John 19:31-37 - Unbroken Bones and a Pierced Side

John 19:31-37

31 The Jews therefore, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high [day]) asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and [that] they might be taken away. 32 The soldiers therefore came, and broke the legs of the first man, and of the other man who was crucified with Him; 33 but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs; 34 but one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water. 35 And he who has seen has borne witness, and his witness is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. 36 For these things came to pass, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, "NOT A BONE OF HIM SHALL BE BROKEN." 37 And again another Scripture says, "THEY SHALL LOOK ON HIM WHOM THEY PIERCED." 

Message: Unbroken Bones and a Pierced Side

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)." 

What the Lord is Saying: After Jesus speaks His last words on the cross, having been crucified, the Jews wanted Jesus removed from the cross. The Jews were concerned about the Law rules. The Sabbath was beginning shortly and per the Law a body hanging on a tree overnight ceremonially defiled the land (Deuteronomy 21:22-23).  The Jews had the soldiers break the legs of the other men being crucified but coming to Jesus they saw that He had already died. To confirm this, they pierced his side with a speak and saw blood and water. And this fulfilled scripture:

Exodus 12:46 - ...you are not bring forth any of the flesh outside of the house, not are you to break any bone of it. 

Numbers 9:12 - They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break a bone of it; according to all the statute of the Passover they shall observe it.

Psalm 34:20 - He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. 

Thus, by not breaking Jesus' bones, it can be seen that scripture has been fulfilled.  

Summary: The Jews confirm Jesus death by the soldiers piercing His side, but breaking his legs is not necessary is it is with others, fulfilling Scripture. 

Promise: The death of Jesus fulfilled Messianic prophecy. 

Prayer: God, you are holy and true. Your ways are eternal and you make all things new and give life to creation. I have sinned and not only I, but those you have placed in my charge - my family. Please forgive those sins. Thank you for the act of Jesus and dying on the cross. Bring meaning of this to me more and to those around me. Make this important to those living with us and my children who have now departed. Be glorified always. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

John 11:45-53 - An Unwitting Prophet

John 11:45-53

45 Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done.

47 Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs. 48 If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.” 51 Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they planned together to kill Him.

Message: An Unwitting Prophet

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)." 

What the Lord is Saying: After Jesus brings forth Lazarus from the dead, many of the Jews who had come to this area, believed in Jesus. Jesus had shown them His relationship to the Father and that the Father is in Him and the Jews believed. Thus, there were Jews believing in Jesus. Not all, but there were Jews believing (v. 45). I think this is significant because Jews are being impacted for the gospel. And they still are today. 

But some of them responded by going to the Pharisees (v. 46). These were individuals that were basically snitching on Jesus and going to the Pharisees with the purpose of inciting some sort of controversy about Jesus, with the idea that people will come together and figure out a way to stop Jesus from saying these things about Himself and His relationship with the Father. For these, it did not matter the evidence that was being presented by Jesus, they were intent on disregarding Him and this is the condition of many a person. The Spirit needs to awaken in man that desire for Him. 

But the Pharisees intent first convene a council. They are taking this seriously. What Jesus is doing is serious to them. They believe that if Jesus continues to speak and do these things that many will believe in Him. They see Him as a threat. Their concern: losing "our place and our nation (v. 48)." Losing our place could mean they fear losing the temple but also their fear losing their purpose and vocation. One of the chief issues by man is this fear - the though that who they are will be lost and I think we all struggle with this to some degree. We have a difficulty conforming to the rules because we are individuals, proud of our individuality and fear we will lose that in surrendering our lives to Him. If allegiance shifts from their ways to Jesus, the Romans could then dissolve the Sanhedrin and destroy the temple.  

And Caiaphas makes a statement that is most revealing. In verse 50 he states and agrees that better for one man to die that the entire nation period. And then in verse 51-53 is his prophecy that Jesus will not only die for the nation but for all of those children of God all over. And so his fear and Jesus' reality the same - all will be saved. 

Summary: After seeing Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead, many Jews believed, but many others did not and these went to the Pharisees to plot Jesus' death.   

Promise: God works through intentions of fallen people to bring about His good will. 

Prayer: O God, I submit myself and surrender Myself to You and that desire I have You have given me and I am thankful that I can see that You are greater than I. That this world does not surround itself around Me, but around You and Your purposes for us individually and globally. You show me God your purposes will get carried out no matter what, even through those who are against You. It is because of those that are against You that you have died for my sins. They end up carrying out God's mission. Yes, Lord, you use those acts to carry out your eternal favor on all of Your children. How Great You are God. How Great You are. And yet God you don't want to see anyone fall from you and spend eternity outside of your Presence. Your love is great and great for all mankind. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

John 8:56-59 - The Incarnate I Am

John 8:56-59

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” 59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.

Message: The Incarnate I Am

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)." 

What the Lord is Saying: Jesus continues to speak and the Jews and those around him continue to listen and things remain tense. Jesus is proclaiming who He is to these people, sharing He is sent by God and believing in Him is the same as believing in God. People are missing the point, His point. He is offering them freedom, but they say they are not enslaved (v. 32-33). They are claiming allegiance to Abraham as their father, but because they do not see that Jesus is indeed the work of Abraham-- Jesus therefore says their allegiance is to Satan, the father of lies (v.44) (conclusion: if you don't accept Jesus you are living by Satan's ways).  Jesus states He is greater than Abraham, greater than the prophets. They died, but he infers that he will not die. And now he mentions that Abraham knew also that Jesus would be here, at this time. And then Jesus exclaims that before Abraham was born, "I am." And immediately the Jews knew this to be blasphemy and took up stones to throw at him.  

Verse 56 could be referring to the belief that Abraham died in faith, looking forward to the deliverance of the Messiah, the complete fulfillment of God's promises -- Hebrews 11:13 - "All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth." But there was probably also among the rabbi's and religious leaders that the secrets of the Messiah had been revealed to Abraham. Clearly Jesus knows more of the story than even these leaders. This is the point that he continues to make over and over. He is to be believed in and He is to be seen as coming from the Father and equal with God. 

This is the culmination of the past 2 chapters. That Jesus is proclaiming that before Abraham existed that He existed. Sent from the Father. Equal to the Father. I Am. 

Summary: Jesus culminates His deity now by announcing that before Abraham was born, I am, igniting the leaders to stone him for blasphemy. 

Promise: Christianity and Jesus' claim that He is God incarnate separates itself from all other world religions. We are to declare it. 

Prayer: Lord, it has taken me a while to get through this text after getting sick last week and struggling to concentrate myself on Your Words. Thank you for bringing me through that and then we spent Thanksgiving time in Atlanta with Sherry and Aron and once again, out of my element, I also struggled to make the time to be with You, and one day turns into two and three and more. You are there. You are present. Your Word is alive. Thank you for the conversations that I could have, namely with Aron and his desire to help out those that are in need that I know. Thank you for this message that You continue to put forth that people everywhere are to accept You as I am and sent from the Father. Lord, help us all to make you known. Thank you for repairing things with Pamela and Sherry yesterday morning and help my wife to be confident in herself. Help Derek now to stop smoking and be encouraged to not do this to help his stomach be normal. Lord, give me strength this week as I get back into the swing of things. Direct my path. Thank you for health and being able to feel well again. Give me compassion on those who are struggling. Please help Harris to find work that will sustain him and his future. Give me wisdom on how to encourage him. I praise You Lord and I do want to make your name known. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

John 8:48-55 - The One Who Seeks Christ's Glory

John 8:48-55

48 The Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon? 49 Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon, but I honor My Father and you dishonor Me. 50 But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death." 52 The Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also, and You say, "If anyone keeps My word, he shall never taste of death." 53 Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too, whom do You make yourself out to be?" 54 Jesus answered, "If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, 'He is our God'; 55 and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I shall be a liar like you, but I do know Him, and keep His word. 

