ResponsiveReiding

Through the Word in 2020 #164 – Dec. 1 / Lazarus Laughed

December 1st, 2020

For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

It’s the gift-giving time of the year, and the perennial question always arises: “What do you give to someone who has everything?”, or, simply doesn’t NEED anything? But of our 3 texts today: Revelation 3:14-4:11 and Daniel 9-11, it is John 12:1-11 that spins that question in a whole new way. How do you threaten someone who’s already lost everything? Better yet, who’s already died?

I’m Reid Ferguson and this is Through the Word in 2020.

I’ll have to admit I find the idea that the Chief Priests made plans to put Lazarus to death after Jesus raised him from the dead – hilarious. Not because Lazarus couldn’t die again – he could and eventually did. But because he had been there, and knew first hand the power over death his Savior truly wielded.

And so we have this imagined conversation in poem form.

Enjoy.

Laz’rus! Have you heard the news?

The word’s all over town

The Priests, the Scribes and Pharisees

all want to bring you down

They’re plotting when and planning where

its best to take you out

Their minds are set, their hearts are hard

They’ll move without a doubt

The more I squawked and stammered on

the more his face would shine

And leaning back in perfect peace

He said “son, pay no mind”

“They’re scheming what? Now think with me

To kill me? That’s the plan?

Now hear me son, I’ve walked that path,

and walked it back again

“They really think that’s going to throw

a panic into me?

I’ve stared at death from inside out

and that’s some sight to see!

“Now I’m supposed to shake and quake

at threats from mortal men,

And hold my tongue from telling all

Christ raised me up again?

“You’ve got…, you’ve got…”, he started out

in trying to explain

“You’ve got to just be be kidding me!”

Then, like bursting from some pain –

He let a howl from deep inside

escape with such a roar

I’m sure they heard him miles away

Or three or maybe four

The loudest, deepest, grandest laugh

that ever man has heard

erupted till the rafters shook.

A laugh the whole world heard.

As tears were streaming down his cheeks

he heaved and gasped for air

Then thinking he had stopped himself

broke out again and blared

“They’re going to try and kill me!

The man who Jesus raised!

Like death could ever scare me now –

Christ’s precious name be praised!”

And then he laughed, and laughed some more

Till all of us laughed too

in joy too deep for human words

Though shared by all too few

The promise of eternal life

Came crashing in on all

That Jesus truly conquered death

And triumphed o’er the Fall

No fear of death bound Lazarus

No threat could make him doubt

He’d known the power of Christ our Lord

Though buried – he came out

At just a word from Jesus’ lips

the power of death was gone

and life returned to lifeless flesh

The Kingdom Light had dawned

The day will come when we’ll laugh too

The trump of Christ will sound

And all the dead in Christ the Lord

will rise up from the ground

And meeting Jesus in the air,

with all who still remain

With Lazarus and all the rest

We’ll laugh at death and pain

In raptured sobs of joy and glee

We’ll reign with Him on high

And never feel the whispered lisp

Of pain or grieving’s sigh

We’ll shake our head like Lazarus did

at the foolishness of fear

To think – we’re loved by Christ the King

No joy, can be so dear

No doubt when Lazarus heard the news

that men sought his dispatch

He just lit up and shook his head –

Don’t doubt it, Laz’rus laughed

One day, all the dead in Christ will laugh like this too.

God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 #163 – Nov. 30 / O-O-O!

November 30th, 2020

For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

I trust you all had as wonderful a Thanksgiving as my family was blessed to have. And as we come to our readings for today, the reasons for such thanksgivings to continue are not hard to find.

In Daniel 7:9-8:27 we read of God’s superintendence over all the nations of the earth and how He is Lord over human history. In Revelation 3:7-13 He is Lord over His Church even when she seems at her weakest. In John 11:38-57 Jesus is Lord over death itself. And in Psalm 139 we are treated to the “big three O’s” of our God; His Omniscience, Omnipresence and Omnipotence.

That’s our focus today on Through the Word in 2020. I’m Reid Ferguson.

