make anything? Do people take a peg from it to hang any vessel on it? Behold, it is given to the fire for fuel. When the fire has consumed both ends of it, and the middle of it is charred, is it useful for anything? Behold, when it was whole, it was used for nothing. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it ever be used for anything! Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so have I given up the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (Ezekiel 15:2-6 ESV)

Israel was meant to be a useful vine. If you take God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12, "I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." and his instruction to Israel in Exodus 19, "and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation," then you see that one of God's purposes for Israel is to be a light to the world. The nations of the earth would know that God was holy by his work in his people Israel. God would draw in the nations through his chosen race.

As the city neared exile, it was clear Jerusalem had defiled their covenant with God (read Ezekiel 16 for a graphic depiction of how God viewed their actions). So the vine branch to the world burned itself and became useful for nothing. Mostly nothing, for God had not fulfilled his final plan through this broken nation. Through Israel, God sent his Son a few hundred years later to save both Israel and the Gentiles, and by that revealed the True Vine Branch (Jer 23:5), the Source (Heb 5:9) and Head (Col 1:8, Col 2:9) in the Messiah. So Israel was not the branch source, but rather a shoot off of the real vine: Jesus Christ. But through their apostasy they cut themselves off from the source and withered.

John 15: The Vine Is Christ

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. (John 15:5-6 ESV)

The Vine has life, and we have a choice to abide in him and bear fruit, or we wither, are thrown into the fire and burned. Jesus goes on to talk about a connection between abiding in him, loving the Father, the Son and one another, keeping his commands and bearing fruit. All of those flow through Christ to us, as he chose us and appointed us that we should go and bear fruit (John 15:16).

Our health as a vine branch is directly related to how completely we are grafted in--to our spiritual health. As we separate from Christ (John 15:5 says this applies to all of life!), we wither and die, but as we abide in him, we grow and bear fruit. How close is your relationship to your Savior? How grafted in is your life in Christ?

Ezekiel 14: Righteousness

Chapter 14 of Ezekiel from Sunday's M'Cheyne reading has several fascinating elements in it. As usual, D.A. Carson has a brilliant devotional on the chapter in his book For the Love of God, and his thoughts are far more worthy to ponder.

The thing most striking about Ezekiel 14 is the list of names given: Noah, Daniel and Job. We know them as righteous men God used for significant historical purposes, but what is so surprising is that Daniel is listed among Noah and Job. Genesis says "Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God" (Genesis 6:9). Job was "blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil" (Job 1:1). When Ezekiel was in service to the Lord, the Scriptures speaking of Noah and Job were already written. But Daniel was a contemporary, living in Babylon as Ezekiel wrote his scrolls. Through the Spirit's inspiration, Ezekiel knew that Daniel's righteousness was in the same league as Noah and Job. We know in hindsight, by God's recorded Word, that Daniel was faithful to the end (Daniel 6:28). Part of the surprise is that another faithful hero of old wasn't named, such as Moses or David. Perhaps Daniel was even more righteous than these men, as there are no recorded events where Daniel stumbled in his life.

Another peculiar statement in Ezekiel 14 is, "they would deliver neither sons nor daughters." This is used three times in the chapter (Ezekiel 14:16, 18, 22). This evokes thoughts of what Noah and Job endured. Noah did deliver his sons and daughters from the global flood. But Job's sons and daughters were lost despite (or perhaps because of) his righteousness. The Bible does not speak to whether or not Daniel had any children, but his biography reads as if he lived a bachelor's life. Regardless, Jerusalem has become so wicked in Ezekiel's day that no others besides these men would survive, apparently not even their family members. That could be interpreted a few ways:

• God showed grace to Noah's family in saving his children through the flood even though they may not have had the same righteous heart toward God as Noah. After the flood subsides, the behavior of Ham was not blameless (see Genesis 9:20-27), though neither was Noah's.
• The culture of wickedness was so extreme in Jerusalem that it may have swayed the children of these men despite their own righteous lives and teaching. After all, Noah was able to convince at least his family to join him on the ark. Perhaps his three children, and any others among Job and Daniel, would have succumbed to societal pressures.
• The most likely meaning is that God would not spare Jerusalem for the sake of a few righteous citizens. God would deliver the righteous to safety, thus preserving a remnant, and the rest would be swept away in judgment (devastatingly complete judgment through beasts, war, disease and famine).

