Surrendered- A Gospel Ministry

Saturday, March 15, 2014

March 15

Exodus 26; John 5

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 49: WHAT IS THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS?
Answer: The preface to the Ten Commandments is, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”
Scripture: Exodus 20:2.

Exodus 26

Ready:
In the previous chapter God introduced the concept of the tabernacle to Moses and he described that this would be the place where he will dwell in their midst. Instructions for the Ark of the covenant and the mercy seat were given as the core element to the temple. The Ark would represent the presence of God and it would contain the law beneath what is called the mercy seat.

Seeing what’s there:
In this chapter Moses records the instructions he received from God regarding the construction of the main structure of the tabernacle (tent like). The details are fine and there is a curtain that is a focal point as it will separate the holy place from the most holy place where the Ark will reside with the testimony of the Lord beneath the mercy seat.

Key Verses:
Exodus 26:1, 31, 33-34

Theme:
Multiple degrees of separation in the design of the tabernacle expresses the holiness of God and his devotion to make a way for us to know him despite our uncleanness.

Thinking about the message:
    v1-14. The sides and top of the tent are described in detail here. This will make the exterior limits of the tabernacle and define its size. The word translated here tabernacle from the Hebrew is transliterated as Mishkan and comes from a root that means to settle down, abide, or dwell. Clearly Exodus 25:8 establishes that this what God is describing to Moses is the very place where he will be in their midst and make himself known there in a special way. This tabernacle is now a physical location where God and man dwell together as was the Garden of Eden before the fall (Gen 3:8-9). The theme of a dwelling place on earth for God to be in the midst of his people strings throughout the Bible and it goes roughly like this…garden- tabernacle- temple- Jesus- church of Jesus (indwells believers)- The New Jerusalem (heaven). These instructions represent God breaking into humanity not unlike what he did at the incarnation of Jesus but this is the delivery of the law (knowledge and truth) rather than Jesus’ arrival delivering the gospel (grace and truth). Within the limits of this tent is an area that is to only be occupied by persons designated to work as priests and it signifies a separation from the world. This is a special place where God communes with his people and gives direction and where he gives a means for atonement of their sin by exercising the obedience of faith through their observation of the rites that will take place here.
    v15-30. The frames and structural support for the tent is described in detail here. There is a quite practical element here where the place simply must be held up using the provisions of God in acacia trees and so the creation itself it displayed in many forms within the tabernacle. It will come to be seen in the NT times that this tabernacle represents, or foreshadows, the body of Christ who was wholly man (structure and elements of the tabernacle) and wholly God (presence of God in the most holy place). Jesus dwelled (Mishkan), or tabernacled, among us and in him the fullness of God dwelled (Col 1:19). The tabernacle is a holy and mysterious place of communion with God but it is also built by mens hands (Heb 9:11) and is quite practical or even ordinary (though majestic).
    v31-37. The main separations at the entrance and at the most holy place are described here as curtains made of blue and purple and scarlet yarns with fine twined linens. The same design and appearance of the main veil separating the holy from the Most Holy place is copied at the entrance to the tent itself indicating these two primary separations where God is stipulating his holiness there will be requirements for coming closer into his presence at these places. This same style curtain will also be at the gate of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle in the next chapter. The first is called a curtain and the second two are called screens.

Meaning, Implications, and Significance
    In general I take this whole chapter to be an establishing of how God will dwell with his people during this age before Christ comes to serve as Emmanuel (God with us). The Lord lays out specific instructions and there will be much yet to come with regard to the rites and practices in this tabernacle that will become an important feature of the Israelite history and tradition as they walk according to the statutes of God. Great care and detail goes into this place where God dwells and there is a sense of holiness and separation from the world that hates God and does not acknowledge or honor God (Rom 1:21, 8:7). So the implication for today is that since each individual member of the church is part of the body of Christ and bears the indwelling Spirit of God, there is to be a holiness about us as his tabernacle on earth (1 Pet 2:5, 1:16; Eph 1:4, 5:27). The significance for my life is that I ought to be a visible place where people can meet God. I ought to be like this tabernacle to the people around me who are outside of the family of God. I ought to open the curtain and give a view of God to those around me who do not know him. My life should be about this mission. The tabernacle is built for only one purpose…that God may dwell in the midst of his people and reveal himself to them.

Valuing the message:
This message is valuable to me because I can easily see my body and my life as just my own. I can see here that I am more than that and I am a representation of God among his people. I , as a member of the body of Christ, am the only message that the people around me are going to know. How I live and what people know of me will be what they know of God and his people.

Reflecting on the message:
I need to consider the message that my life is to those around me and whether I am using the tabernacle for ill purposes or for God’s mission on earth.

Questions to ask:

Do I have a curtain at the gate or do I let anything and everything into the courtyard of the tabernacle?
Is God honored in my body?
Is there a place deep within me that holds onto the statutes and revelation of God and seeks to hallow his name?
At my core do I rely on the mercy of God (mercy seat) as my only hope and merit before a holy and righteous God (testimony within the ark)?

Responding to God & Reacting to His Lesson:
Tell God about your observations and your thoughts and your struggles with the chapter and determine how it will change or impact your thinking and your decisions. Be sure to react in some way to the truth rather than remain silent.

Proclaiming the Truth to Others:
Decide who you can share what you have learned with and ask for God’s help in reaching out to love others.

John 5

Ready:
The previous chapter Jesus spoke of true worship and he spoke of giving living water and he told us that salvation is from the Jews. He declared himself to be the Messiah and he began to heal.

Seeing what’s there:
In this chapter Jesus picks an invalid out of a crowd of them and chooses to heal him on the sabbath. There is a dispute over the man’s actions and then Jesus’ actions in regard to the Sabbath and Jesus chooses to tackle the objection not by correcting an interpretation of the law but by placing himself over the law and establishing that he, just like the Father, do not stop working on the Sabbath. Jesus simultaneously equates himself with the Father and then explains his subjection to the Father in subordinate reliance. Jesus sets himself up as the very revelation of God and indicates that to reject him is to indeed reject the Father and leads into a devastating condemnation of the Jews in that they have ignored the truth of the scriptures and they do not believe Moses and they reject God the Father…all by rejecting Jesus. Jesus further establishes that he himself bears the role of judge and of life giver and that he grants life to whom he will and his life comes to dead men by the power of his word.

Key Verses:
John 5:3, 6, 8-9, 10-11, 16-18, 19, 21-22, 24, 25, 28-29, 30, 39-40, 44-45, 45

Theme:
Jesus has all the authority of God to heal and grant life to whom he will in perfect harmony with the will of the Father and he does so to the glory of God.

Thinking about the message:
   v1-18. A few things happen in this passage that are important. First Jesus chooses from among the invalids whom he will heal and this correlates to the later verse John 5:21. Jesus establishes with the man that he perceives his need for healing. This correlates to John 5:39-40 in that it must be understood that the law teaches our need for a savior and that failure to recognize this need for healing is a denial of life. Next Jesus makes it clear that there can be a tie between specific sin and illness or suffering in life. Though Jesus elsewhere makes clear argument that this is not always the case (John 9:2-3), here he assumes that it is in the case of this man by his direct admonishment to quit sinning so that nothing worse will happen to him (possibly referring to judgement in eternity). Next Jesus answers the objection of the Jews in the temple who accused him of “doing these things on the Sabbath”. There may be more than just this healing in mind here but Jesus does not choose to correct their perception of the law here. Rather, he declares the that he works at all times for the same reason that God the Father never ceases to work. This was understood in the Jewish tradition that God sustains the universe and works hi mighty will on Sabbath days like any other days or else we were doomed. Thus Jesus is contesting that he too works always. This statement clearly put himself on par with God and was an outrage to the Jews, as made clear by the narrator. There response was to desire to kill him.
   v19-29. Jesus makes a few points in this passage about himself and his relationship to the Father. What he establishes is an equality and union with the Father within which he has all authority but he also willingly subjects himself to the Father in a subordinate role or function in order to serve the glory and pleasure of his Father, whom he dearly loves. Jesus declares that all that he says and does is in perfect harmony with the Father and that they never function in counter purposes or intentions. This unity of purpose and action speaks volumes to the doctrine of definite atonement, which states that Jesus came to die for the church (believers) and not for those who ultimately remain under the wrath of God. For Jesus to pay penalty for those whom the Father does not intend to save (the elect who are predestined according to Rom 8:29-30, 8:33, 9:11, 23-24, 11:17; Mark 13:27) would violate what Jesus describes here in this passage. Presuming that the sins of those condemned to hell were paid for on the cross is to say that there is some opposing purposes or confused fulfillment within the trinity. Jesus died for his bride only (who is among all the peoples of the world- Rev 7:9). Those who do not receive new birth and faith in the Son remain under the wrath of God because it was indeed not absorbed by Jesus on the cross (John 3:36). Specific wrath absorbed by the Son in someone’s place could surely not remain to be poured upon that person for all eternity. Jesus declares that he gives life to the dead, whom he chooses, and they hear his voice and they live (Rom 4:17; John 10:3-4, 3:7-8; Rom 8:11; Col 2:13-14; Eph 2:4-5). Jesus makes clear that those who have done good are resurrected unto life and evil are resurrected unto judgement (Rom 2:6-10)
   v30-47. This section repeats some of the theme of unity with a focus on the testimony of Jesus not being in discord with the OT testimony through Moses but actually in fulfillment of it. Jesus did not come to rebel against the Father and present a new message but he came to die for his bride just as they should have been expecting. Jesus makes it plain that he is not arriving and testifying for himself anew but the whole of the OT has been testifying to him, concluding with John the Baptist. Jesus is here to accomplish what was prophesied of the Messiah. In verse 39 he gives a prelude to his sermon on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:27). The Pharisees seek recognition and glory from one another while the Lord expects us to seek his glory alone (Psalm 105:3; 1 Thess 2:6; Rom 2:7-8). Christianity is not new and not a replacement of Judaism, but the fulfillment of it (Matt 5:17). Jesus indicts the Jews with the clear statement that if they believed Moses, then they would receive Jesus. Certainly there are some elect Jews who did receive Jesus…like the one who authored this gospel we are reading.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Friday, March 14, 2014

