ResponsiveReiding

“Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.” (Acts 8:13)

The account of the ministry of Philip in Acts 8 is filled with wonderful things. Many converts. Casting out demons. Healings. The conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch and Philip’s supernatural transport to Azotus. And the strange account of Simon the Magician in Samaria.

This Simon, the text says, had previously amazed the people in his city by performing some supposed feats of magic. Just what, we do not know. But he had a big following. And some called him “the power of God that is called Great.” Pretty big stuff. We also know that when Philip came preaching Christ, and God moved through him in some amazing ways, Simon’s interest was more than a little piqued. Many believed the Gospel Philip preached, and then vs. 13 says “even Simon himself believed.” And he was baptized to boot.

Here’s where things get interesting. You see, there is a species of belief, such as this, rooted apparently in amazement at seeing certain outward signs, which is nevertheless not a saving faith at all. It masquerades as faith, but it isn’t enduring, deep rooted and fruitful faith. It is a faith which steals some temporary life which is little more than the life of a parasite. It has no life of its own, but only that which it draws from its host. And such a faith must one day be exposed and show itself for what it truly is.

It makes the person look shiny and new at first. But in time, that new veneer proves to be a thin coating, and not a fundamental change. Like waxing your car. It looks nice, but it is just a thin coating.

Simon, it appears was simply amazed the same way His former followers were amazed by him. And as amazement at Simon’s activities could save no one, so mere amazement at Philip’s signs could not save either. Just because we might see miraculous things and be amazed by them doesn’t mean we believe Jesus has died for our sins, and are trusting in His atoning work for being reconciled to God the Father. We must trust Him and His work on behalf of our souls, not just gawk at His power.

We need to be more than “Simonized”, we need to be born again. We need to be changed from the inside out by the power of the Spirit, not merely, externally, cleaned up.

So it is we must never forget the Gospel is about Christ reconciling us to the Father – bringing about His Kingdom. It is not about getting some supernatural stream into your life to navigate YOUR life better – getting God to join your team to accomplish your dreams and aspiration. It is about leaving your life behind to join His team and be occupied with His business. Jesus’ parable in Matt. 25:14-30 is built around whether or not we are transacting His business on His behalf in His absence to accomplish His ends. We will give an account of that.

As the account goes on the demonstrate, Simon’s heart had not been affected at all. He was still motivated by greed, recognition, power and even bitterness – a lack of love for others, and certainly not love for his enemies. He had simply added Jesus to the mix. Syncretism, not salvation. Jesus was just another way to get what he always wanted. But such things can’t be the characteristics of those born again by the Spirit. While vestiges of these sins remain, they no longer do so unchallenged, and no longer carry the place of prominence.

As James will tell us in his letter, even the demons acknowledge that God is real, and has power – and they even tremble at that reality. But mere acknowledgment of God’s power is not saving faith in either men or demons. They do not love Him, serve Him or trust Him. We need to be sure we are personally trusting in the finished work of Christ on the cross on our behalf.

So how about you my friend? Have you truly been rescued from sin and death to serve the living Christ? Or have you merely been intrigued. Amazed. Picked up the lingo. Maybe even baptized. But in truth, Christianity is little more than another way to get all things you always wanted anyway.

You get to be around nice people with positive outlooks, cheering each other on and swapping positive aphorisms like trading cards. But in truth, serving Christ has nothing to do with it. Loving Him for His Cross-work is just part of the culture, but has no real impact on your soul so as to seek Christ, His glory and to walk so as to please Him and accomplish His ends. Mourning over sin? Anxious to see Christ glorified and the Father’s name restored in the earth? Wanting to know how you can advance His cause in the world? Or is He just there to help you have a nicer life?

If that’s you, you haven’t been saved my friend, you’ve just been “Simonized?”

And you need to repent can come to Christ.

Filled With The Spirit: What Does That Look Like?

Maybe not what you think.

1. The first mention of this idea we have is in reference to John The Baptizer. Luke 1:15 tells us he was to be filled with the Spirit, “even from his mother’s womb.”

