KCPC Blog

Communion with God

Word of Encouragement

ESV 2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

 

Have you taken time to commune with God today? Have you beheld the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ by faith? Have you sought the Spirit of God so that you might glorify God in all you do and say today? Are you growing in His power and grace?

 

“Get communion with God. Your strength to stand, and your strength to withstand all assaults—is from your communion with God. Communion with God is that which will make you stand fast, and triumph over all enemies, difficulties, dangers and deaths. Communion with God will make a person as courageous and bold as a lion….

 

Communion with God is a reciprocal exchange between Christ and a gracious (grace-filled) soul. Communion with God is Jacob’s ladder, where you have Christ sweetly descending down into the soul, and the soul by divine influences sweetly ascending up to Christ. Communion with God is a shield upon land, and an anchor at sea; it is a sword to defend you, and a staff to support you; it is a balm to heal you, and a cordial to strengthen you.

 

High communion with Christ will yield you two heavens, a heaven upon earth, and a heaven after death. He enjoys nothing, who lacks communion with God; he lacks nothing, who enjoys communion with God; therefore above all gettings, get communion with Christ, and above all keepings, keep communion with Christ. All other losses are not comparable to the loss of communion with Christ.”- Thomas Brooks

 

ESV Psalm 27:4 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.

 

Have you gazed upon the beauty of the LORD today as He is made sweetly known to you in Christ? Spend time with Him; he calls you near.

 

Love in Christ,

 

Pastor Biggs

 

 

CRB

07/06/11

“Are You An Idolater?”

Dearest Congregation of the Lord Jesus,

I desire to share with you a challenging sermon I read recently and have been deeply meditating upon since last week. I realize you’re very busy, but I hope you will take an opportunity to read this for yourself, and if head of the household, that you will share this with your own family. I have edited this sermon for you so that although you may not have access to or time for reading of this sermon, you might benefit from the Biblical exegesis, theology and application. The sermon is by David Clarkson, entitled ‘Soul Idolatry Excludes Men from Heaven’ (from Works of David Clarkson, Vol. 2, Banner of Truth Trust).

Would you take time prayerfully to read this convicted and excellent sermon so that we might grow together by God’s grace? Would you take time to go over these thoughts and questions of application so that you might have more assurance of God’s love and forgiveness of your sins, so that you might be more humble and truly repentant? As your pastor and friend, I ask you to read this, ponder the powerful questions below, and seek the LORD while He may be found!

Repentance should define our daily Christian lives. Repentance is daily realizing our sins before a holy God and turning by faith away from them to the grace and power found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance is a constant turning, navigating oneself away from sin, and toward the loving Savior who will embrace us as we run to him by faith. But not all folks live repentantly; neither the arrogant nor the ignorant do this important work. Although repentance is what should characterize the entire Christian life, many arrogant folks think they do not need it, and many ignorant folks neglect it.

May this sermon by David Clarkson encourage you to a deeper repentance and stronger faith in the Lord Jesus. As your pastor, I have been praying a lot for myself and our congregation that we might experience a deeper repentance and greater work of grace in our lives. In order to know a deeper repentance what must happen first?

We must be aware of a deeper problem of our sins; we must come to see the depth of our problem, and see our sinful problem as not merely inconvenient to our lives, but horribly disgusting, odious, and filthy in the face of God. When we recognize at a deeper level our own sinfulness and how we aggravate God in our transgressions, then as we realize through repentance our greater need for a Savior, so we walk more closely, watching and praying, so that we do not fall into temptation.

You have heard me say it before, and I will say it over and over again if God gives me the strength: If you are yet to realize that you have a sinful problem, and you haven’t really thought about the depths of yours sins, then you’re a dangerous person. Only if you see your problem can you truly understand God’s solution to you in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus for you.

This sermon is offered to you that you might ask God to search your heart, and if there are grievous sins and ways in you, that by God’s gracious Spirit, He might lead you into the way that is everlasting, with a deeper and more profound knowledge of the saving work and graciousness of Jesus!

Let this be our prayer as a congregation:

ESV Psalm 139:23-24: Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

If we all start with our own hearts, how gracious, compassionate and serious about both sin and grace we will be as a people!

Prayer Meeting this Lord’s Day, 6 pm: This Sunday evening is our monthly prayer meeting, and we will be using this study to help us to seek the LORD. Our theme for prayer will be a deeper repentance and grasp of the grace of God in Christ, as well as the hard work that we are called to as God’s people in putting to death our sinful nature (Romans 6). Even if you’re unable to make the prayer meeting (and I hope you can!!), I strongly encourage you to read this as a member of KCPC so that we can all be on the same page, as we are seeking after God.

Read this sermon prayerfully and carefully, and ask God to grant light and fire by His Holy Spirit. Good things are happening; good things are coming; we will reap a great harvest if we do not give up; do not allow yourself to be foolish, slothful, and/or presumptuous as a Christian!

Title of Sermon: “Soul Idolatry Excludes Men from Heaven”

Author: David Clarkson (d. 1686)- Colleague of John Owen, and the minister who preached and ministered to Owen’s flock after John Owen’s death (yes, Pastor Clarkson was in the shadows of a greater man—but both were great men!).

Text from Scripture: ESV Ephesians 5:5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous ( that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Edited sermon and updated for modern readers by Pastor C. R. Biggs:

Reigning and Ruling Lusts?
Every reigning lust is an idol, and every person in whom it reigns is an idolater. What are your reigning and ruling lusts?

Pleasures, and riches, and honors are the carnal man’s “trinity”, and these become gods that make men idolaters: ESV 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world- the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions- is not from the Father but is from the world.

In Satan’s kingdom, every one bowing himself to his lust worships it as an idol. When the mind is most taken up with an object, and the heart and the affections most set upon it, this is soul worship, and this is what is due only to God.

Secret and soul idolatry is when the mind and heart is set upon anything more than God; when anything is more valued, more trusted, more loved, etc.

Soul idolatry will exclude men out of heaven as well as open idolatry. He that serves his lusts is as incapable of heaven as he that serves, worships idols of wood and stone.

Can Christians Commit Idolatry??
The danger of soul idolatry is that we often do not notice as easily inward, soul idolatry, and we fail to recognize the dangers of it as we do outward idolatry. Many fine Christians would never bow the knee to wood and stone idols, but many fine Christians bow down from their souls to other idols that are unseen, yet as idolatrous and displeasing to God.

The following are the acts of soul worship so that you might prayerfully consider each one and if found an idolater in God’s sight, you might ask Him to forgive you and restore to you the joy and love of your salvation.

Are you an idolater? If so, remember God gives more grace in order that you might humble yourself through repentance and confess your sins to Him, knowing that He is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness (James 4:6ff; 1 John 1:7ff):

1. Esteem: That which we most highly value we make our God. Estimation is an act of soul worship. What we most esteem we make our God such as high opinions of self, our accomplishments, what folks think of us, how we dress ourselves up before others, our possessions, etc. Whose opinions do you esteem the most? At the end of the day who has power over you to judge you “guilty” or “non-guilty”? God or other men? Who do you live your life before? Whose opinions do you “need” to make you someone important?

2. Mindfulness: That which we are most mindful we make our God. What do you think about the most often? When we should be thinking about God and we’re thinking about other things, we are revealing what we love the most. Are our thoughts seeking to follow after God’s thoughts? Do you set your minds on things above where Christ is? (Col. 3:1-4).

3. Intention: What is our greatest longing and goal in life? God and nothing else must be our chief end. If our chief end is to be great, safe, rich, powerful, famous, when it is our own pleasure, credit, profit, and advantage, this is soul idolatry. What do you get up each day with a mind of accomplishing and doing?

4. Love: That which we most love we worship as our God. Do we love riches, possessions, family, and/or friends more, or equal with God? Love, whenever it is inordinate, it is an idolatrous affection.

5. Trust: What do I trust in? Who do we trust, and/or depend upon the most? Where is our confidence? Trust God “with all of your heart” (Proverbs 3:5). Do you trust in your wisdom, strength, intellect, handgun, abilities, etc? Do you trust ultimately in riches, how much you have in your savings account and/or retirement; do you trust ultimately in your friends? Do you boast in yourself, and in your own wisdom or boast in the Lord (1 Cor. 1:29-31).

6. Fear: What we fear, we worship as our God. That is our god which is our fear and dread: ESV Luke 12:4-5: “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Those therefore who fear other things more than God; who are more afraid to offend other people than to displease God; who fear more to lose outward enjoyments than to lose the favor of God and His Spirit; who fear outward suffering more than God’s displeasure and wrath.

7. Hope: Ask yourself: What is my hope? Christ alone should be our hope as Christians; he is our hope and righteousness. What excites your hope each day helping you to get through the day?

8. Desire: That which we chiefly desire is the chief good in our lives, and what we account as our chief good is our god. To desire anything more, or so much as the enjoyment of God, is to idolize it, to prostrate the heart to it, and worship it as God only should be worshipped. What is your heart prostrated before in worship? Pray with the Psalmist that God alone would be your chief desire: Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:25-26). Pray for the Holy Spirit to grant you not merely to “do” for God, but that you might will and desire to do good (Phil. 2:13- “to will and to work for His good pleasure”).

9. Delight: Delight is an affection that in its height and elevation is called “glorying”. What do you “glory in”? To take more pleasure in any way of sin, uncleanness, temptation, intemperance, gluttony, drunkenness, earthly employments or enjoymnets, than in the holy ways of God, than in those spiritual and heavenly services which we may enjoy God, is idolatry. Would you rather be “glorying” in other things (even lawful and good things) rather than worshipping God and fellowshipping with His people? How do you keep the Lord’s Day? How do you spend your money? Are you generous? The answers to these questions will reveal your idolatry or love for God alone.

10. Zeal: What are we zealous for? Are we zealous for ourselves, our plans, our vacations, our dreams, our agendas more than God? Are we fervent for ourselves and our own good and glory, and indifferent, lazy, and lukewarm in our zeal for God and His Kingdom? Are we more zealous for political parties, persons and/or teachers in the church or in our communities than we are in God and His Church? Do we spend more time thining about, and planning our vacation and retirement than we do in preparing ourselves for worship of the Living God and to appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ?

11. Gratitude: What are you most thankful for? Do we honor “diligence” or “luck” or “prudence” or “fortune” more than God’s goodness? In response to compliments, and/or other offering you respect do you give glory and thanksgiving to your “diligence” or your “luck” more than God?

When our care and industry (hard work) is more for other things than for God, we are idolaters. No man can serve two masters!

How Many Masters Do You Have?
When you are more careful and industrious (hard working) to please men, or yourselves, or your children and posterity, than to be servicable, useful and faithful to God; if it is more important to you to provide for yourselves and your family more than to serve God; if you are more careful what you shall eat, drink, and wear more than how you may honor and glorify God you have a hateful and burdensome master who is not God: ESV Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other….ESV Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

To live like this is to idolize the world, yourselves, your lusts, your relations, while the God of Heaven is neglected.

We must remember that the Bible defines true conversion to Christ as “turning from idols”: ESV 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10: For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. Does this characterize your life? You “turned to God from idols to serve…to wait for His Son…”

Have you experienced true conversion? How do you know if your affections of your heart and your actions seek something more than God; if you’re an idolater- -how can you be assured of your knowledge and relationship to Christ?

Who then shall be saved??!!

Where is the heart in which some idol is not secretly advanced? Where it that soul that does not bow down to some lust or vanity? Where it that person that does not give that soul-worship to the creature which is due unto the Creator alone?

Who then shall be saved??!!

On the one hand, we find in Scripture that the people of God can be guilty of this and fall into incest, lying, drunkenness, murder, adultery, denial of Christ, and blatant idolatry itself (Abraham and the patriarchs, Noah, David, Solomon, Peter, etc). On the other hand, how can this be consistent with the state of grace when this is blatant spiritual idolatry that is offensive to God??!!

Answer: There is an aptness and still a propensity in every saint of God to be idolaters, just as much there is a propensity and aptness toward other sins. In fact, idolatry as a sin is a root and foundational sin to all the others in the heart. The corruption of our natures in Adam consists of proneness to all abominations, including idolatry.

Grace is imperfect in this life and only corrects this corruption in part. Grace weakens the disposition and desire to idolatry, it does not completely abolish it. That is why we must be aware of it, and constantly be fighting to kill it in its first motions, and thoughts to sin. We must watch and pray that we do not fall into temptation.

It is true that those folks, those natures that are most sanctified on earth are still a seminary (seed bed) of sin; there is in them the roots, the seeds of atheism, blasphemy, murder, adultery, apostasy, and idolatry.

This disposition to idolatry remains more or leass in the best, while the body of death remains. Remember the Apostle Paul’s struggle and great frustrations for his own sins (Romans 7:20-25):

Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Is Paul’s Struggle Familiar to You?
Is the Apostle Paul’s struggle familiar to you? Do you have a fight, a conflict within your soul against sinfulness? Is your alliance with the Spirit of God warring against your flesh? Are you hopeful of being delivered by Jesus from the body of death?

