We have been studying the account of Luke 7:36-50. We have already taken a look at the situation that arose, the illustration that Jesus told, and the application that he made to Simon's life. (you'll have to search the archives to read the last two blog entries if you want to catch up OR you could go to cleary.tv and watch) Today, let us see the invitation and its outcome. In verse 47-50 we read, Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little." 48 And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?" 50 And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Here we see the invitation and its outcome. The invitation was very shocking. It was shocking because the woman of the city was pronounced forgiven. It was shocking because the religious man of the city was not pronounced forgiven. Jesus' statement of forgiveness towards the woman provoked resentment from the religious crowd. In essence he is saying, you are forgiven, but you are not.
Every meal ever had with Pharisees ended up in rebellious unbelief. Self-righteousness is such a terrible, terrible kind of blindness. The most unredeemable of all is the one who thinks he's not a sinner and doesn't need redemption, who thinks that God is pleased with him the way he is. This is the worst of sinners. The worst kind of sin is the sin of self-righteousness, the assumption that you on your own can obtain a place in the Kingdom of God.
Jesus has orchestrated, in his sovereignty, this chain of events to awaken Simon to his lost and sinful condition. This then is a story of Jesus using a wretched sinner (a prostitute) to reach an even worse sinner (a self-righteous religious leader). The situation is clear, the illustration is clear, the application is clear, the invitation is dead. Why? Because Simon was sure that the situation, the illustration, the application could never apply to Him. God, help us never miss your message to us. God give us ears that hear and eyes that see and hearts that feel your conviction. Give us minds that are renewed, and lives that are transformed, and wills that are eager to repent at every instance of conviction from your Word and your Spirit. God, forbid that we be like Simon the Pharisee.
A LITTLE ASSIGNMENT: For those of you who would like to participate, I would like to ask for your input. Could you prepare for me a word picture of what you believe the ideal church would look like FROM GOD'S WORD. I am not looking for opinions. Rather, I am looking for a biblical picture of the ideal church. Write down for me that church's characteristics, DETAILS PLEASE, and get that back to me through email or by replying to this blog ASAP.
Also, what do you think Cleary should look like 10 years from now (attendance, $$, missions, ministry, buildings etc) if we stay in the center of God's will. I know these are some big assignments, but if you would like to take the time to put together something for me (us) it would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Until next time...
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Secrets of the Kingdom: Simon and the Sinful Woman, Part 2
This week we are looking at Luke 7:36-50.
Yesterday, we examined the situation that took place in verses 36-39. Today, we will see the illustration that Jesus used to make his point in Luke 7:40-43. And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "Say it, Teacher." 41 "A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?" 43 Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly."
Jesus shared a parable to illustrate the truth he is trying to convey to Simon. He tells the story of a moneylender who had two individuals who were in debt to him. One owed him 500 denarii. The other owed him 50. A denarius was a day's pay for a laborer. 500 denarii was 20 months pay, while 50 denarii was 2 months pay. Neither of these individuals could pay, so the moneylender canceled their debts. What happened to the debt? Did it just disappear?
Any time somebody forgives a debt, they themselves incur that debt in full. The debt doesn't go away. Someone has to eat the debt. In this case it was the moneylender. The debt didn't disappear. He had to pay it. If I lend you 500 denarii and you can't pay and I say, "I forgive that," then now I've incurred that debt completely. That debt is now mine. The cost is transferred to me. I pay. To understand that is to get an insight into the forgiveness of God. When God forgave your sins, the debt did not just go away. He incurred the debt and He paid it in full in the person of Jesus Christ. So it's not just forgiveness and it's done, it's forgiveness and then the debt is transferred to the forgiver.
Jesus is giving Simon a sneak preview of the New Covenant and of the Gospel! God is perfect and owes no one anything. We are all in debt to him, because we all have a sin debt. It is a debt that we can never ever pay. No matter how moral we are, no matter what we do, no matter how hard we work for God, our debt will never be paid down by us. God cannot just ignore the debt, our sin. To do so would be unjust. It would be dishonest. So, he incurred the sin-debt, and the wages of sin is death. So he died for us. He paid the price for our sin. He incurred our debt. The good news is, he rose from that death after three days and is now alive forevermore. This parable served as an illustration.
Not only did Jesus give a situation and an illustration, but then he gave a straightforward application to Simon. In Luke 7:44-46 we read, 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Now he has come to the application. He turned to look at the woman and asked Simon, Do you see this woman? Did he? It is an interesting point. Simon could not see that woman as she then was, for looking at her as she had been. It is so hard to get over the past. Often because we get focused on the past, we miss the present.
Simon missed a present opportunity. It would have been expected that the host would have provided water for his guest's feet . Abraham provided water for his guest's feet in Genesis 18:4 which says, "Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree." Jesus had not received this courtesy from Simon, but he had had his feet washed with the woman's tears. Similarly in place of the kiss of welcome that might have been expected from the host, he had received kisses on his feet from this woman. And finally, whereas Simon had omitted to anoint Jesus' head with oil, olive oil which was plentiful and cheap, the woman had anointed his feet with perfume which was rare and expensive. The reception from Simon (the religious Pharissee) had been cold, patronizing and discourteous. The reception from the repentant, broken woman was just the opposite. And why? Because she understood the weight of her sin and the joy of forgiveness.
What a difference it would make in our day to day lives, our day to day worship, our service, our giving, and our going if we could simply catch a glimpse of our sinfulness in the shadow of God's holiness. It is so easy for the "churched crowd" to forget how sinful we truly are. It is so easy to begin taking the forgiveness of God for granted. It is so easy to presume upon the riches of his grace. Oh God, help us to see that our sin debt is greater than we could ever pay, is greater than we have ever recognized, and is greater than we could ever imagine. Help us to see our absolute, total helplessness apart from your grace, mercy, blood, sacrifice, and forgiveness. Oh God, help us to see and to love you. Until next time…
Yesterday, we examined the situation that took place in verses 36-39. Today, we will see the illustration that Jesus used to make his point in Luke 7:40-43. And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "Say it, Teacher." 41 "A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?" 43 Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly."
Jesus shared a parable to illustrate the truth he is trying to convey to Simon. He tells the story of a moneylender who had two individuals who were in debt to him. One owed him 500 denarii. The other owed him 50. A denarius was a day's pay for a laborer. 500 denarii was 20 months pay, while 50 denarii was 2 months pay. Neither of these individuals could pay, so the moneylender canceled their debts. What happened to the debt? Did it just disappear?
Any time somebody forgives a debt, they themselves incur that debt in full. The debt doesn't go away. Someone has to eat the debt. In this case it was the moneylender. The debt didn't disappear. He had to pay it. If I lend you 500 denarii and you can't pay and I say, "I forgive that," then now I've incurred that debt completely. That debt is now mine. The cost is transferred to me. I pay. To understand that is to get an insight into the forgiveness of God. When God forgave your sins, the debt did not just go away. He incurred the debt and He paid it in full in the person of Jesus Christ. So it's not just forgiveness and it's done, it's forgiveness and then the debt is transferred to the forgiver.