And how did that manifest itself? This is an important point: His being filled with the Spirit was tied to his recognition and declaration of who Christ is, and what He came to do. John 1:19 & 36. So we are reminded in Joh  10:42 that “John did no sign, but everything he said about this man was true.”

John’s being filled with the Spirit had nothing to do with performing signs, wonders, miracles, etc. But with the declaration of Christ and His saving work.

2. Luke 1:41 Elizabeth’s being filled with the Spirit upon Mary’s visit. The key factor? Recognition of the baby in Mary’s womb as “Lord.” Once again, tied to the recognition and declaration of the person and work of Jesus.

3. Luke 1:67. John’s father Zechariah is filled with the Spirit and prophesies. And what is the core of his prophesy? That God has visited His people, raising up the horn of salvation to “show the mercy promised to our fathers.” Once again, a declaration regarding Christ. Added to it is John’s call, to be the one who marks out Christ in his generation.

4. Acts 2:4 & 11. The Day of Pentecost. The 120 were filled with the Spirit and spoke in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. But what takes center stage is that vs. 11 tells us the content of what they spoke. “We hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And Christ was preached. Being filled with the Spirit was tied to declaring the person and work of Jesus.

5. Acts 4:31. Upon the release of Peter and John from prison. The people were “filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” And what was this “word” they continued to declare with boldness? What John and Peter were imprisoned for: “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11-12) Spirit filled declaration of Christ.

6. Acts 6:3-5. When the Church needed to respond to an inequity in the distribution of its resources to the Believing needy – they were told to pick 7 men “of good repute, full of the Spirit and wisdom.” Note, those filled with the Spirit are those who maintain a lifestyle of good repute – and they are marked by wisdom, not foolishness. As we see in the following examples both with Stephen and Phillip, once again this will be tied to a declaration of the person and work of Jesus.

7. Acts 7:54-56. This is at Stephen’s stoning. “Full of the Holy Spirit” he “gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God. And he said, “behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” What was his Spirit-filled declaration? That Christ has ascended and is at the right hand of the Father. A declaration of Christ.

8. Acts 9:17. Ananias is sent to pray for Paul that he might be filled with the Spirit. And the result is that Paul is immediately baptized in a declaration of salvation in Christ, and then engages in declaring the person and work of Christ in the synagogues.

9. Acts 11:22-24. A description of Barnabas. He was one who exhorted Christians to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose. And where did this impetus come from? “He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.” Spirit filled people are good, upright ones, who live trusting Christ. And in their speech, encourage Believers to remain steadfast in serving Christ.

10. Acts 13:9-10. Paul and Barnabas were preaching Christ in Cypress when opposed by Elymas the magician. Paul, “filled with the Holy Spirit” rebuked his hinderance of the preaching of the Gospel. Which in turn resulted in the proconsul giving ear to “the teaching of the Lord.” The proclamation of Christ.

11. Acts 13:52. When the Gentiles at Antioch Pisidia heard that the Gospel was for them, and not the Jews only – they were “filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” The Spirit filled man or woman rejoices in the person and work of Christ preached to them and believed.

12. Rom. 15:13. The God of hope fills us with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit we abound in hope. The Spirit filled person lives in joy and peace and hope because of the finished work of Christ. The verses immediately preceding these are the declaration of the “the root of Jesse.” The declaration of the person and work of Jesus.

13. Eph. 5:18-21. Being filled with the Spirit will bring us address one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs; make melody in our heart to the Lord; give thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; and humble submission to one another out of reverence of Christ. Once again, the Spirit filled life and experience, is one which magnifies Jesus, His Person and His work. Demonstrating the same Spirit He had. And it is the opposite of being drunk with wine where our faculties are impaired. Instead, it sharpens our focus upon Him.

What does the Spirit filled life look like:

1. A perpetual attitude of praise.

2. A perpetual attitude of thankfulness.

3. A perpetual attitude of humility.

4. A perpetual attitude of reverence for Christ – i.e. of concern about His Person, place and purposes.

Life FOR and IN – Him.

