Posted on by craigcondonlayreader

John 14:1-21 Jesus’ Final Instructions, Part 2

What would qualify a person as a “real Christian?” What daily practices would they have to observe? What would they have to know? These questions and others like them would be interesting topics for an information session or a class for new believers. There is one basic thing that each and every Christian must have to be a real Christian. It is the Holy Spirit.

John 14:1-21 is another part of Jesus’ farewell discourse to his disciples. Jesus has just told the disciples that he is going to be crucified. Now he is telling them that he will not leave them alone because he will send the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will guide them and remind them of everything Jesus said, taught and did. In that sense, Jesus will be with them forever.

The disciples saw the risen Christ and knew the truth about Jesus and his relationship to them. They would live because Jesus lived. In other words, Jesus would live on because of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit would live in the disciples just like the Holy Spirit lives in all believers. Because the Holy Spirit lives in all believers, they will show their love for Jesus by keeping all of his commandments. By keeping his commandments and doing Jesus’ work in our world, the Holy Spirit and Jesus live in all believers.

The Holy Spirit’s role in our lives is the same role the Holy Spirit had in the lives of the disciples. He is a helper, teacher, guide and encourager. He continues to do Jesus’ work. He gives us gifts that are based on the character of Christ. In return, we are to work in the Spirit and obey God.

John 14:1-21 marks a change in the relationship between believers and the world. Until this point, Jesus has defined the world to include all of humanity that is opposed to him because of sin. Now, there arises a difference between the world and those who believe in Jesus. Both groups are opposed to each other.

Those who believe in Jesus and his death and resurrection are inseparable from Jesus, especially through the Holy Spirit. We will see Jesus in heaven, but in the meantime we have the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit allows believers to see Jesus even though he is no longer with us. Since we “see” Jesus, it stands to reason that he can “see” us. Therefore, he can see whether or not we are obeying him. As we continue to obey him, our spiritual sight gets stronger.

The Holy Spirit came into the world just like Jesus came into the world, the only difference being that the Holy Spirit could not come until Jesus completed his work of salvation. Just like Jesus is under the authority of God, the Holy Spirit is under the authority of Jesus. Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit are the same person, but they are also three different people at the same time. They are like the three sides of a triangle, hence the term “Trinity.”

The Holy Spirit will always stand beside God’s people. The Holy Spirit is referred to as “the Spirit of truth” because truth is part of the nature of the Holy Spirit’s mission. The Holy Spirit testifies to God’s truth and brings people to the truth through conviction that leads to repentance and faith.

When the Holy Spirit is present, Jesus is present. When Jesus is present, God is present. John 14:1-21 helps us to understand the Christian life and God’s will for our lives. It allows us to see things as Christ sees them. The Trinity teaches us to love unconditionally and respect boundaries and roles. John’s Gospel sees love as the key to following Jesus.

At this point in our church year we are getting ready for Pentecost. During these weeks between Easter and Pentecost we have been describing what it means to be a Christian and a church. Jesus’ resurrection has changed us into a people who are living beyond the power of death. The Scripture readings we have heard since Easter Sunday are full of references to the Holy Spirit and the work the Holy Spirit will do among believers. In John 14:12, Jesus said that the disciples would do greater works than he did. That is because Jesus in his human body could only be in one place at one time, whereas the Holy Spirit can dwell within all believers, wherever they are, all the time. To do this, Jesus said in verses 14 to 16 that the disciples would need prayer, obedience and the Holy Spirit. The greater works referred to are the proclamation of the fact of deliverance and the hope and promise of salvation.

God wants to reveal himself to us and he reveals himself to us through Jesus, but only if our hearts belong to Jesus. That’s why Jesus revealed himself to only a select few people after his resurrection. He knew that there were a lot of people who refused to believe that he rose from the dead. In other words, their hearts did not belong to Jesus.

Loving Jesus means wanting him because he is desirable. It means admiring him because he is infinitely admirable. It means treasuring him because he is very valuable. It means enjoying him because he is enjoyable. It means being satisfied with all that he is because he is infinitely satisfying. It is the response of the reawakened human soul to all that is true and good and beautiful and embodied in Jesus.

The Holy Spirit is just like Jesus, so following the Holy Spirit is no different from following Jesus. The only difference is that the Holy Spirit’s leadership is invisible instead of physical. The Holy Spirit is the exact image of both Jesus and God.

No one can produce the love we need to do God’s work except the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will help us obey Jesus’ instructions because it gives us revelation from God’s word. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are controlled by the Holy Spirit, he changes us and his love flows from us. This lifestyle of obedience will increase our trust in God. We will be able to commit to obeying God, and our study of the Scriptures will be consistent.

The Holy Spirit can transform us once we understand it. It will help us to model the type of Christian behaviour that we want to teach other people. If our behaviour is unbelievable, we will deceive ourselves in the long run. When the Holy Spirit changes us, we will be able to withstand all of life’s problems. We will have peace in our hearts. We will have hope when we are hurting. This will only be possible when Jesus and the Holy Spirit are the centre of our hearts and thoughts.

No man-made idols will be able to withstand the truth of God’s love if we open our hearts and invite the Holy Spirit to live in us. Money will not make us happy, because the Holy Spirit teaches that happiness can’t be bought. Power and control are not important because the Holy Spirit teaches us that truth, kindness and love are more important.

When the Holy Spirit is in us, it shows that we love Jesus. We must always ask ourselves what the condition of our love for God is. How do we respond to God’s love for us by loving others? We often think of God’s love as being unconditional, but this passage from John’s Gospel concludes with two conditions for receiving God’s love-keeping Jesus’ commandments and loving Jesus. These two conditions are so interdependent that Jesus binds them together as if they were one. When we love Jesus, we will obey his commandments and we will not find them burdensome. On the contrary, we will obey them joyfully, because the Holy Spirit inspires us to go into the world and share God’s love, even if the world can’t or won’t accept this message. The world doesn’t know the Holy Spirit of truth and love yet, but if we allow God’s truth and love to speak through us, the world will know this life-changing, life-saving message.

Bibliography

  1. Exegesis for John 14:15-21. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
  2. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)
  3. Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on John (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2010)
  4. Frederikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985)
  5. White, J.E. in Holman Concise Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1998)
  6. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible Software package.
  7. Rick Renner, “Jesus’ Last Lesson for the Disciples”. Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
  8. Dr. Charles Stanley, “A Lifestyle of Obedience.” Retrieved from www.intouch,org
  9. Dr. Charles Stanley, “Our Constant Companion.” Retrieved from www.intouch.org
  10. Dick Inness, “Show Me-Don’t Tell Me.” Retrieved from www.actsweb.org
  11. Jim Cymbala, “The Power to Love.” Retrieved from www.billygraham.org
  12. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Taking God’s Hand.” Retrieved from www.lhm.org
  13. John Piper, “If Anyone Loves Me He Will Keep My Word.” Retrieved from www.desiringgod.org
  14. Dr. Ed Young, “Do You Love Me?” ”. Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
  15. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, Sixth Sunday of Easter (A).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
  16. Lectionary Homiletics, Vol. XXV, No. 3 (St. Paul, MN: Luther Seminary; April/May 2014)
  17. Johnathan Shively, “Evangelectionary for Sunday, May 25, 2014.” Retrieved from www.evangelismconnections.com
  18. The Rev. Jason Cox, “Paul: Appealing or Appalling?” Retrieved from www.episcopaldigitialnetwork.com
Posted on by craigcondonlayreader

John 14:1-14 Jesus’ Final Instructions, Part 1

“Let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know and the way you know.”

Isn’t that comforting? It is not surprising that these words are often read at funerals. Jesus said these words to his disciples shortly before his arrest and crucifixion. He knew that they would be upset by his death and ascension, and he wanted to comfort them.

These words are part of his farewell discourse as written in John 13-17. Jesus was preparing his disciples for his departure. Jesus came to earth from his father, and now he was preparing to go back to his father’s house. It is the same house all believers will go to one day.

These same words comforted the early Christians, especially when they were being persecuted. They also give us comfort today. When something terrible happens, we often ask “Where is God?” This is only natural. Jesus asks us to trust him in the midst of our confusion. The special comfort is to believe and trust in Jesus. When life gives us hard knocks, we can let go of uncertainties and believe that Jesus has prepared a place for us in our heavenly home because we can trust him.

The phrase “Do not let your hearts be troubled” might seem a little ironic to us as we gather for worship. After all, whose heart isn’t troubled? All of us have had turmoil in our lives at one time or another. It doesn’t matter if the turmoil is caused by problems within our family, at work, among our friends or even within our churches.

Jesus has already made many dwelling places for us here on earth. Some of these places are places of worship such as a church. Here we can be unburdened from past wrongs. Here we can be ourselves and get help carrying life’s burdens. It is at times like these and in places like a church  where God shows us unconditional love, mercy and surprises.

These places are tailor-made for all of us, both as individuals and as a faith community. They remind me of the words of a song that was popular in the late 1970’s. It was recorded by Peter Frampton and is entitled “I’m In You” It describes how Jesus comforts us here on earth. The first verse goes like this:

I don’t care where I go

When I’m with you

When I cry you don’t laugh

‘cause you know me

I’m in you, you’re in me

I’m in you, you’re in me

‘cause you gave me the love

Love that I never had

Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament teachings that there is only one way to God and one way to see God. Jesus’ ministry and character reveal and reflect God’s character of love, forgiveness and grace. God works through Jesus and he works through us thanks to the Holy Spirit that lives in us. We, like the disciples, can do even greater works than Jesus did thanks to the Holy Spirit.

