The Great Commission Demands a Structured Church

When Jesus gave his disciples the great commission, he made a very clear statement about what they were to do. Matthew 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." This commission has defined the mission of the church for 2000 years. The church is made up of disciples of Christ, who make disciples of Christ, who baptize disciples of Christ, and bring every disciple of Christ under the discipleship of the teaching of Christ.

If we were to break down the responsibility of the great commission, we would find that the church needs to be very clear about who we are as Christ's disciples and what are the essential truths of the Christian faith that we must commit to for the growth and maturity of God's family.

As you read into the book of Acts and the New Testament letters, you very quickly find a church being organized to fulfill this commission. We find a council of leaders meeting to discuss the importance of how the gospel flourishes in a gentile world. We find churches being established with elders and then deacons for the spiritual oversight and administration of the church. We find the church coming together in consensus to send missionaries. We find letters instructing the church for living in holiness and protecting doctrine. Clear guidelines are given for communities living out their faith in Christ together. In every way, the church is organized and structured for the purpose of making Christ known and exalted in the world. It is structured for making disciples and growing disciples. The great commission demands a structured church.

When we think about the structure of the church, there are many ideas that come to mind. Elders and deacons are instituted for leadership and organization of ministry. Church gatherings normally have a structure (liturgy) for corporate worship in an orderly and edifying way. Membership has been the word historically used in the church for the process of recognizing disciples of Christ. In the local setting the church can maintain a defining category for identifying ourselves as believers in Christ. We can know who disciples are so we can work together to make and mature other disciples.

If the church is not structured, the church loses recognition of its identity. If we are not structured, we lose protection of our witness to the world. If we are not structured, we lose clarity on purity and any clear direction for maintaining it. If we are not structured, we muddy the waters of truth for maturing each other in Christ. If we are not structured, we deny the importance of unified commitment in the one saving truth in one saving Lord. If we lose this structure, we will soon lose the definition of a disciple and along with it, the mission of the gospel.

The great commission demands structure.

Evidence of Infant Baptism in the New Testament?

As our church thinks about baptism this week, I chose not to use the sermon to directly share my concerns (at least not in a comprehensive way) about infant (paedo) vs. believer's (credo) baptism. The sermon this week will show various reasons as to why only believer's baptism is consistent with the new covenant and teaching of Scripture. As an aside to that, it may be helpful to also show in this blog why I am not convinced I see any evidence of infant baptism in the New Testament.

Often, advocates for infant baptism will point to the statements in Scripture that say that whole "households" (Greek word oikos) were baptized. It may help to look at some of these statements carefully. 

Cornelius - Acts 10.

Acts 10:44-48 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 "Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

Peter came and preached to Cornelius and his household. In Acts 10:2, Luke tells us that Cornelius was a devout man who feared God with all his household. The household (probably included family members and even servants) feared God. While an infant might be a part of a household, it would be difficult to suggest that the infant feared God. In vs. 44-48 we are told that as a response to the gospel preaching of Peter, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. This indicates there were believers who received the Holy Spirit in the hearing and believing of the word. I do not believe Luke would have us believe that the word fell on those who would find it incomprehensible. The household who then heard the word were then commanded to be baptized.

Further in Acts 11:14, Peter recounting this event said that Cornelius sent for him (via the prompt of an angel) to come and declare to you a message by which you will all be saved, you and your household. The people who were baptized were people who heard a message of the gospel and were saved.

The Philippian Jailer: Acts 16.

Acts 16:30-33 Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.

The Philippian jailer and all his house first heard the word of the Lord and were saved. The important word to notice is that they were saved. While advocates for infant baptism believe that infants are "in the covenant and under promises of God," they will not declare them to be saved (at least not those who are responsible with the gospel). The household of the jailer were first saved and then baptized at once.

(you may notice I skipped Lydia from the beginning of Acts 16 - Keep reading).

Crispus: Acts 18

Acts 18:8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.

This is again straight forward. Crispus and his entire household (every person in it), believed. This report caused also many of the Corinthians to hear Paul and they also believed. They were baptized. So far, we have only heard of believers being baptized.

Stephanas: 1 Corinthians 1 and 16

1Co 1:16-17 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

1Co 16:15 Now I urge you, brothers--you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints.

Paul first makes the point in chapter 1, that though he baptized Stephanas, his priority was not baptism but the preaching of the gospel. Paul makes a good point that he does not baptize for any other reason that someone has responded to the preaching of the gospel which is his priority ministry.

In Chapter 16, Paul talks about Stephanas' household as being the first converts in the region of Achaia. The baptized household of Stephanas were baptized because they were the first converts.

Lydia: Acts 16

Acts 16:14-15 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." And she prevailed upon us.

In every other instance apart from this one about Lydia, the "oikos" (household) texts show that believers were baptized after hearing and responding to the gospel preached. This text is less clear in the way that it clearly shows Lydia responding to the gospel and being baptized, but then makes a simple statement that her household as well. So far this is one example among five where there is not an explicit statement about the gospel being preached to the household for them to believe and be baptized. There is also no clarity for infant baptism. What do we do in this case?

Let me quote from the Westminster Confession of Faith 1.9. Speaking about the interpretation of Scripture, the confession states, " The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture, is the Scripture itself; and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it may be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly."

The Westminster Confession is normally held by those who would agree with an infant baptism. This confession says to consider that which is less clear by that which can be searched in other places that speak more clearly. If we apply this standard to Lydia, we have four clear texts out of five that help us to understand that nobody in Lydia's household would have been baptized without responding to the gospel in faith.

There is nowhere else in the New Testament Scriptures where we can find any evidence of a baby/infant being baptized. On the contrary, the texts above are terrific examples of believer's baptism with the text about Lydia being understood by the clear nature of the others. It seems to me that the example of baptism in the New Testament is clearly evidence of believer's baptism is the one baptism of the church.

Reflections on Thessalonians

It's our last week in the book of 2 Thessalonians and I thought I would take the opportunity to share some reflections from our time in these two amazing letters from Paul.

1 Thessalonians 1. Thanksgiving is an essential part of life for a Christian and especially for the way we view the church. It is impossible to avoid that Paul was incredibly thankful for his brothers and sisters in the church of Thessalonica. He was thankful to God for choosing them for salvation. He was thankful that the Holy Spirit had illuminated them to the truth of the gospel. He was thankful for a simple faithfulness of this church in the face of opposition. He was thankful for the transformation in their lives. Our church can be thankful for all these same reasons today. Our God has done a wonderful work in his church in and through Christ. We have every reason to be thankful.

