SALT AND LIGHT: July 2011

Friday, July 29, 2011

The Story now begins. Mark 1:1

Mark 1:1 ( ESV )

¹The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.^£

The author’s name is not given to this book. We believe from external evidence and internal evidence that it is the same Mark that is spoken of in I Peter 5:13. So much of what we read about in this Gospel account may largely be influenced by what Peter saw. With this in mind, right from the very start, we begin to see that Mark wants us to understand that Jesus came into this world as a servant. Like his Savior, Mark comes quietly into the room and does the work he is called to do. So, Jesus would come into this world and do the work, which His Father had called Him to do.

Instead of addressing the book as the Gospel of Mark, the author begins the story by saying,” This is the beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus is brought up front and center in this Gospel reading. He may have come into this world the first time as a servant but He is the very Son of God.

What an incredible opening statement to one of the Gospels. The author wants us to know this is just the Beginning of the Good News. This story of Jesus does not end at the end of this book, but will continue on throughout all of eternity. It’s almost like he is saying, “Hey, I am just getting started.”

In a world that is filled with so much sorrow, grief and pain isn’t it a blessing to hear some Good News? If you are like me, quite often I just don’t even want to hear the local, state, national or let alone the worldwide news. Wars, famines, mass murders, and the like fill the media machine constantly. We should not try to become hermits and try to hide ourselves from these realities. They exist, and we cannot change that truth. Hell exists, even though we have men who try to say that it does not, or that it is not eternal. We have to acknowledge the truth. Yet, as believers we have hope, in that there is Good News to be had.

The Good News that Mark writes about in this book deals with the account of Jesus life, teachings, miracles, His death and also His glorious resurrection. Basically, Mark’s gospel is going to deal with the facts of who Jesus was while He was here on earth.

Jesus would later on read the prophecy of Isaiah 61:1. “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring GOOD NEWS to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives..” This Good News is available to all of mankind and offers us hope when we do not deserve hope at all.

The beauty of this Good News is given to us just in the names and titles of Jesus in this opening verse.

His name is Jesus. This is the name that means Yahweh is Salvation or Jehovah Saves. It is in Him alone that the Good News is fulfilled. He alone is the one, who can save man from his greatest dilemma which is, because we are sinners, we cannot save ourselves. We must come to the one alone who can save us. He is the way, the truth and the life and no man can find any other entrance to Heaven’s doors than through Him alone.

He is the Christ. He is the anointed one or the deliverer of Israel. I love reading the words of Jesus when He asks who do you think I am? Peter replied to Him without any hesitation, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” They were caught up in their Messiah being the one who would deliver them from the Roman’s hands that many of them missed out on the greater issue about His first coming which was they needed deliverance from their sin and from Hell. Here, now stood their Christ, who alone could offer them the spiritual deliverance that they so desperately needed. Jesus would testify to this fact when at His trial He would be asked, “Are you the Christ?” Jesus simple reply was, “I am and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” Jesus told them clearly that He was Messiah. He also made it clear that He would come again a second time as the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy.

He is the Son of God-Why can He deliver us? Why can He declare Himself to be the one who saves? He can do these things because no mortal man can do them, but He as the very Son of God, CAN. He is God in flesh and yet He has come as the Good News into this world. He is the very best of news that this world has or ever will see again.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Lord Remember Me. Nehemiah 13

Have you ever noticed how that quite often if the pastor is gone for the weekend so are the people? How that when the boss is gone often the workers slow down. How that what we do in the dark is sometimes something we would never do in the light. We stray. We walk away thinking no one will see us. Here is the problem though, we are never alone. The Lord never sleeps or slumbers. After their revival and reforms what would Israel do when Nehemiah was gone? I believe in chapter 13 that we see what happened after Nehemiah had gone back to see the king, and now comes back home to Israel.

Nehemiah 13:1-9 ( ESV )

¹On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the Assembly of God,

²for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing.

³As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.

⁴Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to Tobiah,

⁵prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.

⁶While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king

⁷and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

⁸And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber.

⁹Then I gave orders, and they cleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.

