LookingtoJesus

March 27

Bible Reading: Luke 17

Luke 17:32, “Remember Lot’s wife.”

The context of this brief reminder is Jesus’ response to a question by the Pharisees regarding the coming of the kingdom of God.  He responded to them and then spoke to His disciples of what would be the nature of things at the time of His second coming.  Using two examples, the days of Noah and the days of Lot, he warned of the apathetic disregard of pending judgment that would characterize the last days.  In Noah’s day, “they were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:27).  In Lot’s Day, “they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building,” but then, “fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:28-29).  His counsel then was the need to act with urgency, without hesitating or looking back, as one is fleeing the wrath to come (Luke 17:31).  Lot’s wife’s example illustrates the importance of this truth.

The sin of Sodom was exceedingly great.  God had purposed to destroy the city.  He sent two angels to rescue Lot and his family.  Lot warned his soon-to-be sons-in-law of the coming destruction, but they thought him to jesting (Genesis 19:14).  Even Lot himself lingered when the angels urged him to flee (Genesis 19:15).  The angels seized him and his wife and his two daughters and brought them outside of the city.  “And as they brought them out, one of the angels said, ‘Escape for your life.  Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley.  Escape to the hills lest you be swept away’” (Genesis 19:17).  Given that warning, one might assume that Lot would urgently do as he was told, but he argued instead that he be allowed to flee to Zoar, a small city not far away (Genesis 19:18-22).

Lot came to Zoar and destruction came to Sodom and Gomorrah.  The Lord rained sulfur and fire down from heaven and overthrew the cities, the valley, all the inhabitants, and what grew on the ground.  “But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she because a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26).  She looked back and then looked no more.  God’s judgment on her was swift and sure.

She was set forth by Jesus as an example to consider regarding the attitude we must be careful to maintain in view of God’s pending judgment.  What can we learn from her example?  She suffered judgment, though she had benefited from certain religious privileges.  Her husband was a righteous man (2 Peter 2:7).  Her uncle, Abraham, was a godly man to whom God had made an incredible promise.  God had intervened on her family’s behalf that she might be made aware of the judgment to come.  Others received no such warning.  Remember Lot’s wife.  The mere possession of religious privileges or benefits cannot save one’s soul.  She might have been religious, but she was not a woman of faith.

She suffered judgment because of her disobedience.  The instruction of the angel was straightforward, “Do not look back,” but she had no heart to obey and suffered for it.  She looked back, longingly.  “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).  Her heart was back in Sodom. She had no capacity to contemplate a future home.  She loved Sodom but was no friend to God (James 4:4).

She didn’t take God’s warning seriously.  And in that sense, she has served as an example to every generation since.  In John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress,” Christian, having been warned of his city’s pending destruction, shared the news with his family.  They supposed him to be ill and did everything they could to drive away his gloomy outlook.  Burdened by his sins and the warning, he wept and prayed and paced the countryside.  Then one day he asked, “What must I do to be saved?”  Evangelist pointed into the distance and handed him a parchment containing the words, “Flee from the wrath to come.”  After receiving specific directions which way to go, Christian ran, as the pleas of his wife, and children, and neighbors faded into the background.  “Come back!  Come back to us!” they cried.  “Life! Eternal Life,” he replied, in a spirit quite unlike that of Lot’s wife.

The warning is to not look back with longing for what once was. “The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17).

I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

March 24

Bible Reading: Luke 16

Luke 16:22-23, “The poor man died and was carried by angels to Abraham’s side.  The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.”

In 1945 C. S. Lewis published his classic allegory “The Great Divorce.”  As he explained in the preface, he wrote the book to combat the universalist notion, that had arisen in his day, that everyone will be saved in the end.  False teaching, dismissive of the reality of hell, has been around for a long time.  But there is a real heaven and a real hell, and a “great chasm” fixed between the two (Luke 16:26).

The context of this passage is Jesus’ response to the Pharisees.  He had spoken of the impossibility of serving both God and money (Luke 16:13).  But the Pharisees, “who were lovers of money,” ridiculed Him (Luke 16:14).  Jesus replied by distinguishing between God and man’s perspectives on such matters (Luke 16:15).  The Pharisees were proud, rich, callous, and unreceptive to truth.  The story of the rich man and Lazarus illustrates the future implications of these contrary perspectives.

