John 14:9 Jesus says, “How long have I been with you and yet you have not known me?”
I read that Monday morning, and immediately mindful then of the end of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:20 I am with you always to the end of the age”
I am guilty too often of just wanting information and directions and Jesus says, “I am with you… come with me… watch me… follow me.“ This verse in John 14 is part of a larger discussion. Jesus is about to die, and then after rising from the dead, he will ascend to the Father and send The Holy Spirit. And so here he says, “I go to prepare a place for you… you know the way…” and Thomas says, “we don’t know where… how can we know the way?” And Philip says, “Show us the Father… that’s enough” and Jesus’ response to both of these confused followers is, “Look at ME” – “I AM the Way, I AM the Truth, I AM the Life… If you have seen ME, you have SEEN the Father… Believe in ME.“
Certainly Jesus gives us instruction and direction but generally and truly he is always with us. So he says, “Follow ME… Go with me… take my hand… Look… and Believe… Do what I am doing.”
v12 the one who believes will do the works that I do… even greater things than these
v15 if you love me you will keep my commands
v16 I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever
v21 The one who has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me… loved by the Father… I will reveal myself to him.
Do you see the correlation? JESUS is the answer we seek. He is the power, he is the direction, he is reality. We follow him, we know him, we receive him, and we find, way, truth, life, revelation.
And so, the Lynchpin is Love and Faith. Henry Blackaby said we don’t have obedience issues, we have LOVE issues. I would then add that we have also faith issues then.
What are you hearing God say as you enter this new year?
Are you just looking for Direction or God’s Presence? Go WITH Him
Knowledge comes as we see HE is what we seek
Take some time to stop, look, listen, take his hand, and go with Jesus
As we enter a new year, I hear Jesus – who I have known as Savior for 54 years – say, “how long have I been with you… do you know me?” And I would honestly answer, “yes Lord, I know you “; and He would respond, “I know you do – but do you love me, do you believe in me – in ACTION not just in Knowledge?”
Romans 8 is much an amazing chapter. It follows Paul’s discourse on the struggle with our “two natures” in Romans 7. He talks about then the Law of the Spirit of Life, vs the Law of sin and death. he says then in v18 that the suffering of this life is nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed to us. All of creation was affected by The Fall and so all of creation is longing for what is coming.
Then the idea of “firstfruits” is mentioned. We have the Spirit of God living in us v23 as a firstfruit, a foretaste of the glory that is coming while we wait for the redemption of the whole body.
We have HOPE but of course the nature of hope is that we don’t have the fullness yet, we can’t see it yet, but it IS coming.
v25 then says we eagerly wait with patience – hypomone = a remaining behind, patient endurance. And then v26 – In the same way the Spirit also helps us with our weakness because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.And he who searches (Ps139) our hearts – knows the mind of the Spirit because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God
Then we get to the verse that we all love, but often take out of context – All things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose
We want this to mean, “everything is good – but well – yes and no.
See vv29-30 then conect with vv 26-27 and v28 is just a definer.
v29 begins, “FOR” – hoti=that, because
All things work out FOR Good of those called according to his purpose – what’s the purpose? v29 For those he foreknew – those known by God for all of history as those who would BE HIS i.e. those who would respond to his drawing, would receive his gift of Grace, those indwelt by the Spirit as Ephesians 1:13-14 describe when you heard the word of truth… when you believed…you were sealed with the Holy Spirit… the down payment (firstfruit) of our inheritance UNTIL the redemption of the possession (emphasis mine)
Do you see the connection. The HOPE we have – it is a “ticket” but the delivery is yet to come. It’s waiting at the “will call window” it’s there and has your name on it with certainty of the promise – we have a firstfruit living in us but the best is yet to come.
What is coming? As the Spirit is interceding for us, according to the will of God. What IS then the will of God… v27 and what is the purpose in v28… what is the Good that all things are working together for?
I’m glad you asked
v29 For – because – those he forknew he predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son
Why?
So That – He (Jesus) would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters
Two different firstfruits being spoken of here – and firstfruits are the first harvest of a greater harvest to come. The Spirit is the foretaste of Eternity in God’s Presence. And Jesus is the foretaste of How WE will be for eternity.
Jesus died – but he rose and lives and so shall we. And we will be alive, not just like we used to be, not struggling with flesh and spirit – but conformed to the image of the Son – Jesus – in every way.