Love in the regenerate still may be inordinate, therefore the other affections, desires, delights, desires, fears, zeals, etc can give way to actual sins of idolatry in their actions.

With that said, we must still understand the power of Jesus Christ, and the fact that true believers have been united to Christ and take part in not only the removal of our penalty for sin, but we are empowered by God’s Spirit to live as more than overcomers (Romans 8)!

Are You Habitually Idolatrous?
The regenerate will still have a disposition toward idolatry, but they will not be guilty of habitual idolatry. The unregenerate and unbeliving are guilty of constant and habitual idolatry, the regenerate will not be. True Christians are not habitual idolaters; idolatry does not characterize their lives.

Believers will not yield to these idolatrous notions knowingly, willingly, constantly as unbelievers do; these idolatrous desires are not tolerated or allowed, but rather fought against because they have the Spirit that wages Holy War against the flesh (Gal. 5:16-26).

Believers resist idolatry by living watchfully, prayerfully, carefully, and fully and constantly dependent upon God’s strength and grace in Christ. True believers in Christ will resist, lament and pray against idolatry; they are neither arrogant or ignorant of their remaining sinfulness, but they know that sin shall not reign over them as their master:

ESV Romans 6:11-14: So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Are you a habitual idolater? Has arrogance made you neglect it? Has ignorance caused you to overlook it? Is your life privately characterized by idolatry?

Are you still a slave to sin? Does sin have dominion over you? Has it mastered you?

Begin with your private life. Begin with your heart. Ask God to search you and know you. Is your private life characterized by idolatry as sketched above? Are your hearts and minds filled with idolatry? Do you have a private life with God? Honestly, are you a fake in need of repentance?

If you are characterized by habitual idolatry, you cannot claim the assurance of the knowledge of salvation in Jesus nor can you have assurance that you are empowered by His Spirit.

How can you be assured of your faith in Christ that it is truly a saving faith?

True believers fly to the blood of Christ for pardon; they run desperately and violently as possible to Christ and His power to overcome sin and idolatry! When believers see sin, they run to Christ to confess it.

Believers are diligent to mortify or kill their idolatry when they find it in their hearts and minds so that they can please Christ in their daily duties.

The idolatry that the saints united to Jesus are prone to is not the same as reigning, habitual idolatry of the unregenerate and the unrepentant. None are more ready to disclaim this idolatry than those who are most guilty! Those who are most guilty of idolatry reject any need from God or others.

Our proneness to idolatry is the reason why we must all be neither arrogant nor ignorant toward the remaining sin that is within us. We must seek the LORD and ask Him through watching and praying that He would deliver us more and more, and grant us a deeper repentance and trust in Jesus Christ.

The more we understand what we have been delivered from, and from what we are being delivered, and just how much it has eaten us up inside like a cancer, the more diligent we will be in exalting the grace of God found in Christ Jesus, and running to Jesus for His cleansing blood to purify and empower us over our sins.

Do you live a life of repentance, asking God to search your hearts and minds to cleanse of all of your idols?

Are you an idolater?

What is your hope?

If you realize how deeply your idolatry goes, wouldn’t it behoove you to use your time more wisely in seeking Christ, and seeking Him to make you pure as He is pure? The root to all of the believer’s fruitfulness is found in union with Jesus and we grow as behold the gracious face of God each day in our prayers and in our walk:

ESV 2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Our only hope is in our Savior Jesus Christ! So be strengthened by the grace that is in Jesus (2 Tim. 2:1); watch and pray that you fall not into temptation (Matt. 26:41); be strong in the LORD and in the power of His might (Eph. 6:10); resist the devil, draw near to God (James 4:6ff). Remember the words of James; if we need grace, God will grant it as we ask for it:

“…[God] gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

Prayer: Lord and Father, help me to watch and pray against idolatry in my heart. Keep my heart pure and clean, and my focus fixed on Christ! Grant me grace to be self-aware of my sin, leading me to repentance; make me Christ-aware as I keep my the focus of my affections, feelings, emotions, will and mind on Jesus and not on my base and sinful lusts. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Biggs

“Blessed Are the Peacemakers…the Prince of Peace”- The Beatitudes

 

“Blessed are the Peacemaker, for They Shall be Called Sons of God.”

 

“Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth, peace, good-will toward those on whom his favor rests!”

 

The seventh beatitude, or characteristic of Christ and His people, is being those who are peacemakers.

 

Christmastime is Here!

During the Christmas season we are often reminded of Scriptures from Isaiah 9 and Luke 2 that Jesus is the Prince of Peace who has come to offer salvation to those on whom His favor rests!  We are reminded during the Christmas season that we have One who has come to save us so that we can be at peace with God our Creator.

 

In an amazing testimony to God’s common grace, we hear Linus Van Pelt (that was his last name for the ill informed), declare on television broadcasts around the world, the good news of the gospel!  Think about it.  Since 1965, ‘The Charlie Brown Christmas’ special has aired on television stations and the gospel of peace has found its way into living rooms in almost every country in the world!

 

On this show ‘The Charlie Brown Christmas’, Charlie Brown wants to know what Christmas is all about!  Lucy says he’s suffering from pantaphobia, a fear of everything, and when he comes to the conclusion as play director that Christmas is an empty thing if it only means plays, cookies, “Christmas queeeeens”, and artificial Christmas trees, Charlie Brown loses it!

 

At the point of his frustration, Charlie Brown yells “What is Christmas all about.”  Linus replies: “I’ll tell you what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.  Lights, Please.”  Then Linus moves into the warm spotlight on the stage and recites Luke 2:

 

“…And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

 

It’s important to note that the last phrase “peace, good will toward men” is better translated “peace and favor toward those on whom His favor rests”.  The reason is that unless God has shown us his favor and love in Christ while we were yet sinners, the message of Jesus is not peace and good will, but division and conflict!  But to this reality, we are called by Jesus to declare the good news of God’s peace found in Christ!

 

Peacemakers in a World of “Wars and Rumors of War”

In a world turned upside down by constant “wars and rumors of war” around the world, we are reminded by the seventh beatitude that in this age there will be times of war, but that we are to be peacemakers as sons of God.  Jesus said that the last days (the time between his first coming and his return) would be characterized by wars and rumors of war (Matt. 24); this was to be expected.  But in this age, peace was to be held out to all men through the proclamation of the gospel despite the response of sinful men!

 

The gospel is God’s terms of peace with sinful man.  The gospel is what we bring to the table as God’s ambassadors in Christ when we discuss surrender and repentance with those who make war against God (2 Cor. 5:17-21; cf. Psalm 2).  We want to implore men at this table to be reconciled to God in Christ.  We want to remind them that it is not the signing of a treaty that will end their lifelong war against God and His Anointed One, but it will be the Covenant God signed and sealed in His own blood in order to keep his promises and make peace with those who will believe!

 

Being a peacemaker means placing our sword in its sheathe for now, but being a peacemaker in no way means that we are to be passive in times of war when our country needs us to stand up for our nation’s rights or the rights of our family.  What being a peacemaker actually means is to be reminded that our citizenship is ultimately in heaven (Phil. 3:20-21), and because we know the time is short before Christ returns, we offer the Gospel of peace to all men!  When Christ came, he offered peace.  He came to offer “comfort” and peace to Jerusalem and then to the Gentiles who would believe (Isa. 40; Eph. 2:14-17).

 

Ephesians 2:14-17: For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

 

However, Jesus always reminded his disciples that this peace would also divide and bring wars and persecution upon his people.  The world cries for “peace” but the only peace they will ever find is in the Prince of Peace Jesus Christ, who has reconciled us to God our Creator by his death on behalf of sinners.  The truth of our reconciliation and peace with God is taught to us in Romans 5:6-11:

 

Romans 5:6-11: For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person- though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die- 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

 

We live in an upside down hateful world at war with God and fellow men, yet it was in this context Jesus came to die for sinners…to reconcile us to our God and Creator! We must let that sink into our hearts and minds:

 

Peace has been offered to us in Christ while we were enemies of God. This was not because of anything we did at all; it was all because of God’s love and grace to those upon whom his favor rests.

 

In our struggle to make this good news, this gospel known to others, we should remember that “while we were enemies of God” Jesus died for us.  Augustine one time said that in some mysterious way, God both loved us and hated us at the same time!  We too were once were at war with God and others; once we were at war within ourselves!

 

By God’s grace, we need to see the enemies of God, our enemies, at this point in time before Jesus returns, as the object of our evangelism, not the object of our scorn and ridicule.  The day of wrath will come when Jesus returns, but now is the time to offer peace in Christ!

 

“I Have NOT Come to bring Peace, but a Sword”

But, Peace divides….

 

That is true!  Jesus, the Prince of Peace said that he did not actually come to bring peace, but a sword:

 

Matthew 10:34-40: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.

 

Jesus is making the point that although he offers real peace with God and we offer real peace with God in Christ to others, it will bring division and war!  This true peace is not the kind of peace that man wants or desires.  In fact, when we come to the table with the gospel, declaring God’s terms of surrender found in repentance, as well as God’s terms of believing the Gospel of Christ, we find a violent opposition.

 

The reason for this violent opposition is because the Gospel holds out to us free and eternal life in Jesus Christ ALONE, yet sinful man comes to the table to speak to God about their terms for God.  Sinful man does not naturally want to surrender to the truth of the gospel because they will then have to acknowledge God as Creator and LORD of all.  So, there is a violent opposition between God’s terms of peace in Christ and the terms of peace sinful men bring to the table and therefore until repentance comes in man’s heart, by God’s grace, there will be no peace!

 

We should remember that Jesus was teaching this blessing of being a peacemaker in the context of Roman rule and violent oppression.  Revolutionaries, bandits, and zealots all wanted to overthrow Gentile rule by force, rather than to wait upon the LORD.  Jesus tells them that they are to be peacemakers now, not warriors!

 

The REAL War to End All Wars

In other words, we are to be evangelists for now until Jesus returns again!  When the Son of God came the first time he offers peace in his Name with God, but when he returns again those who have rejected Him will see Him in all his wrath and fury.  The sons of God who lived a life of persecution because they lived as peacemakers, will join our King Jesus in war to end all wars.  A final war, or showdown that will bring in an eternal time of peace that will never end!

 

God has extended peace to those who would believe in Christ.  We should remember, as well as remind others that God is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:14), a wrathful God (Nahum 1), who will not pardon the guilty (Exo. 34:6-8), yet he will extend peace and reconciliation to those who look to Christ, the Prince of Peace by faith (Romans 5:8-10).  In fact, those who believe will be called “sons of the Living God”.

 

Christ will return soon to war against those who do not believe.  On that terrible Day of the Lamb (Rev. 6;19), the unbelievers who have sought peace in everything and everyone BUT the Living Christ, will find a terrible judgment and wrath.  The Lamb will war against those who have falsely cried “peace, peace” when there was no true peace with God!

 

We as peacemakers want to be constantly reminded of our evangelistic opportunities all around us.  We want to be reminded of the hope and the peace we can truly offer to those who war within their own souls, against our God and against other men!  Right now, we offer peace as the sons of God, but one day there will be a war to end all wars.  Now is the time of salvation and hope, the time of peace extended through the gracious message of the Gospel of the Prince of Peace!  Remember how Paul describes the feet of those who bring the good news of the gospel of peace in Romans 10 (cf. Ephesians 6:13-18):

 

“For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

 

“….They Shall Be Called Sons of the Living God!”

What grace!  While we were enemies, God justified us, declared us righteous in Jesus Christ!  The good news doesn’t just stop there, but God goes on to adopt us as his children.  We are called “sons”, “children of the Living God” because of THE SON, our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Jesus reconciles us to the Father, gives us a portion of His Spirit, so that we might be called the Sons of God.  This should encourage us all when we are being persecuted (the next study) because we are offering God’s terms of peace to the world in Jesus.  No matter how great the struggle and the conflict here in this world, we can always be assured of our right standing before God, our status as his beloved children, and we can call out to our Father who cares in our time of trouble and be encouraged and delivered!  Read carefully the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 8 concerning our sonship or adoption!

 

Romans 8:14-25: For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs- heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

 

As children of God wait patiently for our King to return.  By his grace, offer faithfully, despite violent opposition, God’s terms of peace in Jesus, the great gospel of truth that has been declared to us and believed by us!

 

The Prince of Peace has come! Believe in Him!

 

In Christ’s love,

 

Pastor Biggs

Soli Deo Gloria!

 

Next Study: “Blessed are the Persecuted”

Spiritual Warfare: The Spiritual Forces of Evil

“Spiritual Warfare”: “The Spiritual Forces of Evil”- Ephesians 6:10-20

Rev. Charles R. Biggs

 

As Christians we are united to Jesus Christ and seated with Him in the Heavenly Places as we are taught in Ephesians 2:6.

