Sermons From My Heart

Men of achievement are usually men of special attitudes. They achieved what they did because they believed deeply in what they were doing and thought uniquely about the lives they were living. Paul was such a man. Without him, the message of the risen Christ would likely have found its place among the little known legends of the Middle East.

While Romans contains the good news of salvation and sanctification based on the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, Paul begins with the bad news: all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Only by agreeing with the bad news does the good news become life and light to the lost.

Romans is a book of practical exhortation. The good news of Jesus Christ is more than facts to be believed. It is also a life to be lived-a life of righteousness befitting those who have been justified freely by God’s grace-through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Letters of everlasting value flowed from the mind and pen of Paul. They have been the basis for preaching and teaching in the Christian Church throughout the centuries. Where the letters of Paul have been taught, cultures have changed. Where churches have taught the Christian lifestyle as explained by Paul, they have left an imprint on society. Our lives have been touched by both Paul and the Son of God.

The three expressions of the gospel are found in Romans:

1. “The gospel of God” indicates its source
2. “The gospel of Christ” indicates its subject
3. “My gospel” indicates its servant, Paul

The word “bondservant” is one of two words used for slaves. It describes the lowest class of slaves, whose strength, time, and commitment belonged to another-in Paul’s case, The Lord Jesus. His relationship is equivalent to the “servant of the Lord” relationship experienced by Moses in Deuteronomy 24:5, Joshua in Joshua 24:9 and David in Psalms 18 and 36. Apprenticeship was not a product of Paul’s own ambition but of God’s grace operating through him. Paul does not view himself as a great theologian or prophet but as God’s servant. Are we bondservants of Jesus Christ? As Christians we are to submit to Christ and to each other.

Paul says that humanity failed so miserably that God sent His Son to live on planet earth, and that as the result of His death, God puts to our account the righteousness of Christ so that the sin which separated us from God is removed and God accepts us-forgiven, cleansed, and transformed into men and women whose lives have been changed by the gospel.

Paul’s message had been promised before through God’s prophets. The gospel is deeply rooted in the Old Testament, summarized by a well-known maxim: “The New is in the Old concealed, the Old is by the New revealed.” This means the Old Testament points to Christ.

Paul stated in Romans 1:4 that Christ was declared to be the Son of God, and the word “declared” meant not only that a declaration was made about His deity but that certain things happened which clearly established His deity. His position as Son of God was established with power according to the Spirit of holiness and by the resurrection from the dead. It was in the resurrection from the dead that both the power and the Spirit were seen to greatest effect in His experience. Man had done his worst and taken Christ into death on a cross and a tomb, but God intervened and did His best.

Believers are to see each other in a new way-as a new creation-because they identify with Christ. Paul developed this idea in Romans. While death decisively ends life according to the flesh (mortality), the power of the resurrection generates new life. This resurrection power also generates a new way of holy living now. Believers have died and risen with Christ so that they might be transformed in their daily habits. The Holy Spirit that raised Jesus lives in believers to replicate the life of the risen Christ in and through them. Obedience to the faith does not imply that salvation results from our deeds but that it flows as a result of the faith that saves. People do not obey to be saved; they obey because they have been saved.

Had Christ not been of the human lineage or seed of David, He could not have been the Messiah. To recognize anything less than His complete deity and complete humanity would discount Him as the Son of God and as potential Redeemer. There could be no gospel without the singular person of Jesus Christ possessing these two complete natures.

The word “called” means those who have heard the call of Christ, obeyed, and been saved. This applies to all believers. Paul, like them, was “called of Jesus Christ”, but the people were called to be saints. They shared a common calling, acknowledged a common Lord, and knew something of the privilege of being set apart for a special task or set apart to be a special people. God calls us to salvation, sanctification, and service.

The word “beloved” is reserved for those in Christ and appears five times in Romans. The word “saint” means “one set apart.” People are saints because of God’s love and call, not exemplary behaviour. Paul greets the church at Rome with the cause (grace) and effect (peace) of life in Christ. In the worldly environment of Rome, believers were to stand in God’s grace and peace. Grace gives us the desire and the power to obey God, not the right and safety to disobey.

Paul expressed a desire that grace and peace should be the experience of his readers. When he used these terms he invested the traditional with spiritual content because he really wanted his readers to experience God’s grace through the exercise of the spiritual gifts in the fellowship. The exercise of these gifts was to take place with the objective that they would be established or strengthened,

Paul’s prayers are intense-“God is my witness;” intimate-“serve” usually refers to some sort of religious service, including worship; incessant-“without ceasing…..always” and intercessory-“make mention of you.”

Paul’s prayers of thanksgiving and intercession are bound up in each other in a number of Paul’s letters. The praise for what had been accomplished often led to petition that more would be done, while sometimes the deep longings for blessing expressed in intercession were of necessity mixed with glad outbursts of praise for blessing received.

While the word “gift” is the same Greek word as in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12, here it is used in the general sense of “blessing”, probably referring to Paul’s preaching. The Romans’ faith was famous but not firm; it needed to be established.

In Romans 1:14, Paul reveals the secret behind his passion: he considers himself under obligation to preach the gospel to people of all races and ethnicities, cultured or crude, intellectual or ignorant. Like Paul, those who know the truth in Christ are debtors to everyone who does not.

The word “gospel” is the translation of two Greek words that together mean “message” and “well” or “good.”  It is a “good message” for whoever believes, calls, and thirsts. Paul felt that God revealed the gospel to him not so much for his own benefit as for the benefit of the Gentiles. Paul was indebted to God for His grace and to people because his ministry meant that he was never free to feel that his work was done.

Paul was not ashamed of the gospel. The message was one of the power of God for salvation. In his travels Paul saw God’s power at work through the gospel. It made every conceivable type of person safe and sound. The message of the gospel is powerful because God has anointed that simple message with his power to change lives. When a person trusts in what God has done for them through Jesus Christ, God enters into their lives and they are never the same.

The word “righteousness” appears in various forms more than 50 times in Romans. Paul learned this great truth-“the just shall live by faith”-from Habakkuk 2:4. Salvation only works by faith, which is itself a gift from God. Rightly understood, the truths in Romans can revive right thinking and result in right living.

God is not bound by what is possible for us. He has all power and is able to work in whatever way is needed to accomplish His purpose. The seas can part, the sun can stand still, the barren can have children and the overwhelming enemies can be defeated.

(An audio version of this message can be found by clicking this link: Romans 1 verses 1-17 The Power of the Good News)

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 1542)
2. Briscoe, D.S., & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 29: Romans (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; pp 20-35)
3. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
4. Elizabeth Shively, “Commentary on Romans 1:1-7.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
5. Charles Stanely, “Called by God.” Retrieved from no-reply@intouch.org
6. Dr. Harold Sala, “Does Faith Have Power?” Retrieved from info@guidelines.org
7. Dr. Paul Chappell, “The Power of the Gospel.” Retrieved from daily@dailyintheword.org

Many of you are at least familiar with dysfunctional families if you don’t know one personally. Genesis 25:19-34 is a story of one dysfunctional family-the story of Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Esau. The genealogy of Isaac is the focus of the narrative, so the story follows the lives of Isaac and Rebekah’s two sons, Esau and Jacob. This is the family of promise-a promise that was not fulfilled. Isaac loved Rebekah very much, but she was barren. Isaac prayed to God for a child, and Rebecca conceived.

This story should be treated with reverence because it shows that God is aware of, and concerned about, and involved in, the very existence of those yet unborn. The children were struggling with each other before they were born, and this was a preview of the way they would behave toward each other throughout their lives. Jacob’s name, which described his holding of his twin’s foot at birth, while it was related to the idea of God being at our heels as a guard, came to mean someone who had a tendency to supplant, to trip, or to cheat-which he did later in this passage.

The divine word to Rebekah that the older shall serve the younger not only explained the unusual movements she felt in her womb but also foretold a reversal of patriarchal custom. Esau, the firstborn, would have expected to receive both the birthright and the blessing and have the younger serving him. The word “Jacob” means “he who grasps.” His name also foreshadows the discord that these brothers would bring to the family.

God told Rebekah that the severe jostling in her womb was a precursor of the future antagonism between the two nations represented by her two sons. The two sons were very different. Esau was a rugged man and a headstrong hunter who preferred the outdoors. Jacob was a plain man who preferred the comforts of home. Esau was preferred by his father Isaac because Isaac loved the game Esau brought home. Jacob was preferred by his mother, who helped him to trick his father into giving him a blessing. These were the ingredients for conflict and heartache.

