Wed, 30 November, 2005: Today’s Bible readings.

Luke 14:34-35

³⁴ “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? ³⁵ It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Jesus has been telling his disciples what it will cost them to follow Him, and He has just challenged them to count the cost. They need to know what they are getting into, and realize that following Him can (and for most of them will) cost them very dearly.

There are no half-way measures in following Christ. He calls us to completely and unreservedly follow Him.

It is in this context that He uses the analogy of salt.

What do we learn from this?

If someone says he is a disciple of Jesus Christ, but puts something before obedience to Jesus, that person is like salt that isn’t salty.

Think about it: What purpose does salt have other than to be salty? Salt has no other quality than saltiness. There is nothing useful you can do with non-salty salt, so you just throw it away as worthless.

What is the purpose of a disciple who won’t follow or obey his master? Such a person is no more a disciple than non-salty salt is salt. In both cases, they have failed in their purpose. They are good for nothing and are thrown away.

Our profession of faith is serious. We must not lightly make a profession to follow Jesus Christ. Jesus warns us that following Him will cost us something. Realize it upfront. If we aren’t going to commit to continue to follow Jesus Christ in the tough times, we aren’t really disciples of His.

Where is Christ in this passage?

Jesus Christ calls us to be His disciples. But He bids us come with our eyes open, knowing the cost and willing to stand for Him.

Will we live up to this call to perfect discipleship? No, but if we truly are His disciples, we will not completely fail in it either.

Tue, 29 November, 2005: Today’s Bible readings.

Micah 4:1-5

¹ It shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of the house of the LORD
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and it shall be lifted up above the hills;
and peoples shall flow to it,
² and many nations shall come, and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,

and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
³ He shall judge between many peoples,
and shall decide for strong nations afar off;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore;
⁴ but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree,
and no one shall make them afraid,
for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.
⁵ For all the peoples walk
each in the name of its god,
but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God
forever and ever.

What a promise we have from Micah. The future isn’t bleak. The future of the church is going to be glorious.

What do we learn from this?

The nations of the earth are going to come into the mountain of the LORD.

We have seen the beginning of this promise, as the church has advanced around the world from its humble beginnings in the Israel. But this promise is much greater than what has yet been fulfilled. We have yet to see the people of the nations flow into the church to the extent that Micah tells us.

We long for this day. We pray for the advance of the gospel throughout the world, and into our own neighborhood.

Where is Christ in this passage?

It is the gospel of Jesus Christ that is advancing throughout the world, and as people are being converted, they are coming into the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Mon, 28 November, 2005: Today’s Bible readings.

1 Peter 5:1-5

¹ So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: ² shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; ³ not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. ⁴ And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. ⁵ Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Today we end First Peter. Peter calls us to humility, and he the humility to which he is calling us.

What do we learn from this?

Notice how in his instructions to the elders, Peter does not claim a superior status. He says he is simply says he is a fellow elder. In essence, he is saying that he is no different than they are. He makes no claim to being an apostle, or even to being the first Pope. The Roman Catholic Church claims that Peter was the first Pope, but Peter does not claim such a lofty title. Rather, he says in essense, I’m just a fellow elder, like you.

Peter does hint at the fact that he has been given a tremendous blessing in being associated with Jesus during his earthly ministry. Peter says that he was a witness of Christ’s sufferings. He doesn’t mention having been taught by Christ, but he does mention that he had the privilege of seeing Christ suffer.

But almost as if to make it clear that he does not mention his time with Christ as a way to claim privileged status, Peter follows the statement by saying he is Christian, saved just like they are. Peter says he is just one who also will share in the glory to be revealed. I’m nothing special. I’m saved like you, and bound for the same glory, just like you. Peter goes out of his way to associate with the elders, and to emphasize that he is not superior to them in any way.

This is how Peter begins his teaching on humility, by modeling it for us. He will tell us not to lord it over those who are under us in a hierarchical structure. But here he is demonstrating how to do it by not lording it over the elders whom he is addressing.

Where is Christ in this passage?

