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Mocking the Maker

Bible Reading: Matthew 27

The eternally praised Son of God stepped way down from Heaven’s glory when He became flesh and dwelt among us.  He who had heard nothing but angelic praise was subjected to a dissonant song in His earthly ministry.  In response to His mission of mercy, praise and thanksgiving were the exception, not the rule.

We were created to glorify God.  He is worthy of our praise (Isaiah 6:1-4).  But sin has bedeviled our hearts and mouths.  We are by nature a “people of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5).  Lips made to praise are prone instead to sing a different tune.

The gravity of our sin problem was vividly demonstrated at Calvary.  Given the choice between freeing Barabbas, a notorious prisoner (Matthew 27:16), or Jesus—the multitudes chose Barabbas.  Having been thus persuaded by the chief priests and elders, they called for His death.  “LET HIM BE CRUCIFIED!” they all said (Matthew 27:22).  Pilate asked, “Why, what evil has He done?”  But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “LET HIM BE CRUCIFIED!”  (Matthew 27:23).  In a cataclysmic act of depraved injustice, the jury of sin rebels demanded that their Maker die.

A growing chorus of voices joined in a malignant choir.  The soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorian, where He was surrounded by an entire Roman battalion.  They stripped Him, put a scarlet robe and crown of thorns on Him, and placed a reed in His right hand.  “They kneeled down before Him and MOCKED Him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ (Matthew 27:29).  “And they spat on Him and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head.  And after they MOCKED Him, they took His robe off and put His garments on Him, and led Him away to be crucified” (Matthew 27:31).

As He hung there on that cross, “those passing by were HURLING ABUSE at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, ‘You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself!  If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Matthew 27:39-40).  In the same way, the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were MOCKING Him, and saying, ‘He saved others; He cannot save Himself.  He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we shall believe in Him” (Matthew 27:41).  “And the robbers also who had been crucified with Him were casting the SAME INSULT at Him” (Matthew 27:44).

At Calvary, the depth of humanity’s depravity was evidenced in that cacophony of rebellious scorn.  In response, Jesus spoke as He had walked.  He who never sinned did not sin in His words (1 Peter 2:22-23). Instead, He expressed both concern and forgiveness for others (Luke 23:34; John 19:26-27).  His last words, “It is finished,” being the most precious of them all.  For in His Work “He Himself bore our sins in His body… that we should die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).  Because of His work, by faith in Him, rebellious hearts are changed and mocking tongues are Spirit-led to sing a better song.

Rebel sinners still sing that mocking tune.  It is His name they curse (1 Corinthians 12:3), His cross they count as foolish (1 Corinthians 1:23), and His return they mock (2 Peter 3:3).  But a marvelous transformation takes place when a person is born-again—rebel sinners are transformed into worshippers and profanity gives way to praise (1 Corinthians 12:3).  There will come a day when “every tongue (will) confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11).  A multitudinous choir of the redeemed will sing a song of heart-felt adoration: “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever” (Revelation 5:8-14). In Heaven, no mocking voices will be heard, only worship for the One who died to save us!

“At Calvary, humanity mocked its maker, but the day will come when every tongue will confess Him as Lord.  How good it is to have confessed Him to be one’s Lord and Savior before that day (Romans 10:9)!”

Jerry Conklin

HE IS LORD

Emptied of His glory; God became a man,
To walk on earth in ridicule and shame.
A Ruler, yet a Servant; a Shepherd, Yet a Lamb;
A Man of Sorrows, agony and pain

Humbled and rejected, beaten, and despised.
Upon the cross the Son of God was slain.
Just like a lamb to slaughter, a sinless sacrifice;
But, by His death His loss became our gain.

Satan’s forces crumbled like a mighty wall.
The stone that held Him in was rolled aside.
The Prince of Life in glory was lifted over all,
Now earth and heaven echoes with the cry.

Refrain: He is Lord, He is Lord!
He is risen from the dead and He is Lord!
Ev’ry knee shall bow, ev’ry tongue confess That
Jesus Christ is Lord

The Good in the Bad

Bible Reading: Matthew 26

The older I get, the more I come to realize the depth of the truth of what John the Apostle meant when he wrote, “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19).  Of course, it’s been that way in this world ever since the pandemic of sin was unleashed in the fall of man.  If he’s honest with himself, any good student of history or reader of today’s news is aware of such things.  Such truths might lead us to cynicism and despair, were it not for that sad truth’s triumphant counterpart, declared by Jesus, “But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

This chapter speaks to the particulars of the epic good-vs-evil work of Christ in defeating sin at the cross. It’s important to note that none of the events that happen here-in the events leading up to Jesus’ death—happen by accident.  All is, as Peter would henceforth proclaim, “according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23).  Jesus was aware of the conspiracy against Him and repeatedly acknowledged His submission to God’s plan and the corresponding need for the Scriptures to be fulfilled in all (Matthew 26:1-2, 12, 26-29, 36-46, 54-56, 63).