The last interpretation would remind the reader of Sodom and Gomorrah (see Genesis 18-19). God determined to destroy those cities for their wickedness; he would not relent despite Abraham's intercession. Abraham knew his nephew Lot lived in Sodom, but Lot was the only [or least un-]righteous man living in the city. God rescued Lot and his family, and the cities were destroyed in a fiery hailstorm. I believe God is saying that he would not have spared Lot's family if they had been living in Jerusalem in Ezekiel's day, for Lot's wife certainly did not trust in the Word of God (Genesis 19:26), and Lot himself would not have been righteous enough to spare his own life or Jerusalem's. Indeed, a while later, God calls Jerusalem Sodom's older (and more evil) sister, "As I live, declares the Lord GOD, your sister Sodom and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done. Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it" (Ezekiel 16:48-50).

Do we presume upon God's kindness, forbearance and patience? Can you think of any nation that has pride, excess of food and prosperous ease, but does not aid the poor and needy? Do we defend the indefensible?

"Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations" (Ezekiel 14:6 ESV).

John 13: The Greatest Leader

Who is the greatest leader in the world today? What makes that person a great leader? Leadership has practically become an industry unto itself. Countless books and seminars teach the effective principles, and enrollment in degrees within leadership disciplines (e.g. MBA) has steadily grown.

How would the greatest leader communicate his authority? With commanding presence? Eloquent speech? Amassing great wealth?

Consider the actions of the Jesus:

He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. (John 13:4-5 ESV)

This is the least likely action anyone would expect a leader to perform. Peter confirms this, "Lord, do you wash my feet?" (John 13:6). Why would Jesus do a slave's job? He is not asserting his authority through his actions, but rather makes himself lower than his disciples.

After he finishes, Jesus explains his actions:

When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. (John 13:12-16 ESV)

If you want to be a great leader--if you want to be like Jesus Christ, then throw out everything you know about leadership and follow his example: grab a towel and wash someone's feet. You cannot be a great leader and ignore the example and command of the Lord, for you are not above him. He is clear and consistent in teaching that a leader makes himself the least and becomes a servant (Mark 9:35).

If this was not the model of leadership, we would have no hope of salvation. Even though Jesus was teaching his disciples humility and love by physically washing his disciples' feet, he was also pointing to his death. We receive a greater washing by an even greater act of humility. Jesus was on his way to the cross, and his greatest act of humility was going to wash our souls with his blood. Jesus came as the Lamb. Had he come as King of the Jungle, we would all have been devoured.

A good leader loves. A great leader loves sacrificially. Jesus builds on his object lesson at the Last Supper by summarizing:

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34-35 ESV)

Jesus Christ loved, served, and sacrificed, and if you would be a great leader, you will go and do likewise.


By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. (1 John 3:16 ESV)

John 3:16 - For God So Loved the World

It used to be the case that everybody knew John 3:16, but today it's no guarantee. Still, it's among the best known and most quoted verses in all the Bible. This is for good reason: it's a great summary of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Without any contextual support, this verse teaches:

• We are at risk of perishing. The contrapositive of eternal life through belief is that those who don't believe will perish. Perhaps we don't know why we perish through this verse (sin), but it's clear that it will happen apart from belief.
• We can have eternal life, and that comes in believing in him--God's only Son. The claim of eternal life is exclusive. The Son is necessary and sufficient to inherit eternal life.
• God's love is universal. He gave his Son to the world, not to any one tongue, tribe or nation. But that does not mean that all are saved, but rather all can be saved--none are excluded on the basis of origin.
• God's love is particular. God demonstrates eternal love only to those who believe in the Son he gave.
• God is the source of salvation. He is the giver of the Son and eternal life. Salvation does not come from within man or any of his deeds. Eternal life is granted because God gives it.