March 13

Exodus 24; John 3

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 48: WHAT IS THE SUM OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS?
Answer: The sum of the Ten Commandments is to love the Lord our God, with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Scripture: Matthew 22:36-40; Mark 12:28-33.

John 3

Ready:
The previous chapter included the wedding at Cana where Jesus performed his first sign in causing the water to become wine. It also included the early account of the cleansing of the temple (there is debate over whether this was the first of two instances in Jesus’ ministry or if this is simply way out of place chronologically).

Seeing what’s there:
This chapter contains the only record of the giant conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus regarding the new birth. He first presents the unqualified need for new birth. He then expounds on the reason this should be plainly understood as a necessary thing and he explains some things about this new birth and it’s qualities and it’s result. John the baptist speaks of Jesus’ ministry eclipsing his own rightly and necessarily.

Key Verses:
John 3:3, 5, 14-15, 16, 17, 30, 33, 35-36

Theme:
The Spirit of God who blows where he chooses must grant a new birth, a spiritual birth by the will of God, so that we will be enlightened and believe and call on the name of Jesus unto salvation.

Thinking about the message:
   v1-15. Jesus hits this pharisee with a shocker by indicating that there can be no entering into the kingdom of God without regeneration (another birth or spiritual birth). Jesus makes it clear that this should not be news to him and that the scriptures speak plainly of the Spirit of God granting this new birth and that it alone is the cause of true obedience (Eph 1:17-18; 2:5; Ezek 36:26-27; Rom 2:29). It becomes plain that Nicodemus had not understood the scriptures in this manner. He had not understood the degree of change that must happen within the human heart. Jesus clarifies that one their own, without this new birth, nobody can hope to ascend to God (by their efforts at obedience to the law) but only Jesus is able to ascend to God on his own merit. Therefore, it is required (if we are to be saved) that Jesus be lifted up as a sacrifice so we may look upon his work and trust that what he has accomplished has secured our right standing with God apart from anything in ourselves. Jesus compares the type of simple trust to the account of the Jews looking to the bronze serpent in the wilderness to survive the poisonous snakes (Num 21:8-9).
   v16-21. Here it seems that the narrator (but maybe Jesus) give further account as to the reason that the Son of Man would perform this saving work. He does not come and die to condemn that world. Not believing in Jesus and his work is not the condemnation that brings the wrath of God, but it is the thing that must remove it (John 3:36). So without Jesus we stand condemned already. We do not merely become condemned when or if we do not believe in Jesus…the condemnation is what we were born with. We are born wicked and hating the light as enemies of God (Rom 5:10; Eph 2:1-4) and it is by new birth that we come to see the glory of God in the face of Jesus (2 Cor 4:6) such that our coming to the light is the work of God (John 3:21). So there is a need for a complete rebirth that is foreign at this time to Nicodemus.
   v22-36. So there are two groups baptizing before the time John was arrested. This detail helps us know that this whole description of the ministry of Jesus and the calling of Andrew and Peter and Nathaniel and Philip predates any of what it documented in the synoptic gospels, which all talk of the ministry of Jesus after the arrest of John the Baptist (Mark 1:14; Matt 4:12-13). This means there was some period of time between the very first calling of the disciples and the arrest of John and the apparent falling away of Peter and Andrew back into their profession such that Jesus came to them and called them out again as I noted in earlier comments another day. This text makes it sound like Jesus might be baptizing with water, but John 4:2 clarifies that it was only his disciples baptizing. Remember that Jesus will baptize with the Spirit as the real deal and not a sign or a symbol, like water baptism is (John 1:33). There is a beautiful transition here from the Baptist to the Baptism. From John to Jesus. From the voice in the wilderness to the bronze serpent in the wilderness. From the preparation to the consummation. From the warning of danger to the deliverance from it. From the sign to the substance. The Baptist declares that Jesus must increase and he must decrease! Then the narrator seems to take over at verse 31 and speaks of receiving the testimony of Jesus and that without this there is no eternal life. So receiving his testimony and new birth are both required and we have discussed the new birth being required in order to come into belief. Verse 36 shows a link between faith and action. The one who believes obeys and the one who obeys is the one who believes. We cannot see the believing but we can see some of the obeying. Obedience does not save but it does show up if indeed we are saved (1 John 2:4).

Soli Deo Gloria!

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

March 12

Exodus 23; John 2

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 47: WHERE IS THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH GIVEN IN
SUMMARY FORM?
Answer: A summary form of the obedience of faith is given in the Ten Commandments.
Scripture: Hebrews 3:18-19; 4:2; Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 10:4; Romans 9:32.

Exodus 23
Later maybe...focused on catching up with John 1...by the way, I am adding many of the passages that I skipped a day or two later after the fact so not all of what I skipped along the way is still missing.

John 2
Later hopefully...

Soli Deo Gloria!

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

March 11

Exodus 22; John 1

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 46: WHAT DID GOD AT FIRST REVEAL TO MAN FOR THE RULE
OF HIS OBEDIENCE?
Answer: The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedi- ence was the moral law.
Scripture: Rom. 2:14; 15; 5:13, 14.

Exodus 22

Ready:
In the previous chapter Moses received statutes regarding social issues of respecting slaves and not harming one another and not stealing from one another and other social regulations including restitution for injuries caused by animals. The repeating pattern of the chapter was “when a man…” or “Whoever…”.

Seeing what’s there:
This entire chapter is a listing of regulations about restitution and social justice. The repeating pattern of this chapter is “If a man…” that changes to “you shall…” about midway through.

Key Verses:
Exodus 22:20, 21-22, 25

Theme:
The main idea seems to be that one person shall not cause harm to another without making restitution and none are to be abused or mistreated and some crimes are punishable by death.

Thinking about the message:
There is a protection for all but especially for the helpless as seen in the regulations about widows and orphans and the poor. In the middle of the chapter the series of laws seems to change a bit when it switches to the “you shall…” format. It immediately goes into four capital crimes (punishable by death). Sorcery, beastiality, sacrifice to another god, and mistreating of widows or the fatherless. The chapter ends with a regulation about maintaining cleanness as a people set apart for the Lord.

Meaning, Implications, and Significance
Though we know that we are sojourners here in the world and our home is in the New Jerusalem, it seems clear that God is concerned with how we relate to one another. There is a strong message of caring for others and for not abusing anyone or taking advantage of them. There is a sense of justice to be observed and this teaches us about the character of God. The Lord expects the strong to not harm the weak, but to care for them.

Valuing the message:
I value this message because it is a revelation about God and about his view of human relationships and justice. The Lord God omnipotent is the holy standard of the universe and he is here revealing his expectations of mankind.

Reflecting on the message:
I need to consider how I deal with others and with their property and how I respect authority.

Questions to ask:

Do I ever take advantage of anyone that I have some sort of power over?
Do I take care to treat everyone with dignity and respect and do I look out for the belongings of others?
Do I respect the authorities over me and so honor God?

John 1

Ready:
Introduction to John

This, the fourth gospel, was written after the others and possibly in view of the others (the synoptics) by John, the son of Zebedee, an Apostle. Most likely written in Ephasus around AD 75-80. John was a Jewish “convert” to Christianity (phrase is difficult because Christianity is not separate from but is the fulfillment of Judaism) and he wrote evangelistically to convince Jews and Gentiles alike that the Christ, the Messiah, the redeemer of Israel, the incarnate Son of God was Jesus of Nazareth (John 20:30-31). He refers to himself usually as the disciple whom Jesus loved. His purpose was to get people saved by compelling them to believe in the identity and trust in the words and the work of Jesus. John also wrote three epistles (1, 2, and 3 John) and the Revelation. Worth noting is the fact that John had access to most of the NT epistles when he wrote his gospel and this can lend to his more plainly interpretive writing than we see in the synoptics.