As the oldest son, Esau received the family birthright. The birthright included several privileges:

1. Recognition as the oldest son
2. A double portion of the inheritance upon the father’s death
3. Regard as the leader of the family.

After a long day of hunting, Esau arrived home tired and starving. He asked for some of the stew that Jacob was cooking, and when Jacob offered to trade some for Esau’s birthright, Esau gave it up without a second thought. The birthright could be given away or sold, but the older son would lose the latter two aspects of the birthright. Esau’s choice showed how little he valued these spiritual blessings.

How often in life are we the same as Esau? How often do we have a gnawing sense that we have a hole in our lives that needs to be filled? How often do we long to fill that hole with any number of things and experiences both good and bad? No matter how much money we make or what kinds of pursuits we chase after, that hunger for more still eats away at us. Like Esau giving up his birthright for some bread and stew, we sometimes exchange true joy for a temporary thrill, a blessed future for immediate fulfillment. We carelessly toss aside our imperishable spiritual birthright for a consumable, fleeting fantasy.

Esau showed his true colours early in life. He continued to live the way he had started.  He was considered “profane” because he considered filling his empty stomach more important than the spiritual promises of God to Abraham. Jacob, who had more than his fair share of faults, showed in later years a willingness to learn and a readiness to change. The Esaus of our modern world tread a selfish and self-indulgent path to destruction, while the rocky roads of the Jacobs of this world do at least climb higher, leading on to better things. Jacob took advantage of his brother’s physical weakness. He went on to trick his father and took from his brother again. His mother was so afraid for his life that she sent him away to live with his uncle Laban. After many years, and after he humbled himself before God, God eventually reunited him with his brother Esau, who welcomed Jacob with open arms.

Isaac and Rebekah knew God had chosen Jacob to continue the line of God’s promise that had begun with Abraham, continued through Isaac, and would culminate in the birth of the Messiah. In spite of this knowledge, they didn’t train Jacob for his role or to teach him to wait on God’s perfect timing. They didn’t tell Jacob and Esau that God had different plans for each of them-plans they should seek, obey, and rejoice over. Instead of training their children to know and trust God’s revelation, God’s will, and God’s plans, Isaac and Rebekah followed their own emotions-their own feelings and preferences. Thus, Isaac loved Esau, and Rebekah loved Jacob.

Jacob was transformed, and it was necessary. Those who bear God’s name must show a moral and ethical kinship to Him. The object of the divine electing love must learn to be conformed to righteousness. The transformation of character is the work of God’s grace in the lives of His people.

God gives us freedom to choose. God does not make us receptive nor rejects us when we aren’t receptive. Like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we often are not receptive to God’s love. To them and us, God recklessly keeps coming, sowing His Word in us. Gradually we become more receptive. We become more loving. We are blessed and slowly become a blessing for the whole world.

God sides with the powerless, the weak, the younger brother, the barren woman. God sides with Israel, which is represented by Jacob. The people of Israel were a tiny, powerless people who lived in the midst of much stronger nations, including the nation of Edom (which was represented by Esau). This reality became even more evident in the runup to the exile with superpowers who were able to crush a people like Israel without blinking.

This story is a story of redemption. God does things through the lives of the strangest and most awkward of people. We don’t have to be perfect and have everything figured out and in flawless order before God can visit us and bless us. God blessed Isaac and carried out His plans for human redemption through one of the twin boys-Jacob. Jacob became the father of the nation of Israel. Through four women-the sisters Rachel and Leah, and their slaves Bilhah and Zilpah-Jacob fathered twelve sons who became the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel-from whom would come the Christ.

(An audio version of this message can be found by clicking this link: Genesis 25 verses 19-34 God’s Plans for Humanity)

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 37-38)
2. Briscoe, D.S., & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 1: Genesis (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1987, pp. 206-209)
3. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. Juliana Classens, “Commentary on Genesis 25:19-24.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
6. Daniel Clendenin, “Divine Redemption in Our Human Families: Lessons from Jacob and Esau.” Retrieved from www.journeywithjesus.net
7. Laura Bailey, “Cheering Instead of Competing.” Retrieved from ww.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/
8. Br. Luke Ditewig, “Wild Love.” Retrieved from www.ssje.org/author/br-luke-ditewig/
9. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Greater Than Our Bad Parenting.” Retrieved from web@ltw.org

At first glance, the three stories we heard in Matthew 9:9-13,18-26 don’t have much in common. We have a tax collector, a woman with a bleeding disorder, and a man with a sick daughter. What could they possibly have in common? If we look deeper, we find that they are all sinners, or sick people.

Tax collectors and sinners are linked together twice in Matthew 9:9-13. Both groups were ostracized from pious Jewish society-the tax collectors for political and ethical reasons, and the sinners for religious and cultural reasons. Jesus broke down all such prejudices and divisions, reaching out to each person with mercy and love.

Tax collectors were among the most hated people in this society. Rome was a foreign empire taxing them into oblivion. Tax collectors were traitors, unprincipled Jews who worked for Rome and pocketed the profits for personal gain. Many were very wealthy and had their identity tied to money. The money they collected was often partly extorted for personal gain and partly a tax for Rome. This made tax collectors both thieves and traitors to the Jewish nation.

Matthew lived in Capernaum and was a tax collector for the Roman government, so the Jews regarded him as a traitor and crook. Jesus’ calling of Matthew to be one of His disciples shows that Jesus came to call sinners to repentance. Jesus crossed the moral and social barriers of His time. He welcomes outsiders, just like He welcomed Matthew, Jairus and the woman. His love is not based on their previous occupation, moral life, or social standing.

Jesus calling Matthew to be a disciple places the authority of Christ over occupation. We have one vocation as followers of Jesus and that is to be disciples. This vocation supplies the directive for choice of occupation as well as for the character of our work in an acceptable occupation. Jesus showed love and acceptance by His willingness to sit down with sinners and associate with them. This is friendship evangelism, for we cannot win sinners to the Lord if we keep ourselves from them.

Using the analogy of physical health to represent spiritual health, Jesus told the Pharisees-who thought they were well-that He came to call the sick, or those who realized their sinfulness. Because the tax collectors and “sinners” realized their need for a Saviour, Jesus was able to save them.

The Pharisees, on the other hand, thought they were righteous because of their adherence to manmade laws, when in fact God had already judged their sacrifices as worthless because they did not show mercy to others. They were sick, but they did not realize that they were sick. They did not want to be healed. The Pharisees focused on the outward, ritual, and ceremonial aspects of God’s law-to the neglect of its inward, eternal, and moral precepts. In doing so, they became harsh, judgmental, and self-righteously scornful of others. Matthew, on the other hand, realized that he was sick and showed it by accepting Jesus’ call to follow Him. Matthew left behind everything, including his job.

Legalism is a slippery slope that many of us can fall into. One of the flaws of humanity is the sinful lean towards self-reliance. Many of us have been trained from childhood to “pull up our bootstraps,” “go big or go home,” and determine that we can do anything we put our minds to. While these famous sayings encourage us onward with resilience when faced with hard times, they can also lead us down the road of becoming a self-made man or woman.

Jesus called himself a physician. He was in the midst of those in need of healing. For sinners, healing comes in repentance, a turning from that which is evil and harmful, and a turning towards that which is good, true, and restorative. It may well be that, in the presence of Jesus, listening to this rabbi, these sinners and tax collectors are taking a step towards health. As is always the case, healing has a social dimension. Living in sin, profiting from oppression, they live in a world where each is ranked according to their wealth and influence, their ability to profit in a society which is sick with injustice. Should they hear and follow Jesus, they will also find healing in a community which treats them with the currency of mercy and kindness.

In Mark’s and Luke’s version of the healing of Jairus’ daughter, Jairus says that his daughter is dying. In Matthew 9:18-23, Jairus says she has died, and this is reinforced when, upon arriving at Jairus’ home, a group of flute players had already started the wake for this little girl. The mourners who mocked Jesus for saying that she was merely sleeping were soon silenced as Jesus raised the little girl up to full health. Because Jesus looked beyond what people could see to what God sees, the people ridiculed Him. Faith often looks ridiculous to those who don’t have it. God does what no one else can. Jesus has power over disease and death.

Jairus fell at Jesus’ feet and begged him to heal his daughter. To fall at someone’s feet and to beg him is a sign that you desperately need what that person has to offer. At this point in Jesus’ life, the leaders of the synagogues were not deeply hostile to Jesus. Rather than being hostile to Jesus, Jairus was desperate for the healing power that lived in Jesus, just like the woman with the hemorrhage was desperate for that same healing power.

