ResponsiveReiding

1 Thessalonians 1:9–10 (ESV) “For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

I love good preaching. I NEED to hear God’s Word proclaimed. This past Sunday, I had the joy of sitting under the preaching of my good friend Dr. Mike Canham – who teaches at the Cornerstone Seminary in Vallejo, CA.

Mike attempted (and accomplished) preaching through the entire epistle of 1 Thessalonians – noting how each chapter ends with a reference to the 2nd coming of Jesus and how that informs our Christian lives.

As we were in chapter 1, I was struck afresh by the 2 verses above. They contain SO much. An amazing digest of Biblical truth in the most startling economy of words.

First, Paul defines what it means to BE a CHRISTIAN in two foundational concepts. A Christian is one who: a. Has turned TO God, and, b. has turned FROM idols. We have forsaken ultimate devotion to everything and everyone else – for singular and supreme devotion to the true and living God in Jesus Christ.

Second, he describes CHRISTIANITY in two foundational concepts. Christianity is bound up in:

a. SERVING the living and true God, and b. WAITING for His Son from heaven. Living a life immersed in God’s agenda in the world, with a joyful, ever-present expectancy of Christ’s soon return.

Third, he expresses two foundational concepts about this CHRIST we look for. This is the CHRIST we anticipate: a. The One who has RISEN from the dead, verifying the Father’s acceptance of His sacrifice for our sins, and, b. The One who by His death and resurrection has FREED us, from the WRATH of God yet to come upon the entire world.

What a glorious, magnificent and wonderfully easy digest this is for us to use in our evangelism. One need not complicate the issues to take this easily to heart and to be able to reiterate it to others.

Turning TO God FROM idols, to SERVE God in the spirit of EXPECTATION of Christ’s return – this Christ who died for our sins and ROSE for our justification, FREEING us from the judgment to come.

What a glorious salvation this is!

Exodus 24:12–14 (ESV) 12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” 13 So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. 14 And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them.”

It must have been an amazing day. God calls Moses up into the mountain to receive the commandments. There is lightening and thundering going on all around – the earth is shaking. Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and 70 of the elders of Israel had just drawn close to eat and drink in God’s presence, and had seen a glorious vision. There had been sacrifices, charges to the people, and the congregation sprinkled with blood. The air must have crackled with electricity.

Then, the voice comes. “Come up to me” Moses. “Wait there” Moses. I want to give you the “tablets of stone.” So Moses went up. And then he does something that to me seems exceedingly strange. He turns to the elders and says: “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them.” Its the last sentence that gets me. How mundane. How – how, normal. With all of this going on, you mean to tell me that the people down below are going to get into disputes with one another? Disputes that it will take a 3rd party to help resolve? Really? With God thundering nearby, and all the other terrifying manifestations? Really? Yep.

Even in the highest moments of Divine drama, the ordinary goes on. This is both a blessing, and a curse.

In seasons of revival or when the Spirit is moving on a congregation in extraordinary ways, people still squabble; there are still petty arguments. The windows still need washed, the carpet swept and the bathrooms cleaned.

In the holy moment of an aged saint’s passing into their eternal rest, somewhere, babies are being born, muggers are taking new victims, drug addicts are coming to Christ, kids are watching cartoons, prostitutes are selling their bodies, new converts are being baptized, and septic tanks are being pumped out.

We so often want the world to stop and pay at least silent homage to our moment – whether it be grave or glorious. But it isn’t so. The soldiers rolled dice for a poor man’s garment while the Son of God was murdered right in front of their eyes. Priests went home smug and self-satisfied while Mary crumbled and the Disciples despaired.

On the final day, some will be sleeping, others grinding and still others in the field. They will be eating and drinking and marrying at the moment when eternity fully eclipses time once and for all.

And God will still be speaking. Will we be listening?

Judges 20:4–7 (ESV) 4 And the Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered and said, “I came to Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night. 5 And the leaders of Gibeah rose against me and surrounded the house against me by night. They meant to kill me, and they violated my concubine, and she is dead. 6 So I took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel, for they have committed abomination and outrage in Israel. 7 Behold, you people of Israel, all of you, give your advice and counsel here.”

Last time, we looked at seven signs that a culture is crumbling under its own corruption. Rewarding evil, especially in the home headed the list. And second, was the personalizing of religion – so that it becomes completely subjective. And it is in considering that second element that I want to return today to consider the aftermath of the conditions outlined in Judges 17 & 18. It shows itself in all of its grizzly detail in chapter 19, summarized above in chapter 20.

