I love a good mystery. A good writer will craft a story that cleverly shares little by little the pieces of a puzzle and brief glimpses of some hidden truth. They keep you seeking more clues and guessing till the end when the truth is finally revealed. They finally tie together all of the fragments that by themselves could only lead to speculation and guessing and a partial deduction of the actual truth. In the end the mystery is revealed and it all makes perfect sense.
In a similar vain the Old Testament presented a mystery. God revealed Himself through the Old Testament prophets. But in some ways a carefully crafted story was being presented and brief glimpses and foreshadows laid the foundation for what one day would be fully explained. In the New Testament what could not be fully understood is fully tied together. The mystery is revealed and makes perfect sense.
It is the answer to this great mystery that works its way out in the pages of the Bible that the church exists to tell. There is a message that it is charged to deliver, to preserve and hold dear. Paul takes this message seriously. In Colosians he states that God assigned him to be a steward of this truth. He struggled and toiled with all his energy for this very message.
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
(Col 1:24-29 ESV)
I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
(1Ti 3:14-16 ESV)
At the center of this message is how Jesus Christ makes it possible for God's people to be presented mature, holy and godly. It is here that the church often fails to recognize and proclaim what is most basic and important. We must remember that godliness is only possible for sinful people through the intervention of God through the Cross. Why is so much of what we proclaim to the world have nothing to do with this message? We have a great truth. The mystery has been revealed and all of the pieces fit together. There is no other means that the church can present people that will be mature and holy. It all goes back to what God has done for us on our behalf in Christ on the cross of calvary. A living God has worked out a great plan through all of eternity and established the church to be a pillar and buttress of the truth. Simply put that means to support and hold up and bear the load and weight of the gospel. We must make sure that our message to the world begins and ends in this great mystery. Then we will begin to see people changed and respond to the Gospel.
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2Co 4:6 ESV)
Friday, January 8, 2010
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Family of God and Prayer
This week I have witnessed God working first hand to answer prayer. In my own life I have seen a prayer answered in an unexpected way as God clearly opened up a door that had been closed for a long while. Today at church a young man gave testimony to the power of the Gospel to give us strength during trials. God never walks away from us even when we try to walk away from Him. Jesus Christ still changes lives and the Gospel still turns sinners from sin.
As I have been reflecting on the church this week the concept of the church as the household of God kept appearing in my studies. The great and marvelous fact that God has adopted us into His marvelous family with Jesus Christ as the head and we his sons and daughters. The church is indeed a family and like a family must care for and support one another. When one hurts, all hurt. When one rejoices, all rejoice. Today we have rejoiced together celebrating the blessing of a young man who has returned to his family. The church is a family. Let us continue to pray for one another. God hears the prayers of his children and answers them. Praise God!!!!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
The Church's Great Message - By Mike T.
I have been blessed today with a study of the Church that has brought to light many common themes that appear in Scripture. Some of what I learned today is:
* Christ established the church with His blood. The church is His Bride and Treasure.
* The Church is the assembly of the Living God where He is present.
* The Church is the household of God.
* The Church is charged with preserving and proclaiming the Gospel.
* God has placed us in this family. He has chosen and adopted us as sons and daughters to an inheritance in Christ.
* God is present and we meet Him in the church.
* Christ is the head, builder, foundation and sustainer of the Church.
* The Church is to proclaim the truth of God that is the Gospel which is the Treasure of the Church.
* The Church calles the people of God to holiness.
The theme that I want to commend to you today is the church's message as found in scripture. 1 Peter reminds us that the church is responsible to 'proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness." That is Jesus Christ.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1Pe 2:9 ESV)
Some other New Testament verses with a similar theme include Eph 3:10, Col 1:24-29 and 1 Tim 3:14-16. All these verses emphasize that the church has a unique and special truth that no other institution can offer. This truth, this message, this Gospel that the church proclaims and witnesses to is that by which we are saved and become the assembly of the LIVING GOD.
so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (Eph 3:10 ESV)
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. (Col 1:24-29 ESV)
I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
(1Ti 3:14-16 ESV)
Take some time to study the message of the church proclaimed in these and other New Testament verses. Then begin to look at the other themes that were found at the top of this post.
* Christ established the church with His blood. The church is His Bride and Treasure.
* The Church is the assembly of the Living God where He is present.
* The Church is the household of God.
* The Church is charged with preserving and proclaiming the Gospel.
* God has placed us in this family. He has chosen and adopted us as sons and daughters to an inheritance in Christ.
* God is present and we meet Him in the church.
* Christ is the head, builder, foundation and sustainer of the Church.
* The Church is to proclaim the truth of God that is the Gospel which is the Treasure of the Church.
* The Church calles the people of God to holiness.
The theme that I want to commend to you today is the church's message as found in scripture. 1 Peter reminds us that the church is responsible to 'proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness." That is Jesus Christ.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1Pe 2:9 ESV)
Some other New Testament verses with a similar theme include Eph 3:10, Col 1:24-29 and 1 Tim 3:14-16. All these verses emphasize that the church has a unique and special truth that no other institution can offer. This truth, this message, this Gospel that the church proclaims and witnesses to is that by which we are saved and become the assembly of the LIVING GOD.
so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (Eph 3:10 ESV)
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. (Col 1:24-29 ESV)
I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
(1Ti 3:14-16 ESV)
Take some time to study the message of the church proclaimed in these and other New Testament verses. Then begin to look at the other themes that were found at the top of this post.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
The Dearest Place On Earth
“Give yourself to the Church. You that are members of the Church have not found it perfect and I hope that you feel almost glad that you have not. If I had never joined a Church till I had found one that was perfect, I would never have joined one at all! And the moment I did join it, if I had found one, I should have spoiled it, for it would not have been a perfect Church after I had become a member of it.
Still, imperfect as it is, it is the dearest place on earth to us… All who have first given themselves to the Lord, should, as speedily as possible, also give themselves to the Lord’s people. How else is there to be a Church on the earth? If it is right for anyone to refrain from membership in the Church, it is right for everyone, and then the testimony for God would be lost to the world!"
–Charles H. Spurgeon, “The Best Donation,” (No. 2234), in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Vol. 37, an exposition of 2 Corinthians 8:5 preached at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, England, on April 5, 1891.
Still, imperfect as it is, it is the dearest place on earth to us… All who have first given themselves to the Lord, should, as speedily as possible, also give themselves to the Lord’s people. How else is there to be a Church on the earth? If it is right for anyone to refrain from membership in the Church, it is right for everyone, and then the testimony for God would be lost to the world!"
–Charles H. Spurgeon, “The Best Donation,” (No. 2234), in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Vol. 37, an exposition of 2 Corinthians 8:5 preached at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, England, on April 5, 1891.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
The Highest Possible Resolution - by Mike T.
