Tag Archives: Jesus Christ

A Favored People!

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-The Holy Spirit’s Indwelling!

We are a favored people to live in the age of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling of believers. We should be incredibly thankful that we live in a day when the fullness of God’s Triune nature has been revealed; and, because the Spirit is God’s Gift to us, we can have a deeper & fuller relationship with God than did our brothers & sisters who loved God during Old Testament times. It was back in the 1st chapter, v.32, of John’s Gospel when John the Baptizer testified: “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him (Jesus).” Jesus also had many things to say, about the Spirit, in His conversation with Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” John 3:5.

-The Spirit Gives Life!

In John, ch.6, Jesus also said, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing ….” But, there’s a major shift in the way that Jesus speaks about the Holy Spirit when you turn the page of Scripture to John, chapter 14. God, the Father, seems the most prominent in His Old Testament work with Israel. God, the Son, takes the spotlight in the New Testament as He comes to make atonement for the sin of mankind. But, in some of Jesus’ final words to His disciples, as He prepares to return to the Father after the cross, He elevates the Holy Spirit to front & center by His work in us! The Holy Spirit is truly God’s gift to us!

-It Was More Profitable!

And, though difficult for His disciples to understand at the time, Jesus told them that it was more profitable, for them, that He would return to the Father so the Holy Spirit could come to indwell them. It was more profitable because Jesus, in His human body, could only be in 1 place at a time; and, have an influence limited to a few people at a time. But, the Spirit would be available to minister to every believer in every place in the world at any time! And, from Jesus’ words, in John chapter 14, we come to understand that the Holy Spirit is a Person just like Jesus is a Person.

-He’s Not A Mystical Force!

There are many misconceptions about the Holy Spirit. He’s not some mystical force like Star Wars; nor, is He an impersonal power that God offers to Jesus’ followers. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is God; that, just like Jesus, He is a being with a mind, emotions & will. When Jesus says, “…I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever” (14:16), He uses the word “allos” (ἄλλος) which is a descriptive word that means: “another of the same kind.” In other words, Jesus is saying that “…the Holy Spirit will be a counselor/helper just like Me.” During Jesus’ ministry with His disciples, He had guided them; He had guarded them, and He had been their Teacher.

-God: The Holy Spirit!

Now, after His death & resurrection, the Father would send the Holy Spirit to do the same thing for them that Jesus had done when He was present. In Acts, chapter 5, after Ananias had lied about the amount of money he had received from the sale of a piece of property, Peter asked him:  “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?” So, he lied, Peter said, to the Holy Spirit, right? And, in the very next verse, he says, “You have not lied to men but to God.” He used the Holy Spirit interchangeably with God. So, he lied to the Holy Spirit, who is God, Peter said. That makes Him a person; because you can’t lie to an impersonal force. Then, Jesus finishes His statement to the disciples:  “I will ask the Father,” He says, “and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever” (14:16). In other words, God’s gift of the Holy Spirit will never be taken from us! God, the Father, has given us the Holy Spirit to enjoy forever!

The Spirit Of Truth!

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-He Came Alongside Him!

Many of you are aware that I’m a big baseball fan; and, one of my favorite baseball stories is about the friendship between the Dodgers Hall-of-Fame shortstop, Pee Wee Reese, and his teammate, the great Jackie Robinson. In 1947 Robinson bravely broke the color barrier, that should never have existed, when he became the 1st African American to play Major League baseball. Facing incredible racism, that continues to be a blight on our nation’s history & shamefully still persists today, he experienced jeering crowds in every stadium he played. One day, while playing at his home stadium in Brooklyn, he committed an error and the fans began to ridicule him loudly. As Jackie stood, humiliated at 2nd base as the fans continued to boo him, Pee Wee Reese walked over to him, stood next to him, and put his arm around him; turning to face the crowd until they quit their booing! Later, Jackie Robinsons said, “That arm around my shoulder saved my career.”