Message: The One Who Seeks Christ's Glory

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)." 

What the Lord is Saying: Jesus has just stated that those who are of God are the ones that hear the word of God. Jesus is stating this because the Jews that are speaking to Him (in Jerusalem) are not believing in Him. In verse 43 He says, "You cannot hear My word." In some of my previous studies I have seen that the only way people can hear of God is if God awakens them to be able to hear. In John 6:44 Jesus says, "No one came come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him." It seems we are drawn by the Father, awakened by the Spirit or born of the Spirit (3:6). And yet the Jews are stating that because of being the offspring of Abraham, they are not enslaved (3:33) and do not need to be set free (3:32) and yet Jesus makes known that everyone is born of sin is a slave of sin (3:34). But the Jews continue to focus on their relationship to Abraham. And because they do not accept Jesus and His words, Jesus also states they are of the devil (3:44). Strong words. Confrontational words. Sort of attacking words. 

Because following Jesus stating that they don't hear from God, the Jews now (v. 48) follow up by stating Jesus is a Samaritan and a demon. These words by the Jews are I think more of an assertion that Jesus is a heretic. Jews believed the Samaritans were the worst of the human race. And the confrontation that He is of the devil or Satan is more that he has an evil spirit. 

Jesus continues in his conversation to state that He is only interested in advancing the Father - honoring Him. He is not even focused on His own glory (v. 54). These are necessary words as well toward His audience. Jesus is unselfish and while He wants people to Believe in Him this is because the Father has sent him for this purpose - to believe in Him and not perish, but to have eternal life. And then in the process people will do great things (7:38). 

Jesus is also speaking that people that believe in Him will not perish and will not taste death, but will truly live. As He has been speaking of eternal life. The Jews understood what He was saying as they mention that Abraham and the prophets died (v. 52). And so the Jews see that Jesus is asserting that He is indeed greater than Abraham and the prophets (v. 53). Jesus is consistent. He has been stating this message throughout John and this is the message John wants to present to us. 

Summary: Jesus is all about the Father's glory, though the Jews believe he has an evil spirit. 

Promise: We can conquer death, but only by believing in Jesus, agreeing with the Father, who glorifies Jesus. 

Prayer: Jesus you are Lord. You are the only way for me to have eternal life. I do believe in You and agree that the Father sent you to be glorified. Father, draw people to You. Transform lives. Help people to discover the real meaning of the Gospel. Thank you for the clarity of Your Word and how it penetrates me. And brings life to me. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

John 1:29-34 - John the Baptist Bears Witness to Christ

John 1:29-34

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ 31 I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” 32 John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

Message: John the Baptist Bears Witness to Christ

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."

What the Lord is Saying: Still thinking about yesterday's lesson. It was kind of a hard one for me in thinking about John. The idea of him being a forerunner and helping others understand Jesus makes sense, but baptism is mentioned and for some reason this seems puzzling to me, but not sure if it should. Hard to find much written on this in commentaries. 

Up to this point, John is mentioned apart from Jesus, but now in verse 29 it states that Jesus came to him. John clearly has an understanding of Jesus that is unique and special. He has a special revelation of him. For the first time in this chapter, the name of Jesus is mentioned. And more clarity is given of this man, who up to this point is Word, Light, Him, One, and is now the Lamb of God. He is the one who takes away the sin of the world. He existed before John. The Spirit remains on Him. This is the Son of God. These are proclamations John is making to others. He is testifying of Jesus. This is his role continuously and that is to speak of Jesus. 

This statement, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" may be misunderstood. It seems obvious or understood that Jesus does not take away everyone's sin which would result in no one being held responsible for being a sinner. But Jesus is the only one who can take away sin. And so this proclamation that John is making is that Jesus, the Lamb of God, is the one who will take away people's sin, but still as stated earlier in verse 11 and 12, "He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name." The idea here is that not all will believe in Him. Not all will believe in the Lamb of God. John is baptizing those that want to be baptized and want to place their trust in Christ. And so this is a great example of how weed to te nhink about the context of passages as we read them. Passages in the Bible do not stand alone. They must be read in concert with other passages. 

Since Jesus "takes away the sin of the world" we can be clear that everyone in the world is who he includes. For many of this day they have thought the gospel was reserved for Jews, but while the Jewish people have been called, Gentiles I believe have always been able throughout history to know God and be grafted in to a relationship with Him. But John does make it clear here that Jesus, as the lamb of God, atones for everyone - rich, poor, servants, men, women, Asians, Americans, Africans, Europeans -- all people everywhere. There is no distinction. 

Also of note is verse 31 when John says, "I did not recognize Him." This actually sheds a lot of light on the situation and tells me that John's knowledge of Jesus and His mission was through special revelation or divine revelation. Albert Barnes states that John had lived in the hill country of Judea and Jesus in Nazareth and before being baptized they had not seen each other. "I did not recognize Him" is repeated again upon Jesus being baptized. And perhaps it is the Holy Spirit that speaks to John to inform him as the Spirit today also speaks to me to inform me about Jesus and who He is and His ways and how I can know him better. And it is probably the Spirit that lets him know that this is the Son of God. John heard this and testified of it. Matthew 3:17, "and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

Verse 31 also states, "He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water." Jesus was to be manifested to Israel, to the Jews. 

Summary: John, upon seeing Jesus, perhaps for the first time, testifies that He is the Son of God. 

Promise: From Tabletalk - John the Baptist needed a special revelation from God to know who Jesus was, and this parallels the illumination that all sinners need if they are to see Jesus as Savior and believe in Him.

Prayer: O Heavenly Father, you spoke through Your spirit to reveal Your son to John and you speak to me daily to reveal more truth to me. I thank You and praise You for Your great love and the testimony of who You are. Please, keep giving me understanding of You. 

John 1:10-13 - The Right to be Children of God

John 1:10-13 

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His sown, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Message: The Right to be Children of God

Time: Jesus' disciple John, the brother of James, the son of Zebedee was one of the inner circle of Jesus' most trusted companions. It's most likely that John wrote his gospel while he was in Ephesus, and that he wrote it for an audience that lived outside Palestine, perhaps in Asia Minor. John appears to have had in mind members of a Jewish community who had come to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, but who had continued to worship in the synagogue. John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."

What the Lord is Saying: I kind I ran through the last lesson. It was an important one, but I didn't give it the time it needed. The first 5 verses of the chapter served as an introduction, showing us all that Jesus while new to the people that are seeing Him is not new and was with God at creation. Quite the bold statement. And further more that the Word (Jesus) is God. In verse 6, John comes on the scene and yet all of the focus by the write John is not on John the Baptist but rather on Jesus. There really is only a short description of John: (1) sent from God; (2) a witness (though, verse 19 on will have a little more information about him). So of the two items that are mentioned both are about God. I've always sort of wondered, how is it that John knew about Jesus? I can't find it mentioned, but either way, like many of the prophets, we do not know much about them other than that they are "sent from God." 