As a tech guy I sometimes have a different perspective on things. Allow me to put a unique spin on the New Year’s Resolution. When I hear the word ‘resolution’ the first thing I think about has to do with the image detail for displays, cameras and televisions. Simply put the higher the resolution the finer detail of a picture that can be displayed. Wikipedia defines this as the pixel resolution.
Below is an illustration of how the same image might appear at different pixel resolutions, if the pixels were poorly rendered as sharp squares (normally, a smooth image reconstruction from pixels would be preferred, but for illustration of pixels, the sharp squares make the point better).
An image that is 2048 pixels in width and 1536 pixels in height has a total of 2048×1536 = 3,145,728 pixels or 3.1 megapixels. One could refer to it as 2048 by 1536 or a 3.1-megapixel image. (Note: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/image_resolution#resolution_of_digital_images)
In digital photography to print a decent 4x6 photo requires 3 MP. But enlargements such an 11x14 require 4 MP, while an 20x30 requires 8 MP. For televisions and computer monitors the higher the resolution the clearer the image. As the resolution gets higher the more details that will be visible. In a lot of cases the higher the resolution, the more expensive the equipment can be. To get greater detail and clarity requires an investment.
How does this relate to the New Year’s Resolution? For this coming year, rather than making a resolution, use the highest resolution possible. Invest in what it takes to get greater detail and clarity. Make that your effort and goal. Like cameras and displays require more pixels for a clearer image, seek more of God’s Word to get a more detailed perspective on the Savior and yourself. The more of God’s Word that is used the more in focus the picture of Christwill become. Take the time this year to drill down and focus on the images that are presented in the Scriptures. You will learn so much about Jesus Christ that you have missed before. You will see more about yourself and your own sinfulness and need for a Savior as you let God’s Holy Word make the pictures clearer. Get as much resolution as you can and take time to notice the nuances and details that you missed before.
Focus on the Savior. Have you seen all there is of His righteousness, love, compassion, divinity, meekness, power and purpose? Have you missed something of the joy of loving Him with your whole heart and mind and strength?
And as you read allow the Bible to help you focus on a better picture of yourself. Would more clarity help you see some things that were hidden before? Are there idols that take your focus off of Jesus as Lord? Do you have sins that you might have not been able to see before at a lower resolution?
Take advantage of the highest resolution possible this next year. When you look at yourself you find some things that ruin the picture. When you look at the Savior in greater detail you will spot some things you missed before.
Below is an illustration of how the same image might appear at different pixel resolutions, if the pixels were poorly rendered as sharp squares (normally, a smooth image reconstruction from pixels would be preferred, but for illustration of pixels, the sharp squares make the point better).
An image that is 2048 pixels in width and 1536 pixels in height has a total of 2048×1536 = 3,145,728 pixels or 3.1 megapixels. One could refer to it as 2048 by 1536 or a 3.1-megapixel image. (Note: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/image_resolution#resolution_of_digital_images)
In digital photography to print a decent 4x6 photo requires 3 MP. But enlargements such an 11x14 require 4 MP, while an 20x30 requires 8 MP. For televisions and computer monitors the higher the resolution the clearer the image. As the resolution gets higher the more details that will be visible. In a lot of cases the higher the resolution, the more expensive the equipment can be. To get greater detail and clarity requires an investment.
How does this relate to the New Year’s Resolution? For this coming year, rather than making a resolution, use the highest resolution possible. Invest in what it takes to get greater detail and clarity. Make that your effort and goal. Like cameras and displays require more pixels for a clearer image, seek more of God’s Word to get a more detailed perspective on the Savior and yourself. The more of God’s Word that is used the more in focus the picture of Christwill become. Take the time this year to drill down and focus on the images that are presented in the Scriptures. You will learn so much about Jesus Christ that you have missed before. You will see more about yourself and your own sinfulness and need for a Savior as you let God’s Holy Word make the pictures clearer. Get as much resolution as you can and take time to notice the nuances and details that you missed before.
Focus on the Savior. Have you seen all there is of His righteousness, love, compassion, divinity, meekness, power and purpose? Have you missed something of the joy of loving Him with your whole heart and mind and strength?
And as you read allow the Bible to help you focus on a better picture of yourself. Would more clarity help you see some things that were hidden before? Are there idols that take your focus off of Jesus as Lord? Do you have sins that you might have not been able to see before at a lower resolution?
Take advantage of the highest resolution possible this next year. When you look at yourself you find some things that ruin the picture. When you look at the Savior in greater detail you will spot some things you missed before.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Finally Alive
When looking for new reading material I often browse the web to see what others are reading. At the top of several 2009 book lists I noticed Finally Alive by John Piper. So I begun reading it. While only 3 chapters into this book, I am greatly impressed and encouraged by its message. This book talks about regeneration: what it is and why it is important.
I have always been a fan of John Piper's works and this is one of his finest efforts. It is excellent reading for both mature and young Christians.
Sample Finally Alive and many other of John Piper's works for free at http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/OnlineBooks/ByTitle/. I have always admired the ministry of Desiring God which makes its many fine resources available at no cost to those who can not afford them. They show a true trust and committment to share God's Word.
I have always been a fan of John Piper's works and this is one of his finest efforts. It is excellent reading for both mature and young Christians.
Sample Finally Alive and many other of John Piper's works for free at http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/OnlineBooks/ByTitle/. I have always admired the ministry of Desiring God which makes its many fine resources available at no cost to those who can not afford them. They show a true trust and committment to share God's Word.
New Look
The Light Keeper's Journal has taken on a new look and a new committment to posting articles and links that will be of interest to Christians who are interested in growing and finding joy in Jesus Christ.
I am looking for other dedicated believers who want to share interesting links, articles and stories of interest to build up believers and reach others for Christ. If you want to become a partner posting on this blog about matters of faith, witness, prayer, worship, fellowship, humor, news and other information please contact me.
I am looking for other dedicated believers who want to share interesting links, articles and stories of interest to build up believers and reach others for Christ. If you want to become a partner posting on this blog about matters of faith, witness, prayer, worship, fellowship, humor, news and other information please contact me.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Just the Facts
Today we begin a series of short studies on effectively witnessing the Gospel to unbelievers.
JUST THE FACTS
Where should you begin when witnessing to others about the Gospel of Jesus Christ? The approach that is tried a lot of times is to try and convince others that they need Christ because of what He can do for them. The offer that ‘Jesus can mend a broken heart’ or that ‘He makes things right’ or "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. He’ll give you love, joy, peace, fulfillment, and lasting happiness." We might even begin by telling someone that without Jesus that they will go to Hell. Often times we mix this with the testimony of our own experience as to what Jesus has done for us. All of these approaches fail to help the other person understand who Jesus is.