Psalm 139 has been a favorite of mine for many years now. It’s structure is deceptively simple as it puts forth some of the most profound and comforting realities about our God in such few and easily accessible words.

vss. 1-6 serve as a survey of God’s Omniscience – how He knows EVERYTHING. Nothing is hidden from His view. Which David takes to heart in a most personal way – as you and I are meant to. He knows all of our ways – from the most mundane and personal to the most public. Intimately acquainted with us each individually. Down to when we sit down or stand up. And stunningly painted in the words of vs. 5 where David notes that His God’s hand was at work in all of David’s past, and what will be in his future, and in the present – he knows the hand of his God is on Him. So it is with every Believer.

vss. 7-12 are a survey of His Omnipresence. No matter where we go, no matter what our circumstances, in darkness or light or even in the grave – our God is with us. He is never away from us. We may not sense it, but we can know it because it is part of who and what He is by nature – the God who is everywhere at once. And that means with each of His children all of the time. You, dear Christian, are never alone.

In 13-16 David recounts God’s Omnipotence – and that, in considering his own creation. How God formed him to make the David he is. Even as God formed you, crafted you meticulously to be the you, you are.

He goes on then in 17-18 and looks at God’s personal care for His own.

And then in 19-22 The Psalmist brings the above sections to bear in his struggle with his enemies. We are meant to make this conclusion: In all we face – God knows. God is present. God is powerful to act. God loves me.

And so we see in 23-24 that such considerations produce humility, and the desire to follow after our great and wonderful God.

Humility, and profound confidence. Beloved, your God is completely omniscient – He knows everything, and everything which concerns you. He is omnipresent – with you at all times and in every place. Omnipotent, and never without power to act on your behalf. And He loves you.

O – O – O. What a God.

God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 #162 – Nov. 25 / 10 Things about the Good Shepherd

November 25th, 2020
NOTE: At the time of publishing this, my Podcast provider was not in service. I hope to have the audio up soon. In the meantime, the print version will have to do. Sorry for the inconvenience.

For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

Of the various ways Jesus referred to Himself – I find the extended parable in John 10 of the Good Shepherd exceedingly sweet. In vs. 11 He says plainly “I am the Good Shepherd.” And I want to take a minute to see 10 things in this parable that Jesus reveals about Himself that ought to make the heart of every Believer sing.

I’m Reid Ferguson, and this is Through the Word in 2020.

I hope you’re keeping up with our reading schedule. We don’t have much further to go in finishing out the year. And passages like those today in John 10, Revelation 3:1-6 and Daniel 1:8-2:49 are truly rich. But this parable Jesus tells about Himself in John 10 just rejoices the heart in spectacular ways.

I note 10 things.
1. Jesus is the one, the only one the “gatekeeper” allows to pass. Who or what is the gatekeeper? The Law. The Law had us pent up and imprisoned. And no one can pass through it to freedom. None but Christ alone. He fulfilled the Law, so that it can be no barrier to Him. He enters, that He might become our Shepherd and bring us out.
2. He calls His own by name. Jesus knows us each. Intimately. Personally. Indeed, He is the one who names us for Himself, and then calls us each individually. We are a large flock, but He never looses sight of each and every one.
3. And He does indeed lead us. He never leaves His sheep to their own devices. He is always calling to us through His Word, and pricking our ears by His Spirit. He leads us out from the constraints of the Law to the joy and freedom of cleansed consciences, forgiven sins, full justification, and the unbreakable promise of the resurrection.
4. He goes before us. He never sends us where He is unwilling to go Himself. Even to the cross. And He goes before us even there that we might know that in Him, our safety is assured.
5. He came to grant us abundant life. Life in the reality of God’s creation, plans and purposes. Not mere existence, but plunged into the meaning of life itself – in Him.
6. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He dies in our place. He spares nothing, not even His own life to rescue us from sin and condemnation. And yet He also ever lives to make intercession for us.
7. He knows His own. He is not just acquainted with us – He knows us. Every doubt, fear, foible, failing and concern. Nothing troubles our heart or mind that He is not immediately aware of, and present to meet us. If no one else in all the world really knows us – He does. Nothing is hidden from Him. And nothing He knows alters His love.
8. He will bring in His sheep from all corners to make us into one flock. And what marks them all out as one is that all His sheep listen to His voice. His global work culminates in joining all His into one in Himself.
9. He gives to each of His sheep – eternal life. Eternal, not temporary. They will never perish. They cannot perish. For He is their Shepherd, their guardian. He will bring them safely home to the Father. Each one will make it.
10. No one can snatch His sheep out of His hand. No one. Not Satan. Not the World. Not some other person. Not even ourselves. Not only can no one snatch us out of His hand, His solemn prophetic word here is – no one WILL take us away from Him. For we are a gift to Him from the Father, the Father who is greater than all – God almighty. And none can overcome Him.
As you celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow – remember the glory of your Good Shepherd. This is His theology of His own care for us.