Jesus is giving Simon a sneak preview of the New Covenant and of the Gospel! God is perfect and owes no one anything. We are all in debt to him, because we all have a sin debt. It is a debt that we can never ever pay. No matter how moral we are, no matter what we do, no matter how hard we work for God, our debt will never be paid down by us. God cannot just ignore the debt, our sin. To do so would be unjust. It would be dishonest. So, he incurred the sin-debt, and the wages of sin is death. So he died for us. He paid the price for our sin. He incurred our debt. The good news is, he rose from that death after three days and is now alive forevermore. This parable served as an illustration.
Not only did Jesus give a situation and an illustration, but then he gave a straightforward application to Simon. In Luke 7:44-46 we read, 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Now he has come to the application. He turned to look at the woman and asked Simon, Do you see this woman? Did he? It is an interesting point. Simon could not see that woman as she then was, for looking at her as she had been. It is so hard to get over the past. Often because we get focused on the past, we miss the present.
Simon missed a present opportunity. It would have been expected that the host would have provided water for his guest's feet . Abraham provided water for his guest's feet in Genesis 18:4 which says, "Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree." Jesus had not received this courtesy from Simon, but he had had his feet washed with the woman's tears. Similarly in place of the kiss of welcome that might have been expected from the host, he had received kisses on his feet from this woman. And finally, whereas Simon had omitted to anoint Jesus' head with oil, olive oil which was plentiful and cheap, the woman had anointed his feet with perfume which was rare and expensive. The reception from Simon (the religious Pharissee) had been cold, patronizing and discourteous. The reception from the repentant, broken woman was just the opposite. And why? Because she understood the weight of her sin and the joy of forgiveness.
What a difference it would make in our day to day lives, our day to day worship, our service, our giving, and our going if we could simply catch a glimpse of our sinfulness in the shadow of God's holiness. It is so easy for the "churched crowd" to forget how sinful we truly are. It is so easy to begin taking the forgiveness of God for granted. It is so easy to presume upon the riches of his grace. Oh God, help us to see that our sin debt is greater than we could ever pay, is greater than we have ever recognized, and is greater than we could ever imagine. Help us to see our absolute, total helplessness apart from your grace, mercy, blood, sacrifice, and forgiveness. Oh God, help us to see and to love you. Until next time…
Monday, February 23, 2009
A God Situation
As we continue to look into the Secrets of the Kingdom, we come to the third parable in Luke's Gospel. If one word could be used to characterize this entire situation, it is the word tense. The woman of the city is tense because she is entering a Pharisees house. Simon is tense because such a woman would enter his house during a public meal. The others present are tense because Jesus is publicly rebuking Simon for his lack of love. Jesus has, in his sovereignty, used somebody who was transformed (the woman) as an instrument to give the power of the gospel to somebody else (Simon). And that's exactly what happens in the account before us. Jesus, who came to seek and to save the lost, is here seeking a lost man, a lost Pharisee, by the name of Simon. And He uses the transformed life of a woman as the testimony to Simon and all around the table. This is in essence a sermon that is acted out before everyone present. Jesus, in his sovereignty creates a situation, gives an illustration, provides an application, and even offers an invitation.
Luke 7:36-50
One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and took his place at the table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner." 40 And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "Say it, Teacher." 41 "A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?" 43 Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly." 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little." 48 And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?" 50 And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
We see first, a Sovereign Situation. Luke 7:36-39 states, "One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and took his place at the table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner."
A woman of the city comes into Simon's house. All that we really know about her is that she is a woman of the city: a sinner, most likely a prostitute. A woman of her reputation would not have been very welcome in Simon's house, so it took some courage to come. No people were more proud, exclusive, and self-righteous than the Pharisees. They looked with scorn and contempt on the type of woman that now appeared. But she comes in, walks past the uppity up, and the holier than thou religious leaders, and went straight to Jesus.
She fell at Jesus' feet weeping. Her tears began to fall on his feet. She began to wet (in the Greek to rain) tears on His feet. She promptly wiped them with her hair which was a significant action, for Jewish ladies did not unbind their hair in public. Letting down one's hair in public was shameful and even a ground for divorce. Then, the Word of God says that she was kissing His feet. The Greek word used is kataphileo which is an intense word. It's used in Luke 15:20 of the father's kisses when the prodigal came home and he fell on his neck and kept embracing and embracing and embracing, kissing.
Finally, she anoints Jesus' feet. She pulls out an alabaster flask. An alabaster container that was quarried and carved in Egypt. This flask was filled with costly ointment. Many Jewish women had around their neck a vial of perfume on a cord or a leather thong which they kept with them all the time. It was a sort of deodorant. It was not uncommon for women to spend a lot of money on perfume. The kind of perfume that's indicated here is not a cheap oil but a costly perfume. There is no turning back in her mind. She didn't take the lid off of the flask; she broke it. She didn't pour the contents out, she spilled them out. Talk about a situation! It was a situation that was intended to awaken Simon.
How many situations arise in our day to day lives that are meant by God to awaken us? And how many of those situations do we miss? Let us seek to discern God's will and voice, not just during morning or evening devotions, but all throughout the day. Until next time. . .
Luke 7:36-50
One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and took his place at the table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner." 40 And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "Say it, Teacher." 41 "A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?" 43 Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly." 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little." 48 And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?" 50 And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
We see first, a Sovereign Situation. Luke 7:36-39 states, "One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and took his place at the table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner."
A woman of the city comes into Simon's house. All that we really know about her is that she is a woman of the city: a sinner, most likely a prostitute. A woman of her reputation would not have been very welcome in Simon's house, so it took some courage to come. No people were more proud, exclusive, and self-righteous than the Pharisees. They looked with scorn and contempt on the type of woman that now appeared. But she comes in, walks past the uppity up, and the holier than thou religious leaders, and went straight to Jesus.
She fell at Jesus' feet weeping. Her tears began to fall on his feet. She began to wet (in the Greek to rain) tears on His feet. She promptly wiped them with her hair which was a significant action, for Jewish ladies did not unbind their hair in public. Letting down one's hair in public was shameful and even a ground for divorce. Then, the Word of God says that she was kissing His feet. The Greek word used is kataphileo which is an intense word. It's used in Luke 15:20 of the father's kisses when the prodigal came home and he fell on his neck and kept embracing and embracing and embracing, kissing.
Finally, she anoints Jesus' feet. She pulls out an alabaster flask. An alabaster container that was quarried and carved in Egypt. This flask was filled with costly ointment. Many Jewish women had around their neck a vial of perfume on a cord or a leather thong which they kept with them all the time. It was a sort of deodorant. It was not uncommon for women to spend a lot of money on perfume. The kind of perfume that's indicated here is not a cheap oil but a costly perfume. There is no turning back in her mind. She didn't take the lid off of the flask; she broke it. She didn't pour the contents out, she spilled them out. Talk about a situation! It was a situation that was intended to awaken Simon.
How many situations arise in our day to day lives that are meant by God to awaken us? And how many of those situations do we miss? Let us seek to discern God's will and voice, not just during morning or evening devotions, but all throughout the day. Until next time. . .
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Will you be standing after judgment? Part 3
In Luke 6:43-49. Jesus says,
"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 46 "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
We have been examining four areas of our lives this week in response to this parable to ensure that we will be left standing after the judgment of God. We have already examined our produce and our professions. Today, let us examine our practice and our perseverance. Jesus said in verses 46 and 47, ""Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like." Are we doing what he tells us? Are we hearing his words and doing them? Examine your practice. We do what we do because we are what we are. What you are practicing says a great deal about where you stand with God. First John 2:3-4 says, "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." Is your life characterized by sin or by righteousness? Actions speak louder than words.
