ResponsiveReiding

FMBRF: Sheep without a Shepherd

December 13th, 2019

From one of today’s texts in our Friday Morning Bible Reading Fellowship –

The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mk 6:30–34.

What do you do with sheep who are without a Shepherd? Jesus answers best: Teach them. We need nothing more than we need the Word of God – to know Him through what He has revealed in His speaking and acting. This is of cosmic and eternal importance to the souls of all we meet.

Do we see people “Shepherdless”? Not being led and sustained by Christ Jesus? Then we need to bring them to Him. It is an emergency.

We need to note that in this account, Jesus’ first concern was not their physical, social justice or even psychological needs, but first and foremost, their reconciliation to the Father. Don’t get me wrong, the other things are not unimportant – but the Gospel is primary. The other things may and should follow, but they cannot take the lead.

But what of this teaching? What is it so necessary for those in such outward distress to hear?

1. They need to know who God is.

2. They need to know who they are.

3. They need to understand the problem of sin; how it has separated the, from God and its ill effects in every aspect of life.

4. They need to be reconciled to God through the Gospel; to know what Jesus has done regarding the sin problem through the cross.

5. They need to know the freedom, the responsibilities and the empowerment the Gospel brings. That Christ has sent His Spirit, provided His Word and established His Church, and granted us access to the Father in prayer to those ends.

6. They need to know what this all means in terms of how they treat others and walk with God. To love God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength, and their neighbors as themselves.

7. They need to understand the hope of glory and that this world is not our home. We are pilgrims and strangers here, on our way to be with Jesus.
Margin notes: Monarchs and Presidents and Democraises – Oh my!

December 11th, 2019

Hebrews 1:8 (ESV) — 8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.

Current in the political discourse of the United States today is the rising buzz about socialism. It is imagined, that if we would just change our present system of a Representative Republic to that of a “Democratic Socialist” one – so many of our present societal ills would be addressed and corrected.

Perhaps.

Perhaps some of those ills.

But at best, only temporarily.

Why? You may take this as axiomatic:

No political system can rise above the moral corruption of those who administrate or participate in it.

Any and every system throughout human history comes up against this unavoidable inevitability. We have had monarchies, oligarchies, tribalism, communism, representative republics, constitutional monarchies, commonwealths, totalitarian regimes, etc., etc., etc. They have all risen, mostly all fallen, and all but one will eventually fall: The absolute and pure monarchy of Jesus Christ when He returns.

Now we may well argue which form of human government we might prefer for whatever reasons at any given point in history. But we absolutely must realize that each and every form is subject to the moral corruption of the human heart in its rebellion against the rightful rulership of our Creator through Jesus Christ – and not only will, but MUST end in harming its own people. There is no way to escape it.

The bottom line is this – we do not need a better or different system, we need men and women to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. To be changed from the inside by His Holy Spirit. No form of human government can remain uncorrupted because all governments are the product of corrupt humankind.

We must also bear this in mind: Heaven, will not be a social democracy, a representative republic or anything other than a pure and absolute monarchy. And only as men and women begin to live under the Kingship of Jesus Christ now, can we hope for the best of human flourishing in the intervening years – and that, irrespective of whatever external form of government we might find ourselves under.

If you claim to be a Christian, but will not submit to the rightful claims of Jesus in absolute authority over your own life, then give up trying to press some particular form of external government on anyone else. For you can only exchange one form for another, subject to the very same corruption which infects all.

The question is: Will you bow the knee to Jesus Christ as King? Until and unless that is settled, everything else is truly way down the line from secondary.
Margin notes: The Forgotten parts of the Gospel

December 10th, 2019

Psalm 96:10 – “Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”

This is a vital part of our message to all men. This is part and parcel of the Gospel. Though it is seldom used in that capacity any more. Nevertheless, we have a command to proclaim it to the nations. To publish it everywhere.