Believe it.

Rest in it.

God willing, we’ll be back next Monday.
Through the Word in 2020 #161 – Nov. 24 / It wouldn’t surprise me

November 24th, 2020

For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

I’m neither a prophet, nor the son of a prophet, but the more I read Scripture, the more some dynamics of how God deals with His people in various seasons shakes me a bit. When I read Ezekiel 46:16-Daniel 1:7, I see God’s people exiled for their lack of fidelity to God. The sorest point? They were removed from God’s appointed worship. In Psalm 137 I hear God’s people lament how their sins had brought them be removed from Jerusalem and the Temple – where God’s presence was manifest, and where proper worship was to be carried out. In Revelation 2:12-29 I read of God’s continual warnings of His intervention if the Churches do not pay heed. And in John 9, I see the established religious leadership unable to discern what is plain before them in Jesus’ miracles, and the judgment He says will follow that.

And it wouldn’t surprise me, if something like what we see in all of these passages may not be happening right now to the Church in America.

I’m Reid Ferguson, and we’ll talk a bit more about that today on Through the Word in 2020.

Many in the Church right now are truly up in arms about the nature of COVID restrictions and how they have impacted our worship practices. And there is cause for much concern. Given the nature of our Constitutional democracy, freedom of worship for us – unlike many parts of the world and most previous generations – we see as a fundamental right. The ancient Jews as God’s chosen people in their own land certainly thought that way too.

But something happened.

God’s people as a larger whole, kept slipping increasingly from mere perfunctory religion to immorality and disobedience of all kinds, to outright idolatry. And at that, they blended their immorality, greed, oppression of the poor, and even child sacrifice, WITH their Temple worship. They self-identified as God’s Israel, but all the while lived, thought, reasoned and acted like the world at its worst.

Forgive me if that sounds a bit too familiar.

But just take a good hard look at professing Christianity in America today. Our rampant immorality, greed, and failure to impact society in the matter of child sacrifice. Indeed, child sacrifice in the very name of the Church. Look at the lunacy preached from many pulpits. The unchecked heretical insanity. The abandonment of the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word. The redefining of Biblical concepts like the new birth, justification, and the new ritualism rising everywhere. The embrace of the LGBTQ+ agenda; the backing of organizations like Black Lives Matter (when indeed, Black lives DO matter); more hope in politics than the Gospel; and Christianity as the means to achieve our personal goals, dreams and ambitions rather than being called into the service of our Lord to accomplish His ends in ourselves and in the world.

And then we stand in our righteous indignation that in the face of the COVID-19 crisis – worship is restricted?

We may need to re-examine that approach.

I wouldn’t be surprised that this is indeed God’s hand in response to the low state of Biblical Christianity in America today.

Now were there sound men and women of Godly fidelity in Israel’s day? Of course! Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael just to name a few. Just as there are some great Churches today. And what of them? They suffered exile from worship along with the mass. AND! And they called God’s people to repentance, with the promise of restoration.

And it wouldn’t surprise me, if preaching along those lines ought to begin to play a much larger role in our place and time as well. For this we know: “this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 #160 – Nov. 23 – Inclusive/Exclusive

November 23rd, 2020
For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

It’s pretty common to think of Jesus as being sort of all-inclusive. The cosmic good-guy who just accepts everyone, makes no demands. “The People’s” savior if you will – with nothing of exclusivity about Him. But is that really the way the Bible portrays Him?

We’ll spend a minute on that today on Through the Word in 2020.

I’m Reid Ferguson.

3 passages call for our attention today, Ezekiel 43:13-46:18; Revelation 1:1-8 and the very important dialog with Jesus recorded in John 8:39-59.