On the day that Nehemiah had come back home to Israel the people of Israel were reading from Dt. 23:3-4. This passage dealt with how that the Lord did not want them to marry those from the people of Ammon and Moab. This was not a racial issue but rather a spiritual one as these people wanted to bring their false religion into the mainstream of God’s people. They wanted Israel to reject the God of their people. God had not forgotten how these people had treated Israel. They even had Balaam come in and try to prophesy against them. He was unable to do this deed. He did though, come up with a plan to bring their false religion into Israel by intermarriage of his people with Israel.

Even the priest of the people Eliashib had been affected by this type of thinking. He was to take care of the storage rooms of God. These were the places where grain offerings, frankincense, vessels, wine and oil were to be placed and to be used by the Levites, singers, gatekeepers and the priests. Eliashib, had turned this part of the temple into a place for Tobiah who was a relative by marriage. This is the same Eliashib who had helped with the building of the wall and now he was willing to profane the temple for this man. Surely there were exceptions to the rule might have been his thinking. Eliashib, who was once close to the Lord now allowed family to rule over that which was right. God wanted a cleansed temple, not one room was to be dedicated to another. In the same way this is what the Lord wants of us. We as believers are the temple of the Holy Spirit of God and He wishes to share us with no other.

I love Nehemiah’s reaction to what had taken place while he had been with King Artaxerxes. The Bible tells us that he became very angry, and threw out all the furniture that belonged to Tobiah. It was time for a house cleaning in the house of God. We should feel the same way in our own lives. We should become angry at our sin. When we see our sin we should toss it out, no matter the cost. I want to be cleansed and do the things that will bring me back to God. Is it time to clean your house? Are there rooms that you have let unwanted guests to stay in?

Nehemiah 13:10-13 ( ESV )

¹⁰I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field.

¹¹So I confronted the officials and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their stations.

¹²Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses.

¹³And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers.

While Nehemiah was gone not only had a room been given to Tobiah the enemy but the people had not been giving to help out with the temple and its servants. Paul reminds us that we are to remember that the workers of God are worthy of their hire. It is our duty to make sure that the servants of God are taken care of. They had been willing to take care of the ungodly Tobiah and had forsaken God’s ministers.

Now I am not going to jump on the bandwagon of how a person must give. I realize that we have debts and bills but God and His work should always be given top priority. Are you substituting things, or other little gods for giving to the work of the Lord? He should be the one who takes of our firstfruits. He is not to be treated like a beggar on the street pleading for us to give. We should be willing to give thankfully to Him.

Nehemiah was blunt and asked very plainly, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” Do we have to be reminded about giving to the Lord? We should just do it without question.

Nehemiah 13:15-22 ( ESV )

¹⁵In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day when they sold food.

¹⁶Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself!

¹⁷Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?

¹⁸Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster^£ on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

¹⁹As soon as it began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants at the gates, that no load might be brought in on the Sabbath day.

²⁰Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.

²¹But I warned them and said to them, “Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath.

²²Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.

They had promised to remember the Sabbath day and to keep it holy. Yet, like many of us they became lax in their promise. The Sabbath was to be kept for the people of Israel, so that they would have a day of rest in which they could reflect on the goodness of their God. When Nehemiah came back home, he saw the Israelites, working with the winepresses, bringing in grains, and all kinds of loads being placed upon their donkeys. They were buying and selling products as well. If this was not enough they were allowing merchants from Tyre within their gates to sell their products. They could have used the Sabbath as a witnessing tool to these men of their devotion to their God. Israel chose instead to forsake the commands of the Lord and buy from the people from Tyre.

Once again, may we act like Nehemiah did when he saw a brother in sin, and that was simply to confront them. None of us like to confront or be confronted, but at times we must do this. We must stand in the gap for the Lord. He was blunt with them. Note how Nehemiah dealt with them. Nehemiah brought up how their Fathers had fallen into this sin. He also by doing this was using the scripture to prove his point on what they were doing was wrong. We need to be willing to confront but in a spirit of love and by using His Word.

Nehemiah not only told them not to fall into this sin. Nehemiah also, prevented the suppliers from Tyre and other places to come into the city. Nehemiah had the gates shut. He even threatened the sellers with physical harm if they came in. In the same way we must not only say something is wrong but we must be willing to prevent sin from coming into our sight. Abstain brothers and sisters, Run away. Guard your heart. Make a covenant with your eyes. Whatever you must do by the power of the Spirit, lock the gates of your heart from allowing the enemy even a foothold.