1 John 3 says how great is the love that God has given us that we should be called children of God and that is what we are. 2 We are God’s children NOW and what we WILL BE has not yet been revealed (seen clearly) but we know that WHEN he appears we will be LIKE Him… 3everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure
Oh my, the struggle now is great, but I have a firstfruit of glory living in me. I have the firstfruit of the resurrection life displayed in Jesus. And so I understand that I am going to be LIKE Jesus. It is why God called me, justified me, and he has glorified me. All of these are past tense actions. For me the first two have already taken place and the third is yet to be but they are certain completed events.
And I know and experience the Spirit then helping in my weakness along the way. I have to surrender to him, and I know he is praying for me. He is ordering events and circumstances in my life toward the end of strength and transformation into the image of Christ.
Know this – the Spirit’s intercession is sometimes then different from the way I pray, and the way I act, but it is always in accordance with the Will of God which is to conform me to the Image of the Resurrected Christ. Oh I’m a child of God but the family resemblance isn’t always as it should be, but the Spirit is praying and working toward that end.
And then 8:31 – again in this context we understand – what then are we to say… if God is for us, who can be against us?
Again this doesn’t mean I can always get what I want and win the battles I want to win, but it means that God is and will shape me into the image of Jesus regardless of the struggles, the battles.
Hmmm – go read Psalm 139:1-5 now and see how the Spirit works, what he is doing – He is always with me, always aware – and then v5 says, you have encircled me; you have placed your hand on me.
Praise God the Spirit aides me in my weakness and I will look like Jesus when it’s all said and done.
BONUS POST – I wrote this a year ago and just noticed it still sitting in my “draft” folder – so here it it…
John 7:38 says The one who believes in me, as the scripture says, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.
It’s a great conditional message here. They were in the “feast of shelters” where they remembered the wilderness wandering. They came together for a camping party basically. They had daily fires, times of remembrance for what God had done leading them out of bondage into the Land of Promise.
So if you go back to v37, “on the last and most important day of the festival… Leviticus 23:34-35 instructs that they didn’t work for a week. They had a sacred assembly to start, presented daily food offerings – which was food presented to the Lord but eaten “in his presence”. Then on the 8th day they had another sacred assembly and greatest food offering. Deuteronomy 16:13-14 says,Rejoice during your festival – son and daughter – male and female – slave and Levite, resident alien, fatherless, and the widow – i.e. EVERYONE
So they ate and celebrated for 8 days, then on the 8th day, Jesus says, if anyone is thisty let him Come and Drink…
James Freeman / Harold Chadwick’s book New Manners and Customs of the Bible says that traditionally every day a priest would go to the pool of Siloam and draw water in a Gold Pitcher – Singers and Musicians, the People, would be with him. They would come to the Temple and with 3 Horn Blasts, he would pour water into a bowl that was on the western side of the Altar.
That bowl had 3 holes and so the singular water source would run out in 3 Streams on the Altar. What was the symbolism?
the water provided in the desert
the promised “latter rain” – blessing to come
the Holy Spirit would come with the Messiah
Well, that was nice – but did it quench their thirst? – NO – Of course, though they had been feasting, drink included for 7 days.
Jesus then offers a conditional promise here on Day 7.
if anyone… COME to me
Believes in me
Then Streams of living water flow from deep within
And in vv40-52 people have different thoughts about Jesus here – Some said, this is a prophet. Others said, this is the Messiah. Others said, the Messiah doesn’t come from Galilee. It then says the crowd was divided and some wanted to seize him.
But very interestingly v53 says, then each one went to his own home. and 8:1 Jesus went to the Mount of Olives
Wow – Thirsty, Festive, Worshipers, but no one came to Jesus.
we must Leave to Come
we must Believe in Him – Who He is, What He has
Then we can LIVE – Streams of living water deep within
I just was in El Salvador, my 12th trip over 17 years. I’ve been preaching for 46 years… why? Because Living water deep within comes to those who BELIEVE.
It’s a stream so it’s alive, it’s flowing. Sometimes stagnant water can get contaminated, but this has life within. it is life-giving, life-changing.
I know a friend who was oppressed by the enemy, by alcohol’s attempt to quench his thirst, his life was falling apart. He came to me many years ago and said, “I want to be free”. We Came to Jesus. He confessed his belief in the Lord, received God’s forgiveness in Christ. We rejected the evil that was attacking him, and Life Came.