Peter goes on to encourage the elders to shepherd the flock of God. They are to faithfully serve the people of God understanding that they serve the chief Shepherd who is going to return. All pastors (teaching elders) and ruling elders must understand that they do not serve themselves, but rather they serve the people of God on behalf of Jesus Christ.

Sun, 27 November, 2005: Today’s Bible readings.

1 Chronicles 23:1

When David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.

From having read 1 Kings, we know that there was a power struggle among David’s sons as David grew old, and David finally resolved it in favor of Solomon as his successor. The writer of 1 Chronicles skips over all that political intrigue and simply tells us that David made Solomon king in his place.

What do we learn from this?

There is a lot that goes on in life. As we live through them, the events are very significant to us. We worry about what will happen. We plan and work to arrange events as we desire. But when we look back, much of what we thought was so important turned out to be no big deal, and we have completely forgotten it. After the passage of years, all the planning and worrying are not remembered at all. All that is left are the major events themselves, and more of them are also lost to memory as the years go by.

How many kings have lived and died throughout history? Uncounted many. How many people have plotted to take the kingship for themselves? Unknown hosts. How many failed, and how many succeded? Only God knows. How many of these kings and desiring usupers do we remember? Very few.

Yet here in scripture we are told that David appointed his son Solomon as his heir to the throne. In all of world history, why is this event significant? Why does God care? Why do we care?

We care because of God’s promise to David that he would have a son upon the throne. God has promised that David’s son would build the temple that David thought to build himself, but which God stopped him from building. But the major reason we care is because God used the line of David to bring Jesus Christ into the world.

Where is Christ in this passage?

The great Son of David who is even now sitting on the throne, ruling and reigning until he makes all His enemies His footstool is Jesus Christ. He was appointed by God to the throne of David.

Sat, 26 November, 2005: Today’s Bible readings.

Luke 10:16

“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

Jesus is sending out the 72 in pairs. He is appointing them to go into the towns He will visit, and they will prepare the way for Him to come. Along with all the instructions Jesus gives them, He gives them this word of encouragement: they are just bringing Jesus’ words. They are only representatives.

What do we learn from this?

Since the 72 are just bringing the words of Jesus, any opposition they receive is for Jesus’ sake, and any acceptance they receive is also for Jesus’ sake. They are not to think too much of themselves when they meet with success. Nor are they to become discouraged when they are rejected. They are simply ambassadors on behalf of Christ. They point others to Jesus.

That is the roll of all Christians. We are to point others to Christ, and if they listen, they are listening to Christ. If they reject what we say, they are rejecting Christ.

But this is very important for our pastors as well. Pastors are to bring us the words of Christ. They are not to just share with the congregation whatever they feel like talking about. They must faithfully preach from the scriptures what are found in the scriptures. It is a great responsibility, and an awesome task, but our pastors are to make known to us the words of God.

As such, when a pastor is faithfully preaching from God’s word, he can let the results to God. Those who listen and respond are those who respond to God’s word, and those who reject the sermon are those who reject God’s word. This doesn’t give the pastor the right to be lackadaisical in his sermon preparation or to become indifferent to the constructive criticism of the congregation. Just the opposite. Realizing the immense responsibility before him he should be inspired to work even harder in the preparation. But it does mean that ultimately, the congregation is responsible before God for what they do with the faithfully preached sermon.

Where is Christ in this passage?

We are representatives of Jesus Christ to the people around us. We are to be pointing them to Jesus Christ.

Fri, 25 November, 2005: Today’s Bible readings.

Jonah 4:5-11

⁵ Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. ⁶ Now the LORD God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. ⁷ But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. ⁸ When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” ⁹ But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” ¹⁰ And the LORD said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. ¹¹ And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”

Jonah didn’t want to bring God’s word of judgment to Nineveh, the capital city of Israel’s enemy, and so he ran away. Jonah did not want them to repent and have God spare the judgment, and so he is angry that after God brings him unwillingly to preach to Nineveh, it turns out just as he feared.