The previous lesson, brief about John, introduces Jesus as the Light. And the Light is meant to be believed. All people are meant to believe through him. So the focus is not simply to believe, but believe through him. The light illuminates God and so we believe God through the Light, through Jesus. We are enlightened by this Jesus, this Light, the Word. There has never been someone like the Light, like Jesus and so for good reason, there is a forerunner. 

We learn much about the Light now in these verses of 1:10-13:

• He was in the world
• The world was made through Him 
• The world did not know Him

Not simply the World did He come, but also His own. There is a contrast between the World and His Own. His Own are a subset of those in the World. And yet even among His own there were those that did not receive Him. 

There is a tone of sadness now which hits us. There is the Light to the World, but they don't know Him and now to His own, some do not know Him. This seems to be a mark on the Jewish people. Many of His own, His called ones, do not know Him. Granted, one day they will, but for too long, many do not. 

But many do. And to these he gives them the right to become children of God. 

Followers of Jesus are just that followers or Christ-bearers or Christians and they are in contrast to those in the Word, the Secular. 

This own, these many are born of God. They have a foundation they have come from. A child does not choose His parents or choose to be born. A child is born. Interesting that John uses this language of being born. There are those born of blood; those born of the flesh, born of the will of man. Those are all present in our world, but there are some born of God. 

This is a very significant set of verses for it points us toward the idea that we are chosen. We do not choose God. He chooses His children. His own are given the right to be Children of God. 

Summary: God calls many of His own to be born of God, as his Children - those that receive Him. 

Promise: To be born again is an act of grace alone, and only God can bring us to new spiritual life. The evidence that we have been born again is that we believe in Christ.

Prayer: O heavenly father, Great is Your name. You God choose us and we are your children through receiving You. But I am born again, born anew because You being my Father. Thank you Father God. Thank you for the special birth You have given me. You have allowed me to Know You and so be with you for all eternity. It is sad Lord to see those in the World not born of You. I have sorrow for them and yet rejoice in those that are born of You God. Jesus is the Light. For God so loved the world. What a great gift has been given me. I don't understand, but remain so thankful for what You have done for me. 

Jeremiah 7:1-4 - Ritual vs. Ritualism

Jeremiah 7:1-4 - The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, “Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house and proclaim there this word and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you of Judah, who enter by these gates to worship the Lord!’” Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words, saying, ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.’

Message: Ritual vs. Ritualism 

Time: The son of a priest from the small town of Anathoth in Judah, the prophet Jeremiah dictated prophecies from the Lord to his secretary, Baruch. He spoke to a people, though, that would not listen and his words have much emotion to them. Jeremiah’s ministry began when he was 20 years old, in 627 BC and ended sometime around 582 BC. Jeremiah prophesied in the final years of Judah before God’s people were exiled to Babylon.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Ritualism by definition is the regular observance or practice of ritual, especially when excessive or without regard to its function and spiritually it is going through the motions without an inner disposition to worship the Lord. I was looking at this word and realizing that in our jobs we can be ritualistic, going through the motions, not thinking so much about why we are here and what our purpose here is in our work. We get caught up in personal feelings and expectations and needs, which we all have. 

Yet, rituals are not bad. It is important to practice things in a regular manner, even in my work, but here we are talking about our spiritual lives and church lives. I have rituals of brushing my teeth each time after a meal; i have a ritual of going to church each Sunday, singing songs, hearing a message, and being in Christian fellowship. In the Bible we are told to practice the Lord's Supper regularly, to tithe regularly. We do this out of obedience, helping ourselves, and also being good stewards. 

And yet, in these recurring activities there can be a temptation I think to simply go through the motions and very easily getting caught up in an idea that it is the performance of these which is important. I was speaking to a person the other day that remarked leaving church partly over the feeling that her not attending church was met with scrutiny by those attending, that somehow their was guilt because church attendance didn't seem mandatory in a person's life. Even in our churches we get too focused on works and obedience and not enough on grace. 

Regarding the arts, I admit that artistic drawings or paintings have not been present in most of the churches I've attended. The one exception was attendance at Hope Church and partly it was I think an artist, Fernando Ortega, who was there leading worship and he brought the importance of art into worship. The art was there I think to paint a picture of what it might have looked like and thereby that picture could assist us. 

But it is interesting to read about the history. At the time of the Reformation in which Luther helped people see that God has saved us by His grace and not by our works, there was this feeling at times to cleanse ourselves from everything that was near and dear to the church before and one of the things this included was art. Why? Idolatry. The 2nd commandments warns us against practicing any sort of idolatry, replacing God for an image. It is a temptation that has been present throughout history. We focus on what we can see, not what we can't and God can't be seen. By the late middle ages (AD 1300 - 1500) religious people had a tendency to worship sculptures and praying specifically to saints. And the line between the person and the God we worship blurred. So for some, like John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli, they wanted to purge all forms of sculptures, saints, and artwork, while Martin Luther believed it was fine to retain the art as long as it helped us focus more on God and what He had done. In some places these artistic pieces were removed and in others they were destroyed. The word that is used to describe this is Iconoclasm -- the religiously motivated destruction of works of art, especially figurative images.

This history fascinates me because its practice continues today. And I am not sure we realize that we are the way we are today because of something that happened over 500 years ago. 

And this same thing has occurred with liturgies. Liturgy is a pattern used in worship. Liturgy to me, growing up in church, referred to repeated sayings or repeating prayers like can be found in the Book of Common Prayer. Again, at Hope we jointly would do this, respond together with a prayer written so that we are unified in agreeing to this prayer. Yet, the Puritans worked reform some of these practices to distance themselves possibly from practices of another religion. The Anglican church split from the Catholic church in 1534 and the Episcopal Church is affiliated with this. And then later the Puritans of the 1600s sought to distance themselves from practices that still were Catholic and this to them included the Anglican church. So in our effort to be different, there is a tendency to remove all practices. 

I think this lives on today. Jesus did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it and yet even the Christian church at times struggles to retain the history and practices found in the Old Testament. I think people get scared and they don't know how to combine the two, so they simply get rid of the one and uphold the other. 

For today's passage I took a moment to read all of Jeremiah 7 a couple of times. Verse 1 tells us that this is a word that come to Jeremiah from the Lord and the entire passage then is the Word of the Lord. My summary of this words from the Lord is crying out to a people that needs to amend their ways and deeds and instead simply obeying God's voice. This is a cry out to people that have been listening to deceptive words. They have not been kind to neighbors or aliens (people outside their fold). They are living dual lives - looking like a follower of God and probably practicing temple worship but not living like they are a follower of God. Therefore, God's anger and wrath will follow. 

So what is highlighted today is a statement of ritual. Every Jew was required to visit the temple thrice (three times) a year and therefore some have thought this was the reason for the three fold utterance in verse 4: Do not trust in deceptive words, saying, ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord. In Isaiah 6:3 we read, "And one called out to another and said, 'Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.;" And in Jeremiah 22:9 says, "O land, land, land, Hear the word of the Lord." Thus, this three times repeated words or phrases possibly mirrored the 3 time expectation of visiting the temple. But this is a side note. What is possibly being meant here is the danger of the Jews feeling like it was only the temple that embodied the Lord and their practice therefore of visiting the temple is all that was needed. Thus, ritualism. 