Think about where the others that you might try to witness to are coming from. Most will carry into the conversation some sort of understanding of religious notions and ideas. For the majority of individuals will attest to some sort of religious beliefs. The backgrounds will vary. Some will profess faith in another god, perhaps Buddha or Allah. Others will attest to some sort of pseudo Christian beliefs or have rejected the idea of a ‘higher power’ altogether. They will have already established faith in something or someone. They may be content or even restless and unsure of their beliefs and their faith. They have tried religion and expressed faith. But as yet they do not in fact know the Jesus of the Bible.
The opportunity to effectively witness then exists in not offering them another option on their religious menu but to lead them to know Jesus as Christ, God in the flesh who died on the cross and rose again to save His own. When they learn who Jesus really is they can begin to realize how worthless their faith in any thing else actually is.
Remember as you witness that it is not your words or your approach that saves others, but God who changes hearts of sinners and opens their eyes and ears to the Gospel. Until the Holy Spirit works in the heart of another the Gospel remains ‘foolishness’ to them. In the Book of Acts Philip witnesses to an Ethiopian official.
God will open up the opportunity. You be obedient and willing to do the work.
But an angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza: the same is desert. And he arose and went: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship; and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. Acts 8:26-29
When the opportunity arises- jump at it
As we stated earlier most people you get the opportunity to witness to will already have an established faith and religious experience. Here Philip met an Ethiopian official who worshipped God and read the Scriptures. However, the true meaning of the words he read eluded him. No doubt that God had a hand in this encounter. Philip responded by leading this man to an understanding of who Jesus is.
And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some one shall guide me? And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him. Acts 8:30-31
Witness with the Word of God (just the facts)
The only tool you need to witness is the Word Of God. In it you will find all you need to explain who Jesus is to others.
Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: His generation who shall declare? For his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other? Acts 8:32-34
Preach unto them – JESUS
The scriptures tell us about Jesus. That is the focus of the Gospel message. Rely on this message and not on the needs of others or your own personal experiences. Jesus did not come to mend broken hearts, bring peace, joy and lasting happiness. He came to Glorify God. Those who do not know Him as God, Savior, Redeemer and King only need to know this one important fact.
And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached unto him Jesus. Act 8:35
The Gospel Saves
As you witness to others and share the Word of God others will come to see Jesus as Savior, Lord, King, Redeemer. Philip opened up the scriptures and an Ethiopian official came to know Jesus. This led to the man’s conversion and the request to be baptized.
And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, Behold, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
(Act 8:26-40 ASV)
Jesus did not come to mend broken hearts, bring peace, joy and lasting happiness. He came to Glorify God. Those who do not know Him as God, Savior, Redeemer and King only need to know this one important fact. It is in Jesus Christ and no one else that they will find Salvation.
JUST THE FACTS
Where should you begin when witnessing to others about the Gospel of Jesus Christ? The approach that is tried a lot of times is to try and convince others that they need Christ because of what He can do for them. The offer that ‘Jesus can mend a broken heart’ or that ‘He makes things right’ or "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. He’ll give you love, joy, peace, fulfillment, and lasting happiness." We might even begin by telling someone that without Jesus that they will go to Hell. Often times we mix this with the testimony of our own experience as to what Jesus has done for us. All of these approaches fail to help the other person understand who Jesus is.
Think about where the others that you might try to witness to are coming from. Most will carry into the conversation some sort of understanding of religious notions and ideas. For the majority of individuals will attest to some sort of religious beliefs. The backgrounds will vary. Some will profess faith in another god, perhaps Buddha or Allah. Others will attest to some sort of pseudo Christian beliefs or have rejected the idea of a ‘higher power’ altogether. They will have already established faith in something or someone. They may be content or even restless and unsure of their beliefs and their faith. They have tried religion and expressed faith. But as yet they do not in fact know the Jesus of the Bible.
The opportunity to effectively witness then exists in not offering them another option on their religious menu but to lead them to know Jesus as Christ, God in the flesh who died on the cross and rose again to save His own. When they learn who Jesus really is they can begin to realize how worthless their faith in any thing else actually is.
Remember as you witness that it is not your words or your approach that saves others, but God who changes hearts of sinners and opens their eyes and ears to the Gospel. Until the Holy Spirit works in the heart of another the Gospel remains ‘foolishness’ to them. In the Book of Acts Philip witnesses to an Ethiopian official.
God will open up the opportunity. You be obedient and willing to do the work.
But an angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza: the same is desert. And he arose and went: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship; and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. Acts 8:26-29
When the opportunity arises- jump at it
As we stated earlier most people you get the opportunity to witness to will already have an established faith and religious experience. Here Philip met an Ethiopian official who worshipped God and read the Scriptures. However, the true meaning of the words he read eluded him. No doubt that God had a hand in this encounter. Philip responded by leading this man to an understanding of who Jesus is.
And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some one shall guide me? And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him. Acts 8:30-31
Witness with the Word of God (just the facts)
The only tool you need to witness is the Word Of God. In it you will find all you need to explain who Jesus is to others.
Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: His generation who shall declare? For his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other? Acts 8:32-34
Preach unto them – JESUS
The scriptures tell us about Jesus. That is the focus of the Gospel message. Rely on this message and not on the needs of others or your own personal experiences. Jesus did not come to mend broken hearts, bring peace, joy and lasting happiness. He came to Glorify God. Those who do not know Him as God, Savior, Redeemer and King only need to know this one important fact.
And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached unto him Jesus. Act 8:35
The Gospel Saves
As you witness to others and share the Word of God others will come to see Jesus as Savior, Lord, King, Redeemer. Philip opened up the scriptures and an Ethiopian official came to know Jesus. This led to the man’s conversion and the request to be baptized.
And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, Behold, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
(Act 8:26-40 ASV)
Jesus did not come to mend broken hearts, bring peace, joy and lasting happiness. He came to Glorify God. Those who do not know Him as God, Savior, Redeemer and King only need to know this one important fact. It is in Jesus Christ and no one else that they will find Salvation.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Spiritually and Physically preparing for Sunday Worship
Ever struggled to stay awake at Sunday School or church? I often joke with my friend Floyd about the need for us to help one another stay awake for the sermon. Though it is a running joke between us and 'mostly' we are just having fun, this article on Being a diligent listener I found today makes an excellent point worth waking up for. No reflection on our Pastor, the fault usually lies with my own failure to get enough sleep.
How much more we could get out of and give back to our church family if we came refreshed spiritually and physically to hear God's Word.
Being a diligent listener- by Tim Challies
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Zacchaeus Remembers the Day He Was Saved - by Mike T.
Do you remember the day you were saved?
If you are a Christian, do you remember the day when you were saved? Does it rate up there among the most memorable days of your life? Perhaps the most important day ever? What happened to your heart that day? Were you changed forever? Does it still hold significance for you? Was your life changed on that blessed day? Do you still feel the same? Do you rejoice with the Psalmist saying, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” (Ps 42:1-2)? Do you share the Psalmist’s refrain shouting “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (PS 73:25-26)? Did your decision to follow Jesus cost you anything? Did it change your heart?
