Hapy Year End! (W.o.W. Rewind)

 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.

Ecclesiastes 7:8

As we close one year and begin another, we tend to focus more on setting resolutions for the upcoming year than we do considering the year just past. Often these new year's resolutions take the form of pride rather than patience. Pride says "I will accomplish this." Patience says "I have accomplished this." Are you already considering all you will accomplish in 2024? Why not stop and consider 2023 first? 

"The end of a matter is better than its beginning." At the end of a matter, all the striving is done. There is time not only to rest and take joy in one's accomplishments, but also to glean wisdom from the experience. At the beginning of a matter, however, there is often busyness and ceaseless fretting over all one has to do. At the outset of a new undertaking, there is too much to do to stop and enjoy one's work or to gain understanding. When we focus only on what we will run after in the new year we rob ourselves of the pleasure of a good end and the possibility of wisdom gained.

So as you prepare for a new year, hold off making resolutions for 2024 just yet. Don't allow yourself to become engulfed in new undertakings until you have properly enjoyed and considered those just finished. Stop. Pause a moment and enjoy what was accomplished this year. What accomplishments do you need to praise God for from 2023 before you move on and forget them? Consider what wisdom can be gleaned from your experiences this past year. What have you learned from 2023? What or who do you need to close the book on in your life as you move into 2024? What mistakes do you need to learn from? How were you deceived and led into sin? If you can pinpoint it, then you can avoid making the same mistakes and falling for the same temptations again. 

For further reading...

• Ecclesiastes 7- Read the whole chapter.
• Psalm 119:71-72, Proverbs 19:25, & 24:30-34- Wise persons learn from what they see and experience.

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

A person’s name can tell you a lot about them, but their nicknames can tell you even more. Cause with nicknames there’s often a story, some reason why they received that nickname. Let's look at two of the nicknames Isaiah 9:6 gives to Jesus, and let's see what they reveal to us about the baby in the manger.

‌The first title Isaiah gives this baby is “Wonderful Counselor.” Most kings had counselors or wise men whose job it was to give the king sound advice. But Isaiah tells us that the Messiah will be a king who won’t need any counselors because He will be the wisest counselor of all. Isaiah says that the people will call Him “Wonderful Counselor” because they will gladly listen to and heed His counsel. [John A. Martin, “Isaiah,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1053.]

I can’t help but wonder though, how true is that in your life? Colossians 2:3 says that “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ.” No one teaches or gives wise counsel like Jesus! But do you receive His counsel? Do you listen to His advice? Or have you gone your own way? Live your life according to Jesus' wise counsel and you will not regret it. 

The next title the people will give to the Messiah is “Mighty God.” Shockingly, Isaiah reveals way back in the Old Testament that this Messiah, this child in the manger, is the one and only Mighty God in the flesh ruling over His people. Jesus is our Mighty God!

‌But so many believers think of Jesus only as their friend and Savior. Jesus is both our friend and our Savior, but He is more. He is the Mighty God and we must receive Him and respond to Him as such. Jesus came not only to save you but also to be your God. Do you remember what the wise men did when they found baby Jesus? "They bowed down and worshipped Him" (Matthew 2:11). Jesus is our mighty God. As you celebrate Christmas this year, treat Him like it.

The Light Dawns

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;

for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,

to give his people the knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins,

because of the tender mercy of our God,

by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven

to shine on those living in darkness

and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

Luke 1:76–79

‌

These verse give us a beautiful metaphor for thinking about Jesus. They present Him as the Sun dawning on those who live in darkness. The idea here is that apart from Jesus, all people live in darkness. 

Apart from Jesus, we are all enslaved, chained by sin. All of us can relate to Paul’s words in Romans 7. “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do...For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing...What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?”(Romans 7:15, 19, 24)

‌That is the experience of every person apart from Christ. We are locked in dungeons of our own making… chained to sins we have chosen. And the sentence against us is death. We are condemned to not only die but to face His wrath for all eternity.

But into this dark condition shines the light and hope of Christmas. Jesus’ birth is like the dawn shining its light through the bars of our cell. More than that, because of Jesus we don’t have to be chained to sin anymore. We don’t have to be condemned to death or God’s wrath. We can be set free! 

Jesus came to save us from our sins and to offer pardon and forgiveness. In other words, the light of Jesus doesn’t just shine into our cells and give us hope, it becomes a beacon that lights the way out of our prison and guides us in the paths of peace. 

‌The question before you this Christmas is the same question that Zechariah implicitly put to his hearers in the first century. Will you receive this salvation? Will place your faith in God’s Messiah, in Jesus? Will you accept the tender mercy of God shown in the Christmas story? Or will you continue to rebel and go your own way.

Some of you know what it means to be chained to sin. You know what it means to feel trapped in a dungeon of your own making, and God is offering you a way out right now. He is offering you salvation. But you have to accept it. You have to confess of your sins. You have to place your faith in Jesus, and ask Him to forgive you. And you have to surrender yourself to Him to serve Him all the days of your life. Are you willing to do that right now?

Some of you have already done that, but you have left the paths of peace. You have wandered into the highways and byways of this world, and this Christmas Jesus is once again shining His light into your life and showing you the way you should go. Will you repent and return to the path of peace this morning?

Revolutionary Christmas

He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones

but has lifted up the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things

but has sent the rich away empty.