In one sense, anyone who understands and accepts the message of this verse is saved, and this is likely why it is so widely taught. I will add one caveat: I do not believe that someone who wholly accepts the truth of this verse will be satisfied to remain only in its truth. But it doesn't take much work to see who the Son is and what you must believe about the Son...you only need to keep reading the gospel of John. As you zoom out and read the surrounding context, you find a much clearer understanding of the gospel of salvation. And what a glorious truth it is that God has given.

And that shall be the content of tomorrow's post.

Luke 22: It Is Enough

Some portions of Scripture are confusing. I am incredibly thankful that the gospel message itself is abundantly clear. This passage ranks among the most confusing to me. Perhaps a kind theology professor reading this some day can offer a good explanation:

And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.” And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.”
(Luke 22:35-38 ESV)

While I appreciate study Bible notes, I didn't feel particularly helped by the ESV Study Bible's Notes (apologies to Justin Taylor: it's nothing personal).

Luke 22:35–36 Earlier in his ministry, Jesus sent his disciples out with no moneybag (see 9:3; 10:4).moneybag … knapsack. Now, however, they will need extra provisions and supplies. let the one who has no sword … buy one. Many interpreters take this to be a metaphorical statement commanding the disciples to be armed spiritually to fight spiritual foes (cf. Eph. 6:10–17). In favor of this view: (1) In Luke 22:38 the disciples misunderstand Jesus' command and produce literal swords (v. 38); on this view, Jesus' response that “It is enough” is a rebuke, saying essentially, “Enough of this talk about swords.” (2) Just a few minutes later Jesus will again prohibit the use of a literal sword (vv. 49–51; cf. Matt. 26:51–52; John 18:10–11). Others take this as a command to have a literal sword for self-defense and protection from robbers. In support of this view: (a) The moneybag and knapsack and cloak in this same verse are literal, and so the sword must be taken literally as well. (b) Jesus' response that “It is enough” (Luke 22:38) actually approves the swords the disciples have as being enough, and Jesus' later rebuke in vv. 49–51 only prohibits them from blocking his arrest and suffering (cf. John 18:11), that is, from seeking to advance the kingdom of God by force. (c) The very fact that the disciples possess swords (Luke 22:38) suggests that Jesus has not prohibited them from carrying swords up to this point (cf. John 18:10–11), and Jesus never prohibited self-defense (see note on Matt. 5:39). Both views have some merit. See note on Luke 22:49–51.

I don't think this passage has anything to do with self-defense, whether Jesus' words are to be taken literally or metaphorically. In my opinion, Jesus is not spiritualizing these swords [point (2c) is a good refutation of view (1) in the ESVSB notes] or offering doctrine on the use of weapons--that idea is very disconnected from the flow of the narrative.

I do not pretend to have the answer, but I would like to point out a few things that I see as I read this passage. I think the entire paragraph hinges on Jesus saying, "For what is written about me has its fulfillment." Jesus came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17), and starting with the Triumphal Entry, event after event is a Christological fulfillment of various prophesies.

It would seem that the swords represent part of the fulfillment Jesus speaks, but what that fulfillment precisely is difficult to understand.

Jesus is the Suffering Servant

I believe one purpose may have been Jesus' final pre-resurrection demonstration of his earthly ministry. The Gospel of Mark has a heavy focus on this theme. Throughout Jesus' ministry, the disciples kept misunderstanding what the Messiah would accomplish. They thought he would be a revolutionary that would free Israel from political bondage. Many times the disciples tried to encourage Jesus to take the kingdom by force, but Jesus kept reminding them that he came to suffer and die (and free his people in a far superior way). They did not understand this until after the resurrection.

This theme of the Messiah as Suffering Servant is well known from Isaiah 53. Indeed, the quote that Jesus explicitly references (Luke 22:37) as being fulfilled is from Isaiah 53:12. So, it seems possible that Jesus is turning his disciples eyes from Conquering King (which he is) to Suffering Servant. It can't be seen just yet, but he drives the point home later on the Mount of Olives when he commands Peter to stop the violence (Luke 22:50-51, John 18:10-11).

Jesus is the Mountain of the Lord

This may be slightly more controversial, but perhaps this episode is a (partial) fulfillment of Isaiah 2. So many of Isaiah's prophesies were fulfilled in the prophet's day, but they also pointed to something or someone greater, and we have seen how many were fulfilled more completely in Christ.

It shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of the house of the LORD
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be lifted up above the hills;
and all the nations shall flow to it,
and many peoples shall come, and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go the law,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and shall decide disputes for many peoples;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore.
 (Isaiah 2:2-4 ESV)

I believe this passage will be completely and ultimately fulfilled with Christ's return, but some part of it was fulfilled with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. There is still war and not all peoples go up to the mountain of the Lord, so it is a prophecy that is not yet fulfilled.

However, when Jesus says, "It is enough," it could be a signal that swords shall be beat into plowshares. In one sense it might mean that we have the common grace of our Father (Gen 8:16, Matt 5:45). But more importantly, "he may teach us his ways" because he was "lifted up above the hills" and "established as the highest of the mountains." Today we may go to the house of the Lord and know him personally, and our access is through the Messiah.

So this prophecy sounds like an "already, not yet" fulfillment of Isaiah, and Jesus' focus on the swords may have been to point us to that understanding.

Jesus Orchestrates His Destiny

One final (quick) thought is that Jesus may have been organizing events to fulfill his destiny. He knew that Peter would use the sword against Malchus, and this may have been the necessary infraction to cause Jesus' arrest so that he might be "numbered with the transgressors." This is extra-biblical speculation however, so I would not be inclined to settle on this explanation. There is too much focus on Isaiah's prophesy in the context, but it's possible that Jesus was moving history along at his pace to fulfill his ministry (as when he told his disciples to fetch the donkey and prepare the room for the Last Supper).

1 Samuel 15: Saul's Sacrifice

Much can be said about this chapter, and for a good devotion on the topic, I would as usual recommend D.A. Carson's For the Love of God entry. I'd like to highlight Carson's call that reminders like 1 Samuel 15:22-23 need to be enshrined in contemporary evangelism. Christianity is not a lucky rabbit's foot.

The idea I would like to investigate is Saul as an antitype to Abraham. If you don't remember the account, read Genesis 22 to brush up on Abraham's call to sacrifice his son Isaac.

In Genesis, God calls Abraham to sacrifice his son of promise. In demonstration of complete trust, he goes through with the command up to the point that God stops him as Abraham holds the knife over his son. He obeyed out of faith, knowing that God would keep his word, believing that Isaac would come back to life (Gen 22:5 c.f. Heb 11:19). Abraham knew that God would provide a lamb (Gen 22:8), and what a Lamb he did provide through Abraham (John 1:29).

Contrast this to Saul, who was called to sacrifice (devote to destruction, or utterly destroy) the Amalekites. Normally a king gains the spoils of war for battle success, but in this case God forbids it (1 Sam 15:3). In some sense, this was a test for Saul the same way Issac's sacrifice was a test for Abraham.  But the response and result are entirely different. Saul disobeys a very specific command, lies to God's prophet, tries to shuffle off the blame to others, and gives insincere "repentance." God did not bless his disobedience, but instead demonstrates a divine regret over Saul (1 Sam 15:11, 1 Sam 15:35).

In the end, God called Saul to sacrifice something. But instead of sacrificing what God commanded, he chose to sacrifice his integrity, his honor, and ultimately his kingship.

Are all who call themselves Christians immune to divine regret?

Saul's Installation

Even though the nation was begging Samuel for a king (1 Samuel 8:5, 1 Samuel 8:20), 1 Samuel 11 reveals how fickle the people were, "Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is it that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men, that we may put them to death”" (1 Samuel 11:12). "We want a king," the people said, "but who are you to appoint him?"

From the time Israel asks for a king until now, God has been orchestrating events in order to give them the king they want. In his omniscience, God knows that Israel will not simply accept any man claiming to be king, so the nation is organized in order to install the monarch.

God's Prophet Anoints the King [1 Samuel 9-10]


Samuel poured oil on Saul's head to show that this man was God's chosen king (c.f. Luke 4:18). This was a private affair, with Samuel's companions and Saul's servant.