Note these 3 elements:

a. The Lord reigns. God is indeed sovereign. Man is not. Man is morally responsible for his self-determined actions, and yet there is a God who rules over all.

b. The earth shall never be moved. Man’s notion that he can destroy this world is nothing but fallen bravado – another attempt at man declaring himself to be God. He is not. This is God’s world and it will remain until He is done with it. Yes, we will indeed be responsible for failed stewardship. Yes, we need to pay attention to disasters we may bring upon ourselves through the misuse and abuse of this present earthly home – but do not imagine we can do so to the utter thwarting of God’s plans, nor the negation of His promises.

c. He WILL judge the nations with equity. There is a judgment coming. Everyone will give an account for themselves, by the standard of God’s own righteousness. Russia and everyone in it will be judged. China and everyone in it will be judged. North Korea and everyone in it will be judged. Sweden and everyone in it will be judged. The United States and everyone in it will be judged. None of the 195 nations we have today or historically, none will escape. Leaders will be judged for how they led the nations. Populaces will be judged for how they followed their culture. Individuals will be judged. Are you ready? For in that day, the question will not be – as we hear so often today “were you on the right side of history?” as we imagine it and as moral (or immoral) movements ask – it will be, “have you been reconciled to the God of all the universe through the substitutionary atonement His Son made for sin on Calvary?” Have you “you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come?” 1 Th 1:9–10.

If not, your eternity will be the issue, not the 70 or so years you thought were the end-all here. Not your profession of what you believe, or think or imagine – but where you stand in relation to the Living God – either in Christ, or in your sin.

Turn to Him today.

Psalm 96:11–13 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.
Margin notes: How to be (or NOT to be) a Pharisee in 3 easy lessons

December 9th, 2019

The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, 3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. 1For they preach, but do not practice. 2They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 3They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. Mt 23:2–7. (ESV)

The final week of Jesus’ incarnation was peppered with one confrontation after another. Pharisees, Sadducees, and others tried to question Him, trip Him up, trap Him and find all manner of ways to ignore His person and works and the implications of His actually being the long-awaited Messiah.

Then in this short portion, Jesus tells His hearers something startling: As whacked out as the Pharisees were, they nevertheless DID hold a place of legitimate authority in terms of the Jewish religion as it had become, And Jesus does NOT incite either rebellion nor disregard for their position. In as much as they proscribed the “Church life” of the Jews. As long as they did not forbid what God requires in His Word, nor require what God expressly forbids – they were to be heeded. Flexed with if you please. BUT! And this is a huge “but” – Jesus adds “but not the works they do.” Jesus then spells out exactly what He means in 3 concepts.

A. They preach, but they do not practice. The very 1st mark of the Pharisee is a double standard – binding the consciences of others to things we ourselves transgress. Things like demanding honesty from others, while we prevaricate. Requiring love, understanding and mercy from others when we are cold, intractable and vengeful. Pointing the finger at other’s sins, without giving equal weight to our own. How about pointing the finger at political opponents’ egregious errors, whilst overlooking those in our camp – or even justifying ours by theirs? Pharisees.

B. Tieing up heavy burdens on others, without a ministry of help. It is one thing to preach the Law of God and see people come to the full weight and conviction of their sins, and another to stop there, and not bring the Gospel of the Cross as the only remedy – rather than a charge to grit their teeth and do better. Moral reformation is NOT the Gospel. Jesus dying on the Cross for our sins is. His righteousness imputed to us by faith. His atoning sacrifice, the means of right standing with God. And then, prayer and help in overcoming the remnants of the bondage of indwelling sin. How we love to have others jump through our hoops – especially in areas we ourselves may not have a struggle in. We dare not lessen the requirement of perfect holiness – nor the only means of obtaining it – the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. To challenge other’s sins without the Cross as the remedy is pure Phariseeism.

C. Doing all their deeds to be seen by others. Do others think I pray enough? Read the Bible enough? Worship enough? Think I’m spiritual? Think I’m good? Think I’m anything at all? Let me serve God in such a way that others take note that I am “OK.” They don’t have to think I’m REALLY good, just – good enough.

If any or all of these are you beloved – you just might be suffering from Phariseeism. And the good news is – there is a cure: Trust in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ alone. Loving others as He has loved you. Seeking to please Him and Him alone.

