Various Scriptures - The Significance of Peter

Matthew 16:13-20

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” 20 Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.

Message: The Significance of Peter

What the Lord is Saying: The rock that is mentioned is most likely Peter's confession of Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God. Catholicism believes this to be the justification of the institution of the papacy and the pope as lead bishop in the Roman church. But Peter did play a great role as being the first Apostle to confess the faith of Jesus as the Christ, the first Apostle to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, and the first Apostle to preach to the Jews on Pentecost. And he gave us part of God's word with 1 and 2 Peter, and this is the basis of Mark's gospel. 

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I Peter 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Message: The Apostle of Hope

What the Lord is Saying: Peter is said to be the Apostle of Hope. Hope is the confidence we have in the fulfillment of God's promises. It reminds us that God is incapable of breaking His pledges to us. This reality in our lives sustains faith in our hearts. What God says is true. 

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I Peter 1:4-5

4 to [obtain] an inheritance [which] is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Message: A Hope Kept in Heaven

What the Lord is Saying: I Peter mostly written in AD 60 address Christian suffering. In suffering, we focus on what will be birthed at the end of suffering and in this suffering the time frame of it will be limited. Some suffering on this earth is short, like pain in childbirth and after it comes a baby. As bad as things are they will not be forever. I think of this often in people like Joni or even my dad now who is suffering with such back pain and sorrow, not able to get himself out of it. Not allowing himself to get himself out of it. Almost content with it I feel at times. He wouldn't say so, and yet he isn't doing anything to change. The mind is so powerful. To hear of people like Rob's wife who is always happy and smiling. Give me hope God, not only when things are easy, but when they are hard. 

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I Peter 2:4-8

4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in Scripture:

“BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."

7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,

“THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone." 

8 and,

“A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE;"

for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.

Message: Living Stones in A Spiritual House

What the Lord is Saying: Christ is the foundation upon which the church is built. We are the church. As in today's passage and elsewhere physical objects are used to describe something non-physical or give us a picture of what God is in our life. "I am the living water." "I am the bread of life." These are metaphors used constantly in scripture. Jesus is our corner stone and so he stands out from others. 

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I Peter 2:13-14

13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.

Message: Submission to Authority

What the Lord is Saying: We live in a culture that often does not like authority and yet we are called as Christians to submit ourselves to authority. Women are called to submit to their husbands, something else which is often misunderstood and often under attack. We are under authority those who punish evildoers and praise those who do right. I am not sure if that refers to all of our authorities. I think we need to be careful of simply saying if there is any injustice that we don't have to submit. I struggled through this with COVID, not so much what we were being told but the way the church we were attending was responding to it, but maybe they were taking a harder stance than I cared for. Is this black and white? I just wonder if we sometimes look for ways to be disobedient and maybe we need to default to obedience rather than disobedience. 

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I Peter 5:1-5

1 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Message: Shepherding the Flock of God

What the Lord is Saying: Christians need to submit to authorities, but also those with authority need to exercise rule and authority over the church. It is our elders, as this passage notes that is exercising this authority over people and we as Christians need to look to them. Elders need to be called to their role (verse 2) and not be serving because they are under compulsion. Also in their roles they are not to be domineering or doing their job just to get some sort of profit from it. We need to have humble men in service and not those that are using their roles to have some sort of power over others. 

Summary: Peter reminds us that our hope is Christ, our hope through suffering and difficulties, and we are like stones, firm in our role in Christ and we need to submit to authorities as we trust God to establish authorities to glorify Him. 

Ephesians 4:11-12 - Prophets and Apostles

Ephesians 4:11-12 - And he [Jesus] gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.

Message: Prophets and Apostles

Time: Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians sometime in AD 60–61, around the same time he wrote Colossians and Philemon. Ephesians deals with topics at the core of being a Christian - faith and practice, no matter the situation.

