Isaiah 24:5-6: "The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt."
If there is one certainty in our world, it is the uncertainty that unfortunate (even tragic) circumstances present to us in life. When we are faced with an unexpected medical diagnosis, a financial catastrophe, or a natural disaster, our souls tremble at the lack of control over our lives. And in our helpless state, we burst forth with questions as to why these tragedies occur in the first place. After all, would not a Sovereign Creator who has the power to prevent such events intervene to remove such loss?
We find ourselves asking God the "Why" questions? "Why God did you not divert this catastrophe in my life?" ; "Why God do you let such a thing happen in the first place?"; "God, are you even there?"; "Are you even real?". When the cumulative effect of substantive loss begins to overwhelm us, we are tempted to disassociate ourselves from a God who presumably is either not real or not interested in us.
The cited passage above gives us an explanation as to why we experience tragedies in this life, both globally and personally; specifically, we find that God placed a curse upon His creation as a result of man's cosmic treason against God's rightful reign as the Sovereign Lord. To be sure, God had warned Adam (the first man), that his rebellion would bring a Divine curse leading to the death and destruction of man and his habitation. Whereas God originally gave man the blessing of a perfect, sinless environment in which he might live . . . free from the calamities that we've mentioned above, man chose to forsake God's blessings by determining to be a god himself. The consumption of the forbidden fruit was an assertion by man to claim his own divinity, in open defiance against the One True God . . . the One who created him and blessed him with his perfect habitation.
Man has no one to blame for such problematic circumstances in life but himself. It is our sin that drove us from the place of serenity and protection to a place of tragic uncertainty and pain. Now we and our world must bear the consequences of our rebellion against the Lord.
Romans 8:19f reinforces this idea when it tells us that God's created universe waits in eager expectation for Jesus' return, when it will be liberated from the bondage to which it was subjected as a result of the curse. In fact, the passage uses the imagery of the earth and its inhabitants "groaning as in the pains of childbirth" until the coming restoration/redemption of creation with the return of Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ returns in ineffable glory, He will "make everything new"(Revelation 21:5); our Lord will make a new heaven and a new earth for the redeemed to inhabit for all eternity . . . freed from the bondage of this cursed creation. This is the hope to which we long; this is the eternal deliverance that we eagerly await.
Therefore, we must not ascribe culpability to God for the misfortunes that we experience in this world. We must understand that our tragedies are the result of original sin that brought the promised curse for such disobedience. Whereas we might not be able to control our circumstances in this life, we can rest in the assurance of Divine deliverance that is offered to us through God's gift of eternal life. When we surrender to God as our Righteous Lord and receive His gift of salvation solely through Jesus' death and resurrection, then we can press on in hope to our eternal glorification . . . a state in which we will not have to endure the ramifications of the earth's defilement from sin.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
God Humbles the Proud
Isaiah 23:9: "The LORD Almighty planned it, to bring low the pride of all glory and to humble all who are renowned on the earth."
When reading through the chapters just preceding the cited verse above, one finds an interesting dichotomy. In chapter 19, one reads that God brings judgment upon the Egyptians, but relents from His wrath when the Egyptians respond to the Lord's judgment with fear and surrender. Whereas they had vaunted themselves in brazen arrogance, feasting upon their status as a powerful nation and the material spoils that come with such dominance, now they "shudder with fear at the uplifted hand of the LORD Almighty against them" (19:16). As God began to punish the Egyptians for their self-consumption, the Egyptians responded with contrition and submission. They would build an altar in the heart of Egypt for the LORD and would cry out for deliverance from their oppressors. The Scriptures record that the LORD would hear the petitions of the Egyptians and would bring a savior to rescue them from their demise. The Egyptians would worship the Lord with sacrifices and offerings and they would make vows to the Lord and faithfully fulfill them. Because the Egyptians responded with surrender to the Lord's chastisement, the Lord would withdraw His punitive measures and would heal their land.
In Isaiah 22, one finds that the Israelites were faced with similar judgment from the Hand of the Lord, presumably for having the same arrogant, self-absorbed disposition as the Egyptians. The Israelites' disdain for the Lord and His commands would bring His wrath in the form of invading pagan armies from the north. Yet even as the defenses of the city of Jerusalem were being breached and the enemies of the Israelites were entering the City of David, the Israelites did not cry out to the Lord. Instead they attempted to remedy their own problems through their own efforts (e.g. they stored up water in reservoirs and strengthened the walls around the city). Still, the Israelites did not repent and surrender themselves to the LORD. Rather than mourning for their chronic rebellion against the Lord, the people feasted in "joy and revelry" . . . deciding that if they were to die, they would go out in style . . . drinking wine and eating rich foods. The LORD determined that such arrogance would not be atoned, and He would bring judgment upon the Israelites for their recalcitrance.
