TREASURE OR TRASH?

After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”  (Gen.15:1)

As a young boy, one of my favorite things to do was to read comic books.  Inside, there would be a few pages of advertisements offering the neatest things imaginable—onion gum, soap that turned your skin black, stink bombs—stuff like that.  The ads made the products sound so good.  Adjectives like “life size,” “gigantic,” “sure to frighten,” and so forth tantalized my imagination.  When I wanted to order some of these things, my father would say, “No!  It’s just junk!”  What did he know?  I saw it in a book!  Finally, I pestered him until he let me send in my hard-earned money from mowing lawns, and I waited with great expectation, until the mail carrier finally brought the package.  Eagerly, I tore into the box, and do you know what it was?  A bunch of junk!  What I thought would be treasure turned out to be trash, and the people who sold this stuff were laughing all the way to the bank. 

That is much like the Devil does when we won’t believe our Heavenly Father and seek earth’s trash rather than eternity’s treasure.  Satan knows how to advertise his pleasures—making them sparkle and shine.  God says, “It’s junk!  You may have fun playing with it awhile, but you’ll quickly tire of it.  If you will just be patient and see the reward I have for you!  Trust me!”

Abraham—or Abram as he was called at the time—was a man who decided not to accept the world’s cheap substitutes, but to look to God for real reward.  His nephew Lot had been sucked into Sodom—that had already cost him much (read Gen.14), and he would soon pay a horrible price.  Abraham refused the wealth offered from the wicked King of Sodom (Gen.14:22-23).  He rejected the treasures tarnished by the hands of a vile ruler.  All he had in his pocket was God’s IOU—but that was enough for him.  As the story unfolds in Genesis 15, God promises to come through and not only bestow a reward, but BE his reward!  Ultimately, only God can satisfy the deepest need of our heart.  We were designed with a God-shaped hole in our soul that only He can fill.  Everything else leaves us empty and longing for more.

Make no mistake—it costs to serve God.  Abraham had given up his home and moved out of his comfort zone to travel into an unknown future in response to God’s call.  He had yielded his rights in a property dispute with Lot.  Yes, it costs to serve God, but it costs so much more not to do so, and it is actually a faith investment that will pay rich dividends later.  Abraham became heir of the righteousness required to gain Heaven.  It is the righteousness of faith—and that is the only way to obtain it.  All that God is and has is available by placing your trust in Christ.  In contrast, think of how Jesus described Hell as Gehenna—the garbage dump outside the Holy City of Jerusalem.  So, the question is—do you want treasure or trash?

TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH

 

“For so the Lord has commanded us:

‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles,

That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”  (Acts 13:47)

Christ has commissioned His church to take the Gospel to the whole world.  Our task is not complete until all have heard this good news.  The church at Antioch in the first century took the command seriously.  They became the launching pad for what we call, “International Missions,” today.  They started the job, but now it is up to us to finish it!

 

There was THE CALL THAT WAS EXTENDED.  “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ ” (Acts 13:2)  The Spirit of God is still calling men and women into His work.  Yesterday, I had the joyful occasion to fill out a missions organization recommendation form for one of our church’s members who believes God has called her to go to the ends of the earth.  Is He speaking to you?

There was THE COMMISSION THAT WAS EMBRACED.  “So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.”  (13:4)  The church confirmed those who were called.  The Holy Spirit directed the missionary movement each step of the way.  A church that fails to embrace God’s heart for the world is in rebellion toward God, no matter what else they may be doing.

There was THE COMMUNICATION THAT WAS EXCLAIMED.  “And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews.”  (v.5a)  Paul and Barnabas proclaimed the Gospel.  The Word of God is the seed of eternal life—and none are saved apart from its regenerating power.  There are many needs in our world—inadequate housing, hunger, poverty, illiteracy, disease—and we should address these.  Our primary call, however, is to preach the Gospel, for that is the greatest need!

