Matthew 20:27: "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave."
This verse presents to us the ultimate paradox in life, namely that the way to greatness is through submission to others (i.e. to be a servant). This practice runs counter to the prevailing philosophy of our world. Our culture is telling us that we should pursue our own desires, no matter how others are affected. Under the guise of "healthy competition," we see people brazenly trying to get all that they can for themselves, even if others are unfairly harmed in the selfish pursuit. So many today seem to be asserting their own "rights" and entitlements; and when these rights are not met, these people are seeking every means possible to remedy the situation. Our courts are filled with disgruntled people who insist that their rights are not being met.
Today, neighbor has risen up against neighbor to gain a personal advantage over him. Little interest is given to the ministry of service to others; it seems to be all about one's own quest for personal fulfillment and actualization. We even have reality television shows that promote the idol within us.
Christ's words are counter-cultural in that He says that the way to greatness is to become a minister of blessing to others. To renounce the popular notion of self-fulfillment in favor of placing the needs of others before one's self is greatness in the eyes of the One True God.
For those of us who have surrendered to the Lordship of Christ, we have the ultimate model of submission in Jesus Himself. Although He was surrounded by the myriad of heavenly hosts, worshipping Him around His heavenly throne, Jesus left that place to come to the earth. He suffered rejection and persecution at the hands of his creation (i.e. humanity) in order that He might offer to them the hope of salvation through His death and resurrection. This is love at its greatest (John 15:13). This is Greatness at its very best!
God is calling us to turn from the vain philosophy of self-actualization that this world purports and take up the cause of love by seeking the needs of others before ourselves. If we respond to this call by our Lord, we can be assured that God sees this as greatness.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
What Brought the Downfall of the Northern Tribes?
2 Kings 17:7: "All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the LORD their God."
In 2 Kings, the story is told of the bitter end of the northern tribes of Israel. Hoshea was the last king who ruled on the throne of the northern tribes before the Assyrian invasion of the promised land. He had been paying tribute to the Assyrians to keep them from destroying his kingdom; however, Hoshea attempted to break from the control of the Assyrians by allying with the Egyptians. This decision proved to be fatal for the kingdom. When Shalmaneser (reign 725-722 BC) discovered that Hoshea was a traitor, he sent his army to lay siege to Samaria. For three years, the Assyrians sacked the capitol of the northern kingdom, bringing its utter destruction. Many of the inhabitants of the land were deported with the king, and the northern kingdom would cease to exist.
What I find interesting is that Scripture gives reasons for the demise of the northern kingdom, and this explanation is found immediately following the historical account of the Assyrian invasion. Here are the reasons:
1. The Israelites sinned against the LORD their God (vs 7)
2. They worshiped other gods (vs 7)
3. They followed the practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before them (vs 8)
4. They followed the practices of other nations that the kings of Israel had observed and brought back to the people (vs. 8)
5. They practiced detestable things in secret (vs 9)
6. They practiced detestable things out in the open on high places (vs 9)
7. They set up pagan icons and altars everywhere (vs 10)
8. They honored and worshiped the pagan deities by burning incense to them (vs 11)
9. They would not listen to the prophets sent by God to warn them (vs 14)
10. They did not trust in the LORD their God (vs 14)
11. They rejected the LORD's decrees and covenant (vs 15)
12. They sacrificed their children in the fire to honor the pagan deities (vs 17)
13. They practiced divination and sorcery and sold themselves to do evil (vs 17)
It is a rather exhaustive list isn't it? God had given plenty of opportunities for the Israelites to repent, but they would not listen. Prophets like Hosea were summoned by the LORD to go to the northern tribes and preach judgment upon the people if they would not return to the LORD. Tragically, there was no positive response.
We would do well to learn from the northern tribes, that sin will never go unpunished. What is revealed in the story above is that the root problem of the Israelites was a quest for lordship over the One True Lord. There was no desire to surrender because there was no desire for the LORD. There was only a desire for self . . . the foundational cause of all sin.