Nehemiah 13:23-31 ( ESV )

²³In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.

²⁴And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but the language of each people.

²⁵And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.

²⁶Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin.

²⁷Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?”

²⁸And one of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I chased him from me.

²⁹Remember them, O my God, because they have desecrated the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

³⁰Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work;

³¹and I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

Why be so hard, against those who would marry these unbelieving people from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab? Why make such a big deal out of it all? Who are we to get involved? I have even heard this from parents, who wonder why I make such a fuss about their children dating nonbelievers. Look at some of the results of what had happened. We know that for many they would be led astray to follow after other gods. Yet, here we see that because of this disobedience they could not speak the language of Judah but the language of each people. The children did not even know how to speak the Jewish language.

Once again this is not a racial issue in this passage. It is a passage though that says that the children were following after the traditions of their other nations. The end result, was that the Lord, was not being honored by them. Rather, they were influencing the Israelites to follow after other gods. If being married to a nonbeliever is not that important than what will be the influence of our Christianity upon our children in this type of a relationship. We live in a day of “Tolerance,” all religion is ok and all roads lead to heaven. This is a falsehood from the pits of Hell. Jesus declared that He is the only way to God. When we fall into this trap of marrying unbelievers, we teach our children that it does not matter what we believe. This teaching could be no further from the revealed truth of God.

How did Nehemiah respond? Everything was peace, love and Bobby Sherman? I don’t think so. Nehemiah grabbed some of them by the hair of their head and dragged them out. This was not a small issue to Him. He then confronted them with the follies of this type of sin by using the Word and reminding them of how Solomon had fallen into this sin. He reminded them with the Word how that God was not pleased, because Solomon’s heart was not as true as it had once been. It was an act of treason to fall into this type of sin.

It had so affected the people that once again we read of how Eliashib had fallen into the sin of compromise. Here he is again, with a family member who was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. His family had been compromised. God was not the most important thing in their lives. Nehemiah did not take this lightly, for the Bible tells us that he chased him from his sight. We will not tolerate sin.

Are we in need of being cleansed? What types of unholy alliances have we allowed ourselves to fall trap to? Are we willing to be cleansed? Look also at what Nehemiah did in verse 31. He never asked the people to do what he himself would do. He purposed to part of the solution to the problem.

One other phrase that I want to draw your attention to is found 4 times in this passage. The phrase, Remember me, O my God is brought up in verses 14, 22, 29 and 31. There will always be people who will remember us when we walk with the Lord and live radically for Him. They will mock us, be deceptive, plan behind our backs and even try to ruin our name. They will act this way and some will even try to destroy His name. Yet, what is more important is that the Lord remembers us. He remembers us during the darkest of trials and remembers us when we are striving to serve Him at all cost.

REMEMBER ME, O MY GOD.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Dedication of the wall. Nehemiah 12:27-47

Nehemiah 12:27-30 ( ESV )

²⁷And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres.

²⁸And the sons of the singers gathered together from the district surrounding Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites;

²⁹also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem.

³⁰And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall.

Let the celebration now begin! This day would be a day of joy, cleansing and thanksgiving for the people of Israel. They needed first of all to gather up all of the Levites that they could for the task at hand. These Levities were the men who were to be Israel’s priestly tribe. This physical work that the people had accomplished was also spiritual in nature. They wanted a time to thank the Lord for what He had accomplished through them.

I tell you brothers, and sisters it was a day filled with the joy of the Lord. The idea of the word gladness carries with it a sense of mirth and pleasure among the people. This resulted in a people who were marked by a thankful spirit. They could not help but to praise the Lord for what He had done.

The joy of music now flooded their souls. They gathered the singers from all throughout the land to join in this day of celebration. Not only did they have singing, but they also had instruments all around them. in this journey. I believe this day was filled with the Spirit of God among His chosen people.