What the Lord is Saying:

As I continue to look at Ecclesiology - the doctrine of the church - I have thus far done 12 lessons the are broken down into defining the church as Christ's Body and the church we see (visible) and the church we do not see (invisible) and yet Christ knows. Then I looked at defining truths about the Church as seen from the Apostles Creed throughout time and history. The church marches on throughout time united as one people, holy, and one people from every tribe and tongue built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets teaching. Then I saw that the churches today need to have core understandings of their mission. They need to be preaching the Word of God, Administering Sacraments (The Lord's Supper and Baptism) and they need to have a focus on church discipline. Going forward for the last 11 lessons, I will look at the key church leadership offices - apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, teachers, deacons and elders, though the latter will be touched on in a future lesson. Then several lessons on the purpose of the church and finally highlighting key pastors and theologians from church history. 

In the Bible there are discussions about belonging to a church and in this belonging there is service. And in considering service there is talk of spiritual gifts. In a reading of the Old Testament, certain individuals had offices, but in the new covenant we are all to serve with Jesus as our example - For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). There are various lists given of these gifts in Scripture:  Romans 12:3–8, 1 Corinthians 12–14, and Ephesians 4:1–16 and First Peter 4:10–11. And yet there seems to be distinct gifts spoken of for the those that lead the Body. Today's passage begins to list these offices and it says in verse 12 -- to equip the saints for the work of ministry. Thus, I believe there are certain gifts for leaders. Today, I focus on Prophets and Apostles and the belief that while these officers are important they are foundational and therefore do not repeat throughout the age of the church. 

Let's start with Ephesians 2:19-21 - So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. -- Thus, there is a foundation of how the church begins and that foundation is the apostles and prophets. The foundation is a part of the building and building is mentioned by Paul in speaking of the church (I Corinthians 3:9-10). The ministry of the apostles and the prophets and their lives seem to be the basis of the church. Matthew 16:18 speaks of one of the apostles -- And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 

As Jesus called his disciples it seems they were to listen and follow and then as his ministry goes on he asks them to do the things that he has been doing. And it also seem significant that the apostles brought about the beginning of the church after Jesus ascended to heaven following His resurrection. Prophets is a little harder to navigate. Paul often mentioned Israel's prophets in his writings, and often in a sense of laying the foundation. But what is not clear from me if these are the prophets he is referring to here. 

There are some belief systems that believe these role of prophets and apostles occur today. But with Jesus as our cornerstone, this distinction seems unlikely. It seems unlikely that there would be new information that would need to be told. And I have previously discussed this idea of the Church in scriptures and the belief of the invisible church only known by God. The foundation is the infallible word of God and I don't thing there are other source books that can be added later, like a Book of Mormon for instance. Or even raising up a certain leader that speaks such as the Pope. 

Hebrews 1:1-2 says -- Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. The last days are the time of Jesus and therefore I don't think last days is extended to include other divine beings. 

Naturally we have leaders in the church but I think we work collectively to define interpretation of the scripture and then applying it to our lives. The danger always is how we interpret it. Once again, I think there are central messages of grace and Jesus as Savior and Lord that cannot be altered, but perhaps whether there are prophets today or whether beliefs in how often the Lord's Supper is performed fall into negotiables. The challenge always then is figuring out what is essential and what is non-essential. 

Summary: There is a foundation of how the church begins and that foundation is the apostles and prophets.

Promise: From Tabletalk, God gave the Apostles and prophets for the good of His people, and they fulfilled their task by delivering to us His infallible Word. If we want to benefit from what these officers have to offer us today, we must pay heed to what they give us in Scripture. There is no other place today where we can find God’s special revelation to His people.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for raising up people like me to deliver your message to all people. Thank you for showing us how these individuals were messengers and were not to be worshipped or set apart. It is you who is to be glorified and praised over and over throughout the ages. Help us always to have our focus centrally on You and the work that You are doing and have done and will do. Continue to help us not to be divided in our world, but to be about a people that is intent always on doing your will. Thank you for the church. Thank you for this Body that you have brought together and thank you for showing us the work that you do continually through us. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am now working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of August is about the Body of the Lord - the Church recovered in the Reformation; July was the right use of God's Law; June was justification by faith alone; May, Christ Alone; April, salvation by grace alone; March, the sovereign providence of God; February, the doctrine of revelation, Scripture; January, the doctrine of God. 