Oh yes, there were struggles, just like Paul in Romans 7, and there will always be those on this earth. But Streams of Living Water Flow.
Today he is sober, he is full of Jesus, he has a wife, children, and serves the Kingdom – Why? Because Streams of Living Water Follow, and they are deep within him.
Lazarus’ death was no doubt hard on Jesus. Not because he couldn’t do anything, but because he knows what we are going through, and he knows what God is doing.
We don’t know what sickness Lazarus had, but Jesus knows all, knew all, and knew these days were coming. He got word of Lazarus’ sickness and the report that he was close to death. His response was “this will not END in death, but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
There are many things to learn here – Jesus could have prevented the illness. he could have stopped the death from happening – But God was at work and cared in the midst of difficult circumstances.
Well, Lazarus died and most likely by the time Jesus “got word” he actually was already dead, because he stayed where he was 2 days and then made a 2-day trip and Lazarus had been dead for 4 days. But on the way, Jesus said, “I’m on my way to wake him up.” Whatever you go through, believe that Jesus is ON the Way.
I just want to focus on one thing here. In v21, Martha comes to Jesus and entreats him honestly, gently, “Lord, IF you had been here (THEN) my brother wouldn’t have died.” She says “if” and the “then” is implied. This was HER understanding, but If death was God’s plan and for his glory, THEN it would have still happened IF Jesus had been there. But then she continues, “Yet, even now I know that whatever (if) you ask from God (then) God will give you.” And Jesus answers, “your brother will rise again.”
There was disagreement in their day among faithful Jewish people about “The Resurrection of the Dead”. Some believed in it, others did not. So Martha states her theologically correct position, “I know that he WILL rise again in The Resurrection at the Last Day.” But she is saying, “I have an IF and a THEN for the future but I want and IF THEN for NOW.”
And then Jesus responds with his own IF / THEN… “I am the Resurrection and the Life. (IF) The one who believes in me, even if he dies, (then) will live. Everyone who lives and (if) believes in me (then) will never die. Do you believe this? And Martha says, “Yes Lord… I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who comes into the world.”
Well… interesting response, but ultimately GREAT. Martha isn’t quite sure what this answer means pertaining to her brother here and now, BUT she’s got her faith set on Jesus, her eyes fixed on Jesus, bringing her troubles to him, and that’s Great. We don’t always understand what God is saying, what he is doing, but if we can focus on HIM.
Then it continues, “having said this, she went back and called her sister…” It’s also interesting that Mary comes to Jesus and says the same thing. Only Mary had fallen to her knees, was weeping, and it’s all she could get out. The crowd, not from the same faith position, also speaks among themselves a similar “If/Then” but from a position of incredulity rather than faith. And the mixture of feelings, knowing all, knowing the positions they were all in, he is deeply moved. I’m sure a huge stew of emotions the Savior felt.
See this, for now, our “if/then” is not always accurate, nor always in God’s plan. However, IF he is the Son of God, THEN we can still come to him with our understanding, our requests, our hurt; we can trust him, we can believe in him, and we can live by the Greatest “if/then” – that is, IF I believe in Jesus – This will not end in death. Death will likely come, but it will not be the end of the story. If we believe in Jesus, Then LIFE is the End of our Story, Eternal Life – that is where we are heading, through every door, every trial, every struggle, come to Jesus, TRUST Jesus, Believe in Jesus – HE is the Resurrection and the Life –
Matthew 6:13 as Jesus was teaching his disciples the priorities in prayer, he said “Lead Us Not Into Temptation” – and we think, “well we are good at that all by ourselves”, or “God would never lead us INTO temptation. And yet – 2 chapters earlier in Matthew 4:1 we read, “Then Jesus was LED BY THE SPIRIT into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”
Jesus was baptized in Matthew 3 and the Father says, “this is my son with whom I am well pleased”, and then immediately he was led into the wilderness by the Spirit for the purpose of being tempted by the Spirit. Well now perhaps we see why he taught us to pray, “lead us not into temptation”. It’s sort of like the prayer in the garden, if possible let this cup pass… but not my will but yours.
When I read this my mind jumps to several passages. Proverbs 21:1 says, “a king’s heart is like channeled water in the Lord’s hand: he directs wherever he chooses.” Now, I don’t have time for a discussion on free will and sovereignty but both are clear here. Water does what does, but God creates the boundaries. So stay on the focus here about God ordained temptation. If you are going through – God has set the parameters – God has directed the river’s edge of the channel to go where he desires for his purpose, you make choices but he made the channel. Then 21:2 says, “all a person’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the hearts.”