1 Thessalonians 2 The ministry of the gospel can be defended because it is not a human message, and even though it comes via human voices, it is God's message in God's power. The pointed fingers of the world will attempt to bring down the gospel and God's chosen voices, but at the end of the day the gospel goes out not because the church desires its own glory but desires to see the salvation of lost souls to the glory of Christ. We are willing to give all for the sake of the good news of Jesus. May this be a spreading reality.

1 Thessalonians 3 The gospel is a ministry of love. We earnestly seek to know that the church is growing in number and in faith and love. We know that the church is in a world of opposition and that is why we are always prayerful to seek God's continued work through his saints being faithful in trying circumstances. We should be both anxious to know about the work of God's church in the world and encouraged by any reports of steadfast faith and obedience to the call of the gospel. We love God's family 

1 Thessalonians 4 The church is contrary to the world. We don't live like the world lives and we don't grieve like the world grieves. We have a reason to live in hope - our Savior is returning, and he has not forgotten any of us. When Jesus returns, he will bring our brothers and sisters who have died before us because they are with him now. When he returns with them, they will be resurrected bodily, and we also will meet them in the air to forever be with Jesus together. We have a great and glorious day to look forward. We have no reason to grieve in hopelessness.

1 Thessalonians 5 We don't know the day and hour that Jesus will return, but we are called to be ready for him in the totality of our lives. We live to stand before our Savior face to face and have no reason to be complacent about it. We also understand that the day of the Lord will bring devastating judgment upon all those who do not have faith in Jesus. More people need to hear his good news. We live in this life for Christ so that we are never taken by surprise at his coming. Until he returns, let us live diligently and faithfully and in patient love, one for another.

2 Thessalonians 1 The church lives in simple enduring faithfulness even though persecution is always threatening us. Our endurance through persecution shows that we are not living toward judgment, but that Christ has taken the consequence of our sins that we no longer wish to live in. The reality of judgment will come on unbelievers. This reminder is important for the church. We live according to final vindication in Christ, not the threat of a coming judgment. Because of that, we can make our lives a matter of faithful works as we believe in God's faithful word.

2 Thessalonians 2 It is so important for the church to always remember that the coming of our Lord is a future reality in Christ's physical return. Anyone who denies the coming day of the Lord is living a lie. Our life in this world as Christians is one in which we must be careful of the deceit all around us. The only way to be strong together on this is to be committed to the truth of the word of Christ as taught by the Apostles (everything we have in the Scriptures). By standing together on the truth of Scripture we will be best equipped to both notice the deception of men and be established in the work of the ministry of Christ. We will not be caught by the deception of Satan or any other lawlessness or antichrist delusions from men.

2 Thessalonians 3 We are simple ordinary Christians. Don't forget that this means that we faithfully live out our lives in confidence that God will bring us all the way to the end. We can be confident in each other because Christ is in us. We can also be careful not to take advantage of each other or leave any unnecessary barrier or burden for the gospel. Our simple lives of faithful work keep us from idleness and are God's powerful tool for the witness of his church all over the world as we use our lives for the advancement of the gospel. Let's not grow weary in this but keep each other accountable as we serve our Lord until he comes.

These beautiful thoughts from the letters of Paul to the Thessalonians help us to define life as ORDINARY CHRISTIANS!

Grace Motivates Action

1 Corinthians 15:9-11 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Did Paul really work harder than the other apostles? If you read the rest of Paul's writings, you get an indication that you can believe that he did. But why would Paul work so hard? Paul's answer is - GRACE. In the above statement to the church at Corinth, Paul made mention of his former unbelieving life. Paul was the least of the apostles because he was very aware of his persecution of the church. He hated the church and every idea of Jesus until the day Jesus confronted him when he was on his way to Damascus. Paul was confronted by grace and experienced the mercy and forgiveness of God through Christ. He went from persecutor to Apostle.

Not only was it not a waste of the grace of God (it was not in vain - it never is), but Paul's experience of grace turned his entire life around. From the moment of his encounter with the risen Christ, Paul became aware that his work as a pharisee was nothing other than his sinful pride of self-righteousness. He became aware that he did not deserve anything from God, but eternal punishment and he became aware that only the work of Christ would save him. Paul went from working for pharisaical entitlement to a life of slavery to Christ in the glory of grace. The prize of Jesus' work for him became more precious to Paul than anything else in the world.

It's not that the other apostles did not understand this, but it does seem that Paul's unique situation promoted a work ethic in his life that resulted in complete sacrifice for the gospel. In multiple places in his letters, he reminds the churches that his mission to them was self-funded. He never expected payment from those to whom he was ministering the gospel. He never wanted there to be anything to suggest that the gospel was for his benefit. 2 Thessalonians 3:7-8 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you.

Paul worked harder, but he does not attribute his work to a sense of ascetic piety. He does not suggest his work would get him a better reward or recognition from God or others. Paul says that his working for the gospel was because of the gospel grace that was working in him.

The Christian work ethic should reflect this very grace. Grace doesn't motivate apathy, it motivates action. Grace, active in the life of the church, drives the mission of the church. You should try it... Meditate on God's grace to you in Christ. See if your reflection leads you to affirm apathy or action. I am convinced that anyone who understands the nature of grace, will never come up with an answer of apathy.

A Right View of The Church

Ephesians 2:19-22 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Ok, so I know that we all have some negative things to say about the church, but I'm asking us to think seriously about what we are saying. When the Apostle Paul speaks about the church, he is never confused about who is speaking about. In the text above, Paul says that the church is based on Christ and the Apostles and is built as a dwelling place for God - the temple. The church is where the Holy Spirit of God resides even in our imperfect state.

We do see many examples of Paul correcting and rebuking the church and we all know that Corinth were not doing very well. Even then, Paul called them brothers and appealed to them for repentance and obedience in Christ. Paul later talked to them about forgiveness and restoration of the repentant sinner. Why would Paul take such pains in dealing with such a troubled church? Because Paul believed that all those who have come to faith in Christ are part of those who God indwells.

Along with many others, I have the privilege of counseling people who are struggling in varying aspects of life. Why do I bother doing that? Because I know that my brothers and sisters in Christ have the indwelling presence of God in their lives. I know that my every hope is that a Christian have all they need in Christ to obey his word and find his eternal comfort and peace. The church is not just a group of people who meet together. We are the family of God and temple of God in whom our God dwells. That gives us reason to hope for all of us.