Christ's Body

The Body of Christ - The Church is the Body of Christ and Christ loves the church. We are to imitate Christ and see that the Church is how Christ carries out His purposes in the world. The Head of the Church - Christ is Head of the church and he only has final authority and gives life to the church. Life is found only in Jesus Christ our Lord. - The Church We Can See - Belonging to a church is not optional, for anyone. We are meant to live in a community with other believers, to hear the Word of God preached, and to grow. The Church We Cannot See - What we see is the Visible church, the invisible church only God knows because He is omniscient and that is the Church we cannot see. 

Truths about the Church from the Apostles Creed

Church Unity - The church is bigger than our local assembly; there are core beliefs among the invisible church. One People Throughout History - God has only one people; throughout the world there are people that share doctrines and truths despite their being differences in where we attend or belong. God's Holy People - By being in Christ, though we still have a fallen nature, God has set us apart as holy, as his saints. True Catholocity - God's people includes men and women from every tribe and every tongue that hold to the biblical gospel. The Apostilic Church - we are fellow citizens with all people from all tribes and tongues throughout history, united by being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets teaching, thus apostolic, with Christ Jesus being our cornerstone.

What the Church Does and Believes

Preaching Christ and His Commandments - A church needs to be committed to faithfully preaching the Word of God. Administering Sacraments - Sacraments (The Lord's Supper and Baptism especially) need to be part of a church existing, but they also need to be rightly administered. The Discipline of the Church - We need to be a people that encourage repentance to keep the church pure and set apart.

Ephesians 2:19-22 - The Apostolic Church

Ephesians 2:19-22 - So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Message: The Apostolic Church

Time: Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians sometime in AD 60–61, around the same time he wrote Colossians and Philemon. Ephesians deals with topics at the core of being a Christian - faith and practice, no matter the situation.

What the Lord is Saying: 

The final part of the study of the Apostles Creed is in regards to ensuring that what is being taught and in practice with the church is the same as what the Apostles taught. This was the goal of the early church and remains our goal today. 

Previously, I have looked at church unity in many various lessons. The church is one by decree and not one completely. By decree, we are a visible church or the church that we can see with our eyes, and we are also invisible which we can't see, but God sees because He is omniscient. Only He knows who is really part of the church because only He sees into our hearts. We have been declared Holy by God and yet we continue to grow into Holiness. And we are a universal church. Granted, we are often identified by our differences, calling ourselves Baptists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Catholics, Methodists, Church of Christ, non-denominational, Bible churches, and so many others and yet within those identifications we are still one universal church throughout the world, throughout countries, nations, states, and even cities. We have common and shared beliefs resting in the biblical gospel and yet there is diversity in what we hold to and what we emphasize as we belong together. 

In being Apostolic, our hope is that we demonstrate adherence to what the Apostles first wrote and taught. 

Jude 3 - Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. This faith delivered is God's word. In Charles John Ellicott's (1819-1905) commentary he writes the faith - "that which is believed by Christians: not the expression of the doctrine, nor the holding of it, but the substance of it." I love this. It is not the way it is expressed which matters and the way we are expressing it in all of the different forms of identification I mentioned above, but rather what is key is the substance of it and making sure we hold to this. 

Jude is writing with a sense of urgency. He is appealing that the apostles writings is what we focus on and not those of false teachers which have crept into the churches. The Apostles is who the Lord Jesus delivered His Gospel to and those are the ones who wrote it down for ages to come. Thus, what we are to hold to and contend for strenuously is these words. We are to preserve people from error. 

Today's passage from Ephesians cements this idea to us in that we are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone. As believers now and then we are (1) fellow citizens with all people from all tribes and tongues throughout history, (2) united by being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets teaching, thus apostolic, (3) with Christ Jesus being our cornerstone. Our allegiance is not simply to people, but it is to Christ. It is to God. We are united in Christ, in Him. 

