Temptation—Luke 4

Alone in the desert with nothing but His thoughts and growling stomach, Jesus awaits the coming battle with Satan. He has been fasting forty days, spending time in prayer preparing Himself mentally and spiritually. When Satan enters the battlefield, he first attacks Jesus where He is logically most vulnerable, the stomach long awaiting nourishment. When this one fails, Satan then moves on to money and power, finally challenging Jesus in the arena of status. Were these simply random assault choices, or were they more of a calculated strike?

All of these temptations are related to Jesus’ mission on earth.  If Jesus gives into the temptation and does what Satan is telling Him, the cross is no longer an option to save mankind from their sin because at that point Jesus would not be a worthy sacrifice.  If Jesus does Satan’s will, He would at that point be a sinner just like the people He came to save.

v     Turn stones to bread…or…“You can provide for Yourself, You don’t need God.”

v     Worship Satan and receive wealth and power…or…“You don’t need to go to the cross, I can just give the power and authority to You.”

v     Jump off the pinnacle of the temple because God will not let Jesus get hurt…or…“You can serve the Father on Your terms.  God will do whatever You tell Him to do.”

Notice in the 3rd temptation that Satan incorrectly uses a passage of Scripture himself to attempt to trap Jesus.  Satan quotes Psalms 91:11-12.  When the psalmist wrote this, he was not referring to Jesus alone.  If somebody looks at the first two verses in this psalm, the psalmist is talking about those who take refuge in the Lord.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God , in whom I trust.” -Psalm 91:1-2

Take a look at how Jesus answers Satan after each of these temptations. Jesus does not attempt to reason with him. Jesus does not attempt to bargain with him. Jesus does not simply ignore Satan’s onslaught. Each challenge is met with Scripture. Jesus lets God’s Word do the talking for Him.

v     “Man shall not live by bread alone.” (Deuteronomy 8:3)

v     “You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him.” (Deuteronomy 6:13)

v     “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” (Deuteronomy 6:16)

If Satan challenged the Son of God, he will challenge us as well. Being tempted is not a sin; however, giving into Satan’s whims is. The Tempter is smart, observant, and untiring. He simply watches, patiently waiting for the right moment to ambush or blindside his enemy. He did not give up attempting to seduce Jesus. Satan merely waited until a “more opportune time” according to Luke 4:13. If we successfully stand against him once, he will continue to try when least expected. The best thing we can do is prepare ourselves for the inevitable battle that faces us each day.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

-Ephesians 6:10-13

Love—A Word Study

What is love? Age is only one determining factor. To the broken-hearted, it’s a four-letter word. To the teenager and young adult, it’s an erotic emotion. To the middle-aged and elderly, it’s (hopefully) the stability of knowing your partner is trustworthy, reliable, and faithful to their family. How does the Bible view love?

In Koine Greek, the language of the New Testament, there are actually four words for love - agape (ἀγάπη), eros (ἔρως), philia (φιλία), and storge (στοργή). Each carries a different connotation. Agape is an unconditional love. Eros is the explicit, erotic love between husband and wife. Philia is a brotherly type of love. Storge is used for the affectionate love often between parents and children. Only two of them are used in the New Testament, philia and agape.

According to http://neverthirsty.org, a verb or noun form of philia is used 54 times in the New Testament while some form of agape is used 259 times. Philia is used by Peter in response to Jesus’ questioning after His resurrection in John 21:15-17. In 1 Timothy 6:10 when Paul says that the love of money is the root of all evil,  he warns against placing money at the same level of importance as one’s family members.

The agape (unconditional) form of love is the type of love Christians should be aiming at. Since the church is often referred to as the Family of God or as brothers and sisters in Christ, one would think that passages stressing unity, agreeing with one another, and placing others before themselves such as Ephesians 4 and Philippians 2 would use the word philia (brotherly love). Surprisingly this is not the case. These actually use the agape form. In other words, Jesus and the New Testament writers are instructing Christians to love each other with an even deeper, more convicted dedication than earthly family members have for each other. Jesus tells his apostles their shared love will confirm their identity.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. -John 13:34-35

The Apostle Paul discusses the qualities of unconditional love when writing to the Corinthian church. In the 16 descriptions used, 7 are in the positive while 9 are listed in a negative way. All 16 are in the present tense. This indicates an ongoing action. Thus the qualities Paul lists are not meant to be completed and then discarded. Each of them are meant to be strived for, attained, and continually improved on day after day.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; 

-1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Agape love which Christians should be aiming at everyday does not come naturally. It takes practice, dedication, and time. Let us strive to be like our Savior, loving one another unconditionally.

-Kevin W. Smith

What is love?