It was not enough that there was a sense of joy throughout the land. We are told in verse 30 that the priest and the Levites purified themselves. They wanted to be clean before their king of kings. They not only purified themselves but also the people and even the walls that they dedicated. This was a picture of how they wanted Israel to be set apart for God. They desired a holiness before their God. This truly was a reason to celebrate.

Nehemiah 12:31-37 ( ESV )

³¹Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks. One went to the south on the wall to the Dung Gate.

³²And after them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah,

³³and Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,

³⁴Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,

³⁵and certain of the priests’ sons with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph;

³⁶and his relatives, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them.

³⁷At the Fountain Gate they went up straight before them by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, to the Water Gate on the east.

This was a celebration that was heard of throughout the whole of the city. Nehemiah, now brought the leaders up to the wall and then appointed two great choirs to give thanks. The first choir that we hear about here, in verse 30, went south. The southern Choir was led by Ezra the scribe. The scribe who had earlier helped them build the temple now went before this joyous crowd.

One person’s name stands out to me in this passage, and how he would have loved to have been there on that day. David was not only the former king of Israel but a man who loved the music of God. I am reminded of how when the ark was brought back to the land during his time. When he saw it come into the city the Bible tells us that he danced with joy before the ark. It was a day of rejoicing for this man of God. Yet, his wife Michal, would mock him for expressing himself in this way. David would say, “I will make merry before the Lord. I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes.” There should be order in our worship brothers and sisters but also realize there should be joy as well.

Nehemiah 12:38-43 ( ESV )

³⁸The other choir of those who gave thanks went to the north, and I followed them with half of the people, on the wall, above the Tower of the Ovens, to the Broad Wall,

³⁹and above the Gate of Ephraim, and by the Gate of Yeshanah,^£ and by the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate; and they came to a halt at the Gate of the Guard.

⁴⁰So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half of the officials with me;

⁴¹and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;

⁴²and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Mal-chijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader.

⁴³And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.

This was not a chaotic form of worship, as once again we see another group with Nehemiah in it, going to the northern area. They came to a halt at the Gate of the Guard. Both choirs now stood and gave thanks along with their officials and Nehemiah. They could not help but be thankful for how God had watched over them. The trumpets of Israel now declared His glory, along with Jezrahiah the leader of the choir. What a day that must have been.

In the midst of it all the people offered great sacrifices to the Lord. This caused them to rejoice even more. Think about that for a second, they rejoiced even as they made sacrifices for the Lord. Do I have that attitude in my Christian walk? When I sacrifice for the Lord does it bring me pleasure? Listen, the women and children rejoiced and their joy was so loud that they could be heard far away.

God had made them rejoice with great joy. He took part in their rejoicing as they celebrated His goodness. He helped their joy to be even more complete. I love the words of Zephaniah when he says, “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 (E.S.V)

Nehemiah 12:44-47 ( ESV )

⁴⁴On that day men were appointed over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the Law for the priests and for the Levites according to the fields of the towns, for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered.

⁴⁵And they performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the command of David and his son Solomon.

⁴⁶For long ago in the days of David and Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songs^£ of praise and thanksgiving to God.

⁴⁷And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers; and they set apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was for the sons of Aaron.

Here is where we see the proof of their joy. It was spread out even more by their giving, and their obedience to the Lord. They wanted to take care of their priest, singers, gatekeepers and the Levites. They rejoiced over their priests and Levites who ministered for them and their God. They celebrated and gave thanks like they had done in the days of David and Asaph his choir leader. They also had made it into a time of purification.

Why was there such joy in the land of Israel on this day? I believe they rejoiced for two main reasons. One, they rejoiced over how God had been so gracious to them in the building of the wall. Secondly, they could rejoice in that they were willing to be obedient to the Lord by setting themselves apart for His work and for His glory. May these things be true in our soul as well.

Deep in thought? Doubt it. More like sleeping through the storm. :)

Saturday, July 23, 2011

The New Frontier. Nehemiah 11:1-12:26

As I now get older I enjoy a good western. My Dad, would be proud of me, as I never really liked them when I was a kid. I like the stories of the Wild West and when the settlers began to settle down in a certain area. It took a different kind of man who would be willing to sacrifice the comforts he had grown used to as he now moved westward.

