"Feeding the Dogs" Sermon: Mark 7:24-30 (manuscript)

 

"Feeding the Dogs"

[Mark 7:24-30]

April 14, 2006 Second Reformed Church

April 2, 2021 YouTube

For whom did Jesus come?

            Jesus has explained that spiritual cleanliness is a matter of the heart, not the body, and then He leaves with the disciples and goes into the region of Tyre and they find a house where they can rest, for they desire to hide from the throng for a while. Remember that Jesus is completely human, as well as completely Divine, so He needs to rest His Body, just like us. But it is not to be.

A Gentile woman, a Syrophoenician, a non-Jew, who has heard of Jesus and His preaching and teaching and healing, and who has a little daughter who is possessed by an unclean spirit, comes to Jesus, and prostrates herself before Him. And she asks Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.

Let us learn two things from her approach and her request:

            First, she comes to Jesus in all humility, and so ought we. We who are Christians are the sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus, but God is still God and we are still humans, creatures. We can enter the throne room of God with boldness thanks to Christ, but that boldness is not the same as arrogance; we must still come before our God understanding the relationship we have with Him. We no longer face condemnation, but we still must come before the Almighty God with our prayers in humility, recognizing the greatness of our God.

Second, she brings her cares to Christ, and especially her cares about her daughter. So, we Christians are also called to lift our prayers to God. Part of the way in which we become Christ-like is in offering up our prayers to God. For, as we learn to pray rightly, we are changed such that we pray for God's Will. And notice that one of the prayers that we are rightly compelled to lift, is to pray for our children. All those who have children have the awesome responsibility of raising them in the teaching of the Scripture, and then to pray that God would be merciful and save them from the devil.

            St. Augustine's mother, Monica, prays for him for decades, that God will change his heart and deliver him from the devil. And God was pleased to deliver him and adopt him as a son. And the day finally came when St. Augustine turned back to the Scripture his mother had taught him.

            We are to pray, and to pray, especially, for our children. And while our children are alive, we ought to continue to pray for them, that they would be delivered and restored, that they would be pleasing in the sight of God. Let us come before God, humbly with our prayers, day after day, hour after hour, and year after year, especially for our children.

So, we see this good, Gentile mother come before Jesus in all humility, with dire concern for her daughter's deliverance, and she asks Jesus to cast the demon out. And Jesus says, "Let the children feed first, and it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."

Is Jesus calling this woman and her daughter, "dogs"? Yes. Is He saying that He came for the children of Abraham, the Jews? Yes. Is He saying that He will not heal her unless she offers Him a good argument for healing her? No.

            So many times, this passage has been preached as though what it means is, "Jesus came to save the Jews only. And when they rejected Him, He switched to Plan B and offered salvation to the Gentiles as well." That's not true. That's not what Jesus is saying. Notice, Jesus saiys, "Let the children feed FIRST," that means it is His intention to feed the others, SECOND. Jesus' intention from before the creation was to come for some of the people of the Jews and some of the people of the Gentiles.

            Paul tells us, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, 'The righteous shall live by faith'" (Romans 1:16-17, ESV).

Paul explains that, chronologically, the Gospel did come to the nation of Israel first, as was God’s Plan from all of eternity: "They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen" (Romans 9:4-5, ESV). God chose to reveal Himself through the nation of Israel and even to become incarnate as an Israelite.

Then, John tells us, "He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:101-3, ESV). And some say, "Ah-hah. Jesus came to the Jews, failed, and went on to Plan B, the Gentiles."

            No. "But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not are all the children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but 'Through Isaac shall your offspring be named'" (Romans 9:6-8, ESV).

In other words, Jesus came for Israel -- the spiritual Israel -- which is made up of people who are from national Israel and from every other nation. God never intended that all of national Israel would receive Him; it was always God's Plan to offer the Gospel to all peoples, all nations.

So, at the time the Gentile woman comes to Jesus, the Gospel is still being given to the Jews -- first -- though individual Gentiles believe throughout history. Jesus is telling her that it is not time for the Gospel to be advanced among the Gentiles.

And though we may understand that, we wonder about the way Jesus addresses the woman: Isn't Jesus out of line to call her and her child "dogs"? Perhaps the time for the Gentiles to hear the Gospel had not come, but did that give Jesus the right to insult them?

What is Jesus doing? We know the end of the story, so we know that Jesus delivers her daughter from the demon. So, what is He doing? He is testing her -- strengthening her faith. She comes to Him, humbly, rightly, caring for her daughter, believing that Jesus is the Savior, but Jesus wants to increase her faith by having her confess what the Father has revealed to her.

Jesus is obviously pleased at her response, "[Yes] Lord, [yet] the dogs underneath the table eat the little children's crumbs." She said, in effect, "I understand You are the Lord and Savior, and that You have come to the Jews first, but after the Jews have received the Gospel, their bread, we Gentiles receive the Gospel, the crumbs, just as was Your Plan from eternity."