And in my quiet time yesterday, I read Proverbs 17:3 – “A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold, and the Lord is the tester of hearts.” Back in 21:3 Solomon writes, “doing what is righteous and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”
A Crucible
Doing happens in Action, not in philosophy. Yes, if you are IN Christ, you are positionally the “righteousness of God”, BUT Righteousness DOING often begins in the wilderness, in temptation, led by the Spirit. God, the tester of the hearts, is doing something in you.
Back in Matthew 4:2, “After he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights… he was hungry” – Well yeah –
“Ok Lord, if you want to send me into difficulty, just feed me well, fill me up, and then we are ready to go…” and God says, “yeah, well – no.”
God often empties us BEFORE he uses us and leads us into temptation where he smelts us. He was hungry – when we are hungry, we decide what is right to fill us… and that reveals a lot about our hearts. we must decide that God will be my filling.
If God has led us into the temptation – my mind went right to James 1:2 “consider it JOY… whenever you experience various trials”. Now it does say it IS Joy – it says Consider it – that means to regard it, but figure it as – truth is it may NOT be Joyful or Happy, but we must decide, regard it as, Joy when we face testing. Why? Because good is coming on the other side.
James 1:3 – “Because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance and let endurance have its full effect, that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing”
In the smelting process, the raw ore has everything that is worthless burned away and the precious is what is left. I’ve heard that when smelting gold the smith burns away all the dross until he can see his face in the melted gold. Well, 1) that takes intense heat and 2) there needs to be a crucible to hold the ore while it is heated – Again in Proverbs 17:3, the Lord is our Crucible, that holds us, the Smelter that is doing the work, as he tests our hearts.
Go read the rest of James 1 as well and look at temptation – v12 says “blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial for when he has stood the test he will receive a crown of life”. But that’s when we let the Lord lead, and hold us. But if you read on it says that if WE take over the process and we let OUR desires rule, it leads to sin and sin to death.
But if we allow The Spirit to lead us… go back to Matthew 4 – Jesus led by the Spirit – look at the little part of the process revealed.
He was Hungry – “tell these stones to become bread”
i.e. fill your hunger – and hungry Jesus could have done that, but he responded, v4 “man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Jesus wasn’t going to cheaply fill his hunger.
Jesus was about to begin the ministry he had planned from the foundation of the earth. He left Heaven, laid his glory aside, and the temptation comes
Throw yourself down God will command his angers concerning you
i.e. see if God will keep his word – as he quotes Psalm 91:11-12 – Remember in the Garden of Eden we learned that satan always calls into question the Word of God and the Goodness of God – thus the Love of God. But Jesus responds, “it is written do not test the Lord.“
And then hungry, lonely, longing… satan tempts again…
I will give you all these things if you fall down and worship me
the evil one often tempts us with what appears to be a short cut, but if followed we miss the real task, and we shift the object of worship. Jesus didn’t come the first time to be worshiped but to pay for our sin and you can’t short cut sacrifice. v10 Jesus said, “get away satan! it is written, worship the Lord your God and Serve him ONLY.”
In Temptation… We decide…
who will fill our hunger
will we trust God
we will worship God ALONE
we will serve God ALONE
When we fail in temptation it comes down to hunger, trust, worship, and service.
When we are tempted – led by the Lord…
we learn about ourselves
we learn about God
we must stand behind and with the Word of God
we get ready for the battle and service to come
in Matthew then Jesus withdraws from his home town and goes to Capernaum in Galilea and v17 says “from then on Jesus began to preach, ‘repent, because the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.’”
Don’t be afraid of temptation – the Lord holds us in it like the crucible that can withstand the heat and contain us as we melt and the impurities are burned away – then as his face is visible we are read to be shaped and
Belief and walking in faith is often a process. It’s one thing to believe that Jesus forgives, that he saves, but often a different thing to believe he can change my circumstances here and now. I would go so far as to say there are many things God COULD do that don’t “seem miraculous” and yet they are because we won’t believe and follow and allow.