We must continue through the ages to stand even closer to God's word and continue every day to be even more committed to it. I think there is a danger to align ourselves more with the world in our churches, thinking that we must in order for the gospel to be heard. And yet, in that process, people are being led astray and our separate-ness and distinctive-ness is giving way. Instead, we must continue to stay close to the Word and error on that side of things, not conformity. There must me no doubt what we are about. 

Summary: Fellow citizens built on the foundation of the apostle and prophets, teaching the biblical gospel of Jesus our cornerstone. 

Promise: To stand with Apostolic teaching, we must know it. That can be accomplished only through the regular study of Scriptures. 

Prayer: O God, I continue to love the reading and study of Your Words. And I want our world of believers in you to be United in Faith and I pray that we continue to be about this and work toward this. We get deceived rather to focus on our differences, but let us focus on the gospel of Jesus Christ and it alone. Thank you for the apostles which you called and spoke to and equipped to write these words that I study and learn from and abide by. Thank you for the message that continues to penetrate me. Let there be no doubt to anyone about what I am holding onto. Be glorified in Me and through us as members of your visible church that is hopefully also invisible or your true called out ones. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am now working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of August is about the Body of the Lord - the Church recovered in the Reformation; July was the right use of God's Law; June was justification by faith alone; May about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April, salvation by grace alone; March, the sovereign providence of God; February, the doctrine of revelation, Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January, the doctrine of God. 

Christ's Body

The Body of Christ - The Church is the Body of Christ and Christ loves the church. We are to imitate Christ and see that the Church is how Christ carries out His purposes in the world. The Head of the Church - Christ is Head of the church and he only has final authority and gives life to the church. Life is found only in Jesus Christ our Lord. - The Church We Can See - Belonging to a church is not optional, for anyone. We are meant to live in a community with other believers, to hear the Word of God preached, and to grow. The Church We Cannot See - What we see is the Visible church, the invisible church only God knows because He is omniscient and that is the Church we cannot see. 

Truths about the Church from the Apostles Creed

Church Unity - The church is bigger than our local assembly; there are core beliefs among the invisible church. One People Throughout History - God has only one people; throughout the world there are people that share doctrines and truths despite their being differences in where we attend or belong. God's Holy People - By being in Christ, though we still have a fallen nature, God has set us apart as holy, as his saints. True Catholocity - God's people includes men and women from every tribe and every tongue that hold to the biblical gospel.

Mark 12:10-12 - The Rejected Cornerstone

Mark 12:10-12
10 Have you not even read this Scripture:
‘The stone which the builders rejected,
This became the chief corner stone;
11 This came about from the Lord,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
12 And they were seeking to seize Him, and yet they feared the people, for they understood that He spoke the parable against them. And so they left Him and went away.

Message: The Rejected Cornerstone

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Preface - Jesus has presented a parable of the tenants to the disciples and all who would listen. It provides a story of a landowner (God) who builds a vineyard and then sets up how it will be ruled, with tenant farmers (priests, scribes, the Church) and provides it with a wall. But the tenant farmers do not manage it in the way He intended and start instead to think of it as belonging to themselves or even as an opportunity to acquire it.

Through all of this, one might wonder if God was still in control, in this process, or did he just wind it up and let it run as the parable seems to present.

Jesus quotes from Psalm 118:22-23, a Psalm of thanksgiving that reminds us that God is there and present through all of life's circumstances:
22 

The stone which the builders rejectedHas become the chief corner stone.This is the Lord’s doing;It is marvelous in our eyes.

I've always been curious about advertisers that label product new and improved. It is curious. What happened that made it 'new and improved.' In a way, this is what Jesus does with his kingdom. He starts it out as a stone and then it becomes a corner stone. It starts out with some limitations, but then it has no limitations. It is new and improved. Having the stone be rejected was necessary. Sometimes we don't see something until it goes through a trial. Yet, we struggle with this because we often see that there is never any good in any pain. 