I understand that sometimes we see churches doing outrageous things and making heretical statements. I know that there are churches that deny the truth of God's word and pervert his moral character. I know that there are churches that refuse to believe essential doctrines and churches who have all but lost the message of the gospel. It's very possible that they are not God's true churches at all. I'm not speaking about those who use the name of a church only. I'm speaking about the regenerate in Christ all over the world.

Wherever there is a brother or sister in Christ, there is a brick in the temple built on Christ and the Apostles. Wherever Christ is, there is hope. So, let's be careful about the way we refer to Christ's church. We are his temple. We are his family. He loves us. He died for us. He is building his church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. The church is the household of God.

If you want to have the right view of the church, don't view it without acknowledging its Savior.  

Thank God for Election

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14 To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Of all the reasons Paul must give thanks to God for the Thessalonian church, he thanks God that they are chosen and called by God into salvation. Paul thanks God for the outworking of the sovereign electing grace of God in the lives of the Thessalonian church.

In our modern church it seems so much easier for us to argue about the doctrines of election and predestination than to thank God for them. Why is that? I wonder if it is because we have not meditated on the practical nature these doctrines bring to our lives and how they inspire gratitude.

Of course, we will always have the tension of wondering about the paradoxical quandary of two adjacent truths that cannot be packaged into a tidy answer for our finite minds. We just can't seem to place God's sovereignty and human responsibility together without the acceptance of mystery. Yet, the acceptance of God's sovereign grace in the doctrine of election can bring gratitude into every obedience that every believer takes.

Paul was thanking God for choosing the Thessalonian Christians because he had just warned about the danger of deception in the world. Paul had every confidence that these believers would resist the deceptions and false teachings of this world to remain faithful in Christ. His confidence was not in them as amazing Christians but in their Savior as an amazing God. Because their salvation was attributable to the eternal God of all power and grace, Paul's confidence was in the certainty of God's character and work among them. They were chosen by God, for his glory. There is not a power in the universe that has the strength to undermine that.

What about us? Well, I propose we start looking every day at our own lives before God and recognizing the impossibility of our obedience in Christ if it was not for the electing love for God. It might look like this...

- Every morning you wake and go into your day knowing the only way you should live today is to live for Jesus - Thank God - That's his doing in your life.

- Every time you warn yourself about being apathetic toward loving his truth - Thank God - That's his doing in your life.

- Every step you take toward a more intimate love for your Savior - Thank God - He's doing that in you.

- Every step of righteous obedience you take - Thank God - He caused you to take it.

- Every time you are not do something you know you should not do - Thank God - He kept you from doing it.

- Every aspect of godliness you see growing in your life - Thank God - He's working in you.

Every aspect of your Christian life can be in gratitude toward God who has chosen you from before the foundation of the world. He chose you, called you, and he is working in you until the day he glorifies you in his Son forevermore. There is not a single aspect of your life that you can boast in and claim glory for yourself. Every aspect of your Christian life can be lived in complete gratitude to God - without him, none of it is possible.

Live in gratitude, the doctrine of election is a reality. We need it!

The Judgment that Makes All Things New

When the Apostle Paul talks about the final judgment coming in Christ, he does so with simple language of finality in display of Christ's absolute authority and power.  

2 Thessalonians 2:8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

Paul here also echoes the words of the Prophet Isaiah. As you read through Isaiah's words you realize that the message expands in the way it gives amazing warning and hope to a people under the threat of opposing nations. Let's step through it.

1. The Messianic King will come in the power of the Spirit.

Isaiah 11:1-2 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

In clear reference to Christ (The Messiah), Isaiah renews the expectation that Jesus will be the humble root that comes in the line of David (father, Jesse). Our Messiah is fruitful in all he does and works all things in the power of the Spirit. He is full of wisdom, might and complete devotion to God.

2. His power in righteousness and judgment is unmatched by any other.

Isaiah 11:3-5 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, 4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

These verses that Paul later alludes to (as above) show us that Jesus is the very definition of righteousness. His judgment is always right because he judges out of his righteous character. Those he comes to vindicate can know that his judgment will be complete and without answer. The power of his word will destroy the wicked and there will only be one Lord who has the last say.

3. From the judgment of Christ comes complete restoration.

Isaiah 11:6-8 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.

Isaiah shows us a picture of the reversal of the fall. The struggle for life and the danger and threat of creation in the groaning curse of sin has been restored to its pre-fall condition. The comprehensive judgment of Christ will bring about the entire reconciliation of creation that our Messiah already won for us on the cross. When Paul quoted from Isaiah about coming judgment, surely he was also aware of this glorious restoration that Isaiah connects to it. The final day of judgment in Christ will abolish all opposition to God and bring about the glory of a new creation. After reading Isaiah, it's hard to believe that Paul doesn't have this in mind too.

4. The judgment of Christ will bring about the glory of God proclaimed throughout the whole earth by every nation.

Isaiah 11:9-10 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. 10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples--of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.

Ever since Genesis 3, all Scripture has built upon an expectation that God's name would be glorified throughout his entire creation through mankind. This is what God's purpose in creation was from the beginning.  Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." In Christ, this has begun to happen with the spread of the gospel throughout the world, but when final judgment arrives on the last day, this will be seen in the consummation glory of the new creation. There will be a day when the nations (those saved out of every nation) will praise him forever on the restored and reconciled earth.

What a glorious truth to hold on to! Both Paul and Isaiah speak of the comprehensive judgment that comes through the all-powerful word of Christ on the last day. But...Don't forget, with final comprehensive judgment of evil comes the eternal comprehensive glory of God enjoyed by his elect all across the world - as the waters cover the sea.

Jesus Returning Any Moment?

Talk to any number of Christians and you will find out that there are a lot of different ideas about the timing of the return of Christ. Hopefully, you will hear the majority point to a biblical truth when they tell you that we simply cannot know the hour and day that Jesus will return. Perhaps they might even quote Matthew 24:36 - "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only." Not only do we not know the day and hour of Jesus return, but I believe most Christians would suggest that it could happen at any moment. Does the bible affirm that Jesus could return at any moment? You may be surprised at the answer.

1. The New Testament teaches that we should wait and look for the return of Christ.

Luke 12:35-36 "Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.

Titus 2:13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Philippians 3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 3:12-14 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.

2. The New Testament teaches we should be eager for Christ's return.

Romans 8:19, 23 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. ... 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

4. The New Testament teaches that we should watch (be on guard) for Christ's return.

Mark 13:33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.