Stealing a simile from Dane Ortland: Being filled with the Spirit is like a balloon being filled with helium. It does not weigh down, but lifts up. Makes us lighter. Allows to escape the gravitational pull of sin.

If the declaration of the person and work of Christ by those brought into paths of righteousness for His namesake is not central – it is not a Spirit filled life. All supposed gifts or manifestations aside.

In Acts 1:22, for the first time in Scripture, we encounter a word which has generated no small amount of debate and controversy for the whole of the Church age. Debate which is not likely to subside until Christ returns. The word? PREDESTINATION.

To understand the Bible doctrine of predestination, the first thing we need to do is see that it is a word, and a concept that the Bible itself uses. It’s not an invented idea by man, though, some have taken the doctrine far beyond what the Scripture teaches. So here, it seems best if we confine ourselves to the places it is used in Scripture alone, so that we can see what exactly the Bible means when it uses the word.

First then, we need to look at the word itself. The word which we have translated “predestined” in our English Bibles is the Greek word proorizw  (pronounced – pro-or-id’-zo). It is used six times in the New Testament, and in each of those places it plays a vital role in helping our understanding of how God works within His universe, both spiritually and naturally.

According to Vine’s dictionary of New Testament Words, we see that the Greek word (and thus the English equivalent) means:      1) to predetermine, decide beforehand; 2) in the NT of God decreeing from eternity; 3) to foreordain, appoint beforehand

Easton’s Bible Dictionary gives us this entry: “PREDESTINATION This word is properly used only with reference to God’s plan or purpose of salvation. The Greek word rendered “predestinate” is found only in these six passages, Acts 4:28; Romans 8:29, 30; 1 Corinthians 2:7; Ephesians 1:5, 11; and in all of them it has the same meaning. They teach that the eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree or “determinate purpose” of God governs all events.”

Vincent’s New Testament Word Studies gives us this: “Predestinated (προώρισεν). Revised Version = foreordained. From προ  before, and the word for – to define, the latter word being from  a boundary. Hence, “to define or determine beforehand.”

Kittle’s Theological Dictionary of the New Testament says: “This comparatively rare and late word is used in the Greek Bible only 6 times in the NT sense to “foreordain,” “to predestinate”. Since God is eternal and has ordained everything before time, προορίζειν is a stronger form of ὁρίζειν  [to set a boundary]…

The simple meaning of the word is then, that to predestinate is, to ordain things beforehand.

With that basic and uncontroverted definition in hand, we need to go to the six texts where it is found so that we can understand just how the Holy Spirit used it in communicating to us what He wanted us to know.

1 – Acts 4:27, 28 / The first time the word is used is in Acts 4. It is used in connection with the crucifixion of Jesus. The scene is a familiar one. Peter and John had been arrested for healing the paralytic on the steps of the Temple. After their release, they return to the rest of the Believers, and then enter into prayer. It is in this prayer that they make the following statement in verses 27 & 28: “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Thy holy servant Jesus, whom Thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Thy hand and Thy purpose predestined to occur.”

This is an important passage not only because we see the word used here first, but because in its use we find that there was nothing accidental or unplanned concerning the events surrounding Christ’s death. It demonstrates first, that even the lost are used in the unfolding of God’s plans. This is a powerful revelation of God’s sovereignty. We tend to think of the unsaved as such loose canons that we might be their victims at any time. But Jesus was certainly no victim (in the sense of helplessness) in His death. This confirms what we read in John 10 where Jesus speaks of His impending death with these words: “17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My  Father.”

