Colossians 1:24 – Paul says, I rejoice in my sufferings for you… to complete what is lacking… or… fill up what which is behind of the affliction of Christ
I cannot do anything to bring about redemption… I cannot give salvation… but I have a place in the process of revealing salvation.
Will we be “gap fillers” or “barriers” or “speed bumps”?
While we cannot bridge the gap between man and God… no… there is but ONE Mediator between God, Jesus Christ is his name. (1Timothy 2:5)
I am mindful of the words of Job… if only there was someone who could lay hold of me and lay hold of God… a mediator (Job 9:33)
Yes there IS someone, and his name is Jesus, fully God and became fully man to bring us to God. there is no other name… there is no other way, truth, life… just one mediator…
His suffering on the cross provided the payment. His willful humiliation to empty himself, become a servant for me cannot be duplicated, replicated, nor replaced…
And yet, there IS suffering in all service, and so I am, we should be, willing to suffer for the advancement of the gospel of Christ.
People have not heard or cannot see, perhaps they have not comprehended, and so, will we fill in the gap… complete in our flesh what is lacking? Again, don’t misunderstand me… Christ said, It is Finished… and so it is available, but our goal is… until all have seen, heard, recognized, to fill in the gap, whatever is missing in them seeing, hearing, knowing, and receiving.
If they cannot see Christ, may they see Christ IN us.
I think of something as simple as when I’ve played golf with someone who is positioned where they cannot see the flag from their position because of hill or barrier. So, as a playing partner, I stood on the hill, between them and the flag and said, “aim here”.
Oh but too often, we position ourselves on the wrong things, whether politics or preferences and say, “aim here” when we should be pointing them to Jesus. Or worse yet, we become a barrier that prevents people from seeing, hearing, or coming to Jesus.
Jesus STILL is the answer for the world today.
Don’t be a barrier or a speed bump – NO – Paul continues in Colossians 1:25, I have become its servant… to God’s commission… to make the word (logos) of God fully known (pleroo = accomplish, make complete) – Oh, let’s fix our efforts on the completion of the task…
v26 to reveal the hidden mystery… that… 27 the Gentiles might also know the glorious wealth… that Christ IN YOU… is the Hope of Glory
That is our work, to come to people who do not know, haven’t seen or heard, and say, “this is the way to Hope, it’s Christ in you”.
Suffering? No… not really… that word also means “Passion”. Any suffering that aligns with our Passion and Purpose… isn’t really suffering.
Our Passion and Purpose is for the Presence of Jesus to be known
Most of us will never “see” the Lord with eyes or audibly hear his voice with
ears, but we have his Word and his Spirit within us.
God reveals himself to us and what then do we do with that?
How do we “see the Lord”? There are words that come to mind that Position us to see and hear the Lord.
Posture
Preparation
Provision
Presistence
Presence
I was then looking at several passages where “saw the Lord” is shown. One that came to mind was in Daniel 7:13-14. Daniel saw the coming future of the full dominion of one like the son of man with clouds of heaven… given dominion, glory, and a Kingdom… every people, nation, and language to serve him in an everlasting indestructible Kingdom and then in v15 his reaction My spirit was deeply distressed and the visions in my mind terrified me.
Seeing God, sounds exciting, but it is frightening and carries responsibility.
But of course, the most famous passage is Isaiah 6. The prophet shares his testimony, In the year that King Uzziah died, I Saw the Lord…
Isaiah had a vision to prepare him to be used by God as his voice to the people of HIS day, but then literally to every generation since who seek the Lord. Isaiah was used by God to give us a clear picture of God’s call to his people, the Provision of the coming Messiah, and what the days would be like when he restores all things.
To See the Lord, Preparation has to happen and Posturing takes place. Sometimes this happens intentionally, and other times it is circumstantial.
I’ve read, pondered, taught, and preached from this passage many times, but the word of God is living and active… and I saw something yesterday that felt very real and relatable to me.
In the YEAR that King Uzziah died… Uzziah was a great king, militarily, in building projects, and in his love and passion for God. Uzziah was a man who sought the Lord and led his people to do the same. But for Isaiah, it is believed that he and Uzziah were related, perhaps as an Uncle or Cousin. As King, as Family, certainly Isaiah looked up to Uzziah. Uzziah was King for 52 year, but Uzziah, in spite of success, had a great fall. Uzziah tried to step outside his role as King, and offer an Incense Sacrifice in the Temple, which is strictly forbidden, and God struck him with leprosy and his final days were spent in separation, disease, and disgrace.
All of this prepared Isaiah to seek the Lord.
Notice, in the YEAR that… not “in the day that” or “in the week/month that”…
When we lose someone close, a hero, it takes time to grieve, to mourn, to be humbled, “why Lord?”