The disciples could do works that would be greater than the works Jesus did because they could go out into the world. Each and every one of us can also do great works because we can go out into the world and do what Jesus and the disciples did. The disciples had the privilege of working for God and knowing the purpose for their lives. We can also have the same privilege and purpose. Jesus will guide us in the direction he wants us to go. He will help us to “keep our eyes on the prize.”

The reason why Jesus went away was to secure our future. He prepared a heavenly home for us. Jesus is the only way to heaven. Most people today, if asked why they think God will let them into heaven, would say that God will let them into heaven because they try to be good and go to church. They also believe that if their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds then God will let them into heaven. Man’s pride believes that God somehow owes him a place in heaven or eternal life as a reward for good deeds, earnest effort or sincerity. We can’t earn our way to heaven. Belonging to a particular church or a particular denomination won’t get us into heaven. Jesus is the only way to salvation. Jesus is the only way to heaven.

We, like the disciples, dread death and the separation it creates. Death and separation are Satan’s stronghold, and the only remedy is faith in an unshakeable God. This faith will help us to do God’s work in our world. When we pray to God in faith, we glorify God. When we glorify God, we can do great things for him. Praying to God in faith is the cure for anxiety. We pray because we believe in prayer. Prayer is the result of our deepest belief in God. In order for us to believe in God and do his work in our world, we have to have intimacy with God.

Sometimes we are afraid to pray to God because we are afraid that God will turn down our requests. Prayer is not about getting God to do what we want him to do. It is about releasing God’s will on earth. God even said “no” to Jesus when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus had to submit to God’s will, and we must obey God’s will. That is the only way God can be glorified in life.

Jesus is exalted by God to the highest place in the universe. That is why everyone has to bow down before him. That is why Jesus said that no one can come to God except by going through him. Jesus bridged the gap between God and man that was created by the sins of Adam and Eve. In return, we are to spread the Good News of salvation.

Jesus and the Father are one. Jesus is the perfect representation of both our heavenly Father and our heavenly home. In fact, one reason why Jesus came to earth was to show us the Father. Jesus showed us what God is like and what God likes. God likes to be glorified and when our prayers glorify him, they will be answered in his own time and in his own way. Our prayers glorify him when they are offered in Jesus’ name. Jesus will return one day to take us to our heavenly home. Will he find us doing what he told us to do, or will he find us doing nothing?

If we follow Jesus, we must obey his instructions. We have to surrender our way of doing things, even if it means suffering for his sake. We have to trust that his promises will come true, even if other people say that Jesus is no longer relevant. He is the way to eternal life even when we are surrounded by death. We must keep our eyes focused on heaven so we won’t be distracted by the things of the world. In other words, we must have an eternal view of life.

The way to God means following the narrow road to salvation instead of the wider road to damnation. The wide road is travelled by people who follow the ways of the world. The narrow road is travelled by people of faith. Sometimes we don’t know what lies ahead on the narrow road, but we can be thankful that Jesus has laid out the steps we have to follow. He won’t lead us astray. He will provide for our needs. He will shape our character and define how we are to live godly lives. He will show us the words, deeds, characters, and attitudes we are to have in life’s joys, sorrows and difficult moments.

Those who follow the narrow road will rejoice when Jesus returns because they have been redeemed by his blood. His return will fulfill our hopes and dreams. Those who follow the wide road will mourn because his return will bring their judgment. They did not believe that he died and rose again for their sins, so they are doomed to spend eternity in hell. If we follow Jesus, our hearts will not be troubled.

Some of you may remember a children’s TV show called “The Friendly Giant” It ran on the CBC Television Network in Canada from 1958 to 1985. At the start of each show, the Friendly Giant said that he would “hurry over first and go in the back door so I can lower the drawbridge down and open the big front doors for you.” He would then arrange the furniture for his guests. In other words, he prepared his home for visitors. Similarly, Jesus went to heaven to prepare a place for us to go to when we go to our heavenly home. Going home fulfills the longing we have for God. Only God can fulfill the emptiness of our souls.

Bibliography

  1. “The Friendly Giant” Retrieved from www.en.wikipewdia.org
  2. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible (Brentwood, TN: Worth Publishing; 2013)
  3. Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on John (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2010)
  4. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.
  5. Frederikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985)
  6. Radmacher, E.D.; Allen, R.B. & House, H.W.: Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1999)
  7. Barry, J.D., Grigoni, M.R.; Heiser, M.S.; Custis, M; Mangum, D.; & Whitehead, M.M.: Faithlife Study Bible (Oak Harbour, WA: Logos Bible Software; 2012)
  8. Os Hillman, “Father, Son and Holy Scriptures?” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
  9. Pastor Jack Hibbs, “Words to the Wise Devotional, John 14:1-3”. Retrieved from wttw@calvarycch.org
  10. Selwyn Hughes, “Christianity is Unique” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
  11. Jim Burns, “Good Intention, Wrong Destination” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
  12. Pastor Bob Coy, “Eternally Covered” Retrieved from www.activeword.org
  13. Calvin Aardma, “Revealing the Father” Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net
  14. Anne Graham Lotz, “He Will Be Looking for You” Retrieved from www.angelministries.org
  15. Berni Dymet, “Boarding Pass” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
  16. Pastor Bob Coy, “Eyes on Eternity” Retrieved from www.activeword.org
  17. Gwen Smith, “Don’t Say No” Retrieved from www.girlfriendsingod.com
  18. Reginald Smith, “Trust Me” Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net
  19. Skip Hertzig, “Purpose” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
  20. Joni Eareckson Tada, “Word of the Father” Retrieved from www.joniandfriends.org
  21. Anne Graham Lotz, “God Reaches Down to Man” Retrieved from www.angelministries.org
  22. Exegesis for John 14:1-14. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
  23. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 5th Sunday of Easter (A), May 18, 2014.” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
  24. Rev. Grace Imathiu, UMC, “Room Enough for All.” Retrieved from www.day1,org
  25. Lectionary Homiletics, Volume XXV, Number 3 (St. Paul, MN: Luther Seminary; April/May 2014)
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Psalm 104:24-35,37 Worship God the Creator

How many of you have seen the movie Saving Private Ryan?

It’s a war film set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II. The film is about U.S. Army Ranger Captain John H. Miller (who was played by Tom Hanks) and his squad as they search for Private First Class John Francis Ryan (who was played by Matt Damon). Private Ryan was the last surviving brother of four servicemen. Captain Miller lost several of his men in their search to find him. After finding him, Captain Miller himself was mortally wounded. As he laid dying, he told Private Ryan, “Earn this.”

Years later Private Ryan stood in front of Captain Miller’s grave and said, “Every day I think about what you told me that day on the bridge. I tried to live my life the best I could. I hope that was enough. I hope that, at least in your eyes, I’ve earned what all of you have done for me.” He turned to his wife and said, “Tell me I have led a good life…. tell me I’m a good man.”

Private Ryan asked the same question many of us ask ourselves: “Have I done enough with this one and only life God has given me?” On our own we can’t answer that question, but with Jesus’ help the answer is clear. He died for us so that we don’t have to do anything. By his grace we can live lives that are satisfied with good things, as the writer of Psalm 104 tells us. The question then becomes “Is the work of Jesus enough to make me satisfied and significant?”, and the answer is always a resounding “Yes!”

All of God’s creation is subject to his authority, including the biggest sea creatures. All of creation must praise him. In return, he takes pleasure in everything he has created. They depend on him, and in return he is generous to them. They can rely on him. We are part of God’s creation, so we can also depend on him.

God gives life. He makes the world new again and again. Creation is God’s and it exists for him. He cares and provides for creation, and in return everything he has created gathers in what God gives them and returns a portion to him. This is what the term “tithing” means-giving back to God a portion of what he has given us. God’s spirit has touched all of us in amazing ways, and we must share what we have been given with others.

It’s almost impossible for us to understand creation. Even our best scientists have to regularly revise their theories to try to explain creation-and God puts all of his wisdom at their service and ours. What God has created is awesome beyond our ability to understand it.

All of creation is supposed to show the majesty of God, including Jesus. He was the shekinah, or the visible sign of the invisible God. According to the Old Testament, the shekinah was a radiant cloud or a brilliant light within a cloud that showed the immediate presence of God. That same cloud led the Israelites by day in the desert. That same cloud also appeared at Jesus’ baptism and his transfiguration.

On the other hand, sinners and the unchurched are those who reject God’s rule and rebel against him. They are a blemish on the world, and God will remove that blemish in due time. The purpose of Psalm 104 is to foster hatred of sin. Its purpose is not to foster hatred against sinners. On the contrary, we are to love them. For example, Pope Francis’ stated to the Roman Catholic Church that homosexuality and divorce are to be treated by showing compassion and love instead of hatred.

Our prayerful response to God’s love is to worship him and care for creation, but unfortunately our modern world has selfishly neglected to care for creation. The only way to prevent an ecological disaster is for humanity to treat God’s creation with respect.

Those who bless and praise God want to see the day when sinful men have been removed from the earth and the curse of sin removed. Throughout the Old Testament there are stories of how God used creation itself to destroy evil and rebuild the world. The prime example is the story of the Great Flood. There is a destructive power in nature. God’s world contains forces that are beyond our wildest dreams, so we would be wise to respect both the forces of nature and the forces of God. We can’t challenge God’s truth and justice, because they are both swift and just. God wields his power with love and compassion.