As I already mentioned, pop-theology tends to paint the picture of an “everyman” Jesus. And in one sense – this is most blessedly true. His “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” is a wonderfully universal call. And His charge to the Disciples to “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” is equally broad and unambiguous. But reading and understanding the Scriptures – and thus understanding Jesus Himself – requires more than plucking one passage here and there and making that the whole of our understanding.

So when we come to a passage like this one in John, it is the words of Jesus Himself that give vital additional context.

Now in this brief discussion, Jesus makes 3 eye-opening statements. Probably surprising to many.
1. “If God were your Father, you would love me.” We need to make no mistake here. Are you a child of God? Is God truly your Father? How can you know for sure? Well, if God is your Father, you love Jesus Christ. If you do not love Him, God is not your Father. You still need to be born again.
A number of years ago I was on a panel with the Roman Catholic Bishop of Rochester. In a joint statement we were asked to help craft, he submitted that we begin by affirming that all people are children of God. When I raised an objection to that idea and appealed to this passage, he couldn’t deny that these verses contradicted his personal theology. We had to find very different wording. But the bottom line is just what Jesus said here – if God were our Father, we would love Him. And if we do not love Him, then the only conclusion is, God is not our Father.

2. Jesus went on to say: “Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires.” Now if the first statement weren’t hefty enough, this one is like a sledgehammer. When we reject Christ’s teaching, when it makes no sense to us, we are alerted to the fact that we alienated from God, and our desires are those in actual opposition to His. We are lost, and desperately need a Savior.

3. “Why do you not believe me?…Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not from God.”

That is a 3rd and definitive strike is it not? To fail to believe all He said and taught is proof we are not from God. And Jesus is unequivocal on that count. We cannot reject Him and His word and be right with God. Talk about exclusive!

That dire reality being the case, we are grateful then to go back to those 2 verses I cited at the top of this discussion. If you find yourself excluded under Jesus’ criteria here – then come to Him. Run to Him. All you who are weak and heavy laden in your sin.

Because He also adds: John 6:38-40 “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me…For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 #159 – Nov. 20 / Do you get it yet?

November 20th, 2020

For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

If you’ve ever tried to remember someone’s phone number, or perhaps directions, you know how you repeat it over and over to yourself until it “sticks.” To be honest, the older I get, the less “sticky” my brain seems to be. Nevertheless, repetition is one of the best ways to get something deep down inside. Our God is well aware both of how that works in us, and how in the aftermath of the Fall – spiritual truths seem more difficult to find permanent lodging in our consciousness. It is why passages like Psalm 136 exist.

More on that today on Through the Word in 2020.

I’m your host, Reid Ferguson.

At the end of Ezekiel 40:44-43:12 – God tells the prophet to be sure he writes down all he has seen and to describe it to His people, so that they really get what God is all about. In Revelation 2:1-11, we twice hear what will close every one of the 7 letters to the Churches: “he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churchES” – plural. Make note of it. Don’t let it slip. And in John 8:12-38 the passage begins with “again Jesus spoke to them.” We need vital spiritual truth repeated to us over and over and over.

So, of the 26 verses in Psalm 136, the statement that His steadfast love endures forever, occurs in every one of them. If you didn’t get the message the first time, you should by the end.

What is of particular note, is the variety of contexts in which His enduring, steadfast love is being evoked.

In verse 1, it is simply because God is good. In His steadfast love enduring forever, we realize then that His goodness endures forever – as a manifestation of His steadfast love.

In verse 2, it is His supremacy as the God of gods – or His being absolutely supreme over all which invokes a remembrance of His steadfast love. It is a supreme love.

In 3, we have a Lord above all other lords with whom we may have to do – and His steadfast love endures forever.

In 4, He is the one who does great wonders; in 5 the One who made the heavens by a thoughtful, purposeful design. In 6 He was wise in the separation of earth and water, and in 7, how He appointed the cycle and characteristics of day and night.

Once again, we are asked to consider all of these as products of an everlasting and enduring love.

Even when fleeing from their enemies, or being delivered from them by miraculous means, when there is judgment poured out, and when provision is made. In every act, under all circumstances, in the deepest depths and in the highest heights, He is a God who is so full of love, so steadfast and sure, that His love will endure to all generations, and prevail in every circumstance.