Jesus, Peter, James, and John have been on the Mount of Transfiguration. They have seen Jesus transfigured, seen Moses and Elijah, heard God speak saying, “this is my Son, listen to him.” Then on the way down, Jesus tells them, “don’t tell anyone until I rise from the dead.” With all they have seen and heard, they were most wondering about v10 what does he mean by “until I rise from the dead.” They don’t understand.
Then they all get back down and find the other eight having an argument with religious leaders and a crowd and want to know, what’s this all about. To which they find out it is over the request for freedom from demonic activity that a boy is experiencing and his father had brought him looking for Jesus, got the disciples, and they couldn’t do it. Jesus says, “you unbelieving generation… how long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” Wow, I don’t know what Jesus sounds like but I sort of hear this.
I love the give and take here. Jesus is teaching us how to work in this circumstance. He asks the father about the history of the situation, “how long has this been happening to him” v21. It’s not that he didn’t know but I like what he is doing. He is teaching the disciples and sort of testing the father. Father tells him basically most of his life. He tells him it has been very dangerous, potentially fatal, and then instead of TELLING Jesus what to do, setting expectations, he says, “if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Ok – I believe this father is in a faith filled, humble position. The request is to feel this deep inside, compassion, and help, come to our aide. And then within that framework of request he leaves it to the Lord. I hear him saying, “Jesus, feel what we feel, come to our aid, do what you can, what you will, what you think is right.
IF?Well – Yes I can – “everything is possible for the one who believes.” – He’s asking, “do you believe, I can?” Where is your faith? Again, the man answered humbly and honestly. “I DO Believe, help my unbelief?” Honesty and a request for assistance where he falls short. In every circumstance, we need to trust our Sovereign Lord to do right, best, to feel fully what we feel, and come to our aid with the right answer. And Jesus speaks directly to the unclean spirit and says, “… I command you: Come Out of him and never enter again.”
So… yes, “everything is possible” – that word dynatos = powerful, able, possible – there is an idea of potential power – but there is a connection to Belief. Now, this has been misused over the last 2 millennia. This does NOT mean you just need to want it seriously, or beg furiously, it doesn’t mean to fire up your faith engine either. It means to place your trust in a fully confirmed fashion with the Power of God, the Will of God, the Purpose of God, and for the Glory of God. Before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, he reminded his sisters, “did I tell you that you would see the glory of God?” John 11:40
So, back to this story, in vv28-29 – the disciples ask Jesus privately, “why couldn’t we drive it out?” Alright, we are still learning. We tried, we didn’t succeed. And Jesus says, “this kind came come out by nothing but prayer.” Oh man, I didn’t get the words right, what’s the magic “abracadabra”? Prayer is where we ask God what he wants to do, and believe what he says, and in obedience follow and attempt the impossible. In 1 John 3:19-24, it teaches that our spirit, must line up with The Spirit of God. If then as we pray, The Spirit confirms with our spirit then things can happen. The Holy Spirit will confirm or condemn that 1) we are RIGHT with God 2) we are IN LINE with God’s plans, purpose, and timing and so THEN 3) when we ASK, fully informed, truly believing we have confidence before God and receive whatever we ask 1 John 3:21-22 – why because we keep his commands and do what is pleasing in his sight. So then John teaches there in vv22-23 that FAITH is evidenced by obedience and love or worshipful living.
My guess here in Mark 9 is that either the disciples wanted to do this for the wrong reasons, which at their developmental stage at the time was not uncommon; or it wasn’t God’s will for THEM to do it, but for Jesus to do it and be glorified and proven to be who he was. IF they had attempted this with MUCH PRAYER – the Holy Spirit would have revealed one or both of those realities and told them to get it right or wait for Jesus. Then, instead of arguing, and trying, they could have encouraged, Jesus will be back soon, and he will do this.
So, I come back to my first thoughts. So many things, like marriages, addictions, attitudes, struggles with anger, you name it, actions that fail to see deliverance in our lives is often because we do not believe God can, or we do not really WANT God to do it, so we don’t ask and believe. Do we want God to deal with our anger? Do we want God to fix our marriage? Do we want God to deliver us from the addiction? The come, pray, hear, act in faith and obedience, in love for God and for Others and then know that ANYTHING is POSSIBLE if we Believe.
Another side of this then is our lack of communion with God to ask what he wants and stay there. If he says, “yes, but wait” – Stay there. Sometimes God says “no” and faith stops asking, because God says, “no” so we receive the answer and stay in faith, but move from the ask. In all of that we can still pray confidently to God for compassion and help, full of faith, with great trust, knowing that God is Good, God is Great, and God is Going to Lead us From Victory to Celebration.