When reading through the chapters just preceding the cited verse above, one finds an interesting dichotomy. In chapter 19, one reads that God brings judgment upon the Egyptians, but relents from His wrath when the Egyptians respond to the Lord's judgment with fear and surrender. Whereas they had vaunted themselves in brazen arrogance, feasting upon their status as a powerful nation and the material spoils that come with such dominance, now they "shudder with fear at the uplifted hand of the LORD Almighty against them" (19:16). As God began to punish the Egyptians for their self-consumption, the Egyptians responded with contrition and submission. They would build an altar in the heart of Egypt for the LORD and would cry out for deliverance from their oppressors. The Scriptures record that the LORD would hear the petitions of the Egyptians and would bring a savior to rescue them from their demise. The Egyptians would worship the Lord with sacrifices and offerings and they would make vows to the Lord and faithfully fulfill them. Because the Egyptians responded with surrender to the Lord's chastisement, the Lord would withdraw His punitive measures and would heal their land.
In Isaiah 22, one finds that the Israelites were faced with similar judgment from the Hand of the Lord, presumably for having the same arrogant, self-absorbed disposition as the Egyptians. The Israelites' disdain for the Lord and His commands would bring His wrath in the form of invading pagan armies from the north. Yet even as the defenses of the city of Jerusalem were being breached and the enemies of the Israelites were entering the City of David, the Israelites did not cry out to the Lord. Instead they attempted to remedy their own problems through their own efforts (e.g. they stored up water in reservoirs and strengthened the walls around the city). Still, the Israelites did not repent and surrender themselves to the LORD. Rather than mourning for their chronic rebellion against the Lord, the people feasted in "joy and revelry" . . . deciding that if they were to die, they would go out in style . . . drinking wine and eating rich foods. The LORD determined that such arrogance would not be atoned, and He would bring judgment upon the Israelites for their recalcitrance.
If there is a word of warning for us today, it is the guarantee that the Lord will humble the proud . . . those who would determine to dictate their lives according to their own selfish ways, with no regard for the Lord and His commands. It is only when a nation repents of its sins of rebellion against the Lord that He in turn will heal their land (see 2 Chronicles 7:14). Let us not bristle up in selfish determination to live in opposition to the will of God Almighty; instead, let us submit ourselves to Him as Lord and receive His blessed healing. We will never regret the decision to yield ourselves to His rightful reign in our lives.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
God the Almighty Will Accomplish His Purposes
Isaiah 14:27; 16:5; 17:13: "For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back? . . . . In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it-one from the house of David- one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness . . . . Although the peoples roar like the roar of surging waters, when he rebukes them they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweed before a gale."
Whenever we as followers of Jesus Christ look at our world with its global unrest and ubiquitous profligacy we quickly can lose hope in our future. Despondency settles into our spirits leaving us with fearful expectations of what is to come. We lose the joy of our salvation, because in our faithless disposition, we begin to wonder if God is in fact the Sovereign One that He claims to be. These spiritual wars that we face need to be challenged by the truth of God's Word; in fact, we know from the Scriptures that our faith is fueled in the hearing of God's precious Holy Word (see Romans 10:17).
In the above cited Scriptures, we are able to see that no person, thing, or spiritual being will be able to thwart the purposes of God. Whereas God has permitted evil to exist in the world, His ultimate purpose is being accomplished through the establishment of the eternal Sovereign throne of Jesus Christ, who will be the Faithful Judge "seeking justice and speeding the cause of righteousness." Even though the nations would attempt to challenge the purposes of the Lord through their reckless, wicked rebellion to His rightful Lordship, in the end they will be destroyed. God's act of eternal redemption for those who have surrendered themselves to His Lordship and His righteous wrath poured out upon those who have challenged His Lordship will continue to be revealed until the Final Day of the Lord!
With this blessed assurance that has been given to us through the Word of God, let us not become weary in our obedience to the Lord, "for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9). Let us not become discouraged at the events unfolding in our world, but let us ever have the bold determination to be the faithful followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us be the instruments that He uses to reflect His glorious light of truth to the darkened world around us. Let us glorify Him, knowing that our eternal purpose will be to praise Him as Our Sovereign King.
Whenever we as followers of Jesus Christ look at our world with its global unrest and ubiquitous profligacy we quickly can lose hope in our future. Despondency settles into our spirits leaving us with fearful expectations of what is to come. We lose the joy of our salvation, because in our faithless disposition, we begin to wonder if God is in fact the Sovereign One that He claims to be. These spiritual wars that we face need to be challenged by the truth of God's Word; in fact, we know from the Scriptures that our faith is fueled in the hearing of God's precious Holy Word (see Romans 10:17).