If we take time to develop the habit of seeing God in our lives, we will be able to withstand the most trying times in our lives. When the Holy Spirit breathes new life into us, we can expect that it will be consistent with the character of Christ even though we might not be able to anticipate everything it will mean.

Our Christian life with God is like a song that is ready to be written. He loves to hear our praise. He will put a song in our hearts that will be the sweetest melody that we can enjoy for the rest of our lives. Just like the angels sang “Glory to God” at Christ’s birth, we are to give God glory in every circumstance in our lives. We don’t have to be a great singer to sing praise to God as long as we praise him every day. We can praise him when we do our household chores or serve others behind the scenes. When we show that Jesus is in our lives and reflect his character to those around us, we will make God happy.

Bibliography

  1. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
  2. Dr. R.C. Sproul, “Witnessing His Glory.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
  3. Williams, D. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 14: Psalms 73-150 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1989: pp. 239-242)
  4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
  5. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
  6. “Sing to Me.” Retrieved from Biblegateway@e.biblegateway.com
  7. Carol A. Solovitz, “God Pause for Tues., June 3, 2014.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu
  8. Ron Moore, “Beyond the Last Note.” Retrieved from www.ronmore.org
  9. Ron Moore, “Significant in Christ.” Retrieved from www.ronmoore.org
  10. Joni Eareckson Tada, “What Makes God Happy?” Retrieved from communications@joniandfriends.org
  11. Alan Brehm, “The Waking Dreamer.” Retrieved from http://thewakingdreamer.blogspot.ca/2010/06/breath-of-god-acts-21-21-ps.html
  12. Matthew Stith, “Commentary on Psalm 104:24-34,35b.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=320
Posted on by craigcondonlayreader

Spiritual Warfare

Zoe sat at the edge of her bed and put on a pair of white socks. Then she looked up and saw her brother, Jackson, standing in her doorway wearing one black sock and one white sock. Zoe laughed. “Your socks don’t match,” she said.

Jackson looked down at his outfit. “They do too. The black one matches my black jeans and the white one matches my white t-shirt.” Jackson smiled a big toothy grin, and Zoe rolled her eyes and smirked.

Just then Dad came out of his room holding a black sock and a white sock. “Have either of you seen the match to either of these socks?” he asked.

“Yeah,” said Zoe. “On Jackson’s feet!” Jackson was slightly big for his age, so he and Dad could share socks. Dad shook his head as Jackson stood on one foot and yanked the black sock off, then handed it to him in exchange for the white sock.

After breakfast, they met in the living room for their morning devotions. “Time to get spiritually dressed for the day,” Dad said.

“But we’re already dressed,” said Jackson, looking down at his clothes. “We even have matching socks!”

“That’s not exactly what I meant,” said Dad. “Let’s try it from a different angle. Why is it important to wear socks?”

“Well, socks help keep our feet warm and dry,” Zoe said.

“And they protect our feet from getting hurt by rubbing against our shoes,” Jackson added.

Dad nodded. “The Bible talks about putting on spiritual clothes that help and protect us called the armor of God. It helps us remember His promises and protects us from the devil’s attacks. And one of the pieces of armor we need to put on is the gospel of peace on our feet.”

“How do we do that?” Zoe asked.

“By reminding ourselves that Jesus has saved us from sin and given us new hearts, and that we have victory over Satan through Him. One good way to do that is to read God’s Word and remember what Jesus has done for us every day so we can feel His peace in our lives and obey Him.”

Jackson smiled. “Well, let’s get started,” he said. “I want to make sure I’m wearing matching gospel socks!”

Ladies and gentlemen, we are in a spiritual war. We’re fighting an unseen enemy. He uses deceit, deflection and disguise. It’s getting worse and the devil is becoming much more real. We have to take this seriously because we have a crisis on our hands. We have to do something to prevent disaster.

There’s no shortage of passages in the New Testament that characterize the Christian life as a battle. Paul urges Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:18 to wage spiritual warfare. In 1 Timothy 6:12 Paul tells Timothy to fight the good fight of faith. Paul urges all of us in 1 Corinthians 16:13 to watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave and be strong.

Our spiritual battle plan is similar to a military battle plan. We have objectives, strategies and tactics. Satan and Jesus plan their attacks and direct their forces just like a military general does. We have to put on spiritual armour just like soldiers have to put on battle armor. Our struggle with evil will result in certain victory because of God’s promise to be with us in good times and in bad times. God helps us in our struggles. He will stand with us during the battles of life. He will give us the ammunition and the equipment we need to fight the battle. 

In Ephesians 6:10-12 Paul urges us to put on the armour of God. This armour gives us the protection and weapons we need to fight this battle. We are trying to make progress toward God’s Kingdom, and Satan tries to resist us.

As Christians, we are called to join this fight. All believers have been drafted into this army,. We can either join the fight or stand in the background and be miserable. We don’t know when and where the devil will attack, but he often tempts us during vulnerable moments such as when we are hungry, angry, lonely or tired. We have to be prepared all the time for an attack. Satan is deceptive. We won’t recognize the trap as an evil scheme. It will seem good, and we’ll likely wrestle with some sort of doubt.

Today’s culture floods us with temptations and worldly thinking that encourage us to be puffed up, to lust, to covet, and more. Our flesh relishes these sins. It works to convince us that we don’t need God. Satan conspires to use both the world and our flesh to thwart the work of God in our lives.

Modern theology is almost entirely about how we can make things better for ourselves. When we study the Bible, we realize that it’s not just about making us feel better. It’s also about making us better soldiers of Jesus Christ. We might feel that we’re powerless. We might be afraid. Letting fear or our own weaknesses keep us from the battle is not acceptable. It’s like the old saying that “failure is not an option.” God calls us to be fearless. We don’t have to rely on our strength. God will strengthen us with His might and His armour.

In order to fight our enemy, it’s best to understand our enemy first. Most Christians don’t take the enemy seriously because they don’t know enough about him to take him seriously. Some Christians think that the devil is a Biblical symbol for evil. The Bible tells us that the devil is every bit as literal as God is. Symbols can’t do things such as deceive, murder, tempt, destroy, lie, accuse or control. Satan is active in human affairs today. The whole world is under his control. God has given Satan authority on the earth for a while, but one day God will take it back.

Our attempts to live victoriously in Christ when in a hostile environment could become frightening if we did not believe that God provides for us in every trial. As believers in Jesus Christ, baptized in His kingdom and covered by His blood, we have authority and power over the forces of darkness. Even though we have sinned and made mistakes, we have authority that Jesus has delegated to us. We are engaged in a battle, but we can walk in His power, claim His Name, and watch as He fights for us.

The armour of God is Christ Himself. God has given us enough faith to make sure we are covered from head to toe. It, like a long and wide shield, is enough to cover any need that will ever come along in our lives.

So how do we use the armour of God when we’re waging spiritual warfare? Knowing Bible references will help. Memorizing Scripture allows us to have it in mind so we can fight off Satan’s attacks. In Matthew 4:11, when the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Christ fought him off by quoting Scripture. We can share His Word with others and encourage them to trust Him.

So how can we fight the enemies of today and win? The answer is simple. We have to use weapons that are similar in nature to weapons used by soldiers in times of war. These similar weapons are outlined by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:10-17. Each piece of this armour of God is an ethical quality which is derived from the character of Christ and which is ours through faith.

First, we have to put on our helmets. Ephesians 6:17 tells us to “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Just like a physical helmet protects soldiers in battle, a spiritual helmet protect Christian soldiers. A soldier on the battlefield has confidence that his helmet will protect his head, and a Christian soldier has confidence that nothing can separate him or her from the love of God. As Paul says in Romans 8:31-39, if God is for us, who can be against us?

If our shield of faith is leaking and our daily victory is elusive, the helmet of salvation guarantees our victory. The helmet also provides coverage for the most critical part of our body: our mind, where spiritual battles are either won or lost. As we fight spiritual warfare on a daily basis, we can stand firm knowing that our salvation does not come and go with our success or failure in a spiritual battle. Our salvation is our eternal possession. We are children of God, and nothing can separate us from Christ’s love.

Next, we are to arm ourselves with weapons. In the case of a soldier on the battlefield, these weapons include guns and grenades. On the spiritual battlefield, the weapon is the truth of the Word of God. It is the only offensive weapon mentioned in Paul’s list of spiritual armour. We are to defend ourselves against Satan’s attacks by speaking and reading God’s Word. Satan tries to influence us by planting thoughts in our heads, but he can’t read our thoughts. If we’re going to resist Satan, we have to do so verbally so he can understand us and be put to flight.

The sword of the Spirit is the word of God. We need to practice with it regularly so that we become proficient in using it, just like someone who takes part in the sport of fencing has to practice regularly. How much effort do we spend on training with the sword of the spirit, also known as the word of God, the Bible? Are we half-hearted with it? Do we study it and put verses to memory? Do we know our way around it and can find passages when we need to?

General Jesus commands us to take up the sword. We are to do so until we get to heaven. The Spirit alone can show us how to use it effectively. It’s ours to use under His guidance and leading. It isn’t to be used for defence, but for attack. The enemy is up close and personal and we can’t throw spears or shoot arrows at him. We need a powerful weapon for close quarter fighting and this is it.