And Jesus heals her daughter and sends the woman home, where she finds her daughter, delivered from the demon. And so, we see that Jesus came for all those He came to save, whether they are from the biological line of Abraham, or from Irvington, or Maplewood, or Union, or even Scotland. Jesus lives thirty-three years on earth, the Incarnate God, sinlessly obeying the Law, so He can credit that righteousness to those He came to save. Then, on that first Good Friday, His arms were outstretched, and spikes were pounded through them, and He received the Wrath of God for our sins in His Body, so those He came to save would be forgiven, and then He died.

            And it would all be meaningless nonsense, except for the fact that we know Sunday is coming. On the third day He rose from the dead to the Glory of the Father and to seal the promises of the Gospel.

            And with that, these words became Gospel: "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, 'Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.' For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:9-13, ESV).

Let us pray:

Almighty God, we thank You for sending Your Son to redeem all the people that You always intended for Him to redeem. We thank You that You chose people from the line of Abraham and from every other nation of the world. We ask that we would be like the Gentile woman who came to You in faith and humility, praying according to Your Gospel. We ask that we ponder the crucifixion and that You would minister Your Grace to us. For it is in Jesus' Name we pray, Amen.

"Is Washing Your Hands Necessary" Sermon: Mark 7:1-23 (video)

 (344) "Is Washing Your Hands Necessary?" Sermon: Mark 7:1-23 - YouTube

Sermon: "Is Washing Your Hands Necessary" (manuscript)

 

"Is Washing Your Hands Necessary?"

[Mark 7:1-23]

April 13, 2006 Second Reformed Church

April 1, 2021 YouTube

Does God require us to wash our hands before we eat? If we do not wash our hands before we eat, are our souls in jeopardy?

The Pharisees and scribes watch Jesus and His disciples throughout Jesus' ministry, hoping to catch Him in a sin, so they might discredit Him. And the day comes when the scribes and Pharisees notice that Jesus' disciples don’t all wash their hands before they eat. So, they go to Jesus and demand an explanation.

            We're told it was the custom or the tradition among the Jews that they wash their hands before they eat. Mark tells us that they also wash their cups and pitchers and copper pots, and even their dining couches. It was their tradition to wash everything well before eating, because God said that a person with an issue of bodily fluids, or a skin disease, or a deformed body part is unclean. So, they concluded that God also wants them to wash the dirt off of their hands, or they will also be unclean.

So, the Pharisees and scribes demand an explanation from Jesus -- "Your disciples are unclean; they haven't washed their hands. Don't they know that their souls are in jeopardy from eating that way? And what sort of rabbi are You not to stop them?"

            And Jesus says to them, "Well did Isaiah prophecy about you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me,' and 'in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' You get rid of the commandments of God and hold on to the traditions of men."

Jesus says, "You hypocrites enforce your traditions, while you show contempt for God's Word."

            The Pharisees and scribes are trying to enforce a law that they made up -- a mere tradition. God never says that we must wash our hands before eating to escape the fires of Hell. For all of Jesus' ministry, they ignore the Word of God and distort it, so they will not recognize that Jesus is the Savior, the Messiah. They can do without the Word of God, but "Tradition!"

And Jesus gives an example to them: God's Law says that we must honor our mother and father and anyone who speaks against his father or mother shall die. But they have seen fit to invent the tradition of "Corban," which makes the Law of God void on this point.

            One aspect of the law to honor our parents is that we must assist them in illness and old age and frailty. We have a duty to care for our parents when they are at risk, just as they cared for us in the womb and as little babies who could not do for ourselves.

            The Pharisees and scribes came up with a way out of this law -- by swearing a holy obligation. "Corban" means, "a gift to God" -- specifically, one given by a vow. So, if your father or mother comes to you in need and you don’t want to give them any aid, all you must do is say, "Corban." In other words, you say, "I've sworn my money to the service of God; I cannot break my vow to God to help you." Thus, the obligation to parents becomes void.

Jesus exposes this insidious tradition to show that they are hypocrites, who enforce their traditions while showing contempt for the Word of God. And again, Jesus says, "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who enter to go in. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves" (Matthew 23:13-15).

            We dare not require people to do things that God does not require. We have traditions in the church, and some are good traditions, and some are innocuous traditions, but we dare not say that they are required by God, or we will be hypocrites, like the scribes and Pharisees. Our traditions do not save us or damn us -- which is why there are Christians in every Christian denomination -- but if we make them requirements for salvation and show contempt for the Word of God, that may be a sign that we have never truly been saved.

Those who condemn the disciples are not of the elect, so they do not listen to Jesus, so He turns to the throng, and He calls to them and commands them to listen and understand: cleanliness is a matter of the heart, not the body.

            Jesus says that no matter whether your hands are washed or not, you put the food in your mouth, it goes through your body, and then it exits your body. Hand washing does not make a person spiritually clean; neglecting to wash hands does not make a person spiritually unclean. The dietary laws were given to make a spiritual point about holiness and obedience to God. And Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law. And there can be no misunderstanding about food: Jesus said that all foods are clean. The dietary laws are over and fulfilled in Jesus. No food is illegal or unclean for the Christian.

The point is that cleanliness is a matter of the heart, not the body. The cleanliness that indicates spiritual life, is a matter of the heart, not the body. They are the things from within the heart that defile a person, Jesus says, the evidence of being defiled, or not having a clean heart, is what comes out of the person.