In chapter 4, as he sits outside the city, hoping for destruction to come, God gives Jonah an object lesson with a plant that gives him shade from the blistering sun. God appoints that the plant grow up, to Jonah’s great delight. But then God appoints a worm to destroy the plant that has granted relief to Jonah, and he is angry about the death of the plant.

What do we learn from this?

God points out that Jonah is more concerned about his own comfort than he is about the lost people in the enemy capital. One plant that give him shade is more important to Jonah than the thousands in Nineveh.

Where are our priorities? Are we more concerned about our own comfort than we are concerned about the lost around us? Do we see clearly the things that annoy us, but miss the people who need the gospel? Are we like Jonah in our attitude toward the unsaved?

Where is Christ in this passage?

Thank God that He doesn’t require us to earn our salvation. We aren’t saved based upon the fact that we are lovely people who deserve to be saved. God does not act like Jonah and require us to be redeemable before He redeems us.

Romans 5:8

… God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Thu, 24 November, 2005: Today’s Bible readings.

1 Peter 1:1-2

¹ Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, ² according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

In the first verse of 1 Peter, we find the statement that Peter is the author of this letter. It is a simple statement that went virtually unchallenged until the nineteenth century. There really aren’t any good objections to the statement that the Apostle Peter wrote this letter, despite what the modern critics say, and so we will accept the statement from verse 1.

Peter goes on in this letter to encourage the people of the dispersion to continue in faith, obedience and patience in suffering.

Based on what you know about Peter from the Gospels, you might find it surprising that Peter would be the author of a letter encouraging people to faith, obedience, and patience in suffering. Peter is well known for his failings. In particular, we often see him displaying a lack of faith, and impatience. When Jesus told the disciples about his coming sufferings and crucifixion, Peter rebuked him. Later, Peter openly denied Jesus three times during Jesus’ trial by the Sanhedrin.

Yet now, a more mature Peter is telling us to learn the lesson he learned. Faith, obedience, and patience.

What do we learn from this?

Peter made some major mistakes in his life. Let me say it more plainly. Peter sinned grievously. Yet God was able to work with Peter and bring him through these sins. God was still able make use of Peter.

First of all, this teaches us that we can learn from those who are more mature in the faith. Peter is teaching us, and we can learn from the experience he gained. Others have suffered through the same kinds of weaknesses and temptations that we are now suffering, and they can encourage us and help us to grow in our maturity and sanctification. They can help us to avoid sin, and to seek God’s forgiveness when we do sin.

But also, not only can God use others to help bring me through my own immaturity and sinfulness, but He can work within my life to bring me to the place that I can help and encourage others in those same areas that have been problems in my life. As I grow in the faith, I can help others, just as others are currently helping me. Just as Peter is pointing us to perservere in faith, obedience and patience in suffering, so too can we encourage those younger than ourselves in the faith in the areas we struggle with.

Where is Christ in this passage?

Peter tells us the reason we have been saved: for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood. Peter tells us that we’ve been chosen by the Father and we are being sanctified by the Holy Spirit so that we will be obedient to Jesus Christ.

As we grow in sanctification, we are growing in obedience to Jesus Christ.

Wed, 23 November, 2005: Today’s Bible readings.

1 Chronicles 18:1-11

¹ After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its villages out of the hand of the Philistines.

² And he defeated Moab, and the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.

³ David also defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah-Hamath, as he went to set up his monument at the river Euphrates. ⁴ And David took from him 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but left enough for 100 chariots. ⁵ And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. ⁶ Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went. ⁷ And David took the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸ And from Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took a large amount of bronze. With it Solomon made the bronze sea and the pillars and the vessels of bronze.

⁹ When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, king of Zobah, ¹⁰ he sent his son Hadoram to King David, to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him; for Hadadezer had often been at war with Tou. And he sent all sorts of articles of gold, of silver, and of bronze. ¹¹ These also King David dedicated to the LORD, together with the silver and gold that he had carried off from all the nations, from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines and Amalek.

David is God’s anointed king over His people. God has promised to greatly bless David, and to always have a son on David’s the throne. In today’s text, we see God fulfilling His promise as He grants victory over the surrounding nations and brings them into submission to David.