We are to wear a belt. A soldier’s belt allows him to carry his weapons. A spiritual warrior wears the belt of truth-truth about himself or herself, relationships, God and God’s love, our spouses and children and relatives. The belt of truth allows us to live truthfully and not live a lie. The belt of truth is the best weapon to use for fighting evil.

In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am…the truth.” Because Christ is in us, the truth is in us. When we learn to live in the truth on a daily basis, we will grow to love the truth because we have nothing to hide. The truth will set us free because it is one of the strongest spiritual weapons we have in our arsenal.

We are also to arm ourselves with shields of protection. Ephesians 6:14,16 tells us to “Stand, therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness… Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one.” A soldier on the battlefield today or a police officer on duty wears a bulletproof vest and a helmet. Riot police are also equipped with face shields and full-length body shields. A Christian soldier has the resources of the greatest shield of all-Jesus Christ. He stands with us and fights with us and for us against Satan’s attacks.

Biblical faith is simply what we believe about God and His Word. The more we know about God and His Word, the more faith we will have and the bigger our shields will be. The less we know, the smaller our shield will be and the easier it will be for one of Satan’s fiery darts to reach its target. These darts are nothing more than lies, accusations and temptations bombarding our minds. When a deceptive thought, accusation or temptation enters our minds, we can meet it head-on with what we know to be true about God and His Word.

If we are living in Christ, we will have to take our shots too. Satan will do everything he can to convince us that we are not who Christ says we are. Guilt and shame from our sins will be aimed at our hearts with the intent of killing us. We might even get knocked down hard. The intent of God’s breastplate of righteousness is not to perfect us, it is to protect us and our hearts today.

A good soldier also needs good footwear. Soldiers wear boots that have to meet tough regulations. Christians are to wear the sandals of peace as Paul commands us in Ephesians 6:15: “and having shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace.” Just like a soldier’s boots provide traction for every type of terrain, the good spiritual boot called the Gospel gives us stability and sure footing when we face pain and fear. These spiritual boots will allow us to take the gospel anywhere and everywhere, just like a soldier’s boots will allow him to go anywhere and everywhere.

The shoes of peace provide protection against the divisive schemes of the devil when we act as a peacemaker among believers. Peacemakers bring people together by promoting fellowship and reconciliation. Anyone can divide a fellowship, but it takes the grace of God to unite us in Him.

Too many Christians insist on common doctrine as the basis for fellowship. They reason that if we don’t think the same and believe the same, there is no basis for peace. Common doctrine isn’t the basis for fellowship.; common heritage is. We are all children of God. If we wait for fellowship with someone until we agree perfectly on every point of doctrine, we will be the loneliest Christians on earth. Instead of insisting on the unity of the mind, we can preserve the unity of the Spirit by taking the initiative to be the peacemaker in our relationships.

The best weapon we have is prayer. Prayer is not a tangible piece of armour, but Paul summed up his message on spiritual armour with an eager command to pray. Our spiritual armour comes from God and is only empowered by God as we seek Him through prayer.

When we put on the armour of God, we are really putting on Christ. When we put on Christ, we take ourselves out of the realm of the flesh, where we are vulnerable to attack. We place ourselves within the dominion of Christ, where the devil can’t attack us. Satan has nothing on Christ, and to the extent that we put on Christ, the devil can’t touch us.

The belt, breastplate and shoes are made possible when we receive Christ and in which we are commanded to stand firm. They, along with the rest of the armour, have already been supplied to us by God. We have all we need to win this war. Our strength is supplied by God’s grace. He equips us to live the life to which we have been called. 

Spiritual warfare is everywhere, even in the church. We only have to look at the empty pews in most churches today to see that this is true. Spiritual warfare disguised as other activities on Sunday morning or church dissention keeps people away from church. People who don’t attend church for reasons such as not liking the minister or the order of service or the music or taking part in other activities on Sunday morning are on the side of the devil. He hides the real reason why people need to attend church. He doesn’t tell them that the real reason to go to church is to worship God, especially with other believers.

Is it even possible to live peaceably with others? In a newspaper column that appeared a few years ago, Billy Graham was asked why nations can’t get along with each other. He was also asked if warfare could be eliminated if poverty was eliminated. He stated in his reply that “Even if all poverty were somehow eliminated we’d still have conflicts and wars. This is because our real problem is deeper than economic inequality, or other social or economic problems. Our real problem is within ourselves, within our own hearts and minds.”

What help do we have to stand firm against attacks from Satan and his allies? We have:

  1. Truth: It protects us against damaging lies.
  2. Righteousness (by faith through grace in Christ): It annihilates our sins.
  3. Peace: It guides our hearts and minds. It motivates us to share the hope of Jesus.
  4. Faith: It protects us from attacks and extinguishes the flaming darts of the devil.
  5. Salvation: In Christ alone. It conquers death. It is finished. Team Jesus has won.
  6. The sword of the Spirit: The word of God. Inherent. Flawless. It guides us in all truth.
  7. Pray in the Spirit: It connects us to God’s power.

If we need more inspiration, all we have to do is sing the old hymn “Stand Up, Stand up for Jesus”:

Stand up, stand up for Jesus! ye soldiers of the cross;

Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss:

From vict’ry unto vict’ry, His army shall He lead,

Till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus! The trumpet call obey:

Forth to the mighty conflict, in this His glorious day;

Ye that are men now serve Him against unnumbered foes;

Let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus! Stand in His strength alone,

The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own;

Put on the gospel armor, and watching unto prayer,

Where calls the voice of duty, be never wanting there.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus! the strife will not be long;

This day the noise of battle, the next the victor’s song;

To him that overcometh a crown of life shall be;

He with the King of glory shall reign eternally.

Bibliography

  1. Jeremiah, David: Answers to Questions About Spiritual Warfare (San Diego, CA: Turning Point for God; 2014)
  2. Craig Condon, “Spiritual Warfare and Real Warfare.” Retrieved from the author’s personal library.
  3. Anne Cetas, “Time for the Armour.” Retrieved from noreply@rbc.org
  4. Charles R. Swindoll, “The Shadow of the Giant, Part 2”. Retrieved from www.insightforliving.ca
  5. Bayless Conley, “The Reality of the Battle.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
  6. Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
Posted on by craigcondonlayreader

John 17:20-26 Unity

Do you enjoy working on jigsaw puzzles? They can be a lot of fun. The pieces of the puzzle are in many different sizes, shapes, colors. If you look at one piece of the puzzle, you don’t get very much of the picture, do you? No, the pieces are not very important by themselves, but when they are all joined together and become one, they show the total picture.

A jigsaw puzzle can teach us an important lesson about the church. The church is made up of many individual members. Like the pieces of a puzzle, the members of a church come in different sizes, shapes, and colors. Jesus himself prayed that the church would be one so that the world would see God’s love in us. We are part of the picture. Jesus wants us to love one another, help one another, and serve one another. When we do that, we become one, just as Jesus prayed we would be, and when we are one, the world can see God’s love in us.

Unfortunately, just as it is sometimes difficult to put all of the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together, the individual members of the church sometimes have a hard time being one with each other. We may hear people in the church saying things like “I don’t like the songs we sing” or “The preacher preaches too long.” When we say things like that and concentrate on our own likes and dislikes, we are no longer being one. We are like the individual pieces of the puzzle. The world cannot see God’s love in us. They don’t get the whole picture.

If you ever find yourself thinking about yourself, rather than being united with others in the church, remember that Jesus prayed that we would be one. When we are one, bound together by Christ’s love, the world will see God’s love through us.

When Jesus left heaven and came to earth as a human baby, He united Himself to us in our humanity by taking on human flesh. He went on to live a perfect life, obeying God in all things. He died a sacrificial death. He took the punishment we deserved. Through our faith in Christ and what He did for us in His life, death and resurrection, we are united to Him. This means that His perfect life is now ours. God looks at us and sees Christ’s righteousness. The death he died is ours. God accepts Christ’ s payment as though we paid it ourselves.

Our unity with Christ creates and shapes our unity with other believers. We are united to Christ through our justification and united to one another through our adoption. Though we come to faith as an individual, once we are a believer, we become part of the family of God.

Jesus wants his cross to be given to all people-the cross that contains his promise to include all people in his resurrection. As Jesus and the Father are one, never judging each other, never excluding the other, but working together to bring life to the world, so Jesus prays that all people be given his life, eternal life, a life of mercy and forgiveness.

When Jesus prayed for those who will believe in Him, He was praying for every believer who would come to know Him into the future. Jesus prays that all of His people throughout all time will be one. He wants unity to be rooted in Himself and God-the unity that Jesus and God have in each other. This unity can be revealed in all of us. As Christ’s love is perfected in us, the world is challenged. The church will become God’s call to the world. Everyone will eventually know that Jesus was sent by God to be our witness. God’s love will distinguish us as His disciples. He is in us. It is His love that will enable us to fulfill Jesus’ command to love one another.

Jesus wants us to be united with Him in glory. We will be united with Him in God’s love because we have been united with Him on earth. Christians who operate on the same agenda as Jesus understand these things as His heartbeat: He longs that the Father be glorified, that His followers would be sanctified, and that the church would be unified to reach the world for Him.

The world is a battleground. There is constant spiritual warfare between the forces of God and Satan. Jesus prayed that God will keep His people pure and give them joy, peace and unity. He also prayed that God would protect His people from Satan’s power.

The power of Christian unity is God’s love within His people.  There are people who have never known Him. They have rejected Him. Those who know Him now and love Him will be transformed and will be with Him in heaven.