            The person who gives forth evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, greed, evil deeds, treachery, licentiousness, envy, deceit, arrogance, and foolishness ought to seriously consider whether they are saved. And we would rightly cry out with the disciples, as they did on several occasions, "Then who can be saved?" And Jesus' answer is the same for them and us, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things possible" (Matthew 19:26b, ESV).

So, let us not be discouraged: Jesus is not saying that anyone who sins after conversion will become unclean in heart and be damned. Jesus is saying that if a person persistently, joyfully, unrepentantly, sins through evil thoughts, fornication, theft, adultery, greed, evil deeds, treachery, licentiousness, envy, deceit, arrogance, foolishness -- such a person, no matter what he says, these things which defile the heart, indicate that this person is a hypocrite, not a believer.

Still not be discouraged: King David, the man after God's own heart, after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba, after he had Uriah murdered, after he is tricked into requiring the death of the man who would do the things that he did, after this evil came forth from him, he repents and is forgiven. David writes Psalm 51 in broken-ness and humility, and he understands what the Pharisees and scribes do not: cleanliness is a matter of the heart. He writes, in part, "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit" (Psalm 51:7-12, ESV).

Our salvation, our cleanliness of heart is not a matter of keeping tradition or of physical cleanliness, it is a matter of the heart. It is a matter of believing that Jesus is the Only Savior and confessing that God raised Him from the dead on that first Easter morn.

            "And when the hour had come, [on that first Maundy Thursday, Jesus] reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, 'I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God'" (Luke 22:14-16, ESV).

And Jesus calls each of us who believes, each of us who has received a clean heart from Him, to come to the table to receive the bread and the cup, His Flesh and His Blood. And still we hesitate, because we know ourselves, we empathize with Michael Been as he sings, "You say we'll walk right through Heaven's door, you must be foolin', our hands are covered blood red.."

            Listen to these words from the author of Hebrews, and prepare to come, for Jesus has made the Way: "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:19-23).

            Let us pray:

Holy God purge us with hyssop, and we shall be clean; wash us and we shall be whiter than snow. Let us hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have broken rejoice. Hide your face from our sins and blot out all our iniquities. Create in each of us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. Cast us not away from your presence and take not Your Holy Spirit from us. Restore to us the joy of Your salvation and uphold us with a willing spirit. In the Name of Jesus, Who is Faithful and True, Amen.

Review: "He Is Not Silent" (video)

 (343) Review: "He Is Not Silent" - YouTube

Review: "He Is Not Silent" (manuscript)

             He Is Not Silent: Preaching in a Postmodern World by R. Albert Mohler Jr. is exactly what the title claims it to be.  Mohler explains that modern preaching is often not preaching, and he gives a corrective.

            In the preface, he explains that modern preaching does not gave confidence in God’s Word and relies, instead on technology and addressing felt needs (16-20).

            He explains that the heart of biblical preaching is to understand it is worship (24). This aspect of worship leads to confession of sin (33).

            In the second chapter, Mohler explains that preaching is a theological act because God has commanded us to preach (40). Preachers need to understand and pass on to the congregation that God the Holy Spirit works God’s Word internally in a person (45).  It is not a matter of ow “great” a preacher he is, but how much he relies on and is confident on God’s Word.

            In chapter three, Mohler argues that true preaching is expository preaching.  It takes the text in context, explains it in its context, shows how it refers to Christ and His salvation, and applies it to the people who are listening and readying to act (49ff).

            He explains that the text of the Scripture defines the sermon – its structure, points – the preacher preaching the text of the Bible speaks for God (65).  The congregation is then obliged to obey God’s Word (73).

            Mohler warns against moralistic preaching which separates the text from its context and the history of salvation. Rather, it presents a list of dos and don’ts (89). Biblical preaching understands that there is a metanarrative from Creation through Restoration that only makes sense if we explain the text in the history of salvation (95). Therefore, he urges preaching through books – to see the metanarrative and encounter texts that might be difficult, but God’s Word, nonetheless.

            Mohler argues that the pastor must be a theologian.  If the pastor does not present the theology of the Bible, other people will make It up – usually incorrectly (106).

            True Christian preaching bangs heads with postmodernism which says there are no universal truths – everything is subjective (116).  He writes, “When truth is denied, therapy remains” (121). It is then not enough to just preach Christ, but to also command belief and repentance from all those who hear (130).

            In the final chapter, Mohler looks at Ezekiel and the dry bones, and he explains we should always have hope when we confidently preach the Word of God because God is the One Who changes hearts, not us (145).

            In the epilogue, Mohler looks at Spurgeon’s passion for preaching.

            The book ends with endnotes.

            This is a book that is needed for our time when pastors are minimizing the Word of God for programs and bands and all sorts of other things that push the sermon out of worship.  If you are a minister, you will be comforted and encouraged to preach the whole Word of God as the centerpiece of worship.  If you are a lay person, it will help you to understand what worship is to be and why preaching is of the utmost importance, and you may even use it to help your pastor leave behind his postmodern ramblings.