There was THE CONFRONTATION THAT WAS EVIDENT.  “But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul.”  (v.45)  A missionary movement is in its very nature an invasion of enemy territory.  Satan will always fight the truth with both heresy (see v.6-11) and hostility (v.44-52), but, the Gospel is invincible—and we see that in Acts.

There were THE CONVERSIONS THAT WERE EXPERIENCED.  “Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”  (v.48)  We sow the seed.  God is responsible for the harvest.  He calls out His elect through His missionaries.

There was THE CELEBRATION THAT WAS ENJOYED.  “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”  (v.52)  The birth of a baby brings great joy to a family.  How true that is when the church sees new sons and daughters of God birthed by Gospel witness!  Let us enthusiastically take the Gospel to the ends of the earth!

WE ARE HIS HANDS

 

“Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen,

My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased!

I will put My Spirit upon Him,

And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.”  (Matt.12:18)

When vandals broke off the hands of the statue of Jesus at Christ the King Catholic Church in San Diego, the church did not replace the hands, but put an inscription below, “I HAVE NO HANDS BUT YOURS.”  A poem expresses that truth like this:

            Christ has no hands but our hands to do His work today;

            He has no feet but our feet to lead others in His way;

            Christ has no voice but our voice to tell others how He died;

And, He has no help but our help to lead them to His side.

That is the church—the Body of Christ.  We are His hands to do His work.  That which the Lord Jesus did in His human body during the days of His flesh is now our responsibility.

There is a COMMISSION.   “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen…” (v.18a).  Jesus knew He was commissioned to seek and to save the lost (Lk.19:10).  Before He ascended back to Heaven, He gave us the same task, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (John 20:21b)

There are needed CREDENTIALS.  “My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased!”  (v.18b)  Christ’s resume’ was impeccable.  His Employer’s evaluation was of excellence.  While we will not be perfect—or no one could serve—we must have integrity rather than hypocrisy, seeking to practice what we preach.

There is a CAPABILITY.  “I will put My Spirit upon Him…” (v.18c).  Although He was fully God, Christ lived as model man—in dependence on the Holy Spirit.  He told His disciples that they must tarry in Jerusalem until endued with power to perform their assignment.  Our capability for our mission is found in His might.

There is a COMMUNICATION.  “And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.”  (v.18d)  God is just—and would remain so—even while justifying sinners.  Christ would take our sins and give us His righteousness.   That is the good news we communicate!  The message will not be one of condemnation, but one of compassion.

“He will not quarrel nor cry out,

Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.  

A bruised reed He will not break,

And smoking flax He will not quench,

 Till He sends forth justice to victory;

And in His name Gentiles will trust.”  (v.19-21)

Are we harsh with sinners?  Jesus never was!  He was merciful, and we are to be—especially when we consider that we are in need of mercy too!  People are bruised, and easily broken, if we do not treat them tenderly.  Their hope is only a glowing wick that needs a gentle breath to reignite it or it will be extinguished in darkness forever!  May God use us to show Jesus to our world today!

MAN WITH A MISSION

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah.  (Nehemiah 1:1a)

Jesus was a Man with a mission.  His mission statement was “to seek and to save that which was lost.”  (Luke 19:10)  There was a singular purpose.  The Apostle Paul likewise had a laser-like focus, “but one thing I do…I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  (Phil.3:13-14)   In the Old Testament we see a like-minded man with such a heart for the people of God—Nehemiah—a man with a mission.  As you read his book, his devotion to the Lord and dedication to God’s people pervades every page.  No matter what leadership role he occupied his zeal was for the glory of God and the good of God’s children.  His story can challenge us.