The basis of the unity Jesus prays for is the adherence to the revelation God showed to the first disciples through Jesus. We are to be united in a common belief of the truth that was received in God’s Word.

Christians are all redeemed by the same blood and are going to heaven. They have the same wants, the same enemies, the same joys. They are divided into different denominations, but they will be united in heaven. They are all children of God. This unity will be complete when there are no controversies, no envying, no arguments, no jealousies.

When we do what Jesus calls us to do, unity happens. That doesn’t mean we will agree about everything. It does mean we’ll have a humble spirit of unity. If we want to have this unity, we have to stay on mission. We can’t allow division to gain a foothold among the body of Christ. When we as Christians fight and bicker among ourselves, we encourage other people not to listen to God’s Word.

When we join together, we reveal God’s love in ways that can’t be seen when we try to do things alone. Our efforts are multiplied because of our obedience. People will respond to God in a much greater dimension when we operate in unity.

Unfortunately, competition has penetrated the church so much that many churches and Christian organizations approach ministry like a sports event. They see their mission as a business that seeks to gain market share among Christians-donors, members, influence-all in the name of God. When God sees this, He probably asks Himself, “Whatever happened to John 17:23?” Sometimes we have to remind our fellow Christian servants that we are all on the same team. We should be seeking to impact the Kingdom of God, not increase our own market share.

What is happening in the church is a reflection of what is happening in society, especially in large urban centres. Families are spread out from coast to coast. We barely know our neighbours. We see ourselves as individuals, living as individuals and concerned with our individual welfare. As a result, we isolate ourselves and immerse ourselves in the virtual reality of television, Internet and video games. These are poor substitutes for real flesh and blood relationships.

There is a statement about believers: “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” The word essentials refers to the most important theological doctrines like that of the Bible being the Word of God, Jesus Christ being the only way to the Father, and salvation coming through Christ and Christ alone. Those are the essentials. We don’t ever flex on essentials.

But in nonessentials, liberty. What are nonessentials? Things like the style of music. Some people like it loud. Some people like it soft. Some people like a certain style. Some people like another style. These are secondary issues. We should never divide over them.

Finally, in all things, charity, which is another word for love. God calls us to be loving.

What is Jesus’ concern for those to come? It’s not about dogma or right belief. It’s not about who’s in and who’s out. It’s not about proper behaviour or perfect speech. Jesus’ concern is that they know their oneness with God. It fills them fully and completely with God’s love.

Jesus longs for a community of believers that understand God works in and through them. He wants a community of believers that know they are in and through God. Jesus wants a community of misfits that somehow know deep within what it means to be in God and God in them.

When Jesus made this statement about unity in John 17:23, He gave us the key to bringing salvation to many. He was telling us that when His body is unified, the non-Christian would be able to see who Jesus really is-the Son of God. Are we contributing to unity in the Body of Christ? Or are we contributing to a spirit of competition? We should ask God how we can be an instrument of unity in His Body.

The unity of the church is essential to its mission to reach out to a hurting world. If humankind sees people of many differences and diversities living in joyous common cause and unwavering, grateful commitment to each other, and if these united people say that the love of Christ has done it and lives in their unity, then conclusions may be reached about Jesus-and perhaps about the Oneness of love that is God.

Jesus wants us to experience the priceless gift of unity. He knows it is a means of grace that will help us grow deeper in love with Him and walk by faith. God doesn’t throw us into life as Christians without also giving us a means of knowing Him and how to show His love to others. God’s Word is our roadmap and along with fellow believers God helps us better understand how to live out His Word.

This unity is not so much realized as the result of weighty theological discussions, but in working together to stand alongside those who have been enslaved and are now free. This is a unity of action and love lived out for the sake of all who have been set free and are now trying to live into that freedom.

Believers come from all over the world. Despite these differences, they are united by their love of God and their desire to see His Kingdom on earth. The best way to maintain that unity is to pray for each other-just like Jesus did.

Bibliography

  1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp.1472)
  2. “We are One.” Retrieved from www.Sermons4KIds.com
  3. Fredrikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985; pp. 248-250)
  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. 1494-1497)
  6. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Wordsearch 12 Bible software package.
  7. Os Hillman, “Listening to the Father’s Heart-February 27, 2019.” Retrieved from tgif@marketplaceleaders.org
  8. Os Hillman, “The Spirit of Competition.” Retrieved from tgif@marketplaceleaders.org
  9. Sharon Betters, “Life-Giving Encouragement Happens in Community.” Retrieved from dailytreasure@markinc.org
  10. Dr. Jack Graham, “The Key in Creating Christian Unity.” Retrieved from www.jackgraham.org
  11. “John in 21: Chapter 17.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
  12. Pastor Greg Laurie, “Unity, Liberty and Charity.” Retrieved from www.harvest.org
  13. Christian Fox, “United in Christ for Community,” Retrieved from dailytreasure@markinc.org
  14. Dr. Paul Simpson Duke, “John 17:20-26.” Retrieved from https://blogs.baylor.edu/truettpulpit/2016/04/25/john-1720-26/
  15. Alan Brehm, “That the World May Believe.” Retrieved from http://thewakingdreamer.blogspot.com/2013/05/that-world-may-beleive.htm
  16. “Sounds Like a Plan.” Retrieved from  http://crossings.org/text-study/7th-sunday-of-easter-gospel-year-c/
  17. Rev. Janet Hunt, “A Slave Girl Set Free and the Unity to Which Jesus Calls Us.” Retrieved from http://dancingwiththeword.com/a-slave-girl-set-free-and-the-unity-Jesus-calls-us-to/
Posted on by craigcondonlayreader

Revelation 21:10,22-22:5 The New Jerusalem, Our Heavenly Home

Revelation 21:10,22-22:5 gives us a vision of the New Jerusalem, especially the heart of the Celestial City. We have a chance to explore its origin, appearance, exterior, dimensions, materials, characteristics, brilliance and blessings. The entire city will be a holy temple where God and the Lamb dwell, and whose inhabitants will be priests who serve God. The Celestial City will descend from heaven when Christ returns.

John also gives us a vision of the centre of the city. The most striking fact is that there is no temple. That’s because Christ will be the temple. There’s no need for a special building set aside for worship. God and Jesus will be the centre of worship.

We sometimes think our efforts bring about the Kingdom, but we must remember that the Kingdom and its fulfillment belong to God. God’s final fulfillment in Revelation fluctuates between exclusion and inclusion. One can read that in the end nearly everyone will be saved or only Christians will be saved. Current thinking emphasizes exclusion, but the New Jerusalem is a welcoming city, not a gated community. Even foreigners are invited to enter. In our time, when nations and neighbourhoods try to secure themselves against outsiders, the church can claim Revelation’s true vision of openness and welcome for the whole world.

God’s plan in choosing a people for himself is to bring everyone into the embrace of His love and His life. That plan includes the mission to carry the good news of God’s love to all nations. God is a God of embrace, not exclusion. We as God’s people can’t isolate ourselves from people whom we see as different by making the lines between us more rigid. We must recognize that every human being is a beloved child of God.  

In the new creation, sin’s corruption will be eradicated. God’s light will displace the darkness of sin. God’s shining presence will drive out sin. Everyone will enter God’s presence without hindrance or hesitation. Everyone will have complete access to the tree of life. There will be no more disease or death.

Entry into the New Jerusalem is by God’s grace. It is a reminder that, by God’s grace, those written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will live in the New Jerusalem. God will remove all uncleanness from us. God will provide healing for the nations, healing from the idolatry and falsehood that has infected us. God’s drawing of the kings and nations to Himself is no threat; the uncleanness that led to oppression, violence and evil will stay removed forever.

According to Ephesians (and other books of the Bible) we are marked with the sign of the Holy Spirit. The sign reflects baptism. The seal or sign is a promise, and in Revelation 21:4 we have the fulfillment of this promise. We see Jesus and bear His name. The books of Exodus and John reflect the idea that one can’t see God and live, but in the New Jerusalem, we will live in the very presence of God.

Believers will serve God in heaven. Exactly what they will do isn’t known, but they will use their God-given talents. Whatever we do will be far better than all we can imagine, to the praise and glory of His name.

In recent years society has become increasingly aware of the crises concerning the environment. Scholars have encouraged us to read the Bible in light of the problems in our environment. The vision of the new heaven and the new earth is fascinating when we consider the current state of the environment. Many people who read Revelation as a literal script for the end of the world use the new heaven and the new earth as an excuse not to care for the environment. While it is true that God will make all things new, that does not give us an excuse to abuse the environment. Until the new heaven and the new earth are created, we have to come together to take care of our current, earthly home.

The new creation will be a return to the Garden of Eden, paradise regained. The original order will be restored, with the redeemed ruling over all creation with Christ. The tree of life and the pure river-once guarded by the cherubim with the flaming sword at the Garden of Eden-reappear to beckon the weary pilgrims of the Lord to their future inheritance.

Jesus and God will be in every part of their earthly temple. They will be adored in all places. Earthly rulers will lay down their earthly treasures at Jesus’ feet. We will be allowed to visit every part of God’s realm and see His wonderous works.

There will no darkness of any kind-no disasters, no sorrow, no bereavement. Christians will live forever. They will gain knowledge about everything in God’s realm, and they will know everything about God. There will be nothing but peace and happiness. We will be able to enjoy the tree of life-the one tree Adam and Eve were forbidden to touch in the Garden of Eden. That tree will constantly produce fruit. It will grow everywhere. People who partake of that tree will be blessed with long life and good health. Our heavenly home will be pure and happy. There won’t be any place for sin. There will be no divisions or exclusions because of race or politics.

