June 15, 2017
Not uniformity, as some would see it, but unity. The first demands outward conformity, but the second is oneness of heart that allows for diversity. For “there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:4). This “good and pleasant” unity cannot be accomplished by human means, but is the work of the Holy Spirit. As the apostle Paul wrote, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). This unity comes from having a new spiritual identity in Christ.
June 14, 2017
The Judean prophet had clear instructions from the Lord to maintain his fast and return a different way home, but he was deceived by an old prophet’s claim that the Lord had said he could stay and eat with him. He had resisted King Jeroboam’s invitation, but he fell prey to the old prophet’s lie. And while returning to Judah, he was killed by a lion along the way.
This is one of the stranger episodes in the Bible, yet a clear principle might be seen. Obey the Word of the Lord even when a another believer tells you that he has had a fresh revelation on the matter. Especially, when the so-called new word from the Lord makes it easier to give in to your fleshly appetite. Better to fast and live, than to eat and die.
June 13, 2017
Saul the persecutor became Paul the preacher. Within days of his Damascus road experience with Jesus, Saul was preaching Christ in the synagogues. His passion for killing Christians had been replaced with a passion for making them. Why? Because he had encountered the risen Christ and believed. And he wanted everyone to know what Christ had done for them.
Are all believers immediately called to making disciples for Jesus? Paul certainly thought so.
June 12, 2017
After Solomon had completed the Temple, the Lord appeared to him a second time. In this appearance, the Lord repeated the promise that He had made to his father, David, concerning Israel’s throne, namely, that one of his sons would always be king. However, the promise was conditional on Solomon’s integrity and obedience to the Lord. And as Solomon grew older, his many foreign wives “turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been” (1 Kings 11:4).
With the death of Solomon the kingdom fell into two parts. The ten Northern tribes rebelled and established a new Northern kingdom of Israel, which was later conquered by the Assyrians. And the Lord let Solomon’s son keep Judah and the Southern Kingdom for the sake of David, yet even that kingdom eventually fell too.
Solomon’s reign represented the peak of Israel’s power and prestige. Yet, it is a picture of the disappointment that every human government, no matter how promising its beginnings, always ends up bringing. For all humanity longs for the ultimate fulfillment of the Lord’s promise to David of an eternal kingdom established by the Lord. This is the kingdom that was inaugurated by Jesus, Son of David, Son of God, and its fulfillment awaits His return. Until then, we pray, “Thy kingdom come.”
June 11, 2017
Repeated twice for affect, the psalmist called those ascending the Temple Mount to reflect on the many times that Israel was “afflicted” from the time of its “youth,” even to their present day. Yet, Israel still stood. The Egyptians, the wilderness, the Amorites and Philistines –– none had “prevailed” against them.
Christ took up that word, “prevailed,” in His response to Peter’s confession, saying, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not ‘prevail’ against it” (Matt. 16:18). Certainly, through the centuries many have thought to prevail against the Church, and even in that time, they thought to prevail against Christ, yet He arose, and the Church has not only survived, it continues to thrive.
All who would follow Christ will know affliction. From the time of their new birth until the time of being called home to heaven, there will be trouble. But the promise of Jesus sustains us, for He has said, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
June 10, 2017
One of the many promised blessings for the one who would fear the Lord and walk in His ways is living to see one’s grandchildren. Those who have experienced this blessing know its abiding joy. Yet in Christ, this blessing is available to all who would believe in Him and be obedient to make disciples as He commanded. For in disciple-making, both the married and the single can become spiritual fathers and mothers. And raising up spiritual children to be disciple-makers too, spiritual grandchildren and great-grandchildren are soon to follow.
June 9, 2017
Stephen’s defense before the Jewish council was amazing in its span and understanding of Jewish history. He offered a condensed version of the Old Testament story starting with Abraham and steadily progressing to the 1st Century time of Jesus. But it wasn’t just a summary. It offered profound spiritual insights on the ancient faith story.
Consider the Moses part of the story. Here, Stephen described not only the facts of Moses’ life, but his motivations. Stephen described Moses as being aware of his God-given calling to be the deliverer of Israel when he was only 40 years old. So, when he fled to Midian after killing the Egyptian, he wasn’t just fleeing Pharoah’s judgment, he was fleeing God’s call.
Stephen’s commentary on the Old Testament helps us understand the storyline from God’s perspective. He establishes the best practice for our reading today. For the best way to understand the Old Testament is through the lens of the New Testament and through the person of Jesus.
Stephen tried to help the Jewish council understand that their history had always pointed to Jesus, that He was the fulfillment of their Hebrew Scriptures. Yet, they would not believe. And they sentenced Stephen to be stoned to death.
June 8, 2017
It didn’t take long for the early church to experience the complaints of its members. The apostles had apparently started a food distribution ministry to the widows, but the church had grown so rapidly that the size of the task had become overwhelming. Plus, the Greek background believers complained that the Jewish background believers were neglecting their widows. What began as a complaint about unfair food distribution had become an accusation against the apostles of racism.
Depending on how the apostles responded, this problem could have either split the early church or severely slowed it down. If they had turned a deaf ear to the complaint and done nothing to address it, the disunity probably would have split the church. But if they had focused the work of the apostles on working at the tables to distribute food fairly, then they would have neglected their true calling, namely, the ministry of the Word and prayer, which would have severely slowed the growth of the church.
However, the apostles responded wisely, gathering the people together, they asked for seven men to be appointed as “deacons” (Greek: diakonos – “servant”) to administer the widow ministry and to address the disunity. In this way, they wisely delegated this ministry, so that they didn’t neglect their own ministry calling.
The first-century church offers a wise paradigm for ministry in the 21st-century church. It is wise to set apart certain ministers to focus on caring for the physical needs of the flock. But it is equally wise to set apart pastors who are to focus on preaching and teaching the Word and praying for the flock. Both are needed in the church today.
June 7, 2017
David’s last words to his son, Solomon, sound somewhat generic and masculine: “Be strong and prove yourself a man.” Yet, the verses that follow show that what he meant was that Solomon should “be strong” in the Lord and in His promises. And what he meant by “prove yourself a man,” was that Solomon should keep the charge of the Lord and always walk in His ways.
David understood strength and manhood differently than the world. He wanted his son, Solomon, to be strong in the Lord and to walk as God’s man in all His ways. Yet, Solomon would not prove to be the man that David had hoped for, turning away to worship false gods as he grew older.
But God did not forget His promise that David would not “lack a man on Israel’s throne.” He sent His only Son, Jesus, to be born into the line of David, and to establish His eternal kingdom. Jesus was strong in the Lord and proved Himself the Son of Man, who takes away the sins of the world.
As Pilate said, “Behold the man!” (John 19:5).
June 6, 2017
When King David was old, his son Adonijah decided to make himself king. He followed the tactic of his rebellious older brother, Absalom, and started riding around Jerusalem in a chariot with fifty men running before him. As before, David was passive and did nothing to stop his son’s behavior.
Fortunately, Nathan the prophet worked to remind David of his promise to make Solomon king after him. Following a carefully worked out strategy, Nathan and Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, went to David and helped move him to action.
Great leaders and warriors don’t necessarily make great fathers. And they rarely do a good job at preparing their organizations for a smooth and successful succession. Yet, God gave David excellent counselors, such as Nathan, who helped make the transition from David to Solomon the most successful succession in all of Israel’s history.
Starting well is good, but finishing well is even better.