The rich man had it all.  He was clothed in royal colors and expensive materials.  He was well fed every day.  But Lazarus was destitute and homeless.  He sat at the gate of the rich man, longing to be fed, like a dog, with what fell from the rich man’s table.  To add insult to injury, the dogs came and licked his sores.  Their situations could hardly be more contrary, and as far as the world is concerned, no one would envy Lazarus’ plight.  And while many may long to be in the rich man’s place, from God’s perspective it was not one to be sought after (Luke 6:20-21 and 6:24-25).

An incredible reversal of fortune was experienced by both when they passed from this life.  Lazarus was carried by angels to Abraham’s side and was comforted.  The rich man descended to Hades and in torment experienced anguish in its flame.  So great was the rich man’s discomfort that he called upon Abraham to have Lazarus “did the end of his finger in water” to cool his tongue (Luke 16:24).

One thing proven by the rich man’s plight is that present wealth and security is no guarantee as to a corresponding future estate.  The rich fool, of which Jesus had elsewhere spoken of in a parable (Luke 12:13-21), thought himself secure in his wealth, saying to his soul, “Soul, you have ample good laid up for many years, relax, eat, drink, be merry” (Luke 12:19).  But he was a fool because he laid up treasure for himself but was not rich towards God (Luke 12:20-21; 9:25).  Wealth, power, or position secure no refuge or advantage in avoiding God’s pending wrath and judgment (Revelation 6:15).

Abraham refused the rich man’s request that Lazarus be sent.  “A great chasm has been fixed,” he said, “in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us” (Luke 16:26).  An impassable gulf separates the future destinies of the lost and the saved.  Decisions in this life determine the fixed eternal estate of a soul in the next.  Those refusing the gospel of the Lord Jesus “will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (2 Thessalonians 1:9).  The believer, on the other hand, will be brought into His presence where he will marvel at His glory (2 Thessalonians 1:10).  There will be no purgatory and no second chances.

The rich man had another request for Abraham, “Then I beg you, father, to send him (Lazarus) to my father’s house—for I have five brothers—so that he might warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead’ (Luke 16:27-31).”  And Jesus did rise from the dead.  But, with few exceptions, the Pharisees didn’t repent.  And so don’t most to this day.  The problem is not a lack of evidence, but the prideful and independent spirit that is the very heart of man’s sin problem.  Riches can deceive a man as to his need, and that can place a soul in danger.  Present wealth and security are no guarantee of corresponding future results.  The determined eternal destiny of every soul lies in that person’s response to the One who died for sins and rose from the dead (John 1:12; 1 John 5:11-12).  Take care to not allow an earthly sense-of-security to deceive with regards to the more urgent concern regarding the security of your soul (Proverbs 30:8-9), lest you experience a rich-man-like reversal of fortune.

Money can work to purchase fine seats in attractive venues, but it’ll not work to win anyone a place in heaven. Rich and poor alike gain entrance only by grace through faith in Jesus!

Once to every man and nation
Comes the moment to decide,
In the strife of truth with falsehood,
For the good or evil side;
Some great cause, God’s new Messiah,
Offering each the bloom or blight,
And the choice goes by forever
Twixt that darkness and that light.

March 23

Bible Reading: Luke 15

Luke 15:17, “But when he came to his senses.”

My coworker and I were driving through a nearby town when I noticed a large sign on the front of a building that simply said “knowledge.”  I jokingly commented to her it must be a “knowledge” store.  Then I suggested someone should start a chain of stores offering “common sense.”  It seems to be in such short supply these days!  But we’ve all made stupid choices at some point in our lives.  The prodigal son made some really bad ones!

The immediate context of this account is set in the broader context of the grumbling of the Pharisees and scribes who were saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2).  The chapter speaks to the “joy in heaven” that occurs when a sinner repents (Luke 15:7).  Several terms are prominent in the chapter: find(s) and found (15:4, 6, 8, 9, 24, 32); and joy, merry, and rejoice (15:7, 10, 23, 24, 29, 32).  Set in the broader context of this gospel account, the chapter highlights its major theme: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

According to Webster’s Dictionary, a prodigal is one “who spends lavishly or foolishly.”  That’s what the prodigal did when “he squandered his property in reckless living” (Luke 15:13).  We do the text and ourselves an injustice if we view the prodigal as an exception to the rule.  In Adam, we are all prodigals by nature (Romans 5:12).  It is in the heart of man to spend his life in vain and foolish pursuits.  It is in the nature of sin to do such things and the world, the flesh, and the devil unanimously concur (Ephesians 2:1-3). 