We see him as an ATTENDANT.  “For I was the king’s cupbearer.”  (Neh.1:11b)  God does a work by first preparing a leader.  God prepared Noah to preserve life on earth.  He prepared Abraham to establish a covenant people.  Then, God prepared Moses to deliver those people.  Many more examples could be furnished, but this is ever God’s way.  He placed Nehemiah in a strategic spot.  It wasn’t by accident, but appointment; not coincidence, but providence.  That is true of each of us.  We are where we are by the sovereignty of God to make an impact for Him on our circle of influence.  Nehemiah would throw caution to the wind, and step out of his comfort zone.  That’s faith, and God blesses it wherever He sees it (Heb.11:6)

Nehemiah was an ARCHITECT.  “Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.”  (2:17b)  He was more than a butler—he was a builder.  He knew the walls needed rebuilding for the preservation of God’s people.  In a spiritual sense, leaders of the church are “wall-builders” against the threats that abound in this hostile world.  Nehemiah surveyed the extent of the need, the availability of resources, and came up with the plan, provisions and personnel to get the job done.  He did more than tell the people what to do—he rolled up his sleeves and set the standard.  The general doesn’t need to sit in a tent at the back of the army, sending out orders to the troops, but lead the charge from the frontlines!  “So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.”  (4:6)  Are we motivating people by serving rather than demanding to be served?

Nehemiah was an ADMINISTRATOR.   “I was appointed to be their governor…” (5:14a).  He proved himself to be an able administrator.  Although he never shirked responsibility, he also knew the importance of team building, organization and delegation.  He didn’t allow his position to become a point of pride.  His leadership manual was the Word of God.  His power for service was prayer.  Thus, he tapped into Divine wisdom that guided his leadership.  This wisdom intersected with the people in every dimension of life—government, finance, worship and family.  Godly leaders share practical truth, functioning as salt and light for all of society.

Be a person God can use—I assure you that He is willing if you are!

FROM DARKNESS INTO LIGHT

About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”  And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?”  So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.  (Acts 10:3-4)

Imagine what it would be like to be blind from birth.  You have never seen a fiery sunset, never observed the mountains in their dazzling palette of autumn colors, never witnessed a beautiful butterfly flitting among blooming flowers on gossamer wings, and never gazed on the gleam of a child’s eyes and glow of their smile on Christmas morning.  Then you have an operation.  The doctor removes your bandages.  Your pulse quickens as light floods in.  You lose your breath, overwhelmed by the explosion of color.  Can you imagine what joy you would feel?

On a spiritual level that is akin to the miracle of Acts 10.  The Gentiles who were blind to truth—sitting in the darkness of sin—would come into the light of God’s love!  This marked a breakthrough moment in earth’s history—the dawn of a new day.  Hope arose and its brilliant promise through the Gospel now illuminated the possibility of anyone, anywhere coming to faith!  Oh happy day!

God had been at work, preparing a sinner and a soul-winner simultaneously.  Cornelius was a religious man, but not a regenerate man.  He was a sincere man, but not a saved man.  The Holy Spirit was at work, however, in His heart, drawing him to something more, something else—Someone—namely the Savior.  Miles away, God was breaking down the prejudice in the heart of Simon Peter.  The old fisherman was going to be a fisher of men—and this prize catch would come from a different stream than he had ever cast the Gospel before!

Why didn’t God just use the angel to communicate the Gospel while the celestial messenger was at Cornelius’ home?  Why didn’t God Himself not speak audibly to Cornelius and call him to salvation in a vision as He spoke to Peter?  God, in His providence has chosen saved sinners to reach out to the unsaved.  He uses vessels of flesh and blood—full of frailty and marked by their own failures—to fill with His love and then pour that love out upon others.

What is a Gospel witness?  Peter proclaimed Jesus.  If you promote the church, people can find fault with the church.  If you point to the preacher, people can find flaws in the pastor.  If you push the programs, people can find reasons they don’t like those programs.  But, if we point to Jesus, none can legitimately find fault in Him!  He is the Light of the World—and we must bring people to encounter Him.  Then, as old John Newton would sing,

I once was lost but now am found,

WAS BLIND BUT NOW I SEE.