 

Although we are more than overcomers in Jesus and His victorious death and resurrection over death, hell and the devil are ours by His grace, there are still battles that must be waged against our enemy in the Heavenly Places.

 

As Christians, we are called to take up Jesus’ armor, the armor of God, so that we can stand against the deceptive evil onslaught of our enemy the devil as we live in this world.

 

We are taught specifically in Ephesians 6:

ESV Ephesians 6:10-13: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm

 

The decisive victory of the war has been won and Jesus has conquered, disarmed, and defeated our ancient foe, but we must endure until the final Day, standing strong in Jesus, and in the strength of His might.

 

The devil and devils, or demons are real, but we often either overestimate or underestimate him. When you think of the devil, what pops immediately into your mind? Explain.

 

Two common yet opposite errors: (1) Devil is unimportant; (2) Devil is too important.

 

Anti-supernatural-minded materialists speak of Satan: “Evil man with a red suit, a bi-furcated tail, and a pitchfork who rules over hell.” “[According to comic strip humor] He sits in the “Manager’s Office” in hell.

 

“Unbelief about the existence and personality of Satan has proved the first step to unbelief about God.”- J. C. Ryle

 

Supernaturally-minded spiritualists speak of Satan: “We must appease him (through magic, séances, black arts, witchcraft, etc) lest he destroy us; there is nothing for us to do but to turn to him for help and surrender.” Christian version: “We must focus all of our time and attention on casting him out of ourselves and others.” “There’s a devil under every rock!” “Whoops! The devil made me do it!”

 

Background to Letter of Ephesians: Converts from Asia Minor had become Christians who were formerly affiliated with Artemis/Diana cult, practiced the magic arts, consulted astrologers, and had in general participated in various demonic activities. There was a great fear of demons and their power.

 

Like many superstitious folks today, there was much imbalance in their understanding of evil.

 

The Apostle Paul wanted the Ephesians and us today to have a theologically balanced, scriptural understanding of evil.

 

What to Expect in the Christian Life?

 

Struggle.

 

Conflict.

 

Fight.

 

“Wrestling” – “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood” (6:12)

 

“Standing (as in hand-to-hand combat)”- “To stand” (6:11); “withstand” or “stand against” (6:13a); “stand conquering” or “to stand firm” (6:13b).

 

Thlipsis- Tribulation – yet with great joy and hope of becoming beautiful like Jesus!

ESV John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”


ESV Revelation 7:13-14: Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

The “great tribulation” is the time period between the first and second coming of Jesus Christ.

 

The time of tribulation is the time period before Christ’s return that is characterized by struggle and conflict.

 

Why? So that sinners will become holy; the selfish become selfless; the proud become humble; the self-centered become gracious; the evil become good and righteous in Jesus.

 

Illustrations from life and nature of the importance of struggle and conflict: (1) Chick coming out of egg; (2) Moth breaking through cocoon to become a beautiful monarch butterfly; (3) Infant coming through birth canal created struggle, conflict, birth pangs.

 

In all of these struggles, good comes out; beauty is realized through struggle.

 

In the Christian life, God sovereignly makes alive sinners dead in trespasses and sins, folks full of evil, that he begins to make holy and blameless in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:1-3; 1:4-5; 2:10).

 

Through battling with “armor” and “warfare” through difficulty we find Christ-likeness.

 

How does God specifically use conflict and struggle and tribulation in our lives to make us more like Christ and prepare us for heaven? (see Gen. 50:20; Revelation 7:14).

 

[Satan can only do to the saints what God permits him to do; what Satan means for evil, God means for our good] “Saints by the afflictions that do befall them, gain more experience of the power of God supporting them, of the wisdom of God directing them, of the grace of God refreshing and cheering them, of the goodness of God quieting and quickening them, to a greater love to holiness, and to a greater delight in holiness, and to a more vehement pursuing after holiness.” – Thomas Brooks, ‘Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices’


“No man will cast himself wholly upon God, but he who feels himself in an extremely weak condition, and he who despairs of the sufficiency of his own powers. We will seek nothing from God but what we are conscious of lacking in ourselves.”- John Calvin

 

“In times of affliction we commonly meet with the sweetest experiences of the love of God.” – John Bunyan

 

Christ’s pattern in life, death and resurrection glory that we must also follow:

 

Cross to Crown

 

Humility to Exaltation

 

Crucifixion to Exaltation

 

What to Understand about Spiritual Warfare?

Ephesians 6:10-12

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12).


  • Know Your Enemy
  • Know Your Lord’s Victory

Know Your Enemy

Evil is multi-dimensional. What does this mean?


There is evil inside.

There is evil outside.

There is evil above us.

Evil is psychological.

Evil is sociological.

Evil is demonological or “spiritualogical”

Those who don’t believe in God have a simplistic view of evil.

 

We have sin within; sin outside and around us; sin above us.

As John Newton wrote so biblically and from his own experiences:

“Bow’d down beneath a load of sin,

By Satan sorely pressed,

By wars without, and fears within,

I come to Thee for rest.”


There is a PERSONAL EVIL; EVIL IS PERSONAL: A personal devil and his fallen angels: “Spiritual forces of evil.”

And if you’re a Christian, they have their diabolical eyeballs focused on you!

 

William Spurstowe warned: “Satan is full of devices, and studies arts of circumvention by which he unweariedly seeks the irrecoverable ruin of the souls of men.”

 

Who are these rulers, authorities, cosmic powers, and spiritual forces? (Read Ephesians 6:12).


Satan and the devils, or the “spiritual forces of evil” were created as glorious angels who sinned against God because of pride (various scriptures: ). These glorious angels fell from their great and lofty estate to be chained until Judgment Day:

ESV Jude 1:6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day…

  • Devil’s are SPIRITS– Not “flesh and blood”! (Eph. 6:12)

  • Devil’s are EVIL SPIRITS– Not good, not holy, not righteous.

This teaches that EVIL SPIRITS are:

o   Intellectual– superior minds and craftiness; “schemes” (Eph. 6:11): always plotting, always planning, always scheming to do evil against mankind.

o   Immortal

o   Invisible

o   Inexhaustible

o   Insidious– wily, crafty, deceptive, and cruel


A Redemptive-Historical Overview of Satan, the Adversary (**Highlights**)

Revelation 12: A mini-redemptive-history; A summarized version of the conflict between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent.

ESV Revelation 12:1-6: And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. 5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.


What are the names of the devil used in Scripture? What does that teach you about him?

Devil: (diabolos): Deceiver/Slanderer

Satan: Adversary

Apollyon: Destroyer (of relationships, people, races of men, creation itself)

Belial: Wicked

Beelzebub: Prince of Demons

Dragon-Serpent: Great, powerful, cunning

Roaring Lion

Prince of the Power of the Air

Strong Man

Spirit of Anti-Christ

 

Are Satan and these spiritual forces equal in power to God? (see Colossians 1:15-18).

Are they equal with God in their power? “Who did that!?? God or Satan!??

  • The devil is “God’s devil” or as Martin Luther memorably put it: “Satan is God’s ape.”  This means that although He truly is a roaring lion seeking to destroy, he is on a chain (see Pilgrim’s Progress as an example of this).

  • Created beings like angles are less than God, not equal; but created beings such as angels are more than man can handle alone (“You made man a little lower than the angels” –Psalm 8).

    • Contrary to ancient and modern forms of Dualism, God is supremely sovereign over the devil and “his angels”; God is supremely sovereign over the “spiritual forces of evil”

 

    • Yet these spiritual beings are be very dangerous—especially to fallen man.

ESV Colossians 1:16 For by1 him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through him and for him.

  • Created beings such as the “spiritual forces of evil” are part of God’s plan of the mystery hidden for ages to display god’s wisdom and supreme sovereignty for His own glory!

ESV Ephesians 3:9-10:…And to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

  • God must grant permission over these forces; their power is limited. As Jesus said to Pilate (so this could be used of God speaking to the evil forces, John 19:11):

“You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”

 

  • God is using the means of these afflictions, conflicts, thlipsis-tribulations for His glory and our good!

ESV Genesis 50:20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people1 should be kept alive, as they are today.

“And though this world, with devils filled,

Should threaten to undo us, we will not fear,

For God hath willed his truth to triumph through us.

The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;

His rage we can endure, for lo! His doom is sure;

One little word shall fell him.”

– A Mighty Fortress, Martin Luther


Where does the battle take place?

“…Against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12).

Heavenly places? Yes! BUT…Although we are united with Jesus and live in heavenly places in Him (Eph. 2:6), we live our lives in “the ordinary” “the mundane”- -places like church congregations, living rooms, workplaces, etc.

Where does this “wrestling match” and “standing firm” in the Lord take place?

 

Look at the passages before our passage (do not forget Paul’s context).  In chapter 5, Paul has told them how to “walk” as imitators of God, as his beloved children.  In 5:22-33, Paul speaks about husbands and wives, the Church; in 6:1-4, Paul speaks about children in parents; in 6:5-9, Paul speaks about slaves and masters (or today perhaps employers and employees).

 

What does this teach us about Ephesians 6:10ff?  Well, the standing firm against the devil and his craftiness, in the power and might of the Lord, is in everyday affairs: marriage, church, family, business relations!

 

This is the arena for our standing in the power of the Lord, and I do not have to remind you, this is the arena where Satan and his “insidious insiders” or his “diabolical demons” will attack most vehemently!

 

  • Genesis 3-4: Fall of man and consequences of sin: We see temptation of the serpent; blame-shifting after the fall into sin between husband and wife; division and disharmony in marriage relationship; breakdown in family relationships resulting in brother murdering brother; mankind seeking a name for themselves through pride.

 

  • All of these events happening because the evil one tempted mankind to do what he had done before them: Question God’s rule and goodness; desire and seek to be in God’s place rather than his servant.

 

  • PRIDE.

 

What are the specific stratagems or schemes or methods the devil uses to defeat and discourage the believer? (see 2 Cor. 2:10-12; Eph. 6:11).

 

We will focus on this next week, Lord willing.

 

Know Your Savior

The Bible says that Jesus has conquered the devil and we are more than conquerors in him. Why, then, do we still fight a battle against this evil foe?

Illustration of D-Day. The decisive battle that defeated Hitler and those who were allied with him didn’t mean the last battle of the war. Although it was the decisive victory that caused the Allied Powers to triumph, the enemy did not surrender completely until a year later.

 

In Jesus’ cross and resurrection from the dead we see the decisive victory of God’s Almighty Power in Jesus Christ!

 

Although the final victory has been won, and as believers we are on the winning side, nevertheless, the enemy continues to fight because he knows his time is short (see Matthew 8:29).

 

ESV Revelation 12:12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

 

ESV Colossians 2:15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

When Jesus was surrendering to the evil forces in the Garden of Gethsemane, as he was taken to be tried and crucified, he declared confidently (in his humility and what seemed to be his defeat):

 

ESV John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.

ESV Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.


Why is the devil so interested in us as Christians?

The devil hates JESUS CHRIST with every fiber of his being; the devil hates God and especially the incarnate God who destroyed and defeated him through the death on the cross, to set His people from his grotesque grip!

 

[This hatred of the incarnation is why the “spirit of antichrist” denies that Jesus has come in the flesh incidentally: ESV 1 John 4:2-3: By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.].

 

The devil cannot get to Jesus Christ; but he can get to us! He pursues us to persecute us, to discourage us, to destroy us, to kill us. The devil would rip Christ’s incarnate heart out of his glorified breast if it were possible.

 

It is not possible for the devil to touch Christ, so he seek to touch us.

 

The devil longs to “sift us as wheat…”

 

Christ treasures us; we are his precious possessions.

Christ loves us; we are His redeemed.

Christ died for us; we are His “Beloved Bride”

Christ prays for us that our faith will not fail (see Luke 22:31-32).

 

In Christ, we have immeasurable power; the Holy Spirit’s power that raised Christ from the dead!

 

Remember the Apostle Paul’s prayer for believers in Ephesians 1:15-23? It ended with the hope of believers living powerfully here knowing that Christ was seated in power in the Heavenly Places.


ESV Ephesians 1:19-21: “…And what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.”


Believers are actually “seated with Christ in the Heavenly Places:

ESV Ephesians 2:5-6: “…Even when we were dead in our trespasses, [God] made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved – 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus… (see also Colossians 3:1-4).

 

Believers are seated with Jesus safely by faith in Heavenly Places in union with Him. For life here, we have His armor.


The “Armor of God” is what the Messiah-Christ wore to win the great war against the evil one in His life and ministry (see Isaiah 59:12-20).


How does Ephesians 2:1-10 speak of man’s life apart from Jesus Christ? How does this same chapter describe man’s life in Jesus Christ?


If you don’t have Christ, you are a slave of the devil; you may live a good life in your estimation; but you are “of the devil”; that is you are being pursued and used by him as a follower; whether you realize it or not, you are a slave (see Eph. 2:1-3).