There are plenty of villains to read about in this chapter.  Failures too, even amongst Jesus’ beloved friends.  In an evil world, it’s not so difficult to garner support for an evil cause.  In the palace of the high priest, the religious leaders gathered to plot together to arrest and kill Jesus.  One of Jesus’ own disciples, Judas, was devil-led to betray Jesus in making a deal with them.  Jesus shared a last supper with His disciples, the shared bread and wine symbolic of His pending sacrifice.  Incredibly, a dispute then arose amongst those same disciples “as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest” (Luke 22:24). Jesus warned His disciples of their pending desertion and denial.  Later, while Jesus prayed, the disciples slept.  When He was done praying, they came to arrest Him.

Amidst all this despicable plotting of evil men and regrettable failure of Jesus’s own disciples, we read in the chapter of the surprising, and dare we say “heroic” act of Jesus’ friend, Mary (Matthew 26:6-13).  John 12:1-8 likewise speaks of what happened there.  They are at Simon the Leper’s house, and while we don’t know for sure the identity of this particular Simon (Simon was a common name), we know he had been a leper.  Undoubtedly, he had been healed by Jesus.  Also there, according to John’s gospel, were Mary and Lazarus.  Mary was she who had previously “sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching” (Luke 10:39).  The same Mary who had confidently argued to Jesus how He could have prevented her brother, Lazarus, from dying (John 11:32).  But then Jesus miraculously raised him from the dead.  These folks had all witnessed Jesus’ miracles.  They loved Him.

At that dinner, Mary did the most astounding thing!  And it would have taken some gumption to do what she did in front of all those men.  She took an “alabaster flask of very expensive ointment and she poured it on his head” (Matthew 26:7).  According to John’s gospel, she also “anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair” (John 12:3).  “The whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” (John 12:3).  The perfume was incredibly expensive, worth a year’s worth of wages!  The disciples, especially Judas, were indignant, asking, “Why was this ointment not sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor?” (John 12:5).  But Jesus paid tribute to Mary, explaining, “In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial.  Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her” (Matthew 26:12). 

Jesus also said, “She has done a beautiful thing to me” (Matthew 26:10).  Against the ugly backdrop of conspiracy and betrayal and abandonment and denial, Mary’s act of loving devotion stands out like a flower in a desert.  It’d not be possible for us to ascertain the extent to which Mary understood the what’s and why’s of what would soon happen to Jesus.  But by faith, she apprehended the truth about His identity, and by faith, she loved Him.  Her loving act won for her an undying memorial that would circumvent the world.

Amidst all the ugly evil doings we read about in this chapter, don’t miss the beauty of the loving devotion that rises above it.  In love, He poured out His life, opening up a way of salvation for all. In love, she audaciously poured out her sacrifice, in anticipation of His coming sacrifice.  She has set before us a beautiful example!

“Amidst the ugliness we see in this world, an act of love done in Jesus’ name, shines forth as a beautiful flower growing in a barren desert.”

Jerry Conklin

O, HOW I LOVE JESUS

There is a name I love to hear,
I love to sing its worth;
it sounds like music in my ear,
the sweetest name on earth.

Refrain:
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
because he first loved me!

It tells me of a Savior’s love,
who died to set me free;
it tells me of his precious blood,
the sinner’s perfect plea. [Refrain]

It tells of one whose loving heart
can feel my deepest woe;
who in each sorrow bears a part
that none can bear below. [Refrain]

Sin and Judgment

Bible Reading: Matthew 24:1-14

By all accounts, Herod’s temple was a glorious thing.  It had taken a year and a half to build the temple proper and eight years to finish the courts.  Other additions continued over time such that the entire undertaking was not finished until decades later.  The temple traversed an area of some 750 feet and was easily visible from any part of the city.  Some stones used in its construction were of massive proportions (over 60X9X7 feet).  The disciples and Jesus were there at the temple.  “Some were talking about the temple, that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts.”  He said, “As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down.”  (Luke 21:5-6; Matthew 24:1-2).

Jewish life revolved around the temple, the priesthood, and the sacrifices.  The temple was a beautiful edifice and of the highest importance to the Jews—the centerpiece of their Jewish identity.  No doubt thousands had walked by, day-after-day, admiring those beautiful stones.  But Jesus saw things from a different perspective.  He spoke of a day, not long in coming, when it would all be torn down. 