The prodigal had both the money and freedom to do as he pleased.  He foolishly spent all his resources in these sinful pursuits (Luke 15:13, 30).  He spent everything he had.  A severe famine in the land left him hungry, so he got a job feeding pigs.  He became so destitute that he was longing to feed himself with pig food (Luke 15:14-16).  It was only then that “he came to his senses” (Luke 15:17).  Sin makes no sense.  To spend oneself in sinful and vain pursuits speaks to the insanity of sin (Romans 6:21; 1 Peter 1:18).  But immersed in this sin-sick world, and rebellious by nature as we are, such insanity is commonplace.

The pivotal point in the account is when the prodigal came to his senses.  In the account that happened as the direct result of his impoverishment.  To be sure, God uses such things to gain our attention.  The lost sinner can never be truly satisfied by the mere “passing pleasures of sin” (Hebrews 11:25).  Thirsty souls can never find lasting refreshment in broken cisterns (Jeremiah 2:12-13).  But sin is too tenacious a foe to be conquered by mere human reason.  The Holy Spirit’s ministry is to bring us to our senses concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8).  We come to our senses only as He intervenes in our lives (2 Corinthians 4:4-6).  How wonderful the day when a prodigal is made “sane” through the ministry of the Holy Spirit!

Having come to his senses, the Prodigal went back to his father and penitently hoped that he could get on as one of his father’s hired men (Luke 15:17-19).  He had lost everything and embarrassed his father—to be made a servant was the best that he could hope for.  But as he returned and “while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20).  The father then put a robe around him, a ring on his hand, and sandals on his feet.  He even killed the fattened calf and held a banquet for his son, accompanied by music and dancing (Luke 15:23, 25).  Not only was the prodigal forgiven, but he was also reconciled and restored in an amazing fashion.

Such is the nature of God and the working of grace!  The penitent sinner cries out to God for mercy and seeks pardon for his sin.  The grace of God works in “far more abundant” fashion to bestow unanticipated blessings (Ephesians 3:20).  The new believer in Christ is not just forgiven, God’s love and grace are lavished upon him, and he is made the recipient of “unfathomable riches” (Romans 5:5; Ephesians 1:8, 3:8).  All of this is to the praise of the One who came to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10).

It is a joyful occasion when a penitent sinner comes to “his senses.”  He finds in the Savior One who was already looking for him.

I was lost, but Jesus found me,
Found the sheep that went astray,
Raised me up and gently led me
Back into the narrow way.
Yes, I’ll sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ who died for me,
Sing it with the saints in glory,
Gathered by the crystal sea.

March 22

Bible Reading: Luke 14

Luke 14:28-30, “For which one of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?  Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish it, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’”

Around the corner from our house in Columbia City there was an old, unfinished foundation of a home. It was an eyesore in an otherwise lovely neighborhood. Someone had begun to build a house, but they could not finish, evidently lacking the resources to go forward. In all the years we lived there, no work ever proceeded, the foundation silently mocking the builder’s inability to complete what he started.

Our text exhorts us to consider the cost associated with following Jesus Christ.  Jesus addressed the “great crowds (who) accompanied him” (Luke 14:25).  He had already spoken, in other “difficult sayings,” of His high expectations regarding His followers, saying, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26-27).

It is important to note that Jesus was not calling upon His disciples to literally “hate” other members of their families.  This would contradict what is clearly taught in other passages.  He was demanding a love and allegiance—He is altogether worthy of such love—that would transcend all.  Nothing is to be allowed to replace Him in this role.  He demands not just a place in our lives (to be added on as a hobby), or even prominence (to be one of many things of importance), but preeminence (the object of unrivaled love and devotion).  With this kind of devotion, it is expected of His followers that they will be willing to suffer persecution in His name (Luke 9:23; Matthew 10:22-25).  They must take up their cross (Luke 14:27).  These are amongst the things that Jesus called upon His hearers to consider in counting the cost of following Him.

What are we to make of all of this?  Is it necessary for a person to consider such things before they trust in Jesus?  Salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), so how does this “counting-the-cost” approach to things fit in?  There is a cultural bias that we bring to our understanding of the Scriptures.  We, as Americans, live in an exceptional period of human history.  We have experienced unrivaled freedom and little religious persecution.  But that hasn’t always been the case in this world, nor is it the cast in many places today.  The persecution church abroad is well aware of the high costs associated with following Jesus.  In such places, people trust in Jesus, mindful of the potential consequences that accompany a persons’ allegiance to Him.