The same angel who has been speaking about the new creation assures John that these things will happen because the lord God guaranteed both the words and the events foretold by the holy prophets. The phrase, “which must shortly take place,” indicates that both the book and time itself are nearing their conclusion.

Revelation’s vision of God’s life-giving watershed in the centre of our cities renews hope for the future. We need the New Jerusalem. We need the tree of life and the healing of nations. The glimpses of a renewed earth that we see in Revelation can inspire and motivate us. Through each of our cities there is a river flowing from God’s heart. It is the life-giving water of life, into which we are baptized and by which we are renewed.

We may think that there is a scarcity of resources on earth, but in the New Jerusalem there is more than enough for everyone. The rejuvenation from the water of life and the healing leaves are accessible to everyone since the river of life provides equal access to the wholeness and not just those who are already powerful and privileged.

This passage gives Christians hope for the future. Jesus can forgive and heal. He will also reign, so His healing power has authority. He will sustain us for eternity. All of this gives authority to the church in the world. The church’s authority depends on the authority and truth of the Gospel.

Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, we have access to God when we approach Him by faith in prayer. In our heavenly home we will live in God’s presence forever.

Saint Augustine said that the reason we are here on earth is to love God and glorify Him forever. The vision of heaven that John gives us in this passage from Revelation bears that out. We will glorify, love and serve God forever. We will reign with Him in the glory that was His before the world began.  

All good things will never end. All bad things have been removed for eternity. We will be with all believers who have gone before us, including our believing relatives. Are you feeling homesick? Are you ready for your heavenly home? Are you ready to sing the words from the great hymn “Jerusalem the Golden?”

Jerusalem the Golden

with milk and honey blessed,

beneath thy contemplation

sink heart and voice oppressed.

I know not, O I know not

what joys awaits us there,

what radiancy of glory,

what bliss beyond compare

Bibliography

  1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp.1868-1869)
  2. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Wordsearch 12 Bible software package.
  3. Palmer, E.F. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 35: 1,2&3 John/ Revelation (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; pp. 231-234)
  4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
  5. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
  6. Anne Graham Lotz, “In His Presence…Forever.” Retrieved from info@angelministries.org
  7. Dr. Ed Young, “Why Are We Here?” Retrieved from ministry@winningwalk.org
  8. Micah D. Kiel, “Commentary on Revelation 21:10,22-22:5.” Retrieved from https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2846
  9. Barbara Rossing, “Commentary on Revelation 21:10,22-22:5.” Retrieved from https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1695
  10. Rev. Alan Brehm, “Precious in His Sight.” Retrieved from http://thewakingdreamer.blogspot.com/2010/05/precious-in-sight-rev-2212-21-1-it.html
  11. Brian Peterson, “Commentary on Revelation 21:10,22-22:5.” Retrieved from https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=573
  12. Michael R. Lomax, “Lectionary Commentary.” Retrieved from http://www.theafricanamericanlectionary.org/PopupLectionaryReading.asp?LRID=4
  13. George Carlson, “Revelation 21:10,22-22:5.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu
  14. Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on Revelation (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2011; pp. 281.828,285-287)
  15. “Jerusalem the Golden.” Written by Bernard of Cluny (12th cent.). Translated by John Mason Neale. Printed in Common Praise (Toronto, ON: Anglican Book Centre; 2000)
Posted on by craigcondonlayreader

Acts 16:9-15 Listen to God When He Speaks to You

Have you ever wondered if God really speaks to people and tells them what to do? If so, all you have to do is read the Bible. It is full of stories of God telling people what to do. We see one of these stories in Acts 16:9-15.

Paul wanted to go to the Roman province of Asia. He was convinced that this was the next step of the strategy for reaching the Gentiles, but God had other plans. When the Holy Spirit lives within us, he will use our emotions and intelligence to tell us if something we are doing is right or wrong. When our purpose and long-range goals are clear, we can trust our consecrated thinking and emotions because our thoughts and feelings are dedicated to serving God.

When God shut down Paul’s plans, Paul moved on to new cities. He followed his purpose of preaching Christ and reaching the Gentiles. God was able to get Paul to go where God wanted him to go. Similarly, God can get us to go where he wants us to go and do what he wants us to do by whatever means he decides to use. Being with God wherever he wants us to be is better than being without him, and doing what God wants us to do with him by our side is better than doing things without him by our side.

Faith involves actively listening for God’s presence in our lives. Once we have heard God, he wants us to act, and that is easier said than done. God wants us to remember that he knows whom to call and why. Paul had a vision that was so forceful and so powerful that he knew God was guiding him. Paul was sensitive enough to the Holy Spirit that he could tell the difference between yes and no when it came to discovering God’s will-and he was obedient enough to respond to both. This time, God directed Paul to leave Asia Minor and go into Europe.

Philippi was a Roman colony, taking its name in 356 BC from Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great. It was a favoured city of Rome and its citizens were exempt from paying provincial Roman taxes. Since Paul seemed to prefer to establish ministry beachheads in key regional cities, it should be no surprise that he picked Philippi. There was no significant Jewish population, so Paul witnessed in the closest thing to one-a group of women gathered outside the city for prayer.

One of Paul’s first converts was a businesswoman named Lydia. As a seller of purple goods, she had some wealth. Her house became the gathering place for Christians in the city. That encounter opened the way for Paul’s ministry in Philippi. Lydia was a Jewish “God-fearer.” Purple was the colour of royalty and nobility, so she was probably a very successful businesswoman. She also had a home large enough to host Paul and his team.

God opened Lydia’s heart to the truth of Gospel. No human has ever had the ability to open anyone’s heart except Jesus. Even faithful preachers like Paul can’t do it. God’s servants can sow the Word, but ultimately the Holy Spirit is responsible for accomplishing the harvest.

Lydia was not saved by doing good works. She was saved so that she could do good works. Once she was saved, she began to fellowship with other Christians. God gives us the same responsibility to have fellowship with other Christians, just like all of us are having fellowship right now. Fellowship helps us in our faith, and it will help other believers in their faith. It doesn’t matter if these believers are down the hall, across town, in another part of the province or the country or even in another country. When someone cries out for answers or help, God wants us to answer the call.

Bibliography

  1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 1515)
  2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
  3. Ogilvie, L.J. and Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 28: Acts (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983, pgs. 244-245)
  4. Pastor David McGee, “Poke!” Retrieved from www.crossthebridge.com
  5. Bayless Conley, “’Come Over and Help Us!’” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
  6. Os Hillman, “Lydia, A Workplace Minister.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
  7. Butch Odom, “Sixth Sunday of Easter 2016-Acts 16:9-10.) Retrieved from comment-reply@wordpress.com
  8. Bruce N.G. Cromwell, Ph.D., “A Plain Account-A Free Online Commentary-Acts 16:9-15.” Retrieved from http://www.aplainaccount.org/
Posted on by craigcondonlayreader

John 14:23-29 Going Home

How many of you have been part of sad goodbyes? Perhaps it was because of an adult child leaving home. Perhaps it was because a visitor was leaving, or perhaps it was because you were getting ready to leave after visiting someone. Perhaps it was because of the death of a family member or friend. Regardless of the situation, sometimes goodbyes are not easy.

The reading from John 14:23-29 was part of Jesus’s goodbye message to his disciples. This took place at the Last Supper. Jesus told his disciples that he will be crucified. Naturally, the disciples were sad. They had spent the last three years learning from him. They wondered how they would cope after he was gone.

When someone we love leaves us, it’s natural for us to not want to see them go, but if we really love them, we have to let them go. Real love allows us to release those we care about. When we try to hang on to the ones we love, we are being selfish. Jesus was preparing to die and eventually return to his Father, but the disciples did not want him to leave. He urged them to rejoice because he was leaving. His departure would allow the disciples and all believers to do great things, including growing Christianity.

Jesus was more concerned for the disciples than he was for himself. He reassured them that they would not be alone. He promised them peace and hope-the same peace and hope he offers to all believers. Even though he offered instructions to the disciples during his earthly ministry, he knew that they did not understand what he had taught them. They did remember his words and teachings after the resurrection and ascension When Jesus was with his disciples, they could listen to his teachings and ask him questions. When he was gone, the Holy Spirit assumed that role. For the rest of their lives and as Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote the Gospels, the Spirit reminded them of all the things Jesus did and said. The Holy Spirit stood with them and guided them, just like it stands with us and guides us today. Jesus made it clear that His followers love him by serving others. That message is just as relevant to us today. To live that kind of love requires the constant presence of God in our lives.

There are times when we feel alone and we don’t know what will happen to us. We could be stranded in a strange town with a broken down car. Our spouse has just died and our future looks bleak. You’ve lost your job and you have no idea what to do next.  At times like these it’s natural for us to ask ourselves, “What’s to become of me?” How do we take care of ourselves in such moments? For us as Christians, the answer is clear. God wants us to trust in him. When we do, we will receive both the Holy Spirit and God’s peace.

