Philemon 8:10-18, Forgiveness vs. rejection (5)

f)    Here are 6 principles that tell us what it means to forgive.  Perhaps you can relate these to a specific situation in life where you are finding it hard to extend forgiveness.

i)      Forgiveness involves a positive attitude toward the offense, rather than a negative attitude toward the offender. 

ii)   Forgiveness views the offender as a tool of God.  An illustration of this might be seen in 2 Sam. 16:11-12 when Shimei, a relative of King Saul, was cursing David and throwing stones at him as he fled from Absalom.  Abishai wanted to kill Shimei.  Why not?  Revenge would have felt good as they were seemingly on the losing end of things against Absalom.  But remember: David had never wronged King Saul or his descendents.  He would not kill Saul when he had the chance.  He treated Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, with mercy.  So David preferred to put it in God’s hands, thinking that God would see would do His work in the matter.

iii)            Forgiveness looks at the wounds of the offender as God’s way of drawing attention to the offender’s needs.  These first three principles are built on a fundamental truth in Scripture: God is always at work.  It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Phil. 2:13).  He makes all things work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28).  This must, therefore, include the harms done to us by others. 

iv) Forgiveness recognizes that bitterness is assuming a right we don’t have.  This is another truth that is emphasized in Rom. 12:1-21. 

v)    Forgiveness realizes that the offender has already begun rec3iving the consequences of his offenses.  God is the righteous Judge of all the earth.  He does not call us to judge those who sin against us.  Like Christ, who did not revile those who reproached Him, we are called to seek the lost.  It is quite possible that a great door will open into the heart of someone who treats us shamefully if we are Christ to them.

vi) Forgiveness involves cooperating with God in the offender’s life.  It is our privilege to pray for and bless those who revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake (Mt. 5:11; Lk. 6:28). 

May I encourage you to memorize Eph. 4:32 and to meditate on the context (4:29-32).  Today’s reading from Philemon provides another great account of the call to forgiveness, even when the “law is on our side.”  May we see God’s work in our own lives and in those around us as we walk in the way of Christ.

Rom. 12:17-21, Forgiveness vs. rejection (4)

ii)      Christ is our “example” in forgiveness.  How much did Christ forgive those who believe in Him?  Col. 2:13 says he has “forgiven you all trespasses.”  The basis for this is that He fulfilled all the righteous demands of the law.  That’s what v14 says.  The “handwriting of requirements” is the law.  It is “against us,” being the basis on which we are convicted as sinners.  Understanding this can be helpful in being forgiving in our relationships.  What we need to do is to remove the basis of our judgment of those who have offended us.  Remember: Jesus fulfilled the “righteous demands” of the law (Rom. 8:3-4).  There was nothing wrong with the judgment.  We may be “legally right” in our accusation but in forgiveness we remove the accusation.

iii)   The OT also contains this pattern.  In Lev. 4:20,26. on the day of atonement, the priest makes atonement for the people and the result is that they are forgiven.  “Atonement” means to “cover,” as Noah covered the ark with pitch (same word, Gen. 6:14).  So Christ has covered our sin; it can no longer be seen.  Again, this is how we need to address forgiveness.

d)    In Matt. 18:35, what does it mean to “forgive from the heart?”  Of course, it means that the forgiveness is not mere words.  Our attitude toward the person must exhibit forgiveness, not bitterness or anger or rejection.  We must be sincere.  And before you tell me how hard that is, remember we not only have an example of forgiveness in Christ; we have the indwelling Spirit to help us.  Perhaps this is a good time to interject my favorite Scripture passage on treating those who oppose us, or have opposed us: Rom. 12:17-21.  Among other things, it tells us to do good, need-meeting things for our enemy.  We need to ask the Lord to give us loving, creative ways to show forgiveness.

e)    We have been talking about how to forgive.  We should also talk about how to receive this forgiveness.  There are two conditions, both of which are mentioned in Prov. 28:13: He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.  This word “cover” means to hide something.  The one who has sinned best receives forgiveness by acknowledging his sin (confessing, agreeing with God that it is sin, 1 Jn. 1:9) and repenting (forsaking, letting go of or abandoning the sin, Acts 2:38) of the sin.  It is not that God will not forgive repeated sin.  But it can be difficult for the sinner to accept that forgiveness.

      i)  On this matter, we should note Matt. 18:15-17, where Jesus teaches about reproving a brother in Christ.  When a brother will not acknowledge his sin, and the sin cannot be overlooked (many sins can), then out of love we are called on to reprove him and encourage his repentance.