In a way that is what is now taking place in Nehemiah 11:1-12:26. Some of these people had come earlier during the time of Zerubbabel around 538 B.C. as recorded in Nehemiah 12:1. The majority who had returned earlier, were scattered abroad throughout the land. Now, Nehemiah has completed the walls of Jerusalem and a new group has come with him to the land. They would now go about the task of trying to repopulate the newly walled city of Jerusalem.

The city of Jerusalem if it was to continue on would need volunteers to live within its walls. This became an important need in order for Israel to continue on as a country. They would need people who would be willing to leave their old homes and establish new ones in the city. The question on how to do this would be answered in the next few verses and the following chapter.

Nehemiah 11:1-12:26 ( ESV )

¹Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten^£ remained in the other towns.

²And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem.

The leaders of the people needed to establish a capital city for their country. In verse one we see how that the leaders would live in Jerusalem to form a place for government and a center for their religious worship. This was an incredible act of faith on their part, and for the others who would live there. Remember, as we saw earlier, many that had help build the walls around Jerusalem had done so, without even having their own homes built. They had already sacrificed so much.

Do I have that kind of a heart? Am I willing to lay aside my own needs, comforts and desires to step out and minister at all cost? These men and women had a vision for the land of their Fathers and they were willing to risk it all.

One of the ways, that they went about in trying to get the people to live in Jerusalem was to use the casting of lots. This was still valid during this time in order to seek the Lord’s will. Proverbs 16:33 testifies to this fact. When they would cast the lots one out of every ten would stay in the city of Jerusalem to help get it back on its feet again.

Even more incredible to this story is that some men willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. This took an entirely different kind of mindset. These guys were willing to take on this hardship in order to see the God’s vision become real before their eyes. They wanted the cause of Israel to succeed at all cost. They were willing to give up comfort for the thing that they could not see as of yet. Like Abraham they were trusting God in this endeavor.

They came from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. They were made up of priests and Levites who would help them in their worship of God. Some would be gatekeepers and singers, yet all would serve a purpose for the Lord within the cities walls.

Still yet 90% of the people lived outside of the city of Jerusalem. They lived out in the fields and villages and other established areas. Now there is nothing wrong with those who lived in these other places. Not everyone was chosen by lot or was willing to stay in Jerusalem. God wanted to use these others to repopulate the rest of the land. They had a purpose and heart for the Lord just as much as those who were willing to rebuild Jerusalem.

When I read this passage I am always reminded of one of my old friends Rodney. Rodney and I spent a few weeks together when I was young in the ministry and I had the privilege of hearing him speak often. One of my favorite sermons of his was one that was called FRONTIER FAITH. It dealt with the calling of God on Paul’s life and the work that he had for Him to do.

Romans 15:20-21 ( ESV )

²⁰and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation,

²¹but as it is written, ^£“Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.”

Paul’s greatest desire was to share the gospel where Christ had never been preached. He wanted to share Jesus with people who had never been told about Him. What a joy to go among a group of people who have never heard the gospel shared or about Christ love for them. What a blast, to see my fellow brothers, see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, shine in the eyes of people who have never heard of Him.

Not all of us are called to a new frontier, but for those who are called to that kind of work, they will truly be blessed. Yet, I also believe, that even if we are not called to the mission field, we should go out to our next door neighbor who has never heard. We should try to strike up friendships and share our faith. It will take courage. It will take His strength. Yet, can you think of anything, that brings greater joy, than sharing the Gospel with someone?

Like the Israelites who stayed in Jerusalem it took courage, but it also took an intense amount of work on their part. The same will be true for us when we are willing to step out into a new frontier of sharing Christ with others. It’s time for us to build our missions just outside the gates of Hell.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Paradise

From the very beginning when He spoke the world into existence it had been about a relationship. Throughout all of eternity past within the Godhead the three had and still exist as one. They are perfect in unity, in thought and in purpose. No greater relationship has or ever will be as whole as the triune God that created us. Now this God wants us to experience what it is like for us to have a relationship with Him.

I love the Genesis account of creation when it just says these simple three words, “And God said.” Just by His mere voice He spoke everything into place. Colossians 1:16 tells us how the Son had part in the creation.