 

“Not that’s not nice saying someone is evil and ‘of the devil’!” That is what the Word of God says for those who are not united to Christ by faith alone through grace and God’s powerful Spirit!

 

ESV Ephesians 2:1-3: And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience – among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

 

This may be offensive to you if you’re unregenerate, but Scripture says that if you don’t have Christ you are in terrible danger; if you don’t know this, he has made you ignorant; if you cannot see this, he has blinded you; if you don’t believe, you are his willing slave.

 

2 Corinthians 4:3-6: And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

 

Believe upon the LORD Jesus Christ—escape sins against God and escape slavery to the devil- -the most evil, insidious, heinous and devious creature ever to rebel against God!

  • There is no possibility of winning this “Holy War” and being victorious without Christ!

  • If we are not Christ’s we are “dead meat” (literally!) and slaves already to what we will become throughout all eternity.

 

  • We are absolutely no match for this awesome and terrible evil fallen angel called the devil.

  • We are to stand only by God’s grace and power, lest we are destroyed!

Christ was defeated by the devil so that we could win with HIM!

Christ was betrayed and denied by those closest to him.

Christ entered into the darkness and all the demons of hell scoffed, laughed, and tormented him.

Christ laid down His life to bring victory over the Evil One.


While Christ lay in death’s strong “bands”- -the LORD of Heaven and Earth set him free in resurrection victory!

“Christ Jesus lay in death’s strong bands, for our offenses given;
But now at God’s right hand He stands, and brings us life from heaven.

It was a strange and dreadful strife when life and death contended;
The victory remained with life; the reign of death was ended.


Stripped of power, no more it reigns, an empty form alone remains
Death’s sting is lost forever! Alleluia!

Here the true Paschal Lamb we see, Whom God so freely gave us;
He died on the accursed tree so strong His love to save us.


See, His blood doth mark our door; faith points to it, Death passes over,
And Satan cannot harm us. Alleluia!”

– Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands, Martin Luther


THIS IS THE BELIEVER’S HOPE IN HIM!

ESV Romans 8:38-39: For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

“The Lord has chosen, called, and armed us for the fight; and shall we wish to be excused? Shall we not rather rejoice that we have the honor to appear in such a cause, under such a Captain, such a banner, and in such company? A complete suit of armor is provided, weapons not to be resisted, and precious balm to heal us if haply we receive a wound, and precious ointment to revive us when we are in danger of fainting. Further, we are assured of the victory beforehand; and oh what a crown is prepared for every conqueror…the gracious Savior shall place upon every faithful head…Let us not be weary and faint, for in due season we will reap.”- John Newton

 

Remember this, people of God: You have the help of the Master Warrior, King David’s own Teacher and Guide, the Holy Spirit (Psalm 18; 144).”- Joel Beeke

You can say with King David:

“Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.” (Psalm 144, ESV).

 

Love in Christ,

 

Pastor Biggs

Growing Weary? Sow Far, Sow Good!

Dear Beloved Congregation in Christ at KCPC,

 

God has been so good to us the past few years as we have grown together in Him.  It is easy to rejoice in Jesus when times are good, but when difficulties come with their challenges to our families, it is easy to grow weary in doing good. This short letter is intended to be seed sown with confidence in God’s promises that KCPC will reap a great harvest!

 

We grow weary because the results that we had hoped for, the answers to prayers and the harvest that we rightly expect to be enjoyed, are delayed, or not noticed as easily at the moment, and so we are tempted to weariness.

 

We are tempted to give up, and/or to grumble and complain and lose our spirits and attitudes of gratitude, praise and thanksgiving to God for Christ! We are tempted to think that our labor in the Lord is in vain; but it never is! (read 1 Corinthians 15:58). We grow weary ultimately because we fail to believe God’s promises made to us in Christ. And unbelief it not a “respectable sin” that everyone does; unbelief is at the heart of all of our problems.

 

If you are feeling a weariness, let me remind you of Jesus Christ who never grew weary in securing your salvation; let me remind you of Christ who never grew weary of giving up His life for you when beaten, spit upon, crucified and reviled by unbelieving, hostile enemies; let me remind you of Christ who lives to ever intercede for you at God’s right hand, and never grows weary of praying for you; let me remind you of Christ that continually tells us to continue to follow him, not growing weary, knowing that He is faithful!

 

As a congregation, in the next few weeks, I encourage you to focus on Galatians 6:6-10. I encourage you to prayerfully meditate upon this Scripture as an individual, as families.

 

In Galatians 6, there is a promise if we do not grow weary.

 

God promises this: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:9). What does the Apostle Paul mean specifically by “doing good” in his inspired admonition to “let us not grow weary in doing good?” Read the context:

 

ESV Galatians 6:6-10: One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

 

Three things I would encourage you with; we are specifically to do good in:

 

1)    Sowing the Word of God in teaching (Gal. 6:6).

2)    Sowing the Word of God in our personal holiness and growth in Jesus (Gal. 6:7-9).

3)    Sowing the Word of God within our community and to reach out to our neighbors (Gal. 6:10).

 

1)      Let us continue to sow the Word of God in our teaching (Gal. 6:6) here at KCPC. The implication of verse 6 is that the one who teaches shares, or sows all good things to the congregation and the congregation is to grow in this.  The congregation then loves and serves in response to God’s Word and so shares with the one who teaches them. God uses the Word of God primarily as a means of grace to convert the lost, to nurture covenant families, and cause us all to grow individually in our salvation. Prepare for sermons, take extensive notes, meditate upon God’s Word, attend Sunday school, memorize Scripture and catechism.

 

2)      Let us continue to sow the  Word of God in personal holiness and growth in Jesus (Gal. 6:7-9). What we sow, that we will reap (we must never think we can live fleshly lives and that we will not reap trouble- -God will not be mocked! This calls for a life of constant repentance and turning to Jesus!).

 

Let us all personally, in light of Christ’s love for us and His sacrificial life and death for us, and his glorious resurrection power granted by His Spirit, let us grow in our sowing to the Spirit- -never to the flesh. This means seeking to pray and commune with God, meditate on God’s Word, seek the face of Jesus, and trust God’s providential hand in all of our lives. By the grace given to us, let us not sow to the flesh in our families, in our relationships, in our selves! Christ often grants difficult circumstances to His people because He wants us to draw near to Him, and he wants us to learn that He is more faithful than we had estimated, and that we were far more unfaithful than we realized.

 

Sowing to the Spirit means living obediently under God’s Word in reliance upon God’s grace. Seeking to avoid grieving the Spirit of God and withdrawing from your fellowship with God. The more we know about our problems inside, and the greatness of the trouble of our enemy and the world’s seducing power, the more we should seek after Christ moment by moment to avoid sowing to fleshly evil.

 

3)      Let us continue to sow the Word of God in our community and to reach out to our neighbors (Gal. 6:10). Let us do good especially to the household of God, but let us wisely and prayerfully seek ways as a congregation whereby we might enjoy the great privilege and encouragement of new converts to the faith. Let us trust God’s Spirit as we ever rely on His grace to make us faithful witnesses to the truth of Jesus Christ both within and without our congregation. When we are experiencing difficulties and challenges in our lives, the answer is not to go inward to “find yourself” and your feelings to do what God has commanded you to do, but to pray to be self-forgetful, look outward at Christ in the Gospel, then move outward to serve and help others. Your problems will dissipate as you see Christ and get more involved in serving.

 

We are promised that if we continue to rely on Jesus and His grace as a congregation, we will reap a harvest.

 

Mediate upon this Scripture in the next few weeks. Pray this together as families, as individuals.

 

Pray for encouragement for one another; pray that each of us might never give up and that we would be encouraged to continue to sow the seed of God’s Word in this congregation, within our own hearts and lives, and to reach the lost and others straying with this seed in our community.

 

Don’t give up!

 

Paul teaches us all this truth because it is so easy to grow weary- -all of us can grow weary. We must remember that God has promised results- -the results are up to God and His perfect timing. The sowing is up to us.

 

We must continue to realize as a congregation that if we hope to see abundant fruit and a great harvest in our congregation and community—and we should expect this based on God’s promises to us in Jesus—we must continue to depend upon Jesus alone for our strength and for the results.

 

Let this cause you to pray more; seek the face of Jesus more; meditate upon Scripture more; know God’s providence toward you is for His glory and your good (that is also our good!).

 

Do you believe Christ can do above and beyond what we ask or imagine according to His great power? (Eph. 3:20-21).

 

Don’t grow weary—there’s a harvest coming! That harvest will bring the fruits of the resurrection of Jesus to us now. But there is a greater harvest coming! There is a great harvest of God’s people that we anticipate when Jesus comes and we see Him as He is and we become fully transformed into His likeness and glory. That’s a harvest worth waiting for! But sow in light of His rich promises to you in Christ for now!

 

ESV 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

 

Growing Weary? Sow Far, Sow Good.

 

IN Christ’s love,

 

Pastor Charles

 

“Lazarus, Come Forth!”- The Day of the Dead Living

Death is the Dark Madman and Killer

Death.

Foreboding black darkness.

Unexpected.

Unnecessary.

Mysterious.

Frightening.

Disheartening sadness.

Mortality

Hell?

Heaven?

 

Everyone likes a birthday party or a wedding, but no one likes a funeral.  We all want to pay our respects to the dead and gather with the family in mourning, but no one can really say they delight in funerals.

 

Funerals remind us of our mortality and finality.

 

I still remember when my friend and a mentor in Christ Charles Waddy who died almost 20 years ago.  I looked into the casket and the man who was once full of life and breath and was an example of Jesus to me was gone.  There was a body, but the man was gone.

 

You will understand this if you recall looking at a loved one in the face while they are “resting” in the casket, or just seeing the outside of the casket, knowing that a loved one is inside.  It saddens us.  “One day here- – next day gone.”  We all say it like this.  “I can’t believe it, he/she was just with us, in this room, speaking, talking…living.”  We then face the future, the rest of our days, without this loved one.

 

This is the pain and anguish Martha and Mary were experiencing in Bethany just after they had lost their beloved brother Lazarus to an illness in John 11.

 

We should hate death with all of our might!  We should weep not only for those who we have lost to death, but weep that death still lives!  Death should make us mad – not mad at God for allowing the death of a loved one, but hate death as a thing, a wicked and dark force to be reckoned with.

 

Death is the result of sin and the fall of man.  Otherwise there would be no death.  Death haunts human beings all their lives, because ultimately they know they have a date set for meeting death face to face.  Have you ever seen Ingmar Bergman’s film the ‘The Seventh Seal’?  It is worth a careful viewing if you are able to see it!

 

In the film, death is seeking the life of a medieval knight returning from the crusades.  The knight challenges death to a game of chess.  If the knight wins, death loses his grip on him; if death wins, he gets to claim the life of the knight.  So death plays chess and pursues the man and even though the man seeks God’s help, God does not seem to answer the man.  His cries are answered by silence in the knight’s estimation.

 

In one scene, the knight speaks to who he thinks is a priest in a confessional about his fears of death, only to find out that he is speaking his confession to death himself.  He says:

 

“My indifference has shut me out.  I live in a world of ghosts, a prisoner of dreams.  I want God to put out his hand, show his face, speak to me.  I cry out to him in the dark but there is no one there…Why can’t I kill God within me?”

 

As death intrudes into the confessional to hear the useless request of the priest for mercy, so death intrudes into God’s creation to take the life of men made in his image.  We must remember that

 

Death is an intruder in the creation: a thief, a robber, a heartless, unprincipled, greedy madman and killer who longs to own us and make us his own.


Death Makes Life Meaninglessness Under the Sun

Have you ever considered that from the moment we exit the womb and enter this world we begin the process of dying?  It is the perspective with which you look at life.  You are either living and growing, or you are dying and decaying.

 

You know, all of us are looking for what we call the “meaning of life”.  Yet as long as death lurks at the end of the road of our life with arms open wide, life will never make much sense.

 

As the Book of Ecclesiastes teaches us all, there is no “meaning of life” only meaninglessness or vanity in this world characterized by sin, misery and ultimately death.  Read carefully portions from Ecclesiastes 8:

 

Ecclesiastes 8:6-17: For there is a time and a way for everything, although man’s trouble lies heavy on him. 7 For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be? 8 No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death.

 

There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it. 9 All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt. 10 Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of the holy place and were praised in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity. 11 Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil.

 

12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him. 13 But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God. 14 There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. 15 And I commend joy, for man has no good thing under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun. 16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one’s eyes see sleep, 17 then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.

 

The only hope “under the sun” in this world according to the Bible, particularly in the Book of Ecclesiastes, is that God himself would come “under the sun” to give hope and life to those who would believe and fear him.

 

One Day Closer to Death…or Life!?

In our text from John 11 today, Jesus becomes the solution to the so-called problem of evil, and the man who conquers death, the very thing all men fear- – the very thing that prevents any man from living at peace in this world apart from their Creator.