Matthew 5:38-48 – Jesus is in full revitalization of our thinking mode here. One of the significant components in the “Sermon on the Mount” is the stretch, the shift, Jesus teaches. He takes our practice that is good, and pulls us toward better. He takes our selfish and calls to selflessness. He takes our religion and turns it toward relationship. He takes our shack and lays the foundation for a mansion of glory, a better Temple of God.
Repeatedly he says, “you have heard that it was said…”. Here in this section in vv38-48 – he’s already done this 4x already, but 5 and 6 are where I was today. He is invoking Exodus 21, and Leviticus 24 and Deuteronomy 19. And YES those words of instruction in the Law are From God, but he is calling us to fuller context and greater application. Back in The Law God was blessing the Children of Israel, the descendants of Abram, but also in context, he was exacting Just Judgment on the people of Canaan. Jesus is also telling them to put their remembrance of commands into context. He calls them to Ex21:24, Lv24:20, Dt19:21 you have heard it said, an eye for an eye… But their practice had gone passed God’s intention.
you heard… eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth v38
you have heard… love your neighbors and hate your enemies v43
But I TELL YOU… i.e. go look again and read the whole thing, know the Character of God, the Plans of God, the Promises of God, The Possibilities with God.
But I Tell you – he is not changing, he is explaining, reminding, returning them. The world was then and wants to be often now, an eye for an eye place right? v39 but I tell you don’t resist an evil doer or don’t set yourself against / retaliate – We fight the wrong battles or we take the right battles too far.
if they slap the right cheek… turn the other
take your shirt… give your coat
v41 if anyone forces you to go a mile – so it was a common practice in these Roman controlled countries that a soldier on mission could enlist / command someone to carry their equipment for a mile while going from one assignment to another. Of course, they didn’t like being under Roman control, nor having to do their work, but Jesus said, when that happens… if someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two –
Go – hypago = Go – (active, present, imperative 2nd person tense) you “YOU, YES YOU, MUST, NOW, GO with him Two.
v44 – love your enemies … pray for your persecutor. So again, context. Yes you are told back in the Law to love your community members. And in Deuteronomy 23:6 they are told not to pursue Balaam’s welfare, as long as you live. Again, that was judgment on one who lied, deceived the people of God. But then in context God even instructs them NOT to take it out on the Edomites or the Egyptians, even saying that their descendants CAN seek the Lord in his House. Context is not exclusion but inclusion.
Why Be Extra Mile people in an eye for an eye world?
v45 so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven – We are displaying the family, our progenitor, our Father. I used to tell my boys when they left the house, “don’t forget who you are and who we are.” Look like the family to which you belong.
Love Spread to All tells a Gospel Story
That extra mile may be the time when you get to tell WHY, and WHO.
Sun and Rain produce a harvest. Perhaps seeds have been planted that you know nothing about, but you get to nurture. Maybe you are planting a seed and someone else will nurture and harvest.
You are Better than that and You are BECOMING Better. He says Be Perfect – that word is teleios = perfect, mature, complete – being extra mile people helps us Grow up
We go through temptation, but so did Jesus – “We do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but one who has been tempted in every way, as we are, yet without sin.”
This passage begins v 1… “since the promise to enter his rest remains – beware none of you be found to have fallen short-“ Yes. we all have fallen short of the glory – Romans 3:23, but we don’t have to STAY on the ground. Every battle we face we have an option receive the “hand up” from Christ that bridges the gap and pulls us up into the rest of submission. (James 4:7)
Hebrews 4:3 says we who have believed enter the rest. Entering the rest of victory over being short of the glory, comes by faith. So, the writer says, Today if you hear my voice do not harden your hearts. Where is his voice? V12 says it’s found in the living, effective, penetrating Word of God… and so v11 had told us too make every effort to enter that rest … And I think we need to see that this is MORE than just salvation, this is Sabbath Rest Living.
