ResponsiveReiding

Margin notes: “Christian”

October 2nd, 2019

Acts 11:26c (ESV) — 26c And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

What is a Christian? In our day that can mean almost anything. If one is not Jewish, Muslim, or an adherent of some other major religion, they are most likely to be lumped in with “Christians.” In fact globally, being non-Jewish or non-Muslim, “Christian” is probably the default label – at least in Western nations.

But if we are to understand what the Bible means by that term, we can come to no better place than this text. This is where the term had its origin, and it may be a wake-up call to some who would take this name to themselves, without considering its origin.

So, how did this name come to be given to them in Antioch?

There seem to be 3 elements in the text.

Christians were given that name by outsiders because:

1. (20) Tho they were persecuted for it, they persisted in PREACHING Christ Jesus as Lord.

In other words, they were known first by their message. And make no mistake, their message was not about being nice moral people so that they might go to Heaven someday. It was no message of good works earning one favor with God. It was about the person and work of Jesus Christ – and Him as Lord. His right to rule and reign in our lives as God. Where that message is wanting, so is genuine Christianity.

2. (23) They remained FAITHFUL with STEADFAST PURPOSE. They were not aimless, as though they became Christians and then became self-styled. They were God’s people on God’s mission to spread the Gospel. And they were committed to it. It was not a bare belief but a life governing purpose which was not to be deviated from.

3. (26) They gave themselves to LEARN of Him. They PURSUED Him. They sat under the teaching of the Apostles. They did not assume they could make things up on their own. They knew they needed to hear, understand and know a body of truth which would be common to them as this newly constituted people.

And so we might ask ourselves today – based upon these 3 criteria, would anyone call ME a “Christian” today? Are these the telltale signs in my own life which might bring – what was then – this derisive term upon me?

Oh, may it ever be so. Now and throughout all the generations until Jesus returns.
Margin notes: Determined

October 1st, 2019

Psalm 57:7 (ESV) — 7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody!

The heading of this Psalm tells us that it was penned by David when he fled from Saul after the incident at the cave at Adullam. Scripture records that David and his men were hiding in the cave, when Saul, alone and probably unarmed, came into the save cave to relieve himself.

David’s men wanted him to take advantage of the situation. They read this as God’s providence to kill Saul easily. They knew David had been anointed to take Saul’s place. And Saul was there after all – to kill David. So David had both justification on 2 fronts and what seemed to be God’s hand, delivering his enemy into his hand. But David was determined not to act before his time. He would wait for God to remove Saul and would not lift his hand to accomplish that.

So after cutting off a piece of Saul’s robe to show Saul after how he COULD have killed him but did not, David left. And he penned this Psalm. He penned it to say to others, and perhaps to remind himself – as vs. 2 reads: “I cry out to God most high, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.” He did not want to fall into taking matters into his own hands, but to wait God’s time and God’s ways.

At the same time, being unjustly hunted like a dog, on and off in the irrational madness of Saul, David would be prone to seasons of great fear and especially discouragement. Which highlights then the focus and power of this 7th verse: That his heart is steadfast. Steadfast in this – that no matter what, “I WILL sing and make melody.” I will consciously refuse the temptation to stop praising my God – regardless. Or as the NET puts it: “I am determined, O God! I am determined! I will sing and praise you!”

Heavenly Father, make my heart embrace just such a determination. That no matter what the circumstances, what the pain, confusion, need, concern, fear or doubt – that I will remain determined to sing and praise You. For there is nothing more calculated to restore, refresh and keep the soul, than to keep your worthiness to be praised ever before me. Keep your song ever in my heart, that I may never fail to make your goodness known to men in every place, under all circumstances and at all times.
Margin notes: Speaking with forked tongues.

September 27th, 2019

James 3:4–10 (ESV) — 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

We live right now in a nation deeply divided. And there is no question that great worldview and life issues are at hand. We no longer just have a “Left” a “Right” or “Moderates” – we have loud and vociferous extremes on all sides. The stakes are high. And passion can easily spill over into personal attacks, vilification, slander and all manner of unseemly talk regarding those with whom we disagree.

And here is a very, very great danger for the Christian. For while it is fitting to declare the truth and necessary to have a voice in the marketplace, we must be ever so careful not to find ourselves cursing people “who are made in the likeness of God” – and then hypocritically imagine we can bless our Lord and Father with the same tongue.