Luke 1:51–53

‌

Theses verses from Mary's Song in Luke 1 highlight the great reversal of fortunes that is inherent in the Christmas story. I don’t know if you've ever thought about it before but the Christmas story is inherently revolutionary. For a baby to be born who will become king, necessarily implies that God is taking someone’s throne away.

‌‌Add to that the fact that this baby wasn’t born to a member of high society but to a low-born girl, a social outcast, and the revolutionary theme gets even stronger. Mary was almost certainly a plain-looking 12-15 year old girl from a poor family in Nazareth. But God chose her, a nobody from nowhere town, to be the mother of His Son!

‌‌Christmas and the Christmas story is about a great reversal of fortunes. It’s about God’s desire to exalt the humble, and cast down the proud. James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Mary’s song reminds us of this truth that God shows mercy (kindness and gentle goodness) to those who fear Him, to those who are humble and hungry. But not so with the proud. God performs mighty deeds against those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He scatters them with the strength of His arm. He brings them down from their thrones and He sends them away empty handed.

‌‌This means that Christmas is a time for humbling ourselves… for rooting pride out of our hearts. It’s a time for making sure we are on the right side of this great reversal that is still going on. ‌‌Humble yourself and live in the fear of the Lord this Christmas. Don’t exalt yourself. Don’t make it all about you and what you want.

‌‌Think about what we find God the Father doing in the Christmas story. He is remembering those in humble circumstances and lifting up the poor. You should do the same.‌‌ Who’s hungry that you can feed? Who’s lonely that you can visit? Who’s discouraged that you can encourage? Who’s cold or doing without that you can help keep warm and well-fed? Think about them. Do for them.

Grumbling on the Edge of the Promised Land

That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 

Numbers 14:1–3

‌

God's people were grumbling on the edge of the Promised Land. Everything they could have ever wanted was right there for the taking, but they couldn’t see it. They were grumbling when they should have been rejoicing. They were weeping when they should have been celebrating. And all because they lack faith.

They are complaining about things that haven’t happened yet! They are grumbling about made up problems in imagined futures. They’re saying, “We know what’s going to happen if we go into the Promised Land. The people there will defeat us. And this will be our fate: the men will die by the sword and the women and children will be taken captive and live as slaves to these pagans. We’d be better off dead than to let that happen. We’ve got to get out of here!

Here are a few applications from this story for our lives. First, don’t waste your time worrying about made up problems in imagined futures. Matthew 6:34 says, “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” That’s good advice. 

But the people of Israel were not only worrying about how tomorrow’s battles would go, they were actually grumbling against God for what they predicted would happen.‌‌ Which brings us to a second application. Don’t blame God for imagined outcomes. Don’t blame Him for something He hasn’t even done yet. ‌‌Sometimes God allows a problem or challenge to enter your life because He has a plan for it to be your next great victory. So even if all you can see is defeat, trust God and fight the urge to blame Him for things that haven't even happened yet.

How to Complain

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from saving me,

so far from my cries of anguish?

My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest. 

Psalm 22:1–2

This psalm begins with a complaint... an anguished, broken-hearted complaint. In the day of trouble he looks to god for help, but can’t find Him. He cries out to God day and by night, but God doesn’t answer. The psalmist feels forsaken by God.

Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever felt like God wasn’t answering your prayers or that He had turned His back on you when you needed Him most? When you feel that way, what should you do? These two verses, along with the rest of Psalm 22, begin to give us a guide to Christian complaint. 

Two things jump out to us immediately. First, David complains to God not about God. That’s incredibly important! There is a tremendous difference between grumbling against God and pouring your complaint out to God. You know what we call complaining to God? Prayer!

You don’t like for people to talk bad about you behind your back, so don’t do it to God. Show Him the consideration and respect of bringing it straight to Him. Pour your complaint out to God, not against Him.

Second, we can’t help but notice that the psalmist doesn’t pull any punches. He doesn’t sugar-coating anything. He’s gut-wrenchingly honest with God. He openly tells God exactly how he feels.

‌It’s okay to be honest with God. It isn’t okay to be disrespectful. It isn’t okay to blaspheme or curse at Him or yell at Him or even lecture Him. But, you can be honest with God. He already knows what you are feeling. You don’t have to hide your pain or your disappointment from Him. It’s okay to acknowledge the facts of your situation and it’s okay to be honest about how you are feeling. 

If King David could do it in Psalm 22, and if Jesus could do it by quoting these verses from the cross, then you can to. It's okay to pour out your complaint to the Lord, just do it respectfully.

The Twisted Perspective of Grumbling

The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”

Numbers 11:4–6

‌

The Israelites are complaining about food in the dessert! They are sick and tired of eating manna every day. They begin to look back on their time in Egypt longingly. They begin to crave the food they had there. In fact, if you look down in verses 18 to 20 you will see that these people actually said “We were better off in Egypt!” and “Why did we ever leave Egypt?” ‌‌They preferred the meat of slavery to the bread of Heaven. 

This story shows us a common strategy our Enemy uses to get us to grumble. He distorts and twists our perspective to make us see things the way he wants us to. When the Israelites complained ahout the manna, they weren’t remembering the hardships of their slavery. They weren’t remembering the feel of Egyptian whips on their backs. All they were remembering was the food…the fish and the onions and the cucumbers. In other words, they were remembering only the very, very few positive elements of their time in Egypt.