The woman’s severe hemorrhage made her ceremoniously unclean according to Leviticus 15:25-27. She came as one person in need, resolved that if she could only touch the hem of Jesus’ cloak, she would be healed. This act of faith was noticed by Jesus, and He said to the woman, “Be of good cheer, daughter, your faith has made you well.” Jesus’ declaration that her faith had made her well and his subsequent reference to her as “daughter” indicate this was a healing that included salvation.

Her faith seems to have been a superstitious faith but that didn’t stop Jesus from healing her. Very often, our faith does not measure up to the church’s definition of a high quality of faith. This woman’s faith was not complex, theologically sophisticated, or religiously stylish. Her faith was simple, and seemingly superstitious, but that was okay with Jesus. She approached Jesus, shaking with fear, fell down before Him and told it all. She told Him the whole truth about what she had done. That is what God wants from us. God wants us to tell Him the whole truth about ourselves and our need for healing.

Jesus reaches across the Israelites’ purity codes. Jesus does not disobey the Old Testament Law, but he does touch ritual impurity. Jesus does not initiate contact with either the woman or Jairus. He practices the art of following.

Jesus became the Great Physician and Healer because He healed both sick bodies and sick souls/emotions/minds. Jesus came to heal those who were sick physically and sick emotionally/spiritually/mentally. Jesus did not invite people who thought they were religious but people who knew their need of God. God wants to heal the hearts and souls of the sick. He wants genuine devotion to Him that results in beneficial action toward others. Religious activity means nothing without devotion to God and a real concern for others.

The woman and Jairus came before Jesus because they had nowhere else to go, no other options. Jesus responded with compassion and met them where they were. He was quick to extend His healing power to them. He restored what seemed to be lost. He did not leave them untouched in their desperation and pain but answered their faithful reach with wholeness. Faith is not about clarity or certainty, but about simply reaching out to Christ who is merciful and full of grace. As we witness Jairus and the woman reaching out in faith, we are invited to trust that even at the end of our options, Jesus is still at work.

These stories present a vision of a God whose power is found in love and healing, not in control or determinism. God is not the source of the woman’s or child’s illness. Illness is not a result of God’s moral or metaphysical will. God is not out to get us. He is out to heal us. He wants us to have abundant life, and seeks wholeness of body, mind, spirit, relationships and politics. The goal of these stories is not to help us look back with amazement, but forward with faith. The God who spoke still speaks. The God who forgave still forgives. The God who came still comes. He comes into our world. He comes to do what we can’t. He comes to move the stones we can’t move.

Let us pray. Compassionate God, we come before you today as our most authentic, vulnerable selves, with heavy burdens on our hearts. Maybe some of us have run out of options and we have nothing left to lose. Give us the courage to reach out in faith to you, trusting that you meet us there in our pain and despair. AMEN

(An audio version of this post can be found by clicking this link: Matthew 9 verses 9-13,18-26 Jesus, the Healer and Caller.)

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah. David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1296-1297)
2. Augsburger, M.S., & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 24: Matthew (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; p.18)
3. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010; pp. 1308-1311)
6. Greg Carey, “Commentary on Matthew 9:9-13,18-26.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
7. The Rev. Edward Markquart, “Gospel Analysis, Matthew, the Tax Collector.” Retrieved from www.sermonsfromseattle.com
8. Megan Conner, “Breaking Free from a Works-Based Faith.” Retrieved from www.crosswalk.com
9. Bobby Schuller, “Jesus Has Pity.” Retrieved from www.hourofpower.org
10. Ron Moore, “Fresh Start: Making a Break.” Retrieved from info@ronmoore.org

Ephesians 3:14-21 might be the most glorious prayer in the New Testament other than the prayers of the Lord. Paul addresses all three members of the Trinity in his request for inner strength. Inner strength is absolutely necessary to spiritual survival because the outer strength of humans is so fragile.

When Jews prayed, they normally stood upright with hands raised, but Paul’s bowed posture here tells us that this is no ordinary prayer; it is the prayer of someone kneeling, like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Even now, kneeling before someone is considered a way to acknowledge that he or she is greater. Whether people kneel physically or only in their hearts, they should come to the throne of grace with a spirit of submission and humility.

Paul prays for at least four things: an inward power, an inward presence, an inward perception, and an inward provision. His first petition is “that He would grant you….to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.” Paul sees human nature as composed of two elements:

1. The flesh, which is an encompassing term, not merely for the body, but for all the impulses and activities of our earthly lives, and
2. The inner man, or “mind”, where the true personality resides. It is the inner self that may be continually renewed and strengthened.

Spiritual power is a mark of every Christian who submits to God’s Word and Spirit. It is available to everyone who studies the Word, understands it, and lives by it. The inner, spiritual person should grow stronger through the Holy Spirit, who will energize, revitalize, and empower the obedient, committed Christian.

Paul’s second petition is that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. The word dwell means more than merely to live in a place; it means to settle down, move in, take up residence, and be at home. God makes His home in the hearts of His people, and the Holy Spirit fills them with His presence. His people begin to understand the length, width, depth, and breadth of His love. The main point of Paul’s theology is that a person may be “in Christ” and thus live in the Spirit and in the power of the living Lord who lives in us. When He lives in us, we get a new orientation for life.

Paul’s third petition is that we, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to understand with all the saints what is the length, width, depth and height of God’s love. Paul uses four dimensions to describe the immensity of God’s love. Its breadth reminds us that His arms reach around the globe. On the cross, Jesus’ arms were stretched out for the whole world. Its length reminds us that His love extends from eternity past to eternity future. It existed before the foundation of the world and will exist after this world’s end. Its depth reminds us that His love addresses the deepest needs of the human heart. God loves sinners no matter who they are, what they have done, or where they have been. Its height reaches to the very throne of God. Out of love Jesus came down from heaven and lifts up to His level anyone who chooses to believe, because no one can climb up to His.

Paul’s final petition is that we may be filled with the fullness of God. Why is it that we barely, if at all, get beyond the passion and death of Jesus? Why do we refuse to move on to Resurrection and Pentecost? Christians are promised fire, not a feeble flicker; light, blazing, not dim-like that of a city set upon a hill; joy, not momentary happiness, abiding joy which flows from the satisfaction of our hungering and thirsting for God; radiant excitement like that of a man finding a treasure hidden in the field.

Christ will grow in us until He has to come out, just like He grew in Mary until He had to come out. He will come out in our speech, in our actions, and in our decisions. Every place we live will be a Bethlehem, and every day we live will be like Christmas. We, like Mary, will deliver Christ into the world. God in us! Have we sounded the depth of this promise?

This prayer of praise divides the first half of Ephesians-which outlines the role of the church in the world-from the second half, where Paul outlines how church members should live. Paul has declared the mystery-the glory of God, fully revealed in Jesus, to be appropriated by the whole church, and to be lived out in the life of every believer so that the whole cosmos may be brought into the harmonious orbit of Christ’s love.

(An audio version of this message can be found by clicking this link: Ephesians 3 verses 14-21 Inner Strength and Spiritual Power)

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 1643)
2. Dunnam, M.D., & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 31: Galatians/Ephesians/Philippians/Colossians/Philemon (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; pp. 182-189)
3. MacArthur, J.F., Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
4. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010; pp. 1636-1637)

Owen looked up from his fishing tackle box and saw his friend Caleb coming up the driveway. They were going fishing that afternoon.

“Hi, Caleb,” Owen said. “Just checking to make sure all the lures and hooks are in order. I already checked my rod and dug up a bunch of worms. Mom fixed lunch for us, so let’s go!”

Owen’s thoroughness in preparing paid off. He almost always came home with a string of fish, and that day was no exception. But when Owen entered the house, his mom noticed he was unusually quiet. “Is something wrong?” she asked.

“Well, when Caleb and I were eating the lunch you sent with us, he asked me why I always bow my head and close my eyes for a few seconds before I eat,” replied Owen. “I told him I was praying, and he asked why.”

“And what did you tell him?” asked Mom.

“I told him I was thanking God for our food. Then Caleb asked me about God and church and all sorts of things, and I didn’t know what to say! I never thought about how to explain why we go to church or how I know God loves me. I just know, that’s all!” Owen was obviously feeling frustrated.

“I see.” Mom was thoughtful. “Do you know what it means to be a fisher of people?” she asked.

“Sure,” Owen answered. “It means bringing others to Jesus. We talked about that in Sunday school.”