The Jewish historian, Josephus, was an eyewitness of the 70 AD destruction of Jerusalem.  He wrote, “Now as soon as the army had no more people to slay or to plunder, because there remained none to be the objects of their fury (for they would not have spared any, had there remained any other work to be done), Titus gave orders that they should now demolish the entire city and Temple…it was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation, that there was left nothing to make those that came thither believe it (Jerusalem) had ever been inhabited.  This was the end which Jerusalem came to by the madness of those that were for innovations; a city otherwise of great magnificence, and of mighty fame among all mankind.”

As with all other warnings given by God to man, Jesus’ prediction was fulfilled to the letter.  The glorious temple came crashing down.  Jesus’ prophecy gave rise to the disciple’s questions: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age” (Matthew 24:3).  Matthew Chapters 24-25 (aka, “the Olivet Discourse”) record Jesus’ response.  As with much of prophecy, this passage has its interpretative challenges.  Those, like myself, who are of a dispensational persuasion, understand the passage to be speaking primarily of future events: 1) Verses 4-8—the present church age; 2) Verses 9-26—the future tribulation; 3) Verses 27-51—the future second advent and exhortation to watchfulness; and 4) 25:1-46—future judgment on Israel and the nations.  The rapture, later revealed to (and through) the Apostle Paul, is not referenced in these chapters.

But, regardless of one’s particular interpretation, we can be certain that judgment is coming (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; 2 Peter 3:3-13; Jude 14-16).  These prophecies will likewise be fulfilled to the letter. The temple was indeed torn down, but refuge is to be had in another.  Jesus had spoken on a previous occasion of the destruction of that temple: “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19).  That statement was later used to accuse Him (Matthew 26:61).  But He had been speaking of His body: “When therefore He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had spoken” (John 2:21-22).

Judgment is indeed coming.  More than a temple will be destroyed (2 Peter 3:10).  How shall anyone escape?  The “glorious gospel of the blessed God” is the power of God to save (1 Timothy 1:11; Romans 1:16).  “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures… was buried… and was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3).  It is the destruction of His temple (His body) and  subsequent resurrection that serves as the basis for one’s salvation.  He’s even now building a temple that will stand for all eternity (Ephesians 2:19-22).  How blessed are those who have found safe refuge in Him!

“Every promise and every warning of God’s Word will be fulfilled to the letter.  How blessed is the one who has fled to Jesus for refuge from the pending judgment!”

Jerry Conklin

RESCUE THE PERISHING

Rescue the perishing,
Care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus the mighty to save.

Refrain:
Rescue the perishing,
Care for the dying;
Jesus is merciful,
Jesus will save.

Though they are slighting Him,
Still He is waiting,
Waiting the penitent child to receive;
Plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently;
He will forgive if they only believe. [Refrain]

Down in the human heart,
Crushed by the tempter,
Feelings lie buried that grace can restore;
Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness,
Chords that were broken will vibrate once more. [Refrain]

Rescue the perishing,
Duty demands it;
Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide;
Back to the narrow way patiently win them;
Tell the poor wanderer a Savior has died. [Refrain]

Bad Religion

Bible Reading: Matthew 23:1-36

Remember that scene in “The Wizard of Oz?”  Dorothy and her friends overcame many obstacles in making their way to the Wizard—assuming that he could somehow help them.  They entered his chamber and were confronted by an awesome and frightening display.  A voice loudly bellowed as lashes of flame ushered forth, causing them to shrink back in fear.  But then Toto (the dog) started barking at something behind a curtain.  So, they pulled it back, only to find a small man pulling levers.  The Wizard was not who he appeared to be—he was not a great and terrifying wizard at all—he was a little man putting on a show.

The Lord Jesus pulled back the curtain and unveiled the truth regarding the Pharisees.  No stronger words of condemnation would pass from His lips.  Eight “woes” were declared unto them.  The word was a warning of pending doom.  The omniscient and righteous Lord saw through their religious veneer—they had been “weighed on the scales and found deficient” (Daniel 5:27) assuring their pending doom (Matthew. 23:33).

They were hypocrites.  Seven times that word appears.  The word was used in that day to describe an “actor, stage player, or pretender.”  The Pharisees were meticulous in their religious practice, but it was all for show, for they did not do as they taught (23:3-4).  They were false shepherds who cared not for the sheep (23:4).  Their deeds were done, not for God, but to be noticed by men (23:5).  They loved places of honor and prestigious titles (23:23:6-10).  They had no capacity to serve and reveled in pride (23:11-12).  They were caretakers of the broad path that leads to destruction (23:13).  They took advantage of widows while pretending to care (23:14).  They would travel far to make converts to their false religion (23:15).  They were dishonest (23:16-22).  They carefully scrutinized and observed countless traditions, but neglected “the weightier provisions of the law” (23:23-24).  They observed various external “washings,” but their hearts were full of “robbery and self-indulgence” (23:25-26).  They were “whitewashed tombs… full of dead men’s bones” (23:27-28).  They feigned honor for the prophets of old but would mistreat future ones (23:29-36).  They epitomized a “righteousness which is in the Law” (Philippians 3:6).  Others esteemed them.  Measured by that standard, they might have gotten away with it.  But the standard is not man, but God (2 Corinthians 10:12; Hebrews 4:13).