John 8:1-11, Forgiveness vs. rejection (3)

We are continuing our Bible Study on forgiveness.

b)    Forgiveness is not easy for humans.

i)      What is the natural human response when others offend us, a response that must be avoided?  Do not say, ‘I will recompense evil’; wait for the LORD and He will save you (Pr. 20:22).  One of the standard Hollywood storylines has the hero taking revenge on the villain.  Everybody rejoices!  Actually, if we are referencing Hollywood (why would we?), it’s the line from Inigo Montoya after avenging his father’s death: “Is very strange. I have been in the revenge business so long, now that it's over, I don't know what to do with the rest of my life.”  The “revenge business” in the Bible is called “bitterness” (Heb. 12:14-15).

ii)   In light of this, what fruit of the Spirit must be evident to make forgiveness possible?  Probably you could make a case for all the “fruit of the Spirit” being essential for forgiveness.  But Prov. 19:11 points out the need for patience or longsuffering: The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook a transgression. 

c)    Forgiveness of others is possible because God has set the pattern for us.

i)      Who is our pattern?  Of course, it is God in Christ! 

(1)  And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God in Christ forgave you (Eph. 4:32).  This passage reminds us that forgiveness is an act of kindness, not just the legal transaction of pardoning someone.  If it’s just a legality we may get hung up on whether or not the other person has performed their legal requirement.  But if it is kindness, then our “requirement” is to be tenderhearted (compassionate), not legal.

(2) Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do (Col. 3:13).  In this passage I like to note how we are to forgive if we have a complaint against someone.  It doesn’t say anything about whether it’s a valid complaint or not.  We may have the idea that if we don’t say something to this person about our complaint that we have not done the best thing to help them.  We feel we must say something.  But you may not be aware that there is a lot of wisdom in saying nothing.  Re-read Prov. 19:11 above: it is a man’s glory to overlook a transgression.  Quite often, by the time we have expressed our complaint to someone and then said we forgive them, we have said enough to them to destroyed our relationship with them.  If we have no tender heart it’s hard to be used in their lives.  Again, re-read the definition of “forgiveness” from a couple days ago.

Matthew 5:21-26,43-48, Forgiveness vs. rejection (2)

There are many stories of forgiveness in Scripture.  We chose three illustrations.  2 Sam. 1 17-24 is the “Song of the Bow” written and sung by David about King Saul after Saul and his sons were killed on Mt. Gilboa.  What it reveals is David’s attitude of forgiveness toward Saul.  Matt. 18:21-35 is the “Parable of the Unforgiving Servant,” Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness when Peter asked Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”  John 8:1-11 is Jesus’ forgiveness extended to the woman caught in adultery.

1)    Bible Study

a)    Just how important is it that we forgive others when they have offended us?  In these passages are truths that tell us the value of forgiveness.

i)      Prov. 19:11: Forgiveness honors a man.  Revenge or rejection might feel good at the time but anyone can do that.  People admire the man who exercises discretion and overlooks the offenses of others.

ii)   Matt. 6:12,14-15; 18:35: In Christ’s kingdom, God does not forgive those who are unwilling to forgive others. 

This is a difficult doctrine.  Did Jesus say (yesterday’s reading of the “Parable of the Unforgiving Servant” is at the center of this) that God grants forgiveness, but then withdraws it?  Or is Jesus saying that the one who claims to be forgiven by God but refuses to forgive others has not truly been forgiven by God?  Or again, is Jesus saying that the one who has been forgiven by God but will not forgive others will not experience the freedom and joy of his forgiveness?  Of these 3 views, to me the middle one is the only one that fits the Scripture.  One who has been justified by faith in Christ will be glorified (Rom. 8:30); the idea of losing salvation denies what salvation has brought about in Christ.  The third idea, that the unforgiving servant lost the joy of forgiveness, is not what Jesus said.  The middle view makes sense.  If one has truly experienced the forgiveness of God in Christ, how can he not grant forgiveness to others?  Here is a quote from Matthew Henry on that position:

We are not to suppose that God actually forgives men, and afterwards reckons their guilt to them to condemn them; but this latter part of the parable shows the false conclusions many draw as to their sins being pardoned, though their after-conduct shows that they never entered into the spirit, or experienced the sanctifying grace of the gospel.

        iii)      Matt. 5:23-24: Forgiveness opens the door for worship.  We have no fellowship with God if                    we foster broken relationships with people.

