1 – Luke 9:12-13 (ESV) ¹²Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.” ¹³But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.”RAF: The lesson is a profound one. The day will come when the Disciples will be ministering to the people, and the needs of the people will exceed their perception of God’s provision. But, if by faith they will take what they have been given by the Father, and ask His blessing upon it, it will be sufficient – indeed – abundant.

There is great encouragement here for preachers at this point. Many is the time a preacher looks at his notes and wonders how in the world will this ever feed a soul? Yet it is the portion which has been provided that day. Though the needs be never so great, what God provides will suffice. There will be an abundance to meet the need. When once it is consecrated to the Father, it can be broken and will meet the and satisfy all who re there.

2 – Luke 9:17 (ESV) And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

RAF: It is good to remember that God is a God of abundance. To the human eye, the 12 extra baskets seem superfluous. But in His economy, we see there is not simply provision – but abundant provision. Eph. 3:20 reminds us He is able to do far more abundantly than we can ask or think. Though the imagination of man be ever so extravagant – God is always infinitely greater still.

Is there still room at the cross for you sinner? Do not fear. He who fed the multitudes, made provision for more than just them. Come to Christ. You need never fear His lack of willingness or power to save – though He has saved so many already.

3 – Luke 9:42-45 (ESV) ⁴²While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. ⁴³And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, ⁴⁴“Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” ⁴⁵But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

RAF: More astonishing; more important; more worthy of our attention and consideration – than the supernatural deliverance of this young lad – is the death Jesus was about to die. Oh, how many things I assign more importance to than the brutal slaying of my Savior at the hands of men, and the grace of God in using that murder as His own sacrificial Lamb for our sins. These are themes worth pondering. It is no wonder that God has power over the demons. It is a wonder indeed that He would go to such lengths to justify lost men. It is a wonder that He would give His only begotten Son to be our substitute. It is a wonder that He would lay upon Him “the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6) It is a wonder that the God against whom we have wrestled with every fiber of our being, would not relent until He brought His elect to glory. It is a wonder to behold such love, such mercy, such unfathomable grace. It is a wonder to be given new life in Christ, the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. It is a wonder to be adopted into His family – to be set as sons of God with as much familial attachment as Christ Himself. It is a wonder we are loved so. Oh the death of our wonderful Savior! Rom. 11:33 (ESV) “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”

1 – Mark 1:4-5 (ESV) 4John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

RAF: Let no one imagine a salvation that is aimed so as to leave us in our sins. Here we see that repentance from sins and the forgiveness of sins are directly tied to one another. The one coming to Christ must be made aware that they are being called to forsake this world and its ways, self and its dominance – to take up and follow Him. For it is only those who follow Him who will one day be with Him. This will be reinforced by Christ’s own teaching not much further into Mark’s Gospel.

2 – Mark 1:14-15 (ESV) 14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

RAF: Gospel preaching must deal with these central themes. 1. Christ’s Kingdom is dawning – Enter it. Become His subject, His citizen. 2. Amnesty is declared. He will forgive and receive all who come believing His message and turning from sin and self to Him. 3. All this, understanding that- He will yet judge all who refuse.

He comes as a King about to take possession of a conquered land and its people. He gives opportunity for those He is about to take possession of to side with Him and live under His rule and reign. To lay down their arms and become His subjects. He promises them forgiveness for how they warred against Him and didn’t want His rule – and how they have done that from the very beginning – against His Father’s rightful reign as well. They have lived in rebellion all these years – and still He is willing to have mercy and forgive, to grant grace and accept them as His own. And no one in that day would have missed how this works – having seen it in the geopolitical scene since the dawn of time. To those who would not receive Him – certain death was the only other option.

3 – Mark 1:16-20 (ESV) 16Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

RAF: As with all of us, Christ Jesus found these men:

a. Where they were.

b. Doing what they were doing.

c. Because they were who they were.

He find us:

a. In the world

b. Sinning

c. Because we are sinners.

Then He promises to make us the real, or substance, of which we are but shadows at the present. We are but indistinct in our reflection of His image. He promises to recover that in us fully.

