Sunday's Coming

Jesus was crucified on a Friday. That day was filled with brutality, humiliation, pain, and death. But Jesus knew that Sunday was coming. He knew that He would rise again. [See video in previous post]

In this life, we go through our own Friday experiences: sickness, pain, sorrow, disappointment. But there is also a Sunday coming for us. There is a future day of resurrection for every follower of Christ.

It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming.

Because of Good Friday, we can look back and not be afraid. Because of Easter, we can look ahead and not be afraid.

“Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant [uninformed] about those who fall asleep [those who have died before the coming of the Lord], or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. [Since] we believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).

What will happen on the day of resurrection?

1. On the day of resurrection, we will receive a new body.

“Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life” (2 Corinthians 5:1-4).

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’” (1 Corinthians 15:51-55).

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21).

2. On the day of resurrection, we will receive a new home.

“‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am’” (John 14:1-3).

3. On the day of resurrection, we will begin a new life.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’” (Revelation 21:1-4).

4. On the day of resurrection, we will enjoy a new experience.

“After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

5. As we await the day of resurrection, we have a new outlook: hope.

“Therefore encourage [comfort] each other with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18).

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).

“While we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

In 1971, Bill and Gloria Gaither wrote the popular gospel song “Because He Lives.” Back then, America was in turmoil with a bloody war in Southeast Asia and riots at home. At the same time, Bill contracted mononucleosis, which left him exhausted. When they suddenly discovered they were expecting another baby, Bill and Gloria asked themselves, “If this world is like this now, what will it be like in sixteen years for our baby? What will this child face?” While grappling with that question, they realized that the power of the resurrection of Jesus gives hope for tomorrow, whatever the circumstances. Their song reflects the truth about Easter:

Because He lives I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future.
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!

Sunday's Comin'

The First Disciples

John 1:35-51

In these verses, Jesus gains five of His original twelve disciples:
(1) Andrew
(2) An unnamed disciple (probably John)
(3) Simon Peter (Andrew’s brother)
(4) Philip
(5) Nathanael (perhaps also known as Bartholomew; Bartholomew is linked with Philip in the other three Gospels – Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14)

What is a disciple? “Disciple” = one who follows another:
· Disciples of Jesus follow His teaching (John 8:31).
· Disciples of Jesus follow His example (1 Peter 2:21).

Discipleship is not a one-time decision; it’s a lifelong journey.

1. The journey of discipleship is best traveled with others (vv. 40-42a, 43-46).

Andrew found his brother Simon; Philip found his friend Nathanael.

Every time we meet Andrew in this Gospel he is bringing someone to Jesus (1:41; 6:8; 12:22).

“Come follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).

2. The journey of discipleship brings personal transformation (vv. 42b).

Jesus changed Simon’s name to “Cephas”/“Peter” (“rock”):
· In Jewish culture naming is a significant event. Names unveil something of the character of the person (e.g., Jacob means “he clutches” [his brother’s heel], Genesis 25:26), and renaming indicates something of the authority of one person over another (as God gave Jacob the name “Israel,” Genesis 32:28).
· Peter is anything but a rock in the Gospels; he is impulsive and unstable (John 13:37-38; 18:10, 15-27).
· The pronouncement by Jesus was really a diagnosis of Peter’s personality. Simon, or Simeon (cf. Acts 15:14), was the name of Jacob’s second oldest son (Genesis 29:33), who, with his brother Levi, ruthlessly avenged the violation of their sister (Genesis 34:25-31). The rash and impulsive character of Simeon was mirrored in Peter’s tendency to violence (cf. John 18:10). Jesus accepted Simon as he was but promised that he would become “a rock.”
· Jesus changed Peter’s character to fit his new name (Matthew 16:16-18 – “this rock” refers to Peter’s confession of faith; Acts 1:15; 2:14; 4:18-20). Jesus named Peter not for what he was but for what, by God’s grace, he would become.

3. The journey of discipleship leads one into God's presence (vv. 47-51).

Jesus knew about Nathanael before the two ever met. Jesus said, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree” (v. 48). What was Nathanael doing under the fig tree? We are not told. My guess is that he was meditating upon the OT story of Jacob. When Jesus approached Nathanael, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom is nothing false [no deceit, NASB; no guile, KJV]” (v. 47). This is probably a reference to Jacob—the biblical character most known for deceit (“Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing,” Genesis 27:35). Nathanael is unlike Jacob; he is an honest man. Nathanael’s honest evaluation of Jesus was “You are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel” (v. 49).

Nathanael (and the other disciples; “you” is plural in verse 51) were told that they would “see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man” (compare with Genesis 28:10-19).

The most requested and most played song on radio in the United States is Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.” The song is about a materialistic woman who thinks she can buy a stairway to heaven. The Bible says there is only one stairway to heaven.

Jesus is the stairway to heaven (1 Timothy 2:5):
· Jesus is God who came down to man.
· Through Jesus we can go up to God (John 14:6).

NOTES

“Cephas” (v. 42) – Neither “Cephas” nor “Peter” are usual names but actually nicknames (like the American “Rocky”), which often point to some feature of a person’s character.

“The Law and ... the prophets” (v. 45) – This is a common Jewish designation for the Hebrew Scriptures in their entirety.

“Nazareth!” (v. 46) – Nathanael was from Cana, a village north of Nazareth (John 21:2); Nazareth was a small, insignificant town of no more than two thousand people.

“Son of Man” (v. 51) – The expression is fused in John’s Gospel to denote both Jesus’ heavenly origin and destination (John 15:1; 3:13; 6:62; cf. Daniel 7:13) and his “lifting up” (substitutionary sacrifice) on the cross (John 3:14; 6:53; 8:28; 12:23, 34; 13:31).

The First Witness

John 1:19-34

1. WHO JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS NOT

“Now this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was” (v. 19).

a. He was not the Christ (v. 20).

“He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’”

With us “Christ” has become little more than a personal name for Jesus, but properly it is a title, “the Christ,” which means “the anointed” (as does “the Messiah”). In the OT various people were anointed, but notably priests and kings (for the latter, cf. the phrase, “the Lord’s anointed”). The ceremony was used to set men apart for special functions. When the expectation grew that one day God would sent into the world an exceptionally great Person, a mighty Deliverer, One who would represent Him in a very special sense, this coming great One was thought not of as “an anointed one,” but as “the anointed one,” “the Messiah.” So the title was applied by believers to Jesus, and it remains to remind us of this public and official aspect of His ministry.

b. He was not Elijah (v. 21a).

“They asked him, ‘Then who are you? Are you Elijah?’” “He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’”

“Are you Elijah?”:
· It had been foretold by the prophet Malachi that before “that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes” God would send Elijah the prophet (Mal. 4:5). This was understood to mean that Elijah would precede the Messiah.
· The appearance of John and Elijah was similar. “John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey” (Mark 1:6). “He was a man with a garment of hair and with a leather belt around his waist” (2 Kings 1:7-8).

“I am not”:
· John’s denial puzzles many, because Jesus clearly asserted that John was “the Elijah who was to come” (Matt. 11:14; 17:12; Mark 9:13).
· The solution to the difficulty is probably that there was a sense in which John was Elijah and a sense in which he was not. He fulfilled all the preliminary ministry that Malachi had foretold “And he [John] will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah . . . to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17). In a very real sense Jesus could say that John was Elijah.
· But the Jews remembered that Elijah had left the earth in a chariot of fire without passing through death (2 Kings 2:11), and they expected that the identical person would reappear. John was not Elijah in this sense, and he had no option but to deny that he was.

c. He was not the Prophet (v. 21b).

‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’”

“Are you the Prophet?”:
· “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him” (Deuteronomy 18:18).
· The Jews distinguished between “the Prophet” and “the Christ” (John 7:40-41).
· “The prophet” was Jesus (Acts 3:22).

2. WHO JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS

a. He was the one who was to get people ready for the Christ (vv. 22-23).

“Finally they said, ‘Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ ‘John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, ‘I am the voice of one calling in the desert, “Make straight the way for the Lord”’” (cf. Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4).