In 2 Kings, the story is told of the bitter end of the northern tribes of Israel. Hoshea was the last king who ruled on the throne of the northern tribes before the Assyrian invasion of the promised land. He had been paying tribute to the Assyrians to keep them from destroying his kingdom; however, Hoshea attempted to break from the control of the Assyrians by allying with the Egyptians. This decision proved to be fatal for the kingdom. When Shalmaneser (reign 725-722 BC) discovered that Hoshea was a traitor, he sent his army to lay siege to Samaria. For three years, the Assyrians sacked the capitol of the northern kingdom, bringing its utter destruction. Many of the inhabitants of the land were deported with the king, and the northern kingdom would cease to exist.
What I find interesting is that Scripture gives reasons for the demise of the northern kingdom, and this explanation is found immediately following the historical account of the Assyrian invasion. Here are the reasons:
1. The Israelites sinned against the LORD their God (vs 7)
2. They worshiped other gods (vs 7)
3. They followed the practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before them (vs 8)
4. They followed the practices of other nations that the kings of Israel had observed and brought back to the people (vs. 8)
5. They practiced detestable things in secret (vs 9)
6. They practiced detestable things out in the open on high places (vs 9)
7. They set up pagan icons and altars everywhere (vs 10)
8. They honored and worshiped the pagan deities by burning incense to them (vs 11)
9. They would not listen to the prophets sent by God to warn them (vs 14)
10. They did not trust in the LORD their God (vs 14)
11. They rejected the LORD's decrees and covenant (vs 15)
12. They sacrificed their children in the fire to honor the pagan deities (vs 17)
13. They practiced divination and sorcery and sold themselves to do evil (vs 17)
It is a rather exhaustive list isn't it? God had given plenty of opportunities for the Israelites to repent, but they would not listen. Prophets like Hosea were summoned by the LORD to go to the northern tribes and preach judgment upon the people if they would not return to the LORD. Tragically, there was no positive response.
We would do well to learn from the northern tribes, that sin will never go unpunished. What is revealed in the story above is that the root problem of the Israelites was a quest for lordship over the One True Lord. There was no desire to surrender because there was no desire for the LORD. There was only a desire for self . . . the foundational cause of all sin.
Friday, March 14, 2008
What is True Salvation?
Exodus 9:27,30,34: "Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. 'This time I have sinned,' he said to them. 'The LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. Pray to the LORD . . . ' (Moses said) 'But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the LORD God.' . . . . When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts . . . He would not let the Israelites go, just as the LORD had said through Moses."
Here is a great example of a supposed penitent heart that (1) acknowledged that he had sinned and (2) confirmed that the LORD was right and (3) asked that Moses pray for him. Still what was lacking was a heart that was willing to submit to the LORDship of God.
The story involves the struggle between God's covenant people and the rule of the Pharaoh of Egypt. After years of slavery, the time had come for the Israelites to leave the bondage of the Pharaoh and make their way to God's promised land. Of course, Pharaoh and the Egyptians did not want to let the Hebrew slaves go; they profited greatly from the bondage of the Israelites. God had sent Moses and his brother Aaron before the leader of the Egyptians to tell him to let the Hebrews go, but the Pharaoh would not listen. God sent a number of plagues as punishment for the Pharaoh's rebellion; still, the Pharaoh would not repent. In response, God continued to send plagues of greater severity to the land of Egypt. In Exodus 9, he sent the plague of hail, which "struck everything in the fields-both men and animals; it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree" (9:25). For the first time, the Pharaoh admitted that he had sinned. He summoned Moses and Aaron and told them that the LORD was right and that he and his people (the Egyptians) were wrong. The Pharaoh asked that Moses and Aaron pray for him and his people so that the wrath of the LORD would be diverted, and he promised that he would let the Hebrews go in return.
Moses left the presence of the Pharaoh and spread his hands toward the LORD, asking for a reprieve of the plague that had been sent by God. God answered Moses and stopped the severe hailstorm that had left the land of Egypt a wasteland. It seems that all would be well as the Pharaoh would now keep his promise. Yet, when the tide of God's judgment turned, Pharaoh revealed his true heart . . . one that again desired to challenge the Lordship of God. The passage says that Pharaoh and his officials "hardened their hearts" (9:34). The Hebrew word for harden is the word "hiphil" which suggests that the Pharaoh "steeled his mind." When we think of steel, we are reminded of a non-pliable substance that is not willing to be bended into something other than what it already is. Pharaoh represents this rigid, hardened object in that he was unwilling to change his quest for ultimate lordship. To be sure, the Pharaoh put on a good show of sorrow when the plagues were devastating his people, but the Pharaoh never intended to surrender himself to the will of God. He ultimately wanted to be the lord of everything, and he was willing to challenge the rightful place of the One True God.