Saul Is Chosen By Lot [1 Samuel 10]

After Samuel sends Saul away, the people in the region of Mizpah are gathered. "Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken by lot; and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found" (1 Samuel 10:20-21 ESV). They use what I would presume to be the Urim and Thummin to determine the king, and God directs the lot to Saul.

Israel Confirms Saul as King [1 Samuel 11]

The events to this point are already incredible. Anybody could have been chosen by lot, if subject to natural forces, but the lot fell on the man whom the prophet had anointed. But not all of Israel was present, and they certainly were not going to accept any man as king. To firmly establish the throne, God stirs up the Ammonites to attack and humiliate the Israelites at Jabesh-gilead.

And the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled. He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of the messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!” Then the dread of the LORD fell upon the people, and they came out as one man. (1 Samuel 11:6-7 ESV)

God uses Saul to rescue the people in a way that makes him sound like a new judge [Judges 14:19], but God's plans were higher this time. Saul rallied all of Israel to protect Jabesh-gilead [1 Sam 11:8], organizes and leads them, and God grants him success [1 Sam 11:11]. At this point we see the question:

“Who is it that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men, that we may put them to death” (1 Sam 11:12)

And God establishes Saul by giving him the ability to mediate. Not very long ago the man was hiding amongst the luggage, too shy to accept kingship, but now he speaks with authority.

But Saul said, “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has worked salvation in Israel.” (1 Sam 11:13)

This opportunity is used to confirm Saul in the presence of all Israel.

Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom.” So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the LORD, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. (1 Sam 11:14-15)

God is sovereign, and has done according to his will. This is true for all nations, so even though it may seem like some nations or rulers are terrible, rest in knowing that God has ordained it for his purposes.

He changes times and seasons; 

he removes kings and sets up kings;

he gives wisdom to the wise

and knowledge to those who have understanding;

(Daniel 2:21 ESV)

Blessing and Pride

Sadly, while God works out history to exalt Saul onto the throne, he helps God along by exalting himself. Saul descends from humility (1 Samuel 9:21) to pride and disobedience toward God (1 Samuel 15:26). Saul was among the lowest of the low. The tribe of Benjamin had nearly been wiped out (Judges 20:41, Judges 20:46-48). Saul's clan was the least important in Benjamin (1 Samuel 9:21). And Saul was small in spirit when chosen to be king (1 Samuel 10:22). But though he seemed humble and lowly, his heart was not God's. He did not think it was important to obey the Word of the Lord spoken through his prophet, and so he disqualified himself as king.

The Great Eight

Read Romans 8, then read it again. This may be my very favorite chapter in the whole Bible. It is a wealth of gospel truth, and I think I have more highlighted and underlined here than anywhere else.

For those in Christ:

• There is therefore now no condemnation (Rom 8:1)
• He has set you free from sin and death (Rom 8:2)
• You have gone from flesh and death to Spirit, life and peace (Rom 8:6, Rom 8:9)
• The Spirit gives your mortal body life (Rom 8:11)
• You are sons of God, adopted by him and can call him "Abba! Father!" (Rom 8:14-15)
• You are heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17)
• You will suffer with Christ (Rom 8:17)
• You will be glorified with Christ (through the suffering) (Rom 8:17)
• You have real hope (Rom 8:24-25)
• The Spirit helps you in your weakness (Rom 8:26)
• The Spirit intercedes for you (Rom 8:26-27)
• God works all things together for [your] good (Rom 8:28)
• You are and will be predestined, called, justified, and glorified (Rom 8:29-30)
• God is for you (so who can be against you?) (Rom 8:31)
• God (who gave his Son for you) will give you all things (Rom 8:32)
• Jesus Christ is interceding for us (Rom 8:34)
• You are secure in the love of Christ and God the Father (Rom 8:35, Rom 8:39)

One of the reasons this chapter is so encouraging is the hope it can give to a Christian through any situation. The truth about your life is that despite your suffering (whatever that suffering is), God has compassion toward you, and he's using that trial for your good (and ultimate good in his ultimate plan), to glorify you in Christ. No matter what you are suffering through, the glory to come cannot be compared to that--it is incomparably greater. Hope! Yes, your suffering may feel like an unbearable burden, but the glory revealed to you will be orders of magnitude better than the severity of the current pain. It is an indescribably great hope, and through the work of Christ and the Spirit he gives you, is secured for all time.