In the above cited Scriptures, we are able to see that no person, thing, or spiritual being will be able to thwart the purposes of God. Whereas God has permitted evil to exist in the world, His ultimate purpose is being accomplished through the establishment of the eternal Sovereign throne of Jesus Christ, who will be the Faithful Judge "seeking justice and speeding the cause of righteousness." Even though the nations would attempt to challenge the purposes of the Lord through their reckless, wicked rebellion to His rightful Lordship, in the end they will be destroyed. God's act of eternal redemption for those who have surrendered themselves to His Lordship and His righteous wrath poured out upon those who have challenged His Lordship will continue to be revealed until the Final Day of the Lord!
With this blessed assurance that has been given to us through the Word of God, let us not become weary in our obedience to the Lord, "for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9). Let us not become discouraged at the events unfolding in our world, but let us ever have the bold determination to be the faithful followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us be the instruments that He uses to reflect His glorious light of truth to the darkened world around us. Let us glorify Him, knowing that our eternal purpose will be to praise Him as Our Sovereign King.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Jesus: The Righteous Judge & Redeemer
Isaiah 11:1,3-5, 10; 12:1-2: "A shoot (Jesus Christ) will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his (Jessie's) roots a Branch will bear fruit . . . . He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist . . . . In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious . . . . In that day you will say: 'I will praise you, O LORD. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.'"
In our world today, we have rulers whose execution of justice is swayed by personal preference and benefit, even if that "justice" is not fair and just. One of the assurances that we have in Scripture is the justness of Jesus Christ, the Supreme Judge, who will judge the nations with the purity of His Righteousness and Holiness. We can have the security of knowing that Jesus is not fickle or preferential but will rule according to His eternal truths that have been made known unto man since the beginning of time.
What we do find in Jesus' Word is that He will bring judgment upon the wicked, who have treated His Holiness with contempt. Those who would attempt to assert their own will over the One True God will find that they will stand before the Righteous and Faithful God without the hope of deliverance. God in His Holiness will enact His wrath against those rebellious people, and that judgment will be eternal (see Revelation 20).
Still, we find in the above cited passage that the very One who will judge the wicked will offer Himself as a Banner of Protection for His people, and He will offer deliverance from His wrath by granting His chosen, entrance into His eternal rest (i.e. Heaven). Lest one think that he is able to merit this Divine favor by his own stature or accomplishments, one should look to Isaiah 12 to see why God's mercy has been bestowed to His remnant. Specifically, we find in that chapter that these people have received salvation not from their own doing, but from the Lord, who has offered Himself as the source of salvation. These redeemed have engaged in glorious praise of the Glorious Lord who has saved them from the eternal judgment that is due them (as with all of the wicked). As these people praise the Lord for His providing Himself as the ransom for their sins, they celebrate that God now is their Strength that drives away any fear of eternal damnation. They can't help but want to share with the world this incredible offering of redemption made possible to an unholy people by God's love and sacrificial atonement for their sins. This is love at its finest.
As we reflect upon our own status, we must conclude that none of us can stand before the Lord worthy of His eternal blessings, for all of us have sinned and fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:23); this is why God HAD to come into the world and offer Himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sins (I John 2:1-2). Jesus Christ, the Branch from the root of Jessie, came into the world in order that we might be justified freely by His grace, made manifest through His death and resurrection (Romans 3:24).
God's Faithfulness and Righteousness demand that all sin be judged. Were we left to our own defenses, we would stand condemned by His Righteousness. Therefore, our only hope of rescue is to surrender ourselves to Jesus Christ as Lord, repent of our sins of rebellion against His Holiness, and receive His offering of grace through His solely sufficient act of atonement. For those of us who are willing to yield ourselves to Him, we can celebrate with those in Isaiah 12 that He (Jesus Christ) is our Rescue, giving us the joy of "drawing water from the wells of (His) salvation" (12:3).
In our world today, we have rulers whose execution of justice is swayed by personal preference and benefit, even if that "justice" is not fair and just. One of the assurances that we have in Scripture is the justness of Jesus Christ, the Supreme Judge, who will judge the nations with the purity of His Righteousness and Holiness. We can have the security of knowing that Jesus is not fickle or preferential but will rule according to His eternal truths that have been made known unto man since the beginning of time.
What we do find in Jesus' Word is that He will bring judgment upon the wicked, who have treated His Holiness with contempt. Those who would attempt to assert their own will over the One True God will find that they will stand before the Righteous and Faithful God without the hope of deliverance. God in His Holiness will enact His wrath against those rebellious people, and that judgment will be eternal (see Revelation 20).
Still, we find in the above cited passage that the very One who will judge the wicked will offer Himself as a Banner of Protection for His people, and He will offer deliverance from His wrath by granting His chosen, entrance into His eternal rest (i.e. Heaven). Lest one think that he is able to merit this Divine favor by his own stature or accomplishments, one should look to Isaiah 12 to see why God's mercy has been bestowed to His remnant. Specifically, we find in that chapter that these people have received salvation not from their own doing, but from the Lord, who has offered Himself as the source of salvation. These redeemed have engaged in glorious praise of the Glorious Lord who has saved them from the eternal judgment that is due them (as with all of the wicked). As these people praise the Lord for His providing Himself as the ransom for their sins, they celebrate that God now is their Strength that drives away any fear of eternal damnation. They can't help but want to share with the world this incredible offering of redemption made possible to an unholy people by God's love and sacrificial atonement for their sins. This is love at its finest.