Summary: The problem is not with rituals themselves but with ritualism, which happens when we go through the motions without an inner disposition to worship the Lord. 

Promise: Ritualism is a danger for all of us, so we should ask God to keep us devoted to Him, and we should seek to engage our entire being in worship every time we gather with God's people to praise our Creator. 

Prayer: Lord, I thank you so much for this lesson today and the opportunity to revisit history and see how we are today in our church practices is based upon circumstances that happened 500 years ago. Lord, help me to guard myself against rituals that move into a habit that I start to not really see the heart of the reason for the ritual. Lord, we are in danger of this all of the time. I am in danger of this. Thank you for the truth of your word and I am sorry for being a part of misinterpreting it and making people feel they are aliens. Help me Lord to be a person that truly is about You and praising You. Thank you for art and people who want to capture you in order to help us get closer to understanding You and who You are. Help us to keep doing these things for your glory. 

Romans 3:9-18 - The Sins of the Jews

Romans 3:9-18

What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written,

“There is none righteous, not even one;
There is none who understands,
There is none who seeks for God;
All have turned aside, together they have become useless;
There is none who does good,
There is not even one.
Their throat is an open grave,
With their tongues they keep deceiving,
The poison of asps is under their lips;
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness;
Their feet are swift to shed blood,
Destruction and misery are in their paths,
And the path of peace they have not known.
There is no fear of God before their eyes."

Message: The Sins of the Jews

Time: This book was probably written between 56 and 57 B.C. Paul was in Greece, probably Corinth when he wrote. It was sent to Gentile believers, but also believers with a strong Jewish element. The Gentile believers were experiencing peace, but Paul felt like they needed a strong dose of basic Bible doctrine. 

What the Lord is Saying: 

In the previous lesson, the sins of the Gentiles were examined as recorded in Chapter 1, verse 18-32. Now, here in Romans 3:9-18, the charge is that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin. 

Many 1st-century Jews acknowledged their sin, but because of their status as descendants of Abraham, they felt their special status excused somewhat their sin and their status in God's kingdom was still intact. Paul was a Jew. He states in Galatians 2:15, We are Jews by nature, and not sinners from among the Gentiles so even Paul saw a difference between the Jew and the Gentile. This was common knowledge among the Jews and so Paul is addressing it. 

His explanation of the sins of Gentiles is fairly short and to the point, but as he turns to Jews, the proclamation is long as he spends all of Chapter 2 explaining it further, culminating in the conclusion in Chapter 3:9-18. In chapter 2, he mentions

• The Jew cannot judge others and then not also be condemned. God's judgment falls on all (v.2:1-5). 
• Even the Jew's actions or works of evil will find tribulation and distress (v. 6-10)
• Yes, the Jew is unique but God does not judge with partiality, as only doers of the law will be justified (v. 11-16)
• In teaching the Law, the Jew must be obedient to the Law and outward signs like circumcision do not result the same as Law adherence but rather to be righteous the law must be kept (v. 17-29)  
• They were entrusted with the oracles of God, but are they adhering to all of its words or simply some of them; Only God is found to be true; every man is a liar (v.3:1-8)             

Again, the reason for Paul's writing here is to confront the Jew who thought by being a Jew that right off the top, the Jew then had a special advantage over the Gentile and so the Jew should be looked at differently. Paul is clear the Jew has advantages like having the responsibility for passing on the words of the Bible, but Paul still wants to assert that all people are sinners. And their actions, their uniqueness, the fact they are teachers and carriers of the Law and Word - these things do not excuse their sin. Sin is a universal condition. Yes, the Jew has special privileges but this does not mean the Jew is more righteous. 

Thus, Paul now with the Jews will use direct quotations from Scripture to support His argument. I studied this passage previously and here list the references for these verses. 

• Romans 3:10-12 from Psalm 14:1-3 and Psalm 53:1-3
• Romans 3:13 from Psalm 5:9 and Psalm 140:3
• Romans 3:14 from Psalm 10:7
• Romans 3:15-17 from Isaiah 59:7-8 and see Isaiah 48:22
• Romans 3:18 from Psalm 36:1

I think what is especially interesting about these verses are the words - it is not simply that people are not righteous, but rather "no one is righteous". 'None' is repeated 4x and then also 'not even one' and 'no.' Again, the Jew was looking for some sort of exception clause, but Paul is wanting to be clear -- 'None' and 'Not even one.' What a sobering thought this must be for the Jew, for all of us. None of us are free from sin and so all of us need a redeemer, a Savior. All of us are guilty. None of us are perfect. 

Promise: There are good people in life and good citizens among all of us. People are nice and people have good virtues. But, all people are still under sin and no one is righteous. Everyone has sinned, so we all need Christ in order to be reconciled to God. 

Prayer: O Lord, I am a sinner. I know this. You show me my sin often and each day I see it. I am embarrassed by that sin. I hate to repeat my sin and yet I so often do that. So each day I see the same need that I have for you God, to be My Savior. I need thee every hour because I am a sinner every hour. Yes, I try hard to not make mistakes, but they still happen and even in my job, as I try to not make adding errors or poor decisions, in my life, I am still selfish, greedy, an adulterer at heart, a murderer at heart, disobedient to parents, not observant of the Sabbath, an idolater, and selfish. I am so selfish God. Thank you for showing me clearly my sin and my need of you. Keep showing me. Never let that be dull and keep revealing that to people. We need to all keep seeing it. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of June is about justification; May was about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April, salvation by grace alone; March, the sovereign providence of God; February, the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January, the doctrine of God.

 - The Sins of the Gentiles - Though born with God being evident, Gentiles do not honor God or give thanks, look to their selves for truth, and God gives them over to their sin, and in the process God's wrath is sin which will culminate on the Day of the Lord. 

Acts 17:1-9 - The Role of Reason

Acts 17:1-9
Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women. 5 But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. 6 When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also; 7 and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. 9 And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them.

Message: The Role of Reason

Time: Clearly written by Luke, this book follows the lives of Peter and then Paul after Jesus' ascension into heaven. The book was completed about 62 AD as Paul sat in prison. It provides an account of the growth of the Church and spread from Jerusalem, from a small group of frightened believers in Jerusalem transformed into an empire-wide movement of people who had committed their lives to Jesus Christ, and it should help us to be bold and have zeal in our walks with God.

What the Lord is Saying:

Does it make sense that what we see has always been? Thus, the idea from the atheist or naturalist is this world in which we live in has always existed or has come about over time ever so gradually. Thus, the universe is eternal. Or does it make more sense that it has been designed. Therefore, it has a designer. For me, as I examine the intricacy of the human body, it is difficult for me to see that this body has simply evolved. Thus, it seems reasonable to believe this. Once I have believed in a designer, it makes sense that only the designer knows how to save me.

In this passage, Acts 17, Paul has come upon Thessalonica. This was a large city with a large population. As Paul entered the City, he did what he did with entering any city, he went straight to the synagogue -- they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them. I find it interesting that Paul does not wait for people to come to him. Instead he goes right to the middle of the crowd that is opposed to his thinking and speaks to them. What an encouragement this is and a scary approach to things. His mission is to show people that Jesus is the Christ. Paul is an evangelist and his goal is to go to all the world and preach the gospel.