1 Corinthians 13 is one of the best known, and motivationally misunderstood love passages in the Bible. People often look at this passage and get a warm, fuzzy feeling while imagining Paul waxing eloquently about true love. This could not be further from the truth! The Apostle Paul was fussing at the Corinthians because of their childish misunderstanding of what was truly important. These people were focusing on the importance of the spiritual gifts they had received. Paul says apart from love, these gifts mean nothing even going so far as to compare them to a noisy gong or clanging cymbal. Paul then gives the characteristics of what agape (unconditional) love entails.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails;

-1 Corinthians 13:4-8

After this, the apostle circles back to the topic of spiritual gifts in order to reinforce the importance of love over all else. He tells the Corinthians in verses 8-12 that these beloved gifts of prophecy and speaking in tongues will be done away when the “perfect” or “complete” comes.  These gifts were used as a way to confirm what the speaker was saying and to enlighten the people about what God’s Will was since they did not have the luxury of the completed Bible. As a result, we understand this “perfect” or “complete” to be the recorded Word of God.

Paul closes out this chapter with a simple yet powerful statement about three things Christians hold dear-faith, hope and love. He comes to a very important conclusion concerning these while reiterating his point once more on the importance of love.

But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

-1 Corinthians 13:13

Today, we have been given many gifts, talents and abilities within the Body of Christ. These can be very useful in service to God as well as the building up of the Body. However, we must be careful to remember what is most important to God. Just as Paul told the Corinthians, without love we are simply noise-making nothings. We need to learn to love like our Savior because love is the only thing that will last.

I Never Knew You—Matthew 7

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in Heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your Name, and in Your Name cast out demons, and in Your Name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ -Matthew 7:21-23

Those are among the most terrifying verses in Scripture. To think that someone could spend their entire lives working for the cause of Christ only to be turned away on Judgement Day is enough to make even the most faithful servant doubt their own promised salvation. Is God planning to hoodwink those who have committed their lives to Him?

The short answer is, “No, God has always and will always be faithful.” That being said, what does this statement by Jesus mean? Until I was finishing up a Bible study at Wendle and Clairice’s last week, I had never taken a very close look at this passage. Notice the last half of verse 23 is in all-caps. Translators do this to help the reader recognize a passage is a direct quotation from the Old Testament. This statement is part of Psalm 6. That being the case, consideration of the psalm is necessary to better understand what Jesus is referring to and who He is directing this comment towards.

David is in trouble. Surrounded constantly with those seeking to do him harm, he does not seem to know who to trust. As a result David turns to the Lord for comfort and peace. It is in this setting that he writes in verse 8 of the psalm, the words we hear Jesus echo in Matthew 7:23.

With Psalm 6 in mind, consider Matthew 7:15-23. Jesus has just warned those listening to beware of false prophets calling them ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing (7:15). He says these people will be known by their fruit (7:16-20). In light of David’s words, Jesus seems to be referring to those on the inside, appearing to work for and honor God. These are people who are seeking to be “near” Jesus for the honor, authority, power, and recognition serving Him has to offer. These people are focused on what they can personally get out of “working” for God but are enemies of the cross of Christ in actuality.

Was Jesus referring to the Pharisees or to those who would be a part of the new church? This is unclear, but it is likely He is addressing both since He blasts the Pharisees in Matthew 23 calling them hypocrites for the way they conduct their lives in light of their teachings. The New Testament writers warn constantly about false teachers (see Philippians 3:1-2, 2 Peter 2, and 1 John 4 as examples).

God is faithful. He has made great promises to Christians about a restored relationship and eternal homes with Him in Heaven. All of the promises He made in the Old Testament were fulfilled. God has always and will always be faithful. He will not hoodwink His people.

Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah- Psalm 148

One of my absolute favorite songs in our hymnals is William J. Kirkpatrick’s Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah, which echoes the words of Psalm 148. When I was younger, I liked the song because it was upbeat and fast-paced, but I did not understand the reason behind praising God. He seemed a bit arrogant and hypocritical to me because He told people to praise Him but then instructed the same people to be humble and not seek praise themselves. It was not until I was in college that I truly began to understand the song and by extension the Psalm from which it was based.

Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights! Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all stars of light! Praise Him, highest heavens, And the waters that are above the heavens! Let them praise the Name of the LORD, For He commanded and they were created. He has also established them forever and ever; He has made a decree which will not pass away.

-Psalm 148:1-6

Creation is commanded to praise God because of what He has done for it. He spoke. It came into being. He is the Architect, the Creator, the Establisher, the Law-Maker, and the Word. Because of these roles, God is worthy of praise and honor. The psalmist continues to elaborate on this praise-giving creation until verses 11-12.

