Tag: Faith
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Oswald Chambers speaking on Enoch said, “the test of a man’s life and character is not what he does in the exceptional moments in life, but what he does in the ordinary times.”
Enoch was a man, a husband, a father, a grandfather, and he walked with God… He was in the 7th Generation of Man in Creation.
Genesis 5:23-24 Enoch’s life lasted 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was not there because God took him
So he lived walking with God, and then he was no longer on the earth, but he was still WITH God.
There are just five verses in Genesis, two in Hebrews, two in Jude regarding this man. Yet the first verses and the last verses are 3000 years apart, and here we are 5000 years after, and we still know him.
Genesis 5:19 tells us that his father’s name was Jared. That name means, “to go down, bow down.” he is recorded to have lived 962 years, and yes I believe in a literal understanding. Though we can’t relate to that, he was 162 when he fathered Enoch. That’s sort of hard to imagine, but if I live to be 100, it would mean that my oldest son was born about the same time in my life, which is about 20% of my life, just like Jared’s son was born at about the same ratio of his life.
Interestingly, Enoch was 65 when his son, Methuselah, was born, which turned out to be roughly the same ratio of his life.
If he lived 1/5th of his life, he had done many things, seen many things in life.
He worked, working the ground, raising animals, probably lived close to his family. He met a woman, fell in love with her, and she became his wife. Then, they had a son.
What was life like? Don’t know much, but his son, Methuselah, had his son Lamech, and Enoch would have been 252, and lived another 48 years, yet was not still on earth when his Great Grandson, Noah, was born. Yet Lamach said about Noah, “this one will bring us relief from the agonizing labor with our hands, caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.”
Well, seven generations, and the sin of Genesis 3 was hard. He was working the ground, raising a family, and he had other sons and daughters…
What else do we know? 3000 Years after he left his earth…
Jude wrote Jude 14-15 tell us that he was a Forceful Preacher of Prophesy saying that he prophesied, “Look! the Lord comes with tens of thousands of his holy ones to execute judgment on all and convict all the ungodly…”
WOW… we don’t know much more
But most significantly, the writer of Hebrews has the “Hall of Fame of the Faithful” in Hebrews 11…
Faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen… by this our ancestors were approved… Hebrews 11:1-2…
Then 11:3 By faith we understand the universe was created by God… made from things that are not visible 4 by faith Abel offered a better sacrifice… he was approved as a righteous man… because God approved his gifts… though dead, he still speaks through his faith
Point being, God gave instructions for how to live, how to worship – Abel followed, Cain did not.
Then step forward many generations to Enoch.
Hebrews 11:5 by faith, Enoch was taken away… did not experience death… God took him away… FOR before he was taken away he was approved as one who pleased God.
That word, approved is the word, martyreo = testify, bear witness. The Testimony of Enoch’s life was that he pleased God – euaresteo = pleasing and interestingly this word is both a verb AND a noun. Because he acted in pleasing God, he WAS pleasing to God.
Now, then, just to be sure that we GET THE POINT… the context then of verse 6 is often quoted alone, but here in the context of the life of Enoch, it is a challenge to us to be like Enoch and these faithful in Hebrews 11
… he was approved as one pleasing to God 6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draw near to him must believe that he exists, and that he rewards those who seek him.
Oh, some believe IN God, but don’t obey God, believing that God has expectations that we must follow.
Compare Abel and Cain… both came to God in perceived worship, but only one of them worshiped as instructed and from the heart.
Remember God told Cain… if you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? He had been told, but he would not.
Yet, Enoch was approved, his life gave a witness, that as a man, husband, father, grandfather, worker, friend, preacher, he believed God, sought to obey God, drew near to God, walked close to God, in line with God, according to the Lord…
… and then, he was no more on earth… yet he was still WITH God.
My desire and full expectation for now and into eternity is to be with God, pleasing to God, giving that testimony – One Step One Walk… at a time…
Enoch walked with God – halak = to go, to come, accompany, to behave
Let it be said of me… that I “behaved, accompanied God, coming and going”
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Luke 18, Jesus has a several famous encounters in this and chapter 19. But I started at what we call the “Rich Young Ruler”.
