Jim's Footnotes

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

The Branch (2-26-06)

The Branch
Bible Study Time 2-26-06

Last week we looked at Psalms, Chapter 1, and saw among other things that God has seen to it that the nation of Israel has stood through the centuries as a nation planted by the rivers of water. Israel has survived even through the most difficult of times and has prospered in spite of persecution and serious threats of annihilation.

The primary reason for Israel’s survival is God’s promise of the Savior who He said would come through the nation of Israel to establish a glorious earthly kingdom. In Genesis 3, we read about the Seed of the woman who will defeat Satan. In Genesis 22 we see that this Savior will be the Seed of Abraham. In 2 Samuel 7, God told David, “I will set up your seed after you, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”

Therefore, it was preordained by God’s plan and purpose that this little nation of Israel would survive through the centuries to allow for the Savior who would become the King. The devil has often tried to destroy this nation, but try as he may, he will never succeed. The nation of Israel will survive as a tree planted by the waters.

It is interesting that Zechariah called this promised Seed of Abraham and David the Branch. He said:

Zechariah 6:12
12 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of the LORD;

Zechariah said that the coming Savior would branch out of His place. This prophesy was fulfilled when Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem. He is called the Branch for two reasons. He is the Branch from heaven, and He is the promised Branch of Israel. He was and is fully God and fully man. Jesus said:

John 6:51 (NKJ)
51 "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."

But then Zechariah said that the Branch would not only come out of His place but that the Branch would also build the temple. The prophets of the Old Testament did not see a long period of time between the first and second coming of Christ. Daniel knew that the Messiah would be killed, and He also knew that the Son of Man would return with the clouds of heaven to set up the kingdom. But Daniel did not see 2000 years between the two events.

We live in a mystery age which the prophets did not foresee. Therefore, Zechariah, like Daniel, went straight from Christ’s birth to the kingdom in which Christ will rebuild the temple. Then Zechariah said:

Zechariah 6:13 (NKJ)
13 Yes, He shall build the temple of the LORD. He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; so He shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both."

The Messiah will not only serve as the King, but He will serve as the High Priest. This is certainly something that the nation of Israel has yet to experience, and this is probably something that very few people in the Old Testament picked up on. However, it was revealed at least to King David. In Psalms, Chapter 2, verse 6, David prophesies that the Lord will speak out of heaven, saying, “I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.” Then in Psalms, Chapter 110, verse 4, he speaks of the Messiah and says:

Psalms 110:4 (NKJ)
4 The LORD has sworn and will not relent, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

The Law of Moses required the High Priest to come not only from the tribe of Levi, but he had to be a direct descendant of Aaron as well. At the same time, God had promised David that the Messiah would come from his lineage as a member of the tribe of Judah. The writer of the book of Hebrews pointed out that a New Covenant would be required for the Messiah to the King and the High Priest at the same time.

Of coarse, Jesus said that He had come to shed the blood of the New Covenant, and therefore, after His death, the stage was set for the kingdom. Jesus Christ is that Branch of Israel who came out of heaven to rebuild the temple and establish the kingdom. When Jesus was on the earth, He told his disciples:

John 15:5-6
5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire to be burned.

Jesus Christ was the promised Branch of Israel, and here He plainly states that any branch of Israel which grows outside of Himself will wither and die and will ultimately be cast into the fire.

John the Baptist had a similar message for Israel. Matthew, Chapter 3, says that:

Matthew 3:7-10,12
7 . . . when (John) saw the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,
9 "and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
10 "And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
12 "His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

John’s message was a message of repentance and reformation as a means of preparing for the coming kingdom. He knew about the day of wrath which would certainly come before the kingdom. Jesus, on the other hand, taught faith in the Son of Man as the means of preparing for the kingdom. He said:

John 3:36 (NKJ)
36 "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

God had protected the nation of Israel as a tree planted by the water all through the years, but both John and the Lord Jesus taught that unfaithful Israel is headed for a judgment of fire. Many of the Jews were not true believers. When the kingdom comes, it will not be the 12 sons of Jacob who sit upon twelve thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. These positions will belong to the believing apostles.

All through the years there were many Jews who lived by the Jewish laws as much as they could, and they were probably looked up to and well respected in the Jewish community, but they will not inherit the kingdom because only those Jews who are found in Jesus Christ, the Branch of Israel, will escape the fires of judgment.

The Apostle Paul addressed the unbelief of the nation of Israel in the book of Romans, saying in Chapter 9, verse 6:

Romans 9:6-8
6 . . . they are not all Israel who are of Israel,
7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called."
8 Those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

Romans 9:22-24
22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
23 . . . that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,
24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

Paul says that not all Jews are saved, and God has put up with the unbelieving Jews through the centuries so that He can reveal His glory to those who do believe, of the Jews and also of the Gentiles.

Then in Romans 11, Paul says:

Romans 11:1-4 (NKJ)
1 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying,
3 "Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life"?
4 But what does the divine response say to him? "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."