The health, wealth, and prosperity gospel (which isn’t really a gospel at all) has perverted the thinking of many.  They mistakenly suppose that Christ’s purpose was to prosper us in the here and now, but that’s not why He came.  To be sure, He improves the life (on earth) of a believer in a variety of ways, but the focus of His work has to do with reconciling lost sinners to God, transforming them, and bringing them safely home to heaven.  Salvation is all about Him (John 17:3).

Even for those not suffering much in the way of persecution, there are costs associated with following Jesus Christ.  To the ordinary trials, which are experienced by believers and non-believers alike, others are added.  There is a race to run, a fight to fight, a salvation to be worked out (Hebrews 12:1; 1 Timothy 1:18; Philippians 2:12).  The world, the flesh, and the Devil stand in opposition to all these things.  Tough choices and sacrifices are involved.

Salvation is a gift, but it was not cheap, and it is not easy.  There are costs associated with following Jesus, but what’s the alternative (John 6:68)?  In God’s divine economy, “he is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose” (as missionary Jim Elliot once said).  The cost here might be high, but “eternal glory” stands on the other side of the equation (1 Peter 5:9-10; 2 Corinthians 4:17). 

While the cost of following Jesus may be high, the costs associated with the alternative are infinitely higher.

Consider the cost of building a tower
It’s a narrow way that you must come
For to do the will of the Father
Is to follow the Son
To love Him more than father or mother
To love Him more than even your own flesh
To give all that you are, for all that He is
This is the gospel according to Jesus

March 21

Bible Reading: Luke 13

Luke 13:1-5, “There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  And He answered them, ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this say?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.’”

Just as in our day, there was bad news in Jesus’ day.  There was no newspaper to publish it, but the news of Pilate’s heinous act had spread.  Pilate mingled the blood of Galileans he killed with the sacrifices they had brought.  Though we are not given, the specific reason, it’s safe to assume that they were involved in some kind of rebellion.  Pilate’s hold on that remote territory was tenuous and rebellious activity was met with horrendous brutality.  The event was reported to Jesus.  His response was other than what they might have expected.

As much as any of us would prefer a trouble-free existence here on earth, that will never be.  As Jesus Himself warned, “In this world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33).  On any day, bad things happen. A major earthquake in Turkey.  A train derailment in Ohio.  So many dead in the Ukrainian conflict!  We hear all kinds of bad news.  It can be quite disheartening.  Sometimes tragedies hit close to home, and the grief in such instances unbearable. 

In Jesus’ response to the news of the Galileans, He spoke of another bad news situation.  A tower in Siloam fell and killed eighteen people.  It is interesting to consider what Jesus didn’t say or do regarding these two events.  He did not suggest that the people rise in rebellion against Pilate for his wicked deed.  Nor did He suggest the institution of a “Building Codes” department to oversee the construction of new towers.  Not that He was oblivious or unsympathetic, He had come to deal with a greater problem, a problem that underlies all of man’s problems and would work to threaten our souls with infinite and eternal loss.

Jesus corrected a common erroneous assumption that supposes that bad things happen to bad people.  So, the people thought, but Jesus clarified that the Galileans did not suffer because they were worse sinners than all the other Galileans and the eighteen did not die because they were worse offenders than all the other residents of Jerusalem.  Bad things happen in this world.  No one is exempt.  According to statistics, one out of one people die.  A person might die of natural causes, or die because of some tragedy, but—unless the rapture happens first—all will die sometime, somehow.

The Galileans were all sinners.  And so were the residents of Jerusalem.  So are we all (Romans 3:23).  The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).  Because of sin we are all doomed to perish, not just physically, but eternally.  Physical harm and death are to be avoided, but there is another kind of death of which is of far greater concern.  Jesus was warning his listeners of that death.  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).  He came to give His life to deal with sin that He might rescue the perishing.

Jesus called upon the people to repent.  They were lost in sin.  Their hearts were unbelieving.  Their eternal destiny hung in the balance.  Salvation was at hand.  There are no guarantees in this life—as was demonstrated in the two tragedies—but Jesus promises eternal life to those who place their faith in Him.  There is a lesson for us in the bad news we hear.  Sin is at the heart of all of man’s problems.  Jesus is the only solution.  We hear of lots of different tragedies in the news, but nothing is more tragic than the death of an unrepentant sinner.

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” – John 3:36

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.

March 20

Bible Reading: Luke 12

Luke 12:54-56, “He also said to the crowds, ‘’When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’  And so it happens.  And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens.  You hypocrites!  You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”

The people of Jesus’ day could discern and predict, by changes in the sky or the wind, what the weather would be.  They had learned over time how to forecast what was to come.  We, in our day, are even better skilled at such things.  We have radar and satellite capabilities that allow us to accurately predict the weather even days and weeks ahead of time.