Dark days attended God’s people. But their God did not change. Mighty upheavals and changes occurred. But still He remained the same. In His rescuing the Jews from Egypt, and we from our sin – in every place and at all times, no matter how extreme or mild, pleasant or unbearable – Our God’s steadfast love endures forever.

It can never be shaken. And it is never to be interpreted as less than it is because of outward or inward turmoil of any kind.

Seasons change. Circumstances change. We change. Our feelings, hopes, aspirations and reasonings change. But His steadfast love endures forever.

Maybe if we hear it 26, 27 or 27,000 times – we’ll finally get it.

Maybe, if He repeats it enough, it will finally sink in.

But whether we get it or not – the truth remains dear one: His steadfast love, endures – forever.

This is all the Christian’s hope and joy in Christ.

God willing, we’ll be back Monday.
Through the Word in 2020 #158 – Nov. 19 / “Fear Not!”

November 19th, 2020

For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

Revelation. Spurgeon, denominated the Prince of the Victorian Preachers said: “Only fools and madmen are positive in their interpretation of the Apocalypse.” He didn’t mean we couldn’t get anything from it – Spurgeon had a quite well defined view of last things. But he was wary of laying down strict schemes of events from it. And I could not agree more.

That said, I found preaching through the book extraordinarily profitable for my own soul – especially when spending time on passages like Rev. 1:9-20. The plain picture and words of comfort there aren’t dependent upon having a well thought out system of how human history will come to a close. As Ezekiel 40:5-43 begins to unpack the grand end God has in store for His people symbolized by the Temple imagery there, and Jesus displays His mercy and grace in the most sweet and tender way He deals with the woman caught in adultery in John 7:53-8:11 – It is the “fear not” of Jesus to John I’d like to turn our eyes to today.

Fitting – in our fearful time.

I’m Reid Ferguson, and this is Through the Word in 2020.

John was in a tough spot. He was an old man. The last of the Apostles. In exile on a remote island after having escaped being boiled in oil. Alone. Persecuted by a hostile government. Concerned about the state of Christ’s Church. And Jesus appears to him. So glorious in His resurrection that this one the Bible says was the disciple whom “Jesus loved” – that John falls down like a dead man. And what does Jesus say to him? “Fear not.” Given the way things are – uncertain, contrary and fearful, yet – “fear not.” And then Jesus gives John 4 reasons why he shouldn’t fear in the midst of all this turmoil and uncertainty. All centering on Christ Himself.

1. Because Jesus is the first and the Last. He began creation and life. And it is all moving inexorably toward the end He has planned. What He was after in the beginning of creating all things – will yet be fulfilled. That future cannot be stopped. Do not fear Christian – Jesus has never been less than both the first of all God’s plans and purposes, and the end toward which all things are moving. Which includes you and me.

2. He is the Living One. He is alive among His churches and His people – regardless of their condition. He is alive among us now. Knowing our every plus, and our every failing. Our challenges, our strengths, our weaknesses and our needs given our circumstances. He is not detached from His Church. The vision goes on to show that He walks in the midst of the lampstands – which represent the Churches. He walks among us even now. Observing. Interceding for us out of first hand knowledge. Present to sustain. Present to meet our every need.

3. I died, and behold I am alive forever more. Sin has its remedy in Him. Wrath is swallowed up in Him. He died in our place, and was raised for our justification and will never cease to be our living Savior and intercessor. He is alive – and is alive forever more. And in His resurrection, ours has been eternally secured.

4. He has the keys of death and the grave. He is Lord over our living, and Lord over our dying. And He is the One who can raise us from the dead to our everlasting inheritance in Him. Nothing can hinder His salvation – for He conquered death and the grave for us.

How we need to hear this again in our own present strained, uncertain and fearful circumstances. For these all remain true of our Christ. Even in our elections, Covid-19, and every personal circumstance.

Fear not.

Jesus is the first and the last. He is the living one. He died and is alive forever more. And He has all authority over death and the grave.

Fear not.

God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 #157 – Nov. 18 / You Become What You Worship

November 18th, 2020

For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

There is an old yarn that says you are what you eat. If so that makes me a Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia medium pizza with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms and extra mozzarella. NOT, a pretty picture.