What I observe to be quite different about John’s gospel account is that John does far more than give an account of the life of Jesus. John sets out to teach his reader theology. Specifically he sets out with discourse and narration far in excess of the other writers that evidences the idea of an omniscient narrator. John also jumps straight into revelation of the true identity of Jesus rather than following the actual rabbit trail of increasing understanding among the disciples that the synoptics present and he therefore offers the most criticism of the disciples misunderstandings. His perspective is more heavenly and looks to clearly portray the deity of Jesus from the outset. John leaves out much of what the synoptics include, like the narrative parables of Jesus, the transfiguration and the ascension, but he includes others, like the resurrection of Lazarus and the Nicodemus dialogue. John uses techniques like contrasts, corrections of statements for spiritual application, and presentation of triple statements that are distinctive to his writing. In the first part of his book he focuses on seven signs that Jesus performs as evidence of his deity and the second part is focused on the passion or glory of Jesus in his suffering, death, and resurrection.

The following themes are suggested in the ESVSB:

1.    Jesus is God.

2.    Jesus existed before the creation of the world.

3.    Jesus has supernatural knowledge.

4.    Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God.

5.    Jesus is the “I am.”

6.    Jesus, the sent Son, reflects the sender.

7.    Jesus is the fulfillment of Jewish festivals and institutions (including the temple).

8.    Jesus is the giver of eternal life.

9.    The signs of Jesus show that he is the Messiah (cf. also Jesus as the Messiah and Son of         God, above).

10.    The witnesses to Jesus testify that he is the Messiah.

11.    Father, Son, and Spirit are united in their work of revelation and redemption.

12.    Jesus’ death is the basis of salvation.

13.    God is sovereign in salvation.

14.    Salvation is obtained through believing in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God.

15.    Believers can experience the benefits of salvation already in the here and now, during         this present evil age.

16.    Believers are called to continue Jesus’ mission (cf. also Jesus as the sent Son, above).

Sources include the ESVSB and An Introduction to the New Testament by D.A. Carson and Douglas Moo.

Seeing what’s there:
John opens his gospel with a prologue that lays out his message as a revelation from God that he has sent his only Son to enlighten the world and to save those who receive him. He announces a deception in the world that Jesus conquers by grace and he comes contrasted to the law as one full of grace and truth. Jesus is presented as the one who made all things that exist and who existed from all eternity. He describes the spiritual family of God (by spiritual birth) as those with faith in Jesus. This family is contrasted to the chosen people of God (by natural birth) who reject him. Moving past the prologue, he gives testimony from John the Baptist and refers to the baptism of Jesus. He documents the earliest call of the disciples that seems to pre-date the earliest mentioned in Matthew. Confessions of the identity of Jesus seem misplaced and early by comparison with the other gospels but John’s perspective seems to be to point out the truth in the words used despite the misunderstanding of the meaning by the speaker. So I mean that they used words like Messiah but since they did not understand it the way the term should have been used then the other writers did not include such confessions that were not actually saying what we might think. It was not until Caesarea Philippi where Peter confessed Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God where there seems a significant shift in their understanding (Matt 16:15-17). So John likes to use the actual words in a manner of showing that they said the truth without knowing the truth in the same way as say, Caiaphas did (John 11:49-51). So another way of saying it is that the other gospel authors left out these early confessions because they knew that they were not true confessions of his actual identity…yet, but more of a parroting of what John the Baptist was announcing.

Key Verses:
John 1:1-3, 4-5, 12-13, 14, 16-17, 23, 33-34, 36-37, 41-42, 50

Theme:
He who made the world has come into it in order to make those who were not his children by nature to be his children by faith. The final prophet to announce his coming will fade and the magnitude of the God-man being in the world will now begin to be seen.

Thinking about the message:
   v1-2. Here John makes clear that God is one, but that there is a critical relational aspect to him that offers a sense of community within the one God. The Word is simultaneously God and yet, is “with” God. And this was the case from the beginning, which there wasn’t a beginning and so this is for our understanding and not for a statement to indicate that there was a time when God was not, nor when the Word was not. Also here is the introduction of the purpose of his gospel, which I agree with D.A. Carson is more to define who the Son of God is than to simply announce that Jesus is the Son of God. So here we meet the Word, but the burning question will become, “who is the Word?”, which is precisely the distinction I just outlined above. John does not use the greek word for “word” here but the greek word is logos and this means essentially revelation or message. Some argue that the Son is the manifestation of God’s view of himself and the message of himself that he enjoys in actual form of a distinct person. God’s revelation of himself was with him from the beginning. The Word is the expression of God’s identity (Col 1:15-16).
   v3. The “him” here is the Word and John is ascribing to the Word, the act of creation of all things, though we understand that Jesus obeys the will of the Father and therefore serves this will in the creation of all things. Now the term “Word” is made out to be a person and not merely the expression of God’s identity in an abstract sense. Here in this text you can imagine the conversation referred to in Gen 1:26 where the Father and the Word determine between them that they will take up the creation of man. We read about God speaking things into being and yet here the Word made all things and so there is a connection between the Father speaking and the Word accomplishing. This is a wonderful picture of scripture and of Jesus (Is 55:11) who both go forth and fulfill (or perform) the will of the Father. Jesus does this in person (as the Word) and the Holy Spirit does this in us and through us.
   v4-5. All life came from the Word (the expression of God’s identity) but more than that the life of Jesus is the very light of enlightenment for mankind. Looking at the ESV cross-references (John 8:12, 9:5, 12:46) reveal what is meant here by light. This light of enlightenment overcomes the darkness, such as the darkness in my heart and my understanding (Eph 1:17-18; 2 Cor 4:6). So there is a contrast John presents here that I take as setting the Word against falsehood. The lies of the enemy and the plans of the enemy cannot and do not and will not overcome the Word (Col 2:13-15).
   v6-8. John the Baptist came that people might believe in the identity and work of Jesus through John (John 1:36-37; Luke 2:76-79). That is to say through the testimony and witness John gave and the preparation in their hearts accomplished through John’s motivating them to examine themselves and their need for such a savior (Matthew 3:2, 11). John pointed out sin and the need for a redeemer to save them from these sins.
    v9-13. The way the the true light gives light is not in a universal manner because we see that the world not only did not know him but his own people yet did not receive him, who is the giver of enlightenment. So there is something that hinders the enlightenment alluded to here, but at the same time the darkness does not overcome it. There is a tension here that needs to be resolved. Verses 12-13 introduce something that corrects the darkness that held the world to be without knowledge of the light. There is something there that makes it so that some do receive him. Here is the structure I see: Some receive him and this is special. Receiving him is clarified to mean to believe in his name (his identity etc.). These people (the ones who receive him or believe him) are given the right (like a birth right) to become children of God. But so far there is no answer as to what makes these people different. Why do they believe and others do not? Verse 13 presents the answer. The ones who are born not of the blood or of the will of the flesh (sin nature that we are all born with naturally) nor of the will of man (perhaps a more simple reference to the will to engage in intercourse that results in birth of life), but of God. So the one who is born or God, surely tied to John 3:5 where the new birth is by water and Spirit (of God), is the one who comes to believe. This action of God explains how some persons would see and receive the light while others do not…because it is not about their will, since all have an enslaved will that prefers sins and self over God (Rom 6:6), but it is about the will of God (Rom 9:15-16, 18). This also relates to Phil 2:12-13 and So the unstoppable light that the darkness cannot overcome is naturally resisted by all mankind and it is those whom God grants new birth that come to believe and this is the victory of the light over darkness. I take this to be a statement that new birth precedes faith, although others may disagree that this text necessarily supports that. Certainly the next question is “who is it that God determines to give this new life that they would believe?”…
   v14-18. This is the full revelation that the Word, the life, the light the Son of God, is Jesus. John ties the revelation of the Word becoming flesh to John the Baptist’s reference to the person of Jesus and then he himself makes the same tie as he compares the revelation of the law with the revelation of grace and truth in Jesus. So there is no doubt that John espouses Jesus to be the Son of God that is in this prologue referred to as the Word. John tells us the the glory of Jesus is an expression of the glory of the Father and it is full of grace and truth. I take the most glorious aspect of our great God to be his grace (Eph 1:6-10). Grace of course taken here as the favor of God placed upon individuals with zero reference to any merit or demerit in them, which is consistent with the birth not being man’s will, but God’s. In verse 16 John says that we receive grace upon grace from the fullness that is in Christ. I take this to be receiving the grace of God the Father by the grace of Jesus (Rom 5:15), who is the fullness of God in human flesh (Col 1:19). All humans receive the grace of God in measure (Psalm 145:9; Matt 5:45) but the abundance (fullness of grace) is reserved for those who believe upon Jesus (Rom 5:17; 1 Tim 4:10). Verse 17 contrasts Jesus with the law. The law was given with an understanding that he who obeys it will live (Deut 30:16; Rom 10:5) and this sets up an understanding that there is a righteousness that can merit God’s approval. The problem is that we failed at this before the law was ever given and the purpose of the law then was only to point this out and not to make us chase the meriting of God’s favor (Rom 9:31-32). Jesus came to fulfill the law and to bring the grace of God that is his unmerited favor…the very thing the law was to help us know that we needed! The law gave knowledge and truth (Rom 2:20- the awareness of our sin) but Jesus brings grace and truth (the power to be made right with God) add the fulfillment of the law (Rom 10:4).
   v19-34. This summary of the ministry and testimony of John the Baptist interestingly leaves out his message “repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand”. The focus is on his opinion of Jesus here and the hand-off of the ministry from the one who baptizes with water as a representation of reality to the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit as the substance of reality. John the Baptist here denies that he is Elijah and so the words Jesus uses in Matt 11:14 are important. Jesus does not say that John is Elijah, but he says “if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah…”. This introduces the interpretation that the Baptist fulfilled some prophecy about Elijah returning by way of doing the ministry of Elijah (Luke 1:17; Matt 17:10-12), but not by being Elijah reincarnate.
   v35-42. John skips any mention of Jesus going into the desert and being tempted at the beginning of his ministry perhaps because John is light on the human presentation of Jesus as he is making effort to point out his deity rather than focus on his human nature. Here, where Andrew and another leave the Baptist, is the purpose and culmination of the ministry of John the Baptist…that they would recognize and follow Jesus. John was transitional and he knew it. His message was not about him (John 3:30), unlike Jesus’ message (John 6:35, 7:38, 11:25, 12:46, 14:6). Interestingly here Andrew and Peter become disciples of Jesus very early and yet seem to return to their previous professions later and need to be pulled back in by Jesus as prodigals (Luke 5:1-11). This parallels my life in how I was stuck on career just as these two left Jesus to go back to their "other life". Do we try to follow Jesus while hanging onto our goals and ambitions or are we fully surrendered to whatever purpose he has for us?
   v43-51. Here Jesus calls two more disciples and he seems to have a bit of fun with Nathaniel and he is amused by Nathaniel’s amazement over something as trivial as knowing where he was. Jesus is about to blow the lid off of the world and Nathaniel is enamored by a little omniscience. Jesus will reveal much and they are seeing only the beginning. Jesus concludes this dialogue with a reference that sounds like Jacob’s ladder in Genesis 28:12-15. In the Genesis passage the voice of God shows him the revelation of the angels ascending and descending the ladder with the statement “…I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you” and I take this reference Jesus makes to be related. The Son of Man is the one whom will fulfill the promises of God! There is much to be seen…forget about the fig tree already :)