 

How do you handle the reality of death?  If you want to “lose friends and not influence people” just go into a room of people, particularly at a party and ask them if they would like to talk about death.  It is a strange thing, but we can talk about many other things, but one cannot talk about death.  We even use euphemisms to cause us to forget it: “He passed away”; “He is not with us any longer”; “He expired”.  All these euphemisms are ways people avoid the reality of death- – and they will definitely not speak about it.

 

Yet every one of us, with every tick-tick-tick-tock of the clock is getting one moment, one minute, one hour, one day closer to death.  And what hope do you have?  Some try to face death head on with presumptuous pride and arrogance by doing “extreme sports” or living carelessly.  They think that if they look death in the face head on, that the fear of death will subside and they will find peace- -but they don’t.

 

Some get busy and don’t think about it or talk about it- – “avoid it at all cost!”- -they say.  But in the quiet times and in the good times, there is the dark foreboding cloud of death hanging over them.

 

There are two times when death is most “foreboding”.  When babies are born and when people die.  I think the reason we think of death when babies are born is that we are reminded of life, the beginning, and so we naturally then think of the end.  Also, perhaps more understandably, we think about death when we lose those whom we love to it.

 

Yet no one can get away from death’s pursuit!  We need hope! We need revelation from above! We need a door- -an exit- – an escape out!  So don’t despair becuase Jesus says:

 

“I AM the Resurrection and the Life. He Who Believes in me, though he die, YET WILL HE LIVE.”

Do you believe this? It is your only hope!

 

In our last study, we beheld the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ as he revealed himself as the Good Shepherd in John 10.  Jesus was calling his sheep, his own to come to him and find salvation, security, and safe pasture.  Jesus had come for those who hear his voice (such as the man born blind) and have life and life more abundantly!

 

“In JESUS is LIFE…”

Today, we see the height of Jesus’ SIGN-ificant signs and miracles to show that he has life in himself.  As John 1:5 says:

 

In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

Let us review the miraculous SIGN-ificant SIGNS of Jesus so far in the Gospel of John.  In John 2, Jesus changes water into wine to show that the eschatological feast of the Lamb has begun in him.  In John 4, Jesus heals an official’s son in Galilee.  In John 5, Jesus showsthe glory of God in the healing of the lame man, revealing himself as Messiah who Isaiah spoke of in Isaiah 35:1-7:

 

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; 2 it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God. 3 Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; 7 the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water…

 

In John 6, Jesus provides abundant bread in the wilderness for the people who are following him, and walks on the water to safely bring his disciples to the other side of the shore.  In John 9, Jesus heals a man born blind.  But now in John 11, Jesus doesn’t merely restore the living in his signs, he revives the dead!  What glory we see in the face of Jesus Christ!

 

Particular Redemption, Resurrection, and Revival

Jesus had heard that “a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany” (John 11:1-5).  This is important.  John begins the chapter with Jesus’ love for his own.  Jesus heard that a “certain man was ill”.  Not just any man, but one whom Jesus loved (John 10:3b).

 

There were many sick and ill when Jesus walked the earth.  Many had died on the very day that Lazarus had died, but Jesus chooses to particularly redeem, resurrect and revive the one he loved and knew by name:

 

Lazarus

But instead of going quickly to Bethany to restore Lazarus while he was living though ill, Jesus purposely waited two more days before he went to him (John 10:6).  Now he had already said to his disciples: “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

 

The purpose of Jesus Christ, the One sent from the Father had a mysterious purpose.  He was content and pleased to tell his disciples that good would come from this, but he would not allow them full knowledge of the mystery of his will.

 

In fact, the Apostle John wants his readers to feel the tension: a man is ill and dying, Jesus says this illness will not end in death, yet in John 10:6 the purpose of Jesus staying a longer period where he was staying was because he loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus, and he heard Lazarus was ill??

 

“For Those Who Love God All Things Work Together for Good!”

Two things we can remember about this: 1) All things work for the good of those God loves; 2) God does things that are often mysterious from our perspective, but has a infinitely good reason for why he is doing what he is doing!  It is better that Lazarus die, just because Jesus loves him particularly, as well as his family!

 

Remember Romans 8:28 in this context:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Just as Job did not understand his affliction, he knew ultimately that God had sent it- – not as a direct result of his sins, for he trusted God by faith- -but because God meant it for his good and that a mediator would aid him in heaven.  Job says:

 

“Although he slay me, yet will I love him…and I know that in my flesh I shall see God!” (Job 13:15; 19:25-26).

What trust Job had in God’s goodness and his merciful wisdom!

 

We should remember this when we go through afflictions and circumstances that we don’t understand.  We will see God- – in our flesh- -We know our Redeemer lives in Jesus!  We know that it is for our good what God has allowed to come in our lives and that is why we are to rejoice and consider it joy and be thankful in all circumstances (James 1; 1 Thessalonians 5:17).  Why? Because we know that God means it for good and has a most wise reason for allowing it.

 

In fact, in the Book of Job the first two chapters point our attention directly to the throne room in heaven before Job goes through the struggles of trying to understand WHY God is allowing his affliction to come upon his life.  In the Book of Revelation, we see the throne room of God in Revelation 4 and 5 so that the persecuted Church throughout the ends of the ages might understand that whatever may come her way, whatever strife and difficulty she may have to endure, God still sits on the throne and has conquered death, hell and the devil (Hebrews 2:14-18).

 

The Living Clay and the Dead Clay of the Master

Jesus then proceeds to visit Bethany (John 10:11).  He tells his disciples that he goes to awaken Lazarus.  The disciples think that he must be speaking of an ill man sleeping and trust that he will recover (v. 12).  At this point, the disciples’ faith seems solid in Jesus’ ability to work with “living clay”, but they are unable to imagine the fact that Jesus can also work with “dead clay”.  They haven’t comprehended this as of yet!

 

So, Jesus tells them plainly: “Lazarus has died…” (v. 14).  Another purpose for Jesus not being “there when Lazarus died” he reveals to be so that they might believe in his ability to work with “dead clay” as well as the “living clay”.

 

Jesus can revive the dead as well and as easily as He restores the living!

Once Jesus gets to Bethany, Lazarus has been dead for four days.  It is interesting to note the responses of Mary and Martha.  Could it be that Mary is a bit bitter that Jesus has not come as quickly as he could? Is her faith weaker than Martha’s?  Perhaps that is why both of them tell Jesus that “If you had been here, our brother Lazarus would not have died?”  Is there bitterness with God revealed here subtlely?

 

Notice that Martha hears Jesus has come and went out to meet him (v. 20).  She informs him that if he had been there, there would have been no death.  Again, notice the faith of the disciples.  At this point, Martha and Mary cannot conceive of restoration and reviving beyond the grave- -death has had the last word at this point in their minds!

 

Yet Martha still has hope.  She is amazing in her faith when she says: “But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”  Do you have faith such as this?  To believe that whatever you ask God for in Christ, he will answer.  All things are indeed possible for those who believe in Jesus!  Jesus answers Martha’s faith that Lazarus will live again (v. 23).

 

It seems that Martha misunderstands Jesus here.   Martha knows that Lazarus is safe in Jesus’ care, for he can pray to the Father and ask him to keep Lazarus safe in death.  She believes that Jesus will raise him up on the last day, but it is still beyond her wildest imaginations that Jesus will raise up Lazarus NOW.  Jesus says to her:

 

I AM the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.

As we learned in our last study of John 10, the hope of God’s people in our Good Shepherd is that although we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we shall fear no evil- – Jesus’ rod and staff will comfort us!

 

When Martha informs Mary that Jesus is present with them, she quickly gets up and goes to him.  And she says the same thing that Martha had said to him, which reveals that they might have been speaking this way together privately.  She says: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

 

God Weeps and Sympathizes in Our Weaknesses

Mary was weeping and Jesus sympathized with her weakness (cf. Hebrews 4:15-16).  Jesus was “greatly troubled” when he saw the sadness of the mourning over Lazarus.  Jesus asks where the body is located and then he weeps.

 

God weeps over the consequences of sin.  Jesus is greatly agitated, or “greatly troubled” in his soul because of the fact that death has conquered those whom he loves and who are made in God’s image for His glory!

 

Again in 10:37 we see that some of the disciples still believe that Jesus can do great signs, even restore the living, but they have not come to understand that He who can restore the living, can also as easily with Creator-Authoritative power revive the dead!

 

In order to perform this great SIGN-ificant sign, Jesus asks for assistance from those who love Lazarus.  He asks them to take away the stone, and to unbind him and let him go of his grave clothes after he has arisen from the dead.

 

What are we talking about here? A resurrection from the dead? How can this be?  As Jesus stands outside the tomb-cave, he stands in the midst of a great odor (I appreciate the use of “stinketh” in the KJV translation!).  This odor or death-stink reminds everyone of the conquering power of death that steals a man’s flesh and eats up his bones.

 

Jesus, with full power of the Creator, speaks with a divine fiat, or command to Lazarus the dead man and says:

 

Lazarus, Come Forth!


Death, the Dark and Evil Conqueror of Man

Something very important to remember: Dead men cannot hear; they cannot speak; they cannot move; they cannot comprehend; they do not cooperate with the living in any way; they do not wear plaid (a reference to an old film noir).  To say this directly: Dead men cannot do anything but continue to die and perish – to “stinketh”!

 

The dead have no relationship to the living.

 

Yet the Creator of Heaven and Earth in the flesh is at the tomb of Lazarus.  Just as he said “Let there be light” in the creation (and there was light!), so he here says “Let there be life”- – and there was life!  This is a sovereign act on God’s part out of love to resurrect and revive the dead.  Lazarus hears only because God has given him the ability to respond to his command.  In fact, Lazarus could not have NOT responded!

 

Lazarus had no ability to respond while dead, and no ability to NOT respond while dead when Jesus called him!

 

This is gracious, sovereign, irresistible grace- – the kind of grace that only God can give and offer!  Lazarus heard the voice of his Creator-Savior, and he came forth.

 

Now a special point needs to be made.  One that Jesus illustrates here in John 11, but was told to Nicodemus in John 3.  No one can see or enter the kingdom of God, unless he is born again!  Lazarus had to be resurrected, revived, born again in order to be able to hear, see, and enter the Kingdom of God revealed in the Person of Jesus who calls him by his grace!

 

Now think about this!  When the Creator-Savior calls his people forth from the dead, they cannot and do not want to resist.  Do you understand? They have no ability to respond unless called forth from the dead, and once they are called forth they are unable to, and unwilling to resist!

 

When the Apostle Paul says that once we were “dead in trespasses in sins” in Ephesians 2, he means that once we were dead to life in Jesus and alive to sin, the world, the flesh, and the devil.  We had no life toward God, no communion, no hope, no understanding, no hearing, no seeing, no life united to the living God- -but we were separated away from him because of our sins.

 

And in that living-dead predicament, the result of the fall of Adam and sin in our lives, we are resurrected and revived to become the dead-living!  Read carefully the words of Ephesians 2:

 

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience- 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ- by grace you have been saved- 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

 

“Living Dead” or “Dead Living”???

Notice a few things as you compare this to the SIGN-ificant sign and illustration of this truth from Jesus in John 11.  The Apostle Paul says those who do not know Christ are “dead in their trespasses and sins”.  They walk according to the world, flesh and the devil (v. 2-3).  BUT GOD (v. 4) made us alive (v. 5) together with Christ!  Why? Because he is rich in mercy (v. 4a); Because He loved us (as he loved Lazarus) (v. 4b); Because of his infinite mercy and grace (vv. 5, 8).

 

Notice something extremely important in this passage.  WHEN did God raise us up and resurrect us in his mercy, because of his love, and infinite mercy and grace?  WHEN we were dead in our trespasses, He made us alive! (v. 5).  We had nothing to offer God but death.  In reality, we “stinketh” in our sins!

 

Death was revealed in our sinfulness, rebellion against our Creator, separation from fellowship with God, deaf, blind, shameful, guilty, and awaiting God’s wrath!  Yet in this hopeless, bleak situation, God made us alive!

 

What grace!  How this is illustrated in Lazarus’ cave.  Jesus makes Lazarus alive.

 

In the midst of death, in the midst of decaying flesh, and the beginning of the rotting of his bones, Lazarus hears a voice- – not just any voice- -but the voice of his friend whom he loved.  And this friend of his was none other than his Creator-Savior.

 

Upon hearing his friend and savior’s command to come forth- – LAZARUS CAME FORTH!  To resist Jesus’ voice and grace when he heard the voice of his Creator-Savior would have been as possible as the light penetrating the darkness in the creation saying back to God when he said “Let there be Light”- – “Well, I don’t want to be…”  It couldn’t wouldn’t happen!

 

God’s saving and sovereign resurrecting and reviving grace comes to us by His Spirit through the power of His word and command.  In the cave, dark and lonely that stinketh (KJV), a voice is heard.  It is the Great Shepherd who calls, and the dead sheep named Lazarus who the Shepherd knows by name, hears his voice and comes out into his presence and finds salvation, security, and safe pasture in Him!