There is a clear teaching in Scripture that we should wait, be eager for, look for, expect, and be on guard for Christ's return as those who do not know the hour or the or the day of his coming. While all these statements teach an immanent and unknown time of the return of Christ, it would be an assumption to say that this also means that it could happen at any moment. Something certainly can be immanent and near, and we can be eager for it and wait for it even knowing that it may not be any moment. The reality is that the Scriptures teach both the immanence of Christ's return and events that must happen before it.

1. Jesus told his disciples that when they see certain things happening, they can know that the end is NOT yet.

Matthew 24:4-6 And Jesus answered them, "See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.

2. Jesus declared that his gospel was to go out to all the nations.

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

3. The coming of Christ would come after the destruction of Jerusalem.

Luke 21:20, 24 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. ... 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

4. Jesus suggests that it will seem like it has been a long delay prior to his coming.

Matthew 24:48-51 But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,' 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25:5, 19 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. ... 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

5. Jesus told Peter that he would be stretched out in death prior to his coming.

John 21:18-22 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go." 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, "Follow me." 20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, "Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?" 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" 22 Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!"

6. Paul told the Thessalonians that before Jesus comes, the apostasy and man of lawlessness must precede it.

2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.

The point of the immanence of the return of Christ is not to tell us that we should expect an any-moment return of Jesus but that we must always be ready for the day and hour we will not know. While many things have preceded the return of Christ and while some things are yet to be revealed, the only time to prepare for Jesus' return is today. The way to be prepared is to live in the gospel of Jesus by faith in our Savior who has promised to one day take us home.

While that may not be today, and while there may be some delay, we await eagerly as we serve our coming Lord.

Resurrection: Physical and Spiritual

If you are a genuine believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you believe that he has been raised - physically - from the dead. He died - physically - for our sins. His body was placed into the earth, a real tomb, in which it was sealed with a great rock. His body was raised from death, and he then appeared to many, even eating breakfast with Peter before Jesus ascended in the presence of witnessing disciples.

The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the Christian hope. Because of Christ's resurrection we know that we too will one day be raised from the dead into eternal life. We know that Jesus has indeed been gloriously victorious over sin and death. We know that the power by which Christ paid for sin and rose from the grave is the power and authority of God to forgive us of sin and bring us into new life in Christ. Especially in his letter to Corinth, the Apostle Paul makes it clear that while our Christian faith relies on Christ's sacrificial atonement for sin on the cross, it would be futile to hope in the accomplishment of the cross if Christ was not physically resurrected to life.

1 Corinthians 15:12-17  Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

The Christian hope is not that we just have a transformed life in our temporal worldly existence but that we will one day be physically transformed in resurrection, and perfected in Christ for all eternity. Unfortunately, the expectation of the physical resurrection of believers at the future return of Christ has been under attack in the church. Even within the evangelical church, some have attempted to relegate the concept of resurrection to being a purely spiritual phenomena that happens to the church in this world. In consideration of what Paul said to the Corinthians, we might guess his reply: "What's the point of a resurrection that has benefit in this life only?"

The reality is that for the believer, we have both a spiritual and a future physical resurrection. Paul has already made it clear that if we don't believe in a future physical resurrection that our faith is in vain. Paul, however, also tells us that Christians participate with Christ in his resurrection as we live in the newness of life in him in this world awaiting perfection in the next.

Romans 6:1-6 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Colossians 3:1-4 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

 Ephesians 2:4-7 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

This is a simple reminder for Christians today. If you believe in Jesus, then you have participated with Christ in his work of the cross which includes resurrection. We have had a spiritual death to sin and a spiritual resurrection to new life in Jesus. We will one day still face the consequences of physical death in this world because of sin. We will also share in the resurrection victory of Jesus over that death. Those who die before his return will be with him until he comes, and both the living and the dead in Christ will receive new resurrected bodies on the day of his return. If you are in Christ, your resurrection glory and hope is both physical and spiritual. When we understand this, we will avoid the heresies that surround us and live with joy as we live in Christ for our future glorious day with him.

High Priestly Glory

John 17 is one of the most glorious passages in the gospel as it reveals so much about the glory of Christ and indeed the Triune God. John gives us a very detailed account of the night before the crucifixion of Jesus. We gain a glimpse not only of his intimate love for his disciples in the way He served and instructed them, but also in the way he prayed for them. This high priestly prayer tells us as much about Jesus' glory as it does about Jesus' desire for his disciples know it and live in it.

John 17:4-5 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

The glory of Jesus is displayed to us in that he has fulfilled his work on earth and has taken seat in reigning authority with the Father. Another way of saying this is to say that we see Jesus' glory in His condescension and exaltation.

If you meditate on the condescension of Jesus, you will soon find there is a list of wonder for you to marvel at as you think on him. He came from the glory of the presence of the Father in heavenly wonder to be a developing baby in the womb of an imperfect human in a sin-cursed world. While the distance between heaven and earth cannot be measured, we know that the distance between the perfect glory of God in heaven and the nature of humanity in a sin cursed world is an infinite one. Jesus, while having no sin nature as a human (or ever having any sin of his own), condescended the infinite distance of heavenly glory to human dwelling as he lived and breathed among rebellious wretches like us. If that wasn't reason enough for us to marvel, we know that Jesus came not only to be with us but die for us. The Son of God came for the cross. The glory of God is on overwhelming display in the sacrifice of our Savior. The infinite love, compassion, humility, justice, grace, and mercy of God and more are all on display in the work of Christ substituting himself for our sin.

The glory of Christ is also seen in the exaltation of Jesus. Jesus has taken his rightful place on the throne of Heaven with the glory he had with the Father before the world existed. The glory of God is on display in Christ in that he has shown us the very wonder of God and is exalted because he is God and has fulfilled the purpose and decrees of God in bringing reconciliation to creation. When we see the glory of Christ in his condescension and exaltation, we can easily see how we will marvel at his return when he comes to finally make all things new. He will return in unveiled glory with shouts of angels and ultimate power and authority for the consummation. His church will worship and praise him and glorify his name. This glory will be greater than we can ever imagine, but there is also an aspect of the glory of Christ that is so amazing it should overwhelm us to tears of joy.

John 17:10, 22 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. ... 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one.

WAIT....WHAT?... "I (Jesus) am glorified in THEM!" and "The glory that you have given me I have given to THEM!" What can we possibly give in the way of glory to Jesus? But... there is something that God has done in us that does shine the glory of Christ. Those who have rebelled against God and worshipped idols have been saved and transformed. It has been the Father’s will that wretches would be saved and worship and honor the Son. The Father has given us to the Son as a redeemed gift for his glory. Jesus, because of himself and not us, is glorified in us.