Meaning, Implications, and Significance
     I take John’s theologically packed prologue in this chapter to be an announcement to the reader that he intends to demonstrate what the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Christ teaches us about God and salvation. It seems that God has determined to send his Son in order to enlighten men and turn the world upside down by exposing the lies and deceptions that we are living with so that we can have the knowledge of God and receive the fullness of grace in Christ. John will be more than a historian or a narrator but he will be our divinely inspired teacher.

Valuing the message:
I value this general message because there is great joy to be had in theological understanding. The better I understand God the more excited I am about him and his work and his identity. The more I understand about God the more I am able to think less of me and more of him. I value the idea that my understanding must be in accord with the truth if it will be effective at moving me properly to saving faith (Rom 10:1-2).

Reflecting on the message:
I need to take account of my thoughts and reactions to the big ideas presented in John’s first chapter and determine if I will be open to looking hard at the theology that John presents. I need to wrestle with God over my emotional reaction to theological truth and pray that he would open my eyes and grant me zeal and passion according to truth and that I might have greater affections for Jesus as I better understand what he came to accomplish and how.

Questions to ask:

Do I read the gospels looking for theological understanding or just for practical life application?
Do I think on what is written in a manner that I try to feel the impact or do I just look for a takeaway?

Monday, March 10, 2014

March 10

Exodus 21; Luke 24

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 45: WHAT IS THE DUTY WHICH GOD REQUIRES OF MAN?
Answer: The duty which God requires of man is the obedience that comes from faith.
Scripture: Galatians 5:6; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:11; Romans 1:5; 16:26; 15:18.

Comment: See questions 16-18.

Exodus 21

Ready:
The previous chapter was the giving of the Ten Commandments.

Seeing what’s there:
This chapter covers laws or regulations pertaining to slaves and to injury to people or animals. This seems to be about civil order and creating a society that will not be oppressive and harsh like what they probably faced in Egypt.

Theme:
God is establishing order and conduct for the respect of all human life.

Thinking about the message:
This culture is surely foreign to modern America and the laws pertaining to slavery trouble many who passively read the Bible. I don’t presume to have all the answers but I trust that God knew what he was doing here. I think that the recognition of servanthood lends to the teaching of the NT that we are slaves of righteousness and slaves of Christ and slaves of God instead of slaves to sin (John 8:34; Rom 6:17-18, 22).

Meaning, Implications, and Significance
God established Israel as a theocracy and the civil laws were issued by God himself. Today we are under government authorities and the NT acknowledges that God placed these over us (Rom 13:1-2). Therefore the implications of this chapter is primarily that we are to love in accord with the social and civil laws of the governing authorities that God has ordained. This does not mean that we should accept injustice or harshness, but rather, we should fight for the right governing of ourselves within the framework of the system we are under. We should surely fight for the rights of unborn children and for religious freedom and other important values that come from God’s Word.

Valuing the message:
I value this message because I will not always like the civil arrangements in place in whatever state or nation I live in but I must know that God had put authorities in place for a reason.

Reflecting on the message:
I should reflect upon my opinions of the government and ensure that I am not being resistant to God and incurring his discipline. I am to be submissive and yet work to do justice and love mercy.

Questions to ask:

Do I submit to authority?
Do I fight for the worthy causes of righteousness and justice?

Luke 24

Ready:
The previous chapter included the trial, condemnation, death and burial of Jesus. The purposes of God were being served at the hands of wickedness and ignorance both.

Seeing what’s there:
In this chapter I see Jesus appearing to his disciples after his resurrection and he has compassion for them and he wants to give them understanding and he wants to empower them and he wants to give them a mission. There is a plain thread of “enlightenment” that stretches through this chapter and it comes now on the heels of the completed work of Christ. Despite all they have seen and heard, a supernatural enlightening is still required for them to understand and be gripped by the truth (1 Cor 2:14). In the end, Jesus tells them that the message of his suffering and death and resurrection should be told to the world and for the one who comes to faith, this means repentance and the forgiveness of sins.

Key Verses:
Luke 24:1-3, 4-5, 6-8, 12, 15-16, 14-15, 26-27, 30-31, 36, 44-45, 46-48, 52-53

Theme:
Jesus reveals himself and removes the blindness and he calls us to go and take this message of hope to the ends of the earth as he frees minds and hearts among all the nations.

Thinking about the message:
    v1-12. Here the women come to care for the body of Jesus and discover that he is missing and they are greeted by angels who enlighten them to the truth. The point is made here that they are mistakenly looking for the living among the dead. I recall Jesus telling a man to let the dead bury the dead and so there is such as thing as dead men walking and the fact is that we cannot find Jesus among the dead men (walking or buried). God is indeed the God of the living and he gives new life to his children and they rely upon him. The angel reminds them of the words Jesus spoke about his resurrection and they suddenly remembered and perceived the truth. Peter comes and sees the facts but is yet perplexed and marveling at the occurrence. It seems that the magnitude of the risen Son and the amazing events that have been witnessed do not become clear without the Spirit of God opening the eyes (2 Cor 4:4-6).
    v13-35. This has been referred to as the best sermon ever. On the day of his resurrection Jesus appears to these two disciples on the road and during a 7 mile walk (probably 2-3 hours) he teaches them from the 5 books of Moses and all the prophets (pretty much the whole Bible at the time) all that the scriptures said about Jesus regarding the plan of God to display his glory in the death and resurrection of his Son, to the salvation of his people (Eph 1:4-10). Boy, could these guys write a great children’s Bible! These two expressed what may have been typical for the whole lot of the disciples and this was that they had hoped Jesus would have been the one to redeem Israel, the Messiah (Is 41:14; Luke 1:68-69, 2:25-26). There was still a lack of understanding among the disciples that required a spiritual enlightenment since they did not perceive his death to be a fulfilling of this Messianic role. Jesus then opens their eyes as they break bread together once they reach Emmaus and in that moment he disappears. Immediately they hit the road again and bolt back to Jerusalem to tell the story to the rest of the disciples!
    v36-49. Here Jesus appears to the group of disciples in Jerusalem and he is patient with them in helping them come to realize that it is him, in the flesh. Jesus makes it known here that he retains a human body even in his glorified form and we know that we have a big brother in heaven who is evermore fully man and fully God (Col 1:9; John 1:14; Rom 8:29; Heb 4:14-15). He also opens their minds (Eph 1:17-18) to understand the scriptures of the whole OT so that they perceive the need for, the plan of, and the fulfillment of the work of Christ on the cross and in his resurrection…unto repentance and the forgiveness of sins. This very enlightenment is the gospel message and the enlightenment that he charges them to carry forward to the nations (2 Cor 4:4-6).
    v50-53. Not all of the gospel accounts include the ascension but this is important because Jesus said that until he went back to the Father, the Holy Spirit would not come (John 16:5-7). And Romans 8:34 tells us that Jesus is now at the right hand of the Father interceding for us! We have a mediator who stands before the Father and the enemy is hopeless in his efforts to condemn us (Zech 3:1-5; Rom 8:1, 2 Cor 5:21). Jerusalem would become the base of operations and the seat of Christianity. The church there would be led by James, the brother of Jesus, until he was ordered to be killed by the High Priest in AD 60.