Jesus tells another parable in Matthew 21:28-31 He said, "What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' And he answered, 'I will not,' but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, 'I go, sir,' but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." We do the will of God by acting, not by saying. As Paul wrote in Romans 2:13, "For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified." What are you doing? Examine your practice. You will know them by their fruits.
Finally today, let us examine our perseverance. Jesus said in verses Luke 6:47-49, "Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great." In this parable we see two men building on two foundations with two outcomes. One life survives judgment. One does not. There were two foundations, two houses, and two men, but the thing that really separated them was the steadfastness of their faith. One's obedience to the Word was steadfast. One persevered in the faith. Examine your perseverance. The real test of our faith is not whether or not we made a decision. The real test of our faith is whether or not we persevere in the faith.
Those who are truly born again will persevere. We Baptists talk much about the security of the believer, but that is really none of our business. It is God’s business to secure the believer. The Bible calls us to focus on the perseverance of the saints. That is our business, because those who are truly born again will not fall away. 1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us." 1 John 2:24 "Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father."
Salvation is a daily walk, a present tense faith, an ongoing personal relationship with Jesus that lasts for eternity. That is not necessarily easy. Salvation is free, but it costs us everything we have. Salvation is easy, but extremely difficult as well. John Bunyan said this, “Therefore, when he says strive, it is as much as to say, ‘Run for heaven, labor for heaven, wrestle for heaven, or you are likely to go without it.’ People are prone to think they can get into heaven by lying, as it were, on their elbows.” Listen to these admonitions about persevering in the Word of God.
1 Cor 9:24-25 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
1 Tim 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses
Are you running for heaven? Laboring? Wrestling? Or are you trying to coast in on your elbows? Examine your perseverance. Are you pressing forward in Christ? In the words of Jesus Himself, "No one, having put his hand to the plow , and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62). Examine the produce of your lips, your love, and your lives. Examine your profession. Have you turned, trusted, and been transformed? Examine your practice. Is your life characterized by righteousness or sin? Examine your perseverance. Are you going on with God? Are you taking up your cross daily and following Him? If not, please, please, please, please repent and turn to Christ in faith. Call upon Him in repentance and faith. Follow Him. Search for Him with all of your heart until you find Him. Seek His face until He revolutionizes your life. Until next time…
"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 46 "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
We have been examining four areas of our lives this week in response to this parable to ensure that we will be left standing after the judgment of God. We have already examined our produce and our professions. Today, let us examine our practice and our perseverance. Jesus said in verses 46 and 47, ""Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like." Are we doing what he tells us? Are we hearing his words and doing them? Examine your practice. We do what we do because we are what we are. What you are practicing says a great deal about where you stand with God. First John 2:3-4 says, "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." Is your life characterized by sin or by righteousness? Actions speak louder than words.
Jesus tells another parable in Matthew 21:28-31 He said, "What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' And he answered, 'I will not,' but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, 'I go, sir,' but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." We do the will of God by acting, not by saying. As Paul wrote in Romans 2:13, "For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified." What are you doing? Examine your practice. You will know them by their fruits.
Finally today, let us examine our perseverance. Jesus said in verses Luke 6:47-49, "Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great." In this parable we see two men building on two foundations with two outcomes. One life survives judgment. One does not. There were two foundations, two houses, and two men, but the thing that really separated them was the steadfastness of their faith. One's obedience to the Word was steadfast. One persevered in the faith. Examine your perseverance. The real test of our faith is not whether or not we made a decision. The real test of our faith is whether or not we persevere in the faith.
Those who are truly born again will persevere. We Baptists talk much about the security of the believer, but that is really none of our business. It is God’s business to secure the believer. The Bible calls us to focus on the perseverance of the saints. That is our business, because those who are truly born again will not fall away. 1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us." 1 John 2:24 "Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father."
Salvation is a daily walk, a present tense faith, an ongoing personal relationship with Jesus that lasts for eternity. That is not necessarily easy. Salvation is free, but it costs us everything we have. Salvation is easy, but extremely difficult as well. John Bunyan said this, “Therefore, when he says strive, it is as much as to say, ‘Run for heaven, labor for heaven, wrestle for heaven, or you are likely to go without it.’ People are prone to think they can get into heaven by lying, as it were, on their elbows.” Listen to these admonitions about persevering in the Word of God.
1 Cor 9:24-25 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
1 Tim 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses
Are you running for heaven? Laboring? Wrestling? Or are you trying to coast in on your elbows? Examine your perseverance. Are you pressing forward in Christ? In the words of Jesus Himself, "No one, having put his hand to the plow , and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62). Examine the produce of your lips, your love, and your lives. Examine your profession. Have you turned, trusted, and been transformed? Examine your practice. Is your life characterized by righteousness or sin? Examine your perseverance. Are you going on with God? Are you taking up your cross daily and following Him? If not, please, please, please, please repent and turn to Christ in faith. Call upon Him in repentance and faith. Follow Him. Search for Him with all of your heart until you find Him. Seek His face until He revolutionizes your life. Until next time…
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
This week we are focusing our attention on, what I believe to be one of the most powerful passages of scripture in the New Testament: Luke 6:43-49. Jesus says,
"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 46 "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
YOU CAN HEAR THIS WEEK'S MESSAGE AT http://cbcradio.org
YOU CAN WATCH THIS WEEK'S MESSAGE AT http://cleary.tv
This is a parable that serves as a warning; a warning that trials, tests of our faith, and judgment will come. It is a parable that serves as an examination; will my faith pass the test? Will I be standing after judgment? It also serves as an exhortation; to respond to the Gospel appropriately so that we can be ready when that day comes. It is my prayer that everyone reading this blog will respond to the Gospel appropriately: that we each will examine ourselves, not by our feelings or our past decisions, but by the Word of God.
There are four areas of our lives that we must examine this week in response to this parable to ensure that we will be left standing after the judgment of God. We have already examined our produce. Today, let us examine our professions. Jesus asks in Luke 6:46, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?" These people called Him Lord, Lord, but they were not His. To call anyone Lord is to admit that allegiance is owed. To repeat the address is to put certain emphasis on the admission, but words are no substitute for obedience. Do you want to know what your profession of faith is worth? Nothing. That is right. Jesus said in Matthew 7:21, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." In this group is everyone who has professed Christ as Lord, Lord. But everyone in this group will not enter the kingdom of heaven. So what did the profession get them…nothing. What got them something was the fact that they went on to do the will of God.
These people call Him Lord, Lord, but they were not His. Many who have professed Christ today, do not possess Christ. In fact, to falsely profess Jesus as Lord is the definition of taking His Name in vain. Nothing is more blasphemous than to say, "Lord, Lord," and then not do what He says. These people are quite willing to own Jesus as King—as long as they can run their own affairs and make all of the decisions. They say, "Lord, Lord," but then they proceed to please themselves. The Lord will have none of it, because a legitimate profession is not one that just says…it does. A legitimate profession comes by Turning. To turn from sin is to repent. Peter told the Jews to repent and believe. Jesus said in Luke 13:3 that "except you repent, you will all likewise perish." You cannot make a legitimate profession without repenting: turning from your sinful affections, attitudes, and actions. You can walk an aisle, recite a prayer, and fill out a card, but if you do not repent, you cannot be saved.