There is no problem in waiting for people to come to the church and then in that service to speak directly to them. Yet, this is not our only mission. We are also to go straight to the city centers and speak to those that are thinking another way. And I wonder, are we supposed to go to the churches that are speaking a different way? Are we go and stir the pot in those settings? Paul went straight to the synagogue, to the place that believed something different. And he experienced opposition. I Thessalonians 2:2 says - but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition.

This makes me think of the open air preaching that sometimes goes on or that way of the master and living waters has mentioned. Yet, I am not sure that is the application here. The one thing that I see though is we tend to stay in safe environments for our ideal today or our mission today is safety, not conflict. Why? We want to preserve our life.

Paul did not enter the synagogue one time and then leave, but rather for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures. From the Scriptures was how his reasoning was done. And what is amazing to me is at this time, the Scriptures meant the Old Testament for he did not have a New Testament. Perhaps he had his stories and memories of Jesus and what He said while walking on the earth and following His resurrection. But it seems clear that the reasoning he did could be done with the Old Testament writings.

I have been reading the book Unveiling Grace by Lynn Wilder, a former LDS follower and what made the difference in her life was the reading of the New Testament and the words of Jesus. This is what moved her son. It is God's Word that changes lives. Paul knew this. Yet, preaching the words of Jesus either move people to the Son or further away. Both can be expected outcomes.

The other alarming record is that Paul went to the synagogue for three Sabbaths or three weeks. He camped out in this place and continued to speak to them. He continued to proclaim the message that This Jesus who I am proclaiming to you is the Christ." This Jesus is the Messiah. This was his message over and over to them, using the scriptures. And what the response? Well, some of them were persuaded. But the Jews formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. Here is the hard part, some followed, but most did not.

And this passage then turns to Jason. Jason seems to be a citizen of Thessalonica and his crime was -- and Jason has welcomed them. Jason was where Paul probably camped out and stayed. Jason and the other followers and Paul were brought out of their residence and placed before the mob. This recount of Jason and others being dragged out gets several verses. Let's be clear there is those that believe, but there are many more that oppose. And we live in a time period now that those who stir the pot are lambasted. So we can stay safe on the sidelines but then we should not be surprised that we are not having much of an impact on our culture or we can get in the middle and see fruit, but also opposition.

Promise: The reason we use in talking to people is by bringing them back continually to the Scripture, to the Word of God.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for this passage and helping me wake up more to the idea that I am your ambassador and the best way to preach your gospel is by communicating your Word. I need to accept and realize that while some will accept, many will not. Forgive me for remaining silent all to often because of this. I get too comfortable with this world and living in it and don't want anything to rock the boat or upset my place in this world. Lord, I need to come back to Your word and see that it is true to all of life and this is your message I am to carry.

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with March being about the sovereign providence of God and looking at how the Bible reveals His control over all things.

Ephesians 2:18 - The Trinity and Christian Unity

Ephesians 2:18
for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.

Message: The Trinity and Christian Unity

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 have studied previously, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work inseparably. Every act of God is from the Father through the Son and in the Holy Spirit. Each person of the Trinity has the same divine attributes, but each person acts in a manner fitting to His unique personal properties. Unbegottenness is the unique personal property of the Father, begottenness is the unique personal property of the Son, and procession is the unique personal property of the Holy Spirit.

They have worked inseparably in creation, making the universe out of nothing - in atoning for our sin - in redeeming the Israelites and man in general, and in sanctifying the saints.

Ephesians 2 is the life of a Christian, showing us being dead in our sins, made alive in Christ, and walking on to live our lives in good works. As this verse records it is through Him (Jesus Christ) that we are made alive (Eph 2:5) as we were dead in our transgressions. Whether people recognize it or no in their lives, it is clear they are dead in their sins. In Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Eph 2:12). One of Jesus' complaints to the Jewish leaders was they were excluding the Gentiles from access to God. At one point he got upset with them for turning the synagogue and worship area into a market. He spoke of the fig tree and how they were not bearing fruit. The tabernacle had a place that would give access to the Gentiles, but the leaders instead excluded them.

It is through Him we both have our access. What is the meaning of the word 'both?' Ephesians 1:1 says this writing is from Paul to the saints at Ephesus. He speaks and states that Gentiles were formerly excluded: you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God (Ephesians 2:14). God never intended his chosen people Israel to be his only people. In the temple there was an outer court and inner court. Jesus said in Mark 11:17 quoting from Isaiah 56:7 - My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations. The temple had a section for the Gentiles to come into and pray to Yahweh but they were not welcome there. Between Jews and Gentiles there was also a division, an inner court and outer court.

I think it is important here to see that God had always had a mission to the Jew and Gentile, to redeem mankind. He chose Israel and they did not allow the Gentile to be included. Jesus came and opened the access for all. It is through Him we both (Jew and Gentile) have our access.

All too often I think I have thought that the Old Testament was about the chosen people, the Jews as God was about only the Jews. Then Jesus came for the Gentiles. Instead, God has always been about saving and grafting in all people - Jew and Gentile. The Jews were really meant to assist the Gentiles towards God. And now in Christ, after we are all made alive - we are all commissioned to take this message to everyone - to all nations. The message is God wants to redeem or save all.

Promise: It is through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. Our access to the unbegotten Father God is in one Spirit. It is a three-fold union. It is three-fold unity. We come to Father, in the spirit, through Jesus. Both Jew and Gentile come to the Father in one Spirit. There is unity in coming to God.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for showing me the Unity and confirming the truth of your forever gospel message of saving all people - Jew and Gentile - all nations. You love all and you want all to be with you forever in heaven, in paradise.


Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with January being about the doctrine of God.

Mark 7:27-30 - The Faith of a Gentile Woman

Mark 7:27-30
27 And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered and *said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.” 29 And He said to her, “Because of this answer go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30 And going back to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, the demon having left.

Message: The Faith of a Gentile Woman

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 speaks to all the people, going beyond just the scribes, and declares clearly that when speaking of being clean, the key is what comes out of a person, not what is taken in. Jesus goes to the region of Tyre and Sido in an attempt to get away from ministry in Galilee for a time, perhaps in hopes of getting away from the crowds. But news of him is there as well and a woman appears to him requesting that an unclean spirit (demon) be removed from her daughter.

Mark mentions this Gentile woman who begs Jesus to cast a demon out of her daughter. And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” Jesus had previously commissioned his disciples to go and preach, first to the children of Israel and then later, to go into all the world. This exchange with this woman seems odd to me as the words from the Syrophoenician woman were just begging him to cast a demon out of her daughter, so why the response about children by satisfied first. Commentators have said that Jesus' words referred to Israel (the children), the gospel (bread), and the Gentiles (dogs). Thus, he was implying that she was a dog, but it seems that his exchange was not necessarily to be taken seriously or rather his purpose in saying the words he did was to get the response that he did. But she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.” Thus, the woman had faith and believed that the dogs or Gentiles still had a claim to the gospel. So, what Jesus was doing was continuing to teach his disciples. He wanted them to see the value there is in all persons. Prejudices were obviously present. People shows favoritism for different classes of people and Jesus did not want his disciples to approach people in this way.