I feel Isaiah, struggling, came to the Temple.
I’ve preached this passage many times, and so I won’t belabor the points… but Isaiah was Postured, humbled, he was Prepared, knowing that no one else was on the throne, so he Saw the Lordseated high and lifted up… The Lord is surrounded by servants and worshippers.
Isaiah Persisted in looking and staying there in the Presence, he didn’t run away or look away…
When he Saw the Lord, then he Saw Himself…
Woe is me… I am ruined
We need to see ourselves, as we are…
He Confessed his Sin – I am a man of unclean lips, among a people of unclean lips
I’m only conjecturing here, but it is interesting the confession he gives. a man of unclean lips. If he was grieving, I wonder about his days, what kind of statements and prayers had he offered. Were there perhaps honest “accusations”, spoken or unspoken that he made about “A God who would allow my king to die”. Or about “My hero that let me down”.
Just getting “real” here.
I remember losing a close friend to sudden death at a relatively young age. I was in a funk for a period after that. I wasn’t “angry” but I was “confused”. “Lord, why would this happen?” I didn’t “see” the Lord, or “hear” and audible voice, but one day in my office, I sensed the Lord ask, “Jim, are you going to figure this out?” I thought, “no”. Then the Lord impressed on me the question, what my friend was doing at that very moment; I sat forward in my chair and said, “he is Worshiping you.” Then as clear as a voice, I sensed the Lord say, “then why don’t you just join him, until or even if you never figure this out.” I said, “I can do that.”
My Focus Changed
Isaiah was aware of his sin and knew that he was “ruined” in need of being silent? My eyes has seen the King, the Lord of Armies”
At some point, we need to look away from what we face, who we idolize, what we don’t understand, and look at the Lord.
Then with Confession comes Cleansing. Romans 10:9 and 1 John 1:9 are powerful truths that match Isaiah 6:7. Yes, if we confess that Jesus is Lord… we will be saved… If we confess our sin he is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse…
6:7 he touched my mouth… your iniquity is removed and your sin atoned for
Seeing the Lord, Seeing ourselves, Confessing Sin…
“Why doesn’t God speak to me?”
Have you looked? Have you Seen, Have you Seen yourself and Confessed sin? Well, if not, then you aren’t ready to hear anything else.
Then I heard the Voice of the Lord… Who will Go for us?
I said, Here I am, Send Me.
Yes Lord, it is a Process of lifting our eyes to the Lord, seeing, confessing, then hearing…
My mind immediately went to Psalm 121 – I lift my eyes to the hills 2 my help comes from the Lord 3 … your protector will never sleep…
Then I continued to read to Psalm 122:1 – the first verse I ever memorized as a boy, I was glad with those who said to me, ‘Let’s go to the house of the Lord’
Then I continued to Psalm 123 I lift my eyes to you, the one enthroned in Heaven…
And then finally to Psalm 124if the Lord had not been on our side… they would have swallowed us alive… 6 Blessed be the Lord who has not let us be ripped apart… 8 our help is in the Name of the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth…
Go read all of those Psalms into 125 as well… My, My, My…
Has God ever revealed something he wanted to do and you thought, “that’s crazy, never gonna happen, I can’t do it?”
Have you ever felt like God was doing something but he wasn’t revealing it to you?
Well, let’s think outside the box for a minute, but focus on what’s IN the box too.
Abraham had moved to Mamre in Genesis 13 and built an altar to the Lord there. I could stop right there… build a house where the thing known and remembered is that you Worship God There… Yes
But let me move on… Remember God had a promise that he would turn this childless man, too old for children, into a Father of a Nation that would bless History, All Peoples. Now you flash forward to Genesis 18 and the Lord appears to him, and promises it is time for fulfillment, giving Sarah a son. Now 25 years has passed since the first promise, and Abraham is way too old now.
His wife Sarah overheard the conversation and laughed. And God knows what she has done, and the Lord says, “is anything impossible for God” v14
The Lord is on his way down to Sodom and Gomorrah because of their wickedness and about to impart Just Judgement on them. The Lord wonders with his fellow travelers, “should I hide this thing … from Abraham” v17
This passage has always struck me as where I wanted to be. I want to be so aware and sensitive to the Lord’s movement, that if he is going to do something around me and me not know, he’d have to hide it.
The Lord does reveal his plan to Abraham, and laudably, Abraham intercedes for the wicked town. His nephew Lot and family live there. That concern is profound and worth noting, but the bigger thing for me is the relationship with the Lord that was so close. I have been struck by v17 most of my life, desiring to be such a friend of God that I would know when he is moving.
I may sometimes not know why but want to be aware that he is moving and able to engage with the Lord.
So, here’s where I take a sideways thought today. vv16-19 is a Spiritual Conversation between the Lord and the Heavenly Representatives regarding Justice and God’s Purpose for Abraham.