Psalm 109 Revisited and Corrected

(We will return to our study of Character Traits in tomorrow's post, Lord willing.)

I would like to revisit Psalm 109.  In yesterday’s post we talked about “imprecatory” Psalms and what David was trying to do.  While you were reading that, I was in Psalm 109 and seeing the Psalm in a completely different light.  Then I went back in the evening to read the blog that I had written several years ago, and rejoiced that the Lord had not given up on me.  What I am saying is that I think I really missed the boat.  Here is what I see in Psalm 109 now.

 ·        109:1-5: There is not a word in these verses that Jesus could not have spoken from His cross.  Verses 2-4 are somewhat of a summary of what comes in the rest of the Psalm.  He is not talking about the Romans.  When He arrived at Golgotha He prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”  These words did not apply to the religious leaders, the shepherds of Israel.  They did know.  In the final days in Jerusalem leading up to the Cross Jesus warned the people of what was coming because of their rejection of Him.

 ·        109:6-13: In this paragraph we have a clue.  Peter quoted v8b in Acts 1 when they were choosing a replacement for Judas.  But I know there are many who read these OT quotes and think that the Apostles just pulled these words out of context because they fit what they were doing.  If you follow our blog, you know that we don’t believe that at all.  All the NT quotes come from OT contexts that perfectly fit their point.  Verse 6 begins, “Set a wicked man over him.”  It’s singular.  You can read this stanza again and hear Jesus speaking these words about His betrayer.

 ·        109:14-20: Now look at v14: Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.  The Psalm now moves to those who used Judas, the shepherds of Israel, the religious leaders.  They were Jesus’ “accusers” (v20).  They brought Jesus to Pilate and demanded that he crucify Him. 

 ·        109:21-25: You can now hear these words from the cross of Christ.  This is an expanded version of “into Thy hands I commit My spirit.” 

 ·        109:26-31: And finally, we can hear Jesus pray that God would make it clear that He, God, was at work in all of this.  He concludes by speaking of future ministry beyond the cross and the grace.  This fits Psalm 22 (v22-31) and Isa. 53 (v10-12).

 Now lest you think we are making this too much about Messiah and not enough about David, let me remind you of two things.  1) Jesus was tempted/tested in all points like we are.  From just a human point of view, David did not experience anything in the way of testing that Christ did not also experience.  We should expect to see Jesus in the testimony of David.  2) Jesus is the “end of the line” of the Davidic Covenant.  David experienced the rage of proud men (Ps. 2:1-3) and trusted in the promise of God for victory over the nations (Ps. 2:4-9).  But we know that Psalm 2 is a most powerful Messianic Psalm.  Thus, again, we should expect to see David, when he is at his best, showing us what the Messiah would experience.  Psalm 109, like all Scripture, is best understood with a focus on Christ.

Psalm 109

This is not the first imprecatory Psalm we have studied.  This and Psalm 69 are major but there are many that emphasize David calling upon God to take vengeance on his enemies.  Psalm 109 is particularly difficult in that David calls upon God not only to afflict wicked but also the family of the wicked (cf. 109:6-13).  But before we draw the wrong conclusion let us first lay out a framework for this Psalm and then we will make some notes.

·         109:1-5: This paragraph sets the scene for David’s prayer.  If you are prone to be critical of David be sure you do not overlook the evil of his enemies.  Their works reek of deceit, injustice and a major case of returning evil for good.  As to the specific situation we cannot be sure but we can feel for David’s pain.