A legitimate profession comes by Trusting. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." It is by faith that we are saved: trusting in Christ's death, burial, and resurrection for our redemption. Nothing more….nothing less. Truly trusting Christ means that we are willing to give ourselves entirely into his care. It is saying, "I am yours Jesus, even if you choose to send me to hell.
Finally or first, Transforming must take place. There is a debate as to whether we are transformed by the power of God and thus turn and trust OR if when we turn and trust we are transformed. Either way, a transformation must take place. We must be changed. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." Examine your produce and your profession to see if you are really a part of the Kingdom of God.
"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 46 "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
YOU CAN HEAR THIS WEEK'S MESSAGE AT http://cbcradio.org
YOU CAN WATCH THIS WEEK'S MESSAGE AT http://cleary.tv
This is a parable that serves as a warning; a warning that trials, tests of our faith, and judgment will come. It is a parable that serves as an examination; will my faith pass the test? Will I be standing after judgment? It also serves as an exhortation; to respond to the Gospel appropriately so that we can be ready when that day comes. It is my prayer that everyone reading this blog will respond to the Gospel appropriately: that we each will examine ourselves, not by our feelings or our past decisions, but by the Word of God.
There are four areas of our lives that we must examine this week in response to this parable to ensure that we will be left standing after the judgment of God. We have already examined our produce. Today, let us examine our professions. Jesus asks in Luke 6:46, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?" These people called Him Lord, Lord, but they were not His. To call anyone Lord is to admit that allegiance is owed. To repeat the address is to put certain emphasis on the admission, but words are no substitute for obedience. Do you want to know what your profession of faith is worth? Nothing. That is right. Jesus said in Matthew 7:21, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." In this group is everyone who has professed Christ as Lord, Lord. But everyone in this group will not enter the kingdom of heaven. So what did the profession get them…nothing. What got them something was the fact that they went on to do the will of God.
These people call Him Lord, Lord, but they were not His. Many who have professed Christ today, do not possess Christ. In fact, to falsely profess Jesus as Lord is the definition of taking His Name in vain. Nothing is more blasphemous than to say, "Lord, Lord," and then not do what He says. These people are quite willing to own Jesus as King—as long as they can run their own affairs and make all of the decisions. They say, "Lord, Lord," but then they proceed to please themselves. The Lord will have none of it, because a legitimate profession is not one that just says…it does. A legitimate profession comes by Turning. To turn from sin is to repent. Peter told the Jews to repent and believe. Jesus said in Luke 13:3 that "except you repent, you will all likewise perish." You cannot make a legitimate profession without repenting: turning from your sinful affections, attitudes, and actions. You can walk an aisle, recite a prayer, and fill out a card, but if you do not repent, you cannot be saved.
A legitimate profession comes by Trusting. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." It is by faith that we are saved: trusting in Christ's death, burial, and resurrection for our redemption. Nothing more….nothing less. Truly trusting Christ means that we are willing to give ourselves entirely into his care. It is saying, "I am yours Jesus, even if you choose to send me to hell.
Finally or first, Transforming must take place. There is a debate as to whether we are transformed by the power of God and thus turn and trust OR if when we turn and trust we are transformed. Either way, a transformation must take place. We must be changed. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." Examine your produce and your profession to see if you are really a part of the Kingdom of God.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Will you be standing after judgment?
This week we are focusing our attention on, what I believe to be one of the most powerful passages of scripture in the New Testament: Luke 6:43-49. Jesus says,
"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 46 "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
This is a parable that serves as a warning; a warning that trials, tests of our faith, and judgment will come. It is a parable that serves as an examination; will my faith pass the test? Will I be standing after judgment? It also serves as an exhortation; to respond to the Gospel appropriately so that we can be ready when that day comes. It is my prayer that everyone reading this blog will respond to the Gospel appropriately: that we each will examine ourselves, not by our feelings or our past decisions, but by the Word of God.
There are four areas of our lives that we must examine this week in response to this parable to ensure that we will be left standing after the judgment of God.
The first area of our life that we must examine is our produce. What are we producing? Jesus said, "For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks" (Luke 6:43-45). Examine your produce! Good fruit shows that the tree from which it came is healthy. Bad fruit indicates that the tree from which it fell is sickly. Examine your fruit. What do Your Lips say about You? I cannot know your heart, but I don't have to. I don't have to know your heart because the Bible says it will come out of your lips. Whatever a person has set his heart on will be revealed in his speech. Heb 13:15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. What are you saying? What do you talk about? Gossip and slander? Curses and the world? Or do you speak of God, Christ, His glory and His work?
Examine your fruit. What does Your Love say about You? 1 John 2:9-11 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. Do you love your fellow man? People sit in the pews of our churches, have their names on our membership rolls, and claim emphatically that they are born again, yet at the same time they are filled with prejudice and hatred. Listen over their shoulder and you will hear their hatred for those of another skin color. Listen to their conversations in the barber shops, cafes, and hunting clubs and you will hear their hatred for immigrants and/or those of another race, culture, or creed. These same people will claim that they know Christ, yet would lead an uprising if a person of another race or culture attempted to join their church. They have their place and we have ours, right? True believers have learned, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to stop seeing black and white, legal and illegal immigrant, rich and poor, normal and strange, drug addicts and drunks. They have learned to simply see souls in need of a Savior. We must pass the test of love for our fellow men and that means that we must be willing to open up our churches and our lives to those who are different from us for the cause of Christ.
We are not only to love our fellow man, but our fellow members as well. There are people who claim to be Christians who will say things like, “I don’t need to go down there to the church. I can worship right here with my Bible and my television. After all, that church is full of hypocrites. The preacher is not friendly enough and the deacons run the church.” There are others who claim to be Christian who despise meeting with their brothers and sisters in Christ. They don’t get excited about coming to the house of God. They look more forward to lodge meetings, hunting club meetings, weight watchers (well…maybe not), or scrap booking sessions than to the fellowship of the saints. Something is wrong with that picture. First John 3:14 states that “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers.” If we do not love our fellow believers enough to long to fellowship, worship, grow, and go with them, there is something missing.
Examine your produce. What does Your Life say about You? Listen to the word of God.
Rev 21:7-8 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."
1 Cor 6:9-11 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Gal 5:19-24 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires
What does your fruit say about who you are? What is your life producing? Jesus said in Luke 3:8-8, "Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
You will know them by their fruits. What is your life producing? You can know where you stand with God and if you will be left standing after the judgment by examining your fruits. What do they say about you?
"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 46 "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
This is a parable that serves as a warning; a warning that trials, tests of our faith, and judgment will come. It is a parable that serves as an examination; will my faith pass the test? Will I be standing after judgment? It also serves as an exhortation; to respond to the Gospel appropriately so that we can be ready when that day comes. It is my prayer that everyone reading this blog will respond to the Gospel appropriately: that we each will examine ourselves, not by our feelings or our past decisions, but by the Word of God.
There are four areas of our lives that we must examine this week in response to this parable to ensure that we will be left standing after the judgment of God.
The first area of our life that we must examine is our produce. What are we producing? Jesus said, "For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks" (Luke 6:43-45). Examine your produce! Good fruit shows that the tree from which it came is healthy. Bad fruit indicates that the tree from which it fell is sickly. Examine your fruit. What do Your Lips say about You? I cannot know your heart, but I don't have to. I don't have to know your heart because the Bible says it will come out of your lips. Whatever a person has set his heart on will be revealed in his speech. Heb 13:15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. What are you saying? What do you talk about? Gossip and slander? Curses and the world? Or do you speak of God, Christ, His glory and His work?