Abraham is chosen, and his offspring could be affected by the sin in the region, so God, who has been patient, must act. We don’t always know what God is doing, but we can be sure it is always Just and always for bigger purposes. He sees the possible ends and is moving toward the desired end.
Abraham is to become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. 19 For I have chosen him so that he will command his children and his house after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just. This is how the LORD will fulfill to Abraham what he promised him.” – Gen18:18-19 (CSB)
Here is my point today… Does God always reveal everything he is doing and why? NO
Is God always Just and Right? YES
Sometimes we might think God is hiding or is not on the right path…
He is always on the right path
If he is hiding / silent – DO the Last thing he told you to do. Act on the Revelation you have.
It’s ok to ask, to intercede, but don’t get stuck there
God just revealed to them that the promise of a child is finally coming… ACT ON THAT.
“Well that’s crazy! I’m not fit for that task, Lord.”
Well, get ready, get fit. Seek God’s provision for the task, not a task you are fit for. Act on the revelation rather than seeking a different revelation.
Abraham was a great man, but a troubled man. So much of his troubles, lying, deception, would have been more easily dealt with if he trusted the revelation he had.
12:3 I will bless those who bless you… curse those who curse you… all the people of the earth will be blessed through you”
15:1 do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield, your reward will be great
15:5 Look at the sky and count the stars… your offspring will be that numerous. Abram believed and he credited it to him as righteousness
Now in chapter 18 Abraham is struggling to believe because life has made it hard to believe, then we get to chapter 20, and he is fearful again and lied to Abimelech and had to correct the wrongs.
My thought to finish then is if we would spend more time focused on and working on what we DO know, have faith in the revelation we have received, we can then operate without fear of the things we do not know.
There you go, I set that down quickly… Selah – think on these things.
Read Mark 4:21-25 – we have been in this chapter for a couple of weeks now. Light, Lamps, and Lampstands are scripture images of importance.
If you haven’t read my last two posts here in Mark 4 – please go back and read them so this all fits together.
In Revelation 1:13 and 20 Jesus is seen walking among the lampstands and those lampstands are identified as the Church.
In Mark 4 Jesus has begun speaking in parables to large crowds to spark interest and to encourage those who wanted to know more to seek him out privately for fuller revelation.
Already in this passage, he has talked about casting seed, and for different kinds of soil encountered by the Sower. We have looked at that and made the observation that 3 of the 4 types of soil produced growth, but only one produced a good crop.
Jesus then explained it in more depth to those who came to him in private conversation seeking deeper truth.
Then he “abruptly” seems to change the metaphor from seeds to a lamp, in v21. is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed? – NO he isn’t changing the subject, he is making an observation about the revelation. He is saying, “I’ve taught you something, what will you do with it?” Because in v26 he goes back to talking about the seed and harvest.
The question then is what do we do with light?
In Revelation 1:20 the church is seen as a Lampstand – lychnia. A GOLDEN lampstand, but still just a vessel for display of light. As a church, we have light, but we are not the source of light. In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus talks about light, lamp, and lampstand, but let’s not get too far chasing a rabbit.
Jesus is saying, “I’m giving you revelation here about light from the lamp, what will you do with the revelation, will you shine it or ignore it?”
What do we do with light? It’s like when James talks about the Word of God being like a mirror and we need to do something with what we see, or will we walk away and forget? When you wake up in the morning, and look in the mirror, will we comb our hair, or just imagine we look like our best photo on the wall, and go away with bedhead?
The Holy Spirit gives us Light, he Reveals Jesus to us, and his work in the world. We can be lit by the revelation and become light – (Phos) as in Matthew 5, but we are not the source. We are not the Lamp, we are light from the Lamp (lychnos), and we are Lampstands (Lychnia) who just hold up and shine forth the light.
So, with this light about the work of Sower with Seed and the Soils, Jesus asks: “do you bring in a lamp and put it under a basket or under the bed?”
I had to laugh at that image and think, there are some churches where the only fire in then is when they hide the lamp under the bed, catch “on fire” but they are burned up. Their only “fire” is on their tails as they run out. That made me laugh and then made me tear up a bit.
Will we hide the light of revelation here? NO! Let’s take the truth that Christ is revealing… put it on our stand, read, learn, adjust to what we see, and let it SHINE, change us, transform us.
Then v23 – if anyone has ears to hear… let him Listen
v24 – and he said to them PAY ATTENTION to what you hear
Pay Attention is the word blepo = beware, careful, consider – and is in the present active imperative – So Jesus is saying this is IMPORTANT, and needs to be done RIGHT NOW. Young Literal says take heed. NIV – carefully consider
This is important – what is the light being given? Be Careful, Pay Attention and Adjust to it!