When man is obstinate, God's challenge against man's quest of lordship brings a hardening of the rebellious heart. Still, God will rightfully assert His Sovereignty as Lord of all.
We have only one of two options: surrender to His God's Divine Lordship or attempt to overthrow His Right to Reign. The latter will bring destruction to all who seek its path.
Here is a great example of a supposed penitent heart that (1) acknowledged that he had sinned and (2) confirmed that the LORD was right and (3) asked that Moses pray for him. Still what was lacking was a heart that was willing to submit to the LORDship of God.
The story involves the struggle between God's covenant people and the rule of the Pharaoh of Egypt. After years of slavery, the time had come for the Israelites to leave the bondage of the Pharaoh and make their way to God's promised land. Of course, Pharaoh and the Egyptians did not want to let the Hebrew slaves go; they profited greatly from the bondage of the Israelites. God had sent Moses and his brother Aaron before the leader of the Egyptians to tell him to let the Hebrews go, but the Pharaoh would not listen. God sent a number of plagues as punishment for the Pharaoh's rebellion; still, the Pharaoh would not repent. In response, God continued to send plagues of greater severity to the land of Egypt. In Exodus 9, he sent the plague of hail, which "struck everything in the fields-both men and animals; it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree" (9:25). For the first time, the Pharaoh admitted that he had sinned. He summoned Moses and Aaron and told them that the LORD was right and that he and his people (the Egyptians) were wrong. The Pharaoh asked that Moses and Aaron pray for him and his people so that the wrath of the LORD would be diverted, and he promised that he would let the Hebrews go in return.
Moses left the presence of the Pharaoh and spread his hands toward the LORD, asking for a reprieve of the plague that had been sent by God. God answered Moses and stopped the severe hailstorm that had left the land of Egypt a wasteland. It seems that all would be well as the Pharaoh would now keep his promise. Yet, when the tide of God's judgment turned, Pharaoh revealed his true heart . . . one that again desired to challenge the Lordship of God. The passage says that Pharaoh and his officials "hardened their hearts" (9:34). The Hebrew word for harden is the word "hiphil" which suggests that the Pharaoh "steeled his mind." When we think of steel, we are reminded of a non-pliable substance that is not willing to be bended into something other than what it already is. Pharaoh represents this rigid, hardened object in that he was unwilling to change his quest for ultimate lordship. To be sure, the Pharaoh put on a good show of sorrow when the plagues were devastating his people, but the Pharaoh never intended to surrender himself to the will of God. He ultimately wanted to be the lord of everything, and he was willing to challenge the rightful place of the One True God.
When man is obstinate, God's challenge against man's quest of lordship brings a hardening of the rebellious heart. Still, God will rightfully assert His Sovereignty as Lord of all.
We have only one of two options: surrender to His God's Divine Lordship or attempt to overthrow His Right to Reign. The latter will bring destruction to all who seek its path.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Forsaking the Assurance of God
Isaiah 7:2-4,10-12: "Now the house of David was told, 'Aram has allied itself with Ephraim'; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind. Then the LORD said to Isaiah, 'God out, you and your son Shear-Jashub, to meet Ahaz on the road to the Washerman's Field. Say to him, 'Be careful, keep calm and don't be afraid' . . . . Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, 'Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.' But Ahaz said, 'I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test.'"
When one first reads this account of the reign of Ahaz, one may think, "This is a noble response of the king. He did not want to trouble or test the LORD in this situation." Yet as we read the fuller story of Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28; 2 Kings 16), we find that he is not nearly as noble as one may first think.
Ahaz is described as a man who "did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD" (2 Kings 16:2). Ahaz was quite brazen in his idolatry . . . "offering sacrifices and burning incense on hilltops" for all to see (2 Chronicles 28:4). So wicked was this man that he participated in the most debased rituals that the neighboring pagans celebrated. He, for example, sacrificed one of his sons to the god, Molech, in the valley of Ben Hinnom as a way of paying tribute and seeking direction from the false god.