Jesus shows here that he is looking for faith. This woman responded with faith in stating that even those individuals who may not have been the primary audience for the gospel can benefit from it. But, I don't think Jesus is saying this. He is looking for faith. He is wanting people to show that they have the faith and whenever they do, he backs up the truck and gives them what they ask.

Verse 30 is interesting because the woman seems to have gone to Jesus without her daughter. And going back to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, the demon having left. Tabletalk records here these words --

Ultimately, the encounter is about the place of Jews and Gentiles in God’s kingdom. The children—the Jews—get presented the kingdom first, and afterward, the dogs—the Gentiles—hear of it as well. This Gentile woman recognized the propriety of that plan. She did not ask for first place but in faith believed that Christ was for her as well.

Summary - Jesus goes to the regions of Tyre and Sidon and upon his arrival, a woman comes to him (without her daughter by her side) asking Jesus to heal her daughter, possessed by a demon. Jesus uses the situation to teach his disciples that faith is what he is looking for in people, not heritage (i.e. a Jew or even a Gentile). The woman shows her faith and she is healed.

Promise: Jesus lavishes his grace upon us. He wants to see us acknowledge our faith in him.

Prayer: Lord, I have faith in you. I do. And yet sometimes the way I act in my life gives the idea that I don't. I believe you are the Creator of all. I believe that you have saved me. I have faith in you. When I pray, I believe that you will do what I ask. Keep me aligned with you each day. Keep me focused on you, believing that you will do what you said, what you say.

Mark 1:4-6 - The Wilderness Preacher

Mark 1:4-6
4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey.

Message: The Wilderness Preacher

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:

Overview
As I look at these verses, which speak of a time before Christ has shed his blood, I am reminded that the Gospel message is central to the entire Bible. This was really a revolutionary idea that John was preaching. To repent is to turn from one's sins. It is to acknowledge sin in your life and then to turn from it. Up to this point baptism or the cleaning of oneself was at times done for Gentiles as they converted to Judaism. Cleanliness and being unclean are very common principles in Judaism and so the washing signified that the person was now clean. But, Jewish belief overall focuses on the advantage of simply being a Jew, not necessarily a changed heart which anyone can exhibit.

My take
I wonder if this is a preamble to Christ's coming and the baptism of the Holy Spirit that will come. Up to this point sins were dealt with through the blood of the lamb on the altar of the Temple. In some ways, I think this is a difficult passage to read, understand, in light of the message that is yet to come. In the next verses, Mark will speak of Jesus and his coming. So, is John preparing a way for Jesus and helping people to understand the message that is to come? Does this mean these acts are practice or are they salvation?

Again, the message here is repentance or confession of sins, baptism, forgiveness of sins. The key here seems to be a changed mind. In these verses, Christ, Jesus, is not mentioned, yet. Does that matter? Is that important? I am not sure.

So, I take a moment to look at what John MacArthur is saying about these verses. He mentions that John is proclaiming himself as a prophet by his dress recorded in verse 6. he leather belt around his waist and the robe of camel's hair signified clearly that he declared himself to be a prophet.

Here John is preparing for the arrival of a king. Anytime we prepare for an arrival, we get things in the best shape that they have been in thus far. We clean the house, clean the surroundings, in anticipation of someone. Here, people are being cleaned. John's message is to Roman Christians. It is to Jews and it is to Gentile. As mentioned, some Gentiles may have been baptized in the past, to show they were being cleaned of their old life and could now enter into a new life of Judaism. But, John brings this message to everyone - Jews and Gentiles. So, he remarks that even the Jew should be baptized, which I'm sure was a surprising message. Thus, the Jews are being called no better than the Gentiles. All need this same act of baptism.

This is not baptism in Jesus' name. It is getting oneself ready for baptism in Jesus' name. Baptism is not salvation. It is a picture of salvation. Thus, I think this is a preparation message, but not the final message. I don't think full salvation is occurring, but rather preparing people for the inner change that is going to come. The gospel message as spoken of in verse 1 is confession, believing and accepting the substitution of Christ. John is preparing the people for this message by first putting for the idea that all people, regardless of race or religion or tradition need to confess their sins and seek a change for forgiveness.

Promise: We cannot rely on membership, family affiliation, lineage, our history of Christian service, our birth into a religious family in order to be saved. Salvation comes through individual confession and cleansing by God.

Prayer: Lord, continue to give me wisdom, divine wisdom as I read these words and study them. Help me to have your understanding of these texts. Continue to teach me. I am not saying I have arrived. I want to be taught by the Spirit of God. Keep teaching me.

Study Question: Often in life, traditions can affect how we live and our surroundings affect us as well. Sometimes naturally we are the same religion as our parents. Yet, Jesus came to save sinners and did not give the idea that you can be saved only by family affiliation. For each person, there needs to be an individual and internal change in that person that occurs or each person saying they believe in Jesus. In your life, when did you realize you were a sinner and you needed God’s forgiveness for your sins?

Romans 15:25-27 - Our Debt to the Jews

Romans 15:25-27 - ²⁵ but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints. ²⁶ For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. ²⁷ Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things.

Message: Our debt to the Jews
 
Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome

What the Lord is Saying:  

Background
In the last section, there was sort of a new theme that took place in the chapter. Paul is starting to conclude the book. His diatribe regarding Jews and Gentiles appears to be over. He has made his case for the Gospel and shown it is not a new message. He has helped the Christian understand that his faith is practical and it is not self-seeking, but is focused on others and this includes when we have differences with our brother, We are interested in other people's well being, not our own. And the Gospel is available to all, even the Gentiles. And once again, this is not a new message. 

Then, he mentions that his desire is not just to write letters, but it is also to visit people with the Gospel and see them face to face. He wanted to do this with the church in Rome. His ministry goal had been achieved in seeing the gospel expanded and preached, but now he had a new desire to take it to Spain, which seems to be further than he originally thought possible. And along the way he could stop and see his friends in Rome. 

But first
Even though he has told the church his ambition to come to them and go to Spain, he first mentions that he is to go to Jerusalem and serve the saints. Paul is a man of his word. 

John MacArthur comments about Jerusalem and their condition:

There was a famine throughout Palestine, and because of persecution by unbelieving Jews, many Christian men lost their jobs and many others were put in prison, making bad conditions still worse for their families. In addition to that, many foreign Jews who were visiting Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost were converted to Christ and decided to remain in the city, usually as guests of believers who lived there.

Yes, it is true that Paul's ambition was the gospel, but that doesn't mean he let other things be lessened. He saw the need in Jerusalem for encouragement that the the Christians needed in Jerusalem. Christians were there and yet receiving persecution. While others were arriving and converting to Christ.

The Giving Body of Christ
And Paul mentions how the people of Macedonia and Achaia have come to the aid of those in Jerusalem. They saw a need and desired to meet it. This is a great picture of how Christians help one another. God has given us the capacity to care for those hurting and in need. We do desire to assist people and again, make others more important than ourselves.

Paul had planted a church in Philippi, the capital of Macedonia and also the major city of Thessalonica. The capital of Achaia was Corinth. The family of God were meeting the financial needs of the poor in Jerusalem. What a beautiful picture.