But while they showed some interpretative capability in the physical realm, Jesus chided them for their woeful deficiency as to the spiritual.  They could not “interpret the present time” (Luke 12:56).  Their inability was not because of lack of information.  Jesus, the Divine Son of God, was present amongst them.  Their promised Messiah was right before them.  But most refused to receive Him as such (John 1:11).  John the Baptist had proclaimed Him.  Jesus’ countless miracles testified to the truth about Him (John 20:30-31).  He spoke as no man had ever spoken and did things no man had ever done before.  But they were oblivious to the obvious regarding the truth. Jesus spoke words of pending judgment, but as in the days of Noah (and as they will be in the day of His second coming), they were oblivious, “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage” (Matthew 24:38).

We live in an oblivious age.  There is much concern in our day regarding climate change, but woeful ignorance regarding the drastic changes in the spiritual “climate.”  Jesus warned of the things that would proceed His second coming: false Christ’s will “lead many astray.”  He said that there would be ”wars and rumor of wars… famines and earthquakes” (Matthew 24:4-9).  He called such things “the beginning of the birth pains.”  “The whole creation has been groaning together (under sin) in the pains of the childbirth until now,” but most have no eyes to see or ears to hear (Romans 8:22).

We have likewise been warned of specific concerns that would characterize the last days.  “There will also be false teachers,” Peter warned (1 Peter 2:1).  We should not then be ignorant of the prevalence of false teaching and the need for us to exercise discernment (1 Thessalonians 5:21).  Paul wrote of the need to “realize… that in the last days difficult times will come” (2 Timothy 3:1).  We should not then be surprised then by the present moral free-fall that is taking place in our society (Romans 1:18-32; 2 Timothy 3:1-5).  We were warned that “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires (2 Timothy 4:3).  We were warned ahead of time that of the “mockers’ who would come in the last days who would dismiss the reality of God’s pending judgment (2 Peter 3:3f).  It should not surprise us then that nowadays few take such matters seriously and even many in the church refuse to acknowledge the existence of sin and hell.  Any spiritually minded person can’t help but realize that drastic changes are taking place both in society and in the church.

The sons of Issachar were commended because they were “men who understood the times, with the knowledge of what Israel should do” (1 Chronicles 12:32).  They had the wisdom to perceive what God was doing by way of making David King.  They stood by David and garnered support or him.  Our day has a desperate need of men and women who understand the times.  The church needs them, and families do to.  The clouds of pending judgment are on the horizon, nothing less than genuine faith in the Risen Lord can save a soul.  Those who understand the times fix their eyes upon Jesus, urging others to do the same.  They pay attention to the Word as they live in anticipation of Jesus’ imminent return (2 Peter 1:19).  They are not oblivious to the signs of the times.

“The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.” – 1 Peter 4:7

Faithful and true would He find us here
If He should come today?
Watching in gladness and not in fear,
If He should come today?
Signs of His coming multiply,
Morning light breaks in eastern sky;
Watch, for the time is drawing nigh–
What if it were today?

March 17

Bible Reading: Luke 11

Luke 11:13, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

The person of the Holy Spirit is set forth by Jesus as the preeminent example of God’s readiness and ability to give good gifts to those who ask of Him.  Of all the gifts given by God to minister to His children and their needs, none is more necessary or precious than He.

Jesus’ disciples were troubled at the news of His pending departure (John 13:36-14:1).  He spoke to them comforting words, including this surprising statement: “it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.  But if I go I will send Him to you” (John 16:7).  Jesus’ departure would actually be advantageous to them because it would open the door for the Spirit’s coming!  How precious, then, must be the provision of the person of the Holy Spirit!

The Spirit’s work in the believer’s life is all-encompassing.  It is by the Spirit that we are made aware of our sin and pending judgment (John 16:8).  It is by His work that we are born again (John 3:5-8; 1 Corinthians 12:13).  It is by His presence that our new identity as a child of God is confirmed (Romans 8:16).  It is by Him that our eyes are opened, that we might understand and know the truth (John 16:14-15; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 1 John 2:26-27).  It is by Him we are made to realize the glorious nature of our inheritance and immeasurable greatness of His power (Ephesians 1:16-19).  Again, it is by His revelation that we are given the strength to comprehend the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge (Ephesians 3:14-19).