1 – John 17:3 (ESV) ³And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

RAF: This, is the great question isn’t it? Do we know Him? Do YOU know Him? Not simply – do you know God is? – everyone knows that, even those who deny it (Rom. 1:18-23). And not – do you merely have some acquaintance with Him? Nicodemus, the Rich Young Ruler and a thousand others could claim that. Not – do you have some true relationship to Him? Jesus’ unbelieving brothers were no different. Not – do you consider yourself His disciple? Judas was truly a disciple and one of His chosen apostles. Not – do you know Christ and His divinity? For the devils themselves know that much. To KNOW God in that it is eternal life, is to know Him such that the wretchedness of this world’s and your own sin are shameful, rebellious and completely “other”, and that He is so perfect and infinitely lovely in every way, that your heart longs after Him and seeks Him and delights in Him. Do you love Him so as to love nothing else as much? Do you know Him so that He captivates your heart and mind? Do you love Him with a constant longing to love Him more and to have others see Him and love Him too? Do you love Him so as to want to make His glories known? Do you know His glories such that every glimpse makes you want more? Do you know Him so that Heaven is to be with Him and to know Him fully? Do you know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent – in mercy and grace to be the propitiation for your sins? Do you know Him?

2 – John 17:6 (ESV) ⁶“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

RAF: In this simple sentence, Jesus defines what it means to “glorify” God. And if we could grasp this, so much else in true religion would at once fall into its proper place. To glorify God, is to MANIFEST His name. In other words, to make Him known as He really is in His nature, character and disposition. Christ walked in perfect holiness. He made it plain for all to see what God’s holiness is, and what it is like to confront it and interact with it. How He hates lies, hypocrisy, greed, hatred, neglect of love, faithlessness, sin of all and every kind – and how He loves what is good, perfect, just, right, holy, sweet, kind, gentle, patient, upright, true, merciful, gracious and in accord with the God of light. God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all – 1 John 1:5. NO darkness at ALL. No defect. No sin. No taint of any kind. Nothing even hinting at evil, injustice, corruption, selfishness, foolishness, failure or error. Nothing that is not absolutely perfect, laudable, glorious, true, holy and desirable. This is how Christ was, how He lived on this earth. This is what He made known to us. That His Father, though infinitely holy and absolutely just, nevertheless was also infinitely merciful and full of grace and forgiveness. That His Father loved the fallen sons of Adam. That His Father would move Heaven and earth to make a way of reconciliation between Himself and lost men. That His Father took no delight in the perishing of the wicked. That His Father would not lose the race He had created, but by sovereign grace would save some of them even though none would seek Him on their own. That His Father would see to it this message of reconciliation was commanded to be preached throughout the world, that through His ambassadors, He would plead with men to come to Him. That His Father would bestow upon all who will believe – not only the forgiveness of sins, but the highest glories of Heaven in adopting them as Sons. That He was the Son, the only begotten Son of such a Father as this, and that to clear His Father’s name from every misunderstanding, calumny, slur, slander and accusation – He would show the Father’s love and how that love draws out such a return of infinite love, that He would give His own life to purchase the forgiveness that alone could save a wretch like me. This dear one is how our Savior glorified the Father. He made Him known. And this then is our great instructive in the same occupation. This is how we glorify God – we make Him known, especially in His mercy and grace – in Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 1 Pet. 2:9-10.

1. John 6:53-56 (ESV) ⁵³So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. ⁵⁵For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. ⁵⁶Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.

RAF: Christ must be our all in all. He is not an add on to life – He must BE our life. If He is not what sustains us, if He is not as vital to our life as bread and water itself, the most basic and necessary of all things – then we do not really know Him.

2. John 7:16-17 (ESV) ¹⁶So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. ¹⁷If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.

RAF: If you are undecided as to whether or not Jesus’ teaching is the truth of God – you can know this about yourself – your own will is still contrary to God’s. You need to be saved. You are standing in a dangerous place. And, if you seek to avoid that reality by quickly affirming that you do believe Christ’s teaching is God’s own – then why do you not obey Him? Why do you not forsake your sins and seek mercy in Christ? Why do you not own Him as Lord of your own life?

3. John 7:37-39 (ESV) ³⁷On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. ³⁸Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” ³⁹Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

RAF: Here, the Scripture reveals to us one of the greatest concepts joined together with the reality of Christ atoning death that simply must be grasped rightly: Only by Christ’s death, burial and resurrection does the promised Spirit belong to the Believer. Indeed, He (the Spirit) is the GREAT promise of the New Covenant (Acts 2:38-39). The Holy Spirit is the one who is charged with bestowing the gifts of God to His children (1 Cor. 12:1-12). The Spirit is the one who makes us to know the love of God as He causes that love to be “poured into our hearts” (Rom. 5;5) and He alone reveals to us the things freely given to us by God (1 Cor. 2:9-12). What the Father ordains, the Son procures and the Spirit bestows. Salvation is a Trinitarian matter from beginning to end. And so it is the Christian life cannot be lived aright unless we learn to live in conscious, constant, deliberate dependence upon the indwelling Spirit of God. this is the promise of Christ to all who believe – that we will become partakers of His Spirit. And so absolute is this connection, that Paul can remind us in Romans 8:9 that “anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him.” Heavenly Father, teach us to drink only at this Well, and to give to others freely from it. Let Christ be glorified in our satisfaction in Him by the Spirit.