As Ahaz served as king of Judah, Rezin (the king of Aram) and Pekah (the king of Israel) made a political alliance to counter the increasing dominance of the Assyrians in the region. Once this pact was made, the two kings decided to broaden their territorial influence by invading the region of Judah.
Ahaz and the people were shaken as the trees in the wind (Isaiah 7) at the thought of this invasion. And despite Ahaz's wickedness, God was still willing to provide protection to his kingdom. Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, God told the king to "Be calm. Don't be afraid." If only Ahaz would put his faith and obedience in the One True God, God in turn would bring deliverance from his enemies. God even initiated the challenge to Ahaz to ask for a sign "from the deepest depths to the highest heights" to prove that God was committed to providing protection to the people of Judah. Ahaz, however, would have nothing to do with God. In a spirit of rebellion, the king would not recognize God, even though the king was faced with a most perilous fate.
As a result, God "handed over Ahaz to the king of Aram and Israel" (2 Chronicles 28:5). The invaders inflicted heavy casualties upon the Judeans. Pekah, the king of Israel killed 120,000 soldiers of Judah and took as many as 200,000 women and children captive. They also plundered the treasuries of the Judeans, taking the riches back to their respective homelands. Once the Arameans and Israelites had weakened the defenses of the Judeans, the neighboring tribes of the Edomites and Philistines took advantage of the opportunity and invaded the lands of Judah, taking their share of territory and wealth.
Still, Ahaz would not seek the Lord; he sought refuge in the king of Assyria, Tiglath-Pilesar. The king of Assyria came to his aid, but only at the cost of the temple and palace treasures that had been saved during the previous invasions. The king of Assyria was more of a trouble than a help to Ahaz, for he sought the opportunity to exploit the vulnerable king of Judah in his time of need.
With all that Ahaz had now experienced, one would think that he would have seen the error of his way and sought the Lord. Sadly, in his time of trouble, "King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD" (2 Chronicles 28:22). He thought that he would worship the gods of the victorious invaders from Damascus, for Ahaz's enemies had been so successful against the Judeans. Ahaz ended up dismantling the Temple of the Lord in deference to the king of Assyria and the pagan altars that had been set up around the land. This behavior would provoke the Lord to anger against the people of Judah. The land was a complete mess, and it would not be long before God's demonstrative judgment would befall the Judeans through the Babylonian invasion.
Ahaz's story is one of sheer rebellion against the Lord. God gave the king so many opportunities to put his faith in Him, but the king refused. The king first did not want to yield himself to the One True God; for this reason, he decided to rescue himself from his perilous situation. Of course, this plan of action brought utter ruin to the land. Thousands of people were killed or captured as a result of the king's lack of submission to the LORD. When Ahaz died, the kingdom was merely a shell of what it once was in its glorious splendor.
We would do well to see that when the enemies of our lives (be it a medical condition, a financial tragedy, a relational crisis, an occupational disappointment, etc.) invade us, we have one of two responses. We can trust in the Lord and surrender to him in obedience or we can try to remedy our problems ourselves. God will bring victory for us through the accomplishing of His Will, if we will trust in Him and follow His commands. If we seek our own path, we will find a similar path of destruction that Ahaz himself experienced.
When one first reads this account of the reign of Ahaz, one may think, "This is a noble response of the king. He did not want to trouble or test the LORD in this situation." Yet as we read the fuller story of Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28; 2 Kings 16), we find that he is not nearly as noble as one may first think.
Ahaz is described as a man who "did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD" (2 Kings 16:2). Ahaz was quite brazen in his idolatry . . . "offering sacrifices and burning incense on hilltops" for all to see (2 Chronicles 28:4). So wicked was this man that he participated in the most debased rituals that the neighboring pagans celebrated. He, for example, sacrificed one of his sons to the god, Molech, in the valley of Ben Hinnom as a way of paying tribute and seeking direction from the false god.
As Ahaz served as king of Judah, Rezin (the king of Aram) and Pekah (the king of Israel) made a political alliance to counter the increasing dominance of the Assyrians in the region. Once this pact was made, the two kings decided to broaden their territorial influence by invading the region of Judah.