Examine your fruit. What does Your Love say about You? 1 John 2:9-11 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. Do you love your fellow man? People sit in the pews of our churches, have their names on our membership rolls, and claim emphatically that they are born again, yet at the same time they are filled with prejudice and hatred. Listen over their shoulder and you will hear their hatred for those of another skin color. Listen to their conversations in the barber shops, cafes, and hunting clubs and you will hear their hatred for immigrants and/or those of another race, culture, or creed. These same people will claim that they know Christ, yet would lead an uprising if a person of another race or culture attempted to join their church. They have their place and we have ours, right? True believers have learned, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to stop seeing black and white, legal and illegal immigrant, rich and poor, normal and strange, drug addicts and drunks. They have learned to simply see souls in need of a Savior. We must pass the test of love for our fellow men and that means that we must be willing to open up our churches and our lives to those who are different from us for the cause of Christ.
We are not only to love our fellow man, but our fellow members as well. There are people who claim to be Christians who will say things like, “I don’t need to go down there to the church. I can worship right here with my Bible and my television. After all, that church is full of hypocrites. The preacher is not friendly enough and the deacons run the church.” There are others who claim to be Christian who despise meeting with their brothers and sisters in Christ. They don’t get excited about coming to the house of God. They look more forward to lodge meetings, hunting club meetings, weight watchers (well…maybe not), or scrap booking sessions than to the fellowship of the saints. Something is wrong with that picture. First John 3:14 states that “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers.” If we do not love our fellow believers enough to long to fellowship, worship, grow, and go with them, there is something missing.
Examine your produce. What does Your Life say about You? Listen to the word of God.
Rev 21:7-8 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."
1 Cor 6:9-11 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Gal 5:19-24 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires
What does your fruit say about who you are? What is your life producing? Jesus said in Luke 3:8-8, "Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
You will know them by their fruits. What is your life producing? You can know where you stand with God and if you will be left standing after the judgment by examining your fruits. What do they say about you?
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Tradition vs. Truth Part 2
Last week we introduced a new sermon series at Cleary that I have called "Secrets of the Kingdom: Parables in Luke's Gospel. This week we are looking at the first parable recorded in Luke. It is found in Luke 5:33-39.
And they said to him, "The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink." 34 And Jesus said to them, "Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days." 36 He also told them a parable: "No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, 'The old is good.'"
Jesus is accused of breaking, not the law of God, but the tradition (the religion) of man. He is questioned about his disciples failing to follow the fasts and prayer rituals of the Jews and he responds with this parable. It is a clear warning about the danger of clinging to the past, to old traditions and to dead religion over the inspired Word of God.
We see 3 things about the tradition and "religion" in this parable that our Lord shared. Last time we noticed the rut of traditions and the fact that Jesus came to reform those traditions. Today we are going to focus on the resistance of traditions to reform. That is really what the parable that Jesus shares is about. Like old garments are not easily matched to new patches and like old wineskins are not flexible enough to contain new wine, traditions and religion are extremely resistant to reform. Furthermore, maintaining religion is a lot less demanding than maintaining a relationship. A religion is for certain days, certain places, and certain people. A relationship is a real walk with God. That is what sets TRUE CHRISTIANITY apart from every religion on earth.
Islam has come up often around the office lately, especially since we have adopted the Mappila people of India (a people group of 9 million Muslims). I told the guys yesterday that Islam is an awesome religion. Of course their eyes widened. I even said, if I were wanting to join a religion I might even consider becoming a Muslim. Then I went on. Islam is great for a person seeking religion, but it is worthless for someone seeking to know God. It is useless for someone who wants to enter into a relationship with God. A religion is for certain days, places, and people, but a relationship is a real walk with God. Religion is easy. Relationships are work! So, traditions and religion are hard to change. They are so hard to change that God tearing the veil in the temple at Jesus death was not enough. He had to destroy Jerusalem and the temple in A.D. 70 to put an end to the sacrificial system.
This is what Jesus is trying to get across in this parable. To patch the old with the new not only did not help the old but, it also tore apart the new. New wine if placed in old wineskins will destroy both skins and wine because as the new wine ferments, the old wineskin is not sufficiently pliable and thus will burst, spilling out the wine. Jesus is saying, you cannot patch up Judaism (or any religion)…it will ruin the garment and the patch. You cannot place the new wine of the gospel in the old wineskins of Pharisaic Judaism (or any religion), for what will result is neither the gospel nor Judaism. You must make a shift. You must change!
The problem is, most people are resistant to change. A man drinking old wine does not want even to try the new. The old is good, he says (not better, but good). He is not even comparing them. He is so content with the old that he does not consider the new for a moment. It’s the old that's good! We have a tendency to cling so closely and dearly to the past that we are not open to the present, much less the future.
The warning is, the Jews clung so closely to the old, that they missed Christ. We can cling so closely to the old, to our traditions, to the way our grandparents lived and worshipped, that we miss what God has for us. Don't cling to the old just because it happens to be old or you may miss the new! God said in Isaiah 43:19, "Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?" We must be open to it, to perceive it. Are we open or are we resistant?
I want to challenge you and encourage you, as you read the New Testament, to pretend that you have been stranded on a desert Island your entire life. All that you have to judge yourself by is the New Testament. All that you have to pattern your life by is the New Testament. All that you have to imagine the church by is the New Testament. Open the New Testament with that mindset and see what a difference it makes in your life, your walk, and your church. Open the New Testament with that mindset and see how many old traditions and how much dead religion God points out to you in your life and in your church. Then, pursue as much as you can, the pure Gospel in your life, family, and fellowship. Until next time…
And they said to him, "The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink." 34 And Jesus said to them, "Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days." 36 He also told them a parable: "No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, 'The old is good.'"
Jesus is accused of breaking, not the law of God, but the tradition (the religion) of man. He is questioned about his disciples failing to follow the fasts and prayer rituals of the Jews and he responds with this parable. It is a clear warning about the danger of clinging to the past, to old traditions and to dead religion over the inspired Word of God.
We see 3 things about the tradition and "religion" in this parable that our Lord shared. Last time we noticed the rut of traditions and the fact that Jesus came to reform those traditions. Today we are going to focus on the resistance of traditions to reform. That is really what the parable that Jesus shares is about. Like old garments are not easily matched to new patches and like old wineskins are not flexible enough to contain new wine, traditions and religion are extremely resistant to reform. Furthermore, maintaining religion is a lot less demanding than maintaining a relationship. A religion is for certain days, certain places, and certain people. A relationship is a real walk with God. That is what sets TRUE CHRISTIANITY apart from every religion on earth.
Islam has come up often around the office lately, especially since we have adopted the Mappila people of India (a people group of 9 million Muslims). I told the guys yesterday that Islam is an awesome religion. Of course their eyes widened. I even said, if I were wanting to join a religion I might even consider becoming a Muslim. Then I went on. Islam is great for a person seeking religion, but it is worthless for someone seeking to know God. It is useless for someone who wants to enter into a relationship with God. A religion is for certain days, places, and people, but a relationship is a real walk with God. Religion is easy. Relationships are work! So, traditions and religion are hard to change. They are so hard to change that God tearing the veil in the temple at Jesus death was not enough. He had to destroy Jerusalem and the temple in A.D. 70 to put an end to the sacrificial system.