Furthermore, the unity that is so perfectly one in the Trinity is now on display in Christ's church. It is not a display in perfection (yet), but because of the sanctifying effect of Christ in us, we can know something of the glorious unity of holiness in the Trinity as we live as one body for him. In other words, as we all live in Christ and grow in his holiness together, we are a glorifying display of his work in us. Ephesians 3:17-19 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

These few small thoughts about the glory of Christ in his high priestly prayer help us to understand that the glory of Christ is possibly greater than we think. It is not just in his exaltation but in his condescension. It is not just in his glorious person and work, but in us as the recipients of his grace. This permeating glory is to be enjoyed now as we anticipate its fullness when he returns.

To God be all the glory!

Regarding Man or Regarding Christ

To Christians, it should seem an elementary truth to say that we should regard Christ over man. We all know that the world competes for our attention and loyalty, and we all know that Christ must be our first regard in all things. The question that Christians need to honestly ask ourselves is whether our attention is so encompassed by the world and the fear and enticements of man that we are missing the wonder of living for the glory of Christ.

God called Isaiah as a prophet to Judah and Jerusalem to warn them of exactly this problem. Rather than simply tell God's people that God's glory is greater than anything on offer in this temporal world, God described the ultimate glory that a faithful people of God could expect.

Isaiah 2:2-3 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, 3 and many peoples shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

In language that they could comprehend, Judah and Jerusalem heard a description of the latter days when all the nations would see the glory of the Lord and seek to honor and worship Him. God's glory will come in such a spectacular way that it will fill the earth with worship. If this would be the future for the people of God, surely they should live in the present in a way that anticipates that glorious future. This is the appeal that God made to them. Isaiah 2:5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Sadly, it seemed that God's people were more interested in the idolatry of the nations than worship of the one true living God. The desire to see the future glory of God on such majestic display was not found to be as enticing as the benefits of the temporal world. In three repetitive statements, God tells them what will happen to people on that glorious future day if they have lived with no concern for his glory in the present day.

Isaiah 2:10, 19, 21 Enter into the rock and hide in the dust from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty. ... 19 And people shall enter the caves of the rocks and the holes of the ground, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth. ... 21 to enter the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth.

Rather than live now in anticipation of God's glory, they will one day hide from his majesty and come under his terrifying wrath. The verse at the very end of Isaiah 2 gives us the entire reason why they would forsake such future glory. Isaiah 2:22 Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he? In regarding man, Israel had disregarded the glory of God. They had forsaken eternal glory for temporal regard and would find themselves under greater judgment.

Likewise, today we are warned. If you claim to be in Christ and claim to have a greater and glorious eternity in Jesus, you will not find yourself looking for Christ's glory on the day of his return if you are not regarding it as greatest in your life today. If you believe you will one day experience the glory of the consummation, your life will be defined by the way you live for the desire to see the glorious beauty of Christ and worship him every day until he comes. The reason you may not be doing that is because you need to stop regarding man. We all need to regard Jesus most and delight in the expectation of his returning glory.

Meditate on Apostolic Repetition

This week for the blog, I'm simply going to ask you to meditate on some repetition. Every single one of Paul's letters includes a statement that is either word for word repeated, or a very close variation written. Every statement includes the Father and the Son. Every Statement mentions grace and peace. Is this repetition Paul's version of a polite platitude, or is this statement a reminder of an utmost important truth that the church should stop and ponder every single time we read one of Paul's letters? Why don't you spend some time prayerfully meditating on it this week. I wonder how the Holy Spirit might encourage your soul. (Perhaps you could share some thoughts in the comments section below).

Romans 1:7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,

Ephesians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. (Note that this variation still specifically mentions being in Christ and the Father).

1 Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

2 Thessalonians 1:1-2 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 1:2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Timothy 1:2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Titus 1:4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Philemon 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Praise God, I'm Fragile

Fragility is not something that our world sees as a positive attribute. We want to show that we are strong. We are unbreakable. We want to have lives that matter and leave our mark for generations to come. We also live in a culture that assigns the utmost importance to individuals being the ultimate promoters of self. When the Scriptures place the fragility of humanity in a positive sense, to us it seems not only counter-cultural but counter-instinctive.

The Scriptures show frailty and fragility in a real and positive sense. There is one, huge, obvious reason. The Scriptures are God's self-revelation to us. We are the creatures; He is the Creator. Neediness in humanity has never been a negative attribute. We were created as needy creatures. Perhaps you might object to this and highlight that Adam and Eve were created that they might have dominion over all the earth. That certainly does not sound like we were created to be frail and fragile. Let us not forget, however, that we could only carry out God's command to spread his glory across the earth as we relied on His continual sustaining hand to do so.

Genesis 2:15-18 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." 18 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him."

It is God who put Adam and Eve in the garden, God who provided every source of food in abundance. It is God who commanded mankind's obedience and reliance on Him for all things. It is God who provided Adam with an Eve because he could not possibly fulfill God's purpose alone. Humans are, and have always been, needy, fragile, frail, and finite. Unfortunately, because of sin, we also became foolish. We believed the lie that we could be like God. That lie was originally posed by Satan. Genesis 3:5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

It is not our frailty that is the problem, it's our inability to accept that humans are not God. It's our inability to accept that we are finite creatures who constantly rely on the Creator for every breath. The Psalmist doesn't mix his words when he reminds us of the nature of our finite and fragile lives. Psalm 103:15-16 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. How can we possibly read verses like this and see them as positive truths for our lives?

These are only negative truths if they are considered outside of the greater context that the Scriptures provide. Let us read these verses again except this time with their immediate surrounding verses. Psalm 103:14-17 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. 17 But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children.

Surrounding our fragility is an everlasting, all-powerful and holy God. He is the Creator, we are the creatures, and even though we have sinned against our Creator, we who know His everlasting, saving love have ultimate encouragement. In our fragility we can look to God who is infinite and unlimited in all his glorious attributes. He is God. If you are not living in the saving mercy and grace of God, this has no comfort to you. In fact, it should be terrifying. If you are living in the saving grace of God, being his fragile and finite child is a thing of beauty. We can place ourselves in the arms of One who is unconquerable and eternal.

In Christ, fragility not only helps us to look at God and recognize that He is God and we are not, it helps us to look at God and experience the peace, joy and comfort from saying, "He is MY God."