-Helper! Comforter! Advocate!

What Reese did that day was very much the kind of ministry the Holy Spirit does for us.  In John’s Gospel, chapter 14, as Jesus’ disciples struggle with His announcement that He would be leaving them soon, He encourages them with these words: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth” (vs.16-17). And, that word translated “Counselor”— some of your translations render it “helper” or “comforter” or “advocate”— is “parakletos” in the original Greek language. The word is used in reference to someone who is “called to one’s aid.” “Para” means to “come alongside.” If you’re a Paramedic you “come alongside” someone to provide medical assistance. Pee Wee Reese came alongside Jackie Robinson. He came to Jackie Robinson’s aid.

-He Sent The Holy Spirit To Aid Them!

Jesus told His disciples not to fear; because, when He left them, He would send the Holy Spirit— ”parakletos”— to their aid. It is only by God’s Holy Spirit that we are able to break free from Satan’s grasp to do Jesus’ work by God’s power! It has been my experience that the Holy Spirit, the 3rd member of the Triune Godhead, is either the most ignored or the most misunderstood member of the Trinity. What Jesus says about the Spirit, in John’s Gospel, is absolutely vital to your spiritual health. If you’re trying to live the Christian life without a proper Biblical understanding of the Holy Spirit’s work, you’ll suffer from spiritual malnutrition and you’ll be ineffective for the Lord! Listen to what Jesus says: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn’t see Him or know Him. But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.” (vs. 16-18)

-Don’t Leave Home Without Him!

And, Jesus continues speaking to His disciples about the Holy Spirit: “I have spoken these things to you,” Jesus continues, “while I remain with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit—the Father will send Him in My name—will teach you all things & remind you of everything I’ve told you” (vs.25-26). Don’t leave home without the Holy Spirit. The Capital One card may ask, “What’s in your wallet?”; but, God is asking, “Who’s your parakletos?” Who’s coming alongside you to give you the aid you need to live a life that counts for eternity? Jesus says that the Holy Spirit is God’s gift to us. He says, “I will ask the Father, and He will GIVE you another Counselor…” (v.16). I’m going to ask the Father, Jesus says, to give you someone! The indwelling Holy Spirit is the Father’s gift! We are a favored people to live in the age of the Spirit! We should be incredibly thankful that we live in a day when the fullness of the Godhead has been revealed.

The Creator Of All Things!

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-The World Created Through Him!

What the Apostle John says about Jesus, in the opening verses of his Gospel, is astonishing! He says, of Jesus, that, “All things were created through Him, and apart from Him, not one thing was created that has been created” (v.3); and, then LOOK @ v.10 “He was in the world, and the world was created through Him.” Just let the weight of those words sink in for a moment! Jesus, whom John calls “the Word made flesh” in v.1, was the Creator of all things! The Apostle makes it clear that Jesus was NOT God’s 1st created being who then created everything else! No, he says, ALL THINGS were created through Him!

-Everything In The Category Of “Created”!

In other words, He created ALL THINGS; and, so that no one could misinterpret or misunderstand what he was saying, he clarified his statement:  “…apart from Him (apart from Jesus, the Word); apart from Him, not one thing was created that’s been created…” Everything in the category of “created” was created by Jesus! He was outside of everything created; and, other writers of Scripture confirm that. The Apostle Paul, inspired by God’s Holy Spirit, wrote: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him…” (Colossians 1:15-20).

-The Fullness Of God In Jesus!

The fullness of God was in Jesus, and everything was created by Him! Though the word “trinity” is nowhere found in the Bible, it’s a doctrine revealed in Scripture from the very first page. If you’ve never been shown this before, you’ll want to make some notes in your Bibles at Genesis, chapter 1, v.26. It reads, “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…’” So, who is God talking to? Many Bible scholars see God, from the very beginning, to be a multiple person being; at the very least to be more than one person. And, it’s only as God reveals Himself in Scripture that we see that He is a Triune God; or the Trinity. Some suggest that even here, in the 1st chapter of Genesis, the Triune God can be seen working together in the act of Creation. Look at vs. 1-2, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” That would be God, the FATHER. “Now the earth was formless & empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths & the SPIRIT of GOD was hovering over the surface of the waters.” There’s God, the HOLY SPIRIT. And, v.3 “Then God SAID…” There’s the WORD of God; or Jesus as John calls Him.