If you are outside on a stormy night, in complete darkness, trying to get home, and lightning flashes and in that split second you see you are dangerously close to a Cliff… you need to Take Heed, and Give Care, Pay Attention to your Steps.
If we receive instruction, what will we do with the light?
Then here Jesus speaks of Conditional Results to How we respond to the Light… v24 by the measureyou use it will be measured to you. What do we do with the instruction we have will determine the proportion of results. Then v25 whoever has, more will be given, whoever does not have, what he has will be taken.
Well, that doesn’t seem fair. Oh yes, it is. When you put this with the revelation regarding sowing, seeds, and soil, I cannot help but process this in a couple of way. If I have lots of seed, and lots of land, then just cast away and let the 4 soils do whatever they will… BUT… if we have limited land and limited resources, then develop the land you have to it’s fullest and use the resources in the best way possible for harvest.
“Pay Attention”, Jesus says. If we do the most with the light, with the resource, and see the result… God will enlarge our measure of responsibility. But if we hide the light, fail to use the resources, fail to develop the land, then he will invest his resources elsewhere…
And then notice the beginning of v26 and I’ll pick up there next week…
In Exodus 20 the Lord had summoned Moses to Mt. Sinai and vv1-17 are the “Ten Commandments”. The people couldn’t go on the mountain, but they, “witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain surrounded with smoke.When they saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance.” And their response in v19 was “you speak to us and we will listen, but don’t let God speak to us or we will die.”
Certainly, when God speaks it can be frightening. but Moses says, “don’t be afraid… the Lord has come to test you so that you will fear him and will not sin” v20.
Now, what follows that got my attention today v21, “the people remained at a distance as Moses approached the TOTAL DARKNESS where God was.”
TOTAL Darkness – Total DARKNESS – that is the absence of photons that create light. The absence of radiant qualities – that made me on a short run down a rabbit hole on the internet and to a physics forum – no that’s not my normal surfing place, but I ended up there. Many would say that ultimately it’s impossible for there to be “total darkness” because the waves, like radio waves, could come and go, and space between, not show much of anything but still would be light, and wouldn’t ever be fully absent. They even said that if you “went into space and put your head in a box, there would be some radiation in the air, some light, and even when not your brain may fill in the gap and you ‘see things’.
So – Darkness – even total darkness – I would add that God is there. That’s what Moses experienced.
In Genesis 1:2, “the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of watery depth, and the Spirit of God was hovering over… and God said, ‘Let There Be Light.’”
Sometimes in “darkness” we are praying for God to “show up” but he is THERE we just aren’t experiencing it or seeing him, hearing him.
Moses went into the darkness, because God was there. Darkness is only bad if God doesn’t want us there.
Isaiah 45 is a powerful passage. God is speaking.
45:3 –“I give you the treasures of darkness and riches from the secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD (YHWH)
6-7 From the rising of the sun to it’s setting… there is no one but me.I am the LORD and there is no other.I FORM the Light and Create Darkness… success and disaster”
WAIT – is God doing bad things? Dark Things? No – God does not evil, but he is in all and however we define it, he is on the throne in all things. He is the Maker, the Potter, we are just the clay.
Many would take some of those statements and say that God is the “CAUSEATION” of all things good and bad, and I think we are overreading. God is talking to us using our words and saying, YOU may define it as light or dark, you may define it as success or disaster, but I am busy doing something and it can be GOOD. The whole intent of these passage is to talk about Salvation and the Way that people come to God.
Isaiah 45 continues in
vv14-15 saying that from non-believing people groups will come many who draw near the people of God and believe and find salvation, in the light and dark, success and failure as God moves.
v19 I have not spoken in secret somehow in the land of darkness… a wasteland… I speak righteously declares what is right”
It’s as if God is saying, “Darkness” is not dark – Silence is not silent, wasteland is not wasted, I am speaking, I am revealing, I am moving.
v21 … There is no other God but me a righteous God and Savior there is no one but me.
Then comes the blessed Isaiah 45:22
Turn to Me and be saved ALL THE EARTH for I am God and there is no other.
Darkness is still an opportunity for God to shine Light and us to See and Believe and Be Saved.
It seems that those would be and in reality physicists are right in saying there is no true darkness. There is not absence of light, as they say that even when there is no light, our brains make up the difference and start “seeing things.”
Back to the Mountain – Moses walks into the Total Darkness (araphel = deep darkness, thick cloud, thick gloom)
Exodus 20:22 Then the Lord told Moses, ‘this is what you are to say’”
He gives some keys to hold on to in the darkness
You have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven – We have seen, we have heard, so do the last thing that we know God said to do. Believe what you have seen and heard, and know the source it is from God, from Heaven
Do not make false gods – my my, whatever we worship, invest our time in, is the determiner of our calendar, defines our treasures, rules our decision making is in danger or in reality of being our god – false god, even expensive god, but in reality, is just a man-made god without power.
make an altar for me – that is worship me – confess your sin to me and confess me as Lord, true God, Savior, King.