Ahaz and the people were shaken as the trees in the wind (Isaiah 7) at the thought of this invasion. And despite Ahaz's wickedness, God was still willing to provide protection to his kingdom. Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, God told the king to "Be calm. Don't be afraid." If only Ahaz would put his faith and obedience in the One True God, God in turn would bring deliverance from his enemies. God even initiated the challenge to Ahaz to ask for a sign "from the deepest depths to the highest heights" to prove that God was committed to providing protection to the people of Judah. Ahaz, however, would have nothing to do with God. In a spirit of rebellion, the king would not recognize God, even though the king was faced with a most perilous fate.
As a result, God "handed over Ahaz to the king of Aram and Israel" (2 Chronicles 28:5). The invaders inflicted heavy casualties upon the Judeans. Pekah, the king of Israel killed 120,000 soldiers of Judah and took as many as 200,000 women and children captive. They also plundered the treasuries of the Judeans, taking the riches back to their respective homelands. Once the Arameans and Israelites had weakened the defenses of the Judeans, the neighboring tribes of the Edomites and Philistines took advantage of the opportunity and invaded the lands of Judah, taking their share of territory and wealth.
Still, Ahaz would not seek the Lord; he sought refuge in the king of Assyria, Tiglath-Pilesar. The king of Assyria came to his aid, but only at the cost of the temple and palace treasures that had been saved during the previous invasions. The king of Assyria was more of a trouble than a help to Ahaz, for he sought the opportunity to exploit the vulnerable king of Judah in his time of need.
With all that Ahaz had now experienced, one would think that he would have seen the error of his way and sought the Lord. Sadly, in his time of trouble, "King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD" (2 Chronicles 28:22). He thought that he would worship the gods of the victorious invaders from Damascus, for Ahaz's enemies had been so successful against the Judeans. Ahaz ended up dismantling the Temple of the Lord in deference to the king of Assyria and the pagan altars that had been set up around the land. This behavior would provoke the Lord to anger against the people of Judah. The land was a complete mess, and it would not be long before God's demonstrative judgment would befall the Judeans through the Babylonian invasion.
Ahaz's story is one of sheer rebellion against the Lord. God gave the king so many opportunities to put his faith in Him, but the king refused. The king first did not want to yield himself to the One True God; for this reason, he decided to rescue himself from his perilous situation. Of course, this plan of action brought utter ruin to the land. Thousands of people were killed or captured as a result of the king's lack of submission to the LORD. When Ahaz died, the kingdom was merely a shell of what it once was in its glorious splendor.
We would do well to see that when the enemies of our lives (be it a medical condition, a financial tragedy, a relational crisis, an occupational disappointment, etc.) invade us, we have one of two responses. We can trust in the Lord and surrender to him in obedience or we can try to remedy our problems ourselves. God will bring victory for us through the accomplishing of His Will, if we will trust in Him and follow His commands. If we seek our own path, we will find a similar path of destruction that Ahaz himself experienced.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
What's the Root Problem In Our World Today?
Genesis 3:4: "'You will not surely die,' the serpent said to the woman. 'For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.' When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it."
Want to know the foundational problem of our world today? It all started at the beginning of time with the first people who walked this earth. God created the first couple, Adam and Eve, as the pinnacle of His creation and charged them with the responsibility of ruling over the rest of creation (Genesis 1:28). Yet instead of yielding to the Lord as their Master, Adam and Eve seized the opportunity to "dethrone" God for their own supremacy. God had instructed Adam that he was permitted to eat of any tree in the Garden of Eden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The consequence of eating of the one forbidden fruit was physical and spiritual death (Genesis 2:17).
As Eve later walked through the garden, she was approached by the crafty serpent, Satan. This serpent was able to convince Eve that God did not want Adam and her to partake of the forbidden fruit, for it would make them like God, knowing good and evil.
As Eve and Adam gazed upon the fruit, they noticed that the fruit was pleasing to the eye and would provide them with the wisdom that would assert their quest for divinity. They were willing to defy the command of the Lord for their own pursuit of lordship; they did not care that their cravings for power and inappropriate physical gratification were counter to God's prescription for their lives. Tragically, their rebellion would bring God's judgment of pain, toilsome labor on the earth, eventual physical death, and spiritual separation from the Lord. Although they thought that their disobedience would elevate them to godhood, in reality it led them to a far worse place than they had ever been before.