It is the Spirit who intercedes for us in our prayers (Romans 8:26).  It is by Him that our minds are renewed (Ephesians 4:23), sin is put off (Romans 8:13; Ephesians 4:22), and Christlikeness progressively attainted (Ephesians 4:24).  It is by Him we have received spiritual gifts through which to serve God (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).

The Spirit of God reveals Christ to us, in us, and through us (John 16:14).  He is ever working, patiently and relentlessly, to conform us to the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).  His presence in our lives is made evident in the glorious fruit He bears.  Supernatural, Christlike, virtues—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control– blossom and bloom where there once was but barren ground and noxious weeds (Galatians 5:22-23).

The parched soil of our need is met with His abundant and overflowing provision of “living water” (John 7:37-39).  God’s provision of salvation and all its benefits are realized only in the Spirit.  The commands to be filled with the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit are of preeminent concern to us.  The gift of the Spirit is treasured to the extent that we wholeheartedly submit ourselves to His leading and empowerment (Ephesians 5:18). We are commanded to walk in Him (Galatians 5:16) and to not quench Him (1 Thessalonians 5:19) or grieve Him (Ephesians 4:30).

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is oftentimes overlooked or misunderstood.  And sometimes dubious activities are even attributed to Him (speaking gibberish, laughing revivals, being “slain” in the Spirit, false healings, etc.).  But the glorious nature of His true ministry transcends such frivolous things.  The transformation of the believer in Christ into the very image of Christ is a miracle of God that is at the heart of His ministry.  It is a work that cannot be accomplished apart from Him.  J. C. Ryle once said, “The Holy Spirit is beyond doubt the greatest gift which God can bestow upon man.  Having this gift, we have all things—life, light, hope and heaven!”  Praise God for His good and perfect gifts, and especially for the gift of the Spirit (James 1:17)! 

Let us treasure this precious Gift as we work, by God’s grace, to fully depend on the Spirit to lead and empower us in all that He is doing in and through us!

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!

March 16

Bible Reading: Luke 10

Luke 10:41-42, “But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’”

In 1967 a man by the name of Charles Hummel published a much-distributed little booklet entitled the Tyranny of the Urgent (you can find a PDF version by doing a Google search). The following excerpt speaks to the dilemma we all face–there is a tendency in our busy lives (even more so now than in 1967) for urgent things to crowd out the more important things.

A man’s home is no longer his castle; it is no longer a place away from urgent tasks because the telephone breaches walls with imperious demands. The momentary appeal of these tasks seems irresistible and important, and they our energy. But in the light of time’s perspective their deceptive prominence fades; with a sense of loss we recall the important task pushed aside. We realize we’ve become slaves to the tyranny of the urgent.

Charles Hummel

Tyrannized by urgent matters, Martha was missing out on something more important. Martha had welcomed Jesus to her home. He was to be their honored guest. There were many things to be done in preparing the home for Him. One can imagine Martha busily sweeping, cleaning, and setting things in order. Dinner needed to be planned and prepared. These things all took time and Martha was busy-as-a-bee, seeing to them.

While Martha was busy doing, Mary was quietly listening.  She was seated “as the Lord’s feet and listening to his teaching” (Luke 10:39).  “But Martha was distracted with much serving” (Luke 10:40).  How easy it is to get distracted by the tyranny of the urgent in our lives!  A divine appointment to hear the Master speak was availed to both Martha and Mary, but Martha was distracted by matters of lesser importance.

Martha asked Jesus to intervene, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?  Tell her then to help me” (Luke 10:40).  Isn’t that often the way things work amongst siblings?  Lord, don’t you care?  Tell her to do her job!  It’s not fair for me to do all the work!  The passage indicates that Martha was “distracted,” “anxious,” and “troubled.”  She had many things on her mind.  Much to do, much to do!  And like a juggler with too many plates in the air, she was frustrated by her inability to keep track of them all.  Vance Havner once said, “Jesus knows we must come apart and rest awhile or else we may just plain come apart!”  Martha was in the “coming apart because she had failed to come apart” mode.

But Jesus didn’t tell Mary to help Martha, instead He helped Martha to reassess her priorities, saying, “Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.  Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42).  D. L. Moody once said that the “main thing in life is keeping the main thing the main thing.”  To love and know Jesus is the main thing (Philippians 3:13; 2 Peter 3:18). The main thing is keeping it the main thing because countless other things are constantly working to distract us.