-An Awesome God!

Our God is an Awesome God, amen? His greatness is magnified in Jesus because He concealed the glory of His fame in the form of an earthly frame! That’s what the Apostle John says next: “The Word became flesh and took up residence among us” (v.14).  We’re not forcing our views onto the text when we say that Jesus, the Word, became a man. We’re not forcing our views when we say that God became a man because John clearly states that “…the Word was God…”; and, “…the Word became flesh…” In the last part of v.14, John says, “…we observed His (Jesus’) glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” In other words, John is saying that Jesus shared the same glory as the Father; the glory that comes from being God! And, most Bible students believe John is referring to Jesus’ transfiguration recorded in Matthew’s Gospel (17:1-8). They observed His glory at that time; the glory He shared in the Godhead!

The Word Became Flesh!

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-Jesus: The Word!

The opening verses of John’s Gospel reveal that “The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as of the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). And, even though John doesn’t mention Jesus by name until v.17, it’s quite clear that the “Word” is a person; and, that Person is Jesus! In v.15 he writes that John the Baptizer testified who the “Word” was; and, we know that he testified about Jesus! So, here’s the point; John says in that first phrase, in v.1, “In the beginning was the Word…” So, Jesus, the “Word”, existed in eternity before the beginning of everything!

-In The Beginning!

I think it’s fascinating that the Spirit of God led John, the Apostle, to introduce his Gospel with the same 3 words as opened the book of Genesis— “In the beginning…”  And, the Genesis account went on to say that, “…God created the heavens & the earth…”; and, that becomes even more significant as you get further into John’s 1st chapter. It is no accident that both books begin the same way. So, John locates Jesus, in relation to time; that He was before time. At the “beginning” of everything, including time, Jesus already existed. Jude concludes his short little book like this: “To the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen”  (Jude 1:25).  The Apostle Paul wrote Timothy that God gave us grace, in Jesus, “…before time began…” (2 Tim 1:9).  Before there was time & matter there was Jesus! He’s the eternal One!

-Jesus Was God!

Go back to the 1st chapter of John’s Gospel; and, John also testifies that, “…(Jesus) the Word was with God & was God…” (v.1). And, in the next verse, he continues, “…He (Jesus, the Word) was with God in the beginning…” (v.2).  The essence of His identity is found in that one brief phrase— the Word was God! And, while that phrase is incredibly simple, its weight couldn’t be any heavier! It boggles my mind to think that Jesus— a man; a historical figure that walked on this planet— was GOD! Before He took on the nature of a man; before He became flesh, He existed eternally as God! He fellowshipped with the Father & the Spirit before the universe came to be!

-Before Time & Space!

When time & space began, Jesus was already there. And, if that isn’t enough to hurt your brain, the next thing John says about Jesus, the “Word”, is equally astonishing. Look at the next verse: “All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created” (v.3). And, then look at v.10: “He was in the world, and the world was created through Him” Let the magnitude of that thought just sink in for a bit; that, Jesus, the “Word” who was made flesh, was the Creator of everything! Jesus, the “Word”, who was born in a dirty old manger!

-Jesus: Your Maker!