10 Things to observe about this passage:

1 – “this city” / An appointed city

2 – “were gathered together” / An appointed gathering

3 – “against Thy holy servant Jesus” / An appointed target

4 – “Herod” / An appointed King

5 – “Pontius Pilate” / An appointed governor

6 – “the gentiles) / An appointed geo-political structure

7 – “the peoples of Israel” / An appointed race

8 – “to whatever Thy hand and Thy purpose” / An appointed task

9 – “Thy hand” / By God’s power exerted

10 – “Thy purpose” / According to God’s plan

Second, we see the divine mystery that His plan is executed by men even when they are acting out of their fallen and depraved wills. This is an amazing truth. No man took Jesus’ life from Him, He laid it down. They didn’t know that. They thought they were doing what they wanted to do – never imagining that they were working out God’s pre-ordained plan. But this is the nature of predestination. What God had predetermined to take place, did. He was taking no chances concerning the work upon which salvation depended. Just as there was no chance that Christ would not come and die for our sins, so, there was no chance that His eternal plan would not be worked out – because He predestined it.

Now we have little problem when it comes to something like the central event of all human history, Jesus’ death. It seems fitting that such should be the case with this. But the question arises as to whether or not this same predestination has anything to do with the life of the Believer above and beyond the guaranteeing of redemption through the crucifixion. The remaining passages give us much light on that very thing.

2 – 1 Corinthians 2:7  / “but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory;”

In this passage, Paul remarks that the wisdom which is not of this world – the wisdom he had preached among the Corinthians, was a wisdom which God had all along determined would be a source of the glory of the Church. That God had predestined the Church to find a measure of its glory in that the truth it preaches does not come from men, but from above. This, God has predestined to be the case.

Here, the predestination is of something quite general in nature and widespread. It is not so much applicable to the individual, nor even so much to salvation itself, as much as the fact that this is the means that God predestined to be used in evangelization. It says nothing of what response(s) (if any) would be expected. Only that this “wisdom” would be preached, and that God designed the Church to receive glory as the voice of this preaching. The glory of the Church is wrapped up in the proclamation of the Gospel she preaches.

3 & 4 – Romans 8:29 & 30 / “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”

Now we move into a use of the word which is far more restrictive and directly related to the salvation of individuals. Here we have a chain of logic which the Apostle Paul is unfolding, and which relates the salvation of individuals directly to the concept of predestination.

Note first in verse 29, that those whom God “foreknew”, these He also predestined (determined before hand) that they would eventually be “conformed to the image of His Son.” Predestination in this verse speaks to this one aspect of salvation – the end of those who are redeemed. In fact, this speaks more to the concept of the preservation of the saints, than to how the saints actually become saints. The saints have a sure destiny, and that destiny is to be finally made like Christ.

If Paul had stopped there, we might still have an argument over what it means to “foreknow.” Does it mean simply to have some concept of beforehand, or something else? This gives rise to a question which is sometimes couched in terms of saying “God saw beforehand who would believe, and elected them.” Which of course is no form of predestination at all – but is merely God reacting to something.

If such is the case, then He neither caused nor foreordained, but simply observed. But the following verse makes that question moot by asserting what is often called the ordo salutis, or the “order of salvation.” Here then is the scheme of things as Paul presents it: Those whom God predestined, are the ones whom He called; and those whom He called, are the ones He justified; and the ones He justified, are the ones who are glorified – or conformed to the image of Christ. God predetermines, and then the chain of events required to fulfil what He purposes is set in motion.

Note too, that each step inevitably leads to the other.

This then brings us to the fifth mention of predestination.

5  –  Ephesians 1:5 / “He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.”

Now we are looking at a verse that directly links the notion of how it is that saints become saints, with predestination. Here, the predestination is to adoption itself, or the reality of becoming a child of God. Who are those who being regenerated by the Spirit of God, then cry out “abba father?” It is those whom God predestined, or chose before hand. In His divine wisdom, He makes this determination. No one else participates in it, nor affects it. If we use the language of John 1, we see the whole thing laid out before us in startling clarity: John 1:11 “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” The first part we take in easily, that Jesus came to His own people, the Jews, and for the most part, they utterly rejected Him. “But” says John, to those who did receive Him, Jesus gave authority to become “sons of God” – adopted in the family, with all of its rights and privileges. And how does that occur? They are born into it – not by blood (a physical birth), nor because of some physical desire, not even because they had the will in themselves unto that end – but “of God.” God having willed it, accomplished it. He predestined us (the sons) to our adoption through Jesus Christ – not according to OUR will, but according to the kind intention of HIS will. This is a most amazing reality for certain. Men become sons of God by the God who makes them to be sons, having decided beforehand who He would so adopt in Christ. That is the plain and simple language of the passages before us. We can only refuse those words if we have some theological point of view to defend. This is what the words plainly communicate.