LETTING YOUR GUARD DOWN

And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard.  Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent.  (Gen.9:20-21)

There are millions of germs—and some of them deadly—floating around us.  Our immune system protects us, but those bacteria are always probing for a weakness in our body’s defenses.  Sin works like that—a virus looking for an opportunity.  We cannot let our guard down.  Sadly, Noah did.  Being close to God did not eradicate the possibility of sin.  He walked with God, but he would still stumble.  He was used of God to preserve the human race, yet failed to preserve his testimony.  The reality is there are no spiritual heights we can climb from which we may not fall!  There is no experience with God on this side of heaven that will eradicate the potential of yielding to temptation.  In fact, one of the most dangerous times in a believer’s life is after a great spiritual victory.  Our tendency is to relax, and when we let out guard down—Satan pounces!  That’s how Peter could go from being commended for his confession of Christ as the Son of the Living God one minute and being rebuked as Satan the next!  “Rocky” let his guard down, and was decked by the Devil.

Noah responded to the global crisis with victorious faith, but failed in the mundane matters of daily life.  For all the good he did, there is this stain on his record.  Even worse, there was a ripple effect in his family!  D.L. Moody, an evangelist mightily used of God, prayed earnestly late in life that God would take him home before sin ruined his testimony.  Thus, he kept his guard up.  As I approach six decades of life, I find myself pleading with God in the same way.  What people tend to remember about us is the last thing—may the last thing be a good thing!  We want to go out with our head held high rather than hanging in shame—to run through the finish line and not stumble down the homestretch.  Paul was able to finish strong.  I want to finish with a sizzle and not a fizzle!  Here is a better last will and testament:

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.   have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.  (2 Timothy 4:6-8)

May God help us keep our guard up!

ARE YOU WILLING?

And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”  Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.”  Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.  (Matthew 8:2-3)

Jesus was willing to touch the untouchable—are you?  The church is the Body of Christ; we are to be an extension of His hands to a world without hope apart from His grace. 

Leprosy was a loathsome disease.  It brought ISOLATION.  Because of the danger of transmission, the leper had to warn people to keep their distance by crying, “Unclean!  Unclean!”  They were often driven from society and forced to live in leper colonies.  Can you imagine what it would be like to live day after day without human touch—no hugs, no kisses, not so much as a handshake—driven away and excluded?  Yet, there are so many like this in our world today—children who have been orphaned with no one to care for them, the elderly who are often warehoused in a nursing home , the homeless—some whose minds are burned out from substance abuse, those with mental disorders stuck a group home.  Nobody comes to see many of them; nobody seems to care.  To touch them may mean to touch someone dirty and disheveled.  Saliva may drool down their chin, food stains may soil their shirt, crumbs fill their lap and sometimes feces fill their pants—all while the smell or urine pervades the air.  Will you touch them?

Leprosy not only brought isolation, but INSENSITIVITY.  The disease robs a person of feeling.  The capacity to feel pain is lost.  All around us we see such—hollow faces and glassy eyes—they are numb from neglect.  What do we do?

Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter,
Feelings lie buried that grace can restore;
Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness,
Chords that were broken will vibrate once more.

Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.  (Fanny J. Crosby)

The insensitivity leads to INJURY.  You might think that to feel no pain would be a good thing—but it would be terrible.  You do not know when you burn your hand, or step on a nail.  Have you seen pictures of lepers with missing digits, maimed and crippled?  A leper might go to sleep on the streets of Calcutta, India, and awaken with a finger gone because a rat chewed it off in the night—and they didn’t even know!  There are folks you will see today whose lives are being gnawed away little by little by this world, and they don’t even realize it.

Leprosy is a picture of what sin is and does.  Sin separates us from people.  It robs us of feeling.  Sin eats away at our life.  It ultimately brings death.  We are all born with moral leprosy.  If we were healed by Christ’s grace, it is because someone reached out to us.  Are we willing?

SECRETS OF SUCCESSFUL SERVICE

 

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel. Ezra 7:10

What makes a successful athlete, businessman, or musician?  There are many contributing factors, but a chief characteristic is the successful man or woman has clear objectives and consuming commitment to reach those goals.  That it true of spiritual success stories, also.  The Apostle Paul underscored that in Philippians 3:13-14, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  The Old Testament prototype we will examine today is a man named Ezra.