The gospel is not just about meeting people's needs with the Gospel, but it is also about helping their temporal needs, which may include providing money or clothes or food. And in verse 27 is the words that these gifts were not an obligation but were voluntary: "They are pleased."

But not only did they want to give to, but the wanted in some way to pay back, for they were benefactors of the work of those in Jerusalem. And Paul makes the point that receiving spiritual blessings means we are to share in material blessings received.

There is a key word in verse 27 and it is minister. When we share what God has provided us with others, it is as if we are ministering to them, and therefore, what we are doing is glorifying God through our gift. The tithe is really to be a gift to God, benefiting a ministry, but ultimate a returning of blessing we have received to God. And in this way, when helping the poor here in this context, conveys the same type of giving a tithe. It is a service to God like prayer or teaching.

Promise: From Tabletalk on November 17, 2015, "As Gentile Christians, we owe a great debt tot he old covenant community and the Jewish people. God chose them as the first recipients of His special revelation. He saves the world through a Messiah who is of Jewish ethnicity. Jewish Apostles wrote the vast majority of the New Testament (Luke-Acts being the exception) and preached the gospel to the Gentiles. Let us not forget that debt, and let us seek to "repay" it by supporting Christian ministry to the Jewish people.

Romans 15:8-12 - The Hope of Jews and Gentiles

Romans 15:8-12 -
⁸ For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, ⁹ and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,
    and sing to your name.”

¹⁰ And again it is said,

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”

¹¹ And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
    and let all the peoples extol him.”

¹² And again Isaiah says,

“The root of Jesse will come,
    even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;
in him will the Gentiles hope.”

Message: Christ is a Servant

Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome

What the Lord is Saying:

Paul has expressed in these verses the importance of accepting one another. This has been in his main theme since chapter 14, verse 1. Paul is speaking to a unique set of people in Rome, Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians. He is helping them understand how they are supposed to be in community together, despite the fact that they have so many differences. Paul's primary admonition is one of acceptance. Paul has given reasons why we accept others:

• God accepts him (14:3)
• People are acting unto the Lord (14:6)
• We are Lord's (14:8)
• Carrying out what was given in earlier times (15:4)
• God gives us the means to be of one accord (15:5)

Spurgeon made the remark: It was to Abraham and his descendants that the promise was made that, in him, and in his seed, all the nations of the earth should be blessed. So our Lord came, as a Jew, to be "a minister of the circumcision." Let us never forget that he came to those whom we are apt to forget; and, peradventure, even to despise, "to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.'" Jesus, our Lord, became the servant of the Jews, and preached among them in fulfillment of prophecy; shall we not become the servants of others for their good? Nor did his ministry end with Israel; but we, who are Gentiles, share the blessing; therefore, like our Lord, we should seek the good of all mankind and live to bless them.

Verse 8
Christ accepted the Jews. He did not wait for them to respond, but he accepted them first, and fulfilled the words of the patriarchs. Our service is to all people. I am to be a minister to all. Paul has just said in verse 7 that I am to welcome others. And I think Paul wants to make sure that we are not thinking that there are any exceptions to this.

Verse 9-12
God made covenant with the Jews. He had mercy on the Gentiles. And Paul here offers 4 quotes:

• David praised God among the Gentiles (15:9)
• Moses exhorted the Gentiles, Rejoice . . . with His people (15:10)
• the psalmist commanded the Gentiles to praise the Lord (15:11)
• Isaiah predicted that the Gentiles will live under the rule of the Root of Jesse (the Messiah) and they will hope in Him (15:12).

- David praise God among the Gentiles
The first quote is from 2 Samuel 22:50 (Therefore will I confess to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and sing to thy name.) and Psalm 18:49 (Therefore will I confess to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and sing to thy name.), from the Septuagint.

David sees that the Gentiles are to be included as God's People.

- Moses exhorted the Gentiles, Rejoice . . . with His people
Here is a quote from Deuteronomy 32:43 (Rejoice, ye heavens, with him, and let all the angels of God worship him; rejoice ye Gentiles, with his people, and let all the sons of God strengthen themselves in him). In Abraham's seed all nations will be blessed. 

- the psalmist commanded the Gentiles to praise the Lord
Psalm 117:1 (Praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye peoples). The Gentiles were not an afterthought but Paul shows that God always wanted to bring the Jews and Gentiles together into one body. Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the Bible as it has only 2 verses and yet it is quoted here. 

- Isaiah predicted that the Gentiles will live under the rule of the Root of Jesse (the Messiah) and they will hope in Him
Paul quotes from Isaiah 11:10 (And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall arise to rule over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust, and his rest shall be glorious). We spring forth from the bloodline of Jesse. Christ shall reign over Jews and Gentiles. 
 
Promise: Seek unity among all persons, grounded in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Romans 14:15-16 - Preserving Christ's Sheep

Romans 14:15-16 -  ¹⁵ For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. ¹⁶ Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil.

Message: Showing Love to Your brother though your choices

Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome

What the Lord is Saying:

I am right in the middle of a discussion on a Christians behavior towards another person (namely a Christian brother) over matters of disagreement. Paul isn't speaking of all disagreements, but those that involve information that is not explicitly understood through the reading of scripture.

He started off the chapter by talking about a person "weak in faith" or not as strong as the person seeing the other person. The big issue I saw was a respect towards people and their different convictions. (That said, I have said it earlier and I continue to think it is important to mention that there are many subjects that one person might view as negotiable and another non-negotiable. This is especially true in matters spoken of in the Old Testament as doctrine, but then not spoken of in the New Testament and the belief that their is in fact a new covenant and so the stuff in the Old Testament isn't needed to be upheld.) So, I think the principle of these verses is easy to read but the application of them is hard to define.

From verse 3 on, there is back and forth mentioning of food and days. Obviously, in that day and time, these were matters of big concern. And more specifically, the parties Paul is discussing throughout the book of Romans are Jews and Gentiles. To me, this started in chapter 2 when Paul began to speak about the customs of the Jews that tended to then regard the Jew as saved, notably circumcision, keeping the Law, and judging the Law. And probably, here in these verses, is once again looking at the customs of the Jew and now the life of the saved person and the Gentile. And the church of Rome was made up of Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians. There were customs, traditions, that the Jewish Christians continued to keep that the Gentile probably did not seem necessary.

And so now looking at verse 15, I see Paul's words to the Gentile: "If because of food your brother is hurt." The Gentile believed that any food was able to be eaten. The Jew held probably to vegetables only, but the Gentile ate whatever. This is somewhat of a confusing verse. A person may even get defensive reading it, sensing that he is begin instructed to give up something he enjoys. The key phrase I see in verse 14 is "walking according to love."

The evaluation tool that I should use is, am I showing love to my brother. I think of a couple of scenario's:

1. I am having a party, inviting several friends, and at the party I plan to serve alcohol. One of my Christian brothers is a recovering alcoholic and recently took a vow to not drink again. Because of this, I need to not serve alcohol. Serving alcohol is something I do not have a problem doing, but I need to be sensitive to my brother and I don't want him to be given an opportunity to stumble. Here I am having charity, that is sacrificing my own comfort in order to not hurt the happiness of another.
2. Same scenario as above, but this time one of my friends does not like to drink alcohol. I do not have to not serve alcohol. They don't like drinking alcohol so they won't, but that doesn't mean that other shouldn't. This is the respect that I believer Chapter 14 is referring to.