Pilgrim's Plea for Easter

In John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, there is a character that often comes to my mind as probably the most devastating character in the entire book. This character is so distressing that Christian (the pilgrim) is told to remember this person so that he would be a warning to him as he continues on his way to the Celestial City (heaven). The character in question is the man in an iron cage and Christian is taken to this man as he spends time in the house of the Interpreter.

Read the following selection from Pilgrim’s Progress as carefully and thoughtfully as you can:

So He took him by the hand again, and led him into a very dark room, where there sat a

man in an iron cage. Now the man, to look on, seemed very sad; he sat with his eyes looking down to the ground, his hands folded together, and he sighed as if he would break his heart. Then said Christian, What does this mean? At which the Interpreter told him to talk with the man. Then Said Christian to the man, What are you? The man answered, "I am what I was not once."

CHRISTIAN. What were you once?

MAN. The man said, I was once a fair and flourishing professor, both in my own eyes, and also in the eyes of others; I once was, as I thought, fair for the Celestial City, and had then even joy at the thoughts that I should get there.

CHRISTIAN. Well, but what are you now?

MAN. I am now a man of despair, and am shut up in it, as in this iron cage. I cannot get out. O now I cannot!

CHRISTIAN. But how did you come to be in this condition?

MAN. I left off to watch and be sober; I laid the reins upon the neck of my lusts; I sinned against the light of the Word, and the goodness of God; I have grieved the Spirit, and He is gone; I tempted the devil, and he is come to me; I have provoked God to anger, and He has left me; I have so hardened my heart, that I cannot repent.

Then said Christian to the Interpreter, But is there no hope for such a man as this?

Ask him, said the Interpreter.

No said Christian, Sir, please, you ask.

INTERPRETER. Is there no hope, but you must be kept in the iron cage of despair?

MAN. No, none at all.

INTERPRETER. Why, the Son of the Blessed is very pitiful.

MAN. I have crucifed Him to myself afresh; I have despised His person; I have despised His righteousness; I have “counted His blood an unholy thing”; I have “done despite to the Spirit of grace”. Therefore I have shut myself out of all the promises, and there now remains to me nothing but threatenings, dreadful threatenings, fearful threatenings of certain judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour me as an adversary.

INTERPRETER. For what did you bring yourself into this condition?

MAN. For the lusts, pleasures, and profts of this world; in the enjoyment of which I did then promise myself much delight; but now every one of those things also bite me, and gnaw me like a burning worm.

INTERPRETER. But can you not now repent and turn?

MAN. God has denied me repentance. His Word gives me no encouragement to believe; yea, Himself has shut me up in this iron cage; nor can all the men in the world let me out.

O eternity! eternity! how shall I grapple with the misery that I must meet with in eternity!

INTERPRETER. Then said the Interpreter to Christian, Let this man’s misery be remembered by you, and be an everlasting caution to you.

The man in the iron cage is under the darkness and delusion that there is no grace for him if he were to repent. What is it that this man cannot see? Why can't he see that Jesus stands waiting to forgive? Why can't he see that there is no sin so big that Jesus cannot cover? The only sin that awaits the certainty of hell is the sin of dying in unrepentance. Why can't this man simply repent?

The man is caught in the despair of his sin and the key to understanding this is to see that he is locked in a cage. He is unable to look beyond his own situation. He is so introspectively concerned about his own sin that he cannot see the wonder of Christ. He cannot see the glory of the cross. He cannot see the comprehensive nature of God's grace and power to save.

This Sunday is Easter. We celebrate the cross and particularly the victory of Jesus in his resurrection glory to give us new life. Please take this caution to Christian from the Interpreter and apply it for yourself this Easter. Let it be an everlasting caution also to you. Please know that your sin is not so big to render you hopeless while you still have breath. Sometimes the biggest problem with our sin is the lying despair that says that your sin is more powerful than your Savior. It simply is not. To believe so, is to live in a cage.

This Easter, look beyond yourself. Look to Christ.

In Counseling, I'm Not the Expert.

I have an accreditation in biblical counseling through the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC). I don't need it. It's helpful to have it, but not necessary. I'm thankful for the way ACBC has served the church to provide training for the church to help real people with real problems. I'm super thankful for the mentor they provided to help me navigate conversations directed by the inerrant truth of the Scriptures. I also realize that if all I had was God's Word, I have all I need to sit with someone in their troubles and point them to their hope and healing in Christ. The fact that God uses his church as his means of helping each other does not make us experts in human problems or in opening the hearts of the hurting to the truth that helps. For God to impart sufficient hope and help, we need God. More to the point, we need the Holy Spirit.

In writing to the church in Ephesus, Paul encouraged the Ephesian believers to live new lives in Christ. They were called not be like they were in their former life before Christ. Paul puts it this way: Eph 4:17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. While the Ephesians were indeed Gentiles, they had now become part of God's family. They had new lives, and new minds in Christ. Paul wanted them to be active in this new life and instructed them accordingly. Ephesians 4:22-24 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. They were to put off the old and put on the new, but they were to be rightly instructed in what "the new" was. Paul said they were to be renewed in the spirit of their minds. They required a complete internal transformation of heart and mind to trust and obey Christ as believers.

How do people who have grown up enculturated in a particular society and worldview change to the degree that they think and live and act in a completely new context of thought and reason and behavior? Earlier in the letter Paul reminded them of what happened to them when they came to believe in Jesus. Ephesians 1:13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. They had received the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit upon their believing the gospel. Not only that, but Paul also prayed for the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Ephesians 1:16-18 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.

Paul's confidence for change in the lives of the Ephesians comes from his confidence in them having transformational truth in Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit to transform them through the application of that truth to their hearts and lives. As they sit with each other and center on their new gospel understanding of the world, the Holy Spirit would guide them in renewing their lives around the truth of Christ. It was not a truth that they invented but one that was imparted to them through apostolic authority in the inspiration of the Spirit.

We have that same apostolic authority in the New Testament today. It is the Holy Spirit inspired text of the bible. Just like the Ephesians, we have received the Holy Spirit upon believing in Jesus. He gives us understanding and transforms our lives as we open His word with each other to grow in the likeness of Christ.

There is only one expert of change in the counseling room. It's not me. It's not you. It's the Holy Spirit working through his word.

Counseling From Beyond the Sun

So often people are coming to biblical counselors with worry, anxiety, past trauma, or present sin. No matter what they bring to their counselors, they are all looking for satisfaction and contentment in a life lived in a world corrupted by sin. Ecclesiastes is a book that describes that world and helps us make a significant statement to those we counsel. If you want contentment living "under the sun" in this world, you must look beyond the sun.