Life is filled with choices, and we make choices according to what we deem important.  Tragically, in the business of our lives it is very possible for us to lose track of what matters most.  Good things, even relatively important things (like making a home presentable for an invited guest) can work to keep us from something that is of infinitely more value.

Jesus would speak to my heart though His Word today.  Do I have any time for him?  Has the business of my life clouded my vision?  The “simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3) is a precious thing, but do I esteem it so?  Do I have time and heart to sit at Jesus’ feet that I might hear what He has to say to me?  He deliberately “chose the bad part,” stepping out of Heaven to love me by dying for my sins (John 1:14; Galatians 2:20), do I “choose the good” that through the ministry of His Word I might better appreciate the full measure of His love (Ephesians 3:14-19).

I’m prone to wander, but the Good Shepherd cares for me and knows all about my needs—do I have ears to hear what He has to say to me this day (John 10:27-28; Hebrews 4:12-13)?  His Word is able to guide me along His path of righteousness—teaching, reproving, correcting, and training me—but it cannot achieve its profitable intent if I take no time to sit at His feet and listen (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  He is a Glorious Savior—the day will come when “He will be marveled at among all who believe” (2 Thessalonians 1:10)—do I yearn to behold His glory even now as the Spirit works through the Word to help me to see (John 16:14)? 

Lord, we are such a busy and distracted people, help us this day to choose the good part.  Help us that what truly matters most might be what matters most to us in the daily practice of our lives.  Help us to be glad to sit at Your feet and listen!

Break now the bread of life, dear Lord, to me,
as once you broke the loaves beside the sea.
Beyond the sacred page I seek you, Lord;
my spirit waits for you, O living Word.

O send your Spirit now, dear Lord, to me,
that he may touch my eyes and make me see.
Show me the truth made plain within your Word,
for in your book revealed I see you, Lord.

March 15

Bible Reading: Luke 9

Luke 9:53-56, “And they did not receive Him, because He was journeying with His face to Jerusalem.  And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, ‘Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?’ But he turned and rebuked them [some later mss. add “and said, ‘You do not know what kind of spirit you are of’”]. And they went on to another village.”

I’ve got a dear friend who sometimes gets very frustrated by the foolish decisions our politicians sometimes make. She teasingly suggests that God should take some kind of drastic action in dealing with them. There’s some of that way of thinking in all of us, I suppose. We might even justify it under the guise of some kind of righteous religious indignation. But our text has something to say about that.

The time for Jesus’ departure drew near, so He “set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51).  He had foretold of his pending death, and though the disciples couldn’t understand what he was talking about, He himself was fully aware of what lay ahead.  He was fully submitted to drinking from that pending bitter cup of betrayal, injustice, affliction, sorrow, and death.  He was resolute and determined and would not be dissuaded from His mission of mercy.

The life of Jesus is filled with examples which speak to the riches of His mercy—he relentlessly and compassionately concerned Himself with the needs of others.  According to Vine’s mercy is “the outward manifestation of pity; it assumes need on the part of him who receive it, and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows it.”  Mercy is something that we need and can relate to.  The greatest demonstration of mercy is Christ’s sacrifice for lost sinners (Luke 19:10). He came into the world on a mission of mercy.

On His way to Jerusalem, Jesus had sent some messengers ahead to a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Himself and His disciples.  But, since He was on His way to Jerusalem, the Samaritans refused to receive Him.  Disagreement between the Samaritans and the Jews had led to a centuries-old distrust and animosity between the two (John 4:9).  Jesus’ request of the Samaritans for hospitality was refused.  That was too much for James and John.  Their prejudice combined with the Samaritan’s inhospitality made them mad.  So mad they asked Jesus if He wanted them to be destroyed!  How contrary their thinking to their Master’s!

It is possible for us to entertain similar thoughts with regards to the enemies of Christ and His gospel.  How deeply engrained in the hearts of men is the spirit which gave rise to the disciple’s request!  Through the course of history, thousands and tens of thousands all ‘round the world have been put to death for religion’s sake.  They’ve been crucified, burned at the stake, shot, or otherwise brutalized under the guise of doing God’s bidding. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs is filled with such stories.

There is a spiritual war ongoing.  And some are unsuspectedly led by the Devil himself to fight his way and with his kind of weapons (Ephesians 2:2; 2 Timothy 2:26).  We, as believers, are called upon to “wage the good warfare” (1 Timothy 1:18).  It will never do to wage the war with carnal weapons, for “the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh.  For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4).  And, as Paul instructed Timothy, “the Lord’s bondservant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness” (2 Timothy 2:24-25).