The first secret of successful service modeled by this man is to DESIRE THE WISDOM OF GOD: “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD….”  The writer of Proverbs extols the virtue and value of God’s wisdom.  When young Solomon might have chosen anything from God’s treasure chest, the young king chose the riches of Divine wisdom.  That was the channel through which God’s blessing flowed into his life, and through him into his reign.  Ezra was gripped with the same passion for the treasure of truth.  The wisdom of God is found in the Word of God.  Successful servants of God, are diligent students of Scripture.  “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  (2 Tim.2:15)  Have your prepared your heart to seek God’s wisdom in His word like Ezra?

The second secret of successful service seen in this scribe is to DO THE WILL OF GOD: “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it….”  James enjoins us to, “be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (1:22).  This implies that we can:

• Find the Will of God.  God has fashioned us for His purposes, and furnished us with His gifts.  He wants us to discover His design to make an eternal difference.
• Follow the Will of God.  God never calls us to a task unless He also supplies the tools.  God never fails to provide.  Daily decisions determine destiny!
• Finish the Will of God.  This is a spiritual legacy.  Some leave behind footprints in sand, washed away by the tides of time, while others set their steps in cement, and mark out a path for others to follow to the finish.

The third secret of successful service exemplified by Ezra is to DECLARE THE WORD OF GOD:  “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.”  Spiritual success stories are written in the hearts and minds of those shaped by the influence and instruction of the servant of God.  The baton of truth is carried faithfully by the man or woman in their leg of life’s race, but then is transferred to others, who then will do the same.  This is discipleship, and is the indispensable mission of the church, and the indisputable mark of a successful servant.  That’s what I’m trying to do today, and what I pray you will seize and relay on to another—and we will celebrate together in victory in glory!

HOW THE CHURCH GROWS

 

Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.  (Acts 6:7)

Where there is life, there is hope—we’ve heard that.  Another truth is that where there is life, there is growth.  A healthy child with proper nourishment will grow, and so when churches are healthy, they grow as well.  That is the pattern in the early church.

The church grows by CONFRONTING PROBLEMS.  “Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.”  (Acts 6:1)  This church made progress, but wasn’t perfect.  When problems inevitably came, they confronted and corrected them.  Ignoring a minor infection can lead to a life-threatening condition—and this is also true of the Body of Christ.

Growth also requires CONSIDERING PRIORITIES.  “Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, ‘It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.’”  (Acts 6:2)  It wasn’t that caring for these widows was beneath the dignity of the preachers—it was just that their mission and gifts were in other areas and they dare not be diverted from their calling.  A way to meet this need was found, but the primacy of prayer and preaching could not be compromised.

The church grows then by CONSTRUCTING PLANS.  “‘Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”’  (Acts 6:3-4)  The larger the church, the greater was the need for organization. Sustaining and expanding the work demanded larger ministries and leadership development.  When a church listens to God and leans on the Holy Spirit, He guides us to strategically install personnel and implement programs for healthy growth.

Underscore this, then, that the church grows by CHOOSING PEOPLE.  “And the saying pleased the whole multitude.  And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.”  (Acts 6:5-6)  Everything rises and falls on leadership.  The “church staff” can never do it all.  A healthy church needs all the members of the Body functioning.

The church continues to grow by COUNTING PROGRESS.  “Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.”  (Acts 6:7)  We don’t choose between diet (teaching) and exercise (evangelism and ministry) since both are required for health.  What gets measured gets done.  A church must check its vital signs regularly.  Even the hard-hearted priests experienced life-change—and spiritual transformation leads to numerical multiplication.  May God make our church have such an irresistible impact!

HOW GOOD DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO GO TO HEAVEN?

For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  (Matthew 5:20)

How good do you have to be to go to heaven?  We don’t expect to see Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin walking arm in arm down the streets of gold.  “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”  (1 Cor.6:9-10)  So the question is not, “Do bad people go to heaven,” but, “How good do you have to be?”  Jesus gives the shocking answer.