The contrast between Jesus and the Pharisees could not be greater.  Jesus did as He taught.  He did not do to please men, but His Father (John 4:34).  He came not to lay burdens, but to give rest (Matthew 11:28).  They were false shepherds; He is the Good shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep (John 10:1-11).  They loved places of honor, He laid aside His divine privileges and became poor so that we might be made rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).  They had no capacity or desire to serve; He came to serve and give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).  They were caretakers of the broad way; He is the narrow way that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14).  They took advantage of the unfortunate, He cared for the sick, the blind, the demon-possessed, the widows, the children (Matthew 19:13-14; 21:14).  They elevated their traditions, He perfectly fulfilled God’s law (Matthew 5:17-19).  They were whitewashed tombs, “in Him was life” (John 1:4).

We do this text a disservice if we merely apply it to people long ago in a place far away. The mind of Jesus is revealed to us in His strong rebuke. What did Jesus think of the Pharisaic cult? We know from His words. What does Jesus think of religious hypocrisy? Can any “self-made religion” (Colossians 2:23) substitute for that which God requires? “No amount of religious effort or activities can acceptably substitute for the righteousness gained through faith in Christ.” Apart from God’s intervention, we are all full of dead men’s bones (Ephesians 2:1). We are all whitewashed tombs unless we’ve been called forth like Lazarus from our graves (John 11:43; Ephesians 2:5). The sins of the Pharisees are common amongst men. Pride, hypocrisy, self-indulgence, taking advantage of others—these sins are not reserved for the cultists alone. Any religion that invests heavily in self-effort is inevitably hypocritical because heart-change is Christ’s doing, not ours. In Christ alone, we receive forgiveness and transformation. Are you fully invested in Christ and His finished work on the cross? Are you born again? That’s the question! Having begun by faith in Him is your walk now characterized by a Spirit-led “purity and simplicity of devotion” to Him (Galatians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 11:3)? Anything less or else is bad religion!

“No amount of religious effort or activities can acceptably substitute for the righteousness gained through faith in Christ.” 

Jerry Conklin

NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain:
O precious is the flow
that makes me white as snow;
no other fount I know;
nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my pardon this I see:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
For my cleansing this my plea:
nothing but the blood of Jesus. [Refrain]

Nothing can for sin atone:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Naught of good that I have done:
nothing but the blood of Jesus. [Refrain]

This is all my hope and peace:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
This is all my righteousness:
nothing but the blood of Jesus. [Refrain]

The Heart of the Problem

Bible Reading: Matthew 15:1-20

Above the sink was a sign with illustrations and instructions on how to wash your hands. There were 12 steps! I’m not sure I did all twelve, but it’s a good idea to wash your hands—before you eat, after you visit the restroom, before and after a visit to the hospital, etc. The Pharisees of Jesus’ day practiced handwashing too. It was one of their most important religious practices. They did it in a certain manner. They would wash one hand with the other fist, then raise the hand so that the water might run off just at the wrists. An exact amount of water was specified. They would do so before eating, and even between courses. They washed their hands when coming home from the market and on many other occasions. Very particular rules were also established regarding the washing of dishes and other eating utensils. But their observance of these rules was not primarily about cleanliness. As with other traditions, it was all about establishing self-righteousness through their religious rule-keeping. 

The disciples failed to observe the practice (Matthew 15:2). The Pharisees asked “Why?” Likewise, a Pharisee was astonished by Jesus’ failure to wash his hands before eating (Luke 11:37-38). Both occasions gave opportunity for Jesus to communicate an important truth: the heart of man is the heart of the problem (Matthew 15:18-20). 

The heart of man is sinful by nature, and religious practice has absolutely no power to change that. There is a scene in Shakespeare’s Macbeth which illustrates the problem. Lady Macbeth encouraged Lord Macbeth to slay the king. But when he returned, his hand was covered with blood. So, she said to him, “Go, wash thy hand, a little clean water will clear us of this deed.” So, he went, but then looked at his hand and declared, “Will all great Neptune’s Ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No, rather this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red.” 

Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?” The heart of man is the heart of the problem. The Great Physician alone is qualified to make a proper diagnosis (Jeremiah 17:10). The Spirit of God convicts of sin and reveals to man the gravity of the problem (John 16:8-9). Religious rule keeping, self-improvement efforts, or behavior modification only deal with the symptoms of the condition. A total heart transformation is what’s necessary. 