“I am the voice…”
· John’s reply is a quotation from Isaiah 40:3 (cf. Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4). “A voice of one calling: ‘In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God’” (Isaiah 40:3).
· The point of the quotation is that it gives no prominence to the preacher whatever. He is no more than a voice. He is a voice, with but one thing to say.
· John’s real function was not to teach ethics, but to point people to Jesus. “Make straight the way for the Lord” is a call to be ready, for the coming of the Messiah is near.
· The imagery is that of preparing a roadway by clearing away the obstacles. This was an important process in ancient times, especially for roads in the wilderness country.

b. He was a man of amazing humility (vv. 24-27).

“Now some Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, ‘Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?’ ‘I baptize with water,’ John replied, ‘but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’”

“Among you stands one you do not know.” The Christ stood among them, though they did not know Him (cf. v. 11).

“The thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie”
· Loosing the sandal was the task of a slave; a disciple could not be expected to perform it. To get the full impact of this we must bear in mind that disciples did do many services for their teachers.
· There is a rabbinic saying (in its present form dating from c. A.D. 250, but probably much older): “Every service which a slave performs for his master shall a disciple do for his teacher except the loosing of his sandal-thong.”
· John selects the very task that the rabbinic saying stresses as too menial for any disciple, and declares himself unworthy to perform it. “I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John” (Luke 7:28). If such a great person felt inadequate even to be Christ’s slave, how much more should we lay aside our pride to serve Christ! When we truly understand who Christ is, our pride and self-importance melt away.
· “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30). “He must increase, but I must decrease” (KJV).

The Jews wanted to know who John was, but John wanted them to know who Jesus was.

3. WHO JESUS IS

a. Jesus is the Lamb of God (v. 29-31).

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, “A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.” I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.’”

Verses 26 and 32-33 show that John had recognized Jesus as the Christ on an earlier occasion.

“The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”:
· “The lamb” = the sacrificial lamb or the victorious lamb. John was not excepting Jesus to suffer (see Matthew 11:2-19). It may be a case in which John was speaking better than he realized (cf. 11:49-52). Every morning and evening, a lamb was sacrificed in the temple for the sins of the people (Exodus 29:38-42). Isaiah 53:7 prophesied that the Messiah would be led to the slaughter like a lamb. To pay the penalty for sin, a life had to be given.
· “Of God” = provided by God or belonging to God.
· “Takes away the sin” = atonement or judgment.
· “Of the world” = He is sufficient for the need of all people.

b. Jesus is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit (vv. 32-33).

“Then John gave this testimony: ‘I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.”

John is not talking about a vision. He actually saw the Holy Spirit come down upon Jesus in a form like that of a dove. The Spirit not only descended but remained on Him. We should probably understand that the Spirit remained with Him permanently.

The early church preached that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power” (Acts 10:38):
· “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him” (Isaiah 11:1-2).
· “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him . . . .” (Isaiah 42:1).
· “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor” (Isaiah 61:1; cf. Luke 4:18).

“I would not have known him”
· This does not necessarily mean that he did not know Jesus at all. It is quite possible that this is his meaning, for Jesus was brought up in Galilee and John in Judea. They may never have met until now, although they were related.
· But it seems more probable that John means that he did not know Jesus to be the Messiah who would baptize with the Holy Spirit until he saw the sign.

The outpouring of the Spirit came after Jesus had risen from the dead and ascended into heaven (see 20:22; Acts 2). This too anticipates the fulfillment of OT prophecies, which looked forward to the time when God’s people would have the Spirit poured out on them (e.g. Ezek. 36:25-26).

c. Jesus is the Son of God (v. 34).

“‘I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.’”

LIFE LESSON: Like John, we should lay aside our pride to serve Christ.

What Child Is This? (Part 4)

John 1:14-18

To fully understand John 1:14-18 you need to study Exodus 33-40.

1. God cannot be seen (v. 18a).

“Then Moses said, ‘Now show me your glory.’ And the Lord said, ‘I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence…. But,’ he said, ‘you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live’” (Exodus 33:18, 20). Moses received a glimpse of God’s “back” (33:23). It was a partial revelation of God’s glory.

OT saints were usually terrified of seeing God (Exodus 3:6b; Judges 13:21-22; Job 13:11; Isaiah 6:5; cf. John 12:41).

The reason for humanity’s inability to see God is twofold: (1) God is spirit (John 4:24); (2) mankind fell into sin and was expelled from God’s presence (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:2).

2. God became human (v. 14a).

The word of God once came to man on stone tablets (Exodus 34:1); now “the Word” (Jesus) has come in the “flesh” (see 1 John 1:1-2).

Before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, He lived:
· John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me”’” (v. 15).
· “And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6b).
· “But you, Bethlehem of Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times [or, from days of eternity]” (Micah 5:2).

“Dwelt” = “to set up a tent.” God once dwelt among men in a tent (Exodus 33:9-11); now He has dwelt among us in a human body.

Jesus is fully God and fully man.

“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’—which means, ‘God with us’” (Matthew 1:22-23).

3. God made Himself known (v. 14b, 18b).

As our words reveal who we are, so “the Word” (Jesus) reveals who God is.

In the NIV, verse 18 describes Jesus as “God the One and Only.”

Jesus “is at the Father’s side” (v. 18). The KJV says “in the bosom of the Father.” Literally, John says that Jesus is “in the Father’s lap.” This expression is used elsewhere in the NT: (1) the beggar “was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 16:22 KJV); (2) “there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23 KJV). This expression brings out the closeness between the Father and the Son.

Jesus “has made [the Father] known” (v. 18). The KJV says “hath declared him.” This means that Jesus has given us a full account of the Father. God is as Jesus revealed Him.

Verse 18b is similar to verse 1:
· “In the bosom of the Father” is parallel to “with God”;
· “God the One and Only” is parallel to “was God”;
· “Has made him known” is parallel to “the Word” (God’s self-expression).

As “the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Exodus 40:35b), so His glory filled the body of Jesus.

How did people see God’s glory through Jesus? The glory could only be seen with the “eye” of faith:
· Through His miracles - “This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him” (John 2:11; cf. 11:4, 40).
· Through His crucifixion and resurrection - “Jesus replied, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds’” (John 12:23-24; cf. 13:31).

God told Moses that He is a God of “grace and truth” ("love and faithfulness," Exodus 34:5-7), but now God has shown us through Jesus. The love and faithfulness found ultimate expression in God’s sending of Jesus, His one and only Son.

4. God came to bless us (vv. 16-17).

God came not just to show us love, but to give us love.

The blessings of God (eternal life, forgiveness, hope, peace) are available only through faith in Jesus Christ.

The greatest blessing will be to know God and live with Him forever in heaven:
· “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2-3).
· “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God” (Revelation 21:3).

[A sermon by John Piper, “The Word Became Flesh,” was used in the preparation of this sermon.]

What Child Is This? (Part 3)

"The claim that Christianity makes for Christmas is that at a particular time and place God came to be with us Himself. When Quirinius was governor of Syria, in a town called Bethlehem, a child was born who, beyond the power of anyone to account for, was the high and lofty One made low and helpless. The One who inhabits eternity comes to dwell in time. The One whom none can look upon and live is delivered in a stable under the soft, indifferent gaze of cattle. The Father of all mercies puts Himself at our mercy."—Frederick Buechner

“There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John” (v. 6).

“John” = John the Baptist. Who was John the Baptist?
· Vital statistics: parents – Zechariah and Elizabeth; distant relative – Jesus; home – Judea; occupation – prophet (there had not been a prophet in Israel for 400 years).
· His coming was predicted in Isaiah 40:3: “A voice of one calling: ‘In the desert prepare the way for the Lord, make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God’” (cf. John 1:23).
· He is known for his unusual lifestyle. “John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey” (Matthew 3:4).
· Jesus said, “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11).
· His purpose was to prepare people to receive Jesus, the Messiah (the Christ).