Colossians 1:16 ( ESV )

¹⁶For by^£ him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

Note what Colossians 1:16 states not only were all things created through Him but it also gives the reason for Him creating the world which is, it was created FOR HIM. This world and all that is in it including mankind was created as the possessions of God. We were made for Him. He wants us to be one with Him and to experience that relationship that He has within the trinity. He wants us as His creation to be intimate with Him and Him alone. I believe that this is the basis for why He wants no other gods before Him because as He says in Exodus 20, “I the Lord your God am a jealous God.” God does not want to share us with others. This may sound selfish but we have to remember that in Him alone do we find perfect love. In Him alone is our life made whole.

From the very start God wants us to understand that He wants what is best for us in our relationship with Him. He wants to lavish us with His love. Our God wants what is best for us as His children. Note in Genesis 1:29 what He says to Adam.

Genesis 1:29-31 ( ESV )

²⁹And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.

³⁰And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

³¹And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Constantly throughout Genesis One we read these words. And God saw that it was good. 1:10, 1:12, 1:18, 1:21, 1:24 and 1:31. The creation that He had made for Himself was a good thing. In the same way as Adam and Eve walked upon this earth they could see that their God did not want to withhold anything good from them. He wanted what was best for them.

When you read Genesis, it reads like a flashback from a movie scene. You know what I mean like when we see the story of a character being played out and then in the middle of the movie you are shown something about him that happened earlier in his life. He now plays back to what happened on the day that He created Adam and Eve. In chapter 2:7 we see how that, “The Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” Note also that we are now introduced to several trees that are growing in the garden in verse 9. These trees were pleasant to look at and also good for food. He also states two trees by name, one tree is called the Tree of Life, (I believe that it was to remind Adam that God wanted Him to have a relationship with Him for that of eternity. As we will see in verse 23 God will take Him away from the garden and this tree which apparently could cause him to live forever. We will not see this tree again until Revelation 2:7 and Revelation 22:2.) The second tree would be the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which would be the downfall of His creation.

As a side note one may ask, “Why, did He even put the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden? The only answer I have for that is that God in His great love for us did not want us to love Him without a choice. He, just like us, wanted a relationship with us not out of, I Must, but rather because I choose Him.

Now we come to the part of the story that I want to spend the majority of our time thinking about. Please take a look with me at what God said about His creation in 2:18.

Genesis 2:18 ( ESV )

¹⁸Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for^£ him.”

This is the first time that we hear these words, “It is not good.” What was not good? It was not good for man to be alone. Remember throughout all of eternity past, God had experienced the relationship that He has within the Godhead. He now wanted His creation to experience what a relationship was like. He did not want Adam to be the only one of His kind. I believe that He wanted man to understand his need for a relationship by allowing Adam in verses 19-20 to see how God’s creation was marked by the need of having others of their kind to be with. Adam looked around and saw that there was not a “helper fit for him.” This is not a demeaning word but rather has the idea of completion. Adam was not whole. This becomes part of the beauty of Genesis 2:21-23.

Genesis 2:21-23 ( ESV )

²¹So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.

²²And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made^£ into a woman and brought her to the man.

²³Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”^£

He took Eve from the very rib of Adam while he was in this deep sleep from God. Adam knew that this woman was a part of Him. She was bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. He now had living before Him one whom he could have a relationship with. One he could talk to, listen to and be one. The God who had created him for an intimate relationship now allowed Adam to be able to see how a relationship worked. God wanted them in verse 24 to be one. Everything was perfect. Paradise now lived on earth. When they looked upon each other they knew that they were meant to be together. They had a relationship with the God who hung the stars in place and He would walk in the Garden with them.

Remember brothers and sisters in Ephesians 5:32 we read these words.

Ephesians 5:32 ( ESV )

³²This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

One of the great mysteries of the Bible is that of how our marriages are a picture of the relationship of how Christ loves the Church. When God created Eve for Adam and brought them together as one He did this so that we could see through a marriage relationship how Christ loves us. As believers our marriages should be such that when the world looks at our relationship they can see how Christ loved the church and how the church is to love Christ.