This is what Jesus is trying to get across in this parable. To patch the old with the new not only did not help the old but, it also tore apart the new. New wine if placed in old wineskins will destroy both skins and wine because as the new wine ferments, the old wineskin is not sufficiently pliable and thus will burst, spilling out the wine. Jesus is saying, you cannot patch up Judaism (or any religion)…it will ruin the garment and the patch. You cannot place the new wine of the gospel in the old wineskins of Pharisaic Judaism (or any religion), for what will result is neither the gospel nor Judaism. You must make a shift. You must change!
The problem is, most people are resistant to change. A man drinking old wine does not want even to try the new. The old is good, he says (not better, but good). He is not even comparing them. He is so content with the old that he does not consider the new for a moment. It’s the old that's good! We have a tendency to cling so closely and dearly to the past that we are not open to the present, much less the future.
The warning is, the Jews clung so closely to the old, that they missed Christ. We can cling so closely to the old, to our traditions, to the way our grandparents lived and worshipped, that we miss what God has for us. Don't cling to the old just because it happens to be old or you may miss the new! God said in Isaiah 43:19, "Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?" We must be open to it, to perceive it. Are we open or are we resistant?
I want to challenge you and encourage you, as you read the New Testament, to pretend that you have been stranded on a desert Island your entire life. All that you have to judge yourself by is the New Testament. All that you have to pattern your life by is the New Testament. All that you have to imagine the church by is the New Testament. Open the New Testament with that mindset and see what a difference it makes in your life, your walk, and your church. Open the New Testament with that mindset and see how many old traditions and how much dead religion God points out to you in your life and in your church. Then, pursue as much as you can, the pure Gospel in your life, family, and fellowship. Until next time…
Monday, February 9, 2009
Tradition vs. Truth
Last week we introduced a new sermon series at Cleary that I have called "Secrets of the Kingdom: Parables in Luke's Gospel. (You can listen at cleary.tv) This week we are going to look at the first parable recorded in Luke. It is found in Luke 5:33-39.
And they said to him, "The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink." 34 And Jesus said to them, "Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days." 36 He also told them a parable: "No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, 'The old is good.'" (ESV)
Jesus is accused of breaking, not the law of God, but the tradition (the religion) of man. He is questioned about his disciples failing to follow the fasts and prayer rituals of the Jews and he responds with this parable. It is a clear warning about the danger of clinging to the past, to old traditions and to dead religion over the inspired Word of God.
Traditions are not necessarily bad in themselves. Some traditions are good and beneficial to our walk with God. The problem with traditions is they quickly become more important than God's commands. They quickly become more binding on the people than God's law. They, rather than the Word of God, become the standards of righteousness. They become nothing but ruts that we fall facedown into. From that vantage point we see only the rut, not the Word of God.
We see this happen in verse 33 of this passage. Jesus' accusers say, "The disciples of John the Baptist are doing it. The Pharisees are doing it. It must be the thing to do! Jesus, why aren't you and your followers doing it?" Where did the Word of God come in? God's law was never mentioned. The only thing they had to point at was the religious crowd. Jesus and his followers were not following the rituals of their religion because they didn't have to? The only fast prescribed in the law of God was on the Day of Atonement. Over time however fasts began to multiply: you know, if it is good once a year, then it must be good twice a year and so on. The climax was the observance of a fast twice a week. The Pharisee prayed in Luke 18, "I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get." After it became common for religious people to fast twice a week, it just became the unwritten rule. You were not really righteous unless you followed the fasts and prayers of the religious elite. It was not wrong to fast twice a week, but it was not required either. So, Jesus and His followers did not do it.
Not only did God not require so many fasts, but the kind of fasts they were offering were not the kind of fasts God desired. Zechariah 7 records, "When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted. . . And the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.'" The prophet Isaiah wrote, "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?"
Jesus and his followers committed no sin against God. The problem was they committed the cardinal sin against the religious crowd….they ignored their traditions. They stepped out of line according to their religion. Traditions and religion can become a rut if we are not careful. We must be on guard that we do not become more protective of our traditions than we are of the actual principles of the Word of God. We must be careful that we do not judge a person's righteousness by our man-made standards, but rather by their fruits. We must be careful that we do not get so caught up in days, places, times, and people that we miss the voice of God through His Word. The fact of the matter is, Jesus came to reform religion. He came to reform the traditions of the religious crowd. He came to lead us into a personal ongoing relationship with him in which we speak to him through prayer, he speaks to us through his Word, and in which he leads us by His Spirit. That is a far cry from religion and a great deal more rewarding than dead traditions.
Jesus came to reform the traditions of the religious. Jesus shook up the tradition of the Jews on more than just this occasion. In Matthew 15:1-3 we read, "Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat." He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?" Jesus intentionally broke their traditions. He also pointed out that they were willing to break the commandment of God for the sake of their traditions. He came to repair and reform what they had broken. He came to reform their religion. He came to bring the new covenant in His blood! In fact, in this passage of Scripture alone, the word new appears 7 times. The emphasis falls clearly on the new, not the old. The worn out, faded Judaism, so beloved by the rabbis, was beyond repair. Jesus came to reform it and when He died, Old Testament Judaism died with Him. Jesus did away with the law, as they knew it. He did away with the sacrificial system with His final and complete sacrifice. He tore the curtain in the temple giving everyone complete access to the Father through Him. "And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split." Matthew 27:51-52. Jesus took out the old and brought in the new. Their traditions, religion, and rituals had been reformed! Those traditions were quite resistant however, as ours are today. Next time we will think about how resistant our traditions can be to the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit. We'll also talk about how we can strive to approach God's Word without subjecting it to our traditions and "religion" first. Until next time….
And they said to him, "The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink." 34 And Jesus said to them, "Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days." 36 He also told them a parable: "No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, 'The old is good.'" (ESV)
Jesus is accused of breaking, not the law of God, but the tradition (the religion) of man. He is questioned about his disciples failing to follow the fasts and prayer rituals of the Jews and he responds with this parable. It is a clear warning about the danger of clinging to the past, to old traditions and to dead religion over the inspired Word of God.
Traditions are not necessarily bad in themselves. Some traditions are good and beneficial to our walk with God. The problem with traditions is they quickly become more important than God's commands. They quickly become more binding on the people than God's law. They, rather than the Word of God, become the standards of righteousness. They become nothing but ruts that we fall facedown into. From that vantage point we see only the rut, not the Word of God.
We see this happen in verse 33 of this passage. Jesus' accusers say, "The disciples of John the Baptist are doing it. The Pharisees are doing it. It must be the thing to do! Jesus, why aren't you and your followers doing it?" Where did the Word of God come in? God's law was never mentioned. The only thing they had to point at was the religious crowd. Jesus and his followers were not following the rituals of their religion because they didn't have to? The only fast prescribed in the law of God was on the Day of Atonement. Over time however fasts began to multiply: you know, if it is good once a year, then it must be good twice a year and so on. The climax was the observance of a fast twice a week. The Pharisee prayed in Luke 18, "I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get." After it became common for religious people to fast twice a week, it just became the unwritten rule. You were not really righteous unless you followed the fasts and prayers of the religious elite. It was not wrong to fast twice a week, but it was not required either. So, Jesus and His followers did not do it.