6 – Ephesians 1:11  / “also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.”

Lastly, we come to this sweetly comforting verse in Ephesians 1, which follows close on the heels of the previous one. Here, the subject is not the Believer’s salvation per se, but the whole of what his salvation holds in promise for him, i.e. his inheritance.

Quite simply: God Himself is the One who determined beforehand to make us His sons through Jesus Christ, adopting us ONLY according to the kind intention of His own will. But in doing so, He also foreordained that as sons, we should share in the Son’s inheritance. This is not a mere external relationship, but a familial one which makes us rightful heirs. Heirs of an inheritance of which the Holy Spirit Himself is the down payment (Eph. 1:14). And which, according to 1^st Peter 1:4, is “reserved in heaven for you”, which is “imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away.”

To wrap it all up in terms of the Believer we can rightly put it this way:

As sure as it was that Jesus would die when He did, how He did, where He did, and why He did – just so – the glory of the Church He died to redeem is wrapped up in the gospel she preaches to the world; and is comprised of those God intends to fully conform to the image of His only begotten Son by calling us, justifying us, glorifying us and preserving us unto the eternal inheritance He has laid up for us in Heaven.

And what then does the Believer receive by means of this all? Incredible comfort and confidence.

“But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hand” Psalm 31:14-15a

“But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 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.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 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.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” John 20:11-16

Sometimes, asking the right question makes all the difference in the world. Asking the wrong one can be equally revealing.

Once I was employed by a company, but was asked to fill in for a leaving service manager until they could hire a new one. When the hiree came in for his first day of work – we shook hands, I welcomed him aboard, and before we could even have our first cup of coffee he asked: “How soon do you think I can get some time off?”

At the first opportunity, I went to my boss and told him I thought we had the wrong guy for the job. He was more interested in how quickly he could get time off, (turns out – so that he could do some fishing) than asking a single question about the job. Assured by the boss he was the right man – I went about training him. He lasted about 6 weeks. Guess he really did want that time off.

The Bible often does not answer the questions we are asking, but steers us toward more important ones. God knows we very often ask the wrong ones. He never does. What stands out in this text is the question the risen Jesus poses to dear Mary Magdalene.

In essence, Jesus is asking Mary to ask herself something of supreme importance. Something quite different than the question she was asking.

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.

“Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

How thick and dull my own heart and mind can be. Confronted with the facts, maybe even with the appearance of angels themselves – still I look 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 or confusion today – which Jesus are you trusting in? And if He is whom He said He was and proved so 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.

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” Jn 14:1–3.

What must this be? Jesus, God in flesh, knowing each one better than we can possibly know ourselves, preparing: Contemplating and designing laboring with thought and love and genius, a place – FOR me. For you. So well suited, so perfectly made with each in mind that we might want this place and no other – for He is there. And He has made it for us, that we might dwell there with Him. What wonder!

I am reminded of the words of John Flavel which I have quoted oft before: “It enhances our knowledge of the love of God in giving Christ, by remembering that in giving him he gave the richest jewel in his cabinet; a mercy of the greatest worth, and most inestimable value, Heaven itself is not so valuable and precious as Christ is: He is the better half of heaven…Ten thousand thousand worlds…as many worlds as angels can number, and then as a new world of angels can multiply, would not all be the bulk of a balance, to weigh Christ’s excellency, love, and sweetness. O what a fair One! what an only One! what an excellent, lovely, ravishing One, is Christ! Put the beauty of ten thousand paradises, like the garden of Eden, into one; put all trees, all flowers, all smells, all colours, all tastes, all joys, all sweetness, all loveliness in one; O what a fair and excellent thing would that be? And yet it should be less to that fair and dearest well-beloved Christ, than one drop of rain to the whole seas, rivers, lakes, and fountains of ten thousand earths. Christ is heaven’s wonder, and earth’s wonder.