“Before you go fishing for fish, you always check your rod and tackle and, in general, prepare carefully,” said Mom. “We need to prepare to fish for people too.”

“How do I do that?” Owen asked.

“Well, let’s talk about the things Caleb asked you,” said Mom. “Thinking through them will help you figure out how to explain God’s love for us and why Jesus died on the cross for our sins.”

“Okay,” said Owen. “Should we look up Bible verses about it too?”

“Yes, we should. Becoming familiar with God’s Word is part of preparing to be a fisher of people. So let’s prepare, and then when the chance comes, you’ll be ready with an answer for Caleb–or for anyone else who asks.”

How should Christians act when they are falsely accused, unfairly persecuted, or are asked questions about God or their faith? First Peter 3:13-22 outlines six ways to act:

1. Consider ourselves blessed.
2. Be unafraid
3. Worship Christ as Lord
4. Be ready to give an answer for our hope.
5. Maintain a good conscience
6. Continue in good conduct

Peter wrote to warn Christians in every generation and in every culture that we are going to be ridiculed for our beliefs about Christ, the Son of God, and we are going to be ridiculed for our behaviours. Inevitably people will laugh at us behind our backs (if not to our faces), quietly ridiculing us because we hold Jesus Christ as our Lord and follow His ways. We are never to be combative in sharing the Truth. We are to be bold and unwavering in speaking the Truth, but we should do so in meekness and respect.

Why do we put our faith in God and His Word? We probably have good reasons for believing in God. Some of us came to faith intellectually, others through family tradition, and some through life-changing experiences with the Holy Spirit. Regardless of the reason, the same thing could happen to someone else if they got to know Christ.

Christians have an incredible contribution to make to the society in which they live by breaking the cycle of people returning evil for evil. As we begin to do good, most people will return that good by doing good. Peter insists that the believer must understand what he or she believes and why one is a Christian, and then be able to articulate one’s beliefs humbly, thoughtfully, reasonably, and biblically. A peaceable life, matched with a powerful message, can bring conviction and repentance. The person who loves, befriends, genuinely cares, does life with another, and shares with others about the hope of Jesus is a fragrant aroma to a world in need.

When I was in the Scouting Movement in the 1970s, I learned that the Scouts motto was “Be prepared.” Peter offers a similar motto to his readers. Our personal testimony is one of the most powerful and compelling tools God has given us in reaching nonbelievers with the Gospel. Here are five suggestions to prepare our testimony:

1. We want to be listened to, so be interesting. No one, no matter how gracious, enjoys being bored.
2. We want to be understood, so be logical. We should think of our salvation in three phases and build our testimony accordingly.
   1. Before we were born again-the loneliness, lack of peace, absence of love, unrest, and fears
   1. The decision that changes your life
   1. The change, the difference Christ has made since we have received Christ.
3. We want the moment of our new birth to be clear, so be specific
4. We want our testimony to be used, so be practical. Be human and honest as we talk.
5. We want our testimony to produce results, so be warm and genuine. A smile breaks down more barriers than cold, hard facts. Be friendly and sincere,

We will sometimes suffer for doing good just as Jesus did. He told us that it would be so. In John 15:20, Christ said “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” Christians cannot confidently be ready to give a defense unless they have immersed themselves in God’s Word. They should know their faith and practice well enough to be able to point others to Jesus with their answers.

There is the kind of suffering which comes into the life of the Christian simply because we have done evil by missing the mark or disobeying God. Peter warns against this kind of suffering when he writes in 1 Peter 4:15, “But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.” This kind of suffering is simply the logical consequence of sin. It is a good example of the way cause and effect works in our lives. If God’s people live according to His Word, they will not suffer as evildoers but for their good conduct. People may slander a Christian, but revilers should never be proven right in their accusations.

Peter encourages us to share the blessings of God with others. The “good life” is never to be kept for ourselves; it is to be shared with others. Peter suggests three steps we should follow in sharing the good life:

1. Sanctify the Lord God in our hearts. The Christian faith makes no sense nor does Christian lifestyle ever work until and unless we “set apart” our lives to allow Jesus Christ to be Lord. To be holy is to be different. It is to be like the Lord who is the personification of holiness.
2. Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you. In writing to a suffering church and its hurting people, Peter speaks about the life of hope. Outwardly, those people had little reason to rejoice or to have hope. But because of Christ living in them, they were displaying hope in their lives even when outward circumstances seemed very hopeless. No wonder people would ask them, “Why are you so filled with hope?” By spending time with Him in prayer and in Scripture daily, we are strengthening our own faith and confidence in our relationship with Him and are able to communicate more effectively the hope that we have in Jesus.
3. Share it with meekness and fear and a good conscience. As we share the good life with others, we must do so with the spirit of Christ-with gentleness, respect and a clear conscience. Peter recognizes that it is vitally important for a Chrisitan to have a clear conscience if he or she is to be used by God effectively in sharing the good life with others. The Christian does not have the option of living a “double life or a “secret life.” Responding to others in gentleness and respect and a clear conscience has some wonderful benefits for everyone who is involved.

Suffering for doing good seems to be much more of a challenge in most of our lives than suffering for doing evil. By our very human nature we seem to be surprised by it, and we tend to resist it in every possible way. Peter tells us not to be surprised by it, and in these verses he reveals that we should not resist it but instead we should enjoy the benefits of suffering for doing good. It is better to suffer for doing good, “if it is the will of God.” God is not the source of evil or suffering, but He allows suffering to come into our lives even as He allowed it to come into the life of His dear Son, Jesus Christ, and into the life of His servant Job. Peter summarizes the gospel message in four phases. Christ suffered, was put to death, and was raised from the dead for us, that He might bring us to God.

One minister wrote that his simple explanation of why he was a Christian is this: “The best way to live is to love as Christ loves. There is no better way to live your life here on earth than to love as Jesus Christ taught us to love. That’s just the way it is. And we discover that the love of Christ is not only for this life but for eternal life. From the Bible, we know the ‘steadfast love of God lives forever.” In other words, when I die, I don’t simply die but continue in the love of God forever. Yes, that is what Christ means for me. Love for this life. Eternal love for the next life.”

We have two choices when we feel pressured to be quiet about our faith. We can worry, or we can worship. That means we either panic or pray, We either focus on the problem and the pressure or we focus on God. We do not have to be afraid of or troubled by people who oppose us. Instead, we are to honour Jesus as our Lord, as our first-above-all. From that position of strength, with our feet firmly planted in the truth, we are to tell people exactly why we have an incredible hope in Him.

(An audio version of this message can be found at 1 Peter 3 verses 13-22 Be Prepared)

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 1789)
2. Cedar, P.A.. & Ogilvie, LJ.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 34: James/1&2 Peter/Jude (Nashville, TN: Worthy Publishing; 1984; pp. 162-170)
3. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
4. MacArthur, J.F., Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. The Rev. Edward Markquart, “Easter Ridiculed.” Retrieved from www.sermonsfromseattle.com
6. Emma Danzey, “The Reason for Hope.” Retrieved from www.crosswalk.com/devotionals
7. Bobby Schuller, “Keep Doing What is Good.” Retrieved from www.hourofpower.org
8. Berni Dymet, “The Golden Rule of Communication.” Retrieved from nerni@christianityworks.com
9. Aaron D’Anthony Brown, “Sharing the Gospel.” Retrieved from www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/cr9osswalk-devo/
10. Rick Warren, “You Can Worry r You Can Worship.” Retrieved from connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com
11. Pastor Allen Jackson, “With Gentleness & Respect.” Retrieved from email@allenjackson.com
12. Charles R. Swindoll, “Your Testimony, Part Two.” Retrieved from info@insightforliving.ca
13. Pastor David McGee, “Be Ready to Share.” Retrieved from theword@aboutthebridge.com
14. Doug Bratt, “1 Peter 3:13-22 Commentary.” Retrieved from https://cepreaching.org/authors/doug-bratt/
15. “A Good Fisherman.” Retrieved from info@keysforkids.org

Have you ever made a pilgrimage or taken a trip and felt like an outsider? The word “pilgrim” can mean anyone who is living away from home-temporary residents, exiles, strangers, foreigners. Christians are citizens of heaven, not of earth. They are outsiders, and it is to outsiders that 1 Peter is written, including 1 Peter 1:3-9.

These outsiders have been given the sense of belonging, the inheritance, and the honour that society refuses to give them. They have been reborn into God’s family. They may be seen by society as worthless, but God sees the tested value of their faith as more precious than gold. Christ’s resurrection has given outsiders such as us new life in the present and the promise of salvation and an eternal home.