There will be victory in Jesus. But this means at some times there will be a feeling that in Jesus there is defeat. The quoted Psalm states, "This is the Lord's doing." I can trust the Lord despite however it appears to me. 

And they (the chief priests, scribes, elders) were seeking to seize Him, and yet they feared the people (the multitudes), for they understood that He spoke the parable against them. And so they left Him and went away. It was clear in this moment that this parable was about them. They were the rejected ones. They felt assaulted and wanted to then seize him, but for now they did not because of the people that were surrounding Jesus at this time. 

Summary - By presenting this parable, Jesus reminds the people that He is in fact still in control. People will reject Him, but He will do something greater. We can always trust the Lord for His plans are perfect. 

Promise: Every up and down of history is under God's control. I can be confident for the future because I know that nothing happens outside of the Lord's sovereign plan for the all things. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for reminding me that you are in control. Thank you for reminding me that you are about the best and even what seems good now will be improved upon later. You are the God that makes all things new. Keep my eyes turned to You so that I look full on You and the things of earth grow dim. You are marvelous and I trust in You. 

Psalm 144:9-15 - The Blessings of Having the Lord God

Psalm 144:9-15

9 I will sing a new song to You, O God;
Upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
10 Who gives salvation to kings,
Who rescues David His servant from the evil sword.
11 Rescue me and deliver me out of the hand of aliens,
Whose mouth speaks deceit
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
12 Let our sons in their youth be as grown-up plants,
And our daughters as corner pillars fashioned as for a palace;
13 Let our garners be full, furnishing every kind of produce,
And our flocks bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;
14 Let our cattle bear
Without mishap and without loss,
Let there be no outcry in our streets!
15 How blessed are the people who are so situated;
How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

Message: The Blessings of Having the Lord God

Time: Based upon authorship and subject matter, Psalms cover a range of centuries. David is mentioned 73 times, Solomon 2, Moses 1, and 50 designate no specific person. It is believed they were compiled around 537 BC. The psalms deal with such subjects as God and His creation, war, worship, wisdom, sin and evil, judgment, justice, and the coming of the Messiah.

What the Lord is Saying:

In review of the first 8 verses of this Psalm, David is crying out to the Lord recognizing first that God is great and the reality that he is small. God is the reason people see him as great. God is the reason he is a warrior in battle and is the reason he is the leader over his people. David also can't quite understand why God would even consider him of value. I know many times I have wondered why God would choose me. The peace I have seems almost unfair to what others have in our world. In light of this perspective, David calls on God to work in a mighty way.

This perspective or view point of God being the one that is capable of delivering and rescuing David continues in verse 9 forward.

His Determination
I will sing a new song to You, O God; upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You. Here is David's crescendo proclamation that the Lord God is in charge. His song, his new song, his forever song to he Lord is to sing his praises. Victory is in Jesus, now and forever.

His Discernment: Destroys Them
Who gives salvation to kings, who rescues David His servant from the evil sword. David had been in many battles and yet he is not ever testifying of his own greatness, but all of his praise of being rescued from the evil sword resides in the Lord.

His Discernment: Defame Them
Rescue me and deliver me out of the hand of aliens, whose mouth speaks deceit and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. David has clearly seen the evil present in many people's lives. It is no fun to witness evil, but it is there. He may have even been thinking of the murder of Amasa by Joab recorded in 2 Samuel 20. Joab was a cold-blooded murderer. Just as there are truly good people we want to emulate their are bad people we detest. But being rescued and delivered belongs in the hands of God.

His Desire: For A Magnificent Population 
Let our sons in their youth be as grown-up plants, and our daughters as corner pillars fashioned as for a palace. David envisions a nation of youth drawing their strength from the Lord. These are people sure of their foundation. May we have youth in our country proud of our country, proud of our nation.