 

“In ME I Live and I Move and I Have My Own Being

In John 10, Jesus had just spoken of his death for his own, his sheep.  In fact, he was from this point on in his ministry the focus of the Jewish leaders who wanted him killed (John 10:31ff; 11:45-57).  Yet Jesus, in the midst of being in danger of his own life, offers life to Lazarus.  One important thing we do not want to miss in this passage from John 11:

 

Jesus loves his own so much that he is willing to resurrect his own people, even before he himself experiences death and is resurrected himself!


Jesus shows forth to the world in this unbelievable and magnificent SIGN-ificant sign that in him is life and that life is the light of men (John 1:4).  What does it mean to have life within oneself?  As best as I can put it, it means not requiring anyone or anything outside oneself to have to support you.  In other words, for created beings it is true that “in HIM we live and move and have our being” as Acts 17 teaches.

 

But to have life within oneself and to be able to offer it to others as Jesus can, is to say

“In ME I live and I move and I have my own being”

and all other being and life is possible because of me!  That gets close to what it means to have life in oneself as Jesus does!

 

In John 10:18, Jesus speaks of his life this way: “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of may own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.”  Here Jesus expands on this reality.  He not only has the authority to take up again his own life, that is resurrect and revive, but He has the authority to take up again other’s lives as well!

 

We see a glimpse in this passage of the final day when Jesus shall call forth all of his sheep, all of his own with a great voice of command and will say:

 

“MY PEOPLE WHOM I LOVE, COME FORTH ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM PREPARED FOR YOU FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD!”


The Apostle Paul describes this day in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18:

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.

And the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

 

Are you encouraged by these words? Is your hope the same as Job’s or Lazarus’, that your Redeemer lives and you shall see him in your flesh one day? (cf. Romans 8:20-25).  Do you have the same hope as Lazarus?  Are you like Lazarus, spiritually resurrected and revived still awaiting the last day by faith?

 

Resurrection on the Left, Death on the Right, Here I AM stuck in the Middle with Life-Resurrection…

Lazarus would die again, later in his life.  Yet between his resurrection-revival and the end of his life he saw much to inform his faith.  He saw the LORD of glory himself who had resurrected-revived him go to his death only to be raised again to glory!  He would have known of the ascension and lived his life awaiting Jesus to return again for his people as the glorious beings said to the crowds looking on as he ascended:

 

And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.

Lazarus lived his life knowing gratefully from whom he had received his resurrection-revival.  He lived with his eyes toward heaven as he hoped for the final and ultimate resurrection-revival when all of God’s people would dwell and live in the presence of God for eternity- – never to taste death again (Revelation 7:15-17).

 

Never to have to attend another funeral, or shed another tear (Rev. 17:15-17).  You too live between your first and second resurrection if you are a Christian!  As we learned in John 5 (see study from John 5: www.aplacefortruth.org/woe), we who once were literally the “living dead” have now by faith in Jesus become the “dead living”, awaiting our future and final glorious resurrection when he returns.

 

Lazarus lived his life between the two resurrections with great joy and belief that what God said, he would do.  Do you live in such a way that you keep your eyes on the clouds so to speak, while living for Christ here on this earth?  The Apostle Paul teaches us the worth and importance of our labors between our first and our second resurrection-revivals:

 

1 Corinthians 15:51-58: Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

 

“Death, Where is Your Victory?”

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting…But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

Jesus conquered death, hell and the devil and in Him by faith, you may also conquer them.  Jesus One- – Death zero.  The medieval knight of Bergman’s ‘Seventh Seal’ could not conquer death.  In fact, death took he and his friends.  Yet in Jesus, we find the one who can destroy death once and for all and offer life.

 

Yet death is just a foretaste of eternal darkness and sadness.  Death is just losing one’s life in this world.  Eternal death apart from God is losing one’s life for eternity- -literally losing eternal life.  The Bible teaches that “the soul who sins shall die”.  If we do not have a Mediator, one who died for our sins, then we shall have to pay the infinite price of offense against God for eternity.

 

You choose this day: Life in Jesus Christ for eternity, never to experience pain, sadness, death, or hell ever!  Or, death in one’s self for eternity, never to experience anything but pain, sadness, death, and hell forever.

 

This is not a laughing matter.  Whether you believe it or not, death is stalking you –look behind you- -in front of you—it is close to you- -you feel it’s breath upon you- – one day older, one day closer…do not wait, but turn in repentance to the living God in Jesus Christ by faith- -he alone gives eternal life, and he alone has conquered death.

 

Not in Lazarus’ resurrection, but in the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, Jesus actually disarmed, then chained death, hell and the devil together as vanquished foes, and marched home to victory carrying behind him his and our conquered foes.  As Colossians 2:13-15 teaches:

 

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.


Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.  Do you believe?  The Apostle John wrote his gospel that we might believe in Jesus Christ and IN HIM, have life in his name (John 20:31).

 

Do you have life in his name? Does Jesus know you by name, or does death know you by name? At the end of your life do you have an appointment with Jesus- – or death?

 

Charles R. Biggs

www.ketoctin.org

“Seeing God…Only for the Pure in Heart”- The Beatitudes

The sixth beatitude, or characteristic of Christ and His people, is being those who are pure in heart.

 

We live in a very compromising world.  As Christians, we want to live uncompromising lives to our Lord because of all he has done on our behalf in Christ.  We want to be pure in heart.

Being pure in heart means to live with an undivided and loving loyalty to the LORD alone.  It means to serve and love only God by His grace and His power that works within us.

Yet we do not have pure hearts completely.  Even as Christians we sin daily and wrestle against our sins (Romans 7:7-25).  Our hearts are polluted and Christ has come to make us pure in heart, so that we might learn to love God alone!

There are many idols that we have in our hearts.  Many things we love more than God.  Yet Christ is committed to smashing these idols as we surrender them to him.

The pure in heart are not perfect people, they are those who have been saved by the LORD Jesus who is pure in heart and who cleanses them from sin.  The great hope of those who will one day be pure in heart is that they shall see God.  It is the greatest motivation to continue to ask him for strength for purity so that on that day we shall see him as He is! (1 John 3:1-3)

As Jesus says: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Psalm 24:3-5 says: “Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. 5 He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation.”

We know that the One who ultimately ascended the hill of the LORD and stands in God’s holy place is Jesus Christ our Savior from sin, He is the only one who has perfectly clean hands and a pure heart!

Purity of heart

What is purity of heart?  An undivided and loving loyalty from the heart dedicated to the LORD alone!

During each day of our daily walk with God, we experience what is like a walk through a hall of advertisements: everyone selling to us what we “truly need”.  It’s like a walk in vanity fair, where Christian in Pilgrim’s Progress is being tempted by everything to keep him happy and healthy to distract him from fully seeking after God (which is the place also where his partner Faithful is killed!).  It is like a visit to a country with street salesmen, everyone trying to sell you something – Our lives can be great distractions from the one thing needful, as Jesus puts it!

In our world of compromise, we can have literally “everything we want, when we want it” and not have the very thing we need the most: an undivided and loyal love from the heart to the Lord and His Kingdom!

Purity of Heart in the Old Covenant

In the Old Covenant, Israel was taught to approach God through a mediatorial High Priest who approached the presence of God in the Holy of Holies only once yearly on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16).  God was instructing the people that if anyone was to approach a Holy God it would be with a perfect and pure heart.  The High Priest approached God with a bloody sacrifice that symbolized the life that was required as a substitute in order to bring purity of heart to sinners so that they might have communion with God again.

In the New Covenant, we see the full significance of the High Priest revealed in the Old Covenant.  Jesus is our High Priest who has shed his precious blood, so that we might be pure and holy, and so we might approach the Living God and all come into his presence.  The Book of Hebrews has much to teach us on this Greater High Priest:

Hebrews 9:24-28: For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

76% of Americans Keep the First Commandment?

God revealed our need of a Savior and our need of a pure heart, or an undivided and loyal love from the heart in the first of the commandments: “Thou shall have not other gods before me!”

In 1993, 76% of Americans said that they “consider themselves completely true to the first commandment”.  What this means in reality is NOT that 76% of Americans are true to the first commandment, but more likely that 76% of Americans don’t fully understand the Gospel!!  None of our hearts are fully devoted to God, and whatever at any particular time is getting our fully devotion and loyalty is an idol.

Now perhaps you don’t have idols of wood, stone, or porcelain as in other cultures in other parts of the world; perhaps you don’t offer incense and prayers to a little porcelain Buddha in your home.  But what does your heart desire and want so much that your heart clamors: “Give me this, or else I’ll die!”

According to secular psychologists (and there is some good we can learn from them- – ALL TRUTH is God’s truth), most people struggle with four main idols (although the secular psychologists wouldn’t call them idols).  These four main idols are like colors, there are many variations and shades of these idols and they can be mixed like colors to form new idols.

The four main “idols” of our hearts are: (1) Power; (2) Approval; (3) Comfort; and (4) Control.

In these four idols, you can find various “sins that so easily beset you” each and every day.  In these four idols, you can find what takes the place of God many times in your life, on any given day.  Meditate upon these four and the many variations of each of them, then try to think about how Scriptures corrects the assumptions of our idols and smashes them as we meditate upon the Word of God and bring our thoughts into captivity to our Lord Jesus!

“Good Old Fashioned” Idolatry

What must you have for life to be meaningful or happy- – money, reputation, position, respect?”  At any given moment, our hearts are ready to be divided in its loyalty according to whatever we think at any given moment, will ultimately bring us happiness!  So, what do you desire that if you do not have, you think you will die?

If you answer this question with anything other than God Himself that “other” person or thing serves functionally as an idol or god to you.  Jesus teaches us what this means in Matthew 6 concerning serving two masters:

Matthew 6:24,33: “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. 25 …33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

To seek anything more than the kingdom of God and his righteousness is “good old fashioned” idolatry!  We need pure hearts, undivided and loving loyalty to the LORD alone, yet we are all idolaters.  If you cannot think of the idols that afflict you at this moment, read this brilliant insight as to what the first commandment actually means in our daily and momentary practice, written by 120 godly men who wrote the Westminster Larger Catechism.  This answer is in response to the question:

“What are the duties required of all creatures/all mankind (every single human being!) in the first commandment?”

“The duties required in the first commandment are, the knowing and acknowledging of God to be the only true God, and our God; and to worship and glorify him accordingly, by thinking, meditating, remembering, highly esteeming, honoring, adoring, choosing, loving, desiring, fearing of him; believing him; trusting, hoping, delighting, rejoicing in him; being zealous for him; calling upon him, giving all praise and thanks, and yielding all obedience and submission to him with the whole man; being careful in all things to please him, and sorrowful when in anything he is offended; and walking humbly with him.”

After reading this, we are reminded that the “heart” is the seat of all of our affections – we must guard our hearts! After reading the duties required in the first commandment, I am not tempted to commend myself and my filthy works to the Living God, rather I am encouraged to repent and return unto God yet again to seek his loving grace and forgiveness!

As Christians, We Desire to Be Pure and Clean Like Our God…

…and we can be! In Ezekiel 36:25ff, God promised that he would send the Spirit of God to transform our hearts and cause us to love God and His Law.

zekiel 36:25-27: I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

The promise of God in Ezekiel’s prophecy was that he would provide pure and clean hearts for his people.  In the fullness of the times, after Christ had earned our salvation and paid our debt for sins committed against God, Jesus received the Spirit and sent it forth to cleanse His people (John 7:37-39; 1 Corinthians 15:20ff).  In fact, Paul says that the work God has begun in us will be completed and accomplished when Christ returns and we are a pure and holy bride for Christ.

ESV Ephesians 5:25-27: Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

How Can Our Eyes See God Who is Holy and Majestic?

Jesus says that the pure in heart shall see God. What does it mean that we shall see God?

In Exodus 33-34, Moses the Mediator of God’s people in the Old Covenant, wanted to see God’s face, his glory.  God allowed Moses to behold his glory passing by, but not his face.

Exodus 33:18-23: Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” 21 And the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”

As an Old Covenant servant of God, Moses had the privilege of talking with God closer than anyone else, but the time had not come for redeemed man to behold God face to face.  No man would behold God face to face until the LORD Jesus, who was God and with God, would walk among us as man.  The Apostle John explains this in John chapter 1:

John 1:1-18: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it….

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 ( John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'”) 16 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

As his people who are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, we now see God with eyes of faith.  We look on what is unseen, for what is seen is temporal, but what is unseen is eternal:

2 Corinthians 4:16-18: So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. 17 For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

We see God now as he is revealed in His Word and we see him with eyes of faith.  One day however, we shall see him as He sees us on the Last Day!  The Scriptures teach us in various places that when God renews all things, we shall behold His glory in the face of Jesus Christ- – and we shall be like him, truly like him – -pure in heart!