This story is in the midst of the ministry years. After this, he heals a blind man, then he enters Jericho and meets that diminutive man named Zacchaeus.
Before this, Jesus tells a parable showing that if we persist in prayer, we can know that God grants justice. Then in v9 he told a parable to some who “trusted in themselves” and took pride in their own goodness while looking down on others who didn’t live up to their self-created standards.
Then Jesus encouraged children coming to him. “Let the little children come to me because the kingdom belongs to such as these.” He takes it a step further to say that whoever does not receive the kingdom like a little child will never enter it.
In the midst of that, a young man and a ruler, asked, Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?
Now, if he was a “ruler”, then he wasn’t too “young”, as that’s a relative term. He wasn’t aged, but was old enough for authority, and asks, what must I do?. That of course is the wrong question.
How do little children come?
- With Excitement
- With Expectation
- With Faith
- With Openness
- With Humility
Jesus said, if you want a “to do list” – you have the law. “I have kept all these from my youth”. We all have a list of what we’ve done or tried to do… and yet, we ALL come up short of the glory of God.
Then v22 When he (Jesus) heard this, he told him, ‘you still lack one thing’ (leipo = fall short) sell all you have… then come follow me.
It is not what we DO, but who we follow and how.
If you read on, the disciples say, this is hard so the disciples wonder, then who can be saved?
- Jesuus answers, what is impossible with man is possible for God.
Yes, it is hard to follow Jesus, particularly when we have “wealth”, whether that is money, property, possessions, competence, or confidence – those things make it hard to follow Christ. I’ve often said it’s easier for the “down-and-out” to come than the “up-and-out”. They often have the hardest time coming to the Lord.
Jesus flips those two words. The root word for ability is dynamai (looks like dynamite) and means to be able. The word then “possible” comes from that root and is dynatos – possible/powerful. Yet if you add “a” to the front, adynatos = impossible. God DOES flip the script from impossible to possible.
- This one thing you lack… you are holding on to your own competency…
- Sell it all – Lay It Down… and
- Come Follow Me
That man went away sad… why? Because he wasn’t willing to comes as a child.
Children, generally, don’t have wealth, don’t have influence, but they come with excitement, expectation, faith, and humility, desiring to be touched by God.
Peter said, “Look, we have left what we had and followed you.” You can almost see him making a “check mark” in the sky.
Yes, Luke 5:11 they pulled up their boats on short, left everything, and followed him.
But when we “Leave Everything…” – LEAVE IT. Let it go. Stop Keeping score. Don’t expect reimbursement. As long as I keep score, I haven’t “LEFT” it. Jesus said to the man, “sell it all”… then “give away the profit”.
Interestingly, in John 21, after the resurrection, Peter and the disciples still had access to their boats and went back to fishing – but if you read it, Jesus came them a fresh call and commission – Then they TRULY Left Everything and gave the fullness of their lives to him, to the point of death.
Jesus tells them to rest assured that no one who has left everything – people, possessions, purposes, priorities, posture, anything – will be repaid much more now and in eternity.
Then he tells them WHERE following him will lead. It will result in the fulfillment of Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53, and so much more, as he will be… handed over… mocked… insulted… spit on… flogged… killed… but will rise on the third day…
v34 they understood non of these things… they did not grasp what was said…
I think sometimes, we don’t understand, so we do not go.
“I don’t understand this, Lord.”
I can hear Jesus saying, “What DID you understand?”
“Well Lord, you said, ‘follow me’.
“So then, DO THAT, and leave the rest up to me.”
Here I come Lord… excited, expectant, humble, faith filled, following…
Touch me Lord.
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Defining a Disciple is an important thing.
I looked up on “the Google” the word “Traveler” and it says, “anyone who goes on a journey or frequently moves from place to place – it can broadly refer to tourists, commuters, business professionals, or people relocating”
Then I looked up the word “Disciple” on that information storehouse…
“a dedicated follower, student, or learner who adheres to and helps spread the teachings of another person or master”
In Luke 14, while eating at the house of a “leading Pharisee” on the Sabbath, Jesus tells a story of a man giving a banquet who invited many but people didn’t come, they had many excuses. That man told his servants, go into the highways and hedges and make them come in so that my house will be filled.