His Desire: For a Manifest Prosperity
Let our garners be full, furnishing every kind of produce, and our flocks bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields; Let our cattle bear. He thinks of a nation with a healthy economy, where production is high and the gross national product beyond all normal expectation. In many ways this is modern day America.

His Desire: For a Meaningful Peace
Without mishap and without loss, let there be no outcry in our streets! Here there are no invasions of our country by a foreign foe. Are we a nation of peace? Unfortunately, we have lost our way as a nation from this with the many killings that occur at our schools, our military bases, businesses -- there is nothing that is truly safe now. 9/11 also showed that we can be attacked. For a moment, after that, people returned to the Lord, but it was momentary. Afterwards, they returned to their ways. What is missing from people? A right relationship with the Lord.

His Desire: For a Mirthful People
How blessed are the people who are so situated; how blessed are the people whose God is the Lord! We have all the resources to be content, but somehow we aren't. We are often a people still wanting more or being told we need more. And being taught that our economy is focused on people getting more. We have a lot but in order to get it we must borrow. It's amazing where we are at.

Here is the statement that should be the hallmark of our lives -- How blessed (happy) are the people whose God is the Lord. We think we have made it on our own, but actually, our praise belongs to the Lord. We need to return to this.

Promise: David recognizes in this Psalm that the secret to life is no secret. It is very apparent that God is to be our Lord and King and we are happiest in all of life with him at the center. This psalm declares that everything good about man is from God. Our positions, our roles, our jobs, our families, our money, our possessions is all there when we place him in charge. Evil men will continue, but we an rest in the Lord being our rescuer and deliverer.

Prayer: Thank You God for saving us. Thank you for choosing me. Thank you for giving me life, abundance life, and peace, abundant peace. Help me to declare you and praise your name and acknowledge you as the reason for it all. I pray that you would be our peace. I pray that you would train us in how to be content and not simply focused on having more. Daily, bring back the joy of our salvation so we never lose that perspective of making you known in our world. Save me and save my family and friends. I praise you. And I thank you for what you have done so far. You are great.

Psalm 102:15-28 - God Unchanging

Psalm 102:15-28
¹⁵ So the nations will fear the name of the Lord and all the kings of the earth Your glory.
¹⁶ For the Lord has built up Zion; He has appeared in His glory.
¹⁷ He has regarded the prayer of the destitute and has not despised their prayer.

¹⁸ This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.
¹⁹ For He looked down from His holy height; from heaven the Lord gazed upon the earth,
²⁰ To hear the groaning of the prisoner, to set free those who were doomed to death,
²¹ That men may tell of the name of the Lord in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem,
²² When the peoples are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.

²³ He has weakened my strength in the way; He has shortened my days.
²⁴ I say, “O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days, your years are throughout all generations.
²⁵ “Of old You founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
²⁶ “Even they will perish, but You endure; and all of them will wear out like a garment; like clothing You will change them and they will be changed.
²⁷ “But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end.
²⁸ “The children of Your servants will continue, and their descendants will be established before You.”

Message: God Unchanging

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: Yesterday I looked at this idea that is presented here where the Psalmist is asking God to intervene in his/her life. He doesn't understand what is going on his life. His enemies have reproached him all day long (v. 8). He is in distress (v. 2) and his bones are groaning (v. 5). He resembles now a lonely bird sitting on top of a housetop (v. 7). He is obviously experiencing pain. It could be an ailment, a sickness, a feeling of despair, losing a relationship, or a family member. I do not know the cause of the pain, only the pain. But even with all of that pain, there is the proclamation that God is there. You, Lord, abide forever (v. 12).

Now we shift to the nations will fear the name of the Lord to describe not only the writer praising God, but now the entire nation. And the language further shifts to shouts of praise remarking that the Lord has regarded the destitute, listening to their prayer. God is present. He hears us. The Lord will be praised over and over, not only in this generation, but for the generation to come. 