In today's society, we see the fruit of this abject rebellion: adultery, fornication, lust, pride, control, power, abuses, addictions, etc. People today do not care that God expects submission to His Lordship; they want to live their own lives and satisfy their own cravings and don't give a flip as to what God demands. Their own wants take priority over all people and things; it's all about their quest to be God themselves. They do not realize that God is the Sovereign Lord who created all of creation and is due complete allegiance and submission.
Until mankind understands that its self-centered quest for lordship is rebellion against the One, Holy, Sovereign God, it will continue to spiral down the path of destruction. What is needed is a world surrendered to the Lord of Hosts and following His commands as indicated in Scripture. When we submit to God, we find that His purposes are accomplished through us; if all of humanity were to surrender, our world would be changed radically for the better.
Want to know the foundational problem of our world today? It all started at the beginning of time with the first people who walked this earth. God created the first couple, Adam and Eve, as the pinnacle of His creation and charged them with the responsibility of ruling over the rest of creation (Genesis 1:28). Yet instead of yielding to the Lord as their Master, Adam and Eve seized the opportunity to "dethrone" God for their own supremacy. God had instructed Adam that he was permitted to eat of any tree in the Garden of Eden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The consequence of eating of the one forbidden fruit was physical and spiritual death (Genesis 2:17).
As Eve later walked through the garden, she was approached by the crafty serpent, Satan. This serpent was able to convince Eve that God did not want Adam and her to partake of the forbidden fruit, for it would make them like God, knowing good and evil.
As Eve and Adam gazed upon the fruit, they noticed that the fruit was pleasing to the eye and would provide them with the wisdom that would assert their quest for divinity. They were willing to defy the command of the Lord for their own pursuit of lordship; they did not care that their cravings for power and inappropriate physical gratification were counter to God's prescription for their lives. Tragically, their rebellion would bring God's judgment of pain, toilsome labor on the earth, eventual physical death, and spiritual separation from the Lord. Although they thought that their disobedience would elevate them to godhood, in reality it led them to a far worse place than they had ever been before.
In today's society, we see the fruit of this abject rebellion: adultery, fornication, lust, pride, control, power, abuses, addictions, etc. People today do not care that God expects submission to His Lordship; they want to live their own lives and satisfy their own cravings and don't give a flip as to what God demands. Their own wants take priority over all people and things; it's all about their quest to be God themselves. They do not realize that God is the Sovereign Lord who created all of creation and is due complete allegiance and submission.
Until mankind understands that its self-centered quest for lordship is rebellion against the One, Holy, Sovereign God, it will continue to spiral down the path of destruction. What is needed is a world surrendered to the Lord of Hosts and following His commands as indicated in Scripture. When we submit to God, we find that His purposes are accomplished through us; if all of humanity were to surrender, our world would be changed radically for the better.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Submission
Mark 10:17,23-23: "A man ran up to him (Jesus) and fell on his knees before him. 'Good teacher,' he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?' . . . . At (the words of Jesus) the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, 'How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!'"
In this gospel passage, we find a certain rich man who had watched Jesus and had become quite impressed with Jesus' words of wisdom and his miraculous deeds performed in Judea. In his exuberance, the rich man was willing to make a public profession to bow to the "great teacher" and find out how he may have eternal life. As he knelt before the Savior, the rich man wanted to know what he must do to merit God's favor.
Jesus knowing that the man did not understand Him as the Messiah but merely a "good teacher," first corrected his theology. Jesus wanted the man to understand that no one was good but God alone. Thus, no one is able through his own attainments to justify himself before the Lord. Jesus told the rich man this truth so that the hearers would know that ultimately it is God alone who would provide the atoning sacrifice for our sins (I John 2:2). This is why Jesus would later offer Himself on a cross for the remission of sins of those who would be saved.
Still, Jesus knew that all men must respond to this gift of grace through submission to Him as their Lord and Savior. When Jesus told the man to go and sell his possessions and give them to the poor so that he could have eternal treasures, He was addressing the central spiritual problem within the rich man. Jesus knew that riches per se were not inherently bad; rather, this man had surrendered himself to the privilege associated with his riches. He had made the quest for affluency his lord.
The rich man's true colors were revealed once Jesus addressed the cost of discipleship. Instead of surrendering himself to the Lord, the rich man rose from his humbled position and turned away because the cost was too high. He could not let go of his wealth; he received too many personal benefits to give up his lifestyle.