As we reflect upon our own status, we must conclude that none of us can stand before the Lord worthy of His eternal blessings, for all of us have sinned and fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:23); this is why God HAD to come into the world and offer Himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sins (I John 2:1-2). Jesus Christ, the Branch from the root of Jessie, came into the world in order that we might be justified freely by His grace, made manifest through His death and resurrection (Romans 3:24).
God's Faithfulness and Righteousness demand that all sin be judged. Were we left to our own defenses, we would stand condemned by His Righteousness. Therefore, our only hope of rescue is to surrender ourselves to Jesus Christ as Lord, repent of our sins of rebellion against His Holiness, and receive His offering of grace through His solely sufficient act of atonement. For those of us who are willing to yield ourselves to Him, we can celebrate with those in Isaiah 12 that He (Jesus Christ) is our Rescue, giving us the joy of "drawing water from the wells of (His) salvation" (12:3).
Monday, December 29, 2008
Pride Is the Source of Quarreling
Proverbs 13:10: "Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice."
If one could peel back the facade of many of the churches in America today, one would see divisiveness about the most trivial matters. Whether the theme fueling the lack of harmony is the style of music or the color of carpet in the worship center, the deeper reason for such division can be found in personal pride. The original word for "pride" mentioned in Proverbs 13 is a word which means "boiling up"; that is, pride is a swelling of the ego to the point that the person ensnared by it believes himself and his opinions to be far superior to those around him. We also see in this prideful person a vehement anger that wells up when he does not get his way. The foundation of many arguments today is not necessarily the mere difference of opinion but the sinister clashing of unyielding personalities.
Again, since this boastful person sees himself as the center of the universe, to which all creatures are to bow in humble servitude, he is enraged when people do not surrender their wills to his perceived "perfect" will. And if one were to attempt to provide counsel to this arrogant person, in order that he might see his sin of pride, the confronting person is likely to receive a vituperative response. Why you might ask? Because the prideful person is unwilling to hear the wise counsel of others; he is too ensconced in his arrogance to see that he may in fact be wrong. This person often entrenches himself in his "cause" which in reality is his insistence that he get his own way. This type of person is the "cancer" of the church that eats away at God's will for the unity of the body (see Ephesians 4).
Sadly, many churches today are filled with people who are consumed with egocentricity. In fact, in my observation of church life today, I have noticed that many church attendees are connected to a particular church because they have been culturally conditioned there. They attend a particular church because they were reared in a social environment which expected church attendance and/or they have family alliances in a particular church. It may very well be that their dearly departed family members were instrumental in the development of the church. And in their opinion, this familial association gives them license to "run the church" the way that they expect it to be run. Seldom do they keep a pastor for more than a few years, for if the pastor has a vision from the Lord to direct the church in a direction that is different from the expectations of these "church rulers," then the pastor is run out of town. There is little desire for change (even if the Holy Spirit is a part of the change), for these wielders of church power want to maintain the norm in order that their power remains unchallenged.
How many times have I heard of or spoken with grieving pastors who have been called to a church by welcoming parishioners only to find that there is a centrality of power held by a few prominent families, and any deviation from the wishes of those few families brings the consternation and retributive wrath from them, that evolves into a campaign to replace that pastor with a "conformist."
Of course just the reverse can be true in that parishioners can call a pastor who at first seems to be the answer to the church's need for an overseer who will lead the people into faithful obedience to the Lord, when in fact, they soon find that the pastor is a tyrannical despot who seeks to dominate those to whom he believes himself to be called.
Whereas all of us have struggled with selfish pride in some manifestation, we need to remember that God hates a prideful spirit (it is one of the most detestable sins that God hates [see Proverbs 6:17]). Scripture compares an arrogant spirit to the evil of idolatry (see I Samuel 15:23), and we know that the Lord will punish all of those who place any other god above worship of the One True God! Of course, one can argue that an arrogant, prideful spirit is nothing less that worship of self above all other persons and things. Such idolatry is utterly abhorrent to the Lord, and He will judge such wickedness.
God tells us in Isaiah 66:2 that He esteems the one who is "humble and contrite in Spirit." Let us embrace a submissive spirit toward the Lord and others. Let us not push for our selfish agendas in prideful arrogance; instead, let us have teachable spirits that can receive the wisdom of the Lord to live lives of perfect obedience to Him as Lord. Were we within Christendom to renounce our selfish ways for the will of God Almighty, we would find unity rekindled and we would see the power of God released in truly miraculous ways.