At the end of that encounter, then he is traveling and 14:25 says – Great crowds were Traveling WITH him. So, he turned and said to them…
Then Jesus defines a disciple by what they are and are not. My thought then is, “are we Disciples or just Travelers?”
That Greek word translated “traveling” is symporeuomai = to go with, journey together. It looks like and is the root word where we get our word “Sympathy”. Jesus is asking this “great crowds” – polys = many… “are you just sympathetic toward me, or are you my disciples?”
Now looking at that Google definition for the word “traveler”, are we just “spiritual tourists” or a Disciple? I’ve been a tourist many times. Tourists are there to see what’s happening, what has happened. Are we just “commuters”, heading somewhere else on the same path, but going to a different destination or for a different reason? Are we just “Professional Followers”, are we just “relocating”, or are we Disciples?
Then Jesus throws out several defining questions / statements that define a disciple in the end of Luke 14:
- They “hate” other relationships compared to Jesus. If not, he cannot be my disciple.
- Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple
- a disciple must Count the Cost – “Calculate” the CSB renders it, meaning giving careful thought o what must happen, what it will cost, and lay up the needed resources for completion. If not, other will say, “he started, but wasn’t able to finish the building.”
- a disciple must understand and prepare for the battle instead of giving up and “making peace” with the enemy
- If you don’t renounce all possessions, you cannot be my disciple
- Then, he says, as “salt” – don’t lose your “taste”. That word, = moraino = to be foolish, become tasteless. If we do, we aren’t being his disciple
Well, Jesus, what do you really think?
Think for a minute –
- Salt without flavor is truly useless, what’s the point? It isn’t even useful for soil or fertilizer, so just pitch it – Don’t just be a Traveler
- Other relationships have their place, but if they get in the way of following Jesus, you are just a Traveler, not a Disciple. You are just watching what might happen but not looking for life change.
- If you aren’t prepared to invest in the life of Christ, you might clear some land, lay some building materials, but not build the household of faith. That’s just a traveler who went, but had nothing to show for it.
- If you aren’t preparing for battle, you will make peace with the enemy; and his terms of “peace” are total surrender – if you think you “saved your life” you still lost it all – you relocated to the enemy’s realm.
- If you hold on to all your “stuff” but not Jesus, what will you have in the final accounting? You can’t take that stuff with you. Lay it down don’t be a professional traveler.
- But the Most Radical Thing he says is v27 – whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
Think about that… How would they have heard that statement? In that day, they didn’t know Jesus was going to die on a cross and then when he did they didn’t understand the “why”.
But they knew, in the Roman World, that anyone condemned by the Romans for an awful crime or sedition – they were humiliated, stripped bare, forced to carry their cross of execution, then they were nailed on that cross in a public place for all to see.
Think about all of those definitions of what is NOT a disciple – The one who takes up the cross is all those things combined –
- all their worldly possessions were gone
- their family was of no value
- their taste was gone
- they were defeated
- they had no control
All of the OTHER statements are wrapped up in this one statement in v27 – Lay it all down and follow me
Are we “Tourists” – just came to see, take some pictures, get some souvenirs?
Are we “Commuters” heading somewhere else, but just traveling near Jesus?
Are we “Professional” Church folks?
Are we “Relocating”?
OR
Are we Disciples of Jesus Christ, laying everything else down to Follow, totaling humiliated, dead to everything else, counting the cost, and willing to bear it all to come after, that’s a Disciple, of Jesus?
“Our Lord never proclaimed a ‘Cause’; he proclaimed personal devotion to Himself.” – Oswald Chambers
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Those without Christ, apart from Christ, lay their own path. But, because of Christ, the child of God finds Christ to be Source and Strength, Path and
Purpose, Instigation and Destination.
He is the Why, the How, and the Where.
In Peter’s first letter, he writes to those chosen, living as exiles – paradidemos = sojourner; temporary residents in a strange place.
We hear a lot about “foreigners, aliens”, but in Christ, whether politically, positionally, actually, or relationally, we are just on a journey in this world.
Peter writes to followers of Christ in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. He tells them that God knew already that they would become his. As they have become his, the Spirit is at work sanctifying them. That word, hagiasmos = making them holy.