A Levite, not living in one of the appointed Levitical cities, in a questionable relationship with a concubine, went to bring her home after she ran away from him. Acting on religious bigotry, he seeks shelter in a town of professing but non-practicing Jews, instead of staying among the pagans. When he is attacked in his host’s house by a band of men reminiscent of the events at Sodom and Gomorrah, he tosses his concubine out to the rabble, who rape her all night. She crawls back just before dawn, and passes out on the door step. The spineless, twisted Levite prods her to get up so they can go – and in her unresponsive state, transports her back home, where he either finishes the job of killing her himself (the text isn’t clear) or simply dismembering her into 12 pieces – sending the mutilated remains throughout the 12 tribes to get them to act on how he sees HE’S been abused. In his account (above) – he never mentions his own complicity – just the “abomination and outrage” it all is.

Now 4 things stand out in all of this.

1. (Chap. 17) Personalized “designer” religion which is built around the celebration of human goodness, without reference to mankind’s fallen condition and need for redemption – cannot help but eventually feed into the basest features of mankind eventually ruling the day. How desperately we need to address this very issue in American “Christianity”.

2. (18:1 & 19:1) Rejection of God as king in the heart and mind of the individual, in favor of a mere “helper-Deity” whose purpose is to make me happy – will always unravel the person, the home and society. This will be magnified in 1 Samuel when the people cry out for a king like the nations around them – only to be 1 Samuel 8:7 (ESV) “And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.” Jesus cannot merely be our Savior – He MUST be our Lord. Or it isn’t Christianity.

3. (18:1) Abandonment of God’s goal and purposes for something easier and more desirable is ultimately cosmic treason.

4. Look at the unimaginable patience and grace of God to endure all of this from His own people – without utterly destroying them.

What a God we serve. What a Christ is ours. What a salvation is brought to us by His blood.

Judges 17:1–6 (ESV) There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah. 2 And he said to his mother, “The 1,100 pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it.” And his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the Lord.” 3 And he restored the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother. And his mother said, “I dedicate the silver to the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a metal image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.” 4 So when he restored the money to his mother, his mother took 200 pieces of silver and gave it to the silversmith, who made it into a carved image and a metal image. And it was in the house of Micah. 5 And the man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and household gods, and ordained one of his sons, who became his priest. 6 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

The book of Judges relates a time in Israel’s history that could well be termed its “Dark Ages.” And chapters 17-20 contain some of the strangest and twisted accounts of aberrant behavior by God’s people to be found in the Bible. It is chilling to see where “God’s People” can go at times. And, there is great insight in these portions into how a society declines.

Chapter 17, focusing on a slice of the life of one man – Micah, shows how this decline starts and progresses.

Note first, he was raised with a light attitude toward sin. It could be dealt with apart from God’s appointed means.

Secondly, he was raised with a twisted value system: His confession of theft is met with no rebuke at all – only “praise” for his honesty at coming clean about it. Sin is traded off against action – totally disregarding that such theft and the cover-up were themselves dishonest.

Thirdly, he was raised with confusion regarding God. His mother dedicates money to “Jehovah” by having an idol fabricated. How self-contradictory can it be?

Fourth, He was rewarded for his “morality” (in confessing his theft) amidst true spiritual bankruptcy that showed itself in the other areas of his life.

Sixth, he was a man of self-made religion. Gets his image, fabricates an ephod, ordains his own son as a priest and creates a shrine.

Seventh, he wants a privatized religion he has ultimate authority over – thus ordaining one of his own sons.

Eighth – He wants to steal as much legitimacy as he can from the real things by “buying” a Levite – while still retaining personal autonomy. (See vss. 7-13)

And then I ask myself, how much is this like so many today? Even among professing Christians?

Oh how greatly we need our Savior Jesus.

More tomorrow.

Genesis 38:6–11 (ESV) 6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death. 8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother’s wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. 10 And what he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death also. 11 Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, till Shelah my son grows up”—for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went and remained in her father’s house.

Judah was a real piece of work. This chapter (along with others) does not fail to record that these sons of Israel were not God’s chosen people because of any supposed righteousness of their own. Grace lay behind it all.