At the moment of saving faith, a person is cleansed from sin and forever changed. “But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of God’ (1 Corinthians 6:11). Having been identified with Christ—in His death, burial, and resurrection—the believer in Christ is unalterably changed (Romans 6:1-7). He is a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), empowered “to walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). 

The transforming work of the Spirit of God is an inside-out process. By His power, He works to transform us into the very image of Christ (Romans 8:29). His desire is that we be Christlike in every way—heart, head, hands. He patiently reveals our sins so they might be put off (Hebrews 4:12; Romans 8:13). His indwelling presence is revealed by those wonderful Christlike virtues: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). Religious rule-keeping is no substitute for the inside-out transformation Christ alone can do (Colossians 2:20-23). It’s a good idea to wash our hands—for many reasons—but Jesus alone can cleanse us within! 

“Religious rule-keeping is no substitute for the saving and transforming work of the Lord Jesus!”

Jerry Conklin

JESUS PAID IT ALL

I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”

Refrain:
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

Lord, now indeed I find
Thy pow’r and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone. [Refrain]

For nothing good have I
Where-by Thy grace to claim;
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb. [Refrain]

And when, before the throne,
I stand in Him complete,
“Jesus died my soul to save,”
My lips shall still repeat. [Refrain]

Help for the Hopeless

Bible Reading: Matthew 8:1-4

The phrase “social distancing” became a part of our vernacular during the Covid pandemic, as we were told by health organizations to stay at home and away from others as much as possible. We were likewise told to keep a six-foot distance between us. We learned something of being isolated from each other, as children were kept home from schools and employees were forced to work from home. As difficult as that was, it was still nothing compared to what the leper had to go through. 

We can imagine how it started for him. He had developed a sore or swelling on his skin which would not heal. Per the Law, he went to the priest who examined the diseased area. Having determined it to be leprosy, the priest’s pronouncement of him being “unclean” would have been accompanied by detailed instructions to wear torn clothes, keep his hair disheveled, and cry out “Unclean, unclean!” as a warning wherever he went. No more could he hold his wife, or children in his arms, or even touch them. He was an outcast to society, so much so, that according to the customs of his day, he had to maintain a six-feet distance from others. If the wind blew towards a person from him, that person was to keep 150 feet away. One rabbi bragged he wouldn’t even buy an egg on a street where he saw a leper. Another boasted how he’d throw rocks at lepers to keep them away. The only thing more defiling than contact with a leper was contact with a dead body. For this and other reasons, leprosy was thought to be a picture of sin. The leper was despised and rejected, ostracized by society, especially by religious people. No doubt he sometimes longingly wished for things to be the way they were before leprosy, yet there was no one who could fix things for him. At least, not until Jesus came to town. 

One advantage of being diseased was it put this man in such a state of neediness he was compelled to look to Jesus for help. Human frailty has a way of doing that. Another advantage of being a leper was it worked to clear a path for him wherever he went. People parted as the Red Sea, as he made his way through the great crowds to get to Jesus–he having somehow heard the news regarding Jesus’ healing powers. 

It was a bold move on the leper’s part. A plan born out of faith and desperation. “If only I can make it to Jesus,” he must have thought, “He’s my only hope!” And so, Jesus remains the sole hope for all the lost and desperate. Others were no doubt startled by the leper’s audacity. Surely, they must have thought, Jesus will rebuke the fellow and turn him away—but that’s not what happened. The leper fell at Jesus’ feet and said, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean” (Matthew 8:2). The leper did not doubt Jesus could heal, he only wondered as to his willingness to cleanse him. His faith was rewarded in Jesus’ ready response. “Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed” (Matthew 8:3). 

How long had it been since he had felt the touch of a fellow human! Yet Jesus reached out and touched him and cleansed him! How many times had the leper declared those words, “Unclean, unclean!” So many, they’d worked to shape his reviled identity. He was “UNCLEAN!” But by the mere touch of Jesus, he was miraculously brought into a new reality, as Jesus declared unto him “BE CLEAN!” 

Charles Spurgeon has commented on this: “The sinner is in a plight more miserable than the leper; let him imitate his example and go to Jesus, “beseeching him and kneeling down to him.” Let him exercise what little faith he has, even though it should go no further than “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean”; and there need be no doubt as to the result of the application. Jesus heals all who come and casts out none. 

“Jesus heals all who comes and casts out none.”

Charles Spurgeon

NO, NOT ONE

There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus–
No, not one! no, not one!
None else could heal all our soul’s diseases–
No, not one! no, not one!

Refrain:
Jesus knows all about our struggles,
He will guide till the day is done;
There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus–
No, not one! no, not one!