Jesus, the “Word”, who lived a perfect life; who taught us; and, who died for us because of our sin, is the One who created everything! Jesus, your Savior, your Lord, and, your Friend, is also your Maker! Someone put it like this: “The most obvious and important connection John makes is this: The God who created the universe is the One who was found lying in a Bethlehem manger. John wants us to know that the ‘Jesus’ he introduces is the Messiah promised in the Old Testament. More than this, the Jesus who is the Messiah is the Jesus who is God. Our Lord did not ‘begin to be’ in Bethlehem. He did not even have His origins in Genesis 1 and 2 when God created the world. He was there; He already existed when the world was created. He was there with God. He was there as God.” Now some debate this! The Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Muslim faith; and, all brands of Arianism reject the Deity of Jesus! They reject the Biblical account!

Freedom From Cannibalism!

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-Biting One Another!

In the Apostle Paul’s letter, to the Church of Galatia, he wrote: “But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another” Gal. 5:15.  In the context, of this letter, Paul’s main theme is “freedom.” The genuine follower, of Jesus Christ, is set FREE from their previous bondage to the flesh! We are FREE from the slavery to capitulate to the demands of our broken and depraved natures. No longer does sin have power over us! Jesus, upon His ascension to the Father, sent the Holy Spirit to indwell us and empower us with the ability to say “no” to sin’s demands!

-Called To Be Free!

So, Paul, the Apostle, tells this church:  “Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery… For you were called to be free, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.  For the entire law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself” Gal.5:1,13-14.  The essence of Paul’s words is this— the Gospel, of Jesus Christ, sets us free from Christian Cannibalism! It is only Jesus’ Gospel that empowers us to love others like this! When our love, for others, grows, in this way, it’s a powerful endorsement to the validity of our words when we share our faith! Conversely, it is a blatant & ugly contradiction, of Jesus’ Gospel, when we “…bite and devour one another…” (v.15).

-Preying Like Cannibals!

When we prey on one another, like Cannibals, we sabotage the Glory of Jesus’ cross! We cover up the beauty of Christ, Who gave Himself up in payment for our self-centeredness! I saw the ugliness of Christian Cannibalism played out, as a Bible college student; when half the church, I was attending, walked out, on the other half, over the color choice of the ladies restroom during a building program! Their testimony, in that rural community, was ruined! I saw it happen! Oh, how we need the Spirit’s help to learn how to deal with conflict in a way that’s redemptive; rather, than destructive! A church that does not serve each other, in love like Jesus, will cannibalize itself! We can only love, like Jesus, if we’ve been set FREE by the Power of His Gospel! God can & does deliver churches from Christian Cannibalism!

-Overcoming The Past!

Only the Gospel of Christ can deliver our churches from such ungodly behavior! Some of you have experienced a church that devoured itself! You still struggle with the pain! It’s still raw! And, you are broken at the thought that some unbelievers will never come to faith, in Jesus Christ, because of the relational damage they’ve seen inflicted on others by so-called Christians! And, don’t forget to praise God if you’re part of a community of faith that truly loves, honors, and respects one other! That is truly a work of God! Be encouraged & pray regularly for a continuing peace & harmony in your church! Pray daily for spiritual renewal & revival! And, remember that it’s the Gospel of Christ that frees us to be Jesus to everyone we meet!

 

Free To Serve Others!

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-A Dog Eat Dog World!

In the world, it’s “dog eat dog.” If you wanna climb up the corporate ladder you have to be a relational piranha— taking advantage of the brokenness & inconsistencies of your co-workers to gain a personal advantage! That’s not Jesus’ way! He was known as the “friend of sinners.” He healed the wounded! He forgave even those who nailed Him to the cross! The Gospel frees us to serve— even those with whom we may be in competition for that promotion! And, it’s all because we can trust a Sovereign God’s plan!

-Our Freedom & Our Calling!

In the Apostle Paul’s letter, to the Galatian church,  he says that our call to freedom & our call to serve are synonymous! In other words, we actually lose our freedom when we fail to serve! We were saved FROM slavery to sin & self; so, when we fail to serve— and, even expect to BE served— we fall back into the old slavery to the flesh! He says we, “…submit again to a yoke of slavery…” Galatians 5:1.  Don’t surrender the freedom you have in Christ— who satisfies your every need— for the fleshly desires of the world to be served or to be promoted! When we serve others instead of using them, we testify, to the world, that Jesus truly is enough! He is all we need!