‌‌And at the same time they were forgetting all the positives of their current situation. They were forgetting that they were getting Manna for free. It was just sitting on the ground waiting for them each morning. They were forgetting that the manna tasted pleasant. It tasted like something made with olive oil. ‌And ‌they were forgetting that God was taking them to a Promised Land flowing with milk and honey, where they’d get to eat all those delicacies again and more to boot. In other words, they were forgetting all the many positives of their current situation, and were thinking only of this one negative.

The Enemy will try to do the same to you. He has done it to me many times. He will trick you into looking at your life from His twisted perspective. He will make you forget all the positives and focus only on the negatives. Don’t let him do that to you or you’ll start to grumble against God. Make sure you are seeing the whole picture. Ask God to help you to get your eyes off the negatives and help you see all the good things He is doing and has done for you.

One last thing, all of this was possible only because the Israelites had grown tired of God’s blessings and had begun to take them for granted. There’s an old saying, “familiarity breeds contempt.” Every single day, the Israelites were witnessing a miracle. Every day God was performing a miracle to feed them in the desert, and they grew tired of it. They lost the awe of what God was doing for them. They lost the gratitude they should have felt for God’s provision. And they began to hate what they should have been thankful for.

‌‌Don’t take the Lord’s daily blessings in your life for granted. Don’t let the Enemy cause you to hate what you should be thankful for.

Walking Towards Suffering

They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. 

Mark 10:32a

Jesus knows what awaits Him in Jerusalem. He knows He will be betrayed. He knows He will be arrested and condemned to die. He knows He’ll be mocked. He knows He’ll be spit on. He knows He’ll be flogged. And he knows He’ll die. And yet verse 32 says that Jesus is “leading the way.”

Look at the courage of your Savior! Jesus isn’t a coward who has to be drug to the place of His death by His disciples. Nor is He a foolish man who walks toward His death unknowingly. No! Jesus knows exactly what’s in store for Him yet He’s “leading the way.” Jesus bravely marches toward His death for your benefit. No one took His life from Him. He laid it down.

But now look at the disciples. The passage says the disciples “were astonished, while those who followed were afraid.” ‌‌It seems the disciples are finally starting to understand that Jesus is in danger and that they could even be in danger themselves. That’s why they are so shocked is because Jesus is willingly travelling towards certain pain and persecution.

‌‌It occurs to me that all of us, in one way or another, are walking towards suffering. Suffering, in one form or another, is in every one of our futures. It may be cancer. It may be a financial crisis. It may be the loss of a job or a relational conflict. It may even be death.

The question isn’t “Will you suffer?” It’s “How will you walk toward that suffering when it appears?” Will you walk bravely toward it like Jesus did? Or will you walk toward it in an astonished and terrified way like the disciples did?

So many Christians are surprised, shocked, caught of guard or even overwhelmed when suffering comes their way.‌‌ But Jesus shows us a better way. And we can follow His example because we know that whatever suffering enters our lives has been allowed by God and will be used by Him. Either He will bring glory to Himself by carrying us through this suffering or He will bring us to glory after our death.

Either way, the old song get’s it right when it says, 

Because He lives

I can face tomorrow

Because He lives

All fear is gone

Because I know

He holds the future

And life is worth the living

Just because He lives

(lyrics written by Gloria and Bill Gaither)

Is it Prescriptive, Proscriptive or Descriptive?

“It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh.

Mark 10:5–8

Mankind has a long history of distorting the Bible to make it say whatever we want. So, when we read Scripture we need to make sure we're understanding it rightly. How do we do that? Here's a helpful question to ask yourself when you read a passage of Scripture. Is this passage prescriptive, proscriptive, or descriptive?

Some passages of Scripture are prescriptive. They tell us what we should do. “Honor your father and mother” (Ex. 20:12). That’s prescriptive. It tells us what God’s ideal or God’s best for us is.

Other passages are proscriptive. They tell us what NOT to do. They forbid or ban certain actions. “Thou shalt not murder” (Ex. 20:13). That’s proscriptive. These kinds of passages help us avoid worse sin but don’t necessarily reveal what God’s best for us is.

Lastly, some passages are nether prescriptive nor proscriptive but are merely descriptive. They simply tell what happened without offering any moral judgment on it. Genesis 4:19 for example says, “Lamech married two women.” That’s descriptive. It tells us what Lamech did without revealing how God felt about it.

Jesus suggests that Deuteronomy 24 is proscriptive not prescriptive or descriptive. It was written because of the hardness of our hearts to prevent us from committing even worse sins. It's job is to prevent the worst type of outcomes, not tell us what God's best for marriage is. Jesus essentially says, "If you want to see God’s best, His ideal for marriage, you don’t look at Deuteronomy 24, you look at Genesis 1 and 2." 

I‌‌'d love to talk to you more about God's ideal for marriage in Genesis 1 and 2, but that's beside our point today. Today's point is that to interpret and apply Scripture rightly to our lives, it's very important that we understand what kind of Scripture we are dealing with. Is the author prescribing something for us to follow? Is he proscribing something for us to avoid? Or is he merely describing something for us to know? Paying attention to this will go a long way towards helping us understand God's word better.

God Takes This Personally

If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.

Mark 9:42

‌

We have to remember that Jesus likely still has the child from verse 36 in His arms as He says this. So, He’s talking primarily about God’s passion for protecting Christian children. Those are the little ones who believe in Him. But, I do think it can be extended to believers who are young in the faith as well.

And God promises that those who harm His children will be punished. In fact, Jesus says, the punishment will be so severe that it would be better for you if you had died before you committed this sin. He mentions having a large millstone tied around your neck and being cast into the sea (which the Romans actually did to people). Even suffering a terrible death like that would be better for you than causing one of His little ones to sin.