Paul speaks in Romans 4:29+ that these God forknew, he had destined them to be conformed to the image of Christ, and he had called… justified… and glorified. All of those are listed in the past tense in that they are completed work of God, even before we experience them. Then Paul continues… if God is for us, who can be against us?
God will finish the work, Praise the Lord, but between the justification and glorification Peter speaks of the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient… That’s the day-to-day lifelong process of becoming who we are remade to be.
1 Peter 1:3 says because of mercy he has given us a new birth into living hope… v4 into inheritance… and as you read on he says, be holy because I am holy.
Well now I want to Preach 1 Peter… but that’s for another time.
Let me get back to where I started in 1 Peter 2:9… Peter says, But You Are….
That means there is a negative opposite experience. 2:1 says, Therefore, rid yourselves of…
What?
- Malice – kakia = wickedness, evil, malice
- Deceit – dolos = not just lying but deceit with intent = deceit, treachery, cunning
- Hypocracy = hypocrisis = a playcating answer
- Envy – phthonos = envy, jealousy – i.e. I want what you have and I hate you for having it
- All Slander – katalalia = evil speech, slander, not necessarily lying, but seeking to destroy by truth, and false implication
- GET RID – apotithemi = to lay aside, take off – Take Off these filthy, nasty, clothes…
Why?
- v2b so that you may grow up into your salvation – not to receive salvation, but to grow into the salvation you have already received
Peter confesses, yes, you may be rejected by people, but you are CHOSEN and Honored by God.
I have struggled much in life and continue to try and be accepted, be good enough, be honored… but Peter tells us that in Christ, we are Known – prognosis, Chosen – eklektos, and Honored – entimos = valued, precious, highly regarded
Come on Now Somebody…
Honor will come to all who believe, but the Unbelieving he says, they stumble – proskopto = strike against… because they disobey – and just as God knowns who will be his, and has chosen them for great things, he also knows those without him, and because of their refusal, he has destined them to stumble
and fall.
But YOU are…
When he tells us who we are, and tells us to put aside the clothing that doesn’t match the holiness we are, and are becoming, who we will be, he gives us the biggest…
Why
- You are Somebody – a Chosen Race – genos = nation, people, class
You are part of a somebody in a group. Not somebody by yourself out there. You are part of a bigger Somebody, a Chosen People Class.
- For Something – a Royal Priesthood – a people called to serve in the holy worship of the king
- Into Something – a holy nation – hagio ethnos – a set apart spiritual ethnicity
- To Him – a people for his possession – peripoiesis – comes from the word poieo = to make – he has making us into a treasured possession
- To Be Something Outward – so that you may Proclaim the Praises – exangello = an angelic proclamation – Tell out arete = the excellence of his character. Go Tell somebody about the the one who called you OUT of Darkness, INTO Marvelous Light. Tell Them that ONCE you were not anything… but now you are a people, once had not mercy, but now have received mercy…
Well that’s a lot – then you go and read the rest of the chapter, and the rest of the letter based on understanding who you are. It affects then how you lie, how you act, toward people, toward the government, at work, in relationships…
v21 – for you were called to this…
It all comes back to living according to who you are, who we serve, why he saved us, as you are Growing Up Into the Great Salvation we have received.
Yeah we have a way to go, like a kid walking in Dad’s Shoes… but grow up into it!
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No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. You are MY friends if you do what I command you (John 15:13-14 CSB)
John 15 is so full – so powerful. Jesus is squeezing so much teaching in this night before his crucifixion.
In John 13:34-35, he has already said, A new commandment I give you… love one another… as I have loved you… by this all will know you are my disciples…
Now, he has talked about “abiding in him” 15:5 that’s where life and fruitfulness exist for the “branches” The Vine is the source, the Branch gets life from the Vine.
Then you get down to verse 13, and we often read this looking back and knowing what Jesus died for us, but I’ve often pointed that Jesus didn’t just “show up” and die, no, he came and LIVED, gave up his LIFE, not just his death.
So, is he calling us to consider how we live? Is he saying we should live lives surrendered to the better FOR someone else?
Yes
Oh wait, my greatest love is laying down my life, for my friends. philos = beloved, dear one – Ok, I can do that – live surrendered to my friend…
That’s the problem, when we pick and choose verses.