Now, for God to bestow the mercy of mercies, the most precious thing in heaven or earth, upon poor sinners; and, as great, as lovely, as excellent as his Son was, yet not to account him too good to bestow upon us, what manner of love is this!”

“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Jn 11:5–6.

It is true, that sometimes, the ways of God are truly inscrutable. And it is why we are called to walk by faith, and not by sight.

But what does it really mean to walk by faith?

Ministries often market themselves as “faith” ministries. And what they mean by that is that they depend upon your giving or mine to sustain themselves. But is that faith as the Bible uses it? I don’t think so.

Others (oddly enough) think that walking by faith is getting secret messages from God all the time about all the details of their lives. In fact, if they need to get these secret communications, they aren’t walking by faith at all, but by means of supposed, tangible communications.

Walking by faith, is located in trusting the character of God, and the promises of God as rightly interpreted from His Word.

And so we get a profound example in this account, to steer us in that very direction.

As it was in this case with Lazarus, so still, it is not due to any lack of love on God’s part, that He sometimes allows us to undergo inexplicable and heartbreaking experiences. As Believers, we can be assured that His intention and role in them, is love. But oh the anguish of those who do not know Him, and have no such promises to sustain them in their trials.

And note how the text says He loved all three. He does not choose to act as He does in waiting because He can only show love to one or two at the expense of another. His wisdom is as infinite as His love. It isn’t as though in God’s economy He can only love one at a time or has to shortchange one in order to bless another. He intricately weaves all of them together. He has all the parties in mind at once. His waiting and then His raising of Lazarus is best for Lazarus, best for Martha, best for Mary, best for His disciples, best for the Townsfolk, and all these generations removed, best for you and me to witness it all.

For those who are loved of Christ as His own, His wisdom, love and eternal purposes to glorify the Father and secure the fullest possible salvation for all who believe may be inscrutable – but it is real. And it is here we are to rest. It reminds me of the words of George Matheson’s famous hymn:

O Love that will not let me go,

I rest my weary soul in thee;

I give thee back the life I owe,

That in thine ocean depths its flow

May richer, fuller be.

O Light that foll’west all my way,

I yield my flick’ring torch to thee;

My heart restores its borrowed ray,

That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day

May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,

I cannot close my heart to thee;

I trace the rainbow through the rain,

And feel the promise is not vain,

That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,

I dare not ask to fly from thee;

I lay in dust life’s glory dead,

And from the ground there blossoms red

Life that shall endless be.

Luke 23:39–43 (ESV) — One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Here is the essence of true faith on full display: When one makes their choices based upon believing God’s promises, above their immediate experience. This man’s eyes were opened in this moment. And repenting of his sin (Matt. 27 says that they BOTH were reviling Jesus at first) – he now defends Jesus. Defends Him, and calls upon Him. Calls upon Him when Jesus appears His weakest and most unable.

And this is faith in us, when we call upon Him even when He appears unable, or unwilling to answer, or when we are met with silence, and our situation doesn’t change at all. To still cast ourselves upon Him knowing that the end of the story is beyond our present trials, tribulations, sorrows, griefs and circumstances. We’ve not yet reached the other side of the Cross.

I think Alexander Whyte captures the wonder of it perfectly below.

“Some say that Paul will sit next to Christ in Paradise. I cannot but think that Paul will insist on giving place to this very prince and leader of all New Testament believers. Anybody could have believed and laboured all their days after being caught up into the third heaven, and after seeing Christ sitting there in all His glory. But Christ was still on His cross, and His glory was as black as midnight, when all the faith of the church of God found its last retreat and sure fastness and high tower in the thief’s unconquerable and inextinguishable heart.” (Alexander Whyte – Bible Characters Vol. 4)

In Luke’s Gospel, there are no less than 4 accounts of healing, which include Jesus saying to the one(s) healed – “your faith has made you well” – or “saved you.” But what does He really mean by that?