No friend like Him is so high and holy–
No, not one! no, not one!
And yet no friend is so meek and lowly–
No, not one! no, not one! [Refrain]

There’s not an hour that He is not near us –
No, not one! no, not one!
No night so dark but His love can cheer us–
No, not one! no, not one! [Refrain]

Was e’er a gift like the Savior given?
No, not one! no, not one!
Will He refuse us a home in heaven?
No, not one! no, not one! [Refrain]

The Pillar and Support of the Truth

Bible Reading: 1 Timothy 3:14-16

1 Timothy 3:15, “…the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of truth.” 

The church of the living God is a pillar and buttress of truth. It stands in this lofty and privileged position before the world. God has positioned her there by grace according to His sovereign decree. He has firmly established her in truth and bids her to live it out and proclaim it. 

Two terms are used to describe the church in its relationship to truth. Both relate to a structure, which is fitting, since the church is elsewhere identified to be a “holy temple in the Lord…a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:21-22). The church, as a building, has been “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20). It has been well founded on the truth. Webster’s dictionary offers this definition of truth: “A transcendent, fundamental or spiritual reality.” The truth, in this context, has to do with the manifestation of unseen spiritual and eternal realities. We live in a “there-is-no-such-thing-as-truth” world (John 18:38; Romans 1:18), yet truth stands unassailable, irrespective of what people think of it. Jesus is the embodiment of truth and came to bear witness to it (Ephesians 4:21; John 18:37). God’s Word is truth (John 17:17). The gospel is “the word of truth” (Ephesians 1:13). The truth is beautiful in its saving power and transforming influence. 

The two terms used regarding the church in its relationship to the truth are both structural terms. The first “pillar,” refers to “a column supporting the weight of a building” and is used metaphorically “of a local church as to its responsibility, in a collective capacity, to maintain the doctrines of the faith by teaching and practice, 1 Tim. 3:15” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary). The second term, “buttress,” means “a support, bulwark, stay.” Metaphorically, the buttress speaks of that which lies at the foundation (The KJV translates the term “ground”). Both the “pillar” and “buttress” serve a building in a supportive role, but there is a difference in their functions. The buttress is the foundation, which lies unseen beneath the structure. The pillar extends the supporting strength of the foundation to the superstructure of the building. It differs from the foundation because it is visible. In fact, in NT times pillars served not just to support, but to adorn a building and were sometimes intricately carved. 

The church has such a role in the world, as it both proclaims the truth and is changed by it. It is important to note the church of the living God is the pillar and support of this particular virtue. The church possesses other virtues too, but none can be possessed apart from truth. Truth stands in a preeminent role. All is lost if truth is forsaken. Lives changed by truth adorn the truth (Titus 2:10). 

It ought to be if a person visits an evangelical church, he, or she would find truth being proclaimed and practiced. Yet that is not always the case. Charles Spurgeon once spoke to this need, “Remember how your fathers, in times gone by, defended God’s truth, and blush, ye cowards, who are afraid to maintain it!…What! Do you expect easy lives?…Be ye the pillar and ground of the truth. Let the blood of martyrs, let the voices of confessors, speak to you. Remember how they held fast the truth, how they preserved it, and handed it down to us from generation to generation; and by their noble example, I beseech you, be steadfast and faithful, tread valiantly and firmly in their steps, acquit yourselves like men, like men of God, I implore you! Shall we not have some champions, in these times, who will deal sternly with heresies for the love of the truth, men who will stand like rocks in the center of the sea, so that, when all others shake, they stand invulnerable and invincible?” 

“Explicit Christian truth-telling is the church’s reason for being.…The God of the Bible has sent his church into the world to tell the truth about himself—about his laws and commands, about his grace and love, and most important, about the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Albert Mohler

FAITH OF OUR FATHERS

Faith of the martyrs, living still
in spite of dungeon, fire, and sword;
oh, how our hearts beat high with joy
whene’er we hear that glorious word!

Refrain:
Faith of the martyrs, holy faith,
we will be true to thee till death.

The martyrs chained in prison cells
were still in heart and conscience free,
and bless’d would be their children’s fate
if they, like them, should die for thee! [Refrain]

Faith of the martyrs, we will love
both friend and foe in all our strife,
and preach thee, too, as love knows how,
by saving word and faithful life! [Refrain]

“He Has Done All Things Well”