This should affect your relationships. You should never be the cause of someone else’ sin. Don’t be a stumbling block. Don’t be a temptation. Don’t lead others astray. ‌But this especially applies to the impact you have on children who believe. 

There are many ways that adults lead children to sin. How many innocent children have been lead into sin by a stack of magazines they found in the back of dad or granddad’s closet?! How many have been tempted by a website mom or dad left pulled up on their computer or phone? How many children have been led astray by a movie that you showed them? How many children have learned to cuss from listening to you? How many children have learned to ignore the clear teaching of Scripture and live in sin by watching how you live?! How many have you led down the wrong path by your example?

‌‌God takes it personally when you draw one of His children away from Him, when you lead them into sin. And He promises to punish you for it. So, be very careful how you impact God’s children.

What to Think

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

‌

This verse tells us to be careful what we think about. There are good things you can think about that are as nourishing and refreshing as a drink of cool, clean water. Then there are dark, sinful things you can think about that are as toxic and venomous as a swig of poison. Be careful what you allow into your mind.

When you are watching TV or cruising social media, choose what are you going to allow into your mind. Ask yourself, "Is the media I'm consuming making my mind a better or worse place? Is the entertainment I'm taking in making me more or less Christ-like?"

This applies also to the thoughts you choose to entertain. If you allow yourself to think wicked, judgmental, arrogant, or sinful thoughts about other people, then that is sinful. Thinking such thoughts pollutes your mind. 2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us to, “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” You must literally capture sinful thoughts and kick them out of your mind. 

God commands you to keep your mind clean, to fill it with good things. So, what kinds of things should you think about? Philippians 4:8 tells us. It says you should think about what’s true. Think about what you know is true. Think about what the Bible teaches you is true. It says you should think about what’s noble and right and pure and lovely and admirable and excellent and praiseworthy. Don’t think about sinful or shameful things. Don’t think about wicked things. Think good and righteous thoughts! And if your mind has become polluted, ask for forgiveness, and ask God to renew your mind, to give you the mind of Christ (Romans 12:2 & 1 Corinthians 2:16).  

Caught Off Guard

They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

Mark 9:30–32‌

‌As Jesus and His disciples pass through Galilee, it appears that they are already journeying south towards Jerusalem and towards Jesus’ crucifixion. Jesus is fully aware of this and takes pains to prepare His disciples for what's ahead. That’s why He tries to keep their location a secret, so He can give the disciples some private instruction.

And what is it that Jesus teaches them? He says, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.” The original language is more forceful than the English. Literally, it says the “Son of Man is delivered” as though it had already happened. Jesus is emphasizing how suddenly His death will come. He will be betrayed, delivered into the hands of men, and killed. Then, He will rise from the dead. And all of this will happen soon.

But in spite of the pains Jesus took to prepare them for His coming crucifixion, when the time came the disciples were still caught off guard. They were sleeping just before Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. Peter thought he was ready to suffer with Jesus, but he found out he wasn’t ready to in the courtyard of the high priest where he denied Jesus three times. And after the crucifixion, it wasn’t the disciples but the chief priests and the pharisees who remembered that Jesus had said He would rise from the dead and placed a watch on His tomb... not the disciples. It seems like the disciples really didn’t expect Jesus to rise from the dead at all, otherwise they would’ve been there on the third day waiting to greet Him.

There’s a lesson here for us. The disciples were living in the last days of Jesus’ earthly life. He had told them again and again what was going to happen, yet they were still caught off guard. We live in the last days before Jesus’ second coming. Scripture tells us again and again what will happen when Jesus comes back. 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 says, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

And Scripture tells us to be ready. In Matthew’s gospel Jesus commands us to “keep watch… [to] be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:42–44) Don’t make the same mistake the disciples made. Don’t be caught off guard. Live in light of Jesus’ imminent return.

They Still Don't Get It

He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

Mark 9:31-32

The disciples still don't get it. Out of everyone on earth, these twelve have been given a front row seat to the Messiah and His ministry. And they still don’t get that He must suffer and die and rise again!

‌‌This should be encouraging to us. It took the disciples a while to get it. But, Jesus didn’t give up on them. Jesus was patient with them. He kept telling them what was going to happen over and over again until they got it. And eventually they did get it. In fact, this truth so changed their lives that God used these men to turn the world upside down by proclaiming this very truth: that Jesus suffered, died and rose again. 

So, if you feel like you just aren’t getting it, know that that’s okay. God isn’t going to give up on you. Pray for understanding and give yourself grace and keep trying to understand.

‌‌And do the same for others. Don’t get discouraged if the people you're inviting to church or are sharing Jesus with don’t get it at first. Do what Jesus did. Don’t give up on them. Just keep telling them the truth and giving it time to sink in. Keep inviting your unchurched friends to church. Keep sharing Jesus with the lost. Don’t get discouraged if they don’t get it right away. Be patient with them.

Up the Mountain with Jesus

After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.

Mark 9:2

‌

Why did Jesus make these three disciples climb all the way up a high mountain to be transfigured in front of them? He could have done this in a much more convenient location, so why up a mountain?