Kings of the earth and all peoples; Princes and all judges of the earth; Both young men and virgins; Old men and children. -Psalm 148:11-12

Mankind. Men, created in the image of God, and women, created from the image of man and thereby in the image of their Creator (1 Corinthians 11:7), are given free-will to determine whether to love God or spurn Him. Too often choosing to cast aside God’s decrees and even deny His existence. God brings an indictment on His people more than once because of their refusal to offer Him glory, honor, and praise.

Isaiah begins his book by comparing Israel’s faithfulness to that of an ox and donkey.

Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth; For the LORD speaks, Sons I have reared and brought up, But they have revolted against Me. An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master’s manger, But Israel does not know, My people do not understand. -Isaiah 1:2-3

Israel, His people, comes up lacking. Let us be as wise and faithful to God as the ox and donkey. Let us seek to honor our Creator and King with every breath because He alone is worthy. Remember, He spoke and everything came into being. He is the Architect, the Creator, the Establisher, the Law-Maker, and the Word.

Celebrating Christmas—Lots of Reasons!

During the Christmas season, many people (who normally would not worship God) celebrate the birth of Jesus. This leads many members of the church (often spear-headed by preachers) to spend an enormous amount of time making qualifying statements such as, “Even though Jesus wasn’t born on December 25…” While this fact is true, I have rarely heard anyone give an actual answer to why the 3rd century church began celebrating the birth of Jesus on this date. Here is some historical background written by Helene Henderson from the book Holiday Symbols and Customs that will help us understand the Christmas holiday better.

The ancient Roman WINTER SOLSTICE festival known as Saturnalia was held in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture...In the early days of Saturnalia, a mock king was chosen by drawing lots.  His role was to preside over the revels, which often included making ridiculous demands of his subjects-such as asking them to dance naked.  It is possible that his behavior represented the last relic of a very ancient custom, which was to have a young man take on the role of Saturn for the duration of the festival and then when his brief reign ended, be killed or sacrifice himself on the altar by cutting his own throat.

[The early Christians] deliberately set [the date of Jesus’ birth] to coincide with this pagan festival, which had degenerated over the centuries into a week-long spree of debauchery and crime.

The Christians also took many of the symbols used in the Roman festival and gave them new meanings.

Mistletoe and Holly: In Saturnalia, these were used to ensure return of vegetation at winter’s end. However, the sharply pointed holly leaves became symbols of the crown of thorns to Christians. The mistletoe became symbol of hope and peace.

Lit and Decorated Tree: Originally Rome borrowed this symbol from the Egyptians. It was a symbol of the death and reincarnation of Osiris in his son Horus. However when Christians redefined the festival, the tree became a symbol of eternal life due to the type of tree chosen. The use of evergreen trees was rumored to begin in the 16th century.

Wreaths: During Saturnalia, these were used as a symbol of the unending cycle of life. They were also symbolic of victory and honor. In 16th century Germany though, Christians used them as symbols of God’s love which has no beginning or end.

Should Christians celebrate this festival surrounding Jesus’ birth today given it’s pagan history?

Consider what is recorded in Luke 2. Jesus’ birth was celebrated by many when it happened. Angels praised God. Shepherds came from the fields when they heard the announcement. Wise men came from the East when they saw the star. Simeon and Anna both worshipped God at the sight of the baby Jesus.

Despite the lack of a commandment to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Christians took one of the hedonistic and sinful holidays celebrated by the Romans and redefined not only the events and symbols but also the meaning and purpose behind it. The Christmas season serves as a brief glimmer each year pointing people, uninterested in God, back to their Creator. It gives Christians another reason to celebrate the Savior. Let’s use this holiday as a beacon to point people to Christ instead of a soapbox to discuss discrepancies.

Planning in Order to Succeed!

One of the most difficult parts of a preacher/teacher’s preparation is simply deciding what topic or passage to preach or teach on each week.  While study and wrestling with the passages are still necessary, once the decision is made, everything tends to go much faster and easier.  Personal Bible study is the same way.

The spiritual benefits of diving into Scripture are enormous.  The problem is personal Bible study and sometimes simply reading God’s Word can be a daunting task.  The Bible is a BIG book.  Just deciding where to start for the day has the power to stop a person in their tracks if they are not careful.  There are other pressing daily matters.  This is Satan at work.  He does not want us reading God’s Word, and Satan certainly does not want us to study it!

In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Paul tells Timothy, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”  Notice the benefits Paul mentions for learning the Scripture.  No wonder Satan throws roadblocks in our way!  He does not want us able to teach ourselves, our children, our friends or neighbors. When we see sin creeping in to take hold of us, Satan does not want us to rebuke and correct ourselves or others we care about.  Neither  does he want us to be adequate and equipped to serve God.  Satan wants us complacent, uninterested and lacking!   