He says that we must have a righteousness superior to that of the scribes and Pharisees.  Yet, they were some of the most religious people who have ever lived!  They were experts on the Bible, fasted and prayed regularly, paid tithes and gave offerings, and were consistent in gathering for worship.  Their religious code was stricter than the Law of Moses.  Jesus said, however, our righteous must exceed theirs to go to heaven!  You would have been impressed with their piety, but Jesus said of them, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.”  (Matt.15:8)  No matter how they—or we—clean up the outside conduct, we are inwardly corrupt.  The self-righteousness of the Pharisees is inadequate.  Compared to the irreligious, such people seem righteous, but God doesn’t grade on the curve.  Each of us are examined in relation to His perfect holiness—and all of us miss that mark, falling woefully short of the glory of God (Rom.3:23).

So, how good must you be to go to heaven?  You must be as good as God!  It gets worse, “For the wages of sin is death…” (Rom.6:23a), and that isn’t limited to physical death, but, “the second death…the lake of fire.” (Rev.20:14-15).  What bad news for all of us!  Yet, the very word Gospel means, “good news.”  The good news is that the rest of Romans 6:23 goes on to say, “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  There was one Perfect Man—Jesus Christ—that met all the righteous demands of God.  Not even His enemies could find real fault in Him.  He paid the price of death to meet the impeccable standard of justice a Holy God required.  Even more, when we place our faith in Christ, His flawless righteousness is deposited in our account, so that when God views believers, He doesn’t see us as we were—we have been crucified with Christ (Gal.2:20)—He sees us as we are—in Christ.  “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  (2 Cor.5:21)

Remember that list of bad folks—like us—shut out of Heaven?  Paul went on to add, “And such were some of you.  But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”  (1 Cor.6:11, emphasis added).  As Paul Harvey famously said, “And now you know…the rest of the story!”

AS DIFFERENT AS NIGHT AND DAY

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the LORD.”  Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.  And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD.  Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.  (Gen.4:1-5)

Anyone who has had more than one child can tell you that each one is unique.  Even in the case of “identical” twins, you will find distinctions among the similarities.  As no two snowflakes are identical, so each human is different.  Sometimes they are as different as night and day.  That was certainly true of two brothers—Cain and Abel.  One was faithful  (full of faith) and the other was faithless.

The results of sin’s curse became readily apparent.  When a bouncing baby boy named Cain emerged from the womb, Eve gave him that name because she saw Cain as the fulfillment of God’s prophecy that her seed would vanquish the Serpent (Gen.3:15).  Instead, Cain would prove to be of the Serpent’s spawn.  Another baby was born—Abel—and his name meant, “vanity,” suggesting that Eve was already disappointed by the way Cain was turning out.

The brothers were different in their choice of vocations—one becoming a tiller of the field and the other a tender of the flock.  But, the primary difference in the two was spiritual—seen in the fact that Cain’s offering was rejected, while Abel’s was received.  Hebrews 11 gives us the Holy Spirit’s explanation, “By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.”  (v.4)  Abel was faithful and Cain was faithless.  Why did Abel have faith and Cain did not?  Again, we turn to the New Testament, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  (Rom.10:17)  Apparently, God had given His Word to Adam and Eve, when He clothed them in animal skins—that the work of man’s hands cannot atone for sin—it required the shedding of blood.  Cain might have purchased a lamb from his brother, but he rejected the Word of God and God rejected his offering.  Jude 11 speaks of “the way of Cain,” which is the way of false teaching—a religion of self-righteous works rather than the righteousness which comes by faith.  Cain’s angry response rather than humble repentance disclosed the depravity of his heart.  Cain saw no need to bring a blood sacrifice, but had no qualms about shedding his brother’s blood.

We could say more, but let me close with this—everyone reading these words is either faithful or faithless.  Your spiritual forebear is Cain or Abel.  None of us can be forgiven without responding in faith to the blood of the Lamb of God—the Lord Jesus Christ.  The two are as different as night and day—the faithful entering God’s Eternal Day, while the faithless is cast into, “outer darkness.”  (Matt.25:30).  We are the seed of the Serpent or sons of God.  Read 1 John 3:10-19 for further insight. Who is your spiritual father?