What do we learn from this?

God grants the victory over the Israel’s perennaul enemies the Philistines and the Moabites. He defeats the king of Zobah, and the Syrians. All these success come as the people are united under God’s anointed ruler of His people.

As a result of these military victories, Tou, king of Hamath comes to David with gifts of tribute. He willingly submitts himself to God’s anointed ruler rather than fight.

We see here a picture of Psalm 2, as the nations learn they have the option of being smashed or of willingly submitting to God’s anointed king.

Psalm 2:8-12

⁸ Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
⁹ You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

¹⁰ Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
¹¹ Serve the LORD with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
¹² Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Where is Christ in this passage?

David’s victories in this text were just a picture of what is still to come.

The process of bringing the whole world into submission to God’s anointed will come to its completion as the kings of the earth are either crushed or learn wisdom and submit themself to the kingship of Jesus Christ, the great son of David who is the fulfillment of God’s promises.

Tue, 22 November, 2005: Today’s Bible readings.

Luke 6:46-49

⁴⁶ “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? ⁴⁷ Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: ⁴⁸ he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. ⁴⁹ But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls us to seriously consider what He has told us in the sermon. We can’t take it lightly, for this is serious.

What do we learn from this?

There is stability in the life of the person who puts Jesus’ commands into practice. Jesus compares it to building the foundation of your life on a foundation of rock. But if you choose to ignore His commands, you are building your life on shifting sand.

Notice that there is no difference in what happens to the two people in Jesus’ example. Both the follower of Jesus and the one who ignores His commands are hit by the identical flooding storms. They both suffer the same difficult circumstances. We learn from this that there is no guarantee that the follower of Jesus will be exempted from suffering and troubles. We will face the same suffering that those around us also suffer.

But there is a difference between the to people: their reaction to the troubles. The person who is following Jesus’ commands will stand in the time of trials, while the one who ignores Jesus and His commands will collapse under the trials.

Where is Christ in this passage?

The lesson is not that if we follow a set of rules we will have the ability to withstand difficult times. This isn’t about our ability, or what we can do. The lesson is that as we are to grow in trust of Jesus Christ in all aspects of our lives. We grow in our obedience to His commands, and we also grow in ability to trust Him in the difficult times. There are results of our trusting Jesus Christ in the times of difficulty: we have a peace that others do not have. But this points us back to Jesus Christ and encourages us to grow in our faith and obedience to Him.

Mon, 21 November, 2005: Today’s Bible readings.

Obadiah 19-21

¹⁹ Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau,
and those of the Shephelah shall possess the land of the Philistines;
they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria,
and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.
²⁰ The exiles of this host of the people of Israel
shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath,
and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad
shall possess the cities of the Negeb.
²¹ Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion
to rule Mount Esau,
and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s.

Obadiah writes his vision of the coming judgment on the nation of Edom. God declares judgment against Edom because of their pride (v 2-9), their violence against Israel (v 10-11), and their gloating over Israel’s misfortune (v 12-14).

Therefore the day of the Lord (v 14) is coming upon Edom.

That brings us to the passage listed above. God promises the people of Israel will return to
the land and the boundaries of the land will be extended.

What do we learn from this?

The kingdom shall be the LORD’s. What a promise. In the midst of the an invasion of Israel where the Edomites helped the invading army, God promises a total reversal. Instead of the defeat they see right now, Israel will be victorious. Instead of being subject to a foreign power, they will be advancing the borders of their kingdom. What a word of encouragement in the midst of their misfortune.

This promise that the kingdom shall be the LORD’s anticipates the New Testament promises of the coming success of the Gospel. As we look around at the prospects of the Gospel, we might be tempted to be discouraged. In our own view, we might not see the Gospel meeting with much success. But yet, there is a great promise that ultimately, God will subdue the kingdoms by the word of His gospel and bring them under His kingship. Just as God promised the subjection of the nations to the rule of the Lord, we look forward to when the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

Where is Christ in this passage?

Jesus Christ will reign forever over the kingdom of the world.

Revelation 11:15

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”