James and John’s response was strikingly inconsistent with that which they had witnessed in Christ.  There would come a day in the villages of Samaria when the gospel of Jesus would receive a warm reception (Acts 8:14, 25).  The Apostle John was later sent there, perhaps to the same village in this Luke account.  One wonders what he must have thought as he recalled his previous ill-founded request seeking their destruction!  But on the later occasion, he came having been transformed and empowered by the Spirit to compassionately care for those he had previously despised.  Instead of calling down fire, he came bearing the message of God’s love in Christ. God is rich in mercy, and, by the Spirit, those who claim His name should be too.

We, as believers, are called upon to “wage the good warfare” (1 Timothy 1:18).  But it will never do to wage the war with evil attitudes or carnal weapons!

The love of God is broader than earth’s vast expanse,
‘Tis deeper and wider than the sea.
Love reaches out to all to bring abundant life,
For God so loved the world His only Son He gave.

Refrain:
Share His love by telling
what the Lord has done for you,
Share His love by sharing of your faith,
and show the world that Jesus Christ
is real to you ev’ry moment, ev’ry day.

March 14

Bible Reading: Luke 8

Luke 8:1-3, “Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.”

It was recently International Women’s Day. A friend at the local store kindly gave me a beautiful red rose to pass on to my wife. It’s still there in a vase near a window in our living room. A red rose is beautiful and so is a godly woman who loves to serve–as does my wife (1 Peter 3:4). Our passage speaks of such women.

As Jesus traveled through cities and villages, preaching the good news of the kingdom of God, He was accompanied by the twelve and a group of women. These were women who had been healed of evil spirits and various infirmities. They traveled with the group and provided for their needs.  Though they don’t garner so much attention as the twelve, they nonetheless played an important role in Jesus’ ministry.

Three women are mentioned by name: Mary, called Magdalene; Joanna, and Susanna. Not much is elsewhere written about these women, but we can find out a few things about them from our text.

Mary Magdalene had been delivered from demon possession. Indeed, seven demons had gone out of her. Other instances of demon possession speak to the awful consequence of that affliction. Demon possessed individuals were mentally unstable and ongoingly prone to bouts of self-affliction. Their lives were literally hell on earth. Jesus delivered her from that hell. Joanna and Susanna were likewise healed of either evil spirits or infirmities. Joanna was a woman of privileged means. Her husband was Herod’s household manager. She had likely abandoned a life of comfort and ease to follow Jesus. No other mention is made of Susanna in the Scriptures.

Despite these differences, these women shared one thing in common—they served Jesus. They lovingly served Him. They had experienced His healing touch. They had believed Him and His message. They gladly and whole-heartedly devoted themselves to providing for the needs of the traveling group. And though Susanna remains otherwise anonymous to us (in the Scriptures), the record of her service was duly recorded for posterity’s sake in this account of Jesus’ life.

Mary Magdalene and Joanna continued to follow Jesus (Susanna likely did also, but no record is given). They remained at the cross when others deserted Him. It was to them that the angel revealed the resurrection truth. They passed the message on “to the eleven and the rest” (Luke 24:9-10).

“What a challenge and inspiration it must be for every woman to consider that, while nowhere in the four gospels is mention made of any women who were hostile to Jesus, there are numerous references to ministration and marks of honor which they accorded Him. With much affection and faithful devotion, they ministered to Him with their possessions (verse 3)—to Christ Jesus who became poor so that we might be made rich. What an example of service to be followed by every woman who believes in Him!”

Noval Geldenhuys (The New Internationals Commentary on the New Testament)

No matter the specifics of our individual backgrounds, we are all saved to serve. He has freed us from our afflictions to that end. Service involves sacrifice, but no sacrifice is too high for the One who has sacrificed even His life to save us. These women faithfully served Jesus. God calls upon us to do the same.

The body of Christ includes many women who serve in likewise manner. They humbly serve Jesus with unrivaled devotion. They serve Him day-after-day, in countless ways, as they serve their husbands, families, and others. Their sacrifices, whether great or small, frequently receive no recognition and oftentimes go on unnoticed. Take courage, faithful servant of Christ, the Lord is well aware of your service, in due time you will receive your reward (Galatians 6:9-10).

No matter the specifics of our individual backgrounds, we are all saved to serve. He has freed us from our debilitating afflictions to that end.

Make me a servant
Humble and meek
Lord let me lift up
Those who are weak
And may the prayer
Of my heart always be
Make me a servant
Make me a servant
Make me a servant today