In the meantime, they live in hope. This hope is not the mere wishful thinking that we express when we say things like “I hope things go well for you.” Their hope is a firm confidence grounded in God’s character and God’s saving actions. By raising Jesus from the dead and giving them new life, God has shown them and us who He is and what He can do.

The word “elect” simply means “chosen.” God the Father chose His children for salvation and foreordained that they would be set apart as His people. Christians are chosen for salvation by God the Father, not because of who they are, what they have done, or what they might do, but because of His endless grace and compassion. This is the doctrine of election. Election does not mean that God is a mean overlord who chooses some and rejects others, nor does it cancel our human responsibility, making us mere puppets. God’s choosing demonstrates His grace, but in election we must still choose to trust in Christ. We respond to God’s choosing by choosing to live holy lives.

An old story about election shows God’s heart. A man was walking through a doorway, and above the entrance was a sign that read: “Whosoever will may come.” As he walked through the doorway and looked back, another sign above the entrance on that side read: “I chose you before the foundations of the earth were created.”

The world puts its hope in things that can die, be destroyed, decay, or deteriorate. They make a strong claim on our affections. It’s easy to see them as part of God’s blessings, but they have very little to do with our eternal lives. They can fade before our eyes. Peter reminds Christians that their future is secure because their relationship with God is secure. These realities should enable God’s people to face boldly the challenges of each day.

Worldly hope is merely wishful thinking and ends at the grave. Christian hope is based on the living, resurrected Christ. Because Jesus overcame death, He promises His followers that they too shall overcome the grave. This assurance is so firm that Christians can risk their lives on it.

Having hope in Christ does not mean that believers will not experience trials and hardships. Trials do not last and gladness is central. For unbelievers, gladness is superficial and sorrow is central. When we believe in Jesus for salvation and are born again, we are born into a new nature. We begin to think and act differently. While our bodies may be here on earth, our thoughts are on heaven, where we will live one day. Our bodies are called “tents” because they are temporary dwelling places.

Affliction is a reality in our lives at one time or another. It takes on many forms. Peter reminds us that our afflictions and trials last only a little while. In God’s sense of time, and in the framework of His plan for our lives, a long time for us is still a little while. He is with us in our suffering. He can sympathize with us.

Peter tells us that until our faith is proved genuine, we will never be able to give praise, glory, and honour to God, because until such testing He will not be revealed in our lives. Trials are designed to bring us to a level of trust and experience with God that we would never know otherwise. God’s people can expect to receive praise, honour, and glory as a result of their suffering.

Peter lists three specific trials that God lets come into our lives:

1. The grief of trials. God gave us the capacity to grieve. It is right for us to grieve when pain, death and suffering come into our lives. God has promised to comfort us and encourage us. The period of grieving is a time for the healing of our inner self. God identifies with our trials, temptations, and suffering.
2. The purpose of trials. God uses every trial for our good if we commit ourselves to Him. We suffer trials so that our faith may be proved genuine. A second benefit of trials is that we may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
3. The joy of trials. The joy of the Lord does not come from our earthly life. It can only be experienced as we walk in the Spirit and receive joy as one of the fruits of the Spirit that are mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23. Joy comes from the Holy Spirit that lives in our hearts and lives.

God uses our afflictions to do a work in us. If our situation is not changing, it may be that God is using it to change us. We must use the situation to get stronger, to develop our character, to build our spiritual muscles. We grow in the difficult times when the genuineness of our faith is tested by fire.

When we are at the end of our strength, more strength can be found by thinking about Christ- His sufferings on our behalf, His resurrection, and his glorious reign at the right hand of God. Every day we must expect God to take us beyond where our natural strength has gone before by allowing us to draw on Christ’s strength. If we draw back from our trials and compose our heats to seek Him, if we call upon Hiim and wait for His reply, if we sing to Him, our hearts will be lifted and renewed.

There are two main purposes for 1 Peter. First, it is a call to all Christians to hold fast to their faith.  Second, it is a description of how Christians can be strong in their faith in a hostile cultural environment. Although Peter’s readers had not seen Christ in the flesh, they had the sure promise of salvation and an eternity with Him. This ultimate ending was cause for joy despite their suffering.

The church is the new Adam. It can draw on a wealth of tradition reaching as far back as Abraham. Just as he wandered in faith and hope toward an inheritance which had been promised to him by God, just as the Hebrews wandered in the desert on their way to the Promised Land, and just as the exiles held hope in Babylon as they waited for the day when they could return to Israel, so to must we as faithful people keep our faith in God before us. The first step toward the New Jerusalem began with Christ’s death and resurrection. Through our faith in His sacrifice we will reach our appointed destination.

There are several “fringe benefits” of this eternal life:

1. A living hope. Because God raised Christ from the dead, our faith and hope are in God. Peter believes so deeply that we should live the life of hope that he tells us to be ready to give an answer to the person who asks us the reason for that hope.
2. A heavenly inheritance. It will never die. It is indestructible. It will remain unpolluted and fresh. It will never spoil or decay.
3. A powerful shield. Until the day when we claim our heavenly inheritance, God will shield us with His power.

If we are of heaven, how should we live in this world? The answer is that we live for God. We invest our time, energy, finances, and anything else on earth into eternal things. God wants us to enjoy the blessings of this life, but we must never hold on to them as if they are all we have. When we see heaven, we can give our lives away without fear because we know that no matter what, heaven waits for us on the other side. When we put our faith in Christ, His resurrection gives us a gift beyond measure; a reprieve, a new life to live from now, and for the rest of eternity.

(An audio version of this message can be found here: 1 Peter 1 verses 3-9 Our Hope in the Midst of Trials)

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Sutyd Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing: 2103; p. 1785)
2. Judith Jones, “Commentary on 1 Peter 1:3-9.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
3. Daniel G. Deffenbaugh, “Commentary on 1 Peter 1:3-9.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
4. Richad Jensen, “Commentary on 1 Peter 1:3-9.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
5. Pastor David McGee, “Pastor David’s Daily Devotional: Monday, March 11, 2024.” Retrieved from theword@aboutthebridge.com
6. Alistair Begg, “Comfort for a Troubled Mind.” Retrieved from newsletters@truthforlife.org
7. T.M. Moore, “Strength of Soul.” Retrieved from noreply@ailbe.org
8. Pastor John MacArthur, “God’s Motive for Your Inheritance.” Retrieved from internetministrry@gty.org
9. Joel Osteen, “Grow Through It.” Retrieved from www.joelosteen.com
10. Os Hillman, “Faith Experiences.” Retrieved from os@mail.todaygodisfirst.com
11. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
12. Cedar. P.A., & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 34: James/1&2 Peter/Jude (Nashville, TN, Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1984; pp.112-119)
13. Berni Dymet, “Hope Hits Back.” Retrieved from berni@christianityworks.com

The modern-day marathon is based on the story of a Greek messenger named Pheidippides. According to legend, in 490 BC he ran approximately twenty-five miles from Marathon to Athens to announce the Greeks’ victory over the invading Persians. Each of his steps was run for the sheer joy of delivering good news to his fellow Greeks.

Some five hundred years later, two women also ran to deliver good news. When Mary and Mary Magdalene arrived at the tomb where Jesus had been placed after His crucifixion, they found it empty. An angel told them that Jesus had risen from the dead. The women were told to go quickly and tell His disciples.

The women experienced fear and great joy. Joy and fear often mix in the working of the gospel. Fallen humans-even when redeemed-cannot help feeling great fear in the presence of the holy God and His angelic servants. Fear simply rises in us when we are confronted with a threatening moment. The fear is physical. It takes the form of an adrenaline burst. It makes the heart race. It gives us the energy to flee for survival. Over time, the stresses of fear take their toll in many illnesses that wear down both physical strength and mental well-being.

Several times Jesus told His followers to “fear not.” On our own, this is impossible. Fear is inborn, so daily life in Christ requires replacing old fears with new ones. The Bible teaches us to fear God, which means caring more about what God thinks than what people think. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Unhealthy fear will not disappear magically. With a daily focus on God’s agenda, human fears take their rightful place. Being like Christ means living as children of our great God.

The Pharisees and chief priests asked Pilate to have the tomb guarded. Jesus’ enemies remembered that Jesus said that after three days He would rise again. They wanted the tomb secured in case the body was stolen. The tomb was made secure, the stone sealed, and a guard set. They made sure it was impossible for anyone to come and steal Jesus’ body away.

