April 2

Leviticus 5; Psalm 3-4; Proverbs 20; Colossians 3

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 61: WHAT IS FORBIDDEN IN THE THIRD COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The third commandment forbids all profaning and abusing of anything whereby God makes himself known.
Scripture: Exodus 20:7; Malachi 1:6, 7; Leviticus 20:3; 19:12; Matthew 5:34-37; Isaiah 52:5.

Psalm 4

v1.  This is huge because Christ is my righteousness and his past rescue is evidence of his future mercy. 
v3.  The Lord sets some apart for himself.  We do not do it…he does it.  These are those whom he hears.
v4.  Be angry and do not sin.  Contemplate your heart and reflect.  Be not so quick to move on to the next day.  See below for arcing of verses 2-5.

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v6.  The world looks for “good” in order to find happiness and contentment.
v7.  God’s elect trust him and can celebrate in all circumstances and he gives more true joy even in the midst of trouble. 
v8.  Because I am secure in Christ and I have a great and mighty God who cares for me and is merciful I know that I can rest well under his sovereign care. Let me remember each night to rest in your peace O God that I have by the blood of your Son.

Proverbs 20

 
v1.  Do not let wine control you.
v3.  It is honorable to avoid fighting and conflict for every fool seeks a fight
v4.  Plow in the autumn.  Work hard in the Lord
v5.  My desires and motives and purposes are deep inside and it take purposeful seeking and pondering and considering and thought to find my motives and to consider my sin and my misalignment of thoughts and attitudes.
v6.  It’s easy to claim how much I love the Lord or my wife but how does it display itself?
v7.  Let me walk faithfully Lord in the integrity of my heart with the righteousness that you assign to me from Christ.  Let my children be blessed after me O God.
11.  Let my conduct indeed be pure and upright O God for the sake of your name.
v13.  Sleep too much is not good!
v18.  Much counsel is good in difficult decisions where much is at stake
v22.  Don’t seek vengeance but leave it to the Lord and simply wait upon him

Colossians 3

v1-2. Correlate to Romans 2:7 and Romans 8:5-8. This is walking in the Spirit.
v3. See Romans 6:2-5.  Life hidden in Christ- this is beautiful and I take it to mean that all I am is wrapped up in Christ and that there is no treasure and nothing valuable in my life that is outside of Christ.  He is my all in all and there is nothing about me that is outside of him.  I have not a secular life and a church life.  Christ is my very life. 
v4.  When you walk like this it is evident that Christ is your life and when he appears you will also appear with him in glory.  This seems to reference the second coming where the saints come with him in the air.
v5. Be killing sin.  Put it to death- by violence seek to put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit.  Rom 8:13.  This verse seems to focus on bodily pleasure seeking and maybe the covetousness here is the desiring of someone who is God's provision to another man.  The big lust problem of doubting God and questioning the appropriateness of his provision to you in wondering what you are missing elsewhere.  This is idolatry because I want something more than or other than God and his provision for me.  Focusing above put to death the things that pull your attention back down to earth.
v6. God's wrath is coming because of these things that trap our attention and steal us away from God. 
v7-11.  We once walked the same as these but note that this is no longer the case.  Something is categorically different about us now.  We have put away the old self- we are new creatures.  We are new and under a process by the spirit of God that is making us like Jesus.  It involves being renewed in our mind.  We are to be studying God's Word for this renewal see Rom 12:2, Rom 2:18  Also there are no categories among us but we are all one body in Christ and he is all for all of us.  We all have him and are united in him.
v12. Here he flips from talking about what not to do and he switches to the new self and the things that we now are to do. 
v13. Here he gives the imperative that we are to forgive since God forgave us. 
v14. The greatest virtue to define our new identity is love. 
v15. The result if putting these things on (and taking the others off) is that peace will reign.  We were called to this peace and it may speak of peace between man as it refers to us being one body.
v16. Here Paul urges that we study and know the Word in order that we may teach one another and that we might speak to Word of God to one another in song and that we might joyfully relate to one another with thankfulness to God in our hearts.
v17.  And in this teaching or admonishing or singing, let us do it in the name of Jesus and for the glory of God.  We aught to be giving thanks to God for the blessings of his Word and for the joy he gives us in one another.  We give thank to God for what he enables us to do in service of the body.
v18-25.  Here a teaching on domestic life that deserves more study.