But in this short portion of Judah’s chronicle, we find a wonderful example of how twisted our thinking becomes, when we take to making decisions based upon coincidence and the way we “read the signs” – above ordering our lives according to God’s Word.

Judah’s fear, in the aftermath of the death of his two sons – Er and Onan – was that the third brother Shelah would face the same fate. But watch his reasoning. The text is explicit that both Er and Onan were put to death by God because of their own wickedness (vss. 7 & 10). But Judah makes this unwarranted leap of logic that the problem must be their common association with the woman, with Tamar! Judah manifests two tendencies of our own day in vivid colors.

First – Judah looks to blame his son’s deaths on their association with the pagan woman – and not on their own wickedness. It is as though he says “my sons would never have done anything worthy of death if it hadn’t been for her! How many parents today love to turn a blind eye to the sinful tendencies of their own children, and assign their woes to the ungodly influences of others. Each make their own choices for their own reasons. And each bears their own guilt.

But more subtlely and in some ways even more dangerously, is Judah’s way of connecting the dots. He is reading the signs of circumstance and coincidence, and from it, trying to discern the truth behind the tragedy of his son’s demise. Never mind how God looks upon and deals with wickedness, the common denominator in Judah’s eyes is Tamar. “What is it God is trying to tell me? Must be He is telling me Tamar is dangerous.” WRONG! Dead wrong. Twice. Pun intended.

Now let me ask you reader – how are YOU reading the “signs” in your life? What coincidences are you using to make decisions by? How are you trying to interpret various circumstances? How are you connecting the dots? Like Judah? To arrive at the result that reinforces your own opinions? Or are you bringing your decisions to the Bible?

God hasn’t struck you down, so He must be pleased with your sexual immorality? You haven’t been caught so your theft isn’t that bad in His sight? That old girlfriend suddenly reappeared in your life, so it must mean you should leave your wife for her? That guy from college found you on Facebook so that meas God wants you to hook up again? You just drove down a street by the same name as the horse you thought you might bet on?

This kind of utter foolishness will end in tragedy. Beloved – our question ALWAYS must be – “what does God’s Word say” – NOT, does that look like Jesus’ face in my toast?

Genesis 36:1 (ESV) “These are the generations of Esau (that is, Edom).”

Genesis 36 stands out as a bit of a curiosity. And, it serves to teach us a good lesson.

Jacob, as we all know, was sovereignly chosen by God above Esau to be heir as the “firstborn” – as the one through whom the Tribes of Israel would come, and at last the Messiah Himself. Paul appeals to this reality powerfully in Romans 9 – as demonstrating God’s unassailable electing grace: 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— 12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” (Romans 9:11–13 (ESV)

If we learn nothing else from these 43 verses, we can at least gain this – God still took great notice of Esau and His offspring. They do not utterly vanish from the pages of Scripture. It is interesting to see God taking such pains to list the generations of Esau. His promises were no less binding to Esau, though he was not to be the son of promise as Jacob was. His lineage is not disregarded. His offspring are not inconsequential in God’s eyes. Though he would not occupy the place of the “firstborn” – and (to extend the later types) be chosen for adoption – he is not utterly cast off either. God is Lord of all, and His choice of one unto a higher place, is not to be over-construed into total abandonment of all others.

No, the non-elect are not also “saved.” There is not a 3rd category. “Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” Acts 14:17 (ESV)

God forbid, that we should ever allow ourselves to disdain the souls of any others also made “in the image of God.” Grace, must never be allowed to cross over into license to despise others.

John 20:10–17 (ESV) 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes. 11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”

Sometimes, asking the right question makes all the difference in the world. The Bible often does not answer the questions we are asking, but steers us toward more important ones. But in this text, what stands out is the question the risen Jesus poses to dear Mary Magdalene.

In essence, Jesus is asking her to ask herself something of supreme importance.

Here she is, left alone after the departure of Peter and John at the Tomb. She has seen the Tomb is empty. She has seen the angels. She has heard their question with her ears, but her heart is still too heavy. For their question too is a good one. If, Jesus was who He said He was; if He has risen as He said He would – why indeed was she weeping? Those facts weren’t informing her at that moment. Only the empty tomb was.

How thick and dull my own heart and mind can be. Confronted with the facts, even with the appearance of angels themselves – still I look only at things though eyes colored only by natural understanding. The supreme and supernatural facts just don’t even seem to faze me.