            [This review appears on my blog, my YouTube channel, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com.]

"What Is Needed" Sermon: Mark 6:30-56 (video)

(333) "What Is Needed" Sermon: Mark 6:30-56 - YouTube

 

"What Is Needed" Sermon: Mark 6:30-56 (manuscript)

 

"What Is Needed"

[Mark 6:30-56]

April 9, 2006 Second Reformed Church

March 28, 2021 YouTube

John the Baptist has been buried, and the disciples, who Jesus has sent out two by two, come back to Him to tell Him what they have taught and what they have done among the people of Israel. And then Jesus tells the disciples that they should rest -- they should take time to refresh themselves in a quiet place.

            While Moloch and Baal and Asherah and every other god is crying out, "more, more, more," Jesus says there "is a time to keep silence, and a time to speak" (Ecclesiastes 3:7b, ESV). Ours is the God Who knows us and cares for us such that He said, "six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work..." (Exodus 20:9-10a, ESV). He also calls us, now, after His Resurrection to rest, "on the first day of the week" (Acts 20:7a, ESV).

Many people were coming to Jesus and the disciples, but He knows they are tired, and they haven’t had time to eat, so He sends them away, into a desolate place to rest and prepare themselves for the work that is coming. And Jesus says the same thing to us today, "You don't have to accomplish everything right now. Take a break; rest and prepare yourself for the crowd that is coming. Rest is necessary."

            Do you take time to rest? We need to take the time we need each day and each week to bring ourselves back and to ready ourselves for the good works that God has set out for us. God does not want us to go non-stop -- it's not healthy for us. And we need to be mindful of each other, that we are not expecting others to run at a pace that does not allow them time to rest. Rest is a gift from God that we must all receive and allow others to have.

Jesus sends the disciples off to rest, but the crowd recognizes them and runs after them on foot. Every one of them wants to be healed and taught and cared for by Jesus and His disciples, and they run so fast they get to the desolated place before the disciple's boat arrives. And Jesus takes pity on them -- they are desperate -- they are like sheep without a shepherd, so Jesus begins to teach them, and He teaches them hour after hour, and they listen.

What do we think of the desperate, the disillusioned, the disenfranchised? Do we pity them? Do we look at those worshiping false gods and pity them? Do we see those who are pursuing things that will never satisfy and pity them? Or do we pass by on the other side of the road? Do we just say, "God bless you and be at peace"? What or who makes your heart break? And what are you doing about it?

The disciples come to Jesus and tell Him that night is upon them, as if He is unaware, and they tell Him to send the people away -- they have been with Him all day, listening to Him preach and teach, and now they ought to get something to eat. The crowd has been so wrapped up in what Jesus is saying, that they don’t notice that they haven’t eaten -- have you ever been doing something that you were so excited by, so enraptured with, that you forget about food -- that you forget it is time for a meal? Jesus is that way: knowing Jesus is worth more than food. If you haven't had that experience, pray God that there will be a time when listening to Jesus' Word and studying it finds you forgetting about your sandwich. If we are in love with Jesus, there will be times when we suddenly realize that we have forgotten to eat, because we have been so involved with Him.

            Jesus tells the disciples, "You feed them." And the disciples respond, "Right, we're going to go back with two hundred days' worth of cash and buy this crowd bread." But Jesus says, "No, how many loaves do you have?" And they told Him, "Five and a few fish." That is more than enough for the God of the Universe, and they should have known. They would have known how the prophet Elisha meets a man from Baal-shalishah who had twenty loaves of bread and a sack of fresh ears of corn, "And Elisha says, 'Give to the men, that they may eat.' But his servant says, 'How can I set this before a hundred men?' So he responds, 'Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the Lord, "They shall eat and have some left."' So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the Lord" (II Kings 42-44, ESV).

Jesus holds the bread and fish up to heaven and praises God and prays, thanking Him for His bounty, and He breaks the bread and breaks the fish and begins filling baskets and tells the disciples to distribute them to the people sitting on the grass. And they go around and feed the people -- we're told there were 5,000 men, so it is not unreasonable to think there were about 15,000 people there, if we consider that there could have been an equal number of women and children. And once the 15,000 had been fed, the disciples come back to Jesus with twelve baskets full of bread and fish.

Do you doubt that Jesus can provide for our needs, as individuals and the church? Perhaps we have not always gotten what we wanted, what we thought we needed at a given moment. But the Scripture tells us that if we do not have, it is because we do not need it to accomplish God's purposes. God gives each of us what we need, and He gives us more and more.

 

Paul writes, "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from who every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith -- that you, being grounded and rooted in love, may have the strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen" (Ephesians 3:14-21, ESV).

            Immediately after these things happen, Jesus sends the disciples back to the boat and tells them to sail, again, and He will get rid of the crowd. Once Jesus has sent them away, Jesus goes into the mountain to pray. Prayer is necessary.