This story presents a good lesson for us today. Many people attend worship services and even respond during the invitation of a worship service because they are impressed with the words and miracles of Jesus as expressed in His Word. They may even make a public profession of allegiance to Christ. They want the benefits of association with God (e.g. heaven, abundant life, material blessing, etc.), and they are willing to make their "commitment" public.
Yet no matter how demonstrative the act of allegiance is by the person, it is a feigned response because it does not involve the necessary response to God's grace: submission. The true believer in Christ will submit himself to the Lordship of Christ. He is willing for renounce anything (including himself) that has been the lord of his life. God now becomes the master of that person's life, guiding him to obedience.
One cannot merely get the benefits of God without the cost of surrender. Still, we must know that the beauty of such submission is in its fulfillment for the soul (Matthew 11:28-30). No other thing to which we submit our allegiance will ever bring to us the satisfaction and completion that the Lord Himself will provide to us if we surrender to Him.
In this gospel passage, we find a certain rich man who had watched Jesus and had become quite impressed with Jesus' words of wisdom and his miraculous deeds performed in Judea. In his exuberance, the rich man was willing to make a public profession to bow to the "great teacher" and find out how he may have eternal life. As he knelt before the Savior, the rich man wanted to know what he must do to merit God's favor.
Jesus knowing that the man did not understand Him as the Messiah but merely a "good teacher," first corrected his theology. Jesus wanted the man to understand that no one was good but God alone. Thus, no one is able through his own attainments to justify himself before the Lord. Jesus told the rich man this truth so that the hearers would know that ultimately it is God alone who would provide the atoning sacrifice for our sins (I John 2:2). This is why Jesus would later offer Himself on a cross for the remission of sins of those who would be saved.
Still, Jesus knew that all men must respond to this gift of grace through submission to Him as their Lord and Savior. When Jesus told the man to go and sell his possessions and give them to the poor so that he could have eternal treasures, He was addressing the central spiritual problem within the rich man. Jesus knew that riches per se were not inherently bad; rather, this man had surrendered himself to the privilege associated with his riches. He had made the quest for affluency his lord.
The rich man's true colors were revealed once Jesus addressed the cost of discipleship. Instead of surrendering himself to the Lord, the rich man rose from his humbled position and turned away because the cost was too high. He could not let go of his wealth; he received too many personal benefits to give up his lifestyle.
This story presents a good lesson for us today. Many people attend worship services and even respond during the invitation of a worship service because they are impressed with the words and miracles of Jesus as expressed in His Word. They may even make a public profession of allegiance to Christ. They want the benefits of association with God (e.g. heaven, abundant life, material blessing, etc.), and they are willing to make their "commitment" public.
Yet no matter how demonstrative the act of allegiance is by the person, it is a feigned response because it does not involve the necessary response to God's grace: submission. The true believer in Christ will submit himself to the Lordship of Christ. He is willing for renounce anything (including himself) that has been the lord of his life. God now becomes the master of that person's life, guiding him to obedience.
One cannot merely get the benefits of God without the cost of surrender. Still, we must know that the beauty of such submission is in its fulfillment for the soul (Matthew 11:28-30). No other thing to which we submit our allegiance will ever bring to us the satisfaction and completion that the Lord Himself will provide to us if we surrender to Him.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Successful Parenting
Psalm 78; Proverbs 31: "We will not hide them (the words of God passed down from our fathers) from our children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, His power, and the wonders He has done . . . . Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds but would keep His commands."
These verses are a great word of encouragement to parents who are in need of imparting a blessing to their children. What better way to enrich your children's lives than to share the blessings of God and his praiseworthy deeds, especially since your children's first purpose in life is to glorify the Lord.
When a parent teaches the truths of the Lord and models a life truly transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, then the children will put their trust in God, obey His commands, and fulfill their ultimate purpose in life. There is no better gift that a parent can impart to his child.
These verses are a great word of encouragement to parents who are in need of imparting a blessing to their children. What better way to enrich your children's lives than to share the blessings of God and his praiseworthy deeds, especially since your children's first purpose in life is to glorify the Lord.
When a parent teaches the truths of the Lord and models a life truly transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, then the children will put their trust in God, obey His commands, and fulfill their ultimate purpose in life. There is no better gift that a parent can impart to his child.
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