Laying down your life for your friends, got it…
Wait
v14 you are MY friends if you do what I command you…
uh-oh – What has he commanded? Back up to all of this chapter, but even if you take a few verses…
v9 as the Father has loved me, I have loved you (1) Remain in my Love – if you keep my commands you will remain in my love…
Is he saying that when I do not do what he says I’m NOT staying in his love?
He continues, Just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in HIS love… Well… go to John 5:19 and Jesus said he was unable to do anything on his own… only what the Father does… the Son does…
Then in John 15:11 says there is Joy in this… that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete…
Joy comes in knowing and doing what Jesus says, what the Father says
(2) v12 this is my command, love one another, as I have loved you…
Well, he keeps saying this doesn’t he?
Romans 5:8, Paul teaches us that Jesus demonstrated / proved his love in that while we were sinners, separated from God, he died for us.
1 John 3:16 this is how we know what love is: He laid down his life for us… we should lay down our lives for our brothers…
Well Now… this is more clear and more hard… but I still can just do it for my “friend” right?
Well… sort of… Jesus said, you are MY friends IF you do what I have commanded…
What did he command? Love one another and remain in my love…
Jesus’ disciples had come a long way here in John’s Gospel. From chapter one as seekers, to followers, to followers, to disciples, to servants, and now toward friendship.
v15 I have called you friends… have made known to you what I heard from my Father. 16 you did not choose me, I chose you.
I’ve always thought, as someone who had been picked LAST sometimes on the playground, blessed to know, Jesus picked me FIRST.
So, when I choose to obey, to love, to show love, do love, then feel love… it is not about me, and not even about those… it is about being a Friend of Jesus!
You are my beloved, dear one, friend if you do (poieo = to make, fashion, do, accomplish) what I command you
Yes, Lord, I love you, I am grateful for the opportunity to be more than a servant, but a friend.
This is Love – lay down your living life (psyche = soul, breath, life)
Oswald Chambers in speaking on this
- “we are not made for brillant moments, but we have to walk in the light of them in ordinary ways”
- “If I am a friend of Jesus, I have deliberately and carefully to lay down my life for him”
- “Salvation is ‘easy’ because it costs God so much, but the manifestation of it in my life is difficult
Alright then, child of God, Servant of God, Let’s grow into Friend of God.
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“Isn’t the whole land before you? Separate from me: if you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”
What do we fight over? Who do we trust? If you have heard from God, go. He is our hope, not what we see in front of us.
Now we must remember that Abram, Lot, et al… didn’t have all that we have in scripture and in testimony, but they did have word from God.
Abram had been following the Lord for some time now. Remember in Genesis 12:1, God said, “Go… to the land I will show you… I will make you into a great nations… I will bless… I will make your name great… all the people on earth will be blessed by you…”
v4 So Abram went… But remember in the instructions, Abram was supposed to leave… his …relatives from his father’s house… but it says Lot went with him. I don’t know if that was Lot’s idea, but Abram let him go.
So, the journey was to many places… but he went as the Lord led, through Canaan, eventually he went to Egypt during a famine, and then back through the Negev, and to Bethel where he had worshiped God in Genesis 12:7 and God again would tell him that God would give this land to he and his family.
God blessed them with money, people, herds, but where they were couldn’t support all of them together on the same land. Then 13:7 there was quarreling between the herdsmen.
So, Abram said, “Let’s not have quarreling…”
Now, Abram was the lead, he could have looked at the land and said, “I’ll take this, and you take that…” But he said, “Separate… if you go left… I’ll go right…” or visa versa.
Why? hmmm
Abram’s trust was in the Word of God, not in the things he saw…
So, here in Genesis 13, when Abram told Lot to make a decision…
Lot LOOKED out and saw… basically it looked like the Garden of the Lord… So lot chose the entire plain of Jordan and set up his tent near Sodom. v13 tells us something “parenthetically” (now the men of Sodom were evil, sinning immensely against the Lord) v12 says Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot lived in the cities on the plain.
This doesn’t say there is anything wrong with cities… but what I was asking today is, How do we Make Decisions? What’s your process? Where do you look? What information shapes your decisions?
Lot Looked… Chose… Journeyed
Abram had already learned some important lessons…
- 12:1 The Lord spoke and Abram went.