The ministry of John the Baptist (vv. 7-8):
· He was not the Messiah. “He himself was not the light” (v. 8a; cf. vv. 19-28). Some people wondered if John was the Christ (Luke 3:15). “I am not the Christ” (v. 20).
· He pointed people to the true Messiah—Jesus. “He came only as a witness to the light” (v. 8b; cf. vv. 29-34). John is the first in a series of several witnesses presented in this Gospel. “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” (v. 29).
· He led many people to follow Jesus. “He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe” (v. 7; cf. vv. 35-51). “The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God!’ When the two disciples [Andrew and probably John] heard him say this, they followed Jesus” (vv. 35-37).

“Through him” = through John. Application: As people believed in Jesus through John, so today people can believe in Him through us (through our witness). Are you leading people closer to Jesus or turning them farther away?

“The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world” (v. 9). KJV: “That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” Because the entry of Jesus into the world is such a frequent thought for John, the first reading is the better interpretation (cf. 1:10; 3:17, 19).

The coming of the Messiah is frequently described in the OT in terms of light:
· “A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17).
· “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2).
· “The sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings” (Malachi 4:2)
· Zechariah: “The rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness” (Luke 1:78-79)
· By saying that Jesus is the “true light,” John indicates that Jesus is the fulfillment of OT hopes and expectations.

How does Jesus give light “to every man”? John may mean that Jesus lights not every man without exception, but every man without distinction (i.e. not Jews only; cf. Acts 1:8; Colossians 3:11).

Two astonishing facts:
(1) God became a man;
(2) When God did this, people would have nothing to do with Him.

John is concerned that we should miss neither the good news of the incarnation of God, nor the tragedy of the human rejection of God.

1. The world did not recognize its creator.

“He was in the world [earth], and though the world [earth] was made through him, the world [people] did not recognize him” (v. 10; cf. v. 3).

Jesus came to earth because of God’s love for the world (John 3:16). When the Bible says that God loves the world, it is not an endorsement of the world’s goodness but a testimony to the greatness of God’s love. God’s love is to be admired not because the world is so big but because the world is so bad.

The statement “he was in the world” tells us that God did not make a quick visit to earth.

"The Maker of man became man that He, Ruler of the stars, might be nourished at the breast; that He, the Bread, might be hungry; that He, the Fountain, might thirst; that He, the Light, might sleep; that He, the Way, might be wearied by the journey; that He, the Truth, might be accused by false witnesses; that He, the Judge of the living and the dead, might be brought to trial by a mortal judge; that He, Justice, might be condemned by the unjust; that He, disciple, might be scourged with whips; that He, the Foundation, might be suspended upon a cross; that Courage might be weakened; that Security be wounded; that Life might die.

"To endure these and similar indignities for us, to free us, unworthy creatures, He who existed as the Son of God before all ages, without a beginning, designed to become the Son of Man in these recent years. He did this although He who submitted to such great evils for our sake had done no evil and although we, who were the recipients of so much good at His hands, had done
nothing to merit these benefits."—Augustine

“Did not recognize him [knew him not (KJV)]” refers to more than intellectual knowledge. There is also the thought of the failure to know and love as a friend. The world missed its great opportunity. It did not come to know God when God was in its very midst.

2. The Jewish nation did not receive its Messiah.

“He came to that which was his own [his own home], but his own [his own people] did not receive him” (v. 11).

Jesus did not go where He could not have expected to be known. He came home (to Israel), where the people should have known Him.

The Jews’ response to Jesus was hostile among the leaders and divided among the people.

When Jesus came to earth, there was no room for Him in most people’s lives:
a. The people of Bethlehem - “And [Mary] gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).
b. Herod - “When King Herod heard this he was disturbed…. Herod is going to search for the child to kill him" (Matthew 2:3, 13).
c. The religious leaders - “When [Herod] had called all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. ‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied….” (Matthew 2:4-6). Bethlehem was only a short distance from Jerusalem. Why didn’t they go?
d. The people of Nazareth - “They said, ‘Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, “I came down from heaven"?’” (John 6:42).
e. The people of Jerusalem - “‘Which of the two do you want me to release to you?’ asked the governor. ‘Barabbas,’ they answered. ‘What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?’ Pilate asked. They all answered, ‘Crucify him!’ ‘Why? What crime has he committed?’ asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, ‘Crucify him!’” (Matthew 27:21-23).

Why?
· Some people (like Herod) are actively opposed to Jesus.
· Some people (like the people of Nazareth) don’t really understand who Jesus is.
· Some people (like the people of Bethlehem) are preoccupied with other things they think are more important. Illustration: Christ gets lost in the busyness and commercialism of Christmas.

3. Those who do receive Jesus will become children of God.

“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (vv. 12-13).

When Jesus came to earth, there was room for Him in a FEW people’s lives:
a. The shepherds (Luke 2:15-16).
b. The wise men (Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11)

The shepherds “hurried off” (Luke 2:16). The wise men traveled “from the east” (Matthew 2:1). The shepherds and wise men would have been looked down on as outcasts and foreigners, but God made them His children.

The new birth:
· Becoming a child of God is not a right we deserve or earn; it is a gift of grace (“gave”).
· Becoming a child of God is not a natural event; it is a miracle of God.

The end of the story is not the tragedy of rejection, but the grace of acceptance.

The big difference between Jesus and Santa:
· Santa is about me and the stuff I so desperately want.
· Jesus is about something more—the grace I so desperately need.
(Based on Jesus and Santa Video by Igniter Media Group)

Christmas Trivia

1. Which angel told Mary she would give birth to the Son of God?
a. Michael
b. Gabriel
c. Clarence
d. The Bible doesn’t say

2. What was the nature of Mary and Joseph’s relationship when Mary became pregnant?
a. They were friends
b. They didn’t know each other
c. They were engaged
d. They were married

3. Who told Mary and Joseph to go to Bethlehem?
a. An angel
b. God in a dream
c. Caesar Augustus
d. Mary’s parents

4. What did the innkeeper say to Mary and Joseph?
a. “We have no room in the inn.”
b. “You can stay in our stable.”
c. “Try the Holiday Inn.”
d. The Bible doesn’t say

5. When did baby Jesus cry?
a. Whenever babies usually cry
b. When he opened the wise men’s gifts
c. He never cried
d. When the cattle started lowing

6. Who many wise men visited Jesus?
a. 4
b. 7
c. 3
d. Who knows?

7. Where did the wise men find Jesus?
a. In a house
b. In a cave
c. In a stable
d. In the temple

8. Where did Mary, Joseph, and Jesus live after they left Bethlehem?
a. Nazareth
b. Jerusalem
c. Rome
d. Egypt

9. Which one of the following statements did Jesus make?
a. “I came to bring peace.”
b. “I did not come to bring peace.”
c. “On earth peace, good will toward men.”
d. None of the above

10. Why was December 25th chosen as Christmas Day?
a. That’s when Jesus was born
b. To compete with a pagan celebration
c. That’s the day Santa chose
d. That’s when the Bible says to celebrate Christmas

Answers: 1-b (Luke 1:26), 2-c (Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:27), 3-c, 4-d (Luke 2:1), 5-a, 6-d, 7-a (Matt. 2:11), 8-d (Matt. 2:14), 9-b (Matt. 10:34), 10-b

(If you disagree with any of the answers or have any questions, please leave a comment.)

What Child Is This? (Part 2)

People like to go home for Christmas. We long for familiar sights and sounds and smells. We sing songs about going home to celebrate Christmas.

I’ll be home for Christmas
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree

Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays
‘Cause no matter how far away you roam
If you want to be happy in a million ways
For the holidays, you can’t beat home, sweet home!

There is no Christmas
Like a home Christmas
With your Dad and Mother
Sis an’ Brother there

But Christmas isn’t about going home. It’s about leaving home. That’s what Jesus did. He left His heavenly home to come down to this dark world.

John 1:3-5

1. He is the Creator.

“Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (v. 3).

Jesus was the agent of creation: “Through him all things were made.”