Meaning, Implications, and Significance
    The gospel is a spiritual message and cannot be received apart from the Holy Spirit’s calling upon the inner man. The implication is that the message we carry is one that requires and “activation” by the Spirit and so we can only be faithful to spread the message and pray that God in his mercy will open eyes and grant enlightenment to many. The significance to my life is that I can trust that I am successful every time I share the gospel with someone because the conversion is up to God (1 Cor 3:6-7). He may use my compassion to influence them (Acts 16:27-31) so I should never see the gospel as a cold message that is just facts being conveyed…this would not be honoring to God. Though I cannot enlighten anyone I can surely plead with them to be reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:20).

Valuing the message:
This message is valuable because it gives perspective on the work of God upon the hearts and minds of all of us. It is valuable because it can impact my understanding of evangelism and my role.

Reflecting on the message:
I need to consider whether I am looking for merely facts and figures in the Word of God or am I looking to experience and enlightenment of my soul to his truth.

Questions to ask:

Do I merely want to understand the words on the page or do I want Jesus to transform my thinking?
Do I merely want to find some truth to apply or do I want the Spirit of God to transform me?
Do I treat the Bible like it is an instruction manual and not the power of God unto salvation?

Sunday, March 9, 2014

March 9

Exodus 20; Luke 23

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 44: WHAT SHALL BE DONE TO THE WICKED AT THE DAY OF JUDGMENT?
Answer: At the Day of Judgment, the bodies of the wicked, being raised out of their graves shall be sentenced, together with their souls, to unspeakable torments with the devil and his angels forever.
Scripture: Daniel 12:2; John 5:28, 29; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Mat- thew 25:41; Revelation 20:14-15.

Exodus 20

Ready:
In the previous chapter Moses was directed to prepare the people to receive the law. They were to consecrate themselves for three days and they were asked to commit to what God was about to reveal because it would be necessary in order for them to receive the covenant blessings promised to Abraham, though it would come not by performing the law but by trusting God in the law (Rom 4:13-14).

Seeing what’s there:
I see the Lord deliver the prologue and the decalogue of the law in this chapter. He further describes some statutes concerning worship in the close of the chapter. The decalogue (Ten Commandments) is then given based upon this grounding that the law is for their good and comes from his mercy and is in keeping with his covenant promise to be their God. These commandments are not given as an exhaustive list but as a basic understanding of what it looks like to be faithful to God in the covenant identity of the people of God.

Key Verses:
Exodus 20:1-2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 24-26

Theme:
God presents to Israel the most basic revelation of what it means “to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness (table one- vertical) and justice (table two- horizontal), so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised to him” (Gen 18:19; Ex 19:5-6).

Thinking about the message:
I see the following structure in this account:

Promise of covenant mercy, divine enablement, and intention to bless

Precedes the law and is meant to protect the people from the law (mercy seat)

Holy standards of God induce fear and sense of inadequacy

How to relate to God
How to relate to others

Worship in the form of acknowledging and thanking God (honoring him) is ordered with specific guidelines

This worship would lack if it were not done in context of a people who understand they are wholly incapable of meeting the divine standard of God apart from mercy. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

    v1-2. Here God addresses the people of Israel directly from the smoke and lightning and thunder of the mountain (Ex 20:18-19, 22, 32:8). The prologue is the beginning of his words spoken directly to the people of Israel and establishes his identity and his intention to do them good with this revelation. This opening statement also establishes the foundational idea that they will consider the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to be their God and this brings along with it the concept of worship and devotion, which will not be understood in proper context until they consider the character of God and his standards. I see reference to covenant mercy in the words “I am the Lord your God,…” because this is related to his promise to Abraham in Gen 17:7-8, which has a context of God announcing that he has already accomplished what has not yet happened. I see reference to divine enablement in the words “…who brought you out of the land of Egypt,…” because we know that it was him who accomplished this impossible feat apart from their own faith or effort (Ex 19:4). I see reference to God’s intention to bless them and do them good by this law in the words “…out of the house of slavery”. The Lord heard their cry and God has devoted himself to the good of his people (Ex 3:7-8; Jer 32:40-41).   Exodus 25:21-22 (including the whole section leading into it) establishes that this testimony of the law was never meant to stand alone but was always to be related to with an intermediary between the people and this law…the mercy seat…the propitiation…the atoning sacrifice…Jesus. The law by itself can do nothing but condemn (Rom 4:15; Gal 3:21-22) and it must be understood in the context of this prologue or it brings only death (1 Cor 15:56-57).
    v3-11. Table one. The first four commandments are vertical in nature and have to do with our heart and our actions as they relate to our relationship to God. He intends that we do not place anything else on par with his value in our life and that we do not raise up anything else as a god that we would serve and worship. He alone is to hold that place of honor and value in our hearts. He intends that we would not attempt to create a likeness of him to worship because any likeness of him is not him. He is immaterial and eternal and nothing within his creation can represent him…the closest thing is man. The only man that adequately reflects the glory of God, because he is God in the flesh, is his eternal Son. This necessarily also includes making a likeness of a different god. God describes that he is a jealous God who curses those who hate him and do not obey him in faith (Deut 28:15; Rom 2:6, 8-9), but he blesses those who love him and obey him in faith (Deut 28:1-2; Rom 2:6, 7, 10). God is jealous that his glory be upheld to the great joy of mankind (Is 48:11; Psalm 37:4; 16:11). The greatest thing God offers us is himself and in him we will have joy eternal. Jealousy is wanting to receive what is owed but is wrongly being given to another. God is righteously jealous of our love that when our highest devotion is given to someone or something other than him, we do violence to his glory and our joy. He intends that we hallow his name and never use it flippantly or without holy purpose. In the most practical sense today, this likely means not letting “God”, “Jesus”, “Lord”, or any other name/title that we use for God to be used in profanity or useless talk. Certainly it means not using “Yahweh” or “Jesus” (personal names of God) in anything but a reverent and purposeful context. Finally, he intends that we keep the Sabbath Holy. Romans 14:5-6 helps us to come to the common Christian understanding that observing the Sabbath is not to be seen as an explicit commandment to not do any form of work, as it was in the OT, but the principle of rest and holy setting apart of time to worship is clearly seen in the NT and should be practiced today. There is a whole variety of ways this is lived out among the various denominations and traditions today. I believe that how it is kept holy comes to personal conviction as illustrated in Rom 14, but no doubt the question should be “how can I honor God with my rest and community worship of him this week?”
    v12-17. Table two. The sixth to tenth commandments are horizontal in nature and have to do with our heart and our actions as they relate to our relationships with others. God intends that we will honor our parents…even when they are old and need our care. He intends that we will not end any human life intentionally or through carelessness or negligence. This necessarily excludes killing in the fulfillment of God’s will such as capital punishment (Gen 9:5; Ex 21:23). It should be noted that the Ex 21 reference was “life for life” is related to the harming of an unborn child. He intends that we are not to commit adultery but are to be faithful in marriage since our marriage is a representation of the gospel and faithlessness here, therefore, is violence toward God (Eph 5:32; Mal 2:16). He intends that we do not steal from one another but that we are generous and compassionate (Luke 3:11). He intends that we do not lie for personal gain by misrepresenting others actions. This command can probably be expanded appropriately to include no lying at all (Col 3:9). He intends that we are content and that we do not covet the belongings or blessings of others, indeed this is even considered idolatry (Col 3:5). God is our provider and we are to relate to one another not in competition but in brotherhood (Rom 12:10).
    v18-21. Fear and trembling. The response of the people was fear and this was not unintentional. They decide that they do not so much want to hear God’s voice anymore. Moses does a great job of unweaving (maybe) the difficult concept of fearing the Lord by telling them basically, “Don’t fear…God intends you to fear him for your own good. He is merely testing you to ensure you understand his holiness.” Understanding our sinfulness before a holy God is a necessary part of the gospel. It has been said “the good news will never be seen as good until the bad news is first understood.” Thus, the bad news is good for us (Luke 7:47; Gal 3:22)!
    v22-26. How to worship. Now with an understanding of the separation between us and God we are rightly motivated and ripe for education in proper worship. Here God outlines some basic concepts that will later be expanded. He intends that we acknowledge him and remember him and thank him and in all of this we honor him (Rom 1:21, 28; Rev 4:9ff; Heb 13:15).