What was impossible for man was not impossible for God. Men in their unbelief tried to fight against the power of God. When the earthquake happened and an angel rolled away the stone, the guards became as dead men-afraid.

Matthew contrasts what the women were asked to do by the angel and what the soldiers who were guarding the tomb were asked to do. Both saw the same thing. Both were commanded to speak about the event. They were to report more than what was originally seen. For the women, the events at the empty tomb happened because Jesus was raised from the dead. For the guards, the events at the empty tomb happened because they fell asleep and the disciples stole the body. 

A great irony in all of this is that the guards were posted and the tomb sealed with the large stone so that there would not be a deception about a resurrection following the burial. The chief priests devised the deception.

Pilate would potentially want to punish the guards, only because he had authorized the securing of the tomb. The chief priests and elders bribed the soldiers to lie and blame Jesus’ disciples, indicating that the men at the tomb told the truth in the first place: Jesus’ body was no longer there, and no foul play was involved.

The story that the disciples stole the body defies logic. If the soldiers were asleep, how did they know it was the disciples who took the body? If the soldiers were asleep, how could the large stone guarding the entrance be rolled away without awakening the soldiers? The soldiers guarding the tomb were Romans. They were professional soldiers who were charged to guard the tomb with their lives. The punishment for falling asleep while on duty was death. For the unbelieving soldiers the earthquake was a foreshadowing of the natural disasters that signal the judgment of God and the coming of His Son to deal with evil.

The angel calmed the women’s fears and made sure they got the message right. The angel knew the importance of repeating instructions, and today we have to repeat the most important message Mary Magdalene and the other Mary received. Jesus is definitely alive.

(An audio version of this message can be found here: Matthew 28 verses 8-15 Don’t be Afraid, Christ is Risen)

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 1336)
2. Kirsten Homnberg, “Running to Tell.” Retrieved from  donotreply@email.rbc.org
3. Melinda Quivik, “Commentary on Matthew 28:1-10.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
4. Dave Wyrtzen, “A Cure For Quakes.” Retrieved from truthnote@gmail.com
5. Raul Ries, “The Power of the Resurrection.” Retrieved from www.SomebodyLovesYou.com
6. Dave Wyrtzen, “Tell Me Again!” Retrieved from truthnote@gmail.com
7. Don Johnson, “Healthy Fear.” Retrieved from www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/homeword/healthy-fear-homeword-october-6.html?

Have you noticed that almost everywhere you go online you need a password? You need one to log in to your bank’s web site. You need one to log on to sites such as Amazon or Facebook. If you forget your password, it can take some effort to create another one.

The people in ancient Rome were looking for the password that would give them access to God. Some thought that careful obedience to the Law of Moses was the key. Others thought that doing good deeds was the key. Others thought that deep philosophical knowledge would please God.

Paul claimed in Romans 5:1-11 that there is only one password that we need to remember: Jesus Christ. In Christ everyone has access to God’s grace, and the entire picture is reversed. Instead of us trying to reach God, God is trying to reach us through His grace. Bible scholars consider Romans 5:5-8 a central point of God’s love for humankind. It expands on John 3:16.

The Book of Romans begins with the desperate condition of lost humanity and ends triumphantly with the benefits of being reconciled to God. Just as it begins with and ends with the words, “through our Lord Jesus Christ”, so, too, is Christ first and last in the life of the believer.

In our lives we make such mistakes that we can’t buy our way out. We can’t wiggle our way out of them as we often try to do. We hurt others by our sins. We cannot pay God back for all of our sins. We can only stand before Him and ask for forgiveness and mercy. God pays the penalty for our sins. He takes the punishment. Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins with His blood.

God promises His children that they will one day be clothed with Christ’s glory. The word “rejoice” means “to boast, in the sense of jubilation, exultant rejoicing-to shout about it!” It is quite natural to glory, or exult, in what is positive, but not in suffering and tribulations. In the Greek, the word “perseverance” means “to abide under or stay under pressure.” Suffering teaches believers to stay under pressure, like squeezing olives in a press to extract oil. This pressure results from the conflict of two truths: faith and its enduring benefits versus a fallen world under Satan’s influence.

Learning to stay calm under pressure produces character. Paul speaks of sterling character, character without impurities. One writer calls it “tried integrity”-the maturity of a veteran who lacks nothing, as opposed to the immaturity of a raw recruit.

The word “peace” does not mean a lack of negative experience or a euphoric feeling. But it closely approximates the word “shalom”, which describes a blessed and prosperous community, not an inner, psychological, or emotional peace. Peace refers not so much to an inward peace, but a relationship characterized by God’s peace toward the sinner.  Paul has that inner wholeness in mind. Peace must be in the hearts of the people for there to be an outward, objective peace in the church in Rome.

When we are justified, God takes our sins and places them on Christ. He takes Christ’s righteousness and places it on us. Our sins are imputed to Christ, and His sinlessness is imputed to us. That doesn’t mean we are incapable of sinning. It means when God looks at us, He sees us wrapped in the righteousness of Jesus. We have become a new creation. God believes in us.

When people are justified, they have access by faith into this grace of God in which we stand. For each of its three uses in the New Testament, the word “access” refers to the believer’s access to God through Christ. Because we have access to God through Christ, we enter the presence of a king. We have the right to enter the inner chambers and speak directly with the king. The phrase “much more” means “from the heavier to the lighter.” God has done the harder thing in dying for people when they were enemies. Will He not do the easier thing in living for them now that they are His friends?

The doctrine of solidarity says all humanity is under the leadership of two men: Adam and Christ. Connection with Adam leads to death. Connection with Christ leads to life. Paul deals with sin as expressed in human life, and not with sin as the principle behind expressions of sin. The root of the problem is original sin, or universal depravity.

Satan was the original violator of the righteousness of God, but sin entered the world through Adam and death entered the world through sin. Sin continues to exercise its influence in our modern world, and suffering remains so acute that Paul states that it can’t separate us from God’s love. The life of the justified is mixed with peace, hope, suffering, and love.

Paul saw that through his suffering he grew closer to Jesus and God. Paul leads us through suffering to endurance, to character, and eventually to hope. Following Jesus brings us new life and reconciliation to God, but it does not mean that bad things will never happen to us. God allows hardships into our lives so that we will grow up spiritually.

There is a folk tale about a boy and a butterfly. The boy is given a butterfly cocoon but told not to open it. As the cocoon slowly twisted and shuddered in his hand, the boy could not resist using scissors to split it open so the butterfly inside could escape. Freed from the struggle the butterfly fell to the ground and died without ever flying. The boy prevented the butterfly from using the muscles needed to grow strong and fly.

When you were in school, did your teachers ever give you surprise quizzes? God does that too. He tests us to see if we have learned the material. Experience is life’s hardest teacher. It gives us the test first and then teaches us the lesson. We are so quick to tell others how to live. We are so quick to tell others to have faith and to pray about things. When trials and hardships come into our lives, we panic. God sometimes allows us to go through tests to make sure we really know what we say we know.

Problems drive us to rely more and more on God and so produce perseverance. Perseverance strengthens our character and strengthens our hope in the fulfillment of God’s promises. We survive weakness by growing in our hope, appreciating weaknesses for the real occurrences that they are. Our troubles can lead us to hope, which is founded on God’s love poured into us by His presence in and among us.

People like Nelson Mandela who have had to suffer for a worthy cause do not give up easily if at all. Progress in our world would not have come if suffering were to be a hindrance to future movement. Think of all the movements that have taken place in our society-things that have challenged discrimination in the form of ageism, racism, apartheid in South Africa, gender, religion, disability, marital status and sexual orientation. Each triumph allows for progress to be identified, each setback creates enough energy to keep going, and champions are created.

(An audio version of this message can be found at Have you noticed that almost everywhere you go online you need a password? You need one to log in to your bank’s web site. You need one to log on to sites such as Amazon or Facebook. If you forget your password, it can take some effort to create another one.

The people in ancient Rome were looking for the password that would give them access to God. Some thought that careful obedience to the Law of Moses was the key. Others thought that doing good deeds was the key. Others thought that deep philosophical knowledge would please God.

Paul claimed in Romans 5:1-11 that there is only one password that we need to remember: Jesus Christ. In Christ everyone has access to God’s grace, and the entire picture is reversed. Instead of us trying to reach God, God is trying to reach us through His grace. Bible scholars consider Romans 5:5-8 a central point of God’s love for humankind. It expands on John 3:16.