Some people say that Jesus was the first creation of God and through Him God created everything else. But this verse is clear: “Without him nothing was made that has been made.” Everything that has been made was made by Jesus. If Jesus was created, He would have to have been created by Himself, which would require Him to both exist and not exist at the same time (impossible!).

He created both light and life:
· “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,” and there was light” (Genesis 1:1-3).
· “The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7).

2. He came to earth to bring us light and life (vv. 4-5).

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2).

If Christ had not come to earth, we would forever live in darkness. What does darkness symbolize?

· Confusion

“Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night…” (John 3:1-2). In the darkness of confusion, Nicodemus misunderstood the new birth.

· Hopelessness

“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark…” (John 20:1). In the darkness of hopelessness, the followers of Jesus thought this was the end.

This past Wednesday, teenager Robert Hawkins opened fire in a mall in Omaha, Nebraska, killing eight people and injuring several others. He had recently broken up with a girlfriend and lost his job at a McDonald’s. In a suicide note, he wrote, “I’ve just snapped. I can’t take this meaningless existence anymore. I’ve been a constant disappointment and that trend would have only continued.”

· Sin

“…[Judas] went out. And it was night” (John 13:2). In the darkness of sin, Judas betrayed Jesus.

Sin = commitment to self (righteousness = commitment to God). Judas followed Jesus because he wanted a revolution. When he realized that Jesus wasn’t going to do what he wanted Him to do, he betrayed Jesus.

Robert Hawkins, though depressed, was still devoted to himself. In his suicide note, he wrote about how he would “be famous” because of the killings.

Jesus doesn’t want anyone to live in spiritual confusion, hopelessness, and sin. He said, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness” (John 12:46).

Two translations of verse 5b:
· “…the darkness has not understood the light.”
· “…the darkness has not overcome the light.”

Perhaps John wants us to read it both ways: darkness could not “understand” the light (could not grasp with the mind), and darkness could not “overcome” the light (could not grasp it with the hand).

Because the hearts and minds of people are dark, Jesus was rejected (misunderstood) and crucified. But light is stronger than darkness.

No matter how dark a room is, a candle will always shine.

The crucifixion and resurrection prove that light is more powerful than darkness:
· “It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour [from noon to three in the afternoon], for the sun stopped shinning” (Luke 23:44-45a).
· “After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb” (Matthew 28:1).

The darkness of the crucifixion led to the light of resurrection morning. Light has overcome darkness.

Light reveals. A flashlight reveals what is in a dark room.

Jesus came to reveal many truths to us:

a. Jesus is the light who reveals the only way to eternal life.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

The teaching that Christ is the light of men reminds us of the Israelites who—after their exodus from Egypt, and during their time in the dark wilderness—followed the pillar of light. Those who followed it and did not rebel against its guidance reached Canaan. The others had died in the desert. We could say that a “second exodus” is currently underway. Followers of Christ are leaving the darkness of this world and entering the light of God’s kingdom.

b. Jesus is the light who reveals the hope of eternal life.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not sent his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16-17).

c. Jesus is the light who reveals the freedom of eternal life.

“If you hold to my teaching you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).

“I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:34-36).

There is a connection between hope and spiritual freedom. You don’t need to get all you can because this is not all there is. You are free not to live for yourself.

Challenge

Followers of Christ are lights who reflect His glory:
· “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5).
· “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).

What Child Is This? (Part 1)

John’s Gospel has been called the Gospel of Decision. In its pages we are urged to believe the truth about Jesus Christ.

“I am a historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all of history.”—H. G. Wells

“Who is Jesus?” is the most important question any person will ever encounter.

How the Story Begins:

· Mark begins his Gospel with the ministry of Jesus.

· Matthew and Luke begin their Gospels with the birth of Jesus.

· John begins his Gospel with the preexistence of Jesus.

The word of God in the Old Testament is the means by which He expresses Himself. Also, His word is often personified (described in human terms).

· In creation: Genesis 1 says that God created the universe through His word. We read repeatedly that “God said…and it was so.” “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made” (Psalm 33:6).

· In revelation: “The word of the Lord came to Isaiah” (Isaiah 38:4).

· In salvation and judgment: “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).

John is not simply personifying the word of God. He is talking about an actual Person.

“The Word” (Greek: logos) = Jesus

As our words reveal who we are, so “the Word” (Jesus) reveals who God is.

1. WHAT JESUS ALWAYS WAS

a. He was always existing (1:1a).

John 1:1 reminds us of Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

When the beginning began, Jesus was already there. Greek word for “was” means “continually was.” In other words, He is eternal. He did not have a beginning.

Genesis 1 introduces the story of the old creation; John 1 introduces the story of the new creation.

Mark’s Gospel begins this way: “The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” John may be saying, “Mark has told you about the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry; I want to show you that the starting point of the gospel can be traced father back than that, before the beginning of the universe.”

b. He was always with God (1:1b).

The Greek word for “with” (pros) can be translated “face to face with.” It indicates distinction and association. The Word was distinct from God and in close association (in fellowship) with God.

Before there was anyone, Jesus enjoyed a personal relationship with God.

c. He was always God (1:1c).

“The Word” was a title for God in the Jewish Targums (simplified paraphrases of the OT). These Targums were produced at a time when Jews ceased to pronounce the divine name (because of a fear of breaking the third commandment: “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God”). When they came to this name in the original, the translators substituted some other expression, such as “the Holy One” or “the Name.” For example, where our Bible reads, “Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God” (Exodus 19:17), the Targum reads “to meet the Word of God.”

How could Jesus be distinct from God (“with God”) and also be God? God is triune: thee Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) but ONE God.

What about the claim by the Jehovah’s Witnesses that the correct translation is “the Word was a god”?

· The argument for this translation is based on the absence of “the” before “God” (theos) in the original Greek. However, this is done to show that “the Word” is the subject of the sentence.

· Their interpretation has been followed by no recognized Greek scholar anywhere. It is commonly known that the sentence follows a regular rule of Greek grammar (called “Colwell’s rule”).

· If the Greek said “the God was the Word,” it would make the Word and God identical. That would contradict the previous statement: “The Word was with God.” John 1:1 is saying that Jesus is both distinct from God and equal to God.

· If the Jehovah’s Witnesses translated the rest of John 1 as they do verse1, verse 6 would say, “There was a man sent from a god,” verse 12 would say, “power to become children of a god, verse 18 would say, “No one has ever seen a god.” However, their New World Translation reads “God” in every case. What is the reason for the inconsistency? “The Word was God” does not fit their theology.

· If John had wanted to say, “The Word was God,” John 1:1 is exactly the way he would have said it.

John asserts the deity of Jesus in three very important places in his Gospel:

(1) The pre-incarnate Jesus was God (1:1).

(2) The incarnate Jesus was God. “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, [“the only begotten Son,” KJV] who is at the Father’s side, has made him known” (1:18).

(3) The risen Jesus was God. “Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and My God!’” (20:28).

Jesus Himself claims to be God in John’s Gospel:

· “Before Abraham was born, I am!” (8:58).

· “I am the Father are one [one in nature]” (10:30).

· “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (14:9).

John intends that his Gospel be read in light of its first verse. Jesus is God. The words of Jesus are the words of God. The deeds of Jesus are the deeds of God.

2. WHAT JESUS BECAME

a. He became a man (1:14a).

Jesus is God in the flesh. He is the God-man. He is fully God and fully man.

“The mystery of the humanity of Christ, that He sunk Himself into our flesh, is beyond all human understanding.”—Martin Luther

“‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’—which means, ‘God with us’” (Matthew 1:23).

b. He became our Savior.

“Jesus” = “the Lord saves”

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

The real message of Christmas: God became a man so that He could die for our sins.

John 1:1-18 is not about a message that offers hope; it is about the message that is the only hope.

Life.101 (Part 9)

A Life of Alertness
1 Peter 5:8-11

Who Is the Devil?

· Many people picture the devil as red, with horns and a pitchfork.

· Many people believe the devil is not real. They believe he is only a symbol of evil.