We can’t.

And as if it were not enough that we curse those of opposing parties, it seems now that we have given ourselves permission to curse even other Believers if they disagree with our stance, ever so slightly. To cease from making sound arguments about ideas, philosophies and points of view, and instead to smear others with imputed motives; make iron-clad bonds of guilt by even the most remote associations; and to view any deviation from our own formulation not only with suspicion, but with certain condemnation. And this, while imaging we can stroll into the House of God in a Sunday and bless God with a clear conscience.

We can’t.

As Calvin wrote: “It is unbearable hypocrisy for man to use the same tongue in blessing God that he uses in cursing men. When such evil speaking prevails, there can be no calling on God. His praises must necessarily cease. For it is impious profanation of God’s name when the tongue is hostile toward our brethren and pretends only to praise God. Therefore, if we would rightly praise God, we must especially correct the vice of speaking evil to our neighbor.

This particular truth ought to be kept in mind that severe critics display their own hostility, when, after offering praises in sweet strains to God, they suddenly vomit forth against their brethren whatever curses they can imagine. Were anyone to object and say that the image of God in human nature has been blotted out by the sin of Adam, we must, indeed, confess that it has been miserably deformed, but in such a way that some of its original features still appear. Righteousness and rectitude and the freedom of choosing what is good have been lost, but many excellent endowments by which we excel the brutes still remain. He, then, who truly worships and honors God will be afraid to speak slanderously of man.”

Let us be clear, zealous, vocal and passionate for the truth. But let us never forget the Spirit’s words to us in the text of James above. Let us never forget that each one is made in the image of God – and that our goal is to see them reconciled to God through Christ, above proving them wrong.

It’s hard to win those we have cursed and verbally crucified.
Margin notes: Lazarus Laughed

September 26th, 2019

John 12:9–11 (ESV) — 9 When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.

Forgive my going back to repost this, but in reading this portion again today, I was once again so tickled by the irony of the chief priests making plans to put Lazarus to death after Jesus had raised him. Can you imagine how the threat of death was useless, so empty to Him? It would be so utterly absurd to try and strike fear into this man’s heart as to be laughable in every sense of the word. And so I repeat a poem written quite a while back and shared before. But I trust it cheers your own soul today as you contemplate that the physical death which awaits us (should Christ tarry) is nothing compared to the death in trespasses and sins He has already raised the Believer from. Fear not beloved, the Mater of Life and Death reigns.

Killing Lazarus

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

it’s 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 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
Margin notes: Inscrutable love

September 25th, 2019

John 11:1–5 (ESV) — 1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

It is the 5th verse in our text that grips me today.

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.

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.
Margin notes: Perspective

September 24th, 2019

John 11:11–15 (ESV) — 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

Perspective is a powerful thing. To fish, being submerged in water at all times is not something to be feared, but embraced. For you and me, from our perspective, that idea is not so good. And one of the things which made much of what Jesus said seem so puzzling to us, is that we do not have His perspective. He sees all things through the lens of His own deity, the Father’s plan, the power to bring all He has promised to pass, His own absolute truthfulness in that He cannot lie, and His total faithfulness – that He neither will, nor CAN fail. Given that perspective, He faced all things in His incarnation much differently than all of those around Him, even His disciples.

But nowhere does this difference of perspective collide more with our fallen human one than in places like this – where to the Eternal Son of God, human death, even after 4 days in the grave, is no more difficult to overcome than waking someone up from a good night’s sleep.

And I for one need to remind myself of that when I am facing trials, questions and especially difficult circumstances. If I could only get His perspective. If I could keep in mind that He is not afraid of anything, since He has power over everything. That He is not shocked by anything, even my worst sins, because He already knows everything. That He is never fooled by anything, discouraged about anything, worried about anything or too distant from anything to be of aid.

To Him, all of my trials are well in hand and have purpose. To Him all of my weaknesses are but places to manifest His own strength. To Him, my helplessness is the theater of His all-sufficiency, and my doubts, but the canvas upon which He paints portrait after portrait of His faithfulness.

He sees the end from the beginning, because He declared the end from the beginning. He knows He has purposed to crush the enemy under the feet of His people. The rise and fall of empires are but part of the process of bringing about His final kingdom. He even sees my death only through the lens of the coming resurrection He will accomplish in due time.