Meaning, Implications, and Significance
    The law seems to have two main parts- one is about how we relate to God, known as table one (Mark 12:29-30), and the second is about how we relate to one another, known as table two (Mark 12:31). I take the main meaning in the chapter to be that God is holy and has an expectation of us as his creatures. The expectation is that we relate to him according to his holiness and that we relate to one another according to our value to God and all of this is to the praise of his glory. Another meaning I find is that this is impossible without relying on God’s merciful and divine provision for meeting his expectation… in Christ. The law cannot be rightly understood apart from the mercy of God in his promised offspring (Rom 10:2-4). The implication is that there is no room for a legalistic merit system but only a dependence upon Jesus. The significance for my life is that I must rely on Jesus to be the source of my keeping of the statutes of God in the giving go honor and thanks unto him and in the loving of others as myself. I must find these things in the pursuit of Jesus as it is my union with him and my abiding in him that will bring transformation in my heart and mind. I cannot rely on an external system of weights and measures but I must fall down in acceptance of mercy.

Valuing the message:
This message is valuable because it is easy to think that you either have no expectations of me or that if you do that I can manage them myself. This message is a reminder that you have crazy high expectations but that you grant the very thing you require in Jesus.

Reflecting on the message:
Let me have a proper fear of your holiness Lord and let me seek you hotly that I might be found not with a righteousness of my own that is weak and pale and dirty but that I would be found with the very righteousness of Christ. I must consider how much I am loving God and loving others from a place of proving myself versus relying upon Jesus to accomplish this in me.

Questions to ask:

Do I see a holy fear of God motivating me to lean on Jesus?
Do I rely on my own strength to walk in the ways of the Lord or do I meet with Jesus regularly in the quiet of the day and seek his filling and provision?
Do I abide in Christ and seek to kill sin by the Holy Spirit or do I tolerate incompatible sin in my life? Do I ignore the smoke and lighting and thunder? Do I hear it?

Luke 23

Later maybe...

Soli Deo Gloria!

Saturday, March 8, 2014

March 8

Exodus 19; Luke 22

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 43: WHAT SHALL BE DONE TO THE WICKED AT DEATH?
Answer: The souls of the wicked shall at death, be cast into the torments of hell, and their bodies lie in their graves till the resurrection and judgment of the great day.
Scripture: Luke 16:22-4; Daniel 12:2; John 5:29; Revelation 20:11- 15.

Exodus 19

Ready:
In the previous chapter Moses received some good advice from his father-in-law and he delegated responsibility for judging and he set heads over the people to deal with most matters.

Seeing what’s there:
So about 7 weeks after they left Egypt the nation of Israel is at Mount Sinai encountering God. There is a period of preparation where Moses instructs them to consecrate themselves or “set apart as holy” and this involves cleaning of their clothes and remaining sexually abstinent for a time. The Lord gives Israel a prologue to the coming revelation of the law by referring explicitly to his deliverance from Egypt, which he accomplished for the people by his mighty hand and he tells them that they will need to obey his voice and keep his covenant if they want to be his treasured possession. This is actually a huge transition point in redemptive history because until this point there was no law or requirements upon the Jews except for circumcision and the recent addition of celebrating the passover. What is about to happen in the next chapter is going to change everything and will become the very thing that they get sideways on…the law. They are not to come up the mountain once Moses goes up lest they be killed and the mountain becomes surrounded with dense smoke and seems to be on fire and is trembling. God’s presence is very obvious in this scenario. Moses and God dialogue about the issue of Israel’s compliance with his instructions before the Lord gets into delivering to Moses the law.

Key Verses:
Exodus 19:4, 5-6, 8, 10-11, 16, 18, 20

Theme:
A covenant is coming that will serve to guard and to guide the people of God to the coming offspring, but they must ultimately rely upon the mercy of God and not upon their ability to keep this law, which in no way replaces the promise to Abraham…but leads to the fulfillment of the promise.

Thinking about the message:
    v1-6. Here the Lord tells Moses that he needs to get the people to agree that they will listen to his voice and that they will keep his covenant and that they will in so-doing be the treasured possession and the kingdom and the holy nation that he had promised to Abraham (Gen 12:2, 17:5-8). This is actually a bit of an addition or clarification to what had been promised thus far in the addition of “holy” and “priests” and it seems now suggested that Israel will not only be a great nation but that they will be set apart in more than circumcision and that they will be to the world a priesthood or a connection to God. Indeed they will be since salvation is from the Jews (John 4:22). God begins this important episode of delivering the law with this reminder that he is merciful and that he accomplishes their deliverance and that he bore them up when they had lacking faith and he accomplished what they didn’t see as possible. He then says “now therefore…” and goes into the bit about them obeying and keeping the covenant, which he would explain to Moses on the mountain. The law (covenant) that he is about to deliver would not be a replacement of the covenant with Abraham, but it would be a guardian until Christ comes (Gal 3:17-18, 24-25). Note that in verses 5-6 he uses more than twice as many words describing the outcome as he does their obedience…the focus is on what God is doing, not what they will do. But the people, other than a remnant, would become ensnared and would rely on this law by works instead of by faith (Rom 9:21-32) that he would be merciful and provide a deliverance from under the law (Rom 6:14, 7:4, 6; Gal 3:22) as he did from under Egypt (the reason for the prologue is that they would realize this reliance upon him and not upon their ability to keep the law). The law will end up exposing their sin and teaching them about the holiness of God (Rom 3:19-20).
    v7-15. Here Moses goes back and forth between God and the people and communicates instructions for their preparation and he gains their commitment to do what God is going to ask of them. They will indeed consecrate themselves and prepare for the third day when the Lord appears upon the mountain. Per the Lord’s instructions, Moses tells the people that when he goes up the mountain they are not to follow but are to keep a certain distance at the penalty of death.
    v16-25. Here the Lord descends upon the mountain and he calls Moses up to meet him. Moses brings the people out of the camp and to the foot of the mountain (keeping back the required distance) to witness what happens there. After Moses ascends the Lord tells him to go back and warn them again about keeping back so that many of them do not die. This seems to be a clarification that they ill perish at God’s hand if not at their own for not keeping the set limits. Moses seems confident that the previous instructions would be followed and that there is no need to repeat it, but in the end he concedes as the Lord tells him to do it and also to bring Aaron up with him. A reference here to priest is interesting because there has been no establishment of a priesthood yet, but it may be that the first-born are presumed to be priests among the tribes as was common in all nations.

Meaning, Implications, and Significance
    I hear a message here that God is looking to warn Israel that what he is about to give is massive and holy and can only be accomplished by relying on him to bear them up like he did in the Exodus from Egypt. Nothing in this account so far says to me “this is doable…you guys can just follow these steps and we are good”. No, I see smoke and fire and lightning and thunder and warnings of death and holiness that will annihilate them. The Christian will walk uprightly before God only as he relies on Jesus and seeks him and not by will-power and self-determination. The implication for today is that we cannot meet the requirements of the law apart from the one who fulfills the law in us (Rom 8:3-4) and to think otherwise is to remain under the wrath of God (John 3:36). Yet, God expects us to uphold the law in Christ (Rom 3:31). The significance for my life is that I am to walk humbly before God (Micah 6:8) and to rely on Christ as my righteousness (Phil 3:9), not my own pitiful efforts. I am to fall on his mercy (1 John 1:9) and I am to recognize my need for him daily (Luke 9:23) and I am to rely on the one who gave himself for me (Titus 2:4). There is no room for self-righteousness when the law is not the source of righteousness (Rom 3:21-22, 4:13; Gal 2:21, 3:11, 21-22).

Valuing the message:
This message is valuable be cause it can help me from becoming self-righteous and thinking that my following of God’s law and the expectations of the Christian culture are the things that make me right with God. Where I find victory and success in progressing in holiness it can only be due to God bearing me up (Ex 19:4).

Reflecting on the message:
I need to consider my heart and whether I am understanding the law and righteousness properly.

Questions to ask:

Do I behave and think as if true righteousness were based on my keeping of the law?
How does this differ with the law being upheld and fulfilled in me by Christ?
By killing sin in my life, do I think that I am establishing a righteousness before God or am I already justified (deemed righteous by God)?

Luke 22

Maybe later...

Soli Deo Gloria!

Thursday, March 6, 2014

March 6

Exodus 17; Luke 20

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 42: WHAT BENEFITS DO BELIEVERS RECEIVE FROM CHRIST AT THE RESURRECTION?
Answer: At the resurrection, believers are raised up in glory; they shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the Day of Judgment, and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity.
Scripture: Philippians 3:20, 21; 1 Corinthians 15:42, 43; Matthew 10:32; 1 John 3:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

Exodus 17

Ready:
The previous chapter was a teaching on the miraculous provision of God in bread from heaven and how he tested the Israelites in their devotion to follow his interactions and live by the obedience of faith.