- 12:7 the Lord Appeared and said… Abram build an altar
- Abram built an Altar and worshiped the name of the Lord
- There was a famine, so the left and went to Egypt… It’s interesting to me that it doesn’t say that God TOLD him to “go” to Egypt, but the bigger issue was then he started overthinking… He said to his wife, you are beautiful… they will kill me (for you)… say you are my sister. After that whole incident, Abram went back to Canaan again.
There was a constant learning curve for Abram… but here’s my entire point – when we make decisions, don’t go first with what you see / feel, but by what God Says.
- Abram wasn’t going to fight over land, because he was just “passing through”. What does the “Hall of Fame of Faith” say in Hebrews 11? vv8-10 by faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out… even though he didn’t know where he was going 9 … stayed as a foreigner… living in tents 10 he was looking forward to a city whose Architect and builder is God
- Abram put his Trust in God. Whichever way Lot chose, Abram was trusting God
- Abram heard from God – he was going wherever God led – his trust was in God, not in what he could see or decide on his own.
- v14 After Lot separated, the Lord said to Abram, Look from the place where you stand… north… south… east… west… I will give you and your offspring forever all the land you see… will make your offspring like dust… (countless)… walk around… I will give it to you. (we can see why this area has been something Israel has always fought for)
- So Abram moved his tents to live near the oaks of Mamre… where he built an altar to the Lord
In Decision-Making…
- Go to God First
- Trust God
- When you’ve heard God – settle there
This morning before I was looking at this verse, I was reading a poem written about the men who built the Panama Canal. That was an unbelievable, and multiple times attempted and failed by others. It was an awful endeavor. It was hard, dangerous, deadly… but they DID it. Berton Braley wrote a refrain from their words… this was their “song”
Don’t send us back to a life that is flat again
We have shattered a continent’s spine
Office work – Lord, we couldn’t do that again!
Haven’t you got something that’s more in OUR line?
Got any river they say isn’t crossable?
Got any mountains that can’t be cut through?
We specialize in the wholly impossible,
Doing things, nobody ever could do!
Doing the hard things, is not hard if we’ve heard from the Lord and go with him.
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“But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you…
Here in Luke 6 is Luke’s rendering of the beatitudes. I like the CSB translation here. Many translations say “hearing” but this is not passive, “I heard that” but it is akouousin = hear, listen to… but it’s in the present ACTIVE tense and is a “participle”.
That means it’s a “verbal adjective”… it describes what you are doing, not what you are. It describes the verb not the noun. You DO it, but you are ONE WHO Does it. The NLT renders it “willing to listen”
So, like a parent that says, “are you listening?” Jesus says, “I know you can hear, but if you actively listen, you will be doing something WITH what you hear.
Do What Lord? look at vv27+ and tell me what
- Love your Enemies
- Bless those who curse you
- Give to those who ask
- Do as you would like done to you
- Go outside the Easy (anyone can do for those do do for you)
- Love your Enemies, do what is good, lend, expecting nothing in return…
v35 Then Your Reward will be great and you will be CHILDREN of the Most High for he is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. 36 be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful…
Are we living up to the Family Way? Are we following our spiritual genotype?
It’s sort of what John says in 1 John 3… if you do not love, how can the love of God be in you. If we have his blood, we should follow his nature.
Then Jesus continues v37
- do not judge, do not condemn, forgive, give and it will be given…
all of those are acts of Gracious Giving… so whether those are actions or are fiscal monetary acts…
- give and it will be given… a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over… it will be poured into your lap
You can’t outgive God… But you can hinder him from giving… with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you…
Love, Doing, Lending – all expecting nothing back…
THEN – back there in v 35 THEN… it’s Conditional then your reward will be great…
It is THEN that we show the Family Resemblance. I’m not saying that any lending expecting a return, a payback, is wrong or out of place, but we are talking here about the purpose behind it when God leads us to it.
antimetreo — anti=against that… against what we do, is the measure that is given back to us… hold it up and see…
To Those Who Listened… Jesus made some great promises…
Francis of Assisi said, “They are truly peacemakers who, amidst all they suffer in this world, maintain peace in soul and body, for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Let’s seek to Imitate the Father, children.