· The Greek word for “devil” (diabolos) means “adversary” or “opponent.”

· Originally, Satan was an angel of God, but through his own pride, he became corrupt.

· He is God’s enemy and constantly tries to hinder His work. But he is limited by God’s power and can do only what he is permitted to do (Job 1:6-2:8).

· Two extremes: (1) seeing Satan’s presence in every struggle of life (like flat tires, long red lights, and bad prices at the grocery store) or (2) thinking he has no effect on our lives.

Satan Is Like Two Animals

1. He is like a snake

This description emphasizes the craftiness of Satan. He wants to deceive us.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden”?’” (Genesis 3:1).

“The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray” (Revelation 12:9; cf. 20:2).

“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3).

2. He is like a lion

This description emphasizes the power of Satan. He wants to destroy us.

“Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (v. 8; cf. 2 Timothy 4:16-18).

a. The roaring of the lion pictures the suffering of believers.

“Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings” (v. 9).

“Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).

b. The devouring of the lion pictures ultimate destruction.

To “devour” means more that merely scratching, mauling, or wounding. It means chewing and swallowing. Satan is prowling around like a lion trying to destroy the faith of those who claim to be Christ’s followers. “The Lord said to Satan, ‘Where have you come from?’ Satan answered the Lord, ‘From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it’” (Job 1:7).

THE BIG IDEA: Satan wants to destroy your faith through suffering, but stand firm in your faith because God is more powerful than Satan and will keep your soul safe.

Who Causes Suffering . . . Satan or God?

Suffering comes from both Satan and God (but for entirely different reasons):

1. Satan’s purpose for suffering is destructive pain.

2. God’s purpose for suffering is constructive purification.

“However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be fore those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:16-17).

Examples:

· Job (Job 1:12, 21; 2:7, 10)

· Paul (2 Corinthians 12:7)

Can Christians Be "Devoured"?

If there was no danger, why would Peter write (to professing Christians), “Be self-controlled [sober, clear-minded] and alert” (v. 8)?

The Greek word of “alert” in military contexts refers to a solider on watch. Alertness is the opposite of mental and spiritual lethargy.

Earlier in chapter 5, Peter describes Christians as a flock of sheep and pastors (elders) as shepherds. (Christ is the “Chief Shepherd.”) When a lion is on the prowl, neither the shepherd nor the sheep sleep, but both are alert and watchful.

1. We are kept safe by God’s power through faith.

“Who through faith are shielded [protected, guarded, kept safe] by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5).

Promises of eternal security:

· “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

· “He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:8).

· “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).

· “And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:30).

The worst Satan can do is take our lives; he cannot take our souls.

2. Intense suffering reveals whether or not real faith is present.

Do you have real faith? When you come face to face with the roaring lion of suffering, will you stand firm or run away?

3. If faith is missing in our lives, God’s power will also be absent.

It is foolish and presumptuous to say, “I am eternally secure without a life of faith.”

Final Encouragement to "Stand Firm in the Faith"

1. The suffering of this life is temporary, while the glory of heaven is eternal.

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (v. 10).

2. If God has “called you to his eternal glory,” you will get there.

3. God is stronger than Satan and will keep your soul safe.

“To him be the power [dominion] for ever and ever. Amen” (v. 11). “Dominion” means superior strength. God can and will keep our souls safe.

4. Resistance to the devil’s attacks will be successful.

While it is wrong to ignore the devil’s existence, it is also wrong to cower before him in fear (v. 9). “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

Summary of the Triumphal Proclamation View (1 Peter 3:19-20)

[The spirits in prison] are the “sons of God” of Genesis 6:2, or perhaps their offspring. The term “sons of God” refers to spiritual beings from the divine council. The New Testament refers to them as angels who “abandoned their own home” (Jude 6) or who “sinned” (2 Pet 2:4). Here, then, we have truly rebellious, disobedient spirits. Furthermore, there is a long tradition, both in the New Testament and in other Jewish writings, that these fallen angels were kept in a prison (see 1 Enoch 10:16; 21 for a discussion of the punishment of these “Watchers,” as he calls them). This, then, appears to be the most likely identification of these “spirits in prison.” Not only are we talking about beings usually referred to as “spirits,” but we are also talking about beings who were known to Jews as being in a “prison.”

Was Jesus proclaiming the gospel to these “spirits”? Was he giving them a “second chance”? The term for “preach” is normally used in the New Testament for preaching the gospel, but it can also mean to “announce” or “proclaim” (Lk 12:3; Rom 2:21; Rev 5:2). Therefore it does not necessarily mean to proclaim the gospel. Are there other passages in Jewish or Christian literature in which something is proclaimed or preached to these spirits? Again we turn back to 1 Enoch (which was known to the early church, for it is cited in Jude) and discover that Enoch proclaims these spirits their doom.

Does such an interpretation fit this passage? The passage ends on a note of triumph with the submission of all “angels, authorities and powers” to the exalted Jesus. While the New Testament does not speak anywhere of preaching the gospel to spirits, it does speak of the victory of Christ over the spiritual world (for example, 2 Cor 2:14; Eph 6:11-12; Col 2:15; Rev 12:7-11). Thus a reference in this passage to the proclamation of that victory fits right in with the tone of both the passage and the New Testament in general.

We can now summarize what the passage is saying. The Christians in Asia Minor were facing persecution and possible martyrdom. Peter calls them to look at the example of Jesus. He was, from the human point of view, killed. Yet, in fact, he rose, not simply to renewed natural life, but to transformed life in the spiritual world, and in that world he proclaimed his victory to the fallen angels who were disobedient in Noah’s day. This may have been during his ascension, for while this text does not tell us where this prison was, some Jews located it in the “second heaven” and thus on the way between earth and the heaven where God dwells. Whatever the case, in the end of this section in 1 Peter Christ is in heaven with all spiritual beings subject to him.—Hard Sayings of the Bible, pp. 715-716

Life.101 (Part 8)

A Life of Victory
1 Peter 3:13-22

THE BIG IDEA: It’s worth following Jesus—even if it brings mistreatment—because, in the end, there will be victory.

The One we follow:

1. He is the One who suffered unjustly (v. 18a)

Peter says that the reason Christ suffered was “to bring [us] to God.” Jesus died in order that He might reach across the gulf between God and humanity and, taking our hands, lead across the territory of the enemy into the presence of the Father.

2. He is the One who rose from the grave (v. 18b)

3. He is the One who ascended into heaven (v. 22a)

4. He is the One who is at God’s right hand (v. 22b)

5. He is the One who is above all (v. 22c)

“Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed” (vv. 13-14a). The words “suffer” and “blessed” don’t seem to go together. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).

Jesus suffered unjustly but later vindicated (through His resurrection, ascension, and reign). The crucifixion was not the final word. So too believers who suffer unjustly—who are ridiculed, mistreated, or even killed—will one day be vindicated in the presence of God. The world’s opinion is never the final word. We follow in Christ’s footsteps through death to victory.

“‘Do not fear what they fear [or, do not fear their threats]; do not be frightened.’ But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord” (vv. 14b-15a). In other words, don’t fear man; obey Christ. Jesus said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after than can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has the power to throw you into hell” (Luke 12:4-5).

In verses 14-15, Peter quotes Isaiah 8:12-13: “Do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy.” In verse 15, Peter says, “Set apart Christ as Lord.” This reveals that Peter believes Jesus is “the Lord almighty.”

Verse 17 says that sometimes God wills that we suffer (“if it is God’s will”). It’s not the God wants us to suffer, but that He wants us to do what is right, even if and when it results in suffering.