Heavenly Father, if only I, we, might retain always the view of the world and our lives that is afforded us when we keep our eyes on the Cross. Be pleased to make the perspective increasingly ours until the day Jesus returns, that we might walk with you in this present age in joy, confidence and fruitfulness. Fill our vision with Christ and Him crucified.
Margin notes: When the Master asks.

September 20th, 2019

Luke 19:29–38 (ESV) — 29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’ ” 32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

What a simple thing these 2 disciples were asked to do. Go into the village, look for the colt. untie it, and bring it to me. And if anyone asks you what you are doing, just tell them I need it.

They didn’t sense any deep spiritual significance in it. It was a simple errand. The everyday kind of thing all of us does all the time. But it was what the Master asked, and so they complied.

They didn’t see the need to ask why. They didn’t look for an alternative. They didn’t say “why us? send so-and-so.” They didn’t argue that it was too menial, not important or spiritual enough. The Master asked, and they went.

They had no idea that this would be the means of Jesus’ “triumphal entry” into Jerusalem. They didn’t know that in a few days He would be crucified. That these would be their very last days with Him. That Judas was about to betray Him. That the Sanhedrin would try Him, Herod mock Him, Pilate scourge and give the order to execute Him, or that He would rise on the 3rd day. The Master asked, and they went.

They didn’t know they were acting on the orders of the King of Glory – of God incarnate. They didn’t know He was about to die for their sin. They were not aware they were part and parcel of fulfilling ancient prophecies. They did not know this simple task was vital to the outworking of the eternal plan of God for the ages. That their own salvation was tied to it. The Master asked, and they went.

Like them, we may not know the whys, wherefores and importance of how Scripture calls the Believer to live – but isn’t it enough that the Master asks, and so we should go?

And when it is all said and done, isn’t it amazing that serving the Lord in the routine and the mundane, is, in the final analysis, serving the Lord. That we need not concern ourselves if our simple service is important or spiritual enough. If it is for Him, it bears eternal significance no matter what the details – because the Master asks, and we go.

Never diminish the ordinary life of living for Christ in what we say, think and do in the most mundane of all things. Do them as unto Him. And let Him do with those acts, what He will. You never know.
Margin notes: The Purposes of the Lord

September 19th, 2019

Proverbs 19:21 (ESV) — 21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

God has a plan. He is moving the cosmos inexorably toward that end. The question is – are we in sync with it or not? If not, no matter how many things we’ve conceived and attempted, all will be lost. How we need to learn to make our plans – around and on the foundation of, His.

Here then is something of great importance – not to place all of our joy or satisfaction in whether or not our plans come to pass. To submit joyfully to Christ’s interventions and to yield to His unfolding plan even at the expense of circumventing of our own. His plans are always better. Always best. And when the 2 collide, how we need grace to abandon our own easily.

This does not mean that simply because we seek His will and ways, that all will be smooth sailing. It was when the prophets of old were most fully in God’s service that they met their steepest opposition. And the Disciples were never more perfectly obedient than when Jesus got them into the boat in Luke 8 and said: “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” That obedience put them right in the middle of a terrifying and life-threatening storm. Yet, in a demonstration of Jesus’ sovereign authority – the storm was stilled, and the destination reached. Later, their obedience would lead each of them to a martyr’s death.

But this they knew – and we can know it too. When all is said and done, the plans and purposes of the Lord WILL stand. And so it is, His plan and purpose in saving us, and bringing us to completion in Christ Jesus cannot fail. No matter who or what purposes otherwise. He who began the good work in us, WILL complete it until the Day of Jesus Christ. The purpose of the Lord WILL stand. Trust Him.
Margin notes: A tale of 2 theologies

September 18th, 2019

Luke 18:9–14 (ESV) — 9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Theology comes to us in more than one form. When most of us think of that word “theology” – we most likely think in terms of doctrinal or propositional statements or truths. Fair enough. That is the context we most often hear the word used in. But in truth, whether we know it consciously or not, or can articulate it systematically or not – we all have a “theology”. An understanding of God and general truth about God, ourselves, and the world we live in.