A Man’s Memorable Encounter with the Savior
Luke tells us the story of a man who surely remembers the day that He accepted Christ as Savior. This is a simple story about an encounter with the living God… the God who saves. A man came to see a prophet along the roadside. His heart was fertile. The Savior came along and called to him and his life was changed forever. He became a new man inside and out. Is this your own story as well?
We are told that Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector. He was a very rich man and in charge of the tax collectors for the region. Tax collectors had an extremely bad reputation with the Jewish population. They were notorious for ruthlessness and using extreme measures to obtain the taxes. They were given a quota that they were required to collect and anything in excess of that amount that they collected they were able to boast to their profit. Because they obtained their wealth by extracting the profit from their fellow Jews, they were seen as traitors to their own people. A verse from Mathew shows that tax collectors were held with the lowest regard. “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector” .MT 18:17 Luke also shows that tax collector’s ranked at the bottom of society’s barrel.
After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and `sinners'?" LK 5:27-30
Tax Collector’s and Pharisee’s
Because of that notorious reputation, the tax collector is represented in the Bible as an example of those that the Jews, particularly the Pharisees and teacher’s of the law regarded as outside the Kingdom of God. The Jewish leaders saw themselves as righteous because of their religious lifestyles and they labeled as “sinners” those who were not Jewish and those who were guilty of gross transgressions of the law like the tax collectors. Careful review of the texts where a tax collector is labeled a “sinner” it is interesting that it is the tax collector who comes out as righteous. The Bible turns everything around on its head.
The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: `God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. [12] I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, `God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' Lk 18:11-13
The Bible on numerous occasions uses the illustration of the Pharisee’s self-righteousness and the tax collector’s humility and repentance before God to drive home the point of the sinner’s need for a Savior. Just such an illustration becomes evident in our scriptural text from Luke 19. The Lord Jesus calls upon Zacchaeus the tax collector and draws criticism from the mostly Jewish crowd. Those who rely upon their own efforts and religious activity for access to God are given a lesson that true righteousness does not depend upon effort, but upon a Savior that changes hearts.
A Fertile Heart
Jesus had developed quite a following at the point that Luke relates the story of Zacchaeus. No doubt word of the miracles He performed and His teaching had spread. He had healed the lepers and recently a blind man’s sight was restored. A large crowd followed Him wherever He went. We are told that Zacchaeus was a short man and that he wanted desperately to see Jesus. So much so that he ran ahead of the crowd on the road that Jesus was on and climbed a sycamore-fig tree. This wealthy man with the notorious reputation had a desire to see this prophet that was passing by. Why Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, the story does not tell us. We can’t speculate too much about why he was there, but we could probably imagine a few reasons why we might have been there along that road to catch a glimpse of Jesus ourselves. Perhaps there might be simple curiosity to see what all the commotion about Jesus was about? Maybe even it could have been possible we heard Jesus speak on a previous occasion and want another opportunity to hear him again? Perhaps others had been talking about Jesus and the words they shared with us were intriguing? Perhaps even a very real misery exists in our own hearts. We might know that there is something wrong with the way we are living. Maybe we met another who was forever changed by this Jesus of Nazareth who couldn’t stop talking about how He forgave their sins? It is even possible that we have been very religious all of our lives and faultless in observing and following all of the traditions and rules. Perhaps we never miss church and we tithe 10% and we are sure to try and live a good life? We might know that we harbor wicked thoughts in our minds and despite of all our religious activities we are still empty inside and really don’t know God? This Jesus was known to cut through to people’s hearts and remind them that they need a personal relationship with God to save them and not a religion. Perhaps as Zacchaeus clung to the branch of that tree and waited on Jesus to come down the road he also hoped that something about this prophet who attracted such a following really could liberate him from this miserable guilt and sin?
No Time For Excuses
Whatever it was that drove Zacchaeus to the tree along that road, he was ready when Jesus called him. Zacchaeus’s heart was fertile for the gospel. Jesus passed by, stopped and looked up and called Zacchaeus by name. God uses a variety of circumstances and people to get us to the place and time where he calls us by name. He sometimes uses trials and difficulties to drive us to our knees. He may bring the witness and testimony of others to soften our hearts. The most powerful tool is the preaching of His Word and the Gospel message to tell us the truth about our sin and the salvation offered by the cross of Jesus Christ. The witness of the Holy Spirit is working constantly to call people unto the Savior. Jesus told Nicodemus this truth in the book of John.
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:8
To put it simply, the Holy Spirit is mysteriously, perhaps invisibly, active in the world calling hearts to God. The Spirit’s activity is clearly visible as God’s saving grace is manifest and people are saved by the call of the Gospel. We know that the Spirit is present and active not because we know who or where or how God saves, but that in fact sinners are indeed being saved. Zacchaeus answers just such a personal call. When Jesus calls, He calls each of us personally. Though Zacchaeus was there in that tree, it was Jesus who initiated the encounter. Jesus told Zacchaeus to come down immediately while stating that He must stay at Zacchaeus’s house that evening. There was no hesitancy on Zacchaeus’s part regarding the forthright request that Jesus made. Luke says that Zacchaeus came down and at once and welcomed Jesus to his house gladly. He could have offered excuses. “The house is really quite a mess. Maybe another time after we get a chance to clean up a little?” “No, I don’t think you really want to be seen with me. Don’t you know what others will think?” “Love to have you, but really my wife doesn’t like it when I bring home strangers without calling ahead.” Zacchaeus offers no such attempts to put off the Lord’s demands. He offers immediate hospitality and does so graciously and with joy.
Has the Lord called your name? Did you receive Him immediately with joy? Or did you begin looking for excuses why now wasn’t a good time? Did you put off His call to come to you? Did you have more pressing matters? Did you want more time to prepare? Did you want to wait for a better time? Did you ask Him to come back later? Were you afraid that He would find what you were trying to hide from Him? Were you afraid of what might be exposed if you let Him into your life? Could it be that you were afraid that He might not like the company you keep? If you chose the excuses over His call, when will you heed His voice and come to Him? Is your heart fertile? Has His Word penetrated its stony depths? Are you ready to come quickly? Do you know that Jesus is your Lord and Master? Are you ready to serve Him? Do you desire to honor Him? Do you seek to please Him? Zacchaeus was such a person. He heard the Master’s call and came quickly and served Him joyfully. This was day to remember in Zacchaeus’s life.