            Why do we pray? To change God? To give Him information? To point out His mistakes? Of course not. We pray to align ourselves with the Will of God – with the Mind of God. Prayer changes us. We pray to align ourselves with the Will of God – the Mind of God. But we must take time to pray -- alone and with each other -- because that is the example of the Scripture. Our prayers don't have to be fancy or "perfect," whatever that means. But we must pray. We need to pray that God would help us to understand, that He would lead us, and that He would provide us with all that we need. Prayer is necessary for our health and life: do we pray? Do we gather with each other to pray? Let us become a people of prayer that are becoming more in line with the Mind of God by His Grace.

While Jesus is praying, a violent wind comes upon the Sea of Galilee, and the disciples are struggling about mid-way across the sea to sail into the wind to get to Bethsaida. And Jesus walks out across the sea to the disciples, and when they see Him, they think He is a vision of some sort and they are shaken to their core, but Jesus says, "Take courage It is I. Do not be afraid." And Jesus gets into the boat and the storm stops. But they are still afraid. And the Scripture tells us that they still didn't understand what the bread means, and their hearts have been hardened.

What a sad situation. Those closest to Jesus just don’t get it, and that lack of understanding leads to fear. And that's true for us, as well, it is the things we don't understand that we fear, and it is when we don't understand the place of Jesus as God and Lord of the Universe that we fear. For, if we know that Jesus is God and Lord of all, and He is our God, what would we have to fear? We are not a people without hope. Yes, we suffer and mourn loss, but ultimately, we have hope. We know what happened that first Easter morning.

            Horatio G. Spafford sent his wife and four daughters from America to England to their new home. They took the first ship, and he was to follow shortly. But a storm rose and the ship his wife and daughters were on sank, and his four daughters were lost at the bottom of the sea. Surely he mourned their loss, but he did not fear, because he had a sure hope. He made the voyage across the sea to be reunited with his wife, and as he sailed across the deep where his daughters had died, he wrote these familiar words, "When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, 'It is well, it is well with my soul.'"

Is it well with your soul? Do you know that Jesus is the Lord and God of all? If you do, then you will come to receive whatever comes from His Hand and not be afraid, but instead be satisfied in Him.

            They cross to the other side of the sea and land at Gennesaret, and they dock, and when they disembark, they are immediately recognized, and the people rush to Jesus with their sick, bringing them on their mats -- on their beds, if necessary. No matter where Jesus goes, the people run after Him and seek salvation from Him. Action is necessary.

            The word that we translate, "begged," is a word the indicates that these people not only beg Jesus with words, but they press against Him, they get in His face, and they will not leave Him alone until they touch Him and be healed -- saved.

            And we remember the woman with the issue of blood who is healed when she touches Jesus' robe, Jesus does not have a magic robe. No, Jesus heals her, and He has compassion on those begging Him for healing. Jesus has compassion on them, and He has compassion on His people. Jesus has compassion on us. Look at where we are, who we are, and think about where we could be. If we understand how much worse off we could be, we can understand how much compassion Jesus has shown us -- how much He has blessed us. Do you realize how blessed you are? Do you understand the enormity of the compassion Jesus has shown to you? Merely consider what He suffered, willingly, for you.

James writes, "If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?" (James 2:15, ESV). What can you give of your abundance? What's holding you back?

The crowd persists after God's Will and they receive results, and so shall we. If we are about God's Will. If we seek after God and His kingdom, we shall receive it.

To live the Christian life, action is needed, prayer is needed, and rest is needed. Each at the right time and in the right amount. As we live the Christian life, we learn that Jesus has compassion for His own, He is the Lord and God of the Universe, and He provides for all our needs.

Even on that first Palm Sunday, we see Jesus having compassion on Jerusalem, crying for them and their sin as He prepares to ride in. We see the crowds recognizing Him as the One True King of Israel as they throw the palms and their cloaks down to make a path of comfort as they welcome the new King into the city. And we see Him providing for our needs, in His Life, through the horrific events of the week of the crucifixion, and then as He rises from the dead.

Let us pray:

King Jesus, we come before You as people who have not taken the rest You give us. Forgive us and teach us to love a holy rest. We come before You as a people who have shuffled You off to the corner, rather than bowing before Your Throne. Forgive us and humble us that we might be right witnesses to Your Majesty. We come before You as a people who say, "it's not my job." Forgive us for shirking our duty to You and Your creation. Make us understand that You have equipped each one of us and given us good works to carry out in Your Name. Increase our trust in You and make us compassionate towards each other for Your Sake. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Review: "40 Questions about Pastoral Ministry" (video)

 (323) Review: "40 Questions about Pastoral Ministry" - YouTube

Review: "40 Questions about Pastoral Ministry" (manuscript)

 

            I’ve read other volumes from the “40 Questions” series published by Kregel Academic, and this one is my favorite so far:  40 Questions about Pastoral Ministry by Phil A. Newton.

            As with the other volumes of this series, it is written by a Baptist.  I say that just to make the reader aware that the book will be coming from a Baptist perspective – with the requisite denunciation of paedo-baptism.

            The book is divided as follows:

            Part 1: Foundational Considerations; questions 1-5

            In this section, Newton answers the definition of a pastor, the definition of pastoral ministry, the qualities of a Christian pastor, how this relates to Jesus, and whether it is better to have a plurality of pastors.