CONFRONTATIONAL CHRISTIANITY

 

Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.  And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.  And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.”  So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.  Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”  And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.  So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.  (Acts 3:1-8)

Do we practice confrontational Christianity?  If we don’t, then we might wonder if we have the real deal.  Jesus polarizes.  People either loved Him enough to die for Him, or hated Him so much they wanted Him to die.  They bowed to Him as the Son of God, or berated Him as the son of the Devil.  Jesus did not tolerate neutrality.  His entry into the world upset the course of things forever.  His followers would do the same in His name.  Status quo was stripped from the church’s vocabulary.  In the Book of Acts the disciples are referred to as those, “who turned the world upside down” (17:6).  Their preaching started riots.  It was not their intent.  It is just the nature of truth to do so.  It wakens the sleeping dog who snarls and snaps in response.  The Gospel confronts people with the need of salvation because all are sinners threatened with judgment, and the reality that receiving Christ in repentance is the only way to be saved from that sin.

When Jesus healed a lame man at the pool of Bethesda, a tide of opposition mounted against Him, and now as Peter and John heal a man outside the Temple gate in His name, the same crowd will arise in hostility.  Anytime God is at work, Satan will be stirred up.  The church that cowers behind its four walls can be mostly ignored, but the one that invades enemy territory in transforming power will arouse Hell’s ire.

It is hard to explain away the miracle of a changed life.  That is what the crippled man bore witness to in dramatic fashion.  He was a beggar who couldn’t work, content with a few coins tossed his way.  But Peter and John were used to communicate that God had something better.  The miracle drew a crowd.  Astonishment reigned.  What about the nature of our church life—is it amazing or average, miraculous or mundane, dynamic or dull, blessed or boring?  On Sunday morning, do people who have been rocked to sleep in Satan’s arms, snore on, while we nice people put on our nice clothes and go to our nice church in our nice cars to sit in our nice pews and in nice fashion do nothing to awaken a nasty world in need of warning to flee the wrath to come?

You would think everyone would be happy with Peter and John. The Devil’s crowd was not—and they won’t be with you unless you practice some tepid, bland pseudo-faith.  God deliver us from that!

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH JESUS?

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)

It is a timeless question—as relevant today as when first spoken 2000 years ago.  Jesus was on trial for His life and the Roman governor asks the crowd, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”  (Matt.27:22)  How will you answer?  Your response will be the difference between heaven and hell.  In our text, we see three possible responses.

There is the SELF-CENTERED RESPONSE of Herod.  “When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. (Matt.2:3)  “And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.’”  (v.8)  “Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.”  (v.12)  Herod was concerned with taking care of himself.  He wanted to preserve his position if it meant slaughtering babies.  He shook his fist in the face of God.  Many do today.  Herod represents all who show hostility to Christ.  It is a war against God that cannot be won.

There can be a SELF-RIGHTEOUS RESPONSE like the Scribes.  “And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  So they said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.”’ ” (Matt.2:4-6)  These were the religious elite who should have been seeking the Messiah, but it is evident they were not.  The self-righteous sense no need of a Savior.  Their heads were filled with Scriptural prophecies, but their hearts were empty of spiritual passion.  Unlike Herod’s hostility, these exhibited apathy.  That response makes one just as hell-bound as haters of God.  Jesus would warn that if we are not with Him, we are against Him.

We need to show a SINCERE SEEKER RESPONSE like the Magi.  “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”  (Matt.2:1-2) “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”  (v.10-11)  Think of how far they came, and the cost of their gifts.  They were drawn by God and came to worship.  They would find Christ—nothing else would satisfy.  That is the response that brings salvation.

What are you going to do with Jesus?

THE FIRST NEW YEAR’S DAY

 

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.  Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.  And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.  God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night.  So the evening and the morning were the first day.  (Genesis 1:1-5)

The best place to begin is the beginning!  Here we are in a brand new year, and launching into a year of reading our Bible through.  Our point of departure is the first chapter of the first book of the Bible.  On this New Year’s Day, we consider the first New Year’s Day—and it starts out with a bang!