DATE	THEME	BIBLE READING
JULY 1	Lost and All Alone	Matthew 8:1-4
JULY 2	The Heart of the Problem	Matthew 15:1-20
JULY 3	Bad Religion	Matthew 23:1-36
JULY 4	Sin and Judgment	Matthew 24:1-14
JULY 5	The Sin Tyrant	Matthew 26
JULY 6	Mocking the Maker	Matthew 27:1-44
JULY 7	Faith Finds a Way	Mark 2:1-12
JULY 8	What Doctors Cannot Do…	Mark 5:21-43
JULY 9	He Has Done All Things Well	Mark 7:31-37
JULY 10	No Ordinary Death	Mark 15:33-39
JULY 11	Bad News/Good News	Luke 3:1-22
JULY 12	Broken and Spilled Out	Luke 7:36-50
JULY 13	Saved to Serve	Luke 8:1-3
JULY 14	Rich in Mercy	Luke 9:51-56
JULY 15	Signs of the Times	Luke 12:54-56
JULY 16	Did You Hear the News?	Luke 13:1-5
JULY 17	Good News for Prodigals	Luke 15:11-32
JULY 18	Reversal of Fortune	Luke 16:19-31
JULY 19	No Looking Back	Luke 17:20-37
JULY 20	The Pride Problem	Luke 18:9-14
JULY 21	A Sight to Behold	Luke 19:1-10
JULY 22	Hope for the Hopeless	Luke 23:32-43
JULY 23	You Must be Born Again	John 3:1-14
JULY 24	Living Water	John 4:1-45
JULY 25	A Deeper Healing	John 5:1-17
JULY 26	Come to the River	John 7:37-39
JULY 27	The Disease and the Cure	John 8:12-30
JULY 28	An Eye Opening Miracle	John 9:1-41
JULY 29	Come Forth!	John 11:1-44
JULY 30	The Lazarus Plot	John 12:9-11
JULY 31	It is Finished!	John 19:28-30

Exercising Discernment

Bible Reading: Acts 17:10-15; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22; Ephesians 4:14

1 Thessalonians 5:21, “But test everything, hold fast what is good.”

During the gold rush days, naïve miners sometimes happened upon what they supposed to be the mother lode, only to find that what they had discovered was merely iron pyrite (fool’s gold). Though fool’s gold looks something like the real thing, it is relatively worthless. There is even a story of a 1500’s ship captain who erroneously and embarrassingly transported a shipment of fool’s gold back to England. 

It is also possible to be deceived in spiritual matters. “Satan, who deceives the whole world” is a well-trained master of deception (Revelation 12:9; 2 Corinthians 11:3). He who first deceived Eve—and brought sin and error into the world—is at work to this day. On the one hand, we are encouraged to “not quench the Spirit” and to not “despise prophecies” (1 Thessalonians 5:19-20). The Spirit of Truth has something to say to us and we need to listen (John 15:26; Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22), yet we need to be careful to discern that what we are hearing has indeed come from Him (2 Corinthians 11:4). We can only do this when we are careful to “test everything” and only “hold fast to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). 

This matter meets with ready application in the postmodern environment in which we live. Most people (and many professing believers) deny the existence of an “absolute truth” (John 18:38). The “culture-bound” modern church is far too gullible in this respect. Exacerbating the problem is the church’s tendency, in its unwillingness to “endure sound doctrine,” to “accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” (2 Timothy 4:3). The tragic result is many are “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Ephesians 4:14). Much which is espoused to be “Christian” in our day is in reality like fool’s gold. It may look like the real thing but is far from it. 

Years ago, soon after we were married, my wife and I attended some evening classes at Multnomah School of the Bible. I was especially blessed by a study through Hebrews taught by John Lawrence (Mr. Lawrence taught until ten days before the Lord called him home in 1995). He approached the Scriptures with a degree of reverence and desire which was contagious. He would often say, “If the Bible says it, I believe it, and that settles it.” Mr. Lawrence had absolute confidence in the authority, inspiration, and inerrancy of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16). He had adopted a “But what does the Bible say?” way of thinking about all he believed and put into practice. That kind of perspective is a foundational necessity if we are to exercise discernment. 

The term translated “test” in this passage was a term used of testing of metals. It is here in the present tense, implying the need for constant vigilance regarding the need to examine the things we are exposed to. Fool’s gold can be distinguished from the real thing by examining its shine, hardness and the residue it leaves behind. Error can be identified for what it is when measured against the standard of God’s inspired Word (2 Timothy 3:16). The “Jews (in Berea) were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica” because “they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Theirs is a good example for us to follow.

In this respect, it is not enough to merely go to church on Sundays to hear what the pastor has to say. Every true believer in Christ has the Spirit of God as a teacher (1 John 2:27). The Spirit of God will never speak contrary to the Word of God (John 4:24; Ephesians 5:18-20 vs. Colossians 3:16-17). It is incumbent on the Spirit-indwelt believer to be a good student of the Word, maintaining a “but what does the Bible say?” way of thinking about things (2 Timothy 2:15). In this manner the believer is delivered from the embarrassing prospect of latching on to some error (i.e., fool’s gold) as a substitute for the real thing and being “led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3). 