-Jesus Served Us!

We don’t need to fill any emptiness inside us with the need to be served! Jesus served us and that’s enough! It’s the Gospel of Christ that frees us to love others… even strangers! More than service, the Gospel actually gives us a heart of love for those we serve— “For the entire law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself” Galatians 5:14. Paul is quoting Jesus answer when He was asked, “What is the greatest commandment”; and, Jesus said: “To love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all you soul, with all your mind & with all your might! And, the 2nd is like unto it (OR, 2nd only in importance!) love your neighbor in the same way you love yourself” Matthew 22:34-40. And, then, Jesus illustrated that with His parable about the Good Samaritan who acted as a neighbor to someone he didn’t even know! That’s why a “neighbor” can actually be anyone we have opportunity to serve, even someone who’s a stranger! “And, love them,” He said, “in the same way that you love yourself.”

-Gospel Freedom!

Only the Gospel sets me free to WANT to feed someone that’s hungry just as much as I want to feed myself when I get hungry! Only the Gospel sets me free to WANT to help my neighbor find a job just as much as I want to find a job; or, to WANT a raise or a promotion for my co-worker just as much as I want that raise or promotion for myself! And, to care about what happens to that guy down the street— that you don’t even know— just as much as you care about what happens to you! That’s powerful! And, only Jesus’ Gospel empowers us to love that way! And, when we grow in our love for others like that, it’s an incredible endorsement to the validity of the words we share, with others, about our faith! It makes us real! Genuine!

 

What If Persecution Comes To America?

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We Don’t Think It’ll Happen Here!

We sit in our offices & our homes watching the stories of persecuted Christians play out, from afar, on our monitors & our TV’s! Christian persecution happens in other nations; but, not ours! We may not say it out loud; but, the unprecedented freedoms that Christians enjoy in this country have led us to some unrealistic—even UNBIBLICAL—expectations. I’ve seen it in the political rhetoric!

An Entitlement Mentality

Many American believers have a sort of entitlement mentality; like, persecution just can’t happen here! Now let me be clear—I do not have a death wish! I pray that the persecution of Christians will not spill over our borders & into our land! I pray for God to send revival to His Church; that, the Church will fall deeply in love with God again & out of love with the created things of this world; that, God will open the gates of heaven to the spiritual refugees all around us & awaken them to faith in Christ; and, that God will do all that without a loss of freedom & without persecution here. But….what if that’s not God’s way for us?

What About His Sovereign Plan?

What if it’s part of His Sovereign plan to bring judgment to our sinful nation; and, as He often did with Israel in the Old Testament, use nations even more sinful than our own to bring about His judgment? The Apostle Peter talks about this: “For it brings favor if, mindful of God’s will, someone endures grief from suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if you sin and are punished, and you endure it? But when you do what is good and suffer, if you endure it, this brings favor with God. For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you…” 1 Peter 2:19-23.

Looking More Like Jesus

In summary, God uses persecution to make us look more like Jesus! That’s what Peter says here! Many Christians feel justified to be angry & lash out at those who persecute or harm them! We desperately need the Holy Spirit’s help to understand how we’re supposed to respond to suffering, persecution & mistreatment in a way that makes us look more like Jesus; and, we need His grace to live it out!

When Death Is Gain!

When Paul wrote the Church of Philippi, “For me, living is Christ and dying is gain”; He was saying that he loved Jesus so much that to lose everything in this life in order to be with Him was “gain.” Jesus was worth more than anything he might have or experience in this life. Death was a “GAIN” to him! If it should be God’s will to bring persecution to America, I pray God’s grace to ask my tormentor’s this question: “In Jesus I have my sins forgiven; He has restored my relationship with God my Father; I have an eternal home in heaven that’s being prepared for me right now; what can you offer me that’s better than that?”