Ecclesiastes 1:2-3 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. 3 What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?

The first statement that the "Preacher" makes about this world is that it is vanity. This can also mean that this world is meaningless, valueless, worthless. It is not that the Preacher is undermining God's glorious work of creation, but he is describing the affect that sin has brought ever since the fall of humanity. In this Genesis 3 world, our attempts at contentment and satisfaction in life can only fall short and are ultimately described as vanity. The ways that humans have attempted to solve our problems and find fulfillment have not essentially changed. We do the same thing repeatedly and sometimes put it in different clothes, but it never really changes as we live under the sun.

In Ecclesiastes 2 the Preacher helps us to think through a very confronting truth. As we attempt to solve our life problems, we search through every different category imaginable only to find that we remain completely unsatisfied. The Preacher seemed to search through these categories himself. He tried laughter (2:2), wine (2:3), enjoying nature (2:5-6), industry and hard work (2:7), wealth, entertainment, and sex (2:8), and power and position (2:9). He even found no resolution in human wisdom. In every attempt to find satisfaction to our human needs, the Preacher only found that our attempts under the sun fall short. At the end of his pursuit, he sounded as if he was at his lowest point. Ecclesiastes 2:17 So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

Is it right for us to hate life? When you try everything you can in the world and realize that there is nothing that brings true satisfaction to the human soul, what is there to like? The Preacher makes a very strong statement to help us all understand that there is nothing to satisfy the human soul when we seek the help of fallible humans living in a sin cursed world.

The beauty of the book of Ecclesiastes is that it pushes us to reach beyond our finite existence in this world. If we are to find satisfaction and true meaning in our life, we must find a way to grasp infallible rather than fallible help. We must find satisfaction that takes us beyond our finite existence under the sun. We must reach beyond the sun.

You may say that is impossible and indeed it is, yet at the very end of Ecclesiastes we are given enormous hope. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. From beyond the sun, God has revealed his infallible word. God's word helps us to understand his perfect standard. We understand our responsibility in life as we live before a Holy God. We understand that as God saves us through Jesus Christ, we are given truth that makes sense of our life and hope beyond this finite existence. Only through revelation that has come to us from beyond the sun can we find satisfaction.

The revelation of God from beyond the sun is most perfectly seen in Jesus Christ who came to us to reveal God to us and to bring us into reconciliation with God. It is through that reconciliation that we understand true hope and a perfect satisfaction that never ceases.

If we want to help humans with real human problems and give them real hope, there is only one revealed truth that satisfies from beyond the sun. It is God's Word and the message of his redeeming love. Counseling each other from beyond the sun means that we are using God's inspired word to bring infallible truth and eternal hope. While counseling restricted to under the sun can only end up in vanity, grace from beyond the sun takes us from hating life to loving Christ who IS our life.

Why You Need Counseling

As we come into a teaching series that helps us to consider the sufficiency of the Scriptures to guide us through the problems of life, I hope that you will give me an ear to tell you why we all need counseling.

Over the past few weeks in 1 Thessalonians 5, we have encountered the Greek word, noutheteō. Some of us know that biblical counseling used to be called, nouthetic counseling. This word can be translated into English as admonish, instruct, or even counsel. Paul even uses this word in explaining one of the ways the church should act toward each other. Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. I wonder if any of us would ever say to the Apostle Paul, "Thanks, Paul, but quite honestly I'm doing fine and don't really need anyone to come and instruct me in all wisdom. I'd just rather do it on my own." The problem with a statement like that is there is no verse in the entire Scripture that affirms that Christians can live our lives to God's glory without help from each other. Take, for example, some wisdom from the Proverbs.

Proverbs 11:14 Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

Proverbs 15:22 Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.

Proverbs 19:20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.

Perhaps you may not be confident that someone can give you the right counsel. I am confident that there was not one perfect church that Paul wrote to, and yet he was confident that there was sufficient resource for churches to help each other. Romans 15:14 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct (from noutheteō) one another. The church in Rome (and every Christian church for 2000 years) has had everything needed to counsel one another. They have had the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and the word of God.

Our biggest barrier to receiving counseling for our life is simply pride. So many of us are weary of unveiling our lives and showing sin, deficiencies, weaknesses, and ignorance. We live in marriages that could use help, but we are too prideful to say we need it. We live with great frustration in parenting because we don’t want others to see that we don’t have the perfect little family. We live with constant failure in sin and temptation because we are ashamed of someone knowing that something below the surface isn't right. All of these and more amount to a barrier of pride that only prohibits us from the help that God provides us in his church that helps us to grow in his likeness.

As we go through our series on the Sufficient Help of Scripture, I wonder if you might think through where you could use a brother or sister coming along side you and opening God's word as a means of God's grace in your own life.  

The wise seek counsel, and God has provided!

Sovereign Sanctification

In 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, Paul prays that God might sanctify the Thessalonian church completely. If there is one prayer that the church should pray with great frequency, it is this one. In a few short words Paul is telling this church that his complete confidence in their salvation and ongoing growth in Christian maturity and holiness is in God alone. Not only that, Paul's confidence in God's work in the life of believers is so strong that he writes, "He will surely do it."

We should be careful to note that these comments from Paul follow a list of instructions for this church to live and grow as God's people having peace among themselves. They have been instructed to be long-suffering with each other, have a community wide God-directed focus, and to never despise good instruction from God's word.

When Paul then tells this church that it is God who will sanctify them completely and that he will surely do it, he is not encouraging them to passivity in the faith.

Consider what Paul later writes to the church in Philippi. Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. There are two very important truths in these verses.

1. God does not save us to be passive in faith.

In Philippians 2:12, Paul refers to the time that he was with the Philippian church. This church has obviously come to faith in Jesus Christ and had obeyed the call of the gospel. While Paul was with them, he saw their immediate obedience to the truth of Christ in the transformation of their lives. He therefore wants to encourage this church to be this way even more while he, the Apostle, is not with them. They need to continue to rely on Christ in their Christian life, not the Apostle. He therefore gives them an instruction for his absence. "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling." In other words, Paul is telling them to continue in obedience in the faith even in his absence because their faith is lived before the exalted Christ who is King and God.