            In the final section of this part, Newton answers whether there ought to be a plurality of pastors.  By this he means, should there be and elder who functions as the primary preaching and teaching elder as well as other elders who help the pastor not to go astray and be teachers themselves.  The answer is “yes.” And it seems to me it would be “yes” in many denominations, but with different terminology.

            Part 2: Pastoral Development and Health; questions 6-13

            In this section, Newton answers questions about how the pastor can care for himself and his family spiritually and in relation to one another.

Part 3: Pastoral Practices; questions 14-20

Here, Newtons gives the answers to how a minister begins his ministry and is sustained in ministry, both in self-care and in dealing with others who may cause problems for the pastor and the congregation.

Part 4: Pastoral Preaching; questions 21-28

Newton then addresses how a pastor should preach, including arguing for lectio continuo over against the lectionary or topical series.  He also looks at how a pastor should conduct worship, funerals, and weddings.

Part 5: The Church and Pastoral Ministry; questions 29-40

In the final section, Newton defines the Church, looks at the authority of Scripture, how and when to make changes, how to practice church discipline, polity and membership practices, and church revitalization.  He also answers how to help a church face suffering, support missions, and he considers when a pastor should leave a church and why having a long pastorate is a best practice.

Each chapter ends with a summary of the chapter and several questions for personal or group reflection.

The book ends with a selected bibliography and a Scripture index.

I am impressed with this book and the answers Newton gives.  He is thorough, yet very readable and useful for the pastor and the board of elders (if not others).

Throughout the book and second or third to the Scripture, Newton quotes from Puritan writers.  I highly value the Puritan writers as godly and biblical people and am thankful when I see their work used by others.

I consider this a tremendous book.  One that would well be given to seminary students for them to work through before graduation or receiving a call to a church.  These are issues that need to be thought through before walking into a church and working with them.  So, I recommend it highly.

            [This review appears on my blog, my YouTube channel, Amazon.com, Kregel.com, and Goodreads.com.]

"The Cup of Wrath" Sermon: Isaiah 51:17-23 (video)

(320) "The Cup of Wrath" Sermon: Isaiah 51:17-23 - YouTube

 

"The Cup of Wrath" Sermon: Isaiah 51:17-23 (manuscript)

 

“The Cup of Wrath”

[Isaiah 51:17-23]

March 21, 2021 YouTube

            Last week, we saw Jerusalem call on God to wake up and to pay attention to what is happening – Jerusalem is going into captivity.  And God assures her by telling her that He is Omnipotent, and she should find assurance in that by considering the things He has done in the past.  Also, God is Omnipotent, so they should not fear any human, because God has all authority over them.

            In this morning’s text, God turns the tables on Jerusalem and tells her to wake up.

            And we see first, our sin merits God’s Wrath.

“Wake yourself, wake yourself, stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of his wrath, who have drunk to the dregs the bowl, the cup of staggering.”

God calls on Jerusalem to wake up and stand up – to understand that she has drunk from the Lord’s cup of wrath.  She has sinned against God and is now receiving God’s Wrath for what she has done.  She has drunk deeply – engaged in sin without remorse – without repentance, and now God’s Wrath is against her.

Notice God’s accusation is against Jerusalem – not the pagan nations.  It is God’s people who have turned away.  It is the Church that has turned away – that has together as one joined in sinning against God and think it shouldn’t be any big deal.

Are our churches faithful?  Are our denominations faithful?

I am a member of the RCA and we are deciding whether to divide over whether the Bible is the authoritative Word of God or not.  There is a growing presumption in some churches that what the Bible says is not the authoritative Word of God.  This week I listened to a sermon by a minister who said there are much more important things to preach from the pulpit than the Bible.

God tells us to wake up!  We are drinking His cup of wrath. God requires all those who sin and never repent – never genuinely believe in Jesus as God and Savior – to pay the debt for their sin.

Jerusalem drinks the cup of wrath to the dregs and God tells her that she must go into captivity for her sin.  Yet, as we saw last week, she is to remember that God is Omnipotent.

“There is none to guide her among all the sons she has borne; there is none to take her by the hand among all the sons she has brought up.”

God tells her that there is no help for her – her sons and daughters cannot help her escape from the cup of wrath she drinks and the debt she owes to God for doing so.  She willingly drinks from the cup and sin merits wrath.  There is a price to be paid to God for our sin, and no mere human can deliver us from paying that debt.

“These two things have happened to you—who will console you?—devastation and destruction, famine and sword; who will comfort you?”

In being taken into the Babylonian exile – the cup of wrath results in devastation of both the land and the people.  As in the Fall of Adam and Eve, the Creation is punished along with the humans. There is no comfort in drinking the cup of wrath.

“Your sons have fainted; they lie at the head of every street like an antelope in a net; they are full of the wrath of the LORD, the rebuke of your God.”

The young and strong will not be able to help Jerusalem escape.  They too will fall under the results of drinking the cup of wrath, and they will be caught as an antelope in a net, and they will be taken into captivity as well.

God’s Wrath for sin must be satisfied.  God must rebuke those who sin.