If one could peel back the facade of many of the churches in America today, one would see divisiveness about the most trivial matters. Whether the theme fueling the lack of harmony is the style of music or the color of carpet in the worship center, the deeper reason for such division can be found in personal pride. The original word for "pride" mentioned in Proverbs 13 is a word which means "boiling up"; that is, pride is a swelling of the ego to the point that the person ensnared by it believes himself and his opinions to be far superior to those around him. We also see in this prideful person a vehement anger that wells up when he does not get his way. The foundation of many arguments today is not necessarily the mere difference of opinion but the sinister clashing of unyielding personalities.
Again, since this boastful person sees himself as the center of the universe, to which all creatures are to bow in humble servitude, he is enraged when people do not surrender their wills to his perceived "perfect" will. And if one were to attempt to provide counsel to this arrogant person, in order that he might see his sin of pride, the confronting person is likely to receive a vituperative response. Why you might ask? Because the prideful person is unwilling to hear the wise counsel of others; he is too ensconced in his arrogance to see that he may in fact be wrong. This person often entrenches himself in his "cause" which in reality is his insistence that he get his own way. This type of person is the "cancer" of the church that eats away at God's will for the unity of the body (see Ephesians 4).
Sadly, many churches today are filled with people who are consumed with egocentricity. In fact, in my observation of church life today, I have noticed that many church attendees are connected to a particular church because they have been culturally conditioned there. They attend a particular church because they were reared in a social environment which expected church attendance and/or they have family alliances in a particular church. It may very well be that their dearly departed family members were instrumental in the development of the church. And in their opinion, this familial association gives them license to "run the church" the way that they expect it to be run. Seldom do they keep a pastor for more than a few years, for if the pastor has a vision from the Lord to direct the church in a direction that is different from the expectations of these "church rulers," then the pastor is run out of town. There is little desire for change (even if the Holy Spirit is a part of the change), for these wielders of church power want to maintain the norm in order that their power remains unchallenged.
How many times have I heard of or spoken with grieving pastors who have been called to a church by welcoming parishioners only to find that there is a centrality of power held by a few prominent families, and any deviation from the wishes of those few families brings the consternation and retributive wrath from them, that evolves into a campaign to replace that pastor with a "conformist."
Of course just the reverse can be true in that parishioners can call a pastor who at first seems to be the answer to the church's need for an overseer who will lead the people into faithful obedience to the Lord, when in fact, they soon find that the pastor is a tyrannical despot who seeks to dominate those to whom he believes himself to be called.
Whereas all of us have struggled with selfish pride in some manifestation, we need to remember that God hates a prideful spirit (it is one of the most detestable sins that God hates [see Proverbs 6:17]). Scripture compares an arrogant spirit to the evil of idolatry (see I Samuel 15:23), and we know that the Lord will punish all of those who place any other god above worship of the One True God! Of course, one can argue that an arrogant, prideful spirit is nothing less that worship of self above all other persons and things. Such idolatry is utterly abhorrent to the Lord, and He will judge such wickedness.
God tells us in Isaiah 66:2 that He esteems the one who is "humble and contrite in Spirit." Let us embrace a submissive spirit toward the Lord and others. Let us not push for our selfish agendas in prideful arrogance; instead, let us have teachable spirits that can receive the wisdom of the Lord to live lives of perfect obedience to Him as Lord. Were we within Christendom to renounce our selfish ways for the will of God Almighty, we would find unity rekindled and we would see the power of God released in truly miraculous ways.
Friday, December 19, 2008
They Did Not Understand About the Loaves
Mark 6:51-52: "Then he (Jesus) climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened."
This passage recorded in the Gospel of Mark describes the events immediately following Jesus' miraculous feeding of the 5000 on a mountainside along the Sea of Galilee. Right after Jesus fed the people, He made His disciples get into a boat and sail for Capernaum. It was very late in the evening (Matthew's Gospel records it was about the fourth watch of the night [3-6am]). Jesus did not board the small sailing vessel with them, for He desired to retreat privately to a mountainside in order that He might commune with His Father in prayer.
Right in the middle of the disciple's four-mile sea trek, unexpected winds hurled down upon the helpless boat; the experienced seaman in the boat were terrified with the raging waters that threatened to capsize the vessel. As the disciples unsuccessfully strained to guide the boat with oars, they looked to the horizon and saw Jesus walking on the water towards them. Their first response was terror, for they thought that a ghost (possibly a spirit from Sheol, the place of the dead) had come to visit them and affirm their imminent demise.
Jesus quickly allayed His disciple's fears by extending peace to them; Peter was so amazed at Jesus' arrival, that he asked if he might come out to the Savior upon the water. When Jesus beckoned Peter out of the boat, the disciple (with eyes fixed upon Jesus) began to walk on the water toward Jesus. Of course, the wind and waves were still swirling about causing Peter to take his eyes off the Savior and look instead at the perilous condition in which he found himself. As soon as Peter was distracted by his circumstances and lost faith in the Savior, he began to sink into the turbulent waters. The disciple cried out to Jesus for rescue, and the Lord saved him; then Jesus rebuked His disciple for not having faith.