The Book of Romans begins with the desperate condition of lost humanity and ends triumphantly with the benefits of being reconciled to God. Just as it begins with and ends with the words, “through our Lord Jesus Christ”, so, too, is Christ first and last in the life of the believer.

In our lives we make such mistakes that we can’t buy our way out. We can’t wiggle our way out of them as we often try to do. We hurt others by our sins. We cannot pay God back for all of our sins. We can only stand before Him and ask for forgiveness and mercy. God pays the penalty for our sins. He takes the punishment. Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins with His blood.

God promises His children that they will one day be clothed with Christ’s glory. The word “rejoice” means “to boast, in the sense of jubilation, exultant rejoicing-to shout about it!” It is quite natural to glory, or exult, in what is positive, but not in suffering and tribulations. In the Greek, the word “perseverance” means “to abide under or stay under pressure.” Suffering teaches believers to stay under pressure, like squeezing olives in a press to extract oil. This pressure results from the conflict of two truths: faith and its enduring benefits versus a fallen world under Satan’s influence.

Learning to stay calm under pressure produces character. Paul speaks of sterling character, character without impurities. One writer calls it “tried integrity”-the maturity of a veteran who lacks nothing, as opposed to the immaturity of a raw recruit.

The word “peace” does not mean a lack of negative experience or a euphoric feeling. But it closely approximates the word “shalom”, which describes a blessed and prosperous community, not an inner, psychological, or emotional peace. Peace refers not so much to an inward peace, but a relationship characterized by God’s peace toward the sinner.  Paul has that inner wholeness in mind. Peace must be in the hearts of the people for there to be an outward, objective peace in the church in Rome.

When we are justified, God takes our sins and places them on Christ. He takes Christ’s righteousness and places it on us. Our sins are imputed to Christ, and His sinlessness is imputed to us. That doesn’t mean we are incapable of sinning. It means when God looks at us, He sees us wrapped in the righteousness of Jesus. We have become a new creation. God believes in us.

When people are justified, they have access by faith into this grace of God in which we stand. For each of its three uses in the New Testament, the word “access” refers to the believer’s access to God through Christ. Because we have access to God through Christ, we enter the presence of a king. We have the right to enter the inner chambers and speak directly with the king. The phrase “much more” means “from the heavier to the lighter.” God has done the harder thing in dying for people when they were enemies. Will He not do the easier thing in living for them now that they are His friends?

The doctrine of solidarity says all humanity is under the leadership of two men: Adam and Christ. Connection with Adam leads to death. Connection with Christ leads to life. Paul deals with sin as expressed in human life, and not with sin as the principle behind expressions of sin. The root of the problem is original sin, or universal depravity.

Satan was the original violator of the righteousness of God, but sin entered the world through Adam and death entered the world through sin. Sin continues to exercise its influence in our modern world, and suffering remains so acute that Paul states that it can’t separate us from God’s love. The life of the justified is mixed with peace, hope, suffering, and love.

Paul saw that through his suffering he grew closer to Jesus and God. Paul leads us through suffering to endurance, to character, and eventually to hope. Following Jesus brings us new life and reconciliation to God, but it does not mean that bad things will never happen to us. God allows hardships into our lives so that we will grow up spiritually.

There is a folk tale about a boy and a butterfly. The boy is given a butterfly cocoon but told not to open it. As the cocoon slowly twisted and shuddered in his hand, the boy could not resist using scissors to split it open so the butterfly inside could escape. Freed from the struggle the butterfly fell to the ground and died without ever flying. The boy prevented the butterfly from using the muscles needed to grow strong and fly.

When you were in school, did your teachers ever give you surprise quizzes? God does that too. He tests us to see if we have learned the material. Experience is life’s hardest teacher. It gives us the test first and then teaches us the lesson. We are so quick to tell others how to live. We are so quick to tell others to have faith and to pray about things. When trials and hardships come into our lives, we panic. God sometimes allows us to go through tests to make sure we really know what we say we know.

Problems drive us to rely more and more on God and so produce perseverance. Perseverance strengthens our character and strengthens our hope in the fulfillment of God’s promises. We survive weakness by growing in our hope, appreciating weaknesses for the real occurrences that they are. Our troubles can lead us to hope, which is founded on God’s love poured into us by His presence in and among us.

People like Nelson Mandela who have had to suffer for a worthy cause do not give up easily if at all. Progress in our world would not have come if suffering were to be a hindrance to future movement. Think of all the movements that have taken place in our society-things that have challenged discrimination in the form of ageism, racism, apartheid in South Africa, gender, religion, disability, marital status and sexual orientation. Each triumph allows for progress to be identified, each setback creates enough energy to keep going, and champions are created.

(An audio version of this message can be found at Romans 5 verses 1-11 The Password That Unlocks Eternal Life)

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1549-1550)
2. David Bartlett, “Commentary on Romans 5:1-8.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
3. Mary Hinkle Shore, “Commentary on Romans 5:1-5.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
4. Lucy Lind Hogan, “Commentary on Romans 5:1-11.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
5. Sarah Henrich, “Commentary on Romans 5 verses 1-11.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
6. The Rev. Charles L. Fischer III, “Suffering to Hope.” Retrieved from www.day1.org
7. The Rev. Dr. William E. Flippin, Jr., “Blessed Assurances.” Retrieved from www.day1.org
8. The Rev. Edward Markquart, “The Penalty is Too Great for me to Pay.” Retrieved from www.sermonsfromseattle,com
9. Greg Laurie, “The Quality of Endurance.” Retrieved from greglaurie@harvestdirect.org
10. Dr. David Jeremiah, “The Double Transaction.” Retrieved from TurningPoint@davidjeremiah.org
11. Dr. Ed Young, “Persevere.” Retrieved form ministry@winningwalk.org
12. Patricia Raybon, “Strength From Struggle.” Retrieved from no-reply@ourdailybread.ca

The world has its standards. It knows what is strong and what is weak, what is effective and what is not effective. The world has defined intelligence and wisdom and can identify them when it sees them. The world has also defined stupidity and foolishness and can spot those things pretty readily too. Paul argues that God is going to take us back to school and its curriculum is unworldly, other-worldly, foolish in the eyes of the world, weak, and ineffective.

Paul quotes Isaiah 29:14 to illustrate the message of the cross. The cross is a simple word-simple enough that everyone can understand its essence, yet powerful enough to radically transform a life. It is also a separating word, for whenever the cross is preached, it causes division; those who reject are perishing, those who receive it are being saved.

When the world around us does not prize the church and its message as much as it does the newest Super Bowl commercial, we can hold our heads high: we’re on the side of God’s foolishness! We will win! It’s easy to find hope and promise in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. It’s much more difficult to let its message shape our lives.

The wise and the scribe collectively describe the intelligentsia of ancient culture. God has deliberately chosen to reveal His own self and unleash divine power whose goal is human salvation. God’s plan and action throughout history demonstrate how foolish the wisdom of this world is. Only the truth of God endures through every situation and culture.

Apart from divine revelation, man can never through his own wisdom come to knowledge of God. Salvation requires belief in the crucified One, not worldly understanding or signs. The mind of Christ is the true discerner of truth.

The two groups of the day (Gentiles and Jews) looked for two different proofs of truth. The Jews desired a miraculous sign; the Greeks sought proof through reason and logic. Paul did not care to cater to their worldly desires for verification: for Paul, Christ crucified was all the proof needed.

To the Jews, a crucified Saviour made no sense, because they were looking for a victorious king. To the Greeks, such a Saviour made no sense because crucifixion was a symbol of weakness and defeat. Yet the message of the crucified one is exactly what provides those who are called with the power and wisdom of God. In Christ, those people rejected were the very things they longed for. The wise, the mighty, and the noble are in the minority of those whom God chooses to serve Him. God will use some influential figures, but only on rare occasions.

Paul uses the language of wisdom and subjects it to the cross, which has become the benchmark for understanding and grasping reality. The “foolishness of the cross” redefines the ordering of the world. Through the human-devised world’s “wisdom”, God revealed in Christ can’t be known.

God uses five things to accomplish His work: foolish things, weak things, base things, despised things and things which are not of this world. The word “weak” can be translated as “sickly, feeble, impotent.” The base things are ignorable. The word “despised” here means “contemptible,” like the way Goliath looked upon David and his God.

Salvation is not earned through one’s own strength but given by the grace of God. God wants two things from His servants: that they not glory in themselves, and that they give glory to Him. God makes the nobodies of this world into somebodies in His kingdom.