·         109:6-13: He prays for justice, that his enemy be found guilty.  He also prays that the life of his enemy will be short, leaving his wife and children to suffer without him.  The result would be that his family would not flourish, being homeless or hungry.  Perhaps you saw 109:8, the passage quoted by Peter concerning Judas (Acts 1:20).  The other major imprecatory Psalm also has a reference applied to Judas (Ps. 69:25, quoted in Matt. 23:38; Lk. 13:35).  If nothing else Judas helps us visualize the person who was afflicting David.

·         109:14-20: David continues, praying that this evil man will not stand before God.  He prays that he will not be blessed but cursed and that God will reward his enemy with the kind of thing he has dished out, so to speak.

·         109:21-25: David prays that God will deal with him in mercy and goodness.  But note that he prays God will do this for His glory and honor.  David has been shamed but his request is for God’s glory.

·         109:26-29: David prays that God will humble the wicked man and exalt him, David, the poor and needy man.  He asks God to bless him and not let the curse of the wicked stick; this is opposite of what he prayed for his antagonist.

·         109:30-31: David vows to praise God publicly for His goodness.

Let us note some things that not only explain what is happening here but also gives us encouragement to, in fact, do the same.  First, David is giving vengeance to God, the only One who is able to be perfectly right in His judgment.  We are commanded to do this ourselves (Rom. 12:19).  Further note how often David asks for the wicked what the wicked have given to others.  This is the law of the harvest, God giving us what we deserve.  Third, David leans on another Biblical principle which is that God always exalts the humble and humbles the exalted (e.g. Lk. 1:52; 1 Sam. 2:7-8; Mt. 23:12).  And lastly, David’s ultimate concern is with the honor of God.  We see David’s integrity in the fact that he humbled himself before God.

We would simply say that if our inner motivations were in line with those of David, then our dealings with those who deceive and mistreat us would be honorable.  David has done well in giving God the place of settling scores.

Matthew 18:21-35, Forgiveness vs. rejection (1)

1)    Definition: Healing others by using their offenses as a means of expressing to them Christ’s love. (This may not sound like a definition for “forgiveness.”  Let me remind you what we said at the beginning of our study of these traits and how Bill Gothard approached them.)  Having said that, here are some additional thoughts on the meaning of forgiveness.

a)    The Hebrew term nasa has the idea of bearing someone or something.  Cain told the Lord his punishment was more than he could “bear.”  The person who forgives (as in Gen. 50:17) bears the burden of another person’s guilt.  In Lev. 16:22 the “scapegoat” on the Day of Atonement shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land.  This is a picture of the Savior, of course (He bore our griefs and bore the sins of many, Isa. 53:4,12); and then we are called to forgive as the Savior has forgiven us (Eph. 4:32).

b)    The Greek term aphiemi means literally “to send from or away.”  Jesus used this term in the Lord’s Prayer (Mt. 6:12,14).  Remember that what was to be forgiven were the “debts” we owed to God and that others owed to us.  Sin creates a debt situation; forgiveness cancels the debt.  John used it in I John 1:9.  It emphasized the idea of releasing another person’s sin.  It means we will not continue to hold them guilty because the offense has been released.

c)    The Greek term charizomai means to do something agreeable, to do a favor.  It is a form of the word charis, grace.  Jesus used it in reproving the Pharisee named Simon (Luke 7:42).  It tells us that forgiveness is a free gift to someone who deserves something different.  Thus it speaks of “pardon.”  It is used in Eph. 4:32 and Col. 2:13; 3:13.

d)    For Gothard the opposite of forgiveness is “rejection.”  Certainly that fits.  If God did not forgive us in Christ then we would remain separated from Him.  That is the ultimate in rejection.  If we don’t forgive others, then the wall of separation between us remains.

e)    In Scripture, forgiveness is contrasted with bitterness, wrath, anger, slander and malice (Eph. 4:31-32). 

2)    Scripture: Lev. 4:20,26; Prov. 19:11; 20:22; 25:21f; 28:13; Matt. 5:23f; 6:12,14f; 18:15-17,21-35; Acts 2:38; Eph. 4:32; Col. 2:13; 3:13; 1 John 1:9.