Know that I will COME to you, Bless you in every place where I cause my name to be remembered – Oh my, the presence of God is always the place where God Comes and Blesses – whether Dark or Light, Loud or Silent – Remember there Who God is, remember What, How, and Why he is and in the Darkness is Light
The voice of the Lord, the Presence of the Lord – that’s where my mind was today. I’m reading 4th Century Church Father, Athanasius, on the Incarnation of Christ, the Word, the Son of God. Athanasius says, “He had by no means hidden himself out of sight of men, nor simply given the knowledge of himself in only one way but unfolded it to them in various ways and through many channels.” This fits with what Paul says in Romans One that God has revealed himself to all and we are without excuse. Athanasius goes further saying that our being made in God’s image is sufficient to know God The Word (Jesus) and through him then to know the Father – BUT – we are weak and careless and sometimes, “Care not to have clear knowledge…” and so creation reveals more of God. But then our failure to receive and know what was plain, God gave us The Law and Prophets so that if we haven’t gotten close enough to know God, then hear from some humans who have. He says that all of the universe is moved by God so that we might know Jesus and he reveal the Father.
All of this comes from this morning seeing 1 Samuel 3, when Samuel heard and met the Lord for the first time. I have always loved this story. I relate to it well, having come to faith in Christ at a very young age, just a young boy. And then called to preach at a young age. And so here is Samuel given to the service of God as just a boy. Chapter three is so much. I could preach a series from this. It talks about how Samuel was serving in God’s presence, and that God’s Word was RARE. It says that Eli’s vision was failing… the Lamp had almost gone out and Samuel was in the Temple, where the ark of the Lord was located… then the Lord called…
How do you respond when calls? Samuel says, “Here I am”, and runs to his master, teacher, the prophet, Eli. Oft times when we first hear God, we don’t even recognize him. We hear the call – but don’t know who or what that is, but at least availability is a good response.
Then once again – praise God he keeps calling. Samuel again responds, “Here I am”, but still he thinks this is Eli who responds, “I didn’t call you.” And we are told, Samuel did not yet know the Lord, because the Word of the Lord had not yet been revealed.” Samuel needed some recognition help, somebody.
v8 once again… and again, “here I am” – THEN – THEN – Eli understood that the Lord was calling the boy – Oh listen follower of Jesus. WE – who already know, should pay attention and reveal to the one who does not know, that God is speaking and we should listen. We need to have our spiritual acuity alert. Someone tells us, “well I heard this… and that happened… and I was reading… and I heard a sermon…” and when they all seem to be lining up and saying the same thing, we need to be aware, and say, “I think God is speaking to you.”
THEN – with a little assistance, anticipation, expectation, and excitement Samuel is ready to hear and v10, The Lord came and stood there and called as before. Folks need to know that God still speaks, that he cares, and that when he speaks it is always an invitation to which we should respond, Listening. God’s voice is always TRUE, revelatory, inviting, and is transformative. We always have an opportunity to change from knowing in theory to knowing by experience. Yet we have to stop and listen. Jesus is there. His revelation will always fit with his Word, but it will also always change us.
Let me end with this quote from Oswald Chambers – “A lily, a tree, or a servant of God may convey God’s message to me. What hinders me from hearing is that I am taken up with other things. It’s not that I will not hear God, but that I am not devoted in the right place… God may say what he likes but I do not hear him.”
The voice of the Lord, the presence of the Lord is with us, but are we ready, eager, expecting to hear, listen, and obey?
Revelation 7:10-11 BECAUSE YOU have kept my command to endure, I Will also keep you from the hour of testing… I AM COMING SOON. Hold on to what you have so that no one takes your crown
In the letters to the churches in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, he always begins with a name that states his right to speak, then an assessment, a conclusion of challenge, and an expectation, “let anyone who has ears listen”. To the church of brotherly love, Philadelphia, beginning in v7 he identifies himself as The Holy One, the True one, the One who has the Key of David (Authority) to open and close doors definitively, decisively, then, I place before you an open door that no one can close…
He says in v8, you have little power… YET… Oh I love the conjunctions of God. Yet. Listen, don’t pray for tasks that equal your power, but for power equal to the tasks, because, you have little power. YET, remember Paul said that God chooses the weak to confound the strong… So, when he says you have little power, it isn’t a “diss” but it’s not a call to get stronger, but it’s just a statement of reality, that God has opened a door of opportunity that we cannot open.