Oh what a great glorious Savior we have, who alone can deliver us from these vicious and wicked bonds.
FMBRF: “My name is Legion”

December 6th, 2019

Mark 5:9 (ESV) — 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”

FMBRF stands for Friday Morning Bible Reading Fellowship. Under the leadership of Mike Holbein, a small band of men gather at ECF most Friday mornings @ 7 am to just read the Bible out loud to one another for about an hour. It is a precious time. And this morning, among some others, we read from Luke 8, Matthew 8 & Mark 5 each of which contains the account of Jesus delivering the 2 demoniacs in Gadera. When the demons inhabiting the one man were confronted by Jesus they replied: “My name is Legion, for we are many.” And while we might think our own condition is quite different than this poor man, this startling example reminds us forcefully that our sin is not simple and one stranded, but complex.

It can be a very deceptive thing for us to believe that the whole of our difficulty as Christians may lie in this or that particular sin. But that is not the case. Sin is complex. Our sins are interrelated – and no one sin stands alone without being tied to other sins. It is why we cannot imagine “if I could just conquer this one thing or that, then all would be well.” We do not just sin – we are sin-FUL. We think sinful thoughts, commit sinful acts, hold sinful attitudes, respond sinfully to slights, pressures and difficulties, rebel against the Word we know and the Spirit’s persistent inward prompting to holiness. Galatians 5 contains that brief catalog of the “works of the flesh”: “sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.” Which Paul goes on to note “that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

And this is what makes Christ such an astounding Savior. For He does not deliver us from just this one sin or peccadillo or failing or that – from sin in all of its effects, manifestations and from sinfulness itself! Sin is Legion. MY sin is Legion. But my Savior is the Lord of hosts! The Lord of all! As He delivered this man from the Legion of demons which possessed him, and Jesus delivers those who are justified by faith in Him from the Legion of sin which so often seems to hinder, bind and plague us.

Sin’s name is Legion. But Jesus’ name is Lord of all. And at His word, Legion must yield up all of its long-held territories.

And so I am reminded today of my favorite of all of John Newton’s hymns:

1 HOW lost was my condition,
Till Jesus made me whole!
There is but one Physician
Can cure a sin-sick soul!
Next door to death he found me,
And snatch’d me from the grave,
To tell to all around me,
His wond’rous pow’r to save.

2 The worst of all diseases
Is light, compar’d with sin;
On ev’ry part it seizes,
But rages most within:
’Tis palsy, plague, and fever,
And madness, all combin’d;
And none but a believer
The least relief can find.

3 From men great skill professing
I thought a cure to gain;
But this prov’d more distressing,
And added to my pain:
Some said that nothing ail’d me,
Some gave me up for lost;
Thus ev’ry refuge fail’d me,
And all my hopes were cross’d.

4 At length this great Physician,
How matchless is his grace!
Accepted my petition,
And undertook my case:
First gave me sight to view him,
For sin my eyes had seal’d;
Then bid me look unto him;
I look’d, and I was heal’d.

5 A dying, risen Jesus,
Seen by the eye of faith,
At once from danger frees us,
And saves the soul from death:
Come then to this Physician,
His help he’ll freely give,
He makes no hard condition,
’Tis only—look and live.

John Newton and Richard Cecil, The Works of John Newton, vol. 3 (London: Hamilton, Adams & Co., 1824), 375–376.
Margin notes: A “united” heart

December 5th, 2019

Psalm 86:1–17 (ESV) — 1 Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. 3 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. 4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. 6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. 7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. 8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. 9 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. 10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. 11 Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. 12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. 13 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. 14 O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them. 15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. 17 Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

Psalm 86 bears the title: “A Prayer of David.” And I love how David prays, as much as I need to look at what he prays for.

In the “how” column, he prays as a “poor and needy” man. Cognizant that he has nothing in himself. He prays too as a “godly” man. Not perfect. Not righteous in himself. But one who looks to and desires to serve the one true and living God. He prays to the Lord who is “good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.” To the God who does “great and wondrous things.”