Wives are to submit themselves to their husbands as their gift to the Lord. That word submit has fallen into hard times. Yet, Ladies when you are willing to do this you show to the world how that the church is willing to follow the lead of Christ. How the church is willing to give their all and trust in Him alone.

Men, you must understand though that the heavier burden falls upon you. The book of Ephesians says that you are to love your wife. Well that sounds ok, as a matter of fact that sounds better than submission. Let us not forget all of what Ephesians 5:25 states:

Ephesians 5:25 ( ESV )

²⁵Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

We are not to just love our wives but to love them as Christ loved the church. What kind of love is that? Total sacrifice. Even if they do not respond, we are to give of our lives for them. You see I believe when this takes place a woman will be more willing to submit. We as men should want to help her live a cleansed life and set her apart from all others. When we do this we show to the world how Christ loved the church.

This was the beauty of Eden. This was the beauty of the place called Paradise. Man and woman had a relationship with each other that pleased their God and He said it was good. Man and woman also had a relationship with their God and it was good. That is until sin entered into the relationship and then Paradise would be lost.

We know the story of the temptation of Adam and Eve and how Satan tempted them both to take of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Man had now chosen to go his own way and forsake the love that God had so lavished upon him. They had became prideful and chose to go against what God had given them in their relationship. They became ashamed and tried to hide themselves from God. Then we hear of these words which once brought them pleasure but now brought them dread.

Genesis 3:8 ( ESV )

⁸And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

The relationship would forever now be changed. The man would turn against the woman in verse 12 and even blame God for giving her to him. The woman would try to turn and put the blame on the serpent in verse 13. Shifting of blame would now become a part of life and instead of lovingly confessing our sins one to another we would now blame the very ones we profess to love.

Punishment would now be handed out. The serpent would crawl upon his belly and there would be enmity between Satan and man as well as God. The woman would have a desire to go against her husband and find pain in childbirth. The man would now work in a way which would cause sweat upon his brow. Both man and woman would also experience death.

They died in the garden just like God said that they would in Genesis 2:17. Yes, they would eventually die physically but more importantly they died spiritually that day in the garden. The creator/creation relationship would now be different. This to me is the greatest of all of the punishments that was dealt upon man that day. We would not be able to experience physically walking in the cool of the day in the physical presence of God. They would be cast out of Paradise. They could not be in Paradise because this was the place where the Tree of Life had been place and God did not want them to reach out their hand and live forever. How cruel this must sound. Yet, I believe that God was being merciful because if you remember we see this tree next time in Heaven in Rev. 2:7 and 22:2. How was this being merciful? God did not want man to have eternal life and still be sinners bound for Hell. Yes, we lost it all. Most importantly of all though we lost the greatest relationship ever known, that is the relationship between God and man.

The Bible teaches us that not only do we not have a relationship with God but we are because of our sin at enmity with God or at war. We follow after other gods constantly. We make ourselves cheap like Ezekiel states and fall into the arms of lovers who care not for our souls but only want to use us. What can be done to restore paradise? What can be done so that we can be one with Him?

Maybe one of the most beloved chapters of the Bible can reveal that answer to us. The conversation was held between Jesus and a man by Nicodemus who had come to Jesus at night. Jesus would strip him away of all his preconceived ideas about God and how he could come back to the garden’s relationship. When Jesus told him these words.

John 3:3 ( ESV )

³Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again^£ he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus you want this relationship back with God. You have to be born again or you will not see the kingdom of God. Nick, you need to be born from above or born of God. You can’t do it on your own, you need me. I alone gave you life and I alone can give you spiritual life again. You are dead and you need me, to make you whole again. How would He do this?

John 3:16-17 ( ESV )

¹⁶“For God so loved the world,^£ that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Nick, God loves you, but not only you. He loves the world. He loved it so much that He gave His only son to die for your sins so that you would not have to perish. He does not want to condemn this world but He wants to save this world through what I will do on the cross and by rising again from the dead.

Think about this, this is how much the Father wants to have a relationship with you. He was willing to allow His Son to take your place so that you and I could be at peace with Him once again. So that you and I could walk with Him in the cool of the Garden. This is the greatest love of all and He gives it to everyone who is willing to put their faith in Him.

SALT AND LIGHT