Why? v8, You have kept my word, you have not denied my name… We often close our doors of opportunity because we won’t stay the course, and stay with The True One. When we do not stay with him, we become liars and make him appear to be a liar. He is calling, Keep my word… keep to my name… Our Relationship is important. V9 those who claim a relationship, but don’t have it are in fact satan worshippers.
Yet, in the midst of a lying generation – lying about the authority of God, lying about the nature of God, lying about the coming of God… We have held to his word. That is, our actions as obedient followers are true to his name and his word. In our expectation, believing that he is coming, in our surrender, knowing he is God, Good, and Gracious, we have NOT denied him, but instead freely confessed him. So…
Because… there ARE Conditional Promises – Except a man be born again… no one comes to the Father BUT BY ME… So because, in spite of little strength, we have kept to his word, name, commands, it is not saying we are perfect, or even “good”. But notice the command was to endure – hypomone = a remaining behind, a patient enduring, steadfast, perseverance. Oh, I like that picture, remaining behind, enduring. He doesn’t say “keep up with me”, he says “keep coming AFTER / BEHIND me.” Keep coming child of God. I can’t always “keep up”, but I can get up and Keep Coming.
Because you have kept (guarded, watched – tereo) …I will ALSO KEEP… Oh we could talk about what we THINK this means, and there is a time and a place for that eschatological discussion, but for NOW… know this, God always KEEPS MORE for us, gives more TO us, than he asks from us. And so here he says I will ALSO KEEP you from the hour of testing. Oh, I certainly have what I believe this means in the short term of a 7-year period… but ultimately those who endure, who keep going, will find that what we have endured is nothing in comparison to what he has kept us FROM because we obeyed him. What we have endured is nothing compared to the joy set before us, what he has prepared for us… and then just know this…
I Am Coming Soon
The world is hard, just like he said it would be in John 16:33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world, but Be Courageous! I have conquered the world. Jesus is not GOING TO Win, he has ALREADY WON, he just hasn’t come to complete the transaction yet.
So, Hold On to what you have, so that no one takes your crown. Oh they can’t steal your salvation, they can’t steal what’s in my heart, but they may try to steal my hat. They might take my opportunity to be a pillar in the Temple of God, my place of honor and recognition. What do you have? Faith, Courage, Strength in Suffering, and a stephanos – Crown of victory, medal of valor if you will. But I am mindful of Hebrews 10:37-39 – we are not of those who shrink back…
Jesus is Coming Soon – “coming “- erchomai = to arrive, to be center stage, – “Soon”= quick, swift, faster. Certainly, he is coming sooner than yesterday, but when he comes, it will be swift, quick, fast so
Be Ready
Be Faithful
Be Obedient
Be Persistent
Be Expectant
Be Encouraged
He is Coming, and he has more for you, than you have given him, so much more than we could ever imagine.
John 11 is famous for the death and resurrection of one of Jesus’ close friends, Lazarus. Jesus gets word that Lazarus is sick and dying. But Jesus, in his Omniscience, knows that Lazarus is already dead. He says “this sickness will not end in death, but is for the glory of God”.
The last time they had been in Judea, they had attempted to stone him to death in John 10. So, when Jesus says, “Let’s go to Judea again”, the disciples aren’t keen on the idea. “uh, Teacher, they tried to stone you, and you’re going there again?” I like that “you’re”, meaning, “we’re”.
Has God ever called you to go back to a place where things were hard the last time? Have you been asked to revisit a place where you were attacked before?
I once got invited to come back to a church shortly after being at a camp with them where a person got angry with me over a minor sporting event and things got out of control. “Well Lord, ok”. Then when I got there, the issue hadn’t blown over. While I was speaking the Lord told me to do something. He told me to give my check to that person. You should know at this moment, coming out of a natural break in my schedule as an evangelist, I hadn’t worked in 6 weeks. This was my first check in 6 weeks. Ultimately, I did what God told me to do. The person didn’t want it, but I gave it anyway, publicly, and told them God told me to, and just to pray and ask God what to do with it. Then I had to go home and explain to my wife what I had just done, which of course she said, “maybe he needed it.”
Well the disciples said, “Jesus is this a good idea?” And Jesus response is a bit cryptic at first, v9 “aren’t there twelve hours in a day? If anyone walks during the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the LIGHT OF THE WORLD” (emphasis mine). Later he explains, “Lazarus is dead… let’s go to him” and Thomas replies, “let’s go too so that we may DIE WITH HIM”. Not sure if he was expecting to die with Lazarus or with JESUS. But “let’s go”.
What does it mean to “walk in the day”. I don’t think it means from 06:00 to 18:00. It means to walk in the “light of the world” the “light of God”.