What do verses 19-20 mean? Where did Christ go? Who were the “spirits in prison”? What did He say to them? We need to see these verses in light of the context: the overall theme of victory and vindication. Three main views:

1. The preexistent Christ view

a. “Spirits” = the contemporaries of Noah who needed to hear the word of God

b. “Prison” = a metaphor for sin and ignorance OR a literal description of their location now

c. “He went” = Jesus spoke to that generation through Noah

d. “Preached” = a genuine presentation of the gospel of salvation to the contemporaries of Noah

2. The descent-into-hell view

The Apostle’s Creed: “[Jesus Christ] suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried, he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead, he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty.”

a. “Spirits” = the fall angels of Genesis 6:1-4 OR the spirits of those who died prior to the Flood

b. “Prison” = the underworld

c. “He went” = a descent into the underworld (during the time between Christ’s death and resurrection)

d. “Preached” = a proclamation of victory over the spirit world OR a genuine offer of salvation to those who never had an opportunity to hear the gospel

Wouldn’t it have been a bit premature for Christ to make His proclamation of victory before the resurrection?

3. The triumphal proclamation view (my preferred view)

a. “Spirits” = the fallen angels of Genesis 6:1-4 (the “Watchers” of 1 Enoch)

“When we look at the use of the term spirit in the New Testament, we notice that it is almost never used of dead people. When it is used of dead people, it is always qualified in some way to make it clear that it is people who are being written about (for example, Heb 12:23). Normally dead human beings are referred to as ‘souls.’ Since there is nothing in this passage to make it clear that it is human beings who are being written about, it is unlikely that these are dead people.”—Hard Sayings of the Bible, p. 715

b. “Prison” = the place of binding or restraint (see 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6)

c. “He went” = the ascension of Jesus

The Greek word for “went” does not mean “descend.” It simply means “to go.”

Jesus was “put to death” (the crucifixion); He was “made alive” (the resurrection), and He “went” (the ascension).

d. “Preached” = His proclamation of victory

In the NT the Greek word for “preached” normally refers to the proclamation of the gospel, but it does on a few occasions retain its secular meaning of “proclaim” or “announce” (Luke 12:3; Romans 2:21; Revelation 5:2). Also, while Peter clearly refers to the proclamation of the gospel four times, he never uses this word to do so (1:12, 25; 4:6, 17). (The Bible never speaks of evangelism to spirits, and I don’t believe the Bible teaches a second chance for salvation after death.)

Noah is a picture of present-day believers:

1. Noah and his family were a minority surrounded by unbelievers; so are we.

2. Noah lived righteously in the midst of a wicked world (Genesis 6:9, 22; 7:5; 2 Peter 2:5); we are expected to do the same (vv. 13-14, 16-17).

3. Noah witnessed boldly to those around him by believing God and building the ark; we are expected to be prepared to witness (“give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have,” v. 15b). I’m sure Noah was asked many times why he was building a boat. (Genesis 2:5 reveals that it didn’t rain in the beginning. There probably was no rain until the Flood.) If people see that you are filled with hope—even in the midst of difficulty—you also will have opportunities to witness. Notice that we should respond “with gentleness and respect” (v. 15c). If offense is to be taken, it should be over the content of the gospel, not because the message was offered in an offensive way.

4. Noah realized that judgment was coming upon the world; we also realize that judgment is coming, perhaps soon (1 Peter 4:5, 7; Luke 17:26-27).

5. At the time of Noah, God waited patiently for repentance from unbelievers before He brought judgment; God is doing the same in our time (2 Peter 3:3-9).

6. Noah was saved from the flood; we are ensured ultimate salvation because of Christ’s resurrection and triumph (vv. 18, 21-22).

Does baptism save (“baptism that now saves you also”)?

a. The water does not save (“not the removal of dirt from the body”).

b. There was no such thing as an “unbaptized believer” in Peter’s day. This approach to baptism allows Peter to say things about baptism that we would not want to say.

c. We are not saved through the water of baptism but through the “pledge” of faith (“but the pledge [or, response] of a good conscience toward God”). During baptism, a person is asked a question, such as, “Do you commit yourself to follow Christ?” Answering, “Yes,” is a “pledge.” Peter says that our answer must be given from “a good conscience toward God.” A half-hearted or partial commitment does not save.

d. Our faith is not in baptism but in the power of Christ’s death and resurrection (“It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ”).

What Christmas Is All About

A Charlie Brown Christmas is my all-time favorite Christmas special, and this is my favorite part. "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."

Life.101 (Part 7)

A Life of Submission (Part 3)
1 Peter 3:1-7

The theme of 1 Peter is living godly lives in the midst of difficult circumstances with the goal of making a positive impact on unbelievers. Peter writes in 2:12, “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”

Peter writes that the key to living this kind of live is being submissive (living under the order)—in society (2:13-18), in the workplace (2:18-25), and in marriage (3:1-7). The concept of submission is extremely unpopular. Why does talk of submission rub us the wrong way? At the very center of our sinful nature is the deep desire to go our own way, to do our own thing, to be “number one.”

Peter’s purpose for his instructions for husbands and wives is evangelistic.

THE BIG IDEA: Believers are to give Christ a good name by the way they live as husbands and wives.

Three marriage truths:

· Men and women are equal but different.

“There is neither…male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

Those who believe that the NT is demeaning to women need to realize that nothing has done more to raise the status of women than Christianity. Think about the nations in which women enjoy the most rights (Canada, U.S.A., Australia, etc.). These are the nations that have been influenced the most by Christianity. By the way, it’s significant that Peter writes directly to women in this letter (highly unusual in that day).

Being equal does not mean being exactly the same. God has created men and women differently and has given them different roles in marriage.

Gary Smalley: “I would venture to say that most marital difficulties center around one fact—men and women are TOTALLY different. The differences (emotional, mental, and physical) are so extreme that without a concentrated effort to understand them, it is nearly impossible to have a happy marriage (If I Only Knew, p. 17).

· God intends there to be mutual submission in a marriage.

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21).

· The priority of a marriage should be love, not submission.

Scott McKnight: “It is my firm conviction that we have placed the wrong emphasis on the word’ ‘submission’; we have also been preoccupied with ‘what we can do’ and ‘what our right are,’ whereas the biblical injunction is that the wife ought to give her life to her husband, ‘to serve and cherish him,’ and the husband ought to lay down his life for his wife. Thus, when the Christian wife is seeking to love her husband with her whole being and the husband is seeking to love his wife with his whole being, the issue of submission never emerges.”

1. A wife is to submit to the leadership of her husband.

“Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands…” (v. 1a).

Important: A wife’s submission is directed only to her husband, not to all men (“be submissive to your husbands”).

Clarification: The order of our society is much different than the order of first century society. In the past, the husband was the provider and protector, and the wife was the helper and supporter. Today, many wives earn more money than their husbands. So submission today looks different than submission in that day. (Of course, we shouldn’t compromise the guidelines God has given for marriage.) For example, verse 6 says that Sarah called Abraham “master.” I don’t think Marsha would appreciate me telling her to call me “master”! And it wouldn’t be a good witness to unbelievers.

Why are six verses addressed to wives and only one to husbands? Peter doesn’t think that women need more instruction than men. Remember the context. The theme is godly living in the midst of difficult circumstances. In Peter’s day, the lives of women were much more difficult the lives of men—especially Christian women who were married to unbelievers (which was the case for many of Peter’s readers). In Greco-Roman society it was expected that the wife would have no friends of her own and would worship the gods of her husband.

· The very fact that a woman would adopt any religion other than her husband’s violated the Greco-Roman ideal of an orderly home.

· The husband and society would perceive the wife’s worship of Jesus Christ as rebellion. If the wife persisted in her new religion to the extent that others outside the household learned of it, the husband would also feel embarrassment and suffer criticism for not properly managing his household. This could seriously damage his social standing, even to the point of disqualifying him for certain honors and offices.

· The wife’s attendance at Christian worship would provide the opportunity for her to have fellowship with other Christians who possibly were not her husband’s friends.

Peter is addressing women who are married to unbelievers. What should a woman do to “win over” her husband?

a. Win him over by your lifestyle, not your words.

“…so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives” (vv. 1-2).

Peter is saying, “If your husband rejects “the Word,” you must commit yourself to winning him without “a word” (of your own).” This nonverbal approach was especially appropriate in Peter’s day since husbands were often significantly older than their wives (the Roman ideal was a man of thirty marrying a woman of fifteen), as well as better educated, this nonverbal approach to evangelism was appropriate. (This does not mean that a Christian wife should never speak to her husband about the gospel.)