The “what” he prays for is notable as well. Deliverance from opposing or oppressing enemies. That’s reasonable. But the real sum and substance of his concern is in vs. 11 ” Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.” a. To know God’s ways as taught from God Himself. b. To walk in truth – in God’s reality. c. And above all – that his heart might be united that he might fear God’s name. How intriguing. A united heart.

A “united” heart; in other words, one that does not have any divided loyalties, but is wholly set upon finding its joy and satisfaction and fullness in Christ alone. One that fears God alone, and nothing nor anyone else. Oh how divided my own heart often is – torn by a host of loyalties and desires rather than unified in the fear and love of God in Jesus Christ.

So let’s pray with David today: Oh Holy Spirit, grant this heart to me! Heavenly Father, grant your Spirit to create this heart within this weak and brittle vessel. Give me, give we your servants, a singular, united heart – to fear your name. For the cause and glory of Christ we pray. Amen.
Margin notes: When God says “no” to a good thing

December 4th, 2019

Psalm 84:11–12 (ESV) — 11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!

One of the mightiest weapons the Believer has against sin and temptation, is the firm conviction that “no good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.”

Now we must be clear here, the text does NOT say, everything which is simply good in and of itself is to be ours. Providence will teach us well that there are many things inherently good, which nevertheless a Believer might find themselves bereft of.

Freedom is something we might consider a universal good. But when the issue of slavery comes up in the New Testament for instance, we find that some Believers were in fact slaves, and that God called them to behave in certain ways in that circumstance. Would we not be right then in saying that in such cases – God had indeed withheld something good from one walking uprightly? Or, might we posit that if a Believer is a slave, that itself indicates they are NOT walking uprightly? We must answer no to both of those inquiries as nakedly stated.

Why? Because our God in His infinite wisdom and unfathomable love, knows what is best for each of us individually in terms of giving us the maximum opportunity to grow in grace and the image of Christ. And when that goal requires that something “good” be withheld, given the usefulness of that withholding for our spiritual, ultimate and eternal good.

He does indeed at times withhold some things which are natively “good” when they might mean some temporary happiness, but would be contrary to eternal and higher joy.

So how does this impact temptation? It defuses sin’s lie, that just because something is “good” in my estimation, or even in general, that it is necessarily the highest good. And it instead shifts my thoughts to the “Lord of hosts” (vs. 12) and the blessedness that comes from trusting Him and His judgment in it. i.e., we can reply to our sin – “I trust my God, that in my case, if I cannot have this specific “good” – there is a higher good He has ordained for me, and He is most loving in denying me the good I want right now, in favor of the better things He has ordained for me.”

That is a conversation we all need to engage in more regularly, especially when sin lies and tells us God is not good, and that the sin we are contemplating is the good we think we deserve.

Trust Him Beloved. For those are truly blessed, who can trust Him with all their desires – and who will not withhold any truly “good” thing, for those who walk uprightly before Him.

Trust Him.
Margin notes: Not forsaking steadfast love and faithfulness

December 3rd, 2019

Proverbs 3:1–6 (ESV) — 1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, 2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. 3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

I so love coming back to this passage in my regular reading. I love being reminded to “keep” this commandment – to not let “steadfast love and faithfulness” be forsaken.

The idea here may be, to be sure to be a loving and faithful person. That may be. But I am more inclined to think of it in terms of resting in the love and faithfulness of our God. The one who rests content here, who lavishes in knowing these graces are poured out upon them, will live a life far different than those languishing in the hopelessness that captures so many. It is a pre-echo of “keep yourselves in the love of God.”

It is a call to never let the wonder, the mystery, and glory, the reality of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness toward you ever escape your consciousness.

When we imagine His love to be vacillating or indistinct – or when we doubt the absolute certainty of His commitment to see all of His promises to come to pass – faith suffers its most devastating blows.