For some, this has been taken to mean that if I just have enough faith, or the right kind of faith, no matter my issue – it will be resolved the way I want. But is that really what’s going on here? I don’t think so.

In Luke’s order, the accounts run like this:

Luke 7:50. In this case, a woman of ill-repute – at least in the eyes of Simon the Pharisee – anointed Jesus with perfume, wept at His feet so that they needed dried with her own hair, and kissed them. It made everyone uncomfortable. In the exchange, Jesus tells the parable of one begin forgiven a great debt, versus one begin forgiven a smaller one – and He asks His host: Of the 2, which do you think will love the forgiver more? Simon correctly responds, that the one forgiven more would love more. Jesus then turns to the woman while still talking to Simon, commending her lavish outpouring while noting Simon’s lack of simple hospitality. In what way then did her faith “save her?” In that she believed Jesus could, and did, forgive her of her sins.

Note this then, her faith did not “believe” in the abstract. Her faith led her to look to Christ for what was needed. Do not miss this absolutely crucial concept. Faith by itself did (and does) nothing. Faith that bring us to trust Jesus for our needs – that is healing and saving faith. This gets reinforced in our second example.

Luke 8:48. Here is a woman who has been chronically ill for a dozen years. She is convinced that Jesus has the power to heal her. And even though as “unclean” she should not be carelessly navigating a public gathering, she presses through and touches the hem of His robe. Jesus senses it. And upon calling her out says: “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

Once again we see that faith did not do this in a vacuum, as though faith had power in itself. What her faith did was bring her to Christ, and to trust HE could work. Faith does nothing on its own. Faith is neither a “work”, nor a generic cosmic force we can somehow tap into for our own uses, it is looking to Christ.

And note the nature of her faith. She did not imagine she needed Him to stand and make pronouncements, move mountains, still seas, rebuke storms or demons – she knew all she needed was the slightest touch. That grace and mercy are so grand, so expansive, that the slightest true touch – even of just His garment, will transform in the most unspeakably glorious and powerful way.

What we need every day, is the sense of our need being great enough, to press through the mob of all that claims our attention and seems to make Him distant, to but touch the hem of His robe. Lord Jesus, let me come to you – today! This is the place of prayer. This is how faith works. It simply brings us to look to and trust Him.

Our third occasion is in Luke 17:19. This takes place in a Samarian village where Jesus is appealed to by 10 people with leprosy. They cried out for mercy. And Jesus told them to go get examined by the priests to see if they were clean. One of them however was a Samaritan. He could not go to the priests, they would not have received him. But apprehending his healing, runs back to Jesus, praising God and falling at Jesus’ feet. And Jesus says to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

Now did his faith somehow how heal him apart from Jesus? No. What had his faith done? Same as with the 2 we’ve already looked at – it simply allowed him to recognize that his hope was in Jesus, and led him to call upon Jesus for his need. It didn’t heal him in some detached access to a cosmic force. Faith always inclines the soul to look to Christ. It does no performing on its own. Biblical faith always brings us to Him for our need. Our every need.

Luke 18:42. Lastly is the case of a blind man on the outskirts of Jericho. Hearing a commotion, he asked what it was. And finding out it was because Jesus of Nazareth was passing by – he cries out, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus tells other to bring the man to Him, and asks what the man wants. And the man says: “Lord, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus replies: “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.”

As with the 3 we’ve already seen, faith did not just operate in some mystical way. His faith did one thing – it prompted him to believe that Jesus was capable of meeting his need, that his need was mercy, and that that mercy was to be found in Jesus. And note, his faith was not that he would be able to see, but that Jesus was able to give him sight. It is the object of our faith makes all the difference.