1 John 3:1-3: See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

1 Corinthians 13:8-13: Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

The Beatific Vision

Historically, this great hope of “seeing God” has been called the “Beatific Vision”: The final vision of God’s glory and truth given to the blessed of the Sermon on the Mount!  The pure in heart shall see God!  What hope!  What a motivation to serve the Living Lord alone with loving loyalty from the heart!

If you have never read St. Augustine’s ‘Confessions’ you must do so as soon as possible (not an understatement!  An extremely important book to read for Christian encouragement!).  Here are some of Augustine’s thoughts as he meditates upon seeing God one day.  When we go through difficult and trying times, when some of the time we desire to give up, we should meditate by faith upon the face of God revealed in Jesus Christ!  And how do we “see” the face of God in Jesus now?  From the revelation of God’s character found in Scripture!

From Augustine’s Confessions:

“Alas! Alas! Tell me of your compassion, O Lord my God, what you are to me.  Say to my soul, “I am your salvation”.  When I hear, may I run and lay hold of you.  Hide not your face from me.  Let me die, lest I die, if only I may see your face.”

Soli Deo Gloria!

Love in Christ,

Pastor Biggs

Next Study: “Blessed are the Peacemakers”

“Blessed are the Merciful…”- Mercy Me!

“Blessed are the Merciful, for they Shall Receive Mercy.”

We often so easily forget the mercy that God has shown to us in Christ. We deserve only God’s wrath and justice for our sins, but he has offered his hand of mercy to us in Christ!  What have you been given by God that you truly deserve (1 Cor. 4:7)?  Be honest!

How do we practice mercy with others, particularly those who treat us indifferently and cruel?  Are we merciful with others who sin against us?  Do we reflect our Father’s goodness and mercy when others sin against us?  Not always!  In fact, we many times ask for others to treat us and to pay us back in a way inconsistent with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

God offers to us mercy, a forgiveness that is unmerited or undeserved!  We ought to offer that same unmerited and undeserved mercy back to other people who upset us– – yet it is so hard for us to do!

It is because we have not truly understood God’s mercy on us!  If we did, we would have not trouble (by His grace) extending hands of mercy to others!

How can we be more merciful and forgiving as a people?  By the power of Christ’s Spirit teaching us the deep and undying love and mercy of God to us!  Let this sink into our unmerciful and unforgiving hearts:

“While we were yet sinners and enemies of God, Christ died for the ungodly!”(Romans 5:6-11)

That’s mercy!  May we come to understand Mercy, mercy, mercy to others.  As Jesus says: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.”

“Mercy, mercy me! What an Unmerciful World!”

We live in an extremely unmerciful world!  The most common way of expressing our evil design toward others when we are angry is summarized in the saying: “Don’t get mad, get even!”  Most people in our age are looking out for themselves, “number one” and if you cross them, they will do what they will to get back at you.  The way of Jesus is to offer mercy to those who oppose us and treat us cruelly.  Although this is impossible without the merciful Spirit of God living within us, it is possible by His grace.  The Apostle Paul sums up the Christian’s attitude in Romans 12:

Romans 12:14-21: 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be conceited. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

At first glance, this is seems impossible, but as we reflect on God’s mercy that has been shown toward us in Jesus, so we find the strength by His grace to demonstrate this kind of attitude toward those who are evil toward us.

Sometimes we see others, both believers and unbelievers, whose sins and mistakes have caused them pain.  We glance around and see the consequences of others “reaping what they have sown”.  Do you reach out to help, or do you just say: “They are getting what they deserve?”  Mercy reminds us each day that none of those who know the Lord Jesus Christ are getting what they deserve!  What we deserve is eternal death and God’s justice, what we get by faith in Christ is God’s abundant mercy!  We should remember that the next time we so easily judge another for their sins rather than teaching them to turn from their sins to the Hope we have in Jesus Christ for life!

Forgiveness- – One More Time??

What is mercy toward other people anyway?  Mercy is about forgiveness– – extending a hand of undeserved grace to another-  -and not just one time- – but one more time!

Remember when Peter asked Jesus “How many times shall I forgive my brother?”  He presumptuously answered his own question with what he thought was a very liberal and kind “seven times?” before Jesus answered him.  However, Jesus wanted him to know that if he or anyone else understood God’s forgiveness, undeserving mercy toward us, we would all offer forgiveness and mercy as many times as it is requested.

This means in reality that anytime you have forgiven someone “one more time”, you have not forgiven  them enough.  There will be probably be another time, and you must be just as ready and willing to extend a hand of undeserved grace toanother all over again!  This means that the next time you offer mercy to another (one to whom you perhaps have had to forgive before), you must remember that you cannot think anything like “Well, this will be the last time for them, I’ve had it with ’em!”

If you think like this, you have not understood the number of times daily, no hourly, that you must return to your God with requests of forgiveness.  In other words, you constantly need forgiveness and mercy from God and others will constantly need forgiveness and mercy from you!  Read carefully Jesus’ story in Matthew 18:

A Story of Debt Owed and Forgiven

Matthew 18:21-35: Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. 23

“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents (about 15 years’ wages). 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.

28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii (a days’ wages), and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.

32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Notice in this story the following important points concerning mercy: 1) The amount of debt is great- -it is not merely overlooked!  It costs the king a lot, yet he forgives the debt!  2) The servant could never repay his master! 3) The King was merciful and forgave him his debt!

We could never repay God for our sins!  None of us!  We all owe God eternal death, for Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death. Yet God, who is rich in mercy, extends a hand of forgiveness to us in Christ.

“We owed a debt we could not pay; Christ paid a debt He did not owe!”

Remember: Believing and actually doing are two different things!  You may believe this about mercy.  You may even believe that this is Biblical, but do you practice mercy?  Are you an initiator of mercy?  How many “owe” you a debt today that is eating you up inside?  How many are you unwilling to forgive, to even call or write and extend mercy toward them?  Are you greater than God?  We must come to terms with our sins and face them, so that we can turn once again to the mercy of God found in the face of Christ!  We must seek out, be initiators of mercy!

Mercy is a “Weighty Matter” of the Law of God

We often forget that the Pharisees were very good at achieving merely external righteousness.  They “did the right thing” outwardly even if it didn’t come from a pure heart (Matt. 15:7ff; 23:23ff).  Remember that Jesus reminded the Pharisees and his disciples of the “weightier” or more important matters of the Law from the Prophet Micah:

Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness (mercy: hesed, translated “lovingkindness of God), and to walk humbly with your God?

Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

“Mercy” or offering an undeserved hand of grace and forgiveness to others who sin against us is a very important and “weighty” matter of the Law!  Why? The Law condemns us all!  If God has shown us mercy and not just wrath and punishment, shouldn’t we show the same to others who may have broken our own personal and social laws against us?

Receivers of Mercy

We have earned God’s just wrath and punishment.  The only thing we have done to merit anything before a Holy God is to earn death and wrath.  But God, who is rich in mercy has offered us grace in Jesus Christ.  Some of the greatest two words ever written are “but God” from Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians:

Ephesians 2:1-8: And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience- 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ- by grace you have been saved- 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”

The very good news of the gospel is that we are not getting what we deserve because of what Christ did mercifully for us! We have been shown mercy by the Living God.

God shows us mercy and grace so that we might be saved. The Mercy Seat in the Old Covenant is where justice and mercy meet because of God’s love and mercy to sinners!  In the Old Covenant blood is shed on the mercy seat as a substitution for sinners.  In the fullness of time in the New Covenant, Christ himself sheds his own precious blood, not merely on the Mercy Seat, a representation of God’s throne, but lays down his life before the very throne of God itself!

Do you show mercy to others?  Do you say things like: “Well, they deserved it!”?  Or, do you say unmerciful harsh things in more of a subtle manner, such as: “I would forgive them, but I’m not going to forget it!” Or, “I warned them so many times, and now they are getting what they deserve?

The next time you are thinking thoughts such as these, ask yourself:

What about what I deserve before a Holy God?

This reality should seep deep down into our heart and cause us to overflow with mercy and grace to others.  You truly owed a debt that you could never in a million years repay, yet Christ in His mercy to you, paid a debt he never in a million years would have owed to God.  Now, go and offer the same sacrificial mercy to others!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Love in Christ,

Pastor Biggs

Next Study: “Blessed are the Pure in Heart”

Important! Reminder for All Preachers

Recently I’ve been reading Arturo Azurdia III’s book ‘Spirit-Empowered Preaching’ (Mentor, 2010) and have been reminded of some very important truths. What has been most helpful to me as a preacher was to be reminded of the great promise and hope of God’s power when we pray. Additionally, I have been struck with how important it is for the congregation to pray for their preachers, coming expectantly to worship to receive from Christ in each sermon. As the Apostle Paul commanded the Ephesian Christians to pray at all times,for one another, and especially for the preaching ministry of the Gospel of grace:

ESV Ephesians 6:18-20: …Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

The Apostle Paul commands Christians to pray at all times, for one another, and also that “words may be given…boldly” in the proclamation of the Gospel. This call to pray is that the Gospel would go forth boldly from lips and sink into the people’s ears by God’s power and the working of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:1-5).

I would like to share a few quotations with you from Pastor Azurdia’s chapter on Preaching and the Man of God (pgs. 129ff). Please read carefully and prayerfully whether you are a preacher or a listener to preachers.

“Throughout the Upper Room discourse Jesus is exceedingly consistent: prayer is to be the preoccupation of the man sent out to proclaim the message of the Gospel.

The confession of the apostles was as follows: “We will devote ourselves to prayer, and to the ministry of the Word” (Acts 6:4a).

Charles Bridges wrote, commenting on this text from Acts:

“Prayer…is one half of a man’s ministry; and it gives to the other half all its power and success. Without prayer, a minister is of no use to the church, nor any advantage to mankind.”

Bridges continues: The minister sows; and God gives no increase. He preaches; and his words are only like ‘sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal’ (1 Cor. 13:1-3). The minister recites the praises of God; while ‘his heart is far from God’.

It is prayer alone, then, that gives the whole strength and efficacy to our different administrations as ministers of God’s Word. That man ceases, if I may use the expression, to be a public Minister of God’s Word from the time he ceases to pray.”

Calvin Miller wrote similarly:

“The oral side of our career as ministers is visible, but it is never the source of our spiritual power. In fact, our devotional life…is the secret of clout. A friend of mine long ago reminded me that I could not help people if I was always with people….When Harold Fickett, Jr. says, ‘A preacher is the epic poet of his people,’ we must admit that the epic gains its form from silence….Preaching from the silent center is the evidence that we who preach on trust are also living it.

Preaching, in one sense, merely discharges the firearm that God has loaded in the silent place [of prayer]. The successful volley does not mean that we have passed homiletics but rather that we have been with God.”

Edward Payson summarized this aptly: “It is in the [prayer] closet that the [spiritual] battle is lost or won.”

Advice on how to be a faithful preacher (a summary from book):

  • Pray for the vitality and power of the Holy Spirit and guard your devotional life from intruders. He writes: “For this reason, barring emergencies, I do not schedule appointments or receive telephone calls before 1 pm. Like all hard-working pastors, if I pray only when people and circumstances allow it to be convenient, I would rarely pray. To be sure, this kind of priority on prayer can arouse accusations such as the following: ‘Our pastor is unapproachable. It is difficult to get close to him. He is not very accessible.’ Over time, however, maturing Christians will come to appreciate the value of such a discipline. They themselves will be the benefactors of it. Until such a time, a preacher must rest in the conviction that the protection and cultivation of his own inner life is in the best interest of the congregation.”
  • The Minister of God’s Word must prepare himself for preaching by the means of diligent study of the Scriptures. “The Gospel preacher can take great confidence in the fact that the Spirit of God speaks effectually through His rightly divided Word.”

 

  • A minister should daily recognize and confess his inabilities, weakness, and place his total dependence and trust upon God. “The preacher must recognize, and even revel in, his own human inabilities….God will have no competitors. For this reason He manifests His power through weakness. It is, therefore, incumbent upon the Gospel preacher to recognize the overpowering nature of his inabilities; to be able to say with Paul: ‘who is sufficient for these things?’ (2 Cor. 2:16). ‘The strength of the pulpit is in its own conscious weakness, and in God’s almighty power’.”

Let us pray for our preachers that they will be filled with God’s powerful Spirit, that they will be faithful to the hard work of painstaking exegesis of the word of God, and that they would pray, pray, pray. Let us pray that they would be comfortable in their weaknesses, and strong in their trust and dependence upon the Lord Christ! (Eph. 6:10-13)

Let us pray that our preachers would be able to say that almost half of their ministerial labors is invested in study, meditation and learning God’s Word, and that the other half would be willingly and eagerly invested in prayer for the preaching and the people of God.

May we glorify Christ and build His Church by being useful, faithful, self-forgetful, and Christ-centered!

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Biggs

“Blessed are the Hungry and Thirsty…”- The Beatitudes

“Blessed are those Who Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness, for they Shall be Filled.”