‌‌Throughout Scripture, God often appeared to His people on mountain tops. It was on Mt. Sinai that God first revealed Himself to Moses in a burning bush. And it was on the same mountain that God spoke to Israel out of a dense cloud of thunder and lightning. And where did God send Abraham, to test him, by commanding him to offer his beloved son Isaac up as a sacrifice? It was atop Mount Moriah. And what about the Prophet Elijah? Where was he when the Lord appeared to him with a strong wind, an earthquake and a fire? He was on Mt. Horeb wasn’t he? But the Lord wasn’t in the strong wind. He wasn’t in the earthquake, and He wasn’t in the fire. He came as a still small voice didn’t He? In all these stories God met His people on top of a mountain.

‌‌And, incidentally, in Exodus 24, when God called Moses up Mt. Sinai to give him the Ten Commandments, Moses went partially up the mountain and waited six days before God called to him and invited him to enter the cloud of His presence. It’s interesting then, that Mark says Jesus took them up the mountain after six days.

‌‌So, why up a mountain? Two reasons. First, it connects Jesus’ transfiguration with other stories from Scripture where men saw or heard from God. It’s a hint that what these three disciples are about to witness is nothing less than a revelation of who God is.

‌‌Second, I believe this story, and all the other stories of people climbing mountains to meet God, show that while salvation is free, a close relationship with God takes work. Have you ever climbed a mountain? It’s hard work! The disciples likely had to get up early and walk for hours with aching legs. It was probably late morning or lunchtime before they reached the top. But when they got there, they were all alone with Jesus. Sometimes getting alone with God, takes effort and work.

Any relationship takes effort. Being close to God is no different. If you want to be close to God, if you want to stay close to God, then you are going to have to put in the work to have that close relationship with Him. I’m not talking about salvation. I’m talking about intimacy, closeness.

If you aren’t willing to get up early or stay up late to read your Bible, if you aren’t willing to pray (and keep praying even after you get bored), if you aren’t willing to turn off the TV or put down your phone to spend time with God, then you won’t be as close to Jesus as you could be. As much as we fret over the “major sins” making inroads in the lives of Christians today, perhaps the sin doing the most damage in our lives is a simple lack of desire to know God, a lack of willingness to climb the mountain and do the hard work of pursuing closeness with Him.

‌‌If you don’t have the close relationship with God that you want, let me ask, “Have you been putting in the work? Have you been climbing that mountain every day to go meet with Him. Have you put in your six days of waiting? Or did you give up too quickly? Did you tap out when the Bible didn’t immediately make sense to you or when prayer wasn’t fun anymore?” If you want to be closer to God, start climbing the mountain.

It's Not About You

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Philippians 2:3–4

Selfishness, it seems to me, is part and parcel of fallen human nature. Apart from God, most people have an inherently self-centered worldview. Whether you're the king of your own country or just the king of your own house, it’s easy for us as fallen people to think that the universe revolves around us.

‌‌It reminds me of the solar system model many of us had to make in school. We painted a styrofoam ball yellow to represent the sun then put all the other planets on hangers revolving around it. But functionally, most people don't live their lives in keeping with that model of the universe. If people were to make a model of the universe that's in keeping with how they actually live their lives, they'd have to put a big 'ME' at the center.

It’s sad when lost people look only to their own interests, when they put themselves first, but it's unthinkable that a Christian would live this way. Scripture reminds us that we should do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Your actions should never be solely about advancing your own interests anymore because, as a Christian, your life isn’t just about you anymore! 

That's why it says you should humbly “value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” That one sentence is a kick in the gut to the Me-centric universe. Scripture commands you to value others above yourself, to look out not for your own interests but for the interests of others. In other words, your life isn’t about you. It’s about others…specifically other believers. You are part of the family of God. You live for far more than just yourself now.

‌‌Are you serving others, especially other believers? Or are you living for yourself?‌ When was the last time you put someone else ahead of yourself? Whose interests, other than your own, are you looking after? Or is your life all about YOU?

Counterfeit Christianity

Money has been counterfeited in countless ways over the years and across societies, but it isn’t just money that gets counterfeited. People counterfeit watches, handbags, sunglasses, clothes, and much more. I would argue that people have found ways to counterfeit almost anything truly unique or valuable in our world. And that includes Christianity.
‌
There are those in our world today who would gladly shave the rough edges off of Christianity, who would punch the very heart out of our religion, who would copy the general outline but then fill in the particulars to their own liking. Then they do what all counterfeiters do…they try to pass their fake off as the real thing. As Christians we must make sure that we know the difference between the real deal and these counterfeits. So, I want to give you a kind of litmus test for evaluating various expressions of Christianity. And that is this: any version of Christianity that the world approves of is counterfeit. 

Allow me to give you just one reason why this is the case...one reason why seeking the world’s approval of your christian convictions is a fool’s errand...one reason why the world can never approve of true Christianity. Here it is. The world rejected Jesus, therefore it must hate and reject any religion that is true to who He was. ‌

In John 7:7, Jesus said this to his unbelieving brothers. “The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil.” You can’t get much clearer than that. Jesus says the world hates Him. Over and over again wicked men plotted to destroy Jesus until they eventually succeeded in doing so at the cross. Do you really believe the world has changed? It hasn’t. It still hates Jesus and it still hates anyone who testifies that its works are evil like He did. Those who reject Jesus can’t approve of the religion He established. And we should stop expecting them to!

‌
Don’t expect people who reject Jesus to approve of your Christianity. Don’t allow people who hate Him tell you what to believe about Him or His Word!

A Firm Foundation

You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.