In verse 15, it has a couple of thoughts to it. One, in the same thought of verse 14, we need to make sure that what I think is good, but someone else thinks is wrong, doesn't because then something that people look at me and see as evil. This is kind of tough. So, with my above scenario, is it okay to have drinking in a house with someone that doesn't like drinking. I think it depends on the person and whether or not they can respect your different views.

I think also in this verse is a little bit of the idea that I must be very careful of my actions as a Christian. If my actions cause someone else to sin then how am I acting as a Christian? Paul has spoken of this many times. Verse 1 of chapter 2 says the Christan condemns himself when he judges. But even more clearly is verse 24, regarding the Jew, "The name of God is blasphemed because of you." The Jew upheld the law, but then broke it behind people's backs. Is it any wonder that the world loves to bring to light those pastors or ministers or broadcast Christians that have sinned in a manner that the world knows Christians despise? I think of many times when a pastor has been found cheating on his wife or even being caught in a homosexual relationship. How unfortunate this is because it gives the name of God a bad name.

I remember when I was 21 and worked at a golf course during the summer while doing beach ministry and my head foreman heard me cuss. He glared at me and thought I was in trouble. How could I do such a thing? It was fine for him to do it, but not me. (I notice this when I walk in a room and people are cursing and they immediately turn to me and say, "Sorry Chris" like they have offended me.)

As a Christian I must be very careful and I must be quick to apologize.

Promise: A mature believer is to be a strong believer.

 

Romans 11:28-29 - God's Irrevocable Gifts and Calling

Romans 11:28-29 - ²⁸ From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; ²⁹ for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Message: Though some are opposed to the Gospel, God still loves Israel and His calling of them is irrevocable

Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome.

What the Lord is Saying:

Opposed of the Gospel - Verse 28

As a corporate body, Israel is presently opposed to the Lord. This is Paul's meaning here. This does not mean that every Jew is against the Gospel. But, as a whole there is opposition. There is animosity between the Gentile and the Jew. It is natural. Romans 11:11 - But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Jealousy results often in hurt feelings.

God still loves Israel - verse 28

However, we must not forget, from the standpoint of God, Israel is still beloved because of the covenant promise God made to their forefathers -- first in Abraham, re-affirmed to Isaac, and then to Jacob (Israel). This does not mean that every Jew will be saved, but as a whole God will never cast them off. 

God's calling is irrevocable - verse 29

God's calling on a people does not change. God chooses and He does not go back on His word. 

Malachi 3:6 - “For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed."

Numbers 23:19 -  

“God is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent;
Has He said, and will He not do it?
Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Promise: God will not go back on His word

 

Romans 11:16-18 - Wild Olive Branches

Romans 11:16-18 - ¹⁶ If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too. ¹⁷ But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, ¹⁸ do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.

Message: Beware of feeling prideful

Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome.
 
What the Lord is Saying:

From the Amplified: Now if the first handful of dough offered as the first fruits [Abraham and the patriarchs] is consecrated (holy), so is the whole mass (or lump) [the nation of Israel]; and if the root [Abraham] is consecrated (holy), so are the branches [the natural ethnic Jews]. But if some of the branches [the ethnic Jews] were broken off, while you, a wild olive shoot [believing ethnic Jews and Gentiles] were grafted in among them to share the richness [of the root and sap] of the olive tree, Do not boast over the branches [All Jews] and pride yourself at their expense. If you do boast and feel superior, remember it is not you that support the root, but the root [that supports] you.

Once a person belongs to something special and even a group that has an elite distinction, often what occurs is pride or a feeling that one earned their way into this situation. Pride may be one of the chief sins in life. Os Guinness in his book Steering through Chaos looks at the 7 deadly sins and the first sin is pride.

Pride, to me, means that we think that we are in the position we are because of something we have done and also, by being in the position we are, our position is greater than others. Pride rears its head in many different situations in life. At sporting events, the victor in the match might have pride. At a job, receiving a promotion or being a manager might result in pride. Any time a person receives recognition or a pat on the back or hears, "Job well done" pride can be at the fore front.

It is somewhat difficult to not have pride. I was reading, earlier this week, an article about being ordinary and this is something we are not encouraged to be in life, but instead we are often encouraged to be extreme or high or to stand out from the crowd. In raising children, I see this everywhere. It is hard because in raising children, I want my child to have confidence as this helps them to achieve goals and be productive. But, in that confidence should not be an elitist attitude.

I find this interesting and fascinating that Paul, after interjecting that the Gentiles, upon the sin of the Jew, received the gospel and the gracious gift of salvation, quickly comes to this illustration to present the message that these converts are not to boast over those that haven't been chosen. He wants them to remember that their position is not because of their own good works, but because of being placed with the distinguished one (Abraham, later Jesus Christ).

Wow, this is hard. It is so hard to not have the elitist thinking in life. I have done it so many times, but I must go back to Romans 1:21 which says "For even though they knew God, they did not give thanks." Our first response and here, the first that goes astray in the life of the God follower, is not giving thanks. I Thessalonians 5:18 says, "Thank God in everything." My first response is not to puff out my chest or clap that I am on the top podium or pat myself on the back or throw a bumper sticker on my car that declares my position or sneer at my adversary or opponent because I was the victor, but my first response is to "give thanks."

It is to say, "Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul, thank you, Lord, for making me whole; thank you, Lord, for giving to me thy great salvation so rich and free."

It is interesting when sports figures often do this or ever stars or performers. It is interesting when the first they do upon winning a game or accepting an award is to thank God. This is accurate and fitting. This is correct. Our first response should always be that God is to be thanked.

Promise: As fallen human beings, we are constantly tempted to believe that the reason we are Christians is that we are somehow better than others. Even within the church, we are tempted to believe that we have a monopoly on God's grace and that others who are not part of our denomination are second-class citizens in the kingdom of heaven. If we ever find this feeling in ourselves, let us repent. 



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Romans 11:13-15 - The Jews and the Resurrection

Romans 11:13-15 - ¹³ But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, ¹⁴ if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. ¹⁵ For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

Message: Jealousy and the Jewish people; Paul sought to reach the Jews by reaching the Gentiles.

Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome.

What the Lord is Saying:

In the same chapter, Paul states he is an Israelite, but also an apostle of Gentiles. This is a somewhat simple passage, it would seem. Jealousy continues to be a theme though. Paul mentions it here. Romans 10:19. Paul introduced the idea based upon Deuteronomy and the Israelites provoking God to jealousy by serving other gods. And then Paul talking about how God went out to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous. 

Paul sought to reach the Jews by reaching the Gentiles. 

In verse 15, Paul mentions the reconciliation of the world, meaning all Gentiles everywhere. Paul had confidence that the number saved would be large. 

The Table Talk reading for today was quite poignant. It defended the argument that the Reformed theology, though it speaks of the sovereignty of God and that the Creator has only chosen some for salvation, reminds us of the zeal Paul had in his ministry to reach the lost. It is clear then that the Lord works through means of all sorts, including our or my preaching of the gospel. He uses us to bring about the ends He has ordained. 

Ezekiel 37:12-14
“Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.

“Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people.

“I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken and done it,” declares the Lord.’ ”

Promise: Many will be saved.