3)    Underlying Principle: For one thing, God wills every event in our lives, even the offenses of others, to be used for our good (Rom. 8:28).  Another underlying principle is that those who have been forgiven by God must forgive others.  This connection is all over the New Testament, which we have already seen (Mt. 6:12,14f; Eph. 4:32 and the teaching of Christ in Mt. 18:21-35 and Lk. 7:42).

4)    Illustration: 2 Samuel 1:17-24; Matt. 18:21-35; John 8:1-11.

Psalm 128, Reverence vs. disrespect (3)

1)    Bible Study. 

a)    The Bible gives us several “synonyms” and “antonyms” for “the fear of the LORD.”  These help us to understand what this should mean to us.

i)      Prov. 8:13: It is to “hate evil.”

ii)   Prov. 23:17f: It is not envying sinners.

iii)            Prov. 24:21f: It is not associating with evil men, particularly those “given to change.”

iv) Psalm 112:1: It is to “delight in His commands.”

v)    Psalm 128:1: It is to “walk in His ways.”

vi) Luke 6:46; Jn. 13:13f: In the NT we show disrespect for Christ when we do not do the things that He says.

b)    The fear of the Lord in a person’s life opens many doors.  What are some things available to the person who fears God?

i)      Prov. 1:7; 15:33: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom/knowledge.  This makes perfect sense.  In reading a Proverb we hear God’s wisdom; but if we do not fear the LORD we will not obey the wisdom, meaning we have not actually learned the wisdom we heard.

ii)   Isaiah 33:6: The fear of the Lord brings great treasure.  I love this verse: Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, and the strength of salvation; the fear of the LORD is His treasure.

iii)            Psalm 128:1; 112:1: The fear of the LORD brings “blessing.”  Psalm 128 speaks of that blessing in the family.

iv) Prov. 23:17-18: The fear of the LORD secures a hope beyond this life.

c)    When we fear God, what others are we led to fear?  The key in each of these is that they have authority from God.  To fear them is to fear God.

i)      Prov. 15:5; Eph. 6:1-3: One’s parents.

ii)   Eph. 5:33: One’s spouse (the word “respect” in NKJV is “fear.”)

iii)            Prov. 24:12f; 16:10; Rom. 13:7: The king.

iv) Eph. 6:5: One’s master at work.

v)    Eph. 5:21: We should have this “fear” for our brothers and sisters in Christ.  God is using them in our lives as well.

d)    What results will be evident in the life of one who fears God?

i)      2 Cor. 7:1: Holiness will be perfected!

ii)   Prov. 8:13: He will hate evil!

In the study of “character traits” we like to encourage memorization of Scripture related to what we are studying.  May I encourage you in this: from the OT (Prov. 23:17-18) and from the NT (Luke 12:4-5). 

Deuteronomy 10:12-22, Reverence vs. disrespect (2)

 i)      I want to add something to the end of the previous post.  Some might have the idea that the “fear” of God is an OT concept and not a NT teaching since “perfect love casts out fear.”  In response, I would say that certainly OT worship had more of a “separation” aspect.  The fence around the base of Mt. Sinai and the veil partitioning the tabernacle/temple indicate this.  The death of Christ has removed this and in Christ we are invited and even commanded to enter God’s presence (Heb. 4:16).  Having said that, I would add two additional thoughts.

(1)                        In the OT, worshipers were called to love God with all their heart, soul and strength (Dt. 6:4).  Dt. 5:12 brings “love” and “fear” together: And not, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and all your soul.  OT religion was no less the worship by the “inner man” than NT worship.

(2)                        Jesus taught us to fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Mt. 10:28).  God’s work in the early Church created fear in the Church and in those observing from the outside (Ac. 5:11).  Believers walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit (Ac. 9:31).  The Apostles called on believers to fear God (e.g. 2 Cor. 7:1; Eph. 5:21; Phil. 2:12).  The Apostles also called on believers to have this kind of fear for those in authority (e.g. Eph. 5:33; 6:5).  All the references in this paragraph are the Greek phobos, “to fear.” 