4. John 9:24-34 (ESV) ²⁴So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” ²⁵He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” ²⁶They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” ²⁷He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” ²⁸And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. ²⁹We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” ³⁰The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. ³¹We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. ³²Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. ³³If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” ³⁴They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

RAF: It is important for us to remember that men grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord. Sometimes, we can demand too much of young believers – that they posses a theological or doctrinal depth more fit with those older in Christ – before we receive their testimony. One can have quite imperfect ideas of the Savior at first. What they DO know, is that they can “see” and that it is Christ who has done it. As John Flavel once remarked, a baby in its crib, is no less a real child of its father because it cannot recognize his face or understand his words yet. Now what is also true is that as soon as the man in this account was met by Christ and given further truth – he took it readily and believed it. True children of Christ do grow – and do receive His Word, His teaching, and do not reject Him once they get to know more about Him. And as in this case, even if it means they will be rejected by others.  

I am trying to pass on excellent resources to y’all – and “TheMoazWeb” is the newest addition to my blogroll in that effort.

Baruch is a native born Israeli, and a decorated war veteran. He came to Christ through the witness of some faithful Christians in Israel – and he has pastored a Church there for many years. In fact, he just retired from the pastorate in order to devote even more time to writing.

Baruch’s book: “Judaism is not Jewish” – subtitled “A friendly critique of Messianic Judaism” is a must read. For those confused by and/or caught up in the strange world of the popular Messianic Judaism movement in the United States – it is a clear and forceful call to recover a truly Gospel centered Christianity for Jews and Gentiles alike. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

The site is still being developed, but I have every confidence the forthcoming material will be Biblically sound, Christ centered, and spiritually healthy. Do visit often.

You can get there BY CLICKING HERE.

1 – The one-word theme of 2 Corinthians is: SUFFERING. Paul’s opponents sought to discredit his ministry by pointing to all of his suffering as though it meant God was dealing harshly with him. Paul instead shows how suffering is so important to the life of the Christian and our ministry one to another. We will not serve God one iota past what we are willing to suffer in serving Him. Those who want to serve Christ without suffering or who want to preach a Christianity devoid of suffering, distance themselves from the Lord who suffered for them. If suffering is automatically a sign of God’s displeasure or failure in the Christian life – then Jesus was the most miserable failure of all. This necessary theme is expanded upon by Peter in his first epistle.

2 – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

RAF: Christians are not as much repositories for God’s riches, as conduits. Many would like to be useful in ministering to others while at the same time failing to realize that God’s primary way of equipping us for that work – is in meeting OUR need SO that we can then meet another’s. If we are unwilling to need His comforts – the comforts which become ours in the midst and aftermath of suffering – then we need not be surprised if we have nothing to give to anyone else. His blessings pass to and thus through us to others. He does not give us what WE do not need to give to others – but binds us to others by means of the need and His supply in it. It is those who have been comforted in their grief, who are best enabled to minister Christ to the grief of others. Those who have found His supply in want, His support in trial, His peace in the storm and His presence in abandonment and lonliness – then have Him to share with others in the very same circumstances. It is amusing how we pray for faith, but then do not want any trials where we actually have to trust Him for anything. We will plead with Him for opportunities to minister to others, but are unwilling to have needs He has to meet in us first, so that we can truly minister Him and not ourselves to those in like need. It is when we’ve been comforted, that we can best bring Him as comfort to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We could add here that this then exposes the first foundation of any true Gospel ministry in evangelism as well. We are not equipped to call others to flee to Christ for salvation, if we have not known our own sinfulness, and fled to Him for mercy and grace ourselves. It is Heaven’s economy that those who call men to Christ, are those who first know their own desperate need of Him – and how He has met that need by His death at Calvary. Unregenerate preachers are an abomination. Like nurses with numb hands trying to be tender to burn victims in excruciating pain.