When Jesus told his disciples that he would be leaving, they were afraid. They could not imagine their future without him. Jesus confronted their fears with four truths, and these truths allow all believers to overcome fear:

  1. We may be inadequate, but the Holy Spirit will make us competent and courageous. He will teach us and remind us of what Jesus has already taught us.
  2. We may be fearful, but the peace of Jesus Christ is ours for the taking. Jesus wants us to focus our attention on the final victory.
  3. Circumstances may be difficult, but victory has been assured. Jesus has written the future and it can’t be changed. Our future might be difficult and our experiences might not always be pleasant, but we can endure with hope because God has secured victory for us.
  4. Circumstances may be difficult, but courage is found in obedience. We do not have to fear anything. God is our ally, especially when we face enemies. When we trust him, we begin a process of growth in which we experience the truth of Christ’s words personally through obedience. When we obey God, our fears diminish.

The peace Jesus offers is not the same peace that the world offers. The peace offered by the world is similar to the peace that people enjoyed during Christ’s lifetime. That peace was the Roman peace-a peace that was founded by military might, funded by Roman taxation and enforced by soldiers. It was dominance rather than peace. In contrast, Christ offers real peace. We can see that peace in the lives of ourselves and fellow believers. We will receive a calm strength. We can use Romans 8:31 as our motto- “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

The world situation today is scary. There are wars, disease, hunger, famine, terrorism and other problems. If we think that we live in a country that is free from trouble, we are wrong. As Christians, we need to be concerned for our world and pray for it, but we do not need to be afraid because we have the Holy Spirit within us, and it offers us the peace of Christ.

Christ’s peace is the kind of peace we feel inside even when the world around us is falling apart. Christ’s peace is peace of mind, peace in our conscience, peace with our fellow believers, peace with our bosses and coworkers, peace with our environment and peace with our world. Jesus gives us this peace freely, without expecting anything in return except for the hope that when we are changed by this peace, we might pass it on to others.

Jesus tells his disciples and us not to be troubled. Trusting him does not mean that all of life’s circumstances will change for the better, but that his followers will have peace as they endure trials and difficulties. When we receive the peace of Christ, we can take our problems to the cross. Christ’s peace gives us peace in our hearts.

The Holy Spirit will give us God’s wisdom, counsel, knowledge and power. It will make us more dependent on God and less dependent on worldly things. Jesus wants us to focus on God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They are sovereign over us, our circumstances, our possessions and other people. When we allow God to be sovereign over all of these things, everything finds the right balance. We see ourselves as we should, circumstances become God’s tools, possessions become blessings and people become our equals before Christ. They become equally unworthy of grace and love. When we are confronted by fear, we can turn our attention to God within us and ask God to take control of us and our situations.

The Holy Spirit keeps our relationship with God vibrant. It holds us together in love with Jesus and with God. The Holy Spirit allows us to see God at work and learn about him. It allows us to communicate with him and learn from him, especially when we read the Bible. Love for Christ is demonstrated by keeping his commandments. Obedience flowing from love is very different from obedience performed out of obligation. Jesus promises his presence as people join him in his work. God is always with us, because the Father and the Son have made their home with us where we are. God has made his home in our hearts, and in return he has made a home for us in heaven. Home is where we are with the Lord-and we are with the Lord now-and will be with the Lord forever.

Bibliography

  1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 1468)
  2. Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on John (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2010, pp. 249-254)
  3. Exegesis for John 14:23-29. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
  4. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
  5. Frederikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985; pp. 223-226)
  6. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
  7. Lucado, M: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010, pp. 1485-1487)
  8. A.W. Tozer, “The Holy Spirit: We Need Him More and More.” Retrieved form Biblegateway@e.biblegateway.com
  9. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, 6th Sunday of Easter-C.” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
  10. Pastor Rick Warren, “The Holy Spirit Brings God’s Truth to Mind.” Retrieved from connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com
  11. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Divine Peace: The Peace of Jesus Christ.” Retrieved from mydevotional@leadingtheway.org
  12. Lindsay Popper, “The Courage of Easter People.” Retrieved from http://day1.org/7160-the_courage_of_easter_people.print
  13. Carolyn Dale Newell, “Supernatural Peace.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
  14. Mary Hinkle Shore, “Commentary on John 14:23-29.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=591
  15. “Easter 6C: Peace the World Cannot Give.” Retrieved from noreply+feedproxy@google.com
  16. Prof. Dr. David Zersen, “Hugging in the Dark Hallways of Life.” Retrieved from http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/archiv-6/040516-5-e.html
Posted on by craigcondonlayreader

Revelation 21:1-6 Our Hope for the Future

The passage from Revelation 21:1-6 is one that is often read at funerals. It offers comfort to the family and friends of the deceased person, but it also offers hope for the future for the living and the dead.

The apostle John, who wrote the Book of Revelation, was living in exile on the Greek island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea. He knew he would die in the near future. This was the very moment in time when God chose to give John a vision of the glory of Jesus Christ. This vision included a glimpse into heaven, where one day God Himself will live forever with His people. John was commanded to write down what he saw. The vision was to be not only for his personal comfort and encouragement, but for all people down through the centuries who, when facing daily challenges, could do so with courage and hope.

Because of modern communications, our world has become a global community. Even with all the shared knowledge today, true world peace is no closer than it was years ago. Without the Prince of Peace, there is no peace. It will always evade us as long as we put our trust in a path to peace created by man. One day Jesus will return and bring real and lasting peace, but before that peace can come there will be suffering and trials. Life and death are in God’s hands. He will defeat and ruin every power that opposes what is good and true. We should hope for that day, when world peace will be here for good.

Revelation 21 describes the state of the church after Christ’s return. It is a time when conflicts have stopped and Christ’s enemies have been destroyed. A new heaven and a new earth have been created. All tears have been wiped away. There will be no more death, sorrow or pain. The fearful and unbelievers have been cast into the fires of hell.

God has promised that all things will be new. As part of being new, the world, especially the church, will be God’s beloved bride. At that moment God will be very proud, because His bride will be free from sin. His heart will be bursting with joy knowing that He is being united with the one He loves with all His heart. He will regard His church as the most beautiful thing on the face of the earth.

The church is called to be on the side of God and to be part of the new creation. In addition, the church is called to make a choice-turn to God or the world. The latter choice will lead unbelieving Christians who are focused on entertaining people rather than offering new life. Dying to the old life and living into the newness of God is the main message of the Book of Revelation.

Christians are not called to escape into this new world but rather to partner with God in ways that will allow the power of God to be experienced in this world. That’s the reason why God came down into the world to live with His people.

For ancient readers, the sea was a raging, threatening and fearful place that the Lord often had to calm.  In Revelation, it is the home of the dead and is also associated with the abyss-the place from which the beast comes. The sea represents the chaos that existed before creation when the earth was formless and empty and darkness was over the surface of the sea. God’s spirit hovered over the water and when He said “Let there be…” order came and the chaos was contained. In the passage we heard from Revelation, the chaos that threatens is not the sea. It is death, for mourning and crying and pain and tears caused by loss. They can make our lives formless, empty and dark.  Therefore, when John says there will be no more sea in the new heaven and earth, he is saying that there will be nothing to harm or cause God’s people fear; no chaos, death or evil. Everything will be created new.

The New Jerusalem will be the eternal ruling place of Christ, as the Old Jerusalem was His temporary ruling place during the Millennium. The holy city originates from heaven and from God. All of its inhabitants are also Christ’s bride, the redeemed. The New Jerusalem is both the bride and the place where she lives.

The phrase, “a loud voice from heaven” indicates that important words follow. This announcement is about God but not spoken by Him. The tabernacle of God-His dwelling place, His immediate presence-will now be on the new earth. The multiple references to God emphasize His all-consuming presence and intent to dwell with His creation. The promise God made to Abraham-that all nations will be blessed in Him-is now fulfilled.

The disappearance of death, sorrow, crying and pain represents a total reversal of the curses of Genesis 3, when they entered human history. All the evil present in the old creation will have been removed with the destruction of the old heaven and the old earth. The tears that God will wipe away are not tears of shame or guilt but tears caused by the pain, death and persecution, and other hardships that His people suffered on this present earth.

The Alpha and Omega is an expression indicating God’s absolute sovereignty over all things. As the beginning and the end, God is the Beginner of the beginning and the Ender of the end. He stands at the beginning of creation and now at the end in a new creation. God’s New Jerusalem is a place where life and its essentials are given as a free gift.

The best part of heaven is the loving presence of God Himself. Heaven will never grow old because God promises to make all things new. Heaven belongs to those who have sought the satisfaction of salvation and eternal life.

God will account for every one of our tears. The reason for our suffering will be made plain as God reveals the unseen and unimagined purposes behind our hurts through the years. As He dries our tears in heaven, we will see His intimate affection toward us personally.

God has accomplished it all. He does everything. He ushers in the new heavens and earth, not us. Faithful people simply receive with thanks the salvation God has provided for them. God will also make us new. He will give us a fresh start. He will make us new people, and God will have new opportunities in store for us.

We are challenged to be part of wiping every tear or minimizing needless pain. We are challenged to seek a world where pain and death are no more. If this isn’t possible, we are challenged to minimize our perception of deathful situations. This idyllic world doesn’t exist now, but we can begin to act as if it is coming. We are encouraged to make our lives holy “on earth as it is in heaven.”

Death, sorrow, pain and thirst continue because they are part of the old things that have not yet passed away. In spite of this, God is with us now. We can find God’s newness in our faith communities, businesses, schools, clubs, agencies or parks. We can find God’s newness in people experiencing homelessness or people in cultures very different from our own. We might be surprised where we find God dwelling. If we look for it, we can join the newness of the loving community we will find.