1 John 1:7 says, “if we walk in the light we have fellowship… the blood of Jesus cleanses”
Isaiah 2:5 says “come let us walk in the Lord’s light”
Psalm 56:13 “you rescued me to walk before God in the Light”
Psalm 89:15 “happy are the people who know the joyful shout; Lord they walk in the light of your face” – what is the joyful shout? “Jesus Saves”
Isaiah 9:2 “the people walking in darkness have seen a great light“
John 8:12 “I Am the light of the World”
are you with me? Jesus IS the Light. He doesn’t just contain light, give light, he IS Light. If we walk in HIS revelation, we can trust where we are going. But often he doesn’t “shine” light on everything, just the area he wants obedience, “Let’s go to Judea”. That was the only light he was giving them at first. He didn’t tell them the whole situation, or what he was going to do. Yes, an Amazing thing was going to happen. Perhaps the greatest act, before the Cross and Resurrection, was Jesus raising Lazarus. They were going to see the high point. And yet that High Point was also going to bring about renewed effort to KILL him, which was a LOW point for Him and a HIGH Point for all of us who would receive.
They had no idea what he was going to do, what would happen, maybe they will kill us… but if “failure” is the result of OBEDIENCE, then it is never failure, it is following in faithful obedience, and he will say “well done.”
That Wednesday night, I gave some money to a student, and went home with the satisfaction of obedience, and didn’t give it a second thought. Flash Forward 4 years. I was speaking at a Youth Camp. One Evening outside, I heard a voice say, “Pastor Jim can I talk to you.” The person was shadowed in the night. I came over, and stepped into the light and saw the face of that young man from 4 years before. He looked at me and said “I don’t know if you know who I am…” I said, “Yes I know who you are.” And then he said, “The last 4 years have been for this moment… You were right, I was wrong, I’m sorry, but you should know that God has called me into the ministry and I’m in school studying to be a youth minister.”
I was reading again this morning a favorite encounter with God in Genesis 28
Jacob came from that wonderfully dysfunctional family in Abraham’s line. They certainly put the fun in dysfunction didn’t they? Well they aren’t so much different than we are, are they? Jacob had tried to arrange his future, even though God had already declared that he would be the lead, even before he was born, but he tried to “work it out” for himself. Hmm, I wonder where he learned that from? (Abram). But after he stole his brother’s birthright, Isaac sent him to find a wife among his family relatives in Paddan-aram. Along the way to Haran, he stopped to spend the night. Genesis 28:11 says he took one of the stones from the place, put it there at his head, and lay down in that place.
On my desk, I have a little collection of stones. They are from different places where I have been, reminding me of things I have done places I have gone. There is a piece of coral I got with my wife in Tulum, Mexico, there is a stone from the place where Paul met Lydia, outside of Philippi, there is a piece of volcanic rock from a hike with my wife in Guatemala to the top of an active volcano, there is a little piece of tile from near the Inn where the Samaritan brought the man injured by thieves, and several others, even a piece of salt rock from the Dead Sea. They remind me of things that have happened in life. When our sons were little we collected a rock from ever state we’d been to, every significant place, and we would carry them home and place them in the rock garden in front of our house.
Well this stone, was just a place to lay his head. And yet v12 says and he dreamed…
Oh my my my, do you take time to dream? You should dream, we should dream more. We should imagine the things that God can do because of what Ephesians 3:20-21 reminds us. Paul said, “now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us – 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.(CSB)
We need to dream more, we need to imagine what God CAN do because he CAN do MORE than we can ask or think, dream or imagine, exceedingly abundantly, immeasurably more than … so we need to dream.
But THIS dream was more than just thinking, or imagining, but God was at work revealing himself to Jacob. Jacob needed to begin to understand who God was, and what he could do. And he saw, in his dream, a stairway from the earth reaching to heaven. And there were angels of God, that is messengers of God, and they were coming down and they were going up. Messengers of God and Messages of God, come FROM God, do his work, and Isaiah 55:10-11 tell us that things from God, do what GOD plans, and then they return to God. God is both the source and the destination. The messengers and messages of God are also for God’s intentions, that passage in Isaiah says that God’s word DOES what God INTENDS, what he purposes, what pleases him.
And seeing this amazing scene, v13 says, there above it stood the Lord (NIV) or The Lord was standing there beside him. Oh wow things are more than they seem. This is a Christophany, a Theophany. This is an appearance of God, God the Son, because John tells us John 1:18 no one has seen God (the Father). So if we see “God” in the Old Testament, it’s Jesus. So there is this beautiful revelation of the working of God, but it’s NOT about the working, it’s about The LORD! And his message for Jacob is, I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham, and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your offspring the land on which you are lying. Your offspring will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out toward the west, the east, the north, and the south. All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. Look, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. I will bring you back to this land, for you I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised.