Not only did God not require so many fasts, but the kind of fasts they were offering were not the kind of fasts God desired. Zechariah 7 records, "When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted. . . And the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.'" The prophet Isaiah wrote, "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?"
Jesus and his followers committed no sin against God. The problem was they committed the cardinal sin against the religious crowd….they ignored their traditions. They stepped out of line according to their religion. Traditions and religion can become a rut if we are not careful. We must be on guard that we do not become more protective of our traditions than we are of the actual principles of the Word of God. We must be careful that we do not judge a person's righteousness by our man-made standards, but rather by their fruits. We must be careful that we do not get so caught up in days, places, times, and people that we miss the voice of God through His Word. The fact of the matter is, Jesus came to reform religion. He came to reform the traditions of the religious crowd. He came to lead us into a personal ongoing relationship with him in which we speak to him through prayer, he speaks to us through his Word, and in which he leads us by His Spirit. That is a far cry from religion and a great deal more rewarding than dead traditions.
Jesus came to reform the traditions of the religious. Jesus shook up the tradition of the Jews on more than just this occasion. In Matthew 15:1-3 we read, "Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat." He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?" Jesus intentionally broke their traditions. He also pointed out that they were willing to break the commandment of God for the sake of their traditions. He came to repair and reform what they had broken. He came to reform their religion. He came to bring the new covenant in His blood! In fact, in this passage of Scripture alone, the word new appears 7 times. The emphasis falls clearly on the new, not the old. The worn out, faded Judaism, so beloved by the rabbis, was beyond repair. Jesus came to reform it and when He died, Old Testament Judaism died with Him. Jesus did away with the law, as they knew it. He did away with the sacrificial system with His final and complete sacrifice. He tore the curtain in the temple giving everyone complete access to the Father through Him. "And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split." Matthew 27:51-52. Jesus took out the old and brought in the new. Their traditions, religion, and rituals had been reformed! Those traditions were quite resistant however, as ours are today. Next time we will think about how resistant our traditions can be to the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit. We'll also talk about how we can strive to approach God's Word without subjecting it to our traditions and "religion" first. Until next time….
Thursday, February 5, 2009
How should we prepare to hear?
This week we have been looking at Luke 8:9-10.
Luke 8:9-10 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.
We are trying to answer 3 questions that arose in my mind from this passage of Scripture. We have already looked at the first two questions: "What is preaching's purpose? And What does preaching produce?" We said that preaching's purpose is both to reveal and to conceal. Jesus' preaching concealed the secrets of the kingdom, and at the same time revealed the seekers of the kingdom. We said that preaching produces healing or hardening. After hearing the Word of God we will have brighter eyes or blinder eyes, but never the same set of eyes. Today we will strive to answer the most important question for us, "How should we prepare to hear?"
How should we prepare to hear God's Word? We definitely do not need to be cavalier in hearing God's Word week after week. If it is not softening and saving and healing and bearing fruit, it is probably hardening and blinding, and dulling. The point of Jesus' words in this scripture is not, take heed how you preach, but…take heed how you hear. In Luke 8:8, he says, "he who has ears to hear, let him hear!" As you prepare to hear God's Word strive to be a good listener.
Don't be a Casual Listener. A casual listener is like the hard soil which never really sinks in. Casual listeners doze off during the message, talk, and daydream during the message. Casual listeners presume that they already know as much as the pastor, there is nothing he can teach them, so they do not pay close attention.
Don't be a Convicted Listener. A convicted listener is like the shallow soil that has no root or the soil that grows thorns that choke the fruit out. They hear the message, but it doesn't sink very deep. They hear the message and are convicted so they try to respond, only to have the message choked out on Monday because they are caught up in the cares of this life. The convicted listener is often the "nominal Christian," if there is such a thing. They try to respond to the message in order to get fire insurance and some misleading pastor leads them in a prayer, has them fill out a card, runs them through the baptistery and assures them that they are saved. Then they go back into the world with the idea that they are going to heaven. The problem is they are still living their life as though it is their own. They haven't made themselves slaves of God. They have heard the word, been convicted, and half heartedly responded in order to try and escape hell, but they have not really heard and responded properly.
Don't be a casual listener who takes in little or nothing. Don't be a convicted listener who tries to respond without giving everything. Do be a Convinced Listener. The good soil is a picture of the convinced listener. The convinced listener receives the Word, responds whole-heartedly, and bears fruit. Be a convinced listener this Sunday. Come hungry and thirsty for God and for His Word. Come with a heart to hear and respond. Come with open ears, open hearts, and open minds to hear what God has to say to you. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Luke 8:9-10 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.
We are trying to answer 3 questions that arose in my mind from this passage of Scripture. We have already looked at the first two questions: "What is preaching's purpose? And What does preaching produce?" We said that preaching's purpose is both to reveal and to conceal. Jesus' preaching concealed the secrets of the kingdom, and at the same time revealed the seekers of the kingdom. We said that preaching produces healing or hardening. After hearing the Word of God we will have brighter eyes or blinder eyes, but never the same set of eyes. Today we will strive to answer the most important question for us, "How should we prepare to hear?"
How should we prepare to hear God's Word? We definitely do not need to be cavalier in hearing God's Word week after week. If it is not softening and saving and healing and bearing fruit, it is probably hardening and blinding, and dulling. The point of Jesus' words in this scripture is not, take heed how you preach, but…take heed how you hear. In Luke 8:8, he says, "he who has ears to hear, let him hear!" As you prepare to hear God's Word strive to be a good listener.
Don't be a Casual Listener. A casual listener is like the hard soil which never really sinks in. Casual listeners doze off during the message, talk, and daydream during the message. Casual listeners presume that they already know as much as the pastor, there is nothing he can teach them, so they do not pay close attention.
Don't be a Convicted Listener. A convicted listener is like the shallow soil that has no root or the soil that grows thorns that choke the fruit out. They hear the message, but it doesn't sink very deep. They hear the message and are convicted so they try to respond, only to have the message choked out on Monday because they are caught up in the cares of this life. The convicted listener is often the "nominal Christian," if there is such a thing. They try to respond to the message in order to get fire insurance and some misleading pastor leads them in a prayer, has them fill out a card, runs them through the baptistery and assures them that they are saved. Then they go back into the world with the idea that they are going to heaven. The problem is they are still living their life as though it is their own. They haven't made themselves slaves of God. They have heard the word, been convicted, and half heartedly responded in order to try and escape hell, but they have not really heard and responded properly.
Don't be a casual listener who takes in little or nothing. Don't be a convicted listener who tries to respond without giving everything. Do be a Convinced Listener. The good soil is a picture of the convinced listener. The convinced listener receives the Word, responds whole-heartedly, and bears fruit. Be a convinced listener this Sunday. Come hungry and thirsty for God and for His Word. Come with a heart to hear and respond. Come with open ears, open hearts, and open minds to hear what God has to say to you. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
What does preaching produce?
This week we have been looking at Luke 8:9-10.
"And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand" (Luke 8:9-10).
We are trying to answer 3 questions arose in my mind from this passage of Scripture. We have already looked at the first question: "What is preaching's purpose?" We said that preaching is both to reveal and to conceal. Jesus' preaching concealed the secrets of the kingdom, and at the same time revealed the seekers of the kingdom.