So as we read, then, we get to v14 – since Jesus has gone to heaven – hold fast to the faith, the confession – and LIVE IN the Rest of Faith that Saves but Also Helps us LIVE. Of course, I don’t mean that you can lose your position by grace through faith, but we need to let our posture remain. We have a High Priest then v15 who can sympathize – New American Standard Greek Lexicon says sumpatheo = to have a fellow feeling with – Ooo I like that. Jesus says, “Hey, I get it.” But he did not sin, he did not come short, because he entered the rest of SUBMISSION. We fight the temptation instead of fighting to ENTER IN. I referenced James 4:7 and it speaks of this – submit yourself to God, resist the devil and he will flee. We have our battles often out of order. God is trying to get us to submit, to obey, to trust, to follow, and we’re saying “hang on a minute, I’m fighting with satan and temptation over here.” NO – SURRENDER – The Battle isn’t over temptation it’s over surrender.
So, v16, therefore – approach the throne of grace with boldness … receive mercy and find grace… – I always call this as the “Whew / Wow” – Mercy is not getting what I deserve, WHEW and Grace is getting more than I could have imagined or asked for, WOW. Get what you need and more than you can imagine – WHEW WOW.
Why? “… to help us in our time of need.” Again, this is MORE than just a salvation event -but this is the every day – “falling short”. I then think of Hebrews 2:18 “for since he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted” … This is Spiritual Warfare stuff!
So I immediately think of a life verse for me, 1 Corinthians 10:13 and must recognize that there is not temptation that I face that is not common to man – this is everybody stuff. But God is Faithful – that reminds me that God is In Control. And what I face will not be above which you are able – Man if I’m facing hard temptation, I guess I should take it as a complement that God says, “you got this…” He has confidence in me. And so then he will provide a way out to bear it. Oh my that way out isn’t usually a change in G.P.S. as we know it, but it IS a Godly Position in the Savior – In Temptation – Submit and Rest in Him – Say “Yes” to Jesus and find Strength an Satisfaction.
There are a series of events that Dr. Luke puts together that was then designated as “chapter 18” of his gospel.
It begins with a story of a persistent widow seeking justice from a Judge. She gets it, but Jesus says, won’t God grant justice to the elect who cry out? Then the Son comes, will he find faith?
Then you have an arrogant Pharisee and a Repentant Tax Collector. The pharisee speaks arrogantly of his pious worth, and the tax collector cries, “God have mercy on me, a sinner!” Jesus says, the one who exalts himself will be humbled.
Then children come to Jesus and he says that we too must come like children.
Jesus then famously meets a wealthy young ruler who wants to know what to DO for life eternal. Jesus says he must sell everything and follow me and the man leaves said because of great wealth. Then Jesus says, how hard… for those with wealth to enter the kingdom.
Then Jesus tells his disciples for the third tie that all the prophesy will come true and he will be mocked, killed, and rise on the third day, and v34 says they understood none of these this… the meaning was hidden from them, and they did not GRASP what was said.
This then is immediately followed closing out the chapter with a blind man in Jericho who hears Jesus is coming through town. All of these stories have in common a difficulty in understanding. Yes, in vv34 it says it was a hidden aspect. But most often what “hides” our understanding is personal not paternal. It is not so much that the Father’s fault, but ours. We are wanting something else. We have a different experience, or have a different expectation. The rich man had a list of laws he followed, Jesus said, sell all you have and follow me. Well, uh, no, and he went away sad. The Pharisee was busy doing stuff, but not humbling himself. The disciples were waiting for an earthly Kingdom so Jesus dying, no they didn’t GRASP that. Interesting because word is ginosko which means to know by experience. Not epignosis which means to be taught. They had not had any experience with this idea, so they didn’t grasp it
So then, here the Blind Man. He finds out Jesus is coming. Well certainly, he had never SEEN Jesus, for obvious reasons, but he had never experienced Jesus, but he had HEARD and so he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus asked, what do you want? I have tried to copy that practice of Jesus before I offer an answer, or fill a need I think is there, I ask, “what do you want?” And the man said, “Lord, I want to see.” Great! Jesus said, “Receive your sight… your faith has healed you” Instantly he could see and Began to Follow.
Wow! Great stuff here about how Impossible becomes Possible.
He Called Out – are we asking?
He Believed – he called out BECAUSE he believed 1) Jesus was the Son of David (Messiah), and he was Lord (kyrios) master, and He believed that Jesus was ABLE to do what he needed/wanted, but still Jesus was master and could make the decision.
He Received – Jesus is Lord, but if we don’t ask, we most likely won’t have. He is Lord of the Question and the Answer.
He Followed – He didn’t just want his physical needs, but he had faith to follow for all that Jesus had for him.