Wow, if you look back Isaac had sent Jacob to find a wife and told him he would receive “the Promise of Abraham.” And now, here is the LORD himself confirming that this promise is an eternal promise to the offspring of Abraham through Jacob.
And Jacob Woke up
Oh we should dream, but we have to wake up and come back to the world in which we live. And Jacob woke up and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it… What an awesome place this is! This is none other than the house of God… the gate of heaven.
Oh folks. Do you realize the door to heaven, is right beside you? The place where you are IS the House of the LORD. That’s not just a church thing, it’s a world thing. What makes it so? The recognized presence of God. We need to recognize that God is right here. Jesus said, My father is always at work, and I too am working. When we walk into work, walk the streets of our neighborhood, we need to recognize that God is HERE, and he is Working, this is the house of the Lord, the Gate of Heaven, this is a HOLY PLACE. Our question needs to be, not, “is God working”? But, “Lord, what are you doing here, and how can I join you?”
Let’s get with God and ask him to open our eyes to see what he is doing. Ask him what he is saying about you, and what he is inviting, and then commit to join the messengers of God, coming and going From God, To GOD, FOR GOD.
And when God speaks, and when we join, and when God moves, REMEMBER. V18 Jacob took the stone that was near his head and set it up as a marker. He poured oil on top of it and named the place Bethel (House of the Lord)
Make note of the revealed presence of God in your life. Make a memory.
Then REMEMBER what God says, and speak it back as Truth – v20 If God will be with me and watch over me… That’s exactly what God had just promised to do… if he provides… if I return safely… then the Lord will be my God.
Oh we don’t have to make God prove himself, but when God gives us a promise, and we abide by the promise, and God does what he says, we need to be READY TO GO and to DO, according to his Word.
V22 this stone that I have set up as a marker will be God’s house, and I will give to you a tenth of all that you give me
Hear, Commit, Obey, and Give – Surely the Lord is in this place, and it is AWESOME!
John 11:30 “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
“If you believed” certainly Jesus is talking about faith, the word Pisteuo means to believe to be true, to be convinced. But I don’t believe that it is simple faith, or even committed faith. That is not the key to getting a God to whatever you want. Faith is based on many factors, not the least of which is the plan, purpose, and character of God. You can believe all you want, but if God is not purposed to do it, if it isn’t in his nature, he isn’t going to do it. You believe all you want but it isn’t going to happen.
Then also, faith has to be combined with action. If I believe God for rain, then I better bring an umbrella. If I am a farmer and I am believing God is sending rain, then I need to get busy planting. What good is the rain if you aren’t going to plant?
So Jesus says in v15 that the purpose behind the death of Lazarus was “so that you may believe”. In this tragedy God was at work.
So then Martha is with Jesus questioning him about the death and Jesus says “your brother will rise again”v23 then that he is the Resurrection and life. And then he asks “Do you believe this?” And Martha has an interesting answer. She says “yes Lord, I believe you are the Christ …” And I sort of hear Jesus saying “that’s not what I asked you. I asked you if you thought I could change your circumstance.”
So through the mourning and the questioning, he ends up at the tomb, with Mary and Martha and he says “take away the stone” … ” But Lord … There is a bad odor … It has been four days.”
Can I ask you, what has God told you to do? Did you do it, or did you have a list for God about why you couldn’t, or shouldn’t, why it wouldn’t work? I seem to remember a God saying “who has counciled me? Who was there when I laid out the Heavens?” It is sort of like giving Steph Curry tips on shooting a basketball or a lesson on physics to Einstein. I heard that once the King told Mozart that his music “had. Too many notes.” To which Mozart replied “how many notes is the right amount?”
Jesus says “roll the stone away” and she says “but Lord” … And so then v40 “Did I not tell you …” Listen, faith is not blind trust. It is about accepting and acting on Divine Revelation. God reveals, he instructs, and that revelation is an invitation. The equation is this
Revelation = Invitation to join him
Invitation = Expectation to respond in faith
Expectation = Provision by God of what we need
Provision = Subtraction of Excuses
Jesus didn’t ask Mary or Martha to raise Lazarus, he just asked them to believe him enough to show up and watch him work. We often miss the glory of God, not because it isn’t there, or isn’t available, but because we don’t believe and show up.
v41 “So they too the stone away”. They did the one thing he asked, an act of faith in action, obedience. And then I love the next two words, “Then Jesus” …
“Then Jesus” … MAN THAT’S THE STUFF RIGHT THERE!!
If I will believe God and show up, and act in faith, then a Jesus will take care of the “Jesus stuff”. He is the miracle worker. The Holy Spirit is the power of God. Ephesians 1:19-20 says “his incomparably great power (is) for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead …”
His is the Power
His is the Glory
We simply must listen, believe, and show up acting in obedience … Jesus will take care of the God stuff