Titus 2:1

You’ve probably heard of a certain famous leaning tower located in Pisa, Italy. What you may not know is that it’s actually a freestanding bell tower built for a church, the Pisa Cathedral. But when they started building it over 850 years ago they chose a poor foundation. The soft ground underneath the structure consisted of “ a dense mixture of clay, sand and shells” and couldn’t support the structure’s immense weight. (https://www.history.com/news/why-does-the-leaning-tower-of-pisa-lean) Over time the ground began to settle; and the tower began to lean. Today it leans nearly four degrees toward the south. It’s low side reaches a height of 183 feet 3 inches, while its high side is over 2.5 feet taller at 185 feet 11 inches. People come from all over the world to see the famous leaning tower.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaning_Tower_of_Pisa)

It seems to me that many Christians today are like that tower. They have not built their lives on the bedrock of sound doctrine, but on a mixture of concrete truth and the sand of error. So, they lean... in whatever direction the world pushes them. 

This is why Titus is instructed to be sure that he is teaching sound doctrine. It is so very important for our ministers to pour a solid theological footing for our people to build their lives on. It is so very important for individual believers to take time to review the basics of gospel truth and shore up their spiritual foundations, lest they should become a leaning spectacle for the watching world to see.‌‌ 

It can be tempting for preachers to try to come up with some new teaching instead of preaching the old truths. It can be tempting to go the way of the world and try to ensure that everyone leaves church feeling better about themselves as though the purpose of a sermon were to give everyone a self-esteem boost. But that isn’t what Titus is supposed to do. He is supposed to lay down the firm, unshakeable foundation of God’s old truth. And, he is to rebuke and encourage people as needed to keep them in that truth. And he is not to let himself be despised or silenced or ignored.

This is good advice for all of us as we share the gospel with the world around us. Don’t even think about adjusting the gospel to try to reach your friends and family for Jesus! You can't lay any more firm foundation for them than the old truths contained in God’s Word. They may ignore you. Tell them the truth anyway. Give them sound doctrine. They will choose whether they build on it or not. Your job is simply to lay it down before them.

They Marched Out Singing

A coalition of nations has come up to attack Judah with a vast army. Things look bleak for the people of God. They cannot save themselves by their own might. King Jehoshaphat of Judah knows this, and he "resolves to inquire of the Lord" (verse 3). Jehoshaphat declared a fast for all the people and gathered them to pray and seek help from the Lord. Men from every town in Judah came to this nationwide prayer meeting. Then Jehoshaphat stood up and prayed. He told the Lord about their situtation. He reminded God of His promises, and He asked for help. Jehoshaphat finished his prayer this way. "We have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you." (2 Chronicles 20:12) 

As you can imagine, God heard and answered Jehoshaphat's prayer. (He always answers the humble prayers of his faithful people.) God sent word through a prophet saying, "You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you."  (2 Chronicles 20:17)

And that brings us to our focal verses for today. Look at what King Jehoshaphat did! Look what God did! "After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. (2 Chronicles 20:21-22)

The Lord fought for His people while they were singing! I love that image of God's people marching out to battle against a vast enemy, far too powerful for them, and singing God's praises as they go because they firmly believe they are about to see a miracle.

Do you have the faith it takes to do that? Do you have the faith to sing God's praises as you march out to fight the impossible battles in your life? Remember, the Lord fought for His people while they were singing! Sing, people of God, sing!   

You'll Know Them by Their Deeds

To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

Titus 1:15–16

The early Christian church on the island of Crete had a problem. It was overrun with false teachers. And these verses from the end of Titus 1 give us a hint that these false teachers probably followed some special commands about what food they ate. And no doubt their adherence to these strict rules probably made them seem real holy, but they weren’t. Paul says “they claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.”

So, they claimed to know God but Paul casts doubt on their salvation. Why? Because their actions don’t line up with their profession. Remember what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount. 

Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. (Matthew 7:15-20)

Jesus said that the way to spot a false teacher is by their deeds. You will know them by their fruit. But you have to test them!

The application for us is apparent. Be a fruit Inspector! Before you date someone? Before you join someone’s Bible Study. Before you join someone’s church. You need to inspect their fruit. You should be looking at their life to see if their actions line up with their words, to see if they behave like a Christ-follower should. You need to put them to the test and see if they are the real deal or not. Don’t give someone influence over your life, don’t let someone become your pastor or your teacher, don’t allow someone to shape your beliefs or your character until you have inspected the fruit of their life and beliefs. Fruit doesn’t lie. If someone is living an unholy, detestable, disobedient life, then don't give them influence over yours. Learn to inspect the fruit in someone's life before you let them speak into yours.

The Need for Reproof

[A pastor] must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain.

‌Titus 1:10–11

Just as it is part of a shepherds job to protect his flock, it is part of a pastor’s job to protect his church. It isn’t unkind or unloving for a pastor to rebuke a false teacher and prevent him from tearing the families of his church apart. A pastor must protect the flock. This is part of his job.

The other day I was listening to a Christian radio station and one of their DJs came on and said something like, “If you haven’t figured it out yet, you won’t get any heavy stuff here. We keep it positive and encouraging all the time...." And I thought that’s exactly what’s wrong with so many of our church’s today. They keep it positive and encouraging all the time. Heavy topics? Not here. Difficult or confusing issues you need help thinking biblically about, we won’t touch them. Rebuke, correction, reproof? Not gonna happen. We just plaster a smile on our faces and try to make you feel good before we take your money and send you out the back door. That’s how some churches are!