In the first sentence, we are introduced to the Author and Subject of this Holy Book.  There is no attempt to prove His existence—logic would dictate that everything made was made by someone—and this Someone is God.  When the beginning began, He was already there—eternal and uncreated.  There is no hint of a spontaneous explosion, where nothing became something, and through eons of time, random events and mutations brought this vast complexity of the universe and all it contains into being.  Rather, we have the determinative act of an Almighty and Sovereign Designer, fashioning all things.  He does as He pleases and directs as He purposes.  Nothing inspired Him but His own will and nothing can thwart that will—and every bit of it for His glory.

From the formless mass, chaos becomes cosmos—the Spirit of God brooding over the primeval oceans as a mother hen hatching her chicks.  Suddenly, by the sheer power of His spoken Word, light erupts from the darkness.  Happy New Year!  Happy new everything!  God said it was good—and so it was.

There would come a day of cosmic sorrow, however.  From bright beginnings, sin’s curse would degrade this good creation—life yielding to death—Satan the usurper claiming dominion relinquished by man’s disobedience.  Remember this, however:

This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.  (Maltbie D. Babcock)

Some golden daybreak, there will be the dawn of paradise regained, “Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’”  (Rev.21:5a)  Happy Eternal Day!

OUR HIDING PLACE

 

You are my hiding place;

You shall preserve me from trouble;

You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.

 Selah  (Psalm 32:7)

Years ago, the godly Corrie Ten Boom wrote a book—later made into film—called, “The Hiding Place.”  It documented God’s preservation of her life through years in a Nazi concentration camp.  She did find God to be her strength and shelter who preserved her.  If you have never read the book or seen the movie, I would encourage you to do so.

The fact is that this world is filled with foes.  Satan and his minions are continually seeking the downfall of God’s people.  We, however, have a strong tower—a place to hide from Satan’s fury.  The Lord God Almighty is our refuge.  We are secure in Him.  Trouble abounds, but God protects and preserves our soul from trouble.  It is true that our physical state may suffer.  Corrie Ten Boom did, and her sister died from the brutality of their imprisonment for the cause of Christ.  Some of God’s choice servants have not been immune from hardship and heartache.  Still, the real person who is promised to be preserved is the soul that indwells this body—our spirit that is in this world but not of it—if we have been born again.  My life is hid with Christ in God.  None can pluck me out of His hand.  Having come to Christ, I cannot perish!  God is our hiding place, and I run to His arms!

HOW IS YOUR LOVE LIFE?

 

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”  (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)

How is your love life these days?  I don’t mean your relationship with your spouse—though that is important—but, I’m speaking to your romance with your Redeemer.  How is that?  That relationship is paramount.  That’s what the Old Testament teaches and in the New Testament Jesus affirmed as the most important commandment.  We may not have a spouse, but we must have a Savior.  A good marriage can sweeten our home on earth, but salvation assures us of a home in Heaven. 

Some marriages are struggling—the love life isn’t what it once was.  The hearth at home is cold where the fire has gone out.  Unfaithfulness will prove destructive.  So, may our love relationship with the Lord diminish and we may find ourselves drawn to the seductive voice of the world. 

Would you be honest today?  How is your love life?  Can you recall a time when you read the Bible with such delight as if gazing upon a love letter—and now it is rather boring?  Do you remember the joy of spending time in prayer—an hour would race by so quickly—and now you seem too busy to pray, or it’s just a routine?  Can it be that you used to have His songs in your heart and His name on your lips—pleased to gather with your church family to celebrate Him—and now you have other things on your mind, and more pressing matters on your agenda?  It can happen, but it doesn’t have to—guard your heart!  If the romance has faded, it can be rekindled.  Seek His face today!  Once more pledge your love to Him who has given His love to you!  Meditate upon His goodness.  Look to His Word and listen to His voice.  Get back to the house of God where you belong!