3 – 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (ESV) For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

RAF: There is a vast difference between despairing of life or of a situation ever changing for the better, and yielding up to despair altogether. Christians are not required to be unrealistic in their assessments – either for the good or the bad. It is not faithlessness to be in a position where you say – “this does not look like it will ever get any better.” In fact, our unwillingness to accept certain unchangeable realities can bring us to the utmost frustration and defeat. Faithlessness, is seeing the situation, and forgetting that “this” – here and now, is not THE end – imagining that there is NO future whatever. Faithlessness fails to insert the sure hope of the resurrection into the equation. It stops with the circumstances. Paul points to the impossible place he was in with his companions, and then demonstrates how in it, indeed by means of it – God was getting them to look beyond the immediate, and remember that the God who raises the dead is the One above it all. And that if nothing changes here and now – in THAT day, it will. We may be so utterly devoid of resources as to despair that we will even make it through the present circumstance alive. And if we do not – our God will raise us up on the last day. And that is where our hope rests.

4 – 2 Corinthians 1:12-14 (ESV) For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you. For we are not writing to you anything other than what you read and acknowledge and I hope you will fully acknowledge— just as you did partially acknowledge us—that on the day of our Lord Jesus you will boast of us as we will boast of you.

RAF: Paul places no weight on enjoying great comforts or earthly, external trappings as somehow indicating God’s favor. What he prizes is how he has been enabled to live in all of life’s circumstances:

a. With a conscience right before God;

b. Having behaved – conducted himself – in simplicity: sticking to the necessary essentials;

c. and living in sincerity – plain, straightforward transparency, not needing to hide anything;

d. Not reasoning according to this world, but according to Heaven’s wisdom;

e. Living in the knowledge of being people who have received grace;

f. And thus living first and foremost in communicating that grace to others.

This is the the way he first came to them;

this is the way they accepted him at first;

this is the way it still is;

and this is how it is to be when Christ returns.

5 – 2 Corinthians 4:5 (ESV) For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

RAF: In our day, it is not unusual for many to think more about THEIR ministry, than THE ministry. In other words, some are about the business of building their ministry which they want to take on a certain form and by which they wish to identify themselves. It is not uncommon to hear it said: “I have such-and-such a ministry.” This mindset, which appears to be one Paul had to confront in some in the Corinthian Church is met most comprehensively in this text. Note:

a. The proclamation which Paul is about, is NOT about HIS ministry – it is about Christ Jesus. Paul is not as much concerned about having a church planting ministry or a counseling ministry or a healing ministry or a music ministry or anything else of that kind. What he is about, is proclaiming Christ. That may be done in thousands of different contexts – but as the central object, it never changes. The message is more important than the ministry. Whenever this gets reversed, monuments to men are not far behind.

b. The proclamation of Jesus is not simply or merely as Savior – but as Lord. Gospel preaching which does not in the end call men to come to Jesus as their God and King – as their Lord, fails to be Gospel ministry. His Lordship is inherent in the concept of the incarnation – He left His pre-existent glory to take on human flesh. It is inherent in His earthly ministry, displayed as Lord over disease, demons and even the Sabbath. It is inherent in His resurrection – where he is declared to be Lord of all! It is inherent in salvation where we are translated from the kingdom of darkness, into His kingdom – where we become His bond-slaves. We cannot truly preach Him apart from being Lord. This is what we are calling men to, to repent from self-government to Christ’s Lordship.

c. And how then does Paul classify his “ministry?” “Servants” – slaves, for Jesus’ sake. Slaves of Jesus, so that others might know Him.

6 – 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 (ESV) But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

RAF: This portrait of the Christian life is so foreign to our Americanized Western Christianity. Here, the picture painted is of a people constantly or at least repeatedly brought to the end of themseves by circumstances of every kind, SO THAT, His supernatural sustaining power might be demonstrated through us – IN us. While we are alive in these bodies, we are always being given over to circumstances which would seem to destroy us – and by means of it – He brings others to life. It is beyond our comprehension. But Dear Saint, you who have been trested and tried and who have thought that it must mean God has abandoned you or is hanging you out to dry for some unknown reason – listen to this passage. Ease, success, plenty and no adversity are not the presupposed norms of the Christian life. It is just the opposite. And those who would tell you different, are not reliable. This reality remains unknown to them. You in Christ who are standing today in the midst of severe trial, and know full well that you are not doing it by means of even the smallest ability of your own – He is manifesting Himself to the rest of us in your mortal flesh.