If you ever wonder why the church would take up difficult topics. If you ever wonder why we would talk about what the Bible says about homosexual activity, transgender issues, abortion, sex outside of marriage, money, racism, divorce, or other hot button issues… It probably isn’t because your pastor enjoys it. It’s probably because it’s part of a pastor’s job to correct false teaching and error. There are many false teachers and influencers and talking heads in the world today trying to teach you their morality on all these topics! You are surrounded by false teaching on these topics. If yoru pastor won’t tell you what God’s Word says about them, then who will? Who will speak the hard truths to you? A pastor must correct the errors that threaten his people.

‌‌Parents. You need to think about this too. You need to understand that there are many false teachers trying to lead your kids into error. False ideas and false teaching enter your home through books, TV shows, video clips, and social media. You have to do the best you can to silence the false teachers in your kids life. You need to protect them as much as you can. Even still your kids will be exposed to error at school, at the park, at their friends house... everywhere they go. You can’t avoid it! If you don’t want them to believe these lies, then you are going to have to teach them the truth. Protect your families, parents. Cut sources of error out of their lives and be sure you are teaching them the truth.

‌‌And I would encourage all believers to do the same for themselves as well. The first mistake Eve made was listening to the serpent. Don’t make that same mistake. Watch out for false teachers in your own life. Don’t to be swept along by the flood of error in our day.‌

Faith & Knowledge

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—

Titus 1:1‌‌

‌

I‌n this verse Paul tells us that the purpose of his ministry, the purpose of his very life, boils down to two things... increasing the faith and knowledge of God’s people.‌‌ I think this is a small but helpful insight for us as we try to witness to those around us.

Trying to share the gospel with someone can be overwhelming, but this perspective that Paul has is wonderfully clear and simple. There are two ways you can have a Christian influence on the people you meet. You can help 1) increase their faith or you can help 2) increase their knowledge. I find that wonderfully simple and helpful. 

As I meet someone I want to witness to, I can ask myself, “What does this person need from me? Do they need faith or knowledge?”‌‌ Most of the time it isn’t that difficult to discern which one people need. As you build a relationship with a person and they find out you’re a Christian, their response to your faith will usually tell you what you need to know.

‌‌For example, some people will come to you with questions. That tells you that they need help with knowledge. It’s pretty hard for people to believe or put into practice what they don’t understand. And you can help them with that. You can be a resource that helps get answers to their questions. You don’t have to have a seminary degree to answer people’s questions about the Bible. Just share what you know with them. And if you don’t know the answer, then tell them you’ll look into it and get back to them. Then ask your Sunday School teacher or pastor or some other mature believer and go back to them with the best answer you can find. When you do this for people you increase their knowledge little-by-little and you clear obstacles out of their path of faith.

When other people find out you’re a believer, they’ll tell you right out that the Bible is wrong or they may even claim to be a Christian but will show you by their lifestyle that they lack living faith. These are the kinds of people you can help by increasing their faith. They don’t need answers to questions. They need someone to encourage them to place their faith in Jesus. They need someone to invite them to church, someone to invite them to a Bible study, someone to challenge them to pray. They need someone to inspire them to take little steps of faith towards God. You can do that for them.

I find it helpful to think in those terms. So, when you have a chance to be a witness to someone try to determine what it is that they need from you. Do they need 1) faith or 2) knowledge? Then simply share with them what faith or knowledge God has given you.‌

God is...Just

Scripture tells us that every human who has ever drawn a breath is guilty before God. Romans 3:10 says, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” And Romans 3:23 says “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

So, all of us are liable to God’s judgment. We all deserve His wrath. And though some think, "God wouldn’t send me to Hell. I’m a pretty good guy." The truth is that God must punish us because He is a just God. God must punish every sin or cease to be just.

‌Yet we know from Scripture that God is loving, that He desires to show us mercy, and that He offers us forgiveness in Christ. How? How can God continue to be just and offer forgiveness for our sins?

The answer is found at the cross of Christ. Romans 3:25-26 explains. It says..

God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Every sin must be punished, so God the Son took on flesh and bore the punishment that our sins deserved on the cross. He did this so that God the Father might forgive all who believe on Him while still remaining just. In Jesus, every sin can be forgiven and ever sin be punished still. Jesus took God’s wrath on Himself, He took the punishment you deserved so you could be forgiven.

‌The doctrine of God’s justice reminds us that judgment is coming. And it isn’t just coming for them. It’s coming for me and for you too. We have done wrong as well. We have sinned against an Almighty God, and every sin must be punished. But Jesus has taken that punishment for us, and His sacrifice can be applied to you if you will only believe and make Him Lord of your life. Flee the coming judgment. Run to the cross.

If you are ready to receive Jesus' forgiveness and apply His sacrifice to your life, then here is how you can become a Christian. 

• A- Admit that you are a sinner and in need of God's grace (Romans 3:10 and 3:23).
• B- Believe that Jesus is God's Son, that He died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sin, and that He was raised from the dead (Romans 6:23 and 5:8).
• C- Confess Jesus as Lord of your life. Turn from sin (from living life your way) and commit to live your life for God (Romans 10:9).

God is... All-Knowing

Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord,

or instruct the Lord as his counselor?

Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,

and who taught him the right way?

Who was it that taught him knowledge,

or showed him the path of understanding?

Isaiah 40:13–14

‌

The obvious answer to all these questions is that no one taught the Lord any of these things. Since God knows everything, He does not learn. Not even the highest angel has even one thing he could teach God. Which means that it could not be any more certain, that God doesn’t need you to tell Him anything. He doesn’t need you to explain anything to Him. He doesn’t need your advice or your counsel.