In all four then we see the very same core concept: Faith does not somehow operate on its own. Faith, real faith, Biblical faith – simply leads us to seek Christ. If He is not the object of our faith, it isn’t faith, it is the pursuit of some magical power to get what we want.

Faith, is trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Trust in who He is, and believing what He has said.

Faith keeps us seeking and trusting Him. Period.

“And all were astonished at the majesty of God.” Luke 9:43

I love the word “astonished” here. Mounce expresses it “to strike out of one’s wits.”

We live in a day an age where 2 things (among others) militate against our being truly astonished at God and His goodness and grace. Struck out of our wits.

First is the way both the news media and social media hype everything as the ultimate, earth ending crisis. I heard a teaser the other day for a news broadcast and the host – referring to a current issue said: “it’s a heath crisis, it’s a humanitarian crisis, it’s national security crisis!” Well good golly, if this one issue (and it is indeed a true issue) is to be magnified to such a degree – then what are we to do with everything else in life? And compare that to people living for decades in war-torn countries under murderous regimes and in the worst of poverty.

Second, is the way computer generated effects in the movies create sight and sound spectacles which are truly overpowering. But in the final analysis these are not real. They are total fabrications. Nevertheless, they desensitize us to things which are astounding in reality. It takes more and more to astonish us. And with movie-makers doing the imagining for us on the screen, we lose the capacity to rightly use our God-given imaginations when contemplating historical accounts when reading the simple facts as presented in the Word.

Here, in this account, the ones who saw this deliverance at the hand of Jesus were rightly “astonished at the majesty of God.” And we would do well not to pass over the passage so quickly that we are not astonished with them. A little boy, so horribly afflicted and terrorized by demonically induced convulsions that make him foam at the mouth, and “shatter “ him – for years. A father, seeing his only son in this unthinkable condition, having to rescue him from certain death when being thrown into the water and even fire at times.

And then Jesus – with a word – rebuking the unclean spirit even as it was convulsing the lad and throwing him to the ground – and giving him back to his father, completely delivered.

Astonishing!

But go with me a bit more today.

Even 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 “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”

Turn your sanctified imagination loose on those things today. Be astonished at the majesty of God in saving grace through Jesus Christ.

“It’s as easy as taking candy from a baby.” It’s a proverbial saying, indicating how effortless something might be. And when it comes to the account in Luke 8 of Jesus raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead – it is implied by Jesus.

This Jairus we are told, was a “ruler of the synagogue.” This would have been where Jesus had His home at the time, in Capernaum. And as the “ruler”, Jairus would have been what we might call the lead elder. He would have been responsible for making the weekly worship arrangements and more. A devout Jew. And his little girl, was only 12. In all probability, Jesus knew them both.

Implored by Jairus to come to his house and heal his daughter, Jesus unhesitatingly responds. While still on the way, they receive the news the little girl had died. But Jesus tells Jairus to trust Him, and they keep going.

Upon reaching the house, it is a sad scene indeed. These people were not fools. They knew death when they saw it. Their perceptions were not wrong. But they had no idea how different things are to King of Glory, versus us. So Jesus, somewhat enigmatically at this point says to them: “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” And their response? “They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.”

But here’s the point – to Jesus, raising the dead, was no more difficult than rousing a child from a nap. We simply don’t get that. And it isn’t that raising the dead isn’t miraculous, it is. But, to this Jesus, because of who and what He is – because His power is so great, so transcendent, because He is truly master and Lord of all creation – He alone can say, she is just sleeping.

This beloved, is the Christ who died for you, and who is at this moment at the right hand of the Father, interceding for all His own. Remember that in the things you bring before Him in prayer today.

To the God of all the universe

To the Christ who’s Lord of all

To this Jesus, God incarnate

What is death’s but flimsy pall?

To Him, to raise the dead to life

To Him, to void the grave

To this Jesus, God incarnate

What is life, but what He gave?

To us, to wake a sleeping child

To us, the simpl’st act

To this Jesus, God incarnate

Resurrection’s no great craft