In the last three studies, we learned that the poor in spirit are those who are totally dependent upon the Living God both for life and salvation.  The mourners are not “cry babies” but those who mourn over their own sins and the sins of others who sin against a Holy God.  In our last study we learned about the meek, who are not weak, but truly have a right estimate of themselves in light of their relationship to God Almighty.

Today’s study is about those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.  Who are these people and what are they like?

A Big Appetite for Righteousness

Those who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness have a big appetite for righteousness.  Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness persistently pursue and long for a righteous, Christ-likeness so that they may live satisfied and full lives before the face of God!

It is strange that we find righteousness and holiness to be so strange when we see glimpses of it in others.  When those who don’t believe in Christ see Christ’s followers seeking holiness or righteousness, they are often startled or perplexed by it.

We should rather be startled and perplexed by those who do not hunger and thirst after righteousness.  For in reality, hungering and thirsting after God and His righteousness in our lives is the only thing that will ever satisfy the hunger of the longing of our souls!  Seeking righteousness should be quite natural and normal for all of us!

Righteousness and holiness were the reasons for which we were created because we were created to be in fellowship with God and to show forth his likeness (Gen. 1:26-28).  The first sin of Adam, and the fall of man into sin and misery should have ruined any possibility of hope for those characterized by sin rather than righteousness, but God in His grace held out hope and grace from the very beginning in promising a Seed who would accomplish righteousness for those who believe (Gen. 3:15).

“Better than Life!”

Christ came as representative and Savior of those who believe and he only hungered and thirsted after righteousness.  He sought it with all his heart!  We see glimpses of this desire for righteousness in David’s desires for God expressed beautifully in Psalm 63.

Psalm 63: “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you,in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.  Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.  My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.  On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.  Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

One of my friends wrote to me concerning this psalm in a recent e-mail.  She wrote: ”I love this psalm, which was written when David was in the desert of Judah. Although he does not have much to feast upon  (“in a dry and weary land where there is no water”),  he feasts upon God’s word (“My soul will be satisfied with the richest of foods”), and finds in it all that he needs to sustain himself.”  That’s a living expression of what it means to hunger and thirst after righteousness.

God’s Word teaches us about the righteousness of Christ.  The Word of God reveals Christ to us so that we might come to know him and be saved.  It promises us that if we believe in Him, we shall be united to Him, and we shall be like Him.  As we come to look upon Christ in His Word (through preaching and the Lord’s Supper), we come to persistently pursue and long for more of Him to be formed in us!  Do you long for Christ to be formed in you?

Notice in Psalm 63 that David cries out to God that his love is better than life itself!  David knew, as we should come to learn in Christ, that the only life worth living is the life lived in obedience to God’s Word, hungering and thirsting after righteousness and Christ-likeness.  David, and we who live on this side of the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, who have a portion of the Spirit of God given to us, ought to persistently pursue and long for a righteous Christ-likeness so that we might live satisfied and full lives before the face of God!

Eat, Drink, and Truly Be Merry!

Why are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness hungry and thirsty?  Because of the fall into sin and misery, the world is full of sin and selfish disobedience to the Living God.  Righteousness is not found naturally within our own souls or hearts, and definitely not found in others around us.

When we look for glimpses of glory, sparks of divine righteousness around us in our world, we are more likely to find sin and the consequences of unrighteous and unholy living.  In fact, it makes us feel quite unclean, but we are not merely the victims as Christians, we are part of the sin problem.  However, as Christians we struggle with our sinful and selfish tendencies so that we might become more like Christ (Romans 7)!

We want to ask Christ our Lord for more of a hunger, desire, and thirst for the Living God.  Just as our bodies crave food and thirst for water, so our souls created by God long to be satisfied with only God Himself!  Have you ever thought how unnatural it is for us not to pursue righteousness and holiness.  Think of the deer spoken of by David in Psalm 42:

“As the deer pants or longs for the water, so my soul longs after the God.”

Think of this illustration and analogy to the deer.  The deer doesn’t think logically, merely with his mind, “Hmmm, I think it is time for me to drink.”  No!  Rather, the deer is driven to the streams of water so that he might quench his thirst.  Think about when we are hungry.  We don’t say, “I think I will work up an appetite.”  We are naturally hungry during the day (3 times or more?!) and we are driven to seek to eat and drink.  It is natural and normal.  If the truth be known, we can’t work up a hunger and thirst…we don’t make ourselves this way, it happens naturally!

So should our persistent pursuit of Christ-likeness be for the Christian.  As we come to learn of Christ’s loveliness and more of his mercy, we desire to know Him and His Word much better.  We long to truly understand how the Spirit has united us closely to Him and we long to be more like him- -in every way.  The Apostle Paul wanted to know this.  In Philippians 3, Paul exuberantly writes:

Philippians 3:7-14: But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith- 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul wanted to leave behind all of his futile and self-righteous pursuits of righteousness in his life as a Pharisee.  What he wanted was the kind of knowledge and relationship with God found only in the Person of Jesus Christ!  He said he counted all of his prestigious pedigree as “rubbish” so that he might gain Christ.  But what specifically did he want to “gain” in Christ?

A Righteousness in Christ

The Apostle Paul wanted to be found “in Him”, having a righteousness that depends on faith (v. 9).  He wanted to know the power of Christ’s resurrection, the sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, so that he could attain the unbelievable hope of the resurrection from the dead.  And Paul was determined to strain forward to attain this by faith alone (v. 13-14).  This is a picture of a pursuit of righteous Christ-likeness through a knowledge of our Savior that is both doctrinal and personal.

What it means that this pursuit of righteousness is both doctrinal and personal is that we pursue the Christ held out to us in God’s revelation of Scripture.  We try to come to a better understanding of how God has revealed himself through His Word to us, and we remember to do this together with all the saints (Eph. 3:18).  Personally, we come to take part in the sufferings of Christ after taking part in His resurrection when we are regenerated and our hearts are made new when we first believe in Christ.

We then walk before the face of God all of our lives, coming to understand better our close bond and union we have with the Living Christ in our lives.  As He is the Vine, so we are the branches.  We draw from his own innate righteousness throughout the Christian life, as we seek to emulate and pursue the same kind of righteousness that he has.  We don’t have an innate righteousness, but when we become Christians he gives us a clothing of his righteousness that justifies us before God.

Then as we live “in Him” and “for Him” in obedience to Him, he works in us that which is good and pleasing, according to his will.  As Paul says in Philippians 3:12, we press on and forward because Jesus has made us His own.  We more and more hunger and thirst for righteous Christ-likeness!

Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness ultimately long to know and to be like Jesus!  They long to become more righteous as the gnawing in our stomachs from hunger, or the dry, parched mouths desiring water, so the “hungry and thirsty” are looking to only One for satisfaction.

Who Do You Want to Be Like?

Who do you long to be like?  We oftentimes want to be like other people; we have our heroes.  We have people that we know and people that we admire that we want to emulate.  We have heroes and heroines that are not always examples of righteousness, yet we look to them to see how they dress, how they walk and talk, how they interact with others.  We want to be like them!

When we ponder God’s grace and goodness in Jesus Christ held out to us in the Word of God and the Lord’s Supper, and then consciously and constantly meditate upon Jesus as Glorified God-Man, we will long to be like him!  I encourage you to meditate upon Jesus Christ as the ascended Savior at the right hand of God.  We often forget and become functional Greek Gnostics who deny the humanity of Jesus Christ.  However, we must remember that our Mediator, Jesus Christ THE Righteous One, has a human face at the right hand of God!  This will encourage your pursuit of His righteousness.

JESUS CHRIST is the picture of perfection and righteousness for which we all truly long!  Jesus was perfect as Divine Being, but when he took upon himself a human nature without a sin problem of the heart, he learned righteousness and obedience as a man.  It is hard for us to fathom, but when he said “Thy will be done, O Lord”, these were true and sincere words he spoke prayerfully to the Father.

As Divine, Christ was indeed omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent, but this Divine One loved His own so much that he clothed himself with flesh and became man.  As human, Christ was not omniscient, but learning; not omnipresent, but local; not omnipotent, but limited.  It is hard for us to fully understand, but it is how God has revealed Jesus Christ to us in His Holy Word!  So why is this helpful to your pursuit of righteousness?  Because He can truly both sympathize with your weakness, as well as, and perhaps more importantly, help you in your weakness and weak pursuit of righteousness (Heb. 4:14-16).

Read carefully Hebrews 5:1-8 to get a glimpse of this righteousness that was pursued FIRST by Jesus Christ himself!

Hebrews 5:1-8: For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; 6 as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him…

We ought to reflect upon how Jesus learned obedience through his suffering and was being made perfect (vv. 8-9).  As Hebrews 12 says, he is the ultimate example of faith that is set for us.  Yes, He is truly God; Yes, He is truly man.  For those who trust in him and begin to understand their living union with Him, should know that hungering and thirsting after righteousness is set forth for us in the life and death of Jesus.

“Unrighteous Righteousness”

But a lot of people call themselves “righteous”.  There are people all around who do good deeds, think of themselves as “good” and don’t see a need for Christ and His righteousness.  What is the wrong kind of righteousness?  In Matthew 5:20, Jesus warned of the wrong kind of righteousness.  He said that His follower’s righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and the Pharisees.  Now that would have completely shocked the people!

If there was one supposed guarantee in Israel at the time of Jesus, it was that Scribes and Pharisees were going to be in heaven, even if the rest of the world didn’t make it.  They did all kinds of external righteous deeds that impressed people.  But this external righteousness was not good enough.  Neither is this mere external righteousness good enough for people who are trying live this way today.

This kind of righteousness actually kills, according to Jesus.  He said not only that our righteousness must exceed the Scribe and the Pharisee, but he said those whose righteousness did not exceed, would not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  There will be plenty of externally righteous people, people with good reputations in society that will have gained the respect of the whole world, but who will lose their own souls on the Day of Jesus Christ.

“Do the Right Thing?”

As Isaiah prophesies, we must repent even of our best deeds because without Christ they are as filthy rags (Is. 64:6).  The wrong kind of righteousness is merely an external righteousness without a true root of saving faith within the heart.  We should remember (as the Apostle Paul learned the hard way), that righteousness is not merely living externally by rules.  Righteousness is not only doing the right thing… (as the Pharisees did fine externally).

The righteousness we are to pursue is not merely an external, “going-through-the-motions” kind of righteousness.  It is an internal disposition created in the human heart by the Spirit of God when we are born again and become new creations in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).  It could be described as a righteousness that is “grateful because of His grace taking away our guilt before God” kind of righteousness!

As I said before, we are not merely to do the right thing, but to be doing the right thing for the right reasons.  What is doing the right thing for the right reasons?  Doing all that we do out of love for God and gratitude for what he has done for us in Christ!   This is an inward change of heart or a “change of appetite”.  One way of checking your attitude is to ask yourself this question: “Do I concentrate on the righteous things I do for God, or do I focus on the righteous things God has done for me?!” This will help you to determine whether you are trusting in God’s righteousness revealed in Christ, or your own righteousness.

The good news for sinners whodo not have any inherent righteousness, is that a righteousness has beenrevealed by God for those whowould look to Christ. The righteousness that we need and want to know is foundin the Person of Jesus Christ:

Romans 1:17: For in it [THE GOSPEL OF JESUS] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.

The Pursuit of Satisfaction or the Pursuit of Righteousness?

Do you pursue righteousness, or do you cry:  “I don’t Get No Satisfaction”?  Have you a desire to have all of your spiritual needs met by the only One who can do it?  We search desperately in this fallen world to find something or sometimes someone who will meet our needs and satisfy our longings.

Only God can satisfy, all other things and others will leave us starving and dry.  The Israelites hungered and thirsted to go back to Egypt rather than trusting in God’s Word and seeking him.  We must watch our tendencies to find in “Egypt” or in this world the fulfillment of our soul’s longings.  Many try, but many come up empty and fail.  We must place our trust in the Living and Righteous Christ who fulfilled and exceeded the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees so that we might be found in him, not having a righteousness of our own, but a righteousness that comes by faith in Jesus!

Furthermore, once we are united to Him, we must be constantly keeping our eyes on this Jesus.  As we continue to seek him, we will long for him more!  As we grow in our knowledge of His righteousness, beauty and holiness, we will desire to have this kind of righteousness.  An although the world might starve and die of thirst because their empty souls can only be satisfied by God alone, those who place their trust in Christ shall be filled!

We will find at the end of our persistent pursuit and longing for Christ-likeness a true filling and quenching of our thirsts.  As David says in Psalm 17:15:

As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.

The Apostle John teaches us of this great hope of being filled, being like Christ one day in his first letter.  He writes:

1 John 3:1-3: See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

As children of the Living God, we know that what we will one day be is not yet, but we know that when he appears and returns for those He loves, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is!  John says that this is our hope “in Christ” and therefore we are to purify ourselves as he is pure!

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall indeed be filled!

Soli Deo Gloria!

 

Love in Christ,

Pastor Charles