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Sometimes we have on blinders or aren’t processing information with a full picture of reality or proper perspective… then, I saw this verse today, “Do you pursue great things for yourself?”, and I thought, “I’m supposed to right?”
Well, not necessarily… I need to First, pursue God, pursue his will, pursue his purpose, pursue his Kingdom… Matthew 6:33 immediately comes to mind… but I get ahead of myself…
Back there in Jeremiah 45, just a very short chapter between other statements, pronouncements, regarding the wickedness of Judah, in the midst of a time of judgment that is coming for their failure to follow and worship the Lord. There are long chapters and declarations from God, but only five verses right here in 45.
In the previous chapter, it talks about their false worship of idols and buring incense (prayers) to “the Queen of Heaven” which was a false goddess, Ishtar or Ashtarte. It also corrects the husbands for ignoring this and failing to lead their families correctly.
Jeremiah 44:22 The Lord can no longer bear your evil deeds and the detestable acts you have committed.
Then, the Lord comes to Jeremiah’s scribe – Baruch. In verse 1 we see that Jeremiah, as was his practice, was dictating the Word of the Lord to Baruch. Imagine this, as Baruch is writing down, right to left, just whatever Jeremiah says. So, Jeremiah is speaking, Baruch is writing, This is what the Lord says… to Baruch 3 You have said, “woe to me, because the Lord has added misery to my pain! I am worn out with groanings and have found no rest.”
Jeremiah is saying this, v1 says, he is dictating it to Baruch… and it’s ABOUT Baruch…
I wonder if Baruch is thinking, while he writes… “is he talking to me, about me? No, must be about Judah…”
But Jeremiah is speaking from God about Baruch’s private nightly weeping and crying over all that is happening. Perhaps Baruch had been praying from Psalm 6:6 “I’m weary from my groaning; with my tears I dampen my bed and drench my couch every night.”
v4, This is what you are to say to HIM: ‘this is what the Lord says: “what I have built I am about to demolish and what I have planted I am about to uproot – the whole land.
“Wait, is God speaking to Me?” (Baruch)
Then v5 But as for you… “oh he is talking to me” uh-oh
Do you pursue great things for yourself? “Is this a loaded question? Is this a trick question? I’m supposed to right?”
Then the Lord says, through Jeremiah, TO Baruch – Stop Pursuing! – This word means “to discover, attempt to do, possess, demand, require, search, request“. The Lord says, “Stop that!”
We need to know when and what God is saying. What do you seek?
Remember then Jesus in the “Sermon on the Mount” Matthew 6:25+ he says, Don’t worry about your life… what you eat… what you will wear… Consider the birds of the sky… Observe the wildflowers of the field… God clothes the grass… don’t worry… your heavenly Father knows that you need them… BUT Seek FIRST the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things (the stuff we worry about) will be provided for you… therefore do not worry about tomorrow… tomorrow will worry about itself…
Back to Baruch – he was shedding tears, groaning, and it seems wanting to take things into his own hands… Pursuing Great Things for himself… and God says, Stop Pursuing…
Seeking to achieve great things is not wrong or bad, but it can be useless if you don’t know what God is doing, and where things are heading. God says, “I am about to bring disaster on humanity… but I will grant you your life, protected like ‘spoils of war’ wherever you go.”
I got a picture in my head just know of trying to fix and lay out the most beautiful meal, or encampment, right next to the seashore where waves are crashing and tide is coming in, it might look good, but in a minute, it’s going to be washed away…
We need to pursue God first, his kingdom, and do what he says without fear, but don’t be caught in needless efforts stacking up “great things” where God may be about to send / allow a storm to wipe it all away.
He was telling Baruch… things are about to get tough, so don’t waste your energy in the wrong things, but know I’ve got you in the midst of it all.
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Ever had sun so bright you couldn’t see?
skandalizo – even though I’m not a “Greek Scholar”, we can look at that word and get a good idea what it means. It looks like “scandal” – and literally means, “to put a snare in the way, cause to stumble, give offense”
Jesus asked the crowds in John 6:61 – Do I offend you?
Back track for a minute. Jesus had fed “the 5000 men” so probably 20,000 plus the day before. Now he was on the other side of the Sea of Galilee and they had come looking for him, but Jesus said, “you just want me to feed you, but I want to give you eternal life.”