And all of this chapter centers around v27 – What is Impossible (adynatos – without power) with man, is Possible (dynatos – strong, powerful, possible) with God. I love that play on words just adding the “a” in front changes everything. Jesus adding Jesus changes everything. God is not required to do what we say, but he is able, concerned, compassionate, capable, and Creator of all things so come, cry out, believe, receive, and follow him.
Clouds. There can be clouds of dust, clouds of smoke, clouds of rain, clouds of doubt. But Clouds mean activity, possibility, productivity, all these things can be in clouds. And there are many references to clouds in scripture in 154 verses.
Revelation 1:7 says Look, He’s coming in the clouds, and every eye will see him. all the earth will mourn over him. This references Zechariah 12:10 – which speaks of Israel in the last days and says that God will pour out a Spirit of Grace and Prayer and they will look at me, whom they pierced. They Will Mourn.
Clouds can be good or bad. It all depends on our situation and our expectation, our position. How we are and where we are will determine how we respond to the clouds. Is it the dust cloud of workers or soldiers / Chariots? Are they coming to build or destroy. Are they coming to save or conquer? In Revelation 1:5-8 Jesus is He who loves and sets us free, makes us a Kingdom – Look HE is coming in the clouds. If he is the lover of my soul, and the one who sets me free, establishing a new Kingdom – when I see him, it’s tears of Joy. He is the Alpha and Omega, she he started and he will finish, praise God I see the Clouds. If we have received him, then we celebrate the clouds. For those who have not received, have rejected, the clouds mean the end of opportunity and they will mourn. There in Zechariah 12 – Israel as a people are looking at Jesus and looking back to their history and mourning that they pierced him, but as a people group and then acknowledging him as Lord because of the new Spirit of Grace and Prayer. Recognizing what is available, in a prayer of confession and repentance, they are experiencing salvation.
In Nahum, there are clouds. In 1:2-3 it says the Lord is jealous and an avenging God… slow to anger but great in power… he will never leave the guilty unpunished… This is restating the “glory of God” as Moses experienced in Exodus 34 – he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in mercy, and yet the wicked are not unpunished. It’s John 1:14 full of grace and truth. Then Nahum continues, his path is in the whirlwind and storm and CLOUDS are the dust beneath his feet. These words were written to Nineveh, 100 years AFTER Jonah. In Jonah’s day, the people repented and were forgiven. The Lord only knows who and how many, but there were people who genuinely repented and received God’s grace and so will be with us in Glory. But now 2-3 generations later, as a people group, Nineveh is DONE. Or we should say God is done with Nineveh. vv7-9 say The Lord is good, a stronghold in a day of distress, he CARES for those who take refuge in him, BUT he will completely destroy Nineveh… whatever you plot against the Lord he will bring it to complete destruction
People we need to hear this. People like to call America a “Christian Nation”, and perhaps that has been true at times. And yes, we have been blessed and a blessing to the world, both materially and missionally / Spiritually, but IF WE PLOT against, if we fail to join God – Destruction will come when he is finished with us. God used many great nations and insignificant nations. He used those who believed in him and those who did not to complete his purposes.
Behold he is coming in the clouds. Will the clouds be God at work to build or demolish? God is always at work – That’s what Jesus says in John 5:17. Is he for us or bringing us down? Behold the Lord is coming in the clouds. Every eyes will see – Pray for a Spirit of Grace and Prayer – of Repentance and Seeking Refuge – Hope Found. Oswald Chambers says, “it is NOT true to say that God wants to teach us something in our trials, every cloud – But He wants to UNLEARN something … to simplify our belief
In Luke 9 on the Mountain of Transfiguration – Peter, James, and John were with Jesus. He was glorified in his Heavenly glory before them and joined by Moses and Elijah – They were there to show that the Law and the Prophets testified to and validated Jesus the Messiah – but Then, “there came a cloud and overshadowed them and they feared as they entered the cloud… If Jesus is there, it’s ok to be a little scared of the cloud, but join him in the cloud of his glory – and then they found that Moses and Elijah were gone – and Jesus was left standing Alone – and the Father said this is my son, listen to him. The Law and the Prophets serve as tutors and affirmation of Jesus, but Jesus stands alone, he alone is our refuge, Behold he Comes in the Cloud – Every Eye must See Him – Every Heart Should Turn – Mourn in Confession – Celebrate in Salvation – and Find Rest in Him – Today
Pastor Goforth 