We won’t be bored in heaven because we won’t be the same people in heaven. Boredom emerges from things that won’t be allowed in heaven-weariness, mental limitations, self-centeredness and tedium. We won’t be bored because God will have work for us to do. If we are looking forward to the day when God removes all evil, then we should worship God here on earth and tell Him how much we love Him. When we meet other people and they see our joy, we should tell them about the future we have-a future they can also have.

Bibliography

  1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp.1866-1868)
  2. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Wordsearch 12 Bible software package.
  3. Palmer, E.F. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 35: 1,2&3 John/Revelation (Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; pp. 227-230)
  4. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
  5. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
  6. Lucado, M; The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010; pp. 1777-1779)
  7. Dr. Jack Graham,” Why Believe: The 12” Retrieved from www.jackgraham.org
  8. Anne Graham Lotz, “Facing the Future with Hope.” Retrieved from info@angelministries.org
  9. Israel Kamudzandu, “Commentary on Revelation 21:1-6.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2842
  10. Barbara Rossing, “Commentary on Revelation 21:1-6.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1696
  11. Joni Eareckson Tada, “An Inventory of Tears.” retrieved from communications@joniandfriends.org
  12. Bruce Epperly, “The Adventurous Lectionary-Fifth Sunday of Easter-May 19, 2019.” Retrieved from https://www.patheos.com/blogs/livingaholyadventure/2019/05/the-adventurous-lectionary
  13. Mary Simpson Clark, “Revelation 21:1-6.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu
Posted on by craigcondonlayreader

Acts 11:1-18 Change Unites Us

I want to start my message by asking you a question, and the answer might take you on a trip down memory lane. How many of you remember the TV series “I Love Lucy?” Ricky Ricardo always had a line he used when Lucy did something wrong. It was “Lucy, you’ve got some ‘splaining to do.” It was a humorous way of saying that Lucy did something illegal or embarrassing. Today when we tell someone that they have some explaining to do it’s also a funny (or not so funny) way of telling them that they did something illegal of embarrassing.

In Acts 11:1-18, the disciples told Peter that he had some explaining to do. The disciples in Jerusalem had heard that Peter ate with and associated with the Gentiles. In their eyes, that was illegal and/or embarrassing because the Jews always kept themselves separate from the Gentiles. Jews considered the Gentiles to be “unclean.”

Acts 11:1-18 is a summary of the events in Acts 10 with a few additional details. In Acts 10, Peter received a vision telling him to spread the Good News to the Gentiles. In chapter 11, he gives the disciples an explanation of why he associated with the Gentiles.

Instead of debating his accusers, he told them the remarkable story of all that had happened. Peter made sure that they knew he went to Caesarea in direct obedience to the Holy Spirit, and the six Jewish believers who accompanied him to Cornelius’ house saw the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles. There was to be no distinction or discrimination between Jews and Gentiles. Cornelius and the other Gentiles who were in his house received the Holy Spirit without having to follow the Jewish laws, including circumcision. That was God’s answer to the debate and settled the matter as far as Peter was concerned. No one was to refuse to allow any new believers to be baptized. No one was to prevent any new believers from becoming members of the church.

The Gospel is God’s provision for making peace between sinful men and God and between hostile races. God’s plan was for the Gentiles to receive the Holy Spirit, and it is better to be on God’s agenda than to have him on our agenda. He prepares the steps we have to take to follow his agenda. He will move us on in our spiritual growth. He will never allow us to stay where we are. God’s love overrides any man-made requirements such as circumcision. In fact, nothing can stand in the way of God’s love. He demolishes the barriers, and he asked Peter to do the same. The result was and is characterized by compassion for everyone and not compliance to a code of purity. It is also characterized by radical inclusivity instead of hierarchical exclusivity, and inward transformation instead of outward ritual. God is the god of everyone.

The discussion between Peter and the rest of the disciples was really a difference of opinion. They represent the differences of opinions that Christians often have. The reason why so many different denominations exist today is because of differences of opinion about what beliefs are essential to Christianity. Some individual churches have even broken up because of differences such as whether or not to install microphones or use overhead projectors or install kitchens or the type of bread to use during Communion. Some of these differences do need to be discussed, such as the one between Peter and the disciples. Sometimes way too much time and energy is spent on these discussions. There is too much to do for the Kingdom. God wants us to join together and serve him-which is what the disciples and Peter eventually did.

The greatest task for the church is to find out where God is already at work in the world and take part in that work as God directs. Sometimes the church has missed the new work God is doing because it was waiting for something to happen in its own corner of the world on its own terms, when God was already doing great things in another part of the world.

Imagine what it would be like if all the churches agreed to change their names to simply “church”? What if all references to denominations were removed and we were all just Christians? When people chose which church to attend, they wouldn’t do so by the change outside…they would do so by the hearts of the people inside. When people asked what church they attended, their answer wouldn’t be a label but just a location. Then we as Christians wouldn’t be known for what divides us. We would be known for what unites us-our heavenly Father.

When God gave Peter a vision in Acts 10, it was a reminder of what Jesus said in John 14:26: “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.” God blessed Cornelius and his companions just like Peter and the apostles were blessed at Pentecost. All of them were blessed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. God made it perfectly clear that he loves both the Jews and the Gentiles. Refusing to accept the Gentiles would be the same as hindering God. Peter could not do that, the apostles were not to do that, and God doesn’t want us to do that either.

Peter leaned that holiness was a matter of being cleansed from sin by Christ’s blood and of being like God in thought, word and deed. Repentance and confession are therefore fundamental elements of Christianity. Peter emphasized the gift that both Jewish and Gentile believers share-the gift of the Holy Spirit, repentance to life, and salvation. To receive one is to receive all. The important thing to remember is that God took the initiative to give us that gift. This gift is an experience of God-an experience that draws us into confession and glorification of God. God wants us to bear witness to what he has done in Christ. He urges us to tell the story of God’s act of reconciliation through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

The phrase “The status quo is not an option” certainly applies here. Our ideas of what is proper and what is not proper can’t restrict the message of salvation no matter how valid or how well-conceived they are. Labelling people by various categories based on our own standards violates the standards of the Gospel by excluding people for whom God is working to take the message. In addition, our standards are not perfect, but God’s standards are perfect. People who might be rejected by our standards might be perfectly acceptable by God’s standards and vice versa.

Who are the Gentiles among us? Who are the people who we consider to be “unclean?” Labelling others as unclean and impure, drawing boundaries between “us” and “them” is easy. Loving others like Christ loves us is hard. God gives gifts to others who may not believe or practice faith in the same way that others do. In other words, he gives the same gift of the Holy Spirit to all who believe. Their gifts and experiences, along with our own gifts and experiences, need to be shared within our churches and within the entire world.

The admission of the Gentiles to the body of believers marked a change. Change is not easy. We often resist change, but Jesus wants us to accept and even promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone. He wants us to drop all barriers to the cause of Christ. He wants us to welcome everyone who is saved. He wants us to leave a place of security and identity and launch out into unchartered territory with nothing but God’s Word to guide us.

Bibliography

  1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 1506)
  2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
  3. Don Ruhl, “Witnesses to the Gentile Conversion.” Retrieved from comment-reply@wordpress.com
  4. Pastor David McGee, “Bickering Believers.” Retrieved from www.crossthebridge.com
  5. Stephen Davey, “The Church that Changed.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
  6. Ogilvie, L.J. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 28: Acts (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983, pp. 187-189)
  7. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010, pp. 1519-1521)
  8. Kyle Fever, “Commentary on Acts 11:1-18.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1617
  9. William Loader, “First Thoughts on Year C First Reading Acts Passages from the Lectionary: Easter 5.” Retrieved from www.staff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/CActsEaster5.htm
  10. Daniel Clendenin, Ph.D., “Any Person, Every Nation: Even the Gentiles.” Retrieved from www.journeywithjesus.net/Essays/2007043033.shtml
  11. Dr. Jan Love, “Encountering Other Religions.” Retrieved from http://day1.org/1940-encountering-other-religions.print.
  12. Exegesis for Acts 11:1-18. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
  13. Jeremiah, Dr. David: A.D. The Bible Continues: The Revolution That Changed the World (Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers; 2015, pgs. 195-196, 201-203)
  14. Evangelectionary for Sunday, April 24, 2016. Retrieved from http://www.evangelismconnections.org/evangelecitionary-for-sunday-april-24-2016/
  15. Paul Christenson, “God Pause for Monday, 4/18/2016.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu
  16. Daniel Clendenin, “The Day of Non-Judgment is Near.: Retrieved from http://journeywithjesus.net
  17. Dr. Randy L. Hyde, “Explaining One’s Self.” Retrieved from http://www.lectionary.org/Sermons/NT/05-Acts/Acts-11.01-18-ExplainingSelfHyde.htm
  18. Pastor Daniel W. Brettell, “Law and Gospel.” Retrieved from http://www.lectionary.org/Sermons/NT/05-Acts/Acts-11.01-18-Law&Gospel-Brettell.htm
  19. Richard Neill Donovan, “Biblical Commentary-Acts 11:1-18.” Retrieved from http://www.lectionary.org/EXEG_Engl_WEB/NT/or-Acts-WEB/Acts.11.01-18.htm
  20. “Lucy, You’ve Got Some ‘Splaining to do.” Retrieved from http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Lucy%2C+you+got+some+’splainin’+to+do!