Jesus and Peter returned to the boat, and as soon as they boarded, the winds died down. The overwhelmed disciples began to praise Jesus, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." Immediately, the boat reached the shore of Gennesaret, and Jesus continued His ministry with the people of that region.
As we read through the 3 gospel accounts that record this event, we are reminded that the disciples were amazed at Jesus' transcendence of natural law by His walking on water and His ability to calm the storm. One would think that the disciples, who previously had seen a number of miraculous events by the Savior (including the raising of a dead girl to life), would have not been so taken back by the events that unfolded on the Sea of Galilee. The Scriptures tell us that the disciples' amazement was fueled by their failure to understand Jesus' teaching about the loaves.
The "loaves" metaphor is mentioned by Jesus in John 6, when He instructed the crowds that He is the "Bread of Life who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" (John 6:33). That is, Jesus is the Son of God who came into the world to be the eternal sustenance that would provide eternal life to those who would surrender to Him as Lord and receive His eventual gift of His very life as a ransom for their wickedness. His miracle of multiplying the 5 loaves to feed the 5000 was intended not only to feed the hungry people, but to teach those who would hear, that God has eternal nourishment for all who would come to Him by faith. The Bread of Life would be multiplied to feed everyone who would surrender his life to the Lord.
Thus, the feeding of the 5000 with bread, coupled with the subsequent events on the Sea of Galilee were intentional by the Lord, to teach His disciples of His role as the Source of True Life and Deliverance for the redeemed. We have already seen how Jesus would use the miraculous provision of bread for the crowds as a later teaching illustration, when He referred Himself to the Bread of Life (John 6). But even the storm event was used by the Lord to teach His disciples that He was the Sovereign Lord who would triumph over sin and who would be the source of salvation for all who would believe. In antiquity, the dark waters of the sea were seen as the abode of evil. Isaiah's eschatological prophecy recorded hundreds of years before, mentions the LORD punishing the great serpent, Leviathan, who lived in the abyss of the deep . . . the place representing darkness, evil, and chaos (see Isaiah 27:1).
Jesus' walking upon the waters symbolically declared His sovereignty and victory over all evil. Not only was He noticeably distinct from that which represented evil, but He was able to defeat evil in transcendent supremacy. Of course, the Apostle Peter wanted to walk upon the water to Jesus, and Jesus summoned him to come, but it would only be by faith in the Lord that Peter would triumph over the dark, murky waters. When Peter first left the boat, he walked on the very turbulent water that once was a source of fear for him and his companions in the boat. Peter's faith in the Lord brought the blessing of victory over the chaotic waters below. But with the crashing of the waves upon Peter, the disciple stopped looking to the Messiah and began to look around at his circumstances; as a result, he began to lose faith that Jesus could deliver him from his seemingly fateful demise. In an instance, Peter began to sink into the waters, and he cried out to the Lord for deliverance.
There is a tremendous teaching lesson for us in this story. Again, we understand that Jesus is the spiritual food for eternal and abundant life. Only He can provide our souls with the nourishment that will bring our salvation. He too is the one who can provide victory over the seemingly impossible situations in which we may find ourselves. As the wind and waves of tribulation crash around us, we must remember that only faith in Jesus will give us the power and strength to rise above the chaos and darkness of life to attain victory in an otherwise seemingly hopeless situation. Let us continue to "fix our eyes on Jesus (who is) the Author and Perfecter of our Faith" (Hebrews 12:2); for in Him alone will we find spiritual nourishment for the salvation of our souls as well as the strength to transcend the dark waters of despair that come upon us in our tribulations.
Of course, we must respond in faith to the Lord when our difficult times come; otherwise, we will find ourselves in the same proverbial predicament that the Apostle Peter found himself. We will start to sink into the abyss of the darkness that confronts us unless we put our trust exclusively in the Lord.
Then too we should not be so amazed that God is willing and able to provide us these spiritual victories in life. If we truly understand the significance of Jesus as the Bread of Life, we will come to anticipate His power made manifest in our lives, giving us the ability to triumph over any obstacle that may come our way.
This passage recorded in the Gospel of Mark describes the events immediately following Jesus' miraculous feeding of the 5000 on a mountainside along the Sea of Galilee. Right after Jesus fed the people, He made His disciples get into a boat and sail for Capernaum. It was very late in the evening (Matthew's Gospel records it was about the fourth watch of the night [3-6am]). Jesus did not board the small sailing vessel with them, for He desired to retreat privately to a mountainside in order that He might commune with His Father in prayer.