Peter is discouraging wives from continually nagging their husbands about their spiritual condition. Nagging usually drives people further away. You can’t nag a man into the kingdom of God.

Submission is not:
· Agreeeing with every crazy thing your husband says. Peter is writing to wives who do not agree with their husbands about Christ.
· Leaving your brain at the wedding altar. Peter is writing to wives that had thought for themselves: They had accepted the gospel even though their husbands had rejected it.
· Avoiding to change your husband. The whole point of this passage is to tell wives how to change their husbands minds about the gospel.
· Putting the will of your husband before the will of Christ.
· Acting out of fear.

b. Win him over by your inner beauty.

“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight” (vv. 3-4).

Peter is not saying that a woman shouldn’t braid her hair or wear gold jewelry. He certainly isn’t prohibiting women from wearing clothes! The NIV says “the wearing of…fine clothes, but “fine” has been added by the translators. The KJV says “putting on of apparel.” Peter is talking about the values: Women should value internal virtue above external appearance.

This doesn’t mean that should disregard their physical appearance. The Bible often speaks positively about a woman’s beauty. For example, Sarah (who is mentioned in verse 6 as a good example for Christian women) is described in Genesis 12:14 as “a very beautiful woman.” But the best kind of beauty is inner beauty. Not only will a husband find inner beauty attractive, but so will God. Peters says inner beauty “is of great worth in God’s sight.”

“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

Peter describes inner beauty as “the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.” The original Greek words for “gentle” and “quiet” mean selfless and peaceable. (So it doesn’t mean that a woman can never speak!) This kind of beauty is “unfading.” It doesn’t need plastic surgery. William Barclay describes it as “a beauty that the years cannot wither.”

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised” (Proverbs 31:30).

Physical beauty is overrated. Actress Halle Berry, one of People magazines 50 most beautiful people, once said, “Let me tell you something—being thought of as ‘a beautiful woman’ has spared me nothing in life. No heartache, no trouble. Love has been difficult. Beauty is essentially meaningless and it is always transitory.”

Sarah, a Super Model

Women often try to be like models they see in magazines. (By the way, those models don’t look half as beautiful in real life.) Peter gives Christian women a model to emulate: Sarah.

“For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear” (vv. 5-6).

Peter is not saying that women should call their husbands “master”! It was a common expression in that day. Today it would be similar to saying “my dear husband.” It’s interesting that the book of Genesis records Abraham obeying Sarah three times (16:2, 6; 21:12). God even told Abraham on one of those occasions, “Listen to whatever Sarah tells you” (21:12). Cleary, Sarah was not Abraham’s slave!

The only time in the OT that Sarah calls Abraham “master” is found in Genesis 18:12. “Then the Lord said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.’ Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, ‘After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?’” (Genesis 18:10-12).

How did Sarah practice submission on that occasion? Well, at first she doubted the promise of God. But eventually she did believe. When Abraham told her they should keep trying to having a baby, she agreed (even though it was physically impossible for her to have a son at her age).

2. A husband is to submit to the needs of his wife.

a. Be loving, caring, sensitive, and understanding.

“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives” (v. 7a).

Men strut around thinking that what a woman wants is a strong man or a successful man who drives fancy cars and wears flashy suits. What a woman really wants is a husband who understands her and loves her. A wife responds to a husband who showers all of his attention on her all the time, not just when he wants something.

b. Don’t physically intimidate or abuse your wife.

“And treat them with respect as the weaker partner” (v. 7b).

The popular thinking in Peter’s day was that women were mentally and morally weaker than men. But the weakness that Paul is talking about is physical weakness. Generally, a husband is physically stronger than his wife. She is in a vulnerable position (especially back in the first century when women weren’t protected by the law like they are today). A husband is to respect his wife and not force her to do anything. I can’t think of much that would do more harm to the reputation of Christianity than that. (By the way, I don’t believe that this passage is saying that a woman should stay in a marriage in which physical abuse is taking place.)

c. Treat your wife as an equal.

“Treat them with respect…as heirs of the gracious gift of life” (v. 7c).

Woman was created from the rib of a man.
She was not made from his head to top him,
Nor out of his feet to be trampled upon.
But out of his side to be equal to him,
Under his arm to be protected,
And near his heart to be loved.

WHY? “So that nothing will hinder your prayers” (v. 7d).

Sin hinders our prayers (cf. 3:10-12; 4:7). Jesus taught, “If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgiven men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15).

Peter may be referring to the OT teaching that God is the protector of the weak (see Deuteronomy 10:18; Psalm 68:5; 146:9; Jeremiah 49:11; Malachi 3:5). God will not hear the prayers of one who is taking advantage of the vulnerability of his wife.

Wayne Grudem: “So concerned is God that Christian husbands live in an understanding and loving way with their wives, that He ‘interrupts’ His relationship with them when they are not doing so. No Christian husband should presume to think that any spiritual good will be accomplished by his life without an effective ministry of prayer. And no husband may expect an effective prayer life unless he lives with his wife ‘in an understanding way, bestowing honor’ on her.”

What is God saying to all of us in this passage? The key lies in a phrase repeated in verses 1 and 7—“in the same way.” What Peter says to wives in verse 1, he says to husbands in verse 7. The phrase “in the same way” pushes us back to the closing verses of chapter 2 where Paul calls all believers to follow the steps of Jesus. We all find ourselves in difficult circumstances we cannot easily change. How will we respond? With anger, complaining, bitterness, despair? No one was ever more mistreated than Jesus. Yet He did not attack those who mocked Him, nor did He curse at those who cursed at Him. Instead, He “entrusted himself to whim who judges justly” (2:23). That’s the equivalent of “holy women of the past who put their hope in God” (3:5).

Submission isn’t about you or your spouse. Submission is about you and God. To say that Jesus “entrusted” Himself to God and to say that holy women of old “hoped” in God means the same thing as saying they submitted themselves to God. Even while dying, Jesus had a gentle and quiet spirit. He hoped in God. And through His submission to His Heavenly Father, He became our Savior (adapted from a sermon by Ray Pritchard).

Here is what God is saying to us today:
· Wives, be like Jesus.
· Husbands, be like Jesus.
· Christians, be like Jesus.

Life.101 (Part 6)

A Life of Submission (Part 2)
1 Peter 2:18-20

“Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect [for God], not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For [the reason for submitting] it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God” (vv. 18-20).

Slavery was the foundation of the Roman economy (like minimum wage jobs are today). Some have estimated that slaves made up one-third of the population of urban areas. In this passage, Peter tells slaves to submit to their masters, whether they are treated kindly or unfairly. Does this mean that the New Testament condones slavery? NO!

· The slavery of the first century was “less evil” than the slavery of America:

(1) Race was not a factor.
(2) Education was encouraged (some slaves were better educated than their masters).
(3) Slaves could own property.
(4) Manual labor was not the only task of slaves (some were doctors, teachers, accountants, etc.);
(5) While most slaves were born that way (because their mothers were slaves), many voluntarily chose slavery over the vagabond existence of finding odd jobs.
(6) The majority of slaves could anticipate freedom by the age of 30.

Still, the New Testament does not speak well of slavery as it does of human government (2:13-17) and marriage (3:1-7)—institutions established by God for the good of society.

· The first century church didn’t have the political influence to change the laws of the land. The Roman government was not a democracy.

· The church’s mission is not to change society as a whole, but to share the message of Christ, which is able to change the hearts of individuals.

· While the New Testament does not call for the abolishment of slavery, it does teach the equality of all believers, whether slave or free.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

“Perhaps the reason [Onesimus] was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good—no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord” (Philemon 15-16).