(3)                        In the end we must make a distinction between fear of such things as God’s judgment and the reverential fear that leads us to respect God and others.  Hebrews, on at least three occasions, referred to “godly fear.”  It was seen in Christ (5:7), Noah (11:7) and was to be seen in believers: Since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear (12:28).  The Greek word is eulabes, and these are the only NT uses.  It means “to act cautiously, circumspectly; to beware, fear; to stand in awe of.”  In 12:28 the term “reverence” is yet another Greek term, aidos, referring to “a sense of shame or honor, modesty (as in 1 Tim. 2:9), reverence, regard for others, respect.” 

I hope you find this helpful.  Again, the idea of “fear” as applied to the Lord or to those around us, is that we recognize God’s presence and hand at work in every aspect of our lives, including those “authorities” He is using in our lives to bring us into conformity to the image of Christ.

Deuteronomy 5:23-33, Reverence vs. disrespect (1)

1)    Definition: An awareness of how God is working through the people and events in my life to produce the character of Christ in me.

2)    Scripture: Prov. 1:7; 2:4-5; 3:5-6; 8:13; 12:4; 15:5,16,33; 16:10; 17:6; 19:13; 22:10; 23:17f; 24:21f; Isa. 33:6; Jn. 13:13f; Mt. 7:21; Lk. 6:46; 1 Cor. 9:16f; 2 Cor. 7:1; Eph. 5:33; 6:1-3.

3)    Underlying Principle: Again, we see that in creation God built in certain relationships of authority/submission for the honor and protection of all.  God did this.  So reverence begins with the “fear of the Lord” and then a proper fear of those God has placed in authority.

4)    Illustrations:

a)    1 Sam. 24 is the story of David sparing King Saul’s life.  Not only did he spare his life; David also spoke respectfully to Saul. 

b)    Mark 26:36-54: This concerns Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane and then His arrest.  In praying, you see the Lord’s reverence for God His Father.  Jesus even speaks respectfully to Judas.  As Peter said, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously (1 Pt. 2:23).  His attitude toward those who hated Him was based in His reverence for His Father.

c)    Deut. 5:23-33: Both in Hebrew and Greek the word for being afraid of someone is the same as the word for respecting them.  This recounting of the attitude of the people at Mt. Sinai shows us that there is a connection between both uses.  The people were so afraid they no longer wanted to hear from God directly but preferred Moses to be a mediator and tell them what God said.  You might think God would object to this, but He actually desires that they would always have that kind of fear (v29). 

i)      While we are on this subject of “fear” we should consider 1 John 4:17-19.  John says, there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.  John is talking about “the day of judgment” (v17).  That is to be feared if you have not received God’s love in the person of His Son (1 Jn. 4:10) or if the believer is not abiding in that love (1 Jn. 4:16).  We conclude that the person who abides in God’s love is fully aware of God’s presence in his life.  In other words, he fears God but no longer fears God’s judgment.  The person who truly loves God walks in obedience because of that love (John 14:15,21-24).

Acts 20:17-27, Orderliness vs. disorganization (2)

We need to say a little more about the end of the previous post.  Some people might say that the man who is always on schedule as being orderly.  Now I know we are talking about a made-up story.  But if we’re not looking for a tight schedule for the family, what are we looking for?  For the Christian, his life is all about serving the Savior.  We are yielded to Him as a living sacrifice.  Furthermore, we know that God is always at work in our lives.  Being yielded to Christ means being available for whatever God has in mind for us day by day. 

In my view, the Apostle Paul is a great study in a man whose life was orderly, in a Biblical sense.  Here are a few thoughts from his life.

·       Like our Lord, Paul had longed to finish the race of life well (Ac. 20:28; 2 Tim. 4:7).  His life was uncluttered with things that might hinder him from doing that.

o   He worked on the side when necessary, but usually trusted God to provide through the churches (Ac. 18:1-3,18; 1 Cor. 9:6; Phil. 4:14-16)).

o   Paul believed it was necessary that he not have a wife; his type of ministry involved a lot of travelling and was much easier without family responsibilities (1 Cor. 7:25-38; 9:5).

o   Paul refrained from “debatable” lifestyle issues when necessary (Rom. 14:19-21).  Again, the point was to have no unnecessary rubble that would hinder the work, the same way the people building the wall needed to reduce the rubble that would slow them down.