The Real Article
But there is more to the story of Zacchaeus the wee little man who climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus. The lesson continues and we learn the meaning of true and genuine salvation. A group criticizes Jesus for going to Zacchaeus’s house because he is a “sinner”. There are those who are quick to judge, to point fingers at others and find fault with them. They themselves are self-confident about their own righteousness. They compare themselves to others and on the basis that they are more religious and don’t do certain things that they can somehow be justified before God. They rely upon their abstaining from certain behaviors and doing certain good works as the basis for their acceptance into God’s kingdom. Such were those who criticized Jesus for going to the house of tax collector. Luke in our passage again shows the error of such thinking. But first consider briefly what Paul told the Ephesians.
EPH 2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, [2] in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. [3] All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. [4] But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, [5] made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. [6] And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, [7] in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. [8] For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- [9] not by works, so that no one can boast. [10] For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Justifying oneself before God by comparing our performance to that of others is seen to be futile. Paul tells us in verse 3 that every one of us without exception were dead in our transgressions and sins and that as a consequence were objects of God’s wrath. That means that without Christ we are destined to hell and there is no one no matter how religious or good they perceive themselves to be that can change that on their own merit. Paul also explains that God, in Christ has made us alive and saved us by grace alone. We offered nothing, and could offer nothing in a dead state as verse 6 tells us. It can’t be said any better than verses 8-10 “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.” All human effort and self-righteous religious effort have no merit in salvation.
The High Cost Of Following Jesus
To return to the story from Luke 19 now, Zacchaeus stands and makes a remarkable profession.
LK 19:8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
A very wealthy man was willing to outright give half of his possessions to the poor and to make restitution of four times the amount if he cheated anybody out of anything. This represented an extremely high personal cost. It was not a trivial amount that Zacchaeus offered to give up. Are you willing to truly give half of your net worth to the poor? If you have a home worth 100,000 dollars and 50,000 dollars in an IRA and savings are you willing to sell the house and give half of the money from the sale to the needy and half of your retirement nest egg too? Think about it. Zacchaeus was exceedingly wealthy. He knew his statement would be costly. And it was much more than a statement. This was a sincere proclamation of faith. The Savior transformed Zacchaeus’s life. He was willing to commit to great personal sacrifice. He was willing to go to extreme, to surrender the wealth, and undoubtedly his job and means of making a living would be greatly affected by such a transformation. He gave up more than money. He gave up the corruption that accompanied the money he had acquired and in effect would no longer be effective in his position as chief tax collector. This was a great personal sacrifice. The change in his heart was the real deal… the genuine article. What cost are you willing to pay to follow Jesus? Is He real to you? Does He mean more to you than just someone you sing about on Sunday morning? Jesus own words tell us that there is a price to pay for following Him.
MT 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. [25] For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. [26] What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? [27] For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
MT 8:21 Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."[22] But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
LK 9:59 He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." :60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
Have you left the things of the world behind to go after Jesus? What is holding you back? Have you given Him your all? He wants your entire devotion, not some half-hearted effort. He doesn’t want only an hour on Sunday morning and maybe Sunday night and Wednesday as well. He wants your complete devotion each and every moment of your life. Have you been willing to give that to Him?
Sin/Repentance/Works and Grace
Zacchaeus reminds us that there is a high cost for following Jesus Christ. However, his statement was not meant to impress those who were listening. It was not intended to draw attention to himself and look good in front of others. On the contrary, Zacchaeus spoke and in doing so he demonstrated genuine repentance and good works out of the overflow of a heart transformed by the grace of God. His encounter with Jesus Christ caused a dramatic change. Old lifestyles have to be left behind. We can not hold onto our past sins and our old ways. Genuine faith in Christ will drive us to repent of our sins. We will desire to please God and to obey Him. There is a genuine change in our hearts. True faith in Christ unto salvation will result in repentance and good works. We no longer have the same affection for sin that we had before we were in Christ. We will be driven to repentance when we sin. If you find yourself compromising with sin you may want to question your salvation. The Bible makes it clear that sin is not to be tolerated in the believer’s life.
Lots of Bells and Whistles and Flashy Lights Don’t Make A Good Show
We can’t miss a vital point that we touched on earlier. Remember the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector from Luke 18 that we discussed earlier? The Pharisee relied upon his Jewish religious performance for Salvation while the tax collector simply beat his breast and recognized that he was a sinner before God. Fact is we can either have faith in ourselves and the things we do or we can have faith in God. If we have in faith in our own efforts we delude even ourselves and think that everything is ok, when in fact it is not. We can never please God, nor earn our own salvation. Works and religious activity without a genuine faith in Christ are nothing more than an external show. Salvation takes place in the heart and is genuine when it begins and ends with Jesus. It is this faith that Jesus recognized when he declared that Zacchaeus was a true son of Abraham.
To God Be The Glory
The cost is high and our hearts are transformed. But it is God who gets the glory. Jesus responds to Zacchaeus’s faithful proclamation by declaring that salvation has come to this house.
LK 19:9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. [10] For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
Zacchaeus faith was expressed in true repentance and genuine desire to good works. It was not the good works or the repentance that saved him. Zacchaeus did not earn his salvation by repentance or good works. God in His marvelous grace called Zacchaeus out of a life of sin. He was God’s workmanship through and throughout , created in Christ, to do good works which God prepared in advance. Zacchaeus is not able to boast about his transformed heart. He only responded by the faith that God put in his heart.
The Shepherd and the Flock
We conclude with verse 10 which I believe sums up the whole of the book of Luke in a single sentence.
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. LK 19:10
Christ called this miserable wealthy man from a life of sin and transformed his life. Each of us before Christ is in the same desperate condition, without hope and without God in this world. Sin has wrecked our lives and separated from God. Why do you think that Jesus makes the statement that he does here? What does He mean to seek and save the lost? This is what God does. Because we are dead in our sins, we no longer desire to come to Him. The Gospel of Luke like no other book of the Bible shows us that God comes to man to restore a broken relationship. A relationship between a Holy God and mankind was severed by sin. The penalty for sin is death and eternal separation from God. Yet God Himself provides restoration through Jesus Christ. God seeks to call us back into a relationship with Him. That is the reason Jesus came, taught, healed and bore our sin on the cross. He paid the penalty of death to satisfy God’s just requirement so that we would not have to. Jesus seeks sinners. When you get a chance read Luke Chapter 15 and the three parables that Jesus told. A couple of key verses will help clarify what it means that Jesus has come to seek and save the lost.
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, `Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ Luke 15:4-6
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, `Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ LK 15:8-9
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. LK 15:24
There is hope for a fallen people and God has provided the means of restoration for a broken relation in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. God goes to extremes to restore us to fellowship with Him. These stories tell us that our Father, our Shepherd is not far off. He seeks us out. He pursues us. He brings us home. He nutures and preserves us. His mercy and forgiveness is inexhaustible. He holds us in esteem. We are valuable to Him. We have worth to Him through Christ Jesus who redeems us by His blood. Have you considered the depths to which he will go for you? To save and restore you to fellowship with Him? Do you follow your shepherd? Do you hear his voice? Are you obedient? Or do you stray off, turning your eyes and ears away from his guidance? Come near to the Great Shepherd. He cares for you and will protect you.
