The Today Series: March 2008 Archives
I heard someone, speaking of a particular body of people, say: "They don't know enough for you to teach them anything." That statement struck me as being funny, knowing that the speaker wasn't being so much judgmental as he was concerned.
There is some merit, in some instances, to a statement such as that. There has to be a base of understood knowledge before one can easily receive more.
Isaiah gives the formula to understanding when he says: "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little" (Isaiah 28:10). Understanding must come in bite sized portions for it to move from the head to the heart. Many of us came out of Bible School or Seminary with our heads full of knowledge but with little understanding. This is due to the fact that we were given so much in such a compressed period of time that it is impossible for us to develop real understanding.
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).
I have puzzled for some time over the meaning and intent of our theme this morning. What precisely was meant by “the joy that set before Him?” Was it making reference to Jesus excitement about getting back to Heaven? Did it have the idea of Him completing the task of His death, burial, resurrection, and exaltation? Was it referring to His rewards for His obedience. I think that the answer might include any or all of the above but may be none of the above.
Although we come to know God in an instant, there is a sense that we will not know Him to the fullest extent until we see Him in Heaven. At that time we will know as we are known.
My wife and I have been married for 45 years. From one point of view, we can never be more married than we were on that day, February 5, 1955, at the First Baptist Church in Pharr, TX, when Pastor Euell Clark pronounced us to be husband and wife. There is another sense that we have spent most of our lives learning to be what we already are.
It takes time, focus, and commitment to really know God. Like marriage, we come to know Him through the good times and the bad, in sickness and in health, in prosperity and in want. We know Him because He continuously seeks us and because of that we seek Him.
A battle has always centered around the church, both the local church and at large. It is uniquely the body of Christ and as such will receive the same attention from the enemy that He gave Jesus no matter where it is located. It should be noted that the greater the threat to Satan’s kingdom, the more intense will be his anger and attack.
There are places in the world where his attack is overt and deadly with persecution and martyrdom occurring. In many places, for a person to become a believer is to invite essential excommunication from society, beginning at home, or even being marked for death. Obviously, in such places the church is largely underground.
All too often, in my ministry, I minister to people who suffer from the loss of hope. Hope should be one of the most powerful, energizing and enabling resources we have in the Christian life. When one loses hope it is the inevitable consequence of losing sight of Christ and focusing instead on earthly conflicts and struggles.
Like faith and love, hope is extolled as a primary and glorious grace of the Christian life. "But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13).
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).
The Greek word, metamorphoo, translated in English as "transformed," is found in only four locations in the Scripture: Matthew 17:2, Mark 9:2, Romans 12:2, and 2 Corinthians 3:18. In the Matthew and Mark passages, it is used to describe the transfiguration of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. In Romans it is used to describe the process of transformation that occurs in the believer as a product of the renewing of the mind. In 2 Corinthians, it is used to describe its progress in the lives of believers who submit themselves to Christ.
There is a narrow line between obedience and ambition. When one crosses over that line he becomes destructive to himself as well as to the work of the Kingdom.
There is little room for personal ambitions in the work of the Kingdom. When one is caught in the throes of ambition he will begin to push the limits to realize his desires. Whether he is aware of it or not, his motto will progressively become "the end justifies the means!"
The amazing thing about Abraham was his instant recognition and response to the will of God. Most of us would have less heartache in life if we could learn to hear and obey God as readily as Abraham (Read Genesis 22:1-13). When God commanded the sacrifice of Isaac, there is no indication of hesitation on the part of Abraham, even knowing that it would cost him his promised heir. When ready to plunge the knife into Isaac, God said, "stop," and he stopped. God caused a ram to be caught in the bushes by his horns that provided a useful substitute for sacrifice. God was checking the character of Abraham's obedience.
"If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan" (Jeremiah 12:5)?
Paul urged: "let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Galatians 6:9). There are times when all of us feel that the work is too hard, the people that we serve fail to properly appreciate us, or the way is too long. To entertain such feelings is to slip into a morass of self-pity in which, even if one wanted to extract himself, the more he struggles the deeper he sinks.
Editors Note: About 15 years ago Jeff was diagnosed with a rare kidney condition which nearly took his life. It was eventually diagnosed as Wegener's disease.. This message discusses the lessons Jeff learned about positive confession as he faced the impact this illness had on his ability to travel and minister.
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This particular subject has particular meaning to me due to the battles I have gone through with my health. There was a time that I would share with anyone who asked the details of the illness that I faced. Everything that I said was true and I felt that it provided a basis for others to pray for me.
I eventually learned, when people inquire about my health, to respond by saying: 'I'm doing well.' Occasionally, with a bout of self-pity, I will say something more or different but my resolution was to confess good health. As I attempted more and more to keep my condition private--there is a reason for that other than a desire for privacy.
"Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest" (John 4:25).
I have been reminded again (it seems I need to be reminded more often than I would like to admit) of the commission of Jesus and my commitment to Him. As long as the world remains unevangelized and the Christian world largely undiscipled there is no place to quit.
"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy" (1 Peter: 4:12-13).
A few years ago Norma and I took a vacation on the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Suffering some of the early stages of the disease I subsequently was afflicted with, I couldn't walk quite as freely as Norma. As she would wander about exploring some of the more difficult places to get to, I would find a place to sit and contemplate the canyon. If you have been there you understand what a bombardment of the senses the canyon can be. I finally discovered the best way to view it was either to look at the overall view, tuning out the particulars, or to take small 'bite sized' portions to be systematically viewed one at a time.
There are two essential messages of the cross of which every person should avail himself. They are that God can and will forgive us and because of that, we can and should forgive others. Most people are likely to take advantage of God’s offered forgiveness in a somewhat liberal fashion but are less inclined to be liberal in extending their forgiveness to others.
If I had any message that I would urge upon every human being in this very significant moment in human history, it would be the message of forgiveness.
"For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together" (Matthew 24:28).
While driving on a rural road recently, I noticed several large black birds that flew up when I approached a certain location. The birds perched on tree limbs and fences nearby as I passed by. It didn’t take me long to discover that there was something dead nearby. In fact, it smelled like a dead skunk. Obviously, I was quick to get away from there. Looking back in my rearview mirror I saw the birds fly back down to their original location. They were vultures and were having a feast.
The word "eagles" in the quoted passage would be better translated "vultures." These are large birds of prey that feed on dead animals and delight in the rottenness of death.