· The New Testament raises the status of slaves:

(1) By addressing the mistreatment of slaves. Aristotle had earlier argued that injustice could never be done to a slave, for the slave was mere property (Nic. Eth. 5:10.8).
(2) By describing Jesus as a slave. He took “the very nature of a servant [or slave]” (Philippians 2:7). He is the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 (quoted in v. 22). Jesus actually suffered a death reserved for slaves under Roman law. Like many slaves, Jesus suffered though He was innocent of any wrongdoing.

What does this passage say to us today?

THE BIG IDEA: We are to react to mistreatment the way Jesus did.

The point of this passage is not if we suffer but how we act when we suffer. “To this [suffering for doing good, v. 20] you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (v. 21). The term for “example” is not simply that of a good example that one is exhorted to copy, but the pattern letters that a school child must carefully trace if he or she will ever learn to write.

How did Jesus react to mistreatment?

1. He refused to retaliate.

“When they hurled insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats” (v. 23a).

“Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, ‘Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?’ But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer” (Mark 14:60-61).

“[The Sanhedrin] all condemned him as worthy of death. Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, ‘Prophesy!’” (Mark 14:64b-65).

“The [Roman] soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. And they began to call out to him, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him” (Mark 15:16-19).

“Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!’ In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself! Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.’ Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him” (Mark 15:29-32).

“Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing’” (Luke 23:34).

We can apply this passage to mistreatment in the workplace: We should be known less for our assertiveness and more for our work ethic, kindness, fairness, loyalty, and honesty.

2. He trusted that God would right all wrongs.

“Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (v. 23b).

God has created a just universe. Not one wrong will go unpunished:
· Either we will be punished for our sins, or
· We accept the death of Christ as the punishment for our sins. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Why did Jesus endure mistreatment? Because the cross was God’s way of dealing with our sin problem. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (vv. 24-25).

Why should we endure mistreatment? Because there is no more effective way of drawing people to Christ.

Life.101 (Part 5)

A Life of Submission (Part 1)
1 Peter 2:11-17

Our Identity: We are people who do not belong to this world.

“Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world…” (v. 11a). We are in the world but not of the world. “Our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20).

Our Lifestyle: We are to live lives that are above reproach.

· Remember: Our actions are determined by our desires.

“…to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul” (v. 11b).

There is a war being waged within us: the Spirit versus the flesh (see Romans 7:14-25).

· Remember: Unbelievers are watching.

“Live such good lives among the pagans…” (v. 12a).

· Remember: The greatest tool for evangelism is living God's way.

“…that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us” (v. 12b).

Accusations made against Christians in Peter’s day: (1) Disloyalty to that state (because Christians refused to offer incense on the altars to the emperor); (2) Atheism (because Christians didn’t worship a visible god, i.e., an idol); (3) Cannibalism (because people misunderstood the meaning of “eating and drinking” the elements representing Christ’s body and blood).

The Greek word translated "see" refers to a careful watching, over a period of time. Peter wanted his readers to live such good lives that they would silence their critics. (There are still critics of Christianity today.)

What is “the day of visitation” (KJV)? God visits people for two reasons: (1) judgment (Isaiah 10:3) or (2) blessing (Jeremiah 27:22). “The day of visitation” may refer to the day of Christ’s return (on that day everyone will praise God; Philippians 2:10-11) or the day of conversion.

THE BIG IDEA: Our lifestyle, including our attitude and actions toward the government, will either glorify or shame the name of Christ.

How should we act as citizens of Canada?

1. We should submit ourselves to the authority of our government.

“Submit yourselves…” (v. 13a).

a. We should recognize and accept that human government is established by God (Romans 13:1-4).

(1) To protect its citizens.
(2) To punish wrongdoers.
(3) To promote the welfare of society.

b. We should pay our taxes to our government (Matthew 22:21; Romans 13:7).

c. We should pray for our government leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

2. We should submit for the Lord's sake.

“…for the Lord’s sake…” (v. 13b).

3. We should submit no matter how bad our government is.

“…to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right” (vv. 13c-14).

When Peter wrote these words (probably early 60s), Nero was the Roman emperor, who was the first emperor to persecute Christians. The persecution began after the great fire of Rome, a rumor circulated that Nero had ordered the fire. So Nero blamed the fire on the Christians. He ordered Christians to be thrown to dogs, while others were crucified or burned. Both Peter and Paul died during this period. Christians are expected to be good citizens even in extreme situations.

4. We should submit except when commanded to sin.

“Then [the Sanhedrin] called [Peter and John] in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, ‘Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard’” (Acts 4:18-20). If we must make a choice between obeying the government or God, we must always choose to obey God (see Exodus 1:17; Daniel 3:13-18; Hebrews 11:23).

What about when a government permits evil (example: abortion). In such a situation, we should voice our concerns and beliefs and try to change the laws of the land (but in a peaceful and respectful way).

5. We should submit to be a witness to unbelievers.

“For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men” (v. 15).

6. We should submit as servants of God.

“Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God” (v. 16).

Martin Luther: “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” We are not servants of the government; we are servants of God. And He has told us to submit to our government.

“Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king” (v. 17).

Remember Me

[This sermon was preached on Remembrance Day and was inspired by a chapter in Herbert Lockyer's book The Man Who Died for Me.]

“Do this in remembrance of me.”

1. THE REQUEST: “Do this”

a. It is the command of a Lord

The Lord’s Supper is not optional or unimportant. It should be observed regularly and in a meaningful way.

b. It is the request of a Friend

It’s as if Jesus said, “When I am gone, do not forget Me. As you eat the break and drink the wine, remember Me and all that I suffered for your sake.”

Today, poppies are worn as a symbol of remembrance, a reminder of the blood-red flower that still grows of the former battlefields of France and Belgium. During the terrible bloodshed of the second battle of Ypres in the spring of 1915, Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, a doctor serving with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, wrote of these flowers which lived on among the graves of dead soldiers:

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

As Christians, we also have symbols of remembrance: the bread and cup of the Lord’s Supper. Why do we need Remembrance Day and the Lord’s Supper? Because we are forgetful people. We need to be reminded to remember.

2. THE REMEMBRANCE: “In remembrance of me”

There is a tendency to think more of the Feast than the Friend, more of the Supper than the Savior, more of the emblems than Emmanuel. We must, however, strive to make more of “the Lord of the Feast,” rather than “the feast of the Lord.”

a. He is the lowly Nazarene

The bread and wine tell us that Jesus, though divine, possessed a human body and human blood, just like ours.

b. He is the crucified Savior

When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, He said, “This is my body given for you” (Luke 22:19). And, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (v. 20). The broken bread symbolizes the bruised and pierced body of Jesus. The outpoured wine symbolizes His shed blood.

c. He is the victorious Redeemer

Luke writes in Acts 20:7, “On the first day of the week we can together to break bread.” It’s interesting to note that Jesus didn’t specify any particular day on which the Lord’s Supper should be observed. Why did they break bread on the first day of the week? John writes, “On the evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord” (John 20:19-20). The Lord’s Supper was celebrated on the first day of the week (Sunday) to remind us that Jesus did not remain dead, but rose again.

d. He is the ascended Lord

Today, the symbols of our Lord’s body and blood are with us because He is not physically present. But that doesn’t mean He is not with us right now. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He declared, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Jesus is now in heaven, but He promised to always be with us—especially when we are gathered around the Lord’s Table. At this very moment, Jesus is here!

e. He is the interceding Advocate

John writes, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense [we have an advocate with the Father, KJV]—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One” (1 John 2:1). The writer of Hebrews adds, “He is able to salve completely [or forever] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25). As we remember Jesus down here before the Lord’s Table, He remembers us up there before the Father’s throne.

f. He is the coming King

“For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). The Lord’s Supper points in two directions: (1) backward to the cross (“the Lord’s death) and (2) forward to His return (“until he comes”). The Lord’s Supper covers the journey of the Savior from His cross to His crown, from the tree to the throne.

When we remember on this day the sacrifice of Canadian soldiers, we are challenged to live with the same kind of selfless devotion. In a similar and much greater way, the death of Christ also shows us how we should live.

As you remember the sacrifice Christ made for you, what sacrifice is He telling you to make for Him?