But Scripture has a different view on that idea. Out of our 4 readings today Ezekiel 36:22-40:4; John 7:37-52 and Revelation 1:1-8 – it is Psalm 135 that recasts that old saying about what you eat – in the mold of: “You become, what you worship.”

I’m Reid Ferguson. And this is Through the Word in 2020.

Psalm 135 is deceptively simple. vss. 1-2 are a call to praise the Lord. 3 times. The repetition makes it emphatic. vss. 3-14 lay out a whole series reason why that praise is fitting. Starting with how good God is in His nature. It goes on to talk about His sovereign power, His involvement in nature, and especially the deliverance of Israel from Egypt; a wonderful foreshadowing of Christ’s delivering us from the bondage of sin and death.

It is in vs. 15 then that the Psalmist, in describing the 4 traits absent from false gods highlights what makes the true God so worthy of praise.

False gods have mouths, but do not speak. God has spoken and continues to speak to us through His Word. And as Hebrews 1 reminds us: long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. It is why Jesus is called “The Word of God.” Our God speaks.

Second, false gods have eyes, but do not see. But our God sees! Prov. 15:3 says that the eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. And 1 Peter 3:12 says that especially, His eyes are upon the righteous. He never loses sight of His own. We are always before Him.

Third, false gods do not hear. But our God does. From Genesis 4 on men began to call upon the name of the Lord, and Scripture bears the numerous testimonies like that of David in Psalm 17:6: “In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry reached His ears.” And Acts 2:21: “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Christians have a hearing God. Not a deaf idol.

Fourth, false gods aren’t alive. There is no breath in them. But we serve the true and the living God. And the One who gives life to all.

Which makes vs. 18 all the more potent: Those who make idols and false gods, become like them. What do we become like when we do not serve the Lord, but gods of our own making?

We speak, but say nothing. We see but do not perceive reality. We hear, but we do comprehend God’s truth. And there remains no real life in us. We are dead in our trespasses and sins.

And so the Psalm wraps up with another incitement to bless and praise our God. The God who speaks the words of eternal life to us, who sees and takes notice of us in all circumstances, who hears our every prayer, every groan, every plea, and who ever lives to bring to completion in us the work that He has begun.

Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord, give praise, O servants of the Lord! For this is our God. And none who trust Him, will ever be ashamed.

God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 #156 – Nov. 17 / Bad news and good news

November 17th, 2020

For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

By the time you get to today’s portion in Ezekiel 34:11-36:21, the book has been through several phases. The first 6 chapters contain prophecies against Judah and Jerusalem. 7-11 ramp that up with more specifics of Israel’s sins – but then a glimmer of hope. 12-17 are a further series of indictments, ending with the death of Ezekiel’s wife and how publicly he is not to mourn for her as a parable of how God will not mourn for the loss of Israel. 25-32 are God’s oracles against 7 other nations. Then beginning at 33, God begins to tell them that given all of His judgments, His people still have hope in repentance and promises in the coming Messiah. And that trend will continue to the end with an amazing vision of some sort of renewed Temple.

But one thing stands out to me I do not want to overlook. Coinciding with seeing Jesus in the midst of a very corrupt Jewish leadership in John 7:25-36 as well as under Roman occupation; and trouble already brewing in the Church in Jude’s letter- though ending with its wonderful doxology in 24-25: When God judges people and nations, the righteous endure those judgments along with the unrighteous.

You’re listening to Through the Word in 2020. And I’m your host, Reid Ferguson.

Now I want to be careful here, because there is a tendency in American Christianity to think of us as “God’s people” nationally. And while we can discern some unique blessings we have enjoyed, we have no reason Biblically to think of ourselves – as a nation – as God’s people. But this tendency is not unique to us. Other nations have done it historically. But in fact, Biblically, God has only ever set one national group aside as uniquely His and that is Israel.

Nonetheless, as we saw in the oracles of Ezekiel against the 7 other nations, God judges sins nationally even among the pagans. And there is no reason to believe our nation is exempt from that pattern.

Some of the ways God demonstrates His judgments against nations are contained in Ezekiel and other places. Bloated governments (Prov. 28:2); Corrupt, self-serving leadership both inside and outside of the Church (Ezek. 34:1-10); abandonment to sexual sin, homosexuality and sexual perversion (Rom. 1:24-27; and in the broader culture being given up by God to covetousness, malice, envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness, gossip, being slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless and ruthless. (Rom. 1:29-31).