Soli Deo Gloria!

March 30

Leviticus 1; John 20; Proverbs 17; Philippians 4

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 60: WHAT IS REQUIRED IN THE THIRD COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The third commandment requires the holy and reverent use of God’s name, titles, attributes, ordinances, words, and works.
Scripture: Psalm 29:2; 111:9; 138:2; Deuteronomy 32:1-4; 28:58- 59; Matthew 6:9; Ecclesiastes 5:1; Job 36:24; Revelation 4:8; 15:3, 4.

Leviticus 1

In this book Moses lays out further revelation from God that he receives in the tent of meeting concerning the sacrificial system of offerings and worship, the priesthood, ceremonial cleanness, the Day of Atonement, feasts and holy days, and the Year of Jubilee.  

“1 The LORD called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying,” (Leviticus 1:1, ESV)

John 20

Who am I seeking?  Am I looking ahead to the coming of the meek and mild Jesus who lays down his life or am I looking ahead to the coming of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah who conquered and reigns and brings the wrath of God upon the earth?  Do we take Jesus to be other than he is?

“15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”” (John 20:15, ESV)

What is our only hope in evangelism?  That the Holy Spirit will do his work of convincing people of their need for a savior and of the person and all-sufficient work of Christ.

“21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:21–22, ESV)

“29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”” (John 20:29, ESV)

“31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31, ESV)

Proverbs 17

“3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts.” (Proverbs 17:3, ESV)

“15 He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD.” (Proverbs 17:15, ESV)

Compare proverbs 17:15 to Romans 4:5

“5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,” (Romans 4:5, ESV) 

“17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17, ESV)

Philippians 4

Under what circumstances should I rejoice in the Lord and why?

“4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;” (Philippians 4:4–5, ESV)

“12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:12–13, ESV)

But how?

“6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6–7, ESV)

And after praying, walk as with wisdom looking and expecting to be upheld...

“8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8–9, ESV)

Soli Deo Gloria! 

March 28

Exodus 39; John 18; Proverbs 15; Philippians 2

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 59: WHICH IS THE THIRD COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The third commandment is, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”
Scripture: Exodus 20:7.

Exodus 39

The ESVSB gives a good illustration of the priestly garments.  The representation of the priest for the nation cannot be missed in the stones of remembrance on the shoulders and the individual stones on the breastpiece.

Proverbs 15

“14 The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.” (Proverbs 15:14, ESV)


“25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud but maintains the widow’s boundaries.” (Proverbs 15:25, ESV)


“29 The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.” (Proverbs 15:29, ESV)


“33 The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.” (Proverbs 15:33, ESV)

 John 18

“3 So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.”” (John 18:3–8, ESV)

This passage in John is very intriguing.  They come to Jesus with the human perspective of "Nazareth" no doubt because they are knowing that the true Messiah comes from Bethlehem.  By looking for Jesus of Nazareth they could be labeling him as a mere man...Jesus corrects this misunderstanding in the answer.  The ESV footnote clarifies that the Greek phrase translated as "I am he" is the phrase "I am".  Of course we recognize this as the way God identifies himself to Moses at the burning bush and when Jesus announces this the gang of armed men coming for Jesus fall to the ground.  As they get back up he asks again, "Who are you looking for?".  I take it that they are being instructed that they misunderstand who it is that they are actually seeking.  The one they have come for cannot be taken by force with weapons but only willingly.

Philippians 2

“2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” (Philippians 2:2, ESV)


“4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:4, ESV)


“8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:8, ESV)


“12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12–13, ESV)

“18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.” (Philippians 2:18, ESV)

Paul lays out and argument of joy for joy.  He wants joy in seeing us rejoice with him.  He wants the Philippians to humbly rely on God to do the saving work and the sanctification in them.  He wants them to be in awe of the power that God wields in their lives to save them and to change their drives and motives and desires.  He wants them to know not the pride of self accomplishment, but the amazement and joy and humility of seeing God's work. 

Soli Deo Gloria!