“He who has the Holy Spirit in his heart and the Scriptures in his hands has all he needs.”

Alexander Maclaren

TEACH ME THY WAY, O LORD

Teach me thy way, O Lord; teach me thy way!
Thy guiding grace afford; teach me thy way!
Help me to walk aright, more by faith, less by sight;
lead me with heav’nly light; teach me thy way!

When I am sad at heart, teach me thy way!
When earthly joys depart, teach me thy way!
In hours of loneliness, in times of dire distress,
in failure or success, teach me thy way!

When doubts and fears arise, teach me thy way!
When storms o’erspread the skies, teach me thy way!
Shine thro’ the cloud and rain, thro’ sorrow, toil, and pain;
make thou my pathway plain; teach me thy way!

Long as my life shall last, teach me thy way!
Where’er my lot be cast, teach me thy way!
Until the race is run, until the journey’s done,
until the crown is won, teach me thy way!

A Teachable Spirit

Bible Reading: Acts 18:24-28; Proverbs 9:9

Acts 18:26 says, “And they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.” 

There is an old proverb, “He who knows not and knows not he knows not: he is a fool – shun him. He who knows not and knows he knows not: he is simple – teach him. He who knows and knows not he knows, he is asleep – wake him. He who knows and knows he knows, he is wise – follow him.” From a Biblical perspective, the quote needs some amending, “He who knows and is teachable because he realizes there is a lot more he needs to know: he is the truly wise man–listen to him.” From a spiritual perspective, no matter how much we know, there is always room to grow. 

Apollos was a man who knew much. He was a “native of Alexandria” who had come to Ephesus. Alexandria was founded by and named after Alexander the Great. It grew to become a great commercial center where East met West and both Jews and Gentiles lived. The Alexandrian Museum, a university, was founded in 280 BC and became the first great university in the world. It was in Alexandria, amidst the influence of the Museum and its library, that the Jewish scholars produced the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament). Apollos was from such a place, a place which birthed men like Philo (a great Jewish scholar) and Clement and Origen (early church fathers). 

Apollos was “an eloquent man” (Acts 18:24). The term translated “eloquent” means “learned, a man skilled in literature and the arts…He had stores of ‘learning’ and could use it convincingly” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary). In contrast to the disciples (Acts 4:13), Apollos had benefited from an education. He was “competent in the Scriptures” (Acts 18:24). “He had been instructed in the way of the Lord” (Acts 18:25). He was “fervent in spirit” (Acts 18:25). He taught with enthusiasm; his heart was in it. “He spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus” (Acts 18:25). There was no error in Apollos’ teaching. All he said was true, but “he knew only the baptism of John” (Acts 18:25). He was unaware of the baptism Jesus had commanded after His resurrection (Matthew 28:19). Knowing only “the baptism of John,” he was unaware of other pertinent and important post-resurrection truths. 

Priscilla and Aquila heard Apollos’ teaching in the synagogue. They had spent much time with Paul (Acts 18:1-4, 11) and were very knowledgeable of the truth. They heard Apollos speaking with boldness, but they discerned something was amiss. That could have been the end of the story—count the man a heretic and work to steer others away. But that’s not what they did. They intervened. They “took him aside” (Acts 18:26). They did not rebuke him publicly. They did not embarrass him by calling him out publicly. They conferred with him privately “and explained to him the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26). Apollos was obviously receptive to what they had to say, for they sent a letter ahead to where he was going, instructing “the disciples to welcome him” (Acts 18:27). “When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed” (Acts 18:27). He served and ministered in other venues. Priscilla and Aquila were used by God to help him to be better equipped to serve the brethren. 

Paul shared truth with Priscilla and Aquila, who then imparted what they knew to Apollos, who then passed on what he had learned to others (2 Timothy 2:2)! It ought to be in the heart of every believer to endeavor to know “the way of God more accurately.” No one fully knows all there is to know. We are ultimately dependent upon the Spirit of God to know at all (1 Corinthians 2:12-13) and mutually dependent upon the Spirit and one another to know Jesus better (Ephesians 4:15-16). A teachable spirit is prerequisite to the process. 

“A humble and prayerful spirit will find a thousand things in the Bible which the proud, self-conceited student will utterly fail to discern.” – J C Ryle

OPEN MY EYES, THAT I MAY SEE

Open my eyes that I may see
glimpses of truth thou hast for me.
Place in my hands the wonderful key
that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Open my ears that I may hear
voices of truth thou sendest clear,
and while the wave notes fall on my ear,
ev’rything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my ears, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Open my mouth and let me bear
gladly the warm truth ev’rywhere.
Open my heart and let me prepare
love with thy children thus to share.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my mouth, illumine me,
Spirit divine!