God through Jesus is offering us true wisdom. This wisdom can be handled by the weak, the poor, the unconnected, and the invisible ones. In fact, the very wisdom of God came to us as weak and poor and unconnected, an unlikely one not only to teach us wisdom but to embody it too.

God’s wisdom is willing to be mocked, shamed, and understood as foolishness. God’s wisdom is willing to take the blows of violent power and the slurs of arrogant worldly wisdom in order to make it clear that the things of violence and arrogance won’t last. What will last is the foolish proclamation that power can serve and wisdom can be found in the desert, the cave, the cell, and the heart.

(An audio version of this message can be found here: 1 Corinthians 1 verses 18-31 The Message of the Cross)

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 1575)
2. Kyle Fever, “Commentary on 1 Corinthians 1:18-25.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
3. Scott Hoezee, “1 Corinthians 1:18-25 Commentary.” Retrieved from https://cepreaching.org/authors/scott-hoezee/
4. Richard Carlson, “Commentary on 1 Corinthians 1:18-25.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
5. The Rt. Rev. Brian L. Cole, “Foolish Wisdom.” Retrieved from www.day1.org

Those of you who are fans of any of the Star Trek TV series or Star Trek movies are probably familiar with the Vulcan mind meld. It is a technique used by Vulcan characters to read the thoughts of another person by physically connecting with them. The Vulcan character will often start the mind meld by saying, “My mind to your mind….my thoughts to your thoughts.” God says the same thing when we let the Holy Spirit into our hearts. We have access to the mind of God, and His will becomes our will.

The priority in Paul’s ministry was to know Christ and Him crucified, plus or minus nothing-a strategy that is still valid today. The great missionary to the Native Americans, David Brainerd, wrote in his diary at the end of his ministry, “I never got away from Jesus and Him crucified. I found that when my people were gripped by this great evangelical doctrine…I had no need to give them instructions about morality…One followed as the sure and inevitable fruit of the other.”

Paul wrote about the new way of seeing things. The new way to look at the world could only be understood after Jesus came. Paul explained that the wisdom he taught was not worldly wisdom, but a wisdom revealed through the apostles and prophets. Paul admits that he came to the Corinthians in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. This is a healthy attitude in preparation for ministry. Only the power of God can fill the Christian’s heart and life with what is needed for effectiveness.

The power Paul had in ministry was not found in his words but in his Spirit-filled life. The word “demonstration” means “the most rigorous proof.” The Holy Spirit produces supernatural results in gospel preaching, in witnessing, and in the Christian life that prove the validity and authenticity of the message.

The natural self cannot discern the things of God through its own resources; spiritual things are a hidden wisdom according to Job 11:7. In the language of the New Testament, the word “mystery” means a truth that can be known only as God reveals it. No one can reason his or her way to Jesus. Evangelism and apologetics are valuable, but the work of the Spirit is what regenerates the heart and ushers unbelievers into the kingdom.

The cross is the proof that God’s wisdom is not understood. That the most prominent people in Jesus’ day crucified the Lord of glory blatantly illustrates the foolishness and ignorance of humanity. They took the Wisdom of God and nailed Him to a tree. If human wisdom exists in the wisdom of the rulers of this age who put Jesus to death, how is a human ever going to be capable of knowing the wisdom of God? Paul insists that it is only by receiving the Spirit that one can know the things of God. Because God has given the Spirit, those who receive the Spirit can know the mysterious wisdom of God.

The true wisdom of God comes from His Word. We must be determined in studying the Word of God and in discovering the truth it contains. Every time we mine the Word of God we will discover treasure-and the more we mine, the more treasure we’ll gain.

Paul places God’s wisdom and the world’s wisdom in sharp contrast. The special wisdom to which Paul claims access is God’s wisdom It leads God’s people to glory and is knowable only by the Spirit. This is in stark contrast to the world’s wisdom and the world leaders’ wisdom That is the product of people doomed for destruction and lacks the insight to apprehend the saving wisdom of God. The further our society drifts from the love of God, the more perverted our so-called wisdom becomes.

God wants us to know what He has freely given to us. One of the responsibilities of the Holy Spirit is to reveal His plans and purposes to us. They may be hidden for a long time, but if we seek Him with our whole heart, we can know what He has given us.

God’s Spirit reveals, inspires, and illuminates Scripture, teaching those who read it. The Spirit indwelt community of faith also helps to illuminate what was revealed through divine inspiration. Paul told the Corinthians that when he was with them, everything he knew-from the meaning of the Jewish Scriptures to the wisdom of their best thinkers to the status of various individuals in the community-he saw through the lens of Jesus Christ crucified. That is how he saw them then, and how he now sees them with their conflicts and questions about leaders, worship, spiritual gifts, table fellowship, the resurrection, and all the rest.

The quotation from Isaiah 64:4 that is written in 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 does not refer to what Christians will experience in heaven but to what the Spirit has already revealed to those who love God. Through the inspired Scriptures, the Spirit introduces God’s children to something beyond their ability to see, hear, or imagine-the glories of God!

Paul uses humans as an analogy-no one can truly know another person’s thoughts; only the individual knows his or her own thoughts. Similarly, because the Holy Spirit is fully God, the Spirit understands the thoughts and wisdom of God. Therefore, the Spirit is able to teach believers the truth of God. An unbeliever can study the Scriptures and learn certain facts about the Almighty, but only through the illumination of the Spirit does true understanding come.

The natural man is a person who does not have the Spirit of God living within him or her and thus does not benefit from hearing the Word of God. The word receive means “to welcome, to embrace, to make something one’s own.” The natural self cannot take in the things that are revealed by the Spirit.

The one who is spiritual is indwelt and empowered by the Holly Spirit and can thus discern and comprehend spiritual things. The unspiritual (those who live in the flesh, or their sin nature) cannot judge believers regarding spiritual things, but believers can certainly sharpen their brothers and sisters in Christ.

The quotation from Isaiah 40:13 that is in 1 Corinthians 2:16 explains how believers can be discerning and yet avoid assuming God’s place as a judge. They possess that which the world can never acquire on its own-illumination of truth from the Holy Spirit, which gives them the mind of Christ!

In one of his newspaper columns, the late evangelist Billy Graham was once asked by a reader how the reader could reach his or her friend with God’s love. The reader mentioned that the friend was in prison and was bitter at the world and at God. Billy Graham wrote the following as part of his reply:

“Sin affects the mind. The Bible is proof of this. A person may be intellectually brilliant, but spiritually ignorant…An intellectual mind can be turned into a first-class mind when Christ penetrates the very heart of a person. We must never give up praying for others.”

The Spirit of God lives within us and speaks to our hearts. He reminds us that our battle is a spiritual one. He lets us know that God has not forgotten us. He brings a deep peace. The Spirit reminds us that even in the midst of a storm, the same God who loves us so much that He sent Jesus to die for our sins is in control. He delivers spiritual discernment.

So many people in this world are struggling in life. They lack hope. So many of them are heading to an eternity from God-when all along, His incredible, glorious, wonderous love for each one of us is ready to embrace. When we put our trust in Jesus, He unleashes His power to help us live in victory over our bad habits-to set us free from our sin. God’s wisdom might not be as appealing as what the world shows us, but love, honour, humility, forgiveness, and goodness are where the real wisdom is, and we know it works.

(An audio version of this post can be found at https://www.spreaker.com/episode/1-corinthians-2-verses-1-12-13-16-god-s-wisdom-versus-the-world-s-wisdom–69865001)

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1575-1576)
2. Mary Hinkle Shore, “Commentary on 1 Corinthians 2:1-13 (13-16).” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
3. J.R. Daniel Kirk, “Commentary on 1 Corinthians 2:1-13 (13-16).” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org
4. Os Hillman, “Understanding What God Has Given.” Retrieved from os@marketplaceleaders.org
5. Berni Dymet, “Forget About Everything, Except.” Retrieved from berni@christianityworks.com
6. Berni Dymet, “The Power is the Proof.” Retrieved from berni@christianityworks.com
7. Charles R. Swindoll, “Where the Real Power Resides.” Retrieved from info@insightforliving.ca
8. Berni Dymet, “Wisdom Before the World Began.” Retrieved from berni@christianityworks.com
9. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Treasure Hunting.” Retrieved from noreply@ltw.org
10. Ron Moore, “Standing Firm in Unshakable Faith: Calming the Storm.” Retrieved from http://www.ronmoore.org
11.  Billy Graham, “How Do I Reach My Friend With God’s Love?” Retrieved from https://www.arcamax.com/healthandspirit/religion/billygraham/