Now my point in terms of the bad news is this: These things are not what we need to repent of to avert judgment – they ARE judgments. We are being judged as we speak. That the things above characterize our culture demonstrate beyond any shadow of a doubt that we are under judgment. This, the Church, desperately needs to wake up to. And unless there is great, national repentance, these judgments will continue. Let me be plain – the reason why our government and political chaos is what it is – is because we are being judged. And as I noted above, when this happens, the righteous endure the culture-disintegrating reality along with the lost.

But!

There is One who is able to keep Christians and the Church from irrecoverably stumbling into apostacy, and to present us blameless before the very throne of God – so that we stand under the blistering, all consuming blaze of His un-shielded holiness- with absolute joy: The Only God, our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord.

So that in the midst of these very things – our hearts may freely give Him unrestrained praise for His glory, majesty, dominion and authority over it all even now, as has been before all time and will be forever.

Praise Jesus!

God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 #155 – Nov. 16 – “Them”

November 16th, 2020
For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

After reading God’s judgments upon Egypt, Israel and others in Ezekiel 32-34:10, I am grateful for the refreshing of Psalm 134. Turning my eyes upward to “bless the Lord.” I need that.

Then seeing the way Jesus’ was so completely misunderstood and how even His brothers failed to believe in Him, I am grateful for the counsel of Jude 17-23. For Jude – one of those very same brothers of Jesus but now converted – counsels us on how dangerous it is to be more concerned with the failures and sins of “them” – than the sins of “us.”

A few words on that today on Through the Word in 2020.

I’m Reid Ferguson.

Jude is another very diminutive but powerful book. Like 3 John or Philemon, it too is more like a postcard. But it is addressing some major issues in its tiny package.

Jude starts his note by telling his readers he really was intending to write to them in order to round out their understanding of salvation as a whole. Help them get some foundations cemented. But apparently having been informed that this group was facing some particular issues, he shifted to exhorting them to get into the fight, engage in the struggle of preserving “the Faith”. It seems some wanted to modify the basics. And he is warning them that what they had already received in the Gospel, was a once and for all time thing. It needed to be defended against innovators.

A timely warning for us too.

Then, after warning them about those who creep into Christianity trying to bring in all sorts of modifications and new things, and how these were foreknown by God and will suffer severe punishment for leading God’s people astray, he unpacks his strategic response. How they can best react.

This is where Jude’s counsel by the Holy Spirit takes an unexpected turn.

You would have thought he would tell his readers what to do about “THEM”. The bad guys. Instead, he expounds on what to do about “US.” You see the biggest dangers spiritually aren’t the ones we face from “them”, but from ourselves. Especially in sinful responses to other’s sins.

If there is anything to be gleaned from the highly charged political and social atmosphere in America right now – it is how much all sides are consumed with the sins of “THEM.” And barely invested in dealing with “US.” With self. With me.

So what does Jude tell them to do about these hidden reefs, self-satisfying shepherds, who are waterless clouds swept along by winds? The fruitless trees who are twice dead, uprooted and casting up the foam of their shame for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever?
1. Remember God told you these would show up. Don’t be shocked and dismayed.
2. Build yourself up in the most holy faith. Keep growing in Christ. In Biblical truth.
3. Pray in the Holy Spirit – in concert with God’s agenda.
4. Keep yourself anchored in the love of God manifested in the Cross.
5. Keep looking for and anticipating Christ’s return.
6. Have mercy on those who get sidetracked.
7. Keep preaching a Gospel of salvation from God’s judgment.
8. Show mercy on those who fall, hating their sin but rescuing them.
In other words, be about the basics – and the health of your own soul and the good of Christ’s Church.

Don’t get all bound up with “them.”

It reminds me of that pivotal moment when after the resurrection Jesus told Peter he was not going to die pleasantly. When Peter turned and pointing to John said: “what about him?” Jesus said, “what is that to you? – follow me.”

Beloved, stop being invested in the “thems” of this world and follow Christ. That is the single best thing you can do in response.

God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.