Right in the middle of the disciple's four-mile sea trek, unexpected winds hurled down upon the helpless boat; the experienced seaman in the boat were terrified with the raging waters that threatened to capsize the vessel. As the disciples unsuccessfully strained to guide the boat with oars, they looked to the horizon and saw Jesus walking on the water towards them. Their first response was terror, for they thought that a ghost (possibly a spirit from Sheol, the place of the dead) had come to visit them and affirm their imminent demise.
Jesus quickly allayed His disciple's fears by extending peace to them; Peter was so amazed at Jesus' arrival, that he asked if he might come out to the Savior upon the water. When Jesus beckoned Peter out of the boat, the disciple (with eyes fixed upon Jesus) began to walk on the water toward Jesus. Of course, the wind and waves were still swirling about causing Peter to take his eyes off the Savior and look instead at the perilous condition in which he found himself. As soon as Peter was distracted by his circumstances and lost faith in the Savior, he began to sink into the turbulent waters. The disciple cried out to Jesus for rescue, and the Lord saved him; then Jesus rebuked His disciple for not having faith.
Jesus and Peter returned to the boat, and as soon as they boarded, the winds died down. The overwhelmed disciples began to praise Jesus, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." Immediately, the boat reached the shore of Gennesaret, and Jesus continued His ministry with the people of that region.
As we read through the 3 gospel accounts that record this event, we are reminded that the disciples were amazed at Jesus' transcendence of natural law by His walking on water and His ability to calm the storm. One would think that the disciples, who previously had seen a number of miraculous events by the Savior (including the raising of a dead girl to life), would have not been so taken back by the events that unfolded on the Sea of Galilee. The Scriptures tell us that the disciples' amazement was fueled by their failure to understand Jesus' teaching about the loaves.
The "loaves" metaphor is mentioned by Jesus in John 6, when He instructed the crowds that He is the "Bread of Life who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" (John 6:33). That is, Jesus is the Son of God who came into the world to be the eternal sustenance that would provide eternal life to those who would surrender to Him as Lord and receive His eventual gift of His very life as a ransom for their wickedness. His miracle of multiplying the 5 loaves to feed the 5000 was intended not only to feed the hungry people, but to teach those who would hear, that God has eternal nourishment for all who would come to Him by faith. The Bread of Life would be multiplied to feed everyone who would surrender his life to the Lord.
Thus, the feeding of the 5000 with bread, coupled with the subsequent events on the Sea of Galilee were intentional by the Lord, to teach His disciples of His role as the Source of True Life and Deliverance for the redeemed. We have already seen how Jesus would use the miraculous provision of bread for the crowds as a later teaching illustration, when He referred Himself to the Bread of Life (John 6). But even the storm event was used by the Lord to teach His disciples that He was the Sovereign Lord who would triumph over sin and who would be the source of salvation for all who would believe. In antiquity, the dark waters of the sea were seen as the abode of evil. Isaiah's eschatological prophecy recorded hundreds of years before, mentions the LORD punishing the great serpent, Leviathan, who lived in the abyss of the deep . . . the place representing darkness, evil, and chaos (see Isaiah 27:1).
Jesus' walking upon the waters symbolically declared His sovereignty and victory over all evil. Not only was He noticeably distinct from that which represented evil, but He was able to defeat evil in transcendent supremacy. Of course, the Apostle Peter wanted to walk upon the water to Jesus, and Jesus summoned him to come, but it would only be by faith in the Lord that Peter would triumph over the dark, murky waters. When Peter first left the boat, he walked on the very turbulent water that once was a source of fear for him and his companions in the boat. Peter's faith in the Lord brought the blessing of victory over the chaotic waters below. But with the crashing of the waves upon Peter, the disciple stopped looking to the Messiah and began to look around at his circumstances; as a result, he began to lose faith that Jesus could deliver him from his seemingly fateful demise. In an instance, Peter began to sink into the waters, and he cried out to the Lord for deliverance.
There is a tremendous teaching lesson for us in this story. Again, we understand that Jesus is the spiritual food for eternal and abundant life. Only He can provide our souls with the nourishment that will bring our salvation. He too is the one who can provide victory over the seemingly impossible situations in which we may find ourselves. As the wind and waves of tribulation crash around us, we must remember that only faith in Jesus will give us the power and strength to rise above the chaos and darkness of life to attain victory in an otherwise seemingly hopeless situation. Let us continue to "fix our eyes on Jesus (who is) the Author and Perfecter of our Faith" (Hebrews 12:2); for in Him alone will we find spiritual nourishment for the salvation of our souls as well as the strength to transcend the dark waters of despair that come upon us in our tribulations.
Of course, we must respond in faith to the Lord when our difficult times come; otherwise, we will find ourselves in the same proverbial predicament that the Apostle Peter found himself. We will start to sink into the abyss of the darkness that confronts us unless we put our trust exclusively in the Lord.