Today, we will address the second question that arose in my studies. What does preaching produce? Preaching is definitely productive. Isaiah wrote For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isa 55:10-11). The Word will not return void. Like a double-edged sword, the Word of God cuts two ways. It sometimes bears fruit. Sometimes it brings judgment.
What does preaching produce? Preaching produces softer hearts or harder hearts, but it will never produce the same heart. It can produce brighter eyes or blinded eyes, but it will never produce the same set of eyes. It will produce opened ears or to duller ears, but never the same ears. Preaching produces healing or to hardening.
The Gospel is good news! It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. The Gospel often brings forth fruit and produces healing in the hearts and lives of people (2 Thess 2:14, Eph 1:13-14, Rom 1:16-17, Rom 10:13-14). Yet, even when preaching does not produce "results" it is not necessarily ineffective. It may be doing its terrible work of judgment. It may be hardening people, dulling their ears. Isaiah 6:9-10 states, And he said, "Go, and say to this people: "'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed." Preaching produces healing or hardening and it can do it from the same exact message! Paul stated that he was the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved AND among those who are perishing. To one he was a fragrance from death to death. To the other he was a fragrance from life to life (2 Cor 2:15-17). Two people can sit under the same message from the same preacher and have two totally different outcomes. One can be gloriously healed. The other can be tragically hardened to the Gospel. This raises a third question, that we will address next: "How should we prepare to hear?"
Until next time…
"And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand" (Luke 8:9-10).
We are trying to answer 3 questions arose in my mind from this passage of Scripture. We have already looked at the first question: "What is preaching's purpose?" We said that preaching is both to reveal and to conceal. Jesus' preaching concealed the secrets of the kingdom, and at the same time revealed the seekers of the kingdom.
Today, we will address the second question that arose in my studies. What does preaching produce? Preaching is definitely productive. Isaiah wrote For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isa 55:10-11). The Word will not return void. Like a double-edged sword, the Word of God cuts two ways. It sometimes bears fruit. Sometimes it brings judgment.
What does preaching produce? Preaching produces softer hearts or harder hearts, but it will never produce the same heart. It can produce brighter eyes or blinded eyes, but it will never produce the same set of eyes. It will produce opened ears or to duller ears, but never the same ears. Preaching produces healing or to hardening.
The Gospel is good news! It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. The Gospel often brings forth fruit and produces healing in the hearts and lives of people (2 Thess 2:14, Eph 1:13-14, Rom 1:16-17, Rom 10:13-14). Yet, even when preaching does not produce "results" it is not necessarily ineffective. It may be doing its terrible work of judgment. It may be hardening people, dulling their ears. Isaiah 6:9-10 states, And he said, "Go, and say to this people: "'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed." Preaching produces healing or hardening and it can do it from the same exact message! Paul stated that he was the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved AND among those who are perishing. To one he was a fragrance from death to death. To the other he was a fragrance from life to life (2 Cor 2:15-17). Two people can sit under the same message from the same preacher and have two totally different outcomes. One can be gloriously healed. The other can be tragically hardened to the Gospel. This raises a third question, that we will address next: "How should we prepare to hear?"
Until next time…
Monday, February 2, 2009
The Purpose of Preaching
C.H. Spurgeon has been called the prince of preachers. But, the real prince of preachers has to be Jesus Christ himself. Jesus' method of preaching was through parables. In fact Matthew tells us in Matthew 13:34 that "All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable."
In Luke 8, we hear his definition of the parable and his idea of preaching.
Luke 8:9-10 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand."
At least 3 questions arise in my mind from this passage of Scripture that we will look at over the next few days, in order to reiterate what you heard, if you were with us, this past Sunday at Cleary. The first question is…."What is preaching's purpose?"
The purpose of Jesus' preaching is both to reveal and to conceal the truth. His teachings were a way of revealing or concealing the secrets of the kingdom of God. Do you mean to say that Jesus wanted to conceal the truth from some people? That is what he said. Jesus said that he spoke in parables so that seeing they may not see and hearing they may not understand. That seeing (the story) they may not see (the secrets), and hearing (the story) they may not understand (the secrets). The fact of the matter is, much of God's word is meant to conceal, rather than reveal. In fact, the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:3, "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing."
Preaching is not just to conceal though. It is to reveal as well. Jesus' preaching, His parables, were to reveal, not the secrets of the kingdom, but the seekers of the kingdom. Jesus was not revealing secrets to some and not to others in his preaching. He was revealing those who were really seeking through his preaching. You see, the disciples did not understand or they would not have had to ask. That is the key! Not that they mysteriously understood what Jesus said and the others missed it because they had special insight. No, the key is that they did not understand any more than anyone else in the crowd. The key is, they asked. This is what set them apart. They didn't just turn around and walk away saying, good sermon Jesus. They inquired of Him what he was talking about.
This method of preaching protected the glorious gospel. Jesus said in Matthew 7:6, "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you." He did not give the holy Word of God to the dogs or throw the priceless pearl before the pigs. He simply threw some lamb bait out. The dogs and the pigs walked away, but the sheep took the bait and wanted more. Nicodemus was one of those lambs that took His bait. We read the account in John 3:1-2. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." Nicodemus was seeking, so Jesus revealed the secrets to him. The purpose of preaching is not only to reveal….but to conceal. The next question we must ask is, "What does preaching produce?" We will look at this question later in the week…so be on the lookout!
In Luke 8, we hear his definition of the parable and his idea of preaching.
Luke 8:9-10 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand."
At least 3 questions arise in my mind from this passage of Scripture that we will look at over the next few days, in order to reiterate what you heard, if you were with us, this past Sunday at Cleary. The first question is…."What is preaching's purpose?"
The purpose of Jesus' preaching is both to reveal and to conceal the truth. His teachings were a way of revealing or concealing the secrets of the kingdom of God. Do you mean to say that Jesus wanted to conceal the truth from some people? That is what he said. Jesus said that he spoke in parables so that seeing they may not see and hearing they may not understand. That seeing (the story) they may not see (the secrets), and hearing (the story) they may not understand (the secrets). The fact of the matter is, much of God's word is meant to conceal, rather than reveal. In fact, the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:3, "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing."
Preaching is not just to conceal though. It is to reveal as well. Jesus' preaching, His parables, were to reveal, not the secrets of the kingdom, but the seekers of the kingdom. Jesus was not revealing secrets to some and not to others in his preaching. He was revealing those who were really seeking through his preaching. You see, the disciples did not understand or they would not have had to ask. That is the key! Not that they mysteriously understood what Jesus said and the others missed it because they had special insight. No, the key is that they did not understand any more than anyone else in the crowd. The key is, they asked. This is what set them apart. They didn't just turn around and walk away saying, good sermon Jesus. They inquired of Him what he was talking about.
This method of preaching protected the glorious gospel. Jesus said in Matthew 7:6, "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you." He did not give the holy Word of God to the dogs or throw the priceless pearl before the pigs. He simply threw some lamb bait out. The dogs and the pigs walked away, but the sheep took the bait and wanted more. Nicodemus was one of those lambs that took His bait. We read the account in John 3:1-2. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." Nicodemus was seeking, so Jesus revealed the secrets to him. The purpose of preaching is not only to reveal….but to conceal. The next question we must ask is, "What does preaching produce?" We will look at this question later in the week…so be on the lookout!
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