No poet can put this into words. They might try, but it will not even be a dim reflection of the bright intensity of glory being described. The Spirit's groaning is inside you, and here is why a poet can never express the depth of the hope and the truth: it's too deep for words. It's a poem from God resonating in his creation, too marvelous for words.

How real is this to you? Do you really believe this, or do you think it's a nice story...for some people? Can you find joy in suffering because you know of the future good, the future glorification, or do you think you can't survive? Remember that nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Jesus Christ is the start of your hope, the Spirit sustains it in you , and the promise of future glory propels you into eternity.

Luke 14: Excuse Me

Reading Luke 14:16-24 is a little depressing, mostly because I hear modern variants of the excuses given in the parable.

But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”  

(Luke 14:16-24 ESV)

These kinds of excuses haven't stopped; I hear many reasons for ignoring all things spiritual. There are too many trinkets, too much entertainment, too many activities impeding spiritual growth. Parents have their children scheduled for activities 24 hours a day, television is too addictive to give up any of the five (or more) hours a day spent in hypnosis, and it's all too easy to get sucked into spending too much time at work or on a hobby. Yes, I am guilty of much of this myself. For those enlightened, this class of excuse is very popular to give for skipping church, ignoring Bible reading or forgetting about prayer time. For people outside the church, these reasons are the primary ones given for not getting involved in anything spiritual. It's not that most people object to Christianity, they simply don't have time for it.

I realize that the point of this parable is that the Jews would reject the gospel, so it was going to go out to the Gentiles. But most people are in the same position now as the Jews were in the first century. We "know" the gospel the way the Jews "knew" God's Law (Romans 3:2). Sufficient interest does not exist to make the gospel a priority, however.

These verses (particularly verse 21) have an interesting parallel to the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:2-12). Expanding beyond the local culture, there is a time-independent message of the type of person God gathers into his kingdom. In Matthew 9:12, Jesus says, "Those who are well have no need for a physician, but those who are sick." God is seeking the poor, the broken, the lost and the sick to bring into this kingdom, and these refer to spiritual conditions. There is no room for the proud, the religious, the distracted and selfish.

What would you be willing to sacrifice to inherit eternal life? [Matthew 13:44-46]

King of Israel

For those following the M'Cheyne Bible Reading Plan, Israel demands a king (like the nations) in today's reading (1 Samuel 8).

I've always thought it was interesting how Israel progressed through history to where they wanted to appoint a king. It begins with a prophesy through Moses just before they enter the Promised Land.

“When you come to the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,’ you may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’ And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.
“And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel. (Deuteronomy 17:14-20 ESV)

As Israel settles the land and strays from God, they cycle through judgment and deliverance as God raises up judges to rescue his people. Through this period, one judge's (Gideon) son, Abimelech, made himself king over Israel after his father died. That lasted three years and Israel went back to the rule of the judges.

And he went to his father's house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. And all the leaders of Shechem came together, and all Beth-millo, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem. (Judges 9:5-6 ESV) [Read all of Judges 9 for the rest of the account]

Near the end of the book of Judges, the writer keeps repeating the phrase, "In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 17:6, 18:1, 19:1, 21:25). The book closes with the judgment. The greatest tragedy about this statement is that God himself was not King over Israel, as he should have been.

So as the story progresses into Samuel, the nation starts clamoring for a king as Samuel's sons rule Israel with corruption. But they don't want a king because they want a just ruler, they want a king to be their military leader.

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.” (1 Samuel 8:4-9 ESV)

So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking for a king from him. He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.” (1 Samuel 8:10-18 ESV)

But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.” (1 Samuel 8:19-22 ESV)

God uses this (starting with David) to complete his greatest plan of salvation. So while the nation of Israel had impure motives, God still used it for their (and our) good. Praise God for his sovereign rule over his creation, that he would send the Perfect King to save us and judge the nations (Matthew 21:5, Matthew 27:11, Revelation 15:3, Revelation 19:16).


As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. (Genesis 50:20 ESV)