Yet, sometimes we’re tempted to talk to God like He does, aren’t we? In our arrogance, we sometimes want to give God a piece of our mind. We want to explain our situation to Him more fully. We want to tell Him what He should do. We want to put God on trial and ask Him why He isn’t doing this or why He hasn’t already done that. This is nothing more than foolish arrogance.

Don’t lecture God. Don’t allow yourself to think that you know better than Him. Don’t give Him advice. Don’t allow your prayers to become you telling God what He should do. Ask Him for what you need. Ask Him for what you want. But then humbly submit to His better plan. 

That’s the example Jesus left us on the night of His death. He prayed “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). ‌‌If Jesus Himself wouldn’t dare to presume that He knew better than God the Father, if Jesus wouldn’t lecture God, advise God, or criticize God… then you shouldn’t either. Don’t do it. Humble yourself under His perfect wisdom and perfect knowledge and trust His plan.

God is... Holy

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

1 Peter 1:15–16

The word holy, when applied to God, means that He is undefiled by sin, free from all wickedness. He is perfectly pure and morally clean, set apart and sacred. Scripture tells us over and over again that this is what God is like. 

1 Samuel 2:2, for example, says, “There is no one holy like the Lord.” Other people and things may be holy, but none of them are holy like our God is holy. God’s holiness is unique. In Revelation 15:4 seven angels sing a song to God that says in part, “Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy.” So, God is holy! 

That truth has import for our lives in many ways. But let me point out two. First, Hebrews 12:14 says, “without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Holiness really does matter, because without it you will not see God! This is why Jesus died. He died to set you free from sin and make you holy. Hebrews 10:14 says this of Jesus. It says by His “sacrifice he made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Jesus died, so you could be made holy that you might see the Lord. 

Which brings us to our second application. Every believer is called to pursue holiness and Christ-likeness. We're called to keep ourselves separate from sin and set apart for God’s use. As Christians we are called to be holy like God is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). So, pursue holiness. Live a set-apart life. Live set apart from this world and its desires and temptations. Don't indulge your flesh; feed your spirit. Then you will live a life that is pleasing to God.

God is... Everywhere

But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!

1 Kings 8:27

1 Kings 8:27 records part of King Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the magnificent temple he had built for the Lord. Solomon readily admits that “the God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands (Acts 17:24). Solomon says that even the heavens themselves cannot contain God!

‌Add to that truth what God says of Himself in Jeremiah 23:24. “‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord.” So, more than just being bigger than the heavens, God says He fills heaven and earth. God is everywhere!

And if you were to try to picture God filling heaven and earth you would probably picture God as being very big. And that can be helpful. Thinking of God as being big helps us to fear Him. It helps us to understand His power. It helps us to understand our smallness and the smallness of our problems in relation to Him. But in actuality it's important that we understand that the idea that God is big is a metaphor. It helps us understand God, but it is not strictly true. 

God is not big. God is spirit. He has no physical body. He has no physical dimensions. To describe God as being big or small would be to suggest that He exists in space, but God lives outside time and space. We can’t say that God is here now and He will be there later, because for God there is no here or there or now or later. Those are things we experience, not Him. He does not have spatial dimensions. He is not limited by space in any way. God cannot be measured. He exists beyond space and location.

‌Now, that may seem a bit mindblowing to you. I am sure that I don’t completely understand it. But the point is that God is more than just big! God’s nature, His being is too different from ours and too wonderful for us to fully understand and wrap our minds around. ‌And that is a good reminder that God is in many ways beyond our understanding. 

Sometimes we can begin to think that we "get" God, that we understand Him and know who He is. But that can only ever be true by degrees. God is so wonderful and His being is so glorious and different from ours that the human mind cannot completely understand or comprehend who He is. Right now, we see only through a glass darkly, one day we will see God as He is and we will know Him fully in Heaven (1 Corinthians 13:12). For now, we can only know and understand Him in part. That ought to humble us, and help us remember that God is far more wonderful and glorious than maybe we had realized.

Spread the Word

Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”

‌

John 12:17-19

This passage reveals to us how the big crowd that welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem at His Triumphal Entry was gathered. You see the triumphal entry happened not long after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, and those who had witnessed that great miracle told others about it. They spread the word of what Jesus had done. It was their witness, their testimony that brought this crowd of people together.

‌

‌

Jesus continues to bring people to Himself by the same means today. If we want to see men, women, and children come to Jesus then you are going to have to tell them what you have witnessed. You are going to have to tell them what Jesus has done for you. And then your testimony will be what God uses to bring others to Jesus. That is how He is going to draw a crowd to your church. That is how He is going to draw a crowd to Jesus in this dark, dark world, is by each of us sharing what Jesus has done in our lives. If you want to see people come to Jesus, if you want to see the “whole world go after Him” as the Pharisees said, then you have to share your story.

‌

‌

I want to challenge you to tell somebody what Jesus has done for you and invite them to church this Easter. Tell one person what Jesus has done in your life. It should only take two or three minutes. Don’t tell them everything He has done, that would take too long, just tell them one thing you’ve seen Him do and invite them to church. And I want to encourage those of you who have a social media (Facebook, Instagram, Ticktock, whatever) to do that online. Make a short 2-3 minute video telling people what Jesus has done for you and invite them to church. If you want people to come to Jesus this Easter, then start by spreading the word about what Jesus has done for you.

‌