2. It is God who works out our salvation for his glory.

In Philippians 2:13, Paul makes a very comforting statement. As we live by faith before the Lord, the Lord is working that faith out in our life as he grows us to be more like him. He is doing the work in us. Look again at Paul's words: "for it is God who works in you." The God of the universe who works all things to his glory is working in believers to reflect his holiness. God is doing it for his pleasure and God is perfectly pleased in his own perfect character. If God is doing a work in us that pleases him, it means that this work will end in us being a perfect reflection of his own goodness. Will God fail? No, he is God.

We do not become holy because we can manufacture our own holiness. We become holy because God is holy, and he has saved us to be his children. God is working HIS holiness in us as we live by faith in him. His holiness will grow in us as he works in us and as his ultimate purpose is to bring everything to its perfect completion.

Do you ever wonder if the life ahead for you as a Christian is one that matures in the holiness of your Savior? Trust in Christ. Obey his word. Believe his truth. Apply his wisdom. Enjoy his grace. Hold onto his mercy. Look at his beauty. Live in his hope.

And in this application of faith, watch him work!

Where are all the Prophets?

The New Testament does talk about the ministry of prophetic speech and yet in many non-charismatic/non-Pentecostal churches, we don't tend to use "prophetic" as an adjective. It seems in the debate about spiritual gifts and ongoing revelation that it is too easy to simply abandon the use of a word or concept because we think it has been wrongly used by others. So... what do we do with the fact that the New Testament letters seem to talk about prophecy as a gift and even prophecies as something that should not be despised?

In the Scriptures we should first see that prophecy can denote both foretelling and forthtelling. If you were to survey the Scriptures, you would see that the most common form of prophetic ministry was the forthtelling of the truth of God applied to the audience. Sometimes it came through encouragement, sometimes through serious warning and calling God's people to his truth. At other times we do see prophets foretelling according to the promise of God to bring a Messiah and save his people and restore his creation.

In the New Testament, Paul tells the Ephesians that prophets were among the word-based ministries that God had graciously given to the church. Eph 4:11-12 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. As far as the office of apostles and prophets are concerned, Paul had already told us that apostles and prophets were given as a foundational platform for the ministry of the church. Ephesians 2:19-20 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone. This then suggests that out of the word-based ministry of the church, the apostles and prophets were the foundation on which the evangelists, shepherds and teachers would build as the church continued to grow upon that foundation. (It should be noted that many also believe that "prophets" in Ephesians 2:20 are a reference to Old Testament prophets).

Whatever the ministry of the prophets exactly was during the birth of the New Testament church, we can be sure that the direct inerrant revelation that formed the ministry of the apostles and prophets is now finally contained in the canon of the New Testament Scriptures. We still have the foundation of their ministry in the word of God.

What we can be sure about is that prophecies in the church were always meant for the edification of the church. They were to strengthen the church in their faith in Christ. Those who claim prophetic gifting and seek to tell me that I should paint my kitchen green have missed the point. 1 Corinthians 14:12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. 1 Corinthians 14:26 What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.

1 Corinthians 14:29-32 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. 30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. The word 'prophecy' and 'revelation' are used in this text synonymously and the point is that the speech seems to come from a true understanding of truth and is weighed carefully by those listening. It is spoken for the sake of the edification of the body. There is no indication here that this is direct revelation from God in addition to the inspired apostolic teaching in Christ. It is however weighed according to that apostolic teaching and the rest of Scripture.

All of this is to say that while there may no longer be inspired apostles and prophets in the church, the ministry of prophecy remains as the church teaches, counsels, corrects, warns, and instructs from the bible. The prophetic word is alive and well in the church whenever we open the Scriptures and minister with them. The whole church is a prophetic ministry to each other and the world. The ministry of the word is always primarily for the building up of the body of Christ.

From a Shepherd to Sheep

Dear Grace and Truth Church Cincinnati,

In our preparation for our text on Sunday in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, I want to ask that you simply read this following passage and hear the heart of a reflective shepherd (lower case "s") who loves his church family.

1 Peter 5:1-4 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the exhortation that the Apostle Peter gives to the elders/pastors is one that applies directly to the elders in our church. Notice that the exhortation comes by way of the acknowledgment of the sufferings of Christ. It is not a call to the greatness of a leader's stature, but to the suffering humility of our Savior.

Brothers and Sisters, the humility of Jesus is never going to be matched in the elders you have at GTCC. We readily acknowledge that, and yet we are consciously aware that a leader can only love the church when the sacrificial humility of Jesus is our goal. The exaltation of glory that comes for all of us, comes because Christ first humbled himself. We want to lead that way too. We need your help. We answer first to Christ and then to his church for our pursuit of sacrificial service to God's family. Please keep your elders accountable to this, and please keep your elders in prayer. Whenever you see a Christlike display of humility, please follow it.

Peter says that leadership in the church is not selfish, but selfless. That selfless leadership is to be a desired, willing, and intentional work among the flock. There is no way to see the eldership of a church as a board of directors. To be among the flock is to be hands on as a Shepherd in the midst of sheep - exactly what we see when look at Jesus in the gospels. Elders are to have a view of the church that compels them to love even when it's difficult.

Brothers and Sisters, we love you and want to serve you. I believe this is the sincere desire of every elder at GTCC. I've sat in our meetings as we have prayed fervently for you. I've seen us counsel individuals who need it most. I've seen our elders work in hospitality toward you, in encouragement of you, and in care over you. I've seen it as a corporate oversight and an individual intimate love. While I do see evidence of our elders serving well, I know we make mistakes, and unknowingly overlook needs. If you know evidence of that, please come and tell us so we can put it right. We don't love you out of compulsion but out of gratitude for the gospel hope we all have in Christ.

Peter makes a point of differentiating domineering leadership from the loving caring sacrificial leadership that should be on display in the church. The only way the right leadership happens in the church is if leaders are being examples that reflect Jesus.

Brothers and Sisters, we always want to point you to Jesus. One of the ways leaders are instructed to do this is to be living examples of him. Our elders are committed to teaching and preaching in a way that Jesus is front and center for all of us. We are not Jesus. We are men; brothers in the family of God just like you. May I please ask that you not forget to also point us to Christ too. If we are to lead as examples in Christ, we need your response by always pointing us in the same direction we are pointing you. Also, please encourage us by following Christ as you see any example of Jesus in us.

We want to "shepherd the flock" well.

We ask you to tell us when there is lack.

We ask you to forgive us when we err.

We ask you to follow us when you see Jesus.

We ask you to pray for us always.

We ask you to treat us like a fellow brother and sister in Christ.

We ask you to respond faithfully to the truth of Christ.

We ask you to respond obediently to the commands of Christ.

We ask you to work with us for the sake of Christ.

We love you!