In this parable, Jesus contrasts two very different theologies. One, from a Pharisee, one we might consider theologically astute. He would have been self-consciously theological. He studied the Law of Moses, and the writings of the great Rabbis and Jewish teachers. He had a grasp of what he would reckon was Biblical and theological truth. A good, thorough-going, devout, religious guy. The other, is identified simply as a “tax collector.” For all intents and purposes, not someone who would think of himself as a theologically astute person. Who most would consider “wordly”. Not well versed in Jewish theology, if interested at all. And yet here they both are – in The Temple, and doing their religious duty.

Now the Pharisee had a very well thought out theology as I said, which he articulated in 2 major tenets: 1 – “I am not”. 2 – This is what “I do.” This is how he defined himself before God. I’m not – X, and I DO, Y. The Tax Collector’s theology had a very different center: 1 – “I ask – A”. 2 – “Because I AM – B.”

People who wish to justify themselves, like to compare themselves to others, and to catalog their goodness. People who look to be justified – declared righteous before God in Christ – simply look for mercy, because they know they are not worthy. And Jesus says, it is the theology of the second man that wins true justification. Oh, how our God loves to show mercy. And a slavtion which is not rotted in mercy on the undeserving, is no salvation at all.

What’s your theology?
Margin notes: 1 Cor. 3, building into people’s lives and a recommendation.

September 16th, 2019

Yesterday, Pastor Jim preached to us out of 1 Cor. 3. In doing so he helped us to see Paul’s diagnosis of the core Corinthian problem, and then Paul’s treatment for it. He gave us a central truth and then 2 implications. One of those implications was how we must be careful in instructing one another in the faith – what we build into other’s lives and our own, in spiritual terms. That what we pass on to others must be ready to stand the test of God’s fire in the last day. How it must accord with the foundation we have in Christ. Part of that is to be careful about what we recommend to others as resources for their souls. This is an issue the Elders at ECF consider all the time in making book and resource recommendations to you all. We want to build into your lives things that will stand the test not only of time, but of eternity.

It is in that spirit that I make a recommendation to you today: a fine little volume titled “365 Days with Calvin.” It is a wonderful little daily devotional where Joel Beeke takes just a snippet from Calvin’s comments on scripture in bite-sized portions that are wonderfully useful. Now some haven’t the foggiest who John Calvin is, or have preconceived negative or positive views of him. But in this volume, Calvin’s usefulness as an expositor of God’s Word comes through with his Pastor’s heart in a wonderfully useful and accessible way. And I submit the following from yesterday’s reading to whet your appetite. Enjoy!

Touch not; taste not; handle not; which all are to perish with the using; after the commandments and doctrines of men. Colossians 2:21–22

Paul points out to what length the waywardness of those who bind consciences by their laws is likely to go. From the very beginning they are unduly severe; hence Paul begins with their prohibitions not simply against eating but even against slightly partaking.

After they have obtained what they wish, they go even further than the command, declaring it unlawful even to taste what they do not wish should be eaten. At length they make it criminal even to touch such food. In short, once leaders have taken upon themselves the right to tyrannize people’s souls, there is no end of daily adding new laws to old ones and starting up new enactments from time to time. Hence Paul admirably admonishes us that human traditions are a labyrinth in which consciences are more and more entangled; nay, more, they are snares, which from the beginning bind people in such a way that in time they are strangled.

In sum, the worship of God, true piety, and the holiness of Christians do not consist of what they drink and eat and wear, for those things are transient, liable to corruption, and perish by abuse.

Second, Paul adds that such observances originate with men and not with God, who, by his thunderbolt prostrates and swallows up all traditions of men. Paul says God does this because “Those who bring consciences into bondage do injury to Christ, and make void his death. For whatever is of human invention does not bind conscience.”

For meditation: In the church today, we create many laws and think that obeying them recommends us to God. We even bind them upon the consciences of others. But some of those laws are simply the creations of men and cannot gain us favor in God’s sight. Such favor can only come through the Son, Jesus Christ. Man-made laws often hinder people in pursuing salvation.

Touch not; taste not; handle not; which all are to perish with the using; after the commandments and doctrines of men. Colossians 2:21–22

Paul points out to what length the waywardness of those who bind consciences by their laws is likely to go. From the very beginning they are unduly severe; hence Paul begins with their prohibitions not simply against eating but even against slightly partaking.

In sum, the worship of God, true piety, and the holiness of Christians do not consist of what they drink and eat and wear, for those things are transient, liable to corruption, and perish by abuse.