We MUST see our God as constitutionally incapable of any of the defects of human love. In the darkest of hours, He cannot love you any more, nor can He love you any less. See Him as ontologically unable to fail to keep His word, or to break His promises. He does not merely carry out His promises faithfully, He IS faithful. This is the One with whom we have to do. This is our God. Loving and faithful beyond anything the human mind can imagine. This is the One in whom we place our trust.

Know for yourself Believer, and remind yourself often, of the steadfast love of the Lord, and of His faithfulness. That He cannot fail. And in that, you will become one of steadfast love and faithfulness yourself.

This belongs to all who are in Christ. And it is a treasure we begin to enjoy even here and now – part of the “downpayment” of the Holy Spirit that is ours.
Margin notes: A simple prayer about my cravings.

November 13th, 2019

Psalm 78:18 (ESV) — 18 They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved.

In this Psalm of Asaph, he recounts the stubbornness of Israel in the way it has dealt with God, and the mercy and grace God has displayed in the face of Israel’s stubbornness. Vs. 18 seems to be the lynchpin on which their rebellion hung. And I could not help but feel the pinch of it myself as I reflected upon how often I’ve resented God loving me better than my cravings, by abundantly meeting my needs – far and above anything I could have imagined. He is so very, very good to us.

Heavenly Father, this is so much how I am. No matter how often or how wondrously you prove yourself to me, at the next crisis, it is as though you have done nothing in the past. It is as though you are constantly having to prove yourself to me. Please forgive my hardness and unfaithfulness. Make my mind recall your past graces, and let me stand secure in your love that I do not repeatedly put you to the test. Let my heart be free of its sinful doubting – and truly trust you. Make my only “demand” – that I might know you more. Keep me from demanding that you cater to my cravings above what your infinitely perfect love and wisdom deem best for me. Teach me to trust you above my own wicked heart. Teach me to “crave” better than I know or feel. Love me better than what I think love ought to be.
Margin notes: Teach your children well – Better than Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

November 12th, 2019

Psalm 78:1–8 (ESV) — 1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! 2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, 3 things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. 5 He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, 6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, 7 so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; 8 and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

If you didn’t get my byline – than LISTEN HERE first, and then come back to read this.

What a good thing it is for each generation to make known what they’ve come to know and have learned about the goodness, power and wonder of God. For parents to tell their children of their own conversion to Christ. To tell them how God rescued them in trouble, provided for them, walked with them, comforted them, sustained them and blessed them. Parents – do not be silent. Give your children the heritage of your life in Christ. Recount it. Glory in it, joy in it, and tell them of it.

The following verses tell us why we should do vss. 1-4 – So they should:

a. Set their hope in God; b. Not forget His works; c. Keep His commandments; d. Not be like their fathers in stubbornness, rebellion, and unfaithfulness.

We don’t share these things with others – especially our children according to the World’s wisdom. How often do we hear that the only goal parents have for their children is that they “be happy.” Or fulfill their dreams, etc.? BUt are there not higher goals in mind for those in Christ. To live in the eternal hope of the resurrection because of reconciliation to God through the Gospel of the finished work of Christ. Happiness beyond THIS life. Hope in the face of all opposition. And to know the wondrous power of God. The mightiest of all works that of rescuing us from our death n our sins. The most degenerate among us can kill – but who can bring to life? None but God. To live a life where one is in union and harmony with their Creator. Knowing the joy and intimacy of His presence. Oh how I want my grandchildren to know that in their lives too. And to avoid the multiplied sorrow, heartaches, defilements and tragic consequences of sin.

This, beloved, is a true education indeed. If they never learned anything beyond these – they will be prepared for eternity.

And note how much of the balance of this Psalm consists of a record of Israel’s sin and failure, but God’s goodness, grace, mercy and forgiveness in the face of it. Our testimonies to men ought not to be about OUR goodness, but His, in the face of our rebellion.

Teach your children “well”. And if you have none of your own, then find someone else’s to pour these into. Even if they are already adults. Teach them of Christ.

No political system can rise above the moral corruption of those who administrate or participate in it.

If you didn’t get my byline – than LISTEN HERE first, and then come back to read this.