God says, “Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4, ESV).

And for those who sin and never repent, the cup of wrath brings them to eternal death and suffering: “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8, ESV).

Being a part of the Church is no security against the fruit of drinking the cup of wrath.  It doesn’t matter if you are a minister or a Sunday school teacher, or a great giver, or a regular attender, or a church member – whatever – if you do not believe that Jesus is God the Savior – the Servant Savior – you will have to pay the debt to God for your sin – eternally.

Second, God saves His people from His Wrath.

“Therefore hear this, you who are afflicted, who are drunk, but not with wine:”

God calls on His people to recognize that they have sinned against God – God does not just say, “Oh, well, they’re My people, I won’t hold their sin against them.”  No, sin must be paid for if God is Just.

Paul writes, “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31, ESV).

God calls out Jerusalem and says that she has sinned against God and so drinks the cup of God’s Wrath to the dregs.  There are now only two options, since the cup has been drunk:  pay the debt to God yourself or receive the substitution of the Servant Savior – He willingly takes on the sin of all those who will believe savingly in Him.

Here is what will happen to those who receive Him and believe in Him savingly:

“Thus says your Lord, the LORD, your God who pleads the cause of his people: ‘Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering; the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more;”

Those who believe will not suffer the full Wrath of God.  We will suffer in this lifetime – Jerusalem is sent into Babylon – but we who believe will not suffer eternally.  We will suffer far less that we deserve because the Servant Savior takes our sin upon Him and pays our debt.

We know the One Who pleads our case – the One Who mediates for us before the Father:

“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time” (I Timothy 2:5-6, ESV).

Jerusalem is told that He is the Servant Savior – the long-awaited Messiah.  And so, they are called to believe in Him and trust that He will deliver them from their sin and from captivity in Babylon.  Yet, God does not tell them when.

God does not tell them how long they will stay in captivity or how they will be delivered from captivity, but since God is Omnipotent, they know that He will deliver them.

We who believe understand that the most we suffer on earth is less that our sin merits. Yet, none of us knows how much we will suffer for our sin or how or when God will deliver us from our suffering.  But if we believe, He will.

Jerusalem will return to the land after some seventy years.  We will be received into the Kingdom when the time is right.

Where is the cup taken away from we who believe? Throughout the whole life of the Servant Savior, but perhaps second to the actual crucifixion, we read:

“And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you may not enter into temptation.’ And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.’ And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:39-44, ESV).

He is the Servant Savior Who takes the cup of wrath from Jerusalem and from us and receives God’s Wrath for our sin:

“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” (Matthew 27:46, ESV).

In that moment, He received the Wrath of God for all the sins of all those who will ever believe savingly in Him.

On the final day, all those who never believe will be given the cup of wrath.  All those who have sinned against God and never believed, and all those who have sinned against God’s people, will be given the cup of wrath and made to endure its fruit forever.

“and I will put it into the hand of your tormentors, who have said to you, ‘Bow down, that we may pass over’; and you have made your back like the ground and like the street for them to pass over.”

Jesus speaks of His condemnation of those who never believe:

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’” (Matthew 25:41, ESV).

God shows mercy in that day to Jerusalem, still, her sin would have to be paid for.  God has shown mercy to us in this day, still our sin must be paid for.

Jesus has taken the place of everyone who will every believe throughout time and space and paid the debt for their sin.  Not only that, but He has also credited each one who believes with His Righteousness, so the Father will receive us into His kingdom eternally on the last day.

Let us pray:

Almighty God, we thank You that You are a Just God – that You do not change with every wind that blows.  We thank You that You have saved us through the Savior – that Jesus took the cup of Your Wrath from us and drank it.  And we thank You that Your Justice will be served as all those who never believe are eternally bound in Hell to Your Glory.  Help us to be thankful and to take in something of the horrors Jesus endured to take the cup away from us.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Review: "How to Destroy America in Three Easy Steps" (video)

 (315) Review: "How to Destroy America in Three Easy Steps" - YouTube

Review: "How to Destroy America in Three Easy Steps" (manuscript)

 

            Ben Shapiro’s latest book, How to Destroy America in Three Easy Steps, came out as these issues started to become prevalent in 2020, and his book is even more on point and needed now – in 2021.

            In this book, Shaprio distinguishes between two different understandings of the United States, specifically with respect to three issues:  the philosophy of the United States, the culture of the United States, and the history of the United States.  These two views he calls “unionist” and “disintegrationist.”

            Shapiro argues that the unionist view of American philosophy “rests on three basic principles: first the reality of nature rights, which preexist government, inalienable and precious; second, the equality of all human beings before the law, and in their rights; and finally, the belief that government exists only to protect the natural rights and to enforce equality before the law” (xv).

            The unionist view of American culture “is characterized by four distinct elements.  First, a tough-minded tolerance for the rights of others, particularly when we don’t like how others exercise their rights—we have to agree to disagree, and to get over it.  Second, our culture prizes and cherishes robust social institutions which creates a social fabric that allows us to trust one another in the absence of compulsion from the government.  Third, American culture has always carried a rowdy streak in defense of liberty:  we were willing to stand up for our freedom and that of others.  Finally, American culture has always celebrated and rewarded those with a sense of adventure—the pioneers, the cowboys, the inventors, the risk takes” (xvi).