We have been blessed to have an opportunity to hear God’s Word.  We have been blessed to have a copy (and in most cases multiple copies) of His Word in our homes, on our phones, on our iPad’s, and on the internet for free use.  God has given us this access to help us be like Christ.  Don’t let Satan trip you up as you seek to grow closer to God.  Here are some tips to begin.

1. Use a reading plan.  There are a number of different plans on the internet and in Christian magazines available for all types of study.  I personally like a plan that uses a combination of the Psalms, Old Testament, and New Testament each day.  Another favorite is spend a month in Proverbs.  By reading one (1) chapter of Proverbs each day, you will finish  this book in only one month (7 out of 12 months).

2. Are you having trouble finding the time to “fit” reading or study into your day?  Getting up 10 minutes early or going to bed 10 minutes later is one solution.  Another option is getting an audio Bible to listen to God’s Word throughout your day while doing other tasks. You could also try writing one or two verses on a piece of paper and stick it in your pocket.  Pull out the paper throughout the day and read it over.

3. Take your Bible to work and read during breaks.

4. Just open your Bible to a random spot and start reading.

5. Get together with a friend and agree to read a portion and talk about it together each week.

One Major Vision—Resurrection

During last week’s sermon about the resurrection of Lazarus, I tried to make a point of just how rare, unique, and unexpected this particular miracle really was. I attempted to make a list of the resurrection occurrences throughout the Old Testament and up to the resurrection of Jesus off the top of my head. After talking with Duke on Monday, I realized I made a mistake in my recounting. As a result, I decided I needed to make a physical list of these rarities to help emphasize just how amazing the resurrection of Lazarus would have seemed to the people, to fix my mistakes, and to clear up any confusion. Like I said during the sermon, “People don’t just rise from the dead!”

In the Old Testament, there are three (3) different events plus one (1) major vision. This does not include the resurrection prophecies. Here is the list:

—————————————————————————————————————————-

Elijah and the widow’s son                             1 Kings 17:17-24

Elisha and the Shunammite’s son                  2 Kings 4:18-37

The man buried in the grave of Elisha            2 Kings 13:20-21

Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones                    Ezekiel 37:1-14

In the New Testament, there are five (5) resurrections before the establishment of the church. Here is the list:

—————————————————————————————————————————-

Widow of Nain’s son               Luke 7:11-17

Jairus’s daugher                     Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:22-46, Luke 8:40-42

Lazarus                                   John 11:1-46

Dead raised at Jesus’ death   Matthew 27:52-53

Jesus’ resurrection                 Matthew 28:1-15, Mark 16:1-13, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-18

In the New Testament, there are two (2) resurrections recorded after the establishment of the church.

—————————————————————————————————————————-

Dorcas                        Acts 9:36-43

Eutychus         Acts 20:6-12

Scripture records the prophets, the apostles, and Jesus healing many people or freeing them from demons. As you can see from the lists above though, God did not often show His power through raising someone back to life. In fact, the largest percentage of these are performed by God Himself through His Son.

There is one more resurrection that all of creation is waiting for and Christians should be anticipating (Romans 8:18-25). The one described by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 at the 2nd Coming of Christ. There is only question that must be answered. Will we be ready?

In Good Company!

Christians often struggle in their walk with God. Sometimes this is related to things out of their control but sometimes this struggle has to do with the company they choose to keep. Paul says,

“If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE. Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals.’ Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.”

-1 Corinthians 15:32-34

The Apostle Paul faced all sorts of challenges because of his faith in Jesus. The next time we consider following God “too difficult,” consider what Paul was forced to deal with in 2 Corinthians 11:18-33. After examining his list, our struggles take on a new light! He served God and endured these hardships with spiritual motives because of the resurrection of Jesus. How do we get this type of motivation?

Paul says the people we spend time with affect our attitudes and behaviors. If we choose to spend the bulk of our lives with “bad company,” their sinful practices and ideals in our lives are likely to show up in our lives. Paul says Christians need to be “sober-minded and stop sinning.” In other words, clear-thinking and right-doing.

King David put it this way:

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” -Psalm 1

David says if we want to be pleasing to God, we must do two things. First, we must constantly be aware of those around us including those we choose to take advice from. We must walk with, stand with, and sit with righteous, godly people. These types of people will help us to grow according to God’s Will.

Second, we must find delight in God’s Will. This includes both what He has written for us in His Word as well as what He desires for us to do in our service to Him. By staying in the Bible we learn more about God. By practicing what He says to do, we grow to be more like Jesus.

If we are willing to walk, stand, and sit with God’s people and seek to delight in the Law of the Lord, we will be firmly rooted and productive in God’s service. In other words, walking with Him will be our joy.