Seeing what’s there:
In this chapter the Israelites grumble once more and it is about water. They seem to be getting very aggressive against Moses and he again goes to God asking what he shall do with them. The Lord provides by instructing Moses to strike a rock with his staff once and the water will then miraculously flow from the rock. Next Joshua faces off with Amalek and Moses watched over the battle in prayer with Aaron and hur atop a hill. They help hold up Moses’ hands in prayer during the battle and Joshua is victorious.

Key Verses:
Exodus 17:2, 4-5, 9-10, 11-12, 13, 15

Theme:
The Lord is our sustenance and our defense.

Thinking about the message:
    v1-2. It sounds like Moses was receiving specific instructions on how to move through the wilderness and there was no doubt that Moses was the leader chosen and anointed by God to lead this people. Yet, they grumble again and quarrel and take up an argument with Moses. He equates their quarreling as a testing of the Lord and this event at Massah is cited in Deuteronomy (Deut 6:16) and in Psalms (Psalm 95:8) as a testament to the hard and wayward hearts of the people of Israel.
    v3-7. God, in his mercy, provides water by another miracle and he uses a specific means. It is Moses striking the rock once with his staff. To the glory of God Moses followed the instructions and honored the Lord…and the people drank…despite their testing of God.
    v8-16. Here Joseph is directed by Moses to take up battle with the Amalek and his army. The victory seems to be secured by the unceasing prayer of Moses over the battlefield in the memorable story of Aaron and Hut holding his arms raised to the Lord in prayer. The message of reliance upon God and the victory belonging to him (Prov 21:31) is vivid here. Moses growing weak and requiring help seems to point out the ultimate inadequacy of a human intercessor or priest. Jesus comes as the God-man who does not grow weary and who lives to interceded for us (Heb 7:25)!

Meaning, Implications, and Significance
    I take the meaning here to be that God calls the people to yet trust him for provision and protection and to understand that even what would seem like a simple task of relying on him is a fickle thing in our flesh that is weak. The implication is that the battles and the efforts and the struggles I entertain have a spiritual aspect that should not be ignored. The significance for my life is that my needs and my protection are in the Lord’s hands.

Valuing the message:
This message is valuable because it is easy to think that the situation hinges on me and that my performance on the battle field will make all the difference. This replaces self reliance with reliance upon the Lord. Knowing that Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding on my behalf (Rom 8:34) can be quite the boost if I am no the battlefield wondering how this is going to work out.

Reflecting on the message:
I need to consider my attitude in conflicts and trials and consider whether I see myself fighting alone or if I am aware of my high priest in heaven who intercedes for me.

Questions to ask:

Do I consider God’s call for me to trust him and not myself in the midst of hardship?
Do I fight battles in a way that would leave me or God with the glory in the end?
Do I chase provision for my family in a way that leaves God with the glory or me?

Luke 20

Ready:
The previous chapter was about salvation coming to Zacchaeus in the person of Jesus and the correction of wrong views of the kingdom of God.

Seeing what’s there:
This chapter addresses the authority of Jesus. He makes it clear to the members of the Jewish Council that they are not actually interested in the truth, but that they dishonor God and refuse his messengers. Then Jesus is bombarded by various members of the Council with efforts to trap him and in the end Jesus uses these efforts to reveal the truth that our devotion is due unto God, our very life belongs to God, and Christ bears the vey authority of this God. Jesus proceeds to warn the listeners against outward religion that ignores the truth and does not submit to Christ’s authority.

Key Verses:
Luke 20:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7, 16, 17-18, 22-23, 24-25, 27, 33, 35, 37-38, 41, 44

Theme:
As the Son of God, Jesus bears the authority of God Almighty and we are to submit to his message and respond by giving our devotion and allegiance and lives unto God, in Christ.

Thinking about the message:
   v1-8. It seems here that the members of the Jewish Council converged upon Jesus in response to his cleansing of the temple and now inquire of him regarding his authority that he now and in the past has exercised in the temple. Jesus did not hold a place of authority in their eyes (like they did). Jesus was acting as if he owned the place! Well, here Jesus knows that they have no interest in the truth and he chooses to expose this by qualifying that he will answer once they acknowledge a similar truth. They refuse to confess the truth or even discern it, possibly, because they have nothing to gain in the exercise. Jesus shows here that these religious leaders were not interested in truth, but in what was convenient and useful to them. Therefore he does not cast pearls before swine (Matt 7:6).
   v9-18. Jesus goes further now to make his point by telling a parable. There is not much hidden from view in this parable and the council members get his point quite readily. They perceive that he is condemning them for not accepting the revelation of God and for now rejecting Jesus to the point of wanting to kill him. They reject the parable’s conclusion that the promises and the kingdom would be given to someone else due to their failure to receive the truth. Jesus quite seriously says to them that indeed they have rejected the very cornerstone of the temple that they venerate and ask him what authority he has over…his authority is that he holds the entire thing up! His body is the temple…his body is the atoning sacrifice…he is the eternal high priest…and he is the judge.
   v19-26. Here Jesus makes clear that we owe earthly allegiance and submission to authority that God has placed over us (Rom 13:1-2). But more so we owe God all that we are (Is 43:7; Deut 4:29, 10:12-13). Jesus masterfully uses their wicked effort to trap him as opportunity to teach the truth and completely stump them. They had most likely hoped that he would either tell people not to pay taxes (and so he could be charged by the Romans for such a unlawful action) or to upset the oppressed people by telling them that they would remain under oppression and needed to keep paying their unfair taxes. But Jesus says to pay what is due to him…not what is attempted to be collected by cheating tax collectors. Nor does he leave the issue at the earthly level but he goes to the kingdom with is and makes the bigger issue our allegiance to God. The Pharisees were a bit overdue on that second “tax”!
   v27-40. The Sadducees invent a scenario to trap Jesus here but they fail to understand that women do not belong to their husband eternally…all of us belong to God (1 Cor 8:6, 11:11-12; Rom 11:36). And those who belong specifically to Christ will rise again as Christ rose (Rom 14:7-9; 6:4-5, 8:9-11). Jesus explains how there is not marriage in heaven and though he does not explicitly state this here, we know that scripture tells us that our marriage is to Jesus for all eternity (Rev 19:7-8). Quickly dispelling their little trick, Jesus gets to the heart of the matter and explains that God is not the God of the dead and that our lives belong to him who has the power to raise us up. Jesus here reveals that indeed the patriarchs of old are yet alive (John 11:25).
   v41-44. To be finished later…

Soli Deo Gloria!

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

March 5

Exodus 16; Luke 19

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 41: WHAT BENEFITS DO BELIEVERS RECEIVE FROM CHRIST AT DEATH?
Answer: At death the souls of believers are made perfect in holiness, and immediately pass into glory. Their bodies rest in their graves till the resurrection.
Scripture: Hebrews 12:23; Philippians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Luke 23:43; 1 Thessalonians 4:14; Isaiah 57:2; Job 19:26.

Exodus 16

Ready:
The previous chapter depicted Israel celebrating the victory of God over Egypt and they worshiped openly with praise of God. Their confidence and praise quickly changed to grumbling due to some hardship and God teaches them to trust him always and to act upon the words he speaks to them with obedience.

Seeing what’s there:
I see Israel grumble again early in this chapter because they seem to not have enough food and they are again on Moses with accusation that it is his fault and they were happier in Egypt with plenty of meat and bread to eat. God decides to give them meat and bread and the bread will continue to come each day (except on one day he refers to as the Sabbath). So again as before God responds to grumbling with a test that is also a provision. He wants to see them follow his instructions for the manna and honoring the Sabbath.

Key Verses:
Exodus 16:2-3, 4-5, 9-10, 12, 13-14, 15, 19-20, 23-24, 25-26, 27-28, 29-30, 35

Theme:
God provides for Israel not by natural means but a supernatural provision that they cannot understand or explain except to rely wholly upon him and to follow his instructions.