            “Finally, there is American history.  American history has traditionally been read as a story of ever-improving fulfillment of American philosophy and culture through proper exercise of American institutions.  Traditionally, American have learned that the values of the Declaration of Independence are eternal and true; that our culture of rights has been broadened in application in time by heroic struggle and through horrific pain; and the constitutional system represents liberty, increasingly effectuated.  American history, the, is a story of triumph over the tragedy of human nature, the victory of liberty over slavery and bigotry” (xvii).

            The disintegrationists have different views:

            With regards to American philosophy, they deny that natural right, human nature, and reason exist.  They say the equality before the law is morally wrong, and that government is not to guarantee our rights, but a “cure-all” for American’s “ills” (xix).

            With regards to American culture, they claim the rights are a threat to the common good and argue against individualism in favor of the intersectional hierarchy.  They argue that all the systems of America are racist and must be torn down and replaced by the government collective (xx).

            With regards to American history, they say our traditional history is a myth, and our true history is one of exploitation, and the Declaration and the Constitution are merely attempting to codify hierarchies of power (xxi).

            For the next two hundred pages, Shapiro fleshes these understanding out using history and reason to show that the disintegrationist view is dangerous to the future of the country, and the unionist view must be embraced and lead us to love one another if this country is to have a future (201-202).

            The book ends with endnotes and an index.

            This is a revealing and frightening book as the reader can see these two views of American in the current public square and see them growing in opposite direction.  We cannot continue with such polarizing views of the country and keep the country together.

            This is an important and revealing book.  Get it, read it, share it with anyone who will read it.

            [This review appears on my blog, my YouTube channel, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com.]

Reformed Wisdom

 Calvin on Isaiah 41:17

"The Church is here reminded that all evils which befall her proceed from no other source than from the hand of God, that she may not think that they happen to her by chance, or that she is unjustly afflicted." Commentary on Isaiah II:85.

Review: "The Middle Way" (video)

 (305) Review: "The Middle Way" - YouTube

Review: "The Middle Way" (manuscript)

 

            I came across Cole Hastings (known on social media as seasoned tofu) looking for recipes for vegan meals.  His social media deals with vegan meals, body building, and self-help.  I have found his content both enjoyable and helpful, and he has even answered some of the questions I have asked him.

            He has written a book titled:  The Middle Way:  How to Strategically Use Laziness to Enhance Your Creative Power. Even before reading his book, I knew form his social media that he is influenced by Stoicism, Buddhism, and a dualistic perspective on the world.

            His book contains thirty-five one-to-three-page chapters in which he summaries all the lessons that have been helpful to him.  It is very readable and contains many good ideas to follow up on.

            In calling his book, The Middle Way, he says we should free ourselves from addictions to pain and pleasure and enjoy whatever life gives (4).

            He denies that anything is wrong, but I wonder if he really believes that (7), and he argues that if we “act as if” something is true, the universe will bring it to you (11).  He says that thankfulness is essential to good living (15), yet to understand you are nothing in the scope of the universe (33).

            He explains that success is being aware of your needs and removing anything that keeps your needs being met (48). He writes about the importance of self-care (64).

            The subtitle concerning laziness as the strategy to enhance your creativity means this: rather than pressing ahead and never stopping to attempt to be creative, take time to go for a walk, take time to sit and allow you mind to wonder, and so forth.  This may seem like laziness to many, but in allowing whatever will to bubble up into your mind will enhance your creativity (69).

            The second half of the book is an application of the things he teaches in the first half – and it is much more than I have said – this little book is jam-packed with ideas and guidance.

            In this section, he talks about the value of asking questions (72), writing/journaling ideas without prejudice and then going back to them, exploring what they might lead to (82), determine the work scenario that works for you – both place and time (86). 

Then he talks about several ways to practice laziness to your profit. And he explains the value of saying “no” – something I have been working on even before reading his book (112).

He recommends consuming other creators’ content to spark ideas within you (122) and get some walking in (124).

The book ends with a list of references.

I found Cole’s book interesting, encouraging, and of value.  It is short, pithy, and conversational – like you’re discussing these ideas with a friend.  And, as I have said, it covers a lot of ground.  This could be considered a life primer.

He said on social media that he hopes to write another book.  I hope he does.  He is a thinking person – and I enjoy interacting with people who think – who spur me on to further thought.

I do have questions that I hope I will be able to ask him about – how his understanding of dualism works, what he means by “illusion,” and so forth.

The one thing that bothered me is that he puts references to some ideas and quotations in his book, but not for all of them.  All the ideas he gets from others need to be documented.

Otherwise – it is a great place to start for anyone seeking to live life well and creatively.  Check him out.

            [This review appears on my blog, my YouTube channel, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com.]

"Whom Should You Fear?" Sermon: Isaiah 51:9-16 (video)

 (302) "Whom Should You Fear?" Sermon: Isaiah 51:9-16 - YouTube