The Almighty Will Be Your Gold
Genuine salvation delights in Jesus above all else. Zacchaeus’s heart was transformed and he gave up his wealth and sinful ways instead seeking to treasure Jesus Christ as Lord and his Savior above all else.
If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: If you remove wickedness far from your tent
and assign your nuggets to the dust, your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines,
then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you.
Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God.
You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways.
When men are brought low and you say, `Lift them up!' then he will save the downcast.
He will deliver even one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands." JOB 22:23-30
The sign that Jesus is indeed your gold and choicest silver, the treasure of the highest esteem in your heart is to be found in a changed life. Do you exhibit the fruit of a heart that is changed and lives to serve Jesus joyfully and with your whole being all of your day? Have you repented of your sin? Do the sins that used to afford you pleasure no longer make you happy? You see your heart and your outlook on life is never the same after you have truly met the Savior. Have you had a day as memorable as the one Zacchaeus had the day Jesus called him out of the sycamore tree? If not, the Son Of Man has come to seek and save what is lost. Anyone who does not believe in the name of God’s one and only Son stands condemned already. But God has provided a way unto salvation. He came to earth to seek the lost and to save. Heed His precious voice and go unto Him and live.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." John 3:17-21 Emphasis added
If you are a Christian, do you remember the day when you were saved? Does it rate up there among the most memorable days of your life? Perhaps the most important day ever? What happened to your heart that day? Were you changed forever? Does it still hold significance for you? Was your life changed on that blessed day? Do you still feel the same? Do you rejoice with the Psalmist saying, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” (Ps 42:1-2)? Do you share the Psalmist’s refrain shouting “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (PS 73:25-26)? Did your decision to follow Jesus cost you anything? Did it change your heart?
A Man’s Memorable Encounter with the Savior
Luke tells us the story of a man who surely remembers the day that He accepted Christ as Savior. This is a simple story about an encounter with the living God… the God who saves. A man came to see a prophet along the roadside. His heart was fertile. The Savior came along and called to him and his life was changed forever. He became a new man inside and out. Is this your own story as well?
We are told that Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector. He was a very rich man and in charge of the tax collectors for the region. Tax collectors had an extremely bad reputation with the Jewish population. They were notorious for ruthlessness and using extreme measures to obtain the taxes. They were given a quota that they were required to collect and anything in excess of that amount that they collected they were able to boast to their profit. Because they obtained their wealth by extracting the profit from their fellow Jews, they were seen as traitors to their own people. A verse from Mathew shows that tax collectors were held with the lowest regard. “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector” .MT 18:17 Luke also shows that tax collector’s ranked at the bottom of society’s barrel.
After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and `sinners'?" LK 5:27-30
Tax Collector’s and Pharisee’s
Because of that notorious reputation, the tax collector is represented in the Bible as an example of those that the Jews, particularly the Pharisees and teacher’s of the law regarded as outside the Kingdom of God. The Jewish leaders saw themselves as righteous because of their religious lifestyles and they labeled as “sinners” those who were not Jewish and those who were guilty of gross transgressions of the law like the tax collectors. Careful review of the texts where a tax collector is labeled a “sinner” it is interesting that it is the tax collector who comes out as righteous. The Bible turns everything around on its head.
The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: `God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. [12] I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, `God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' Lk 18:11-13
The Bible on numerous occasions uses the illustration of the Pharisee’s self-righteousness and the tax collector’s humility and repentance before God to drive home the point of the sinner’s need for a Savior. Just such an illustration becomes evident in our scriptural text from Luke 19. The Lord Jesus calls upon Zacchaeus the tax collector and draws criticism from the mostly Jewish crowd. Those who rely upon their own efforts and religious activity for access to God are given a lesson that true righteousness does not depend upon effort, but upon a Savior that changes hearts.
A Fertile Heart
Jesus had developed quite a following at the point that Luke relates the story of Zacchaeus. No doubt word of the miracles He performed and His teaching had spread. He had healed the lepers and recently a blind man’s sight was restored. A large crowd followed Him wherever He went. We are told that Zacchaeus was a short man and that he wanted desperately to see Jesus. So much so that he ran ahead of the crowd on the road that Jesus was on and climbed a sycamore-fig tree. This wealthy man with the notorious reputation had a desire to see this prophet that was passing by. Why Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, the story does not tell us. We can’t speculate too much about why he was there, but we could probably imagine a few reasons why we might have been there along that road to catch a glimpse of Jesus ourselves. Perhaps there might be simple curiosity to see what all the commotion about Jesus was about? Maybe even it could have been possible we heard Jesus speak on a previous occasion and want another opportunity to hear him again? Perhaps others had been talking about Jesus and the words they shared with us were intriguing? Perhaps even a very real misery exists in our own hearts. We might know that there is something wrong with the way we are living. Maybe we met another who was forever changed by this Jesus of Nazareth who couldn’t stop talking about how He forgave their sins? It is even possible that we have been very religious all of our lives and faultless in observing and following all of the traditions and rules. Perhaps we never miss church and we tithe 10% and we are sure to try and live a good life? We might know that we harbor wicked thoughts in our minds and despite of all our religious activities we are still empty inside and really don’t know God? This Jesus was known to cut through to people’s hearts and remind them that they need a personal relationship with God to save them and not a religion. Perhaps as Zacchaeus clung to the branch of that tree and waited on Jesus to come down the road he also hoped that something about this prophet who attracted such a following really could liberate him from this miserable guilt and sin?
No Time For Excuses
Whatever it was that drove Zacchaeus to the tree along that road, he was ready when Jesus called him. Zacchaeus’s heart was fertile for the gospel. Jesus passed by, stopped and looked up and called Zacchaeus by name. God uses a variety of circumstances and people to get us to the place and time where he calls us by name. He sometimes uses trials and difficulties to drive us to our knees. He may bring the witness and testimony of others to soften our hearts. The most powerful tool is the preaching of His Word and the Gospel message to tell us the truth about our sin and the salvation offered by the cross of Jesus Christ. The witness of the Holy Spirit is working constantly to call people unto the Savior. Jesus told Nicodemus this truth in the book of John.
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:8
To put it simply, the Holy Spirit is mysteriously, perhaps invisibly, active in the world calling hearts to God. The Spirit’s activity is clearly visible as God’s saving grace is manifest and people are saved by the call of the Gospel. We know that the Spirit is present and active not because we know who or where or how God saves, but that in fact sinners are indeed being saved. Zacchaeus answers just such a personal call. When Jesus calls, He calls each of us personally. Though Zacchaeus was there in that tree, it was Jesus who initiated the encounter. Jesus told Zacchaeus to come down immediately while stating that He must stay at Zacchaeus’s house that evening. There was no hesitancy on Zacchaeus’s part regarding the forthright request that Jesus made. Luke says that Zacchaeus came down and at once and welcomed Jesus to his house gladly. He could have offered excuses. “The house is really quite a mess. Maybe another time after we get a chance to clean up a little?” “No, I don’t think you really want to be seen with me. Don’t you know what others will think?” “Love to have you, but really my wife doesn’t like it when I bring home strangers without calling ahead.” Zacchaeus offers no such attempts to put off the Lord’s demands. He offers immediate hospitality and does so graciously and with joy.