Thinking about the message:
    v1-3. It sounds like they traveled for about 45 days and the people of Israel grumbled again against Moses wishing their had been left in Egypt where they had plenty of provision. This grumbling, like the last is questioning the provision and goodness of God and his plan to care for this people. This is the pattern that will plague the people for generations to come. I also note that Moses records that it was the whole congregation of the people, not just a vocal minority.
    v4-8. Here God speaks to Moses and Aaron and explains what he will do in response to their grumbling and it involves provision but there is also a test. He gave a test with the water being turned sweet as well so there seems to be a pattern developing in God’s dealing with the people in their grumbling. This test is explained to be two-fold: Will they obey by gathering only enough for their need and avoid left-overs and will they refrain from working on the Sabbath (which is only just now something that existed and this is not made perfectly clear until later in this chapter). Until now they have known hard labor no doubt 7 days a week but God here is going to provide miraculous provision and also give them a command to rest from their work one day a week. Moses tells them that this miracle will be like a sign and it will serve to make them know (again) that is is the Lord (Yahweh) who brought them out of Egypt in the keeping of his covenant to bless them and multiply them and to deliver them to a fruitful land.
    v9-12. Here there is a great appearance of the glory of God in a cloud before the whole congregation and Moses announces that they will eat meat that night and in the morning there will be a miraculous provision of bread. Here it is quite evident that there is a reliance upon God in this bread and it is not so much something special about the bread as it is special that God will provide it for them. Satan will tempt Jesus in the desert asking him to make bread like was done here, but this bread comes as God’s provision and now a self-made provision as Satan tempted Jesus to feed himself instead on relying upon the Father’s timing and direction.
    v13-21. Here it happens just as they were told and they don’t recognize the bread and it is therefore named Manna (what is it?). Unfortunately they did not listen to Moses and they gathered too much and the left-overs rotted and stunk in the morning. The bread that remained in the field after their gathering would melt away each day. So they fail test number 1.
    v22-26. Here they fail test number 2 by going out to gather bread on the Sabbath only to find that there is none. Yesterday’s bread does not go bad and God provides for them to remain home and he commands them to remain home and to rest as a holy Sabbath to the Lord. So this resting is something holy and it is “to the Lord”, not just an optional pattern or getting some rest if they need it. There is a tie to God’s holiness and a tie to God’s resting after he created the world and everything in it. There is a tie to our rest in heaven and it has to do with enjoying the bountiful provision of God and celebrating him by simply worshiping and receiving from him. This is for us today as well and ought to be a practice, not by statute perhaps in the NT era but surely by principle in the Bible and by example from the early church recognizing the Lord’s Day as Sunday. In Hebrews 4:1-13, written to Jews, salvation itself is referred to as a Sabbath rest.   Col 2:16-17 seems to make evident that Christ is the substance and the Sabbath is lumped in with ceremonial things that he fulfilled so there is a basis for the Sabbath not being applicable as law for the NT believer.
    v27-30. Here is a rebuke regarding honoring the Sabbath that they seem to take and them honor, especially since they learn that there is no Manna to gather anyhow. Note that God does not tempt them with Manna at a time when they are told never to gather it anyhow (James 1:13).
    v31-36. Israel is told to remember throughout their generations this provision by God and here Moses summarizes that for the next 40 years in the desert they will be sustained by this Manna from Heaven.

Meaning, Implications, and Significance
I take the message here that God provides for his people and he makes it clear to them that it is he who does it and it is another reminder to be passed across generations about what the Lord has done. He also teaches that provision is not to be in excess of need. The implication is that God provides and his provision should be recognized and celebrated. The significance for my life is that I should reflect upon how God provides for me and I should consider if I am honoring him in how I receive it and how I take only what is needed.

Valuing the message:
This message is valuable because a huge part of my life is spent gathering. I go to work and I gather up the resources to take care of my family and this message helps me to recognize that God is the provider and that I have a responsibility to not abuse his provision by gathering more than I need. This is easy to do sometimes and can result in materialism and a worldly focus that does not honor God.

Reflecting on the message:
I should reflect on how much I am gathering and how hard I work simply to add more luxury or flare to our life instead of simply meeting our needs and then pouring myself into my family and the kingdom purposes of God.

Questions to ask:

Am I gathering more than I need?
Does my extra income and stuff and things begin to stink of excess and of greed and of gluttony?
Do I trust that God is really my provider or do I consider that I handle that apart from him?
How can I better honor God with my gathering and how can I avoid the stink of leftovers?

Luke 19

Ready:
In the previous chapter I saw that it is the one who recognizes their need and cries out for mercy who receives it and who follows Jesus to the glory of God. This is to say that trying to behave like Jesus is not the answer…falling to my face before him is.

Seeing what’s there:
Luke here documents Jesus’ interactions with Zacchaeus and the telling of the parable of the Minas. He gives the account of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the first couple of days events without much description to mark the days. Jesus weeps over Jerusalem’s rejection of him and he cleanses the temple in the close of Luke’s chapter.

Key Verses:
Luke 19:3-4, 5-6, 9-10, 11, 16-17, 23-24, 26, 37-38, 39-40, 41-42, 45-46, 47

Theme:
The main theme I see is Jesus correcting a misinterpretation of the coming of the kingdom and a lament for the failure of Israel, though this is the means of salvation to the world.

Thinking about the message:
   v1-10. Here Jesus calls out Zaccheaus who has worked hard to get a glimpse of Jesus. It appears that this man has already repented and is receiving of the message of the coming kingdom and Jesus tells him that salvation has come to his home referencing his identity as a son of Abraham. Knowing the teaching elsewhere in the NT it is clear that this is no reference to his Judaism but a reference to his faith (Gal 3:26, 29; Rom 9:7-8). It seems that Jesus is counting his faith as righteousness as was Abraham’s (Rom 4:3, 5, 12).
   v11-27. There is an element of eschatology (movement toward a future event) in this parable that is called out right at the beginning. Luke tells us that Jesus tells this parable to deal with a misunderstanding of the timing of events to come. He is looking to correct their understanding of the coming kingdom. They have a wrong view of the nature (political and earthly) as well as the timing (immediate). There is an already- not yet reality to the kingdom (Mark 1:15) that can create this misunderstanding if their is not a realization that the kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). Here now Jesus makes it clear that he is going off to bring back the consummation of the kingdom when he returns no longer to deal with sin (dying in our place) but to reward those eagerly waiting for him (Heb 9:28) and to judge mankind (Matt 25:31-32; 2 Tim 4:1; 2 Pet 3:8-13). The question is what do we do with the truth and the knowledge of God that he has given us? Do we respond in obedience of faith to the glory of God or do we sit on the revelation of God and do nothing with it? Maybe he speaks of gifting and how I use the gifts I am given but the “wicked servant” comment and the taking away of what he has and the comparison with the similar ending to the parable of the talents in Matthew 25 makes me think that this is a salvation issue and would therefore necessarily have to do with what we do with the truth of God’s revelation of himself (Rom 1:18-21; John 3:36).
   v28-40. Like the other gospels the triumphal entry marks the last week of Jesus’ ministry on earth (save the 40 days following his resurrection). Jesus refuses to correct those who ascribe deity to him when the Pharisees point this out and he announces that the stones themselves would cry out his praise if the people don’t. This is blasphemous indeed if Jesus were not God in the flesh.
   v41-44. Here Luke records Jesus’ weeping over Israel because they do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah. I compare with Pharaoh in Exodus because Paul makes clear that God is the one who hardened Israel’s hearts so that they would not see or understand (Rom 11:7-10). But of course this was for the purpose of saving those outside of the family and circling back to save the remaining elect of Israel by this amazing plan of God (Rom 11:11-24, 25-32, 33-36).
   v45-48. Here Jesus makes it known that the temple is his Father’s house and he will not allow it to be misused and he will exclude from the kingdom those who are self-seeking and do not seek the glory of God (Rom 2:8).

Meaning, Implications, and Significance
The kingdom of God is not of this world. Right now, the kingdom is among us and it is not primarily about politics and social justice (though we are to walk justly and love mercy). The kingdom of God in this age is primarily about man getting right with God by his mercy through the blood of Jesus. When Jesus returns it will be time for vengeance and justice and order…this time will come. The implication for today is that the primary way the kingdom is advanced is on a spiritual level of surrender to Jesus and of becoming a child of the king. There shall be no taking of hills except for hearts…we are to be fishers of men. The significance for my life is that I should not have such a focus on the seen as I should on the unseen and I should place great emphasis on using my time here to spread the knowledge and fear of the Lord (Minas). I should be listening to what God has said and acting upon it with faith to advance his kingdom up until the day he returns.

Valuing the message:
This message is valuable because there are many “seen” distractions and setting my mind on the judgement to come and the Minas I have been given is a good reminder to check myself on how I am spending my resources of all kinds.

Reflecting on the message:
I need to consider if I am burying Minas in the ground or investing them wisely for kingdom purposes.

Questions to ask:

Am I spending most of my time and resources for earthly gain?
Am I looking ahead to the return of the nobleman or living like he abandoned me?
If I see Jesus coming in the sky today will my reaction be like Zacchaeus who waited eagerly and joyfully received him?

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Saturday, March 15, 2014

Exodus 26; John 5

Daily Catechism

Exodus 26

John 5

Friday, March 14, 2014

Exodus 24; John 3

Daily Catechism

John 3

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Exodus 22; John 1

Daily Catechism

Exodus 22

John 1

Monday, March 10, 2014

Exodus 21; Luke 24

Daily Catechism

Exodus 21

Luke 24

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Exodus 20; Luke 23

Daily Catechism

Exodus 20

Luke 23

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Exodus 19; Luke 22

Daily Catechism

Exodus 19

Luke 22

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Exodus 17; Luke 20

Daily Catechism

Exodus 17

Luke 20

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Exodus 16; Luke 19

Daily Catechism

Exodus 16

Luke 19