Thus begins a very powerful discourse
In v28 they ask a good question: what can we DO to PERFORM the WORKS of God?
We often ask good questions, but sometimes don’t like the answer. I’ve wanted to do the “work of God” all my life.
Jesus answers: This is the work of God… Believe in the ONE he has sent.
Jesus had just fed thousands with a little boy’s lunch… and this was not the first event John had recorded as a “sign” of who Jesus was.
- He has Turned Water into Wine in chapter 2 in a large public wedding
- He had healed an Official’s son who was close to death in chapter 4, again in a large gathering… Interestingly the he commented in 4:48 unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.
- He healed a lame man publicly by the Pool of Bethesda in 5:4 get up take your mat and walk
- Then the great feeding of tens of thousands in chapter 6.
We come back to the good question, what do we do to perform the works of God? And these words – “do” – poieo = do, make (verb). and “perform” – ergazomai = work, labor, accomplish (verb), then “works” – ergon = work, deed (noun)…
These four signs (semeion) of Jesus have already been done by Jesus… all of these people in chapter 6 have seen at least the last one, and potentially all of them because they were all in the same area.
Jesus said, “believe” – pisteuo… but not in the action but in the PERSON… the ONE – ekeinos = that one
And do you see their response?
v30 – what SIGN, then are you GOING to DO, so that we may SEE and believe you? What are you going to perform?
WOW-O-WOW
He has Transformed water to wine, healed a boy on his death bed, made a lame man walk, and fed a multitude with a “sack lunch” – What SIGN does he need to DO so they can SEE and BELIEVE… what else must he PERFORM?
Seriously? What else does Jesus need to do for us to believe?
They were still focused on things and not on the ONE. We so often want something but not someone.
Isaiah 55:2 (CSB) Why do you spend silver on what is not food, wages on what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is good…”
Jesus then makes another of his great “I Am” statements – v35 I Am the Bread of Life… no one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty.
Go read the rest of the statements that Jesus makes. He is saying, “It is me you need… come to me… I am from the Father.”
Their response? v41 started grumbling about him. And Jesus says, “stop grumbling” Then v45, everyone who has listened TO and learned FROM the Father comes to me. Remember, Paul wrote in Romans 1 that God has revealed himself to everyone… but what do we do with that revelation?
v47 anyone who believes has eternal life… 48 I am the bread of life…
He is saying again… “you want stuff, but you need me”. Then he tells them “Consume me”, my flesh is food… my blood is drink…
And THIS offended them – v60 this teaching is hard… who can accept it?
So in v61 he asks, Does this Offend you? v63 the words I have spoken are spirit and life.
Jesus offers us life, and we sometimes get offended because we wanted something else.
v66 is one of the saddest images I have in scripture… from that moment many turned back and no longer accompanied him…
Does the Lord “offend” us sometimes? Do we sometimes step back, pause, or even turn away?
I very much feel the humanity of this situation and the response of Jesus… I visualize this mass departure… and Jesus feeling it… and I picture the disciples standing behind him while this happens, and see him turn back to the 12 and ask, do YOU want to go away too?
Offense is often based on one or a combination of Fear, Pride, or Ignorance. What scares us offends us. What belittles us, offends us, what we don’t understand or know, offends us.
But Peter – Oh man… he didn’t always get it right… but SOMETIMES…
to whom will we go? I love that he doesn’t say, “where” but “whom”. to whom will we go (eperchomai – depart, go away) v68… you have the words of eternal life… 69 we have come to believe and know that you are the ONE.
YES PETER! – ding, ding, ding… Yahtzee – right answer
He says, we have already made a decision Lord. We believe in YOU – not in the stuff – where ELSE are we going to go… to whom else will we turn… we have come to believe (past tense) and know that YOU are the ONE…
Peter had been paying attention in v29… we pisteuo believe, and ginosko understand, perceive, know – we are committed to the work God requires… we believe in the ONE he sent… Lord we know you are the Holy One of God…
So, no offense, if the path is different, if the result is different, we believe in YOU.
When you are offended by Jesus… admit it, address the fear, confess the pride, ask for better information in ignorance, but keep your eyes on, heart toward, and face set on Jesus.