He hears us. He knows the pain that we are experiencing. And he is not simply in the hearing business, but he is in the business of saving those doomed to death. That is the condition of each of us. Apart from Christ, we are all doomed to death, to the grave, never to rise again. But God saves man and man in turn may tell of the name of the Lord throughout the land in which he lives. All of us are gathered together...to serve the Lord. We praise His name, we witness His redemption, and we spread His Name, serving the Lord as we go.  

He is the creator, the giver of life, the creator of this world. And even beyond what we can see it is the work of His hands. He is all we need. He endures. You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end. And then the promise of Abraham is continued as the children of Your servants will continue. 


Promise: Our stability is only in God. God is our rock, strong and stable. But God cannot be changed. He is fully dependable.

Prayer:O God, thank you for remaining the same and always being there. You are the creator and the sustainer of life. All centers on you. I praise Your name for all that you do. All the events of life surrender to You. Help me always to return to You and thank you for your grace. As hard times come, keep my eyes on You, trusting in You, bearing this present life. Thank you Lord for Your love.

Psalm 118:17-29 - The Cornerstone

Psalm 118:17-29
¹⁷ I will not die, but live, and tell of the works of the Lord.
¹⁸ The Lord has disciplined me severely, but He has not given me over to death.

¹⁹ Open to me the gates of righteousness; I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the Lord.
²⁰ This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous will enter through it.
²¹ I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me, and You have become my salvation.

²² The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone.
²³ This is the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴ This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
²⁵ O Lord, do save, we beseech You; O Lord, we beseech You, do send prosperity!
²⁶ Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord; We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.
²⁷ The Lord is God, and He has given us light; Bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
²⁸ You are my God, and I give thanks to You; You are my God, I extol You.
²⁹ Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Message: The Cornerstone

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

Feeling the opposition of others
Taking a moment to go back and think about this chapter 118 and what it means to me. What I see is the psalmist walking through a stressful situation in life. But it isn't just a hard day, but feeling opposition. He is in distress (v. 5), feeling oppressed by man (v. 6), feeling the hate of man (v. 7), being surrounded (v. 10), being surrounded like a swarm of bees (v. 11), being pushed in order to fall (v. 12), and feeling like he is going to die (v. 17). This isn't simply a trial, but a feeling of being attacked. He is feeling oppressed, hated, surrounded, pushed, and near death.

No Matter What - I thank God
As he experiences this opposition, his response to those situations is to lean on God. The first thing the psalmist does is give thanks (v. 1) and speak of God's lovingkindness (v. 1-4). It is not that he is thanking God necessarily for the opposition or bad situation he is in, but his life perspective remains in thanking God. He continues to exercise thanks to God and his lovingkindness. The events of his life have not changed his thankfulness of God.

The Lord is for me 
At the first moment of him being in distress and feeling oppressed and hated, he calls upon the name of the Lord. He is reminded that God is there. He is reminded that God is for him. I need to know that though I am feeling alone, I am not. I am reminded of our recent trip to Block Island, off the coast of Rhode Island. My wife and I were riding bikes and we turned a corner and came upon a lake and a view of this large place with rolling hills, on this beautiful spring day. In my distresses and feeling oppressed, I get small and narrow. At times, I can't see but the closeness and immediacy of the trial. But, here, the psalmist says, "The Lord Answered me and set me in a large place (v. 5)." The Lord opened my eyes to show me that the I felt isolated, I am not alone and he is there, centered on me, and there is peace as it takes me to this large expanse and I can know there is more than this problem. The Lord is for me, my refuge is in Him, therefore my enemies are not big, but small.

The Lord is Victory over the Opposition
God is not just there, but God has given me victory over the opposition. In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off. I need to know that these forces, at times spiritual, Satan and his dominion will be defeated and cut from my life. In verses 10-12, it is repeated three times, "In the name of the Lord, I will surely cut them off." The Psalmist reminds me that victory is something God gives me and I get to carry it out.