Then too we should not be so amazed that God is willing and able to provide us these spiritual victories in life. If we truly understand the significance of Jesus as the Bread of Life, we will come to anticipate His power made manifest in our lives, giving us the ability to triumph over any obstacle that may come our way.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Jesus . . . Our Spiritual Sustenance Leading to a Fruitful Life
Micah 5:2: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."
In the nativity story shared in Matthew 2, there is a citation of the prophecy from the prophet Micah, who seven hundred years before declared that a Ruler would come forth whose "goings forth have been from everlasting" (see Micah 5:2). Of course, we today see the prophecy fulfilled through the LORD Jesus Christ. It is He who came, not simply to fulfill the prophecy of Micah, but to offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. It is through Him and Him alone that we have the hope of salvation (Acts 4:10-12).
What is quite fascinating is the name of the town in which Jesus would be born. Whereas this town in Judea at the time of Christ's birth was of little size and significance, its name was perfect for the advent of the Messiah. We see that the name of the town was Bethlehem Ephrathah. The name "Bethlehem" means "House of Bread." This reference reminds one of the exchange that Jesus had three decades later with some of His followers near the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had just taken 5 barley loaves of bread and multiplied them to feed five thousand people; then, later, Jesus would use this miraculous event to teach His hearers that He was the true Bread of Life from whom comes eternal nourishment (i.e. salvation). Jesus exclaimed that those who would "feast" upon Him by surrendering to Him as Lord would receive life everlasting.
Sadly, many of these people who followed Jesus because He was feeding them physically in truly miraculous ways (see John 6:26), now turned from the Messiah and no longer followed Him. Jesus' provocative call to repentance and surrender would require every person to decide who would be the ultimate ruler of his life . . . himself or Jesus. Jesus promised that for those who would choose Him as their Lord, He would produce within them an abundance of spiritual fruit which would glorify the Father and edify other believers. Specifically, Jesus used the illustration of Himself being a vine and His followers being branches grafted into the nourishment of the vine, and the Lord told His followers that if they remained in Him and He in them, then they would "bear much fruit (for) apart from (Him [i.e. Jesus] they) could do nothing" (see John 15). This is where the latter name of the town of Jesus' birth is so significant, for the name, "Ephrathah" means "fruitful."
It is no mere coincidence that the name of the town in which Jesus would be born was Bethlehem Ephrathah. Not only did the birthplace fulfill God's promise to David 1000 years earlier that from his seed would come One who would have an eternal reign (see 2 Samuel 7), but also the birthplace communicated to the world that Jesus is the Source of eternal life for the believer, leading him to a spiritually fruitful life for the glory of God and the furtherance of His eternal kingdom.
In the nativity story shared in Matthew 2, there is a citation of the prophecy from the prophet Micah, who seven hundred years before declared that a Ruler would come forth whose "goings forth have been from everlasting" (see Micah 5:2). Of course, we today see the prophecy fulfilled through the LORD Jesus Christ. It is He who came, not simply to fulfill the prophecy of Micah, but to offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. It is through Him and Him alone that we have the hope of salvation (Acts 4:10-12).
What is quite fascinating is the name of the town in which Jesus would be born. Whereas this town in Judea at the time of Christ's birth was of little size and significance, its name was perfect for the advent of the Messiah. We see that the name of the town was Bethlehem Ephrathah. The name "Bethlehem" means "House of Bread." This reference reminds one of the exchange that Jesus had three decades later with some of His followers near the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had just taken 5 barley loaves of bread and multiplied them to feed five thousand people; then, later, Jesus would use this miraculous event to teach His hearers that He was the true Bread of Life from whom comes eternal nourishment (i.e. salvation). Jesus exclaimed that those who would "feast" upon Him by surrendering to Him as Lord would receive life everlasting.
Sadly, many of these people who followed Jesus because He was feeding them physically in truly miraculous ways (see John 6:26), now turned from the Messiah and no longer followed Him. Jesus' provocative call to repentance and surrender would require every person to decide who would be the ultimate ruler of his life . . . himself or Jesus. Jesus promised that for those who would choose Him as their Lord, He would produce within them an abundance of spiritual fruit which would glorify the Father and edify other believers. Specifically, Jesus used the illustration of Himself being a vine and His followers being branches grafted into the nourishment of the vine, and the Lord told His followers that if they remained in Him and He in them, then they would "bear much fruit (for) apart from (Him [i.e. Jesus] they) could do nothing" (see John 15). This is where the latter name of the town of Jesus' birth is so significant, for the name, "Ephrathah" means "fruitful."
It is no mere coincidence that the name of the town in which Jesus would be born was Bethlehem Ephrathah. Not only did the birthplace fulfill God's promise to David 1000 years earlier that from his seed would come One who would have an eternal reign (see 2 Samuel 7), but also the birthplace communicated to the world that Jesus is the Source of eternal life for the believer, leading him to a spiritually fruitful life for the glory of God and the furtherance of His eternal kingdom.
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