·       I would maintain that the strong disagreement between Paul and Barnabas (Ac. 15:36-41) was based on two men who wanted to do the work God gave them to do.  Barnabas, the “son of encouragement” has time to work with John Mark.  Paul’s ministry that highlighted the Gentiles was controversial as they were regularly involved with believers of Jewish background as well as Gentile.  Timothy, who saw Paul as a spiritual father, was the man for Paul.  And at a later time Paul was more than happy to bring Mark back on to the team (2 Tim. 4:11).

·       Paul clearly had a plan for ministry.  Generally it was: go to a significant city where there was no church, preach at the synagogue, then leave the synagogue at the right time, preach to all who would listen, from that city reach out to surrounding communities, and then move on to another city at the right time. 

·       The “right time” was dependent on God’s leading.  On one occasion, Paul left a work that was going well because it was God’s time.  On another occasion, Paul was led to stay in a place where there were many adversaries (1 Cor. 16:8-9). 

Much more could be said about Paul.  But I believe the point is made that his life of ministry, constantly on the move, filled with pressure situations, was one where he finished the race that God put before him.  He could do that because he had eliminated the clutter that would have hindered him. 

Nehemiah 3:1-12 Orderliness vs. disorganization (1)

1)    Definition: Preparing myself and my surroundings so that I will achieve the greatest efficiency.

2)    Scripture: Gen. 41:14; Prov. 16:1,9; 20:18,25; 21:5,31; 22:3 (27:12); 24:3-4; 31:10-31; Acts 6:1-6; 1 Cor. 14:40; Col. 2:5.

3)    Underlying Principle:

a)    God is a God of order.  “We are the creatures of a great Master-Designer, and His ordering of our lives is sure and certain.  Yet many people live without any visible order or peace or serenity.  The way we live ought to manifest the truth of what we believe.  A messy life speaks of a messy – an incoherent – faith.” (Elizabeth Elliot)

b)    The principle that every Christian is a steward in God’s house demands an ordered life that is ready to do the Master’s will.

4)    Illustrations:

a)    1 Sam. 11:1-11: Going to war requires an orderly battle plan. Compare this to 2 Tim. 2:4: No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

b)    Nehemiah 3: The orderly approach to rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem made it possible to complete the task in 52 days (Neh. 6:15).  Clearly Nehemiah’s leadership was crucial in bringing order to a disorganized setting.

c)    John 4:34: The life of Christ was orderly in that He knew what His Father wanted Him to do and He was committed to that plan.  An orderly life doesn’t mean every minute is planned; it means we are able to adjust our schedule to do God’s will.  While His disciples went for lunch, Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman (Jn. 4:33-34).  In order to pray Jesus sacrificed sleep (Lk. 6:12) and withdrew to lonely (uncluttered) places (Lk. 5:16).

d)    Acts 6:1-6: The dissension in the early church was solved by an orderly plan to care for the widows, a plan that maintained the ministry of the Apostles.

e)    1 Cor. 14:26-40: Paul called on the Church to have orderly meetings.  He complimented the Colossian church for their good order (Col 2:5).

I was reminded of a very “non-Biblical” illustration: the father in the Disney movie “Mary Poppins.”  He sang about his pleasant life. 

“I run my home precisely on schedule.  At 6:01 I march through my door.  My slipper, sherry and pipe are due, at 6:02.  Consistent is the life I lead. … It’s 6:03 and the heirs to my dominion, are scrubbed and tubbed and adequately fed.  And so I’ll pat them on the head, and send them off to bed.  How lordly is the life I lead.”

This is not what we mean by an “orderly life.”  An orderly life is one that is able to adjust as the Spirit of God leads.  More in the next post.

Psalm 108

This was written on the fifteenth anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center (9/11/2001).  Perhaps it is fitting to consider this Psalm on this day.  For some it may need to be fifteen years in the rear view mirror before they can figure out how to have the same ability to reflect on our “undeserved” troubles and to do the necessary self-examination.  Consider this Psalm first; then let us see if it helps us in our own historical context.