But then Jesus approaches and speaks. His question is even more piercing than the angel’s. He asks again “why are you weeping?” But He ups the ante immeasurably with His second question – “WHOM are you seeking?” This is THE question. The one that answers all of the rest.

If she were seeking the eternal Son of God, the Lamb of God for sinners slain, the promised Messiah, second member of the Triune Godhead – God robed in human flesh, prophesied to rise again and rule the cosmos – if she were seeking THAT Jesus, then crying is wholly inappropriate. Faith would alter the whole reality altogether. This is EXACTLY what she should expect. He is risen – just as He said.

But, if she were seeking a mere prophet, a miracle-working but enigmatic figure, one whom she loved but did not really understand, a hope, but only if things went the way she and the others imaged they would – then there could be nothing but disappointment, disillusionment, and confused sorrow.

So, in the midst of your grief today – which Jesus are you trusting in? And if He is whom He said He was and proved by His resurrection – then why are we so downhearted, disappointed, faint, weary, troubled and dismayed? Maybe, we’re not sure just whom it is we seek either.

Luke 10:25–28 (ESV) 25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

Indeed, this Lawyer’s response here is everything. It is this one thing which every human being is bound to – the Law of Love. The Jews were bound to the Mosaic Law additionally. They were bound to such things as marked them out as God’s chosen people among all the nations of the earth. But there is a law which is binding upon all mankind – not the Mosaic code – but the obligation to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength – and its necessary corollary – to love our neighbor as ourselves. This is what every human being is guilty of having transgressed – even those who did not sin in exactly the same way Adam did – and why death reigned even in those who did not violate the first code – “thou shalt not eat…”

Behind every external code which may be expressed for mankind to obey, Jews or Gentiles – is this – the law of love. Nor is it a law in the same way as any external code is. It is a law of “nature” if you will. It is the image we were originally created in. We were made to bear Christ’s image, who as man, did indeed love the Lord with all His heart, mind, soul and strength (which is why He came and died – lovingly doing the Father’s will) and His neighbor as Himself – dying FOR US! This is what is broken and defiled in us. This is what He is restoring.

And it is on the basis of this that every man will be judged. For our righteousness is found in it. Every sin is but a defect of this love. When we fail to love God rightly, supremely and entirely – we sin. The WAYS we sin are myriad. But every sin shares this – the failure to love God supremely. When we fail to love men rightly – as made in God’s image and for His glory – we sin. THIS – is what makes us “sinners.”

And once again – the manifestations of that sin are countless. But behind each and every particular manifestation – is the defective love we were created to live in. The failure to bear His image – the image of the God who “is love” (1 John 4:16). “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12) No hoops to jump through. No ceremonies to carry out. No high duties to accomplish. Take care that a full and right and consuming passion for God rules our hearts and minds – and all the rest will be accomplished by default. Fail at this, and nothing we do is worth a thing.

To love Him. To have Him as our highest prize, our chief delight, our deepest desire, our sweetest notion, our most lovely vision. To find Him more beautiful than anything. To see in Him every excellence, and to be compelled to look only at Him to the exclusion of all others. To want to know Him, be with Him, hear the music of His voice, feel His touch and smell the holy fragrance of His presence. To count knowing His heart and mind more precious than anything which can capture our imaginations or desires here. To find Him so pleasing, that nothing else can satisfy. This is to love Him in but the barest terms. Oh to study to love Him with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind and all my strength. This, is to cease from sin.

Luke 2:25–32 (ESV) 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

What is Israel’s great claim to fame? What is their “glory”?

Not the Temple.

Not the Law.

Not the Exodus.

Not Moses

Not the Covenant.

It is Christ.

He was born of them – to them.

Let no man glory in anything save this – Jesus Christ, and Him alone.

What is your glory?

When you think of yourself, what is your claim to fame?

Career?

Family?

Philanthropy?

Something you’ve created, invented, done, patented, accomplished or participated in?

Maybe it is a talent you have, your intelligence, some character trait, physical beauty, strength or athleticism.

The capacity to sail, work with your hands, hunt, garden, sew, cook, make money, remain youthful in age, your children, grandchildren, or some honor conferred by men?

That you are admired, thought of certain ways in certain circles?

Some image you retain of yourself in your own mind?

Jeremiah 9:23–24 (ESV) 23 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

Is knowing Him in the Cross YOUR greatest glory? Or is it something else?