The Lord Helps Me
The Psalmist begins with thanks, is reminded that Lord is for me, and then sees that victory can be had, and now sees that the Lord is my helper (v.13), my strength and song (v. 14), and my salvation (v. 14). I experience joyful shouting, like a crowd of people, cheering my victory. He is omnipotent or has all power. In verses 15-16, it says that the "Right hand of the Lord" which refers to God's omnipotent or all powerful way does valiantly and is exalted. To be valiant is to be boldly courageous.

I was reading this sermon online by Charles Spurgeon from 1872 - http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols58-60/chs3361.pdf

• At the red sea, God there overthrew the host of his enemies, by dividing the sea and Egypt swallowed up and the foes of Israel were swept away. 
• When the people of Israel, untrained for war, marched in the land of the Canaanites, they found that their enemies had chariots of iron, entrenched in their cities -- but the Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites could not stand against the 12 tribes of Israel
• David smote the Philistines hip and thigh with great slaughter
• the hosts of Sennacherib lay like the sere leaves of autumn when the breath of the archangel had blasted them

The right hand of the Lord does valiantly is repeated in verse 16. O how I need that reminder daily of the work God has done for His people, for His glory. The Lord helps me. He is there, against all odds, despite the way my circumstances may seem, the Lord is on my side. Help me O God to not forget this. Don't allow the world to squash you out and me forget the work you have done. Difficulties will arise, but I can know that you are there, to rescue.

Transition
I suppose the above is a different look of those first 16 verses of Psalm 118 and now we transition to the rest of this text.

Over and over this passage is about giving God thanks. There are tough times of oppression and feeling attacked from all sides in this passage, but the Lord still works valiantly in our lives. When we are rescued, God gets the praise. God gets the thanks. Lord, this is a chapter I need in my life. I need to give you thanks more for each day. You give me gifts and us gifts. There is too much of a feeling that man is the active agent and he bears good works. God is on the throne. God is to be praised. Turn me away from having a critical eye and help me to continually place my faith in you.

The Lord Disciplines
The reality is that hard times we have could be the result of God disciplining us. The passage speaks earlier of being in distress (v. 5) and surrounded (v. 10). While my attitude is one of thanks and dependence on God, I can't forget that God could be disciplining me and unhappy with me. I am too quick to think that I must just get out of this mess and figure out a plan. I do not look inward and ask myself, "Lord, is this happening for a reason? Is there something in my life that you want to correct or deal with? Or Lord, possibly it isn't even me. You could be dealing with the sin of society in which I am a member of or even the sin of this entire world. The reality Lord is you deal with sin." 

In verse 17 is the reminder that I am to recount the deeds of the Lord. He works and he works in people's lives and in my life and I am to voice this from the mountaintop. In verse 18, the Lord does discipline me, but not to the point of death. I am still here and still able to speak of him. Lord, make my words more eloquent in speaking of You.

Walk though the gates of righteousness
In response to discipline and perhaps sin, put me on the path of righteousness. Jesus, you are my righteousness. You are the perfecter of my faith. You are my redeemer and you are to live through me. Put me on the path of righteousness. As I live and walk in righteousness, again, I give thanks to the Lord (v. 19).

Answered me
I call upon the Lord and he answers me and I thank him for answering: verse 21, I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. What others reject, like Jesus and the Messiah, becomes the foundation or the cornerstone of my life. This it the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes....be glad in it (v. 22-24).

My confidence in me
Even in the reading of this text is my thinking that I give thanks because of what he is doing in my life. I need to be reminded that I give thanks because he is good. Who saves us? The Lord (v. 25). The Lord shines his light on me. You are my God, and I will give thanks to you (v. 28). Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever (v. 29). In conclusion, God is great. He is good. His love endures. 

Conclusion
I am realizing more and more that too much of my life is focused on me, my needs, my family needs, but my focus over and over should be on God and simply giving thanks for him being great. Lord, you are good. Your love endures forever. 


Promise: Ultimately, I deserve separation from God because of the sin in me, but he has rescued me nevertheless, but this doesn't mean that judgment still may not occur in my life or in life, in general. My Maker disciplines me, turns me from sin, and fights against my trials for me. You are my cornerstone Lord, my foundation.