Has the Lord called your name? Did you receive Him immediately with joy? Or did you begin looking for excuses why now wasn’t a good time? Did you put off His call to come to you? Did you have more pressing matters? Did you want more time to prepare? Did you want to wait for a better time? Did you ask Him to come back later? Were you afraid that He would find what you were trying to hide from Him? Were you afraid of what might be exposed if you let Him into your life? Could it be that you were afraid that He might not like the company you keep? If you chose the excuses over His call, when will you heed His voice and come to Him? Is your heart fertile? Has His Word penetrated its stony depths? Are you ready to come quickly? Do you know that Jesus is your Lord and Master? Are you ready to serve Him? Do you desire to honor Him? Do you seek to please Him? Zacchaeus was such a person. He heard the Master’s call and came quickly and served Him joyfully. This was day to remember in Zacchaeus’s life.
The Real Article
But there is more to the story of Zacchaeus the wee little man who climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus. The lesson continues and we learn the meaning of true and genuine salvation. A group criticizes Jesus for going to Zacchaeus’s house because he is a “sinner”. There are those who are quick to judge, to point fingers at others and find fault with them. They themselves are self-confident about their own righteousness. They compare themselves to others and on the basis that they are more religious and don’t do certain things that they can somehow be justified before God. They rely upon their abstaining from certain behaviors and doing certain good works as the basis for their acceptance into God’s kingdom. Such were those who criticized Jesus for going to the house of tax collector. Luke in our passage again shows the error of such thinking. But first consider briefly what Paul told the Ephesians.
EPH 2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, [2] in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. [3] All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. [4] But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, [5] made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. [6] And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, [7] in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. [8] For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- [9] not by works, so that no one can boast. [10] For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Justifying oneself before God by comparing our performance to that of others is seen to be futile. Paul tells us in verse 3 that every one of us without exception were dead in our transgressions and sins and that as a consequence were objects of God’s wrath. That means that without Christ we are destined to hell and there is no one no matter how religious or good they perceive themselves to be that can change that on their own merit. Paul also explains that God, in Christ has made us alive and saved us by grace alone. We offered nothing, and could offer nothing in a dead state as verse 6 tells us. It can’t be said any better than verses 8-10 “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.” All human effort and self-righteous religious effort have no merit in salvation.
The High Cost Of Following Jesus
To return to the story from Luke 19 now, Zacchaeus stands and makes a remarkable profession.
LK 19:8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
A very wealthy man was willing to outright give half of his possessions to the poor and to make restitution of four times the amount if he cheated anybody out of anything. This represented an extremely high personal cost. It was not a trivial amount that Zacchaeus offered to give up. Are you willing to truly give half of your net worth to the poor? If you have a home worth 100,000 dollars and 50,000 dollars in an IRA and savings are you willing to sell the house and give half of the money from the sale to the needy and half of your retirement nest egg too? Think about it. Zacchaeus was exceedingly wealthy. He knew his statement would be costly. And it was much more than a statement. This was a sincere proclamation of faith. The Savior transformed Zacchaeus’s life. He was willing to commit to great personal sacrifice. He was willing to go to extreme, to surrender the wealth, and undoubtedly his job and means of making a living would be greatly affected by such a transformation. He gave up more than money. He gave up the corruption that accompanied the money he had acquired and in effect would no longer be effective in his position as chief tax collector. This was a great personal sacrifice. The change in his heart was the real deal… the genuine article. What cost are you willing to pay to follow Jesus? Is He real to you? Does He mean more to you than just someone you sing about on Sunday morning? Jesus own words tell us that there is a price to pay for following Him.
MT 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. [25] For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. [26] What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? [27] For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
MT 8:21 Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."[22] But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
LK 9:59 He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." :60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
Have you left the things of the world behind to go after Jesus? What is holding you back? Have you given Him your all? He wants your entire devotion, not some half-hearted effort. He doesn’t want only an hour on Sunday morning and maybe Sunday night and Wednesday as well. He wants your complete devotion each and every moment of your life. Have you been willing to give that to Him?
Sin/Repentance/Works and Grace
Zacchaeus reminds us that there is a high cost for following Jesus Christ. However, his statement was not meant to impress those who were listening. It was not intended to draw attention to himself and look good in front of others. On the contrary, Zacchaeus spoke and in doing so he demonstrated genuine repentance and good works out of the overflow of a heart transformed by the grace of God. His encounter with Jesus Christ caused a dramatic change. Old lifestyles have to be left behind. We can not hold onto our past sins and our old ways. Genuine faith in Christ will drive us to repent of our sins. We will desire to please God and to obey Him. There is a genuine change in our hearts. True faith in Christ unto salvation will result in repentance and good works. We no longer have the same affection for sin that we had before we were in Christ. We will be driven to repentance when we sin. If you find yourself compromising with sin you may want to question your salvation. The Bible makes it clear that sin is not to be tolerated in the believer’s life.
Lots of Bells and Whistles and Flashy Lights Don’t Make A Good Show
We can’t miss a vital point that we touched on earlier. Remember the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector from Luke 18 that we discussed earlier? The Pharisee relied upon his Jewish religious performance for Salvation while the tax collector simply beat his breast and recognized that he was a sinner before God. Fact is we can either have faith in ourselves and the things we do or we can have faith in God. If we have in faith in our own efforts we delude even ourselves and think that everything is ok, when in fact it is not. We can never please God, nor earn our own salvation. Works and religious activity without a genuine faith in Christ are nothing more than an external show. Salvation takes place in the heart and is genuine when it begins and ends with Jesus. It is this faith that Jesus recognized when he declared that Zacchaeus was a true son of Abraham.
To God Be The Glory
The cost is high and our hearts are transformed. But it is God who gets the glory. Jesus responds to Zacchaeus’s faithful proclamation by declaring that salvation has come to this house.
LK 19:9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. [10] For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
Zacchaeus faith was expressed in true repentance and genuine desire to good works. It was not the good works or the repentance that saved him. Zacchaeus did not earn his salvation by repentance or good works. God in His marvelous grace called Zacchaeus out of a life of sin. He was God’s workmanship through and throughout , created in Christ, to do good works which God prepared in advance. Zacchaeus is not able to boast about his transformed heart. He only responded by the faith that God put in his heart.
The Shepherd and the Flock
We conclude with verse 10 which I believe sums up the whole of the book of Luke in a single sentence.