·         108:1-5: (These verses are identical to Ps. 57:7-11).  Pay close attention to what the Psalmist says.  The rest of the Psalm will reveal he is in need of help.  But at the outset he makes it very clear: his heart is steadfast in that he will give praise and glory to God regardless of the situation and its eventual outcome.  He will even give God glory from his own glory (v1), meaning he will use the acclaim that has been given to him and refer it to God.  He does not doubt that those twin attributes of God (chesed, His mercy or lovingkindness and emet, His truth or faithfulness) are still very real (v4).  Whatever his struggle he will not deny God!  And in v5 he prefaces his prayer by asking God to glorify Himself.  What a great call to praise.

·         108:6-13: (These verses are identical to Ps. 60:5-12).  He now engages in a two-way conversation with God whereby he makes request (v6), receives an answer (v7-9), and then goes in faith (v10-13).  The request is that God will choose to glorify Himself by saving him and the nation.  It seems that this is the prayer of a warrior (Spurgeon called it The Warrior’s Morning Song).  He will be engaged in battle.  While we have no idea which war he is engaged in we do know that he is an Israelite and it involves the chosen Nation.  Further it seems to come at a time when Israel has experienced defeat because of the references in v11.  So he is calling on God to be faithful to His covenant.  And in the conversation God answers in the affirmative in that He affirms His special relationship with Israel (v7-8) as well as His disdain for the nations that so often afflicted Israel (v9).  It is possible the warrior himself repeats these words as if to give himself courage in the light of God’s relationship with Israel.  The conversation closes with positive words, but not just the power of positive thinking.  The warrior acknowledges his total dependence upon God and gains courage from the God of mercy and truth.  Any victory will be gained by God!

The United States does not have a covenant relationship with God as did Israel.  But like any people, they are free to call upon God.  Our governmental leaders are His servants and can call upon Him for wisdom and effectiveness.  What 9/11 provided was an opportunity to see our need for God and that the greatest of men are unable to prevent every attack.  It provided one of the nations, our nation, the opportunity to affirm, Through God we will do valiantly.  Every trial of nations and individuals is a call to bow before the God of mercy and truth.

Mark 10:35-45, Contentment vs. covetousness (5)

Here are a couple of areas of “application” in learning contentment.

ii)      Learn to guard your eyes (Prov. 27:20; Josh. 7:20-21; Ge. 3:6).

(1)                        All the great stories in the Bible that highlight “temptation” involve the eyes.  Eve in Eden saw that the fruit was appealing.  David “inadvertently” saw Bathsheba while bathing.  Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world.  The other senses can be a problem but the eyes are major in learning to be content. 

(2)                        We should be careful when shopping or when using media that contains advertising.  On that matter, several years ago I came across this list of questions to ask before making a purchase.  I can be quite “spur-of-the-moment” and found this helpful. 

(a) Can I afford it? 1 Tim. 5:8         (b) Can I be content without it?

(c) Will I still be able to be generous? 1 Tim. 6:17f; Prov. 3:9

(d)            Will I still love God?            (e) Will it make me anxious?

(f)  Am I being greedy or proud?    (g) Am I being hasty?

(h)            Is it a necessary debt? Rom. 13:8

(i)   Do I have all the facts?              (j) Have I sought advice?

(k)            Have I prayed about it?         (l) Will it honor God?

(m)         Have I asked God to provide it?

iii)            Learn to serve others with your possessions (Mk. 10:44f; Phil. 4:14).  Previously we noted 4 illustrations where God’s people were covetous.  What would have happened had their minds been renewed so that they saw themselves as servants of God and others?

(1)                        The Israelites were self-absorbed.  Yet, in the law, they agreed to serve God (Ex. 23:25-30).  What if that had been their attitude?

(2)                        Lot had every reason to serve Abraham, after all his uncle had done for him.  Yet he served himself and suffered for it.

(3)                        What if King Saul had a heart to serve God and Israel and then David?  He would have had a house established by God.  But he was not the man after God’s heart.

(4)                        What if Jesus’ disciples had a mentality to serve?  Unlike the other hypothetical situations, we can answer this question because from Acts 2 onward we can see what they were like.  They were no longer motivated by selfish ambition but by the desire to fulfill the great commission.  Peter was able to be submissive to Paul.  Paul, in the end, was able to see God’s blessing in and through John Mark who had initially been a disappointment.