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. LK 19:10
Christ called this miserable wealthy man from a life of sin and transformed his life. Each of us before Christ is in the same desperate condition, without hope and without God in this world. Sin has wrecked our lives and separated from God. Why do you think that Jesus makes the statement that he does here? What does He mean to seek and save the lost? This is what God does. Because we are dead in our sins, we no longer desire to come to Him. The Gospel of Luke like no other book of the Bible shows us that God comes to man to restore a broken relationship. A relationship between a Holy God and mankind was severed by sin. The penalty for sin is death and eternal separation from God. Yet God Himself provides restoration through Jesus Christ. God seeks to call us back into a relationship with Him. That is the reason Jesus came, taught, healed and bore our sin on the cross. He paid the penalty of death to satisfy God’s just requirement so that we would not have to. Jesus seeks sinners. When you get a chance read Luke Chapter 15 and the three parables that Jesus told. A couple of key verses will help clarify what it means that Jesus has come to seek and save the lost.
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, `Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ Luke 15:4-6
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, `Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ LK 15:8-9
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. LK 15:24
There is hope for a fallen people and God has provided the means of restoration for a broken relation in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. God goes to extremes to restore us to fellowship with Him. These stories tell us that our Father, our Shepherd is not far off. He seeks us out. He pursues us. He brings us home. He nutures and preserves us. His mercy and forgiveness is inexhaustible. He holds us in esteem. We are valuable to Him. We have worth to Him through Christ Jesus who redeems us by His blood. Have you considered the depths to which he will go for you? To save and restore you to fellowship with Him? Do you follow your shepherd? Do you hear his voice? Are you obedient? Or do you stray off, turning your eyes and ears away from his guidance? Come near to the Great Shepherd. He cares for you and will protect you.
The Almighty Will Be Your Gold
Genuine salvation delights in Jesus above all else. Zacchaeus’s heart was transformed and he gave up his wealth and sinful ways instead seeking to treasure Jesus Christ as Lord and his Savior above all else.
If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: If you remove wickedness far from your tent
and assign your nuggets to the dust, your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines,
then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you.
Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God.
You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways.
When men are brought low and you say, `Lift them up!' then he will save the downcast.
He will deliver even one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands." JOB 22:23-30
The sign that Jesus is indeed your gold and choicest silver, the treasure of the highest esteem in your heart is to be found in a changed life. Do you exhibit the fruit of a heart that is changed and lives to serve Jesus joyfully and with your whole being all of your day? Have you repented of your sin? Do the sins that used to afford you pleasure no longer make you happy? You see your heart and your outlook on life is never the same after you have truly met the Savior. Have you had a day as memorable as the one Zacchaeus had the day Jesus called him out of the sycamore tree? If not, the Son Of Man has come to seek and save what is lost. Anyone who does not believe in the name of God’s one and only Son stands condemned already. But God has provided a way unto salvation. He came to earth to seek the lost and to save. Heed His precious voice and go unto Him and live.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." John 3:17-21 Emphasis added
Friday, November 13, 2009
Shirley Logan and other music to soothe the soul.
A good book is always a good way to relax. A good song can also do wonders for the heart. Today I was blessed with some inspirational tunes from Shirley Logan. Though Shirley is not well known, her music is some of the finest I have heard in years. Her songs "Baby Jane", "Water", "Like a Father" and "Kiss Me Slowly" are four of my favorites. Shirley brings a mix of inspirational lyrics that deal with love, life, spiritual and heart tugging themes. The first song I encountered was "Baby Jane" which looks beyond the grief from the loss of a child to the knowledge that one day we will be reunited with them again. Life is in fact eternal and there is a great reunion and a time to rejoice with Jesus and our dear ones on that great day when we meet Him in the sky. This song is a great comfort for those who may have lost a child to a miscarriage or too early in this life. Another song she does is called "Water" and it reminds us that God is in fact so dear and precious to us as life giving water. We can trust His promise to care and guide us through this life and even the storms and thorns of this life He uses to draw us to trust in Him more. And there is "Kiss Me Slowly" a sensual and passionate song of longing love and desire. Turn to Itunes and sample some of her music. I downloaded the whole album about a year ago and find it a blessing every time I listen to it.
Some links to Shirley Logan on the web:
Shirley Logan's Myspace page for more about her and to sample her music.
Shirley Logan on CD Baby to try or purchase her music album.
She would probably also like to hear from new fans.
Besides Shirley's music I have become such a great fan of Phil Keaggy over the past several years. Phil has some Podcasts that will simply blow you away. The September 2008 podcast here has some great stuff that is simply just phemomenal. Check it out you won't regret it. And it's free. His fans will love the songs. If you haven't yet heard them and you enjoy rock and acoustic guitar sounds this is great. He also introduces some new artist's music.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Turn off the TV and read some good books!
I would classify myself a TV addict. Since I was a small kid I came home from school and watched television. I spent hours repeating reruns of Gilligan's Island, Brady Bunch, Munsters, Andy Griffith, Flintstones, F Troop and a host of other sitcoms and kids fair. As I grew older I graduated to Mash and Taxi and other shows. Even today I come home from work and chill out to Bob Newhart reruns and even enjoy a few of the prime time network and cable shows. I do read more and more these days however. I encourage you today to turn off the TV and open up a good book. Read something aimed at learning more about Christ and His work. There are many good books. Some of my favorite authors these days are C J Mahanney, Sinclair Ferguson, John MacArthur, Jerry Bridges and James Montgomery Boice. I also read classic works by Puritans and other early Christians. Over the years I have developed a list of favorite authors and classics that have been favorites of others. The benefit of this time devoted to learning more about Christ and the Bible far exceeds the effort and beats watching the usual fare on TV. I read commentaries on books of the Bible, surveys of the Old Testament, theology, discipleship, evangelism, witnessing. The goal of my reading is to grow in faith and understanding and the ability to relate more about the Gospel to others.
I am finishing up a book by Sinclair Ferguson called "Deserted by God?" which uses the Psalms as a basis for lessons on dealing with spiritual depression. I am not sure what will be next but I have at least a half dozen choices sitting on the shelf waiting for an opportunity to pick up too.
Turn off the TV with your remote and relax with a good book. Learn more about the Gospel, build your faith and understanding of the Bible and become more confident in your witness to others. Need a good book recommendation I can point you towards a few titles that may spark an interest.
I am finishing up a book by Sinclair Ferguson called "Deserted by God?" which uses the Psalms as a basis for lessons on dealing with spiritual depression. I am not sure what will be next but I have at least a half dozen choices sitting on the shelf waiting for an opportunity to pick up too.
Turn off the TV with your remote and relax with a good book. Learn more about the Gospel, build your faith and understanding of the Bible and become more confident in your witness to others. Need a good book recommendation I can point you towards a few titles that may spark an interest.
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