The Paul concludes in verse 5:

Romans 11:5 (NKJ)
5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Paul says, there has never been a time when all the Jews were saved, but there has always been a small remnant of faithful Jews. He says that it is this small remnant of Jews who will see the salvation of the Lord. Romans 11:7 says:

Romans 11:7 (NKJ)
7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

Paul rejoiced, not in Israel’s unbelief, but in the fact that Israel’s unbelief had opened to door of salvation to the Gentiles. Paul could see that all things were working together for good for those who are called according to God’s purpose. In Romans 11, Paul speaks to the Gentiles, saying that if the root of the Jewish tree is holy, then so are the branches. And if some of the Jewish branches were broken off, and you as Gentiles were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the Jewish tree, do not boast against the branches. Remember, you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

Here again we see the Jewish tree which God planted by the river 2000 years before Christ at the time of Abraham’s calling. Paul says that this tree has required a lot of pruning through the years because many of the branches were dead, but the primary purpose of this tree was to bring forth the true vine, the true Branch, who is Jesus Christ.

Paul says that by God grace, God has allowed even believing Gentiles to be grafted into this Jewish tree so that they can be partakers in the promises which were made to Abraham. Now, does Paul go from here to say that the Gentiles are actually going to take over the whole tree, so that the Jewish tree will become a Gentile tree? No, just the opposite. Paul says that this tree will survive like a tree planted by the water for someday:

Romans 11:26 (NKJ)
26 . . . all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

Some theologians today say that believers of our present age are the nation of Israel in a spiritual sense. They say that the Jews have been cast off forever because of their unbelief and that we have received their promised kingdom. Let us heed the words of Paul who asked, “Has God cast away His people? Certainly not!” Someday the Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

Well, are Gentiles today still being grafted into the tree of Israel? No. Those of us who are believers today live in an age in which God has cut off the tree of Israel. He has not cast off the tree of Israel, but He has cut off the tree of Israel. All that remains is the stump which is not dead. It’s just in a dormant stage, waiting for the day when Jesus Christ will bring new growth to the nation of Israel.

Today God is not growing a tree, He’s building a house, a house which He calls the Church, the Body of Christ. Ephesians 2:19 says:

Ephesians 2:19 (NKJ)
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

Gentiles today are no longer grafted into the tree of Israel. Gentiles today are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

Ephesians 2:20-22 (NKJ)
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone,
21 in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,
22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

We have seen that someday Jesus Christ will revive that stump of the tree of Israel, and He will rebuild the temple when He establishes the kingdom. But in our present age, we who are members of Christ’s Body are the holy temple of the Lord. We are the dwelling place of the Spirit of God.

If you don’t know the Lord Jesus as your personal Savior, He is knocking on the door of your heart today. Won’t you open your heart to Him by believing that Christ died for your sins. If you trust Him, He will build a beautiful temple for His Spirit in your heart, and your heart will become the dwelling place of God.

I see our time is gone. Thank you for listening to Bible Study Time this morning, and I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at this same time.

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

Church links:

Thursday, February 16, 2006

Like a Tree by the River (2-19-06)

Like a Tree By the River
Bible Study Time 2-19-06

In Psalms, Chapter 1, David said:

Psalms 1:1-6 (NKJ)
1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

These verses encourage us with the realization that if we serve the Lord faithfully, we will be able to stand tall and straight and be strengthened by the power of the Lord in any given circumstance. If we delight in the word of God and meditate in it day and night, we will be like a tree planted by the water, a tree that is fruitful and whose leaf never withers.

Jeremiah confirmed this very thought, saying:

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NKJ)
7 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD.
8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.

Again, we see a tree by the river symbolizing those who are able to continue on in all circumstances and situations. This passage, however, does go a step further than Psalms, Chapter 1, in that it does specifically addresses the times of drought which are bound to come. Jeremiah said that the tree which is planted by the river spreads its roots by the river and has no reason for anxiety even in the year of drought.

The Holy Spirit did not write theses verses to encourage us in any kind of Poly Anna theology, that people who trust in the Lord never have any problems. No, people who trust the Lord have problems too. The tree by the river has to go through the year of drought just like every other tree, but the point is this, the tree by the river is able to endure the time of drought. It’s able to continue on. And when all is said and done, people will look around and say, that tree made it through. That tree made it through, and its leaves stayed green the whole time. Those who trust in the Lord have no reason to become anxious when difficulties come our way.

If we take a look at David and Jeremiah, we see two men who really knew how to trust the Lord even in very difficult times. We can only imagine the pain and anguish that David went through when he received the news that one of his sons had murdered one of his other sons.

Absalom had nurtured a heart of hatred and bitterness toward his half brother, Amnon, for two years because Amnon had attacked and violated his whole sister Tamar. One day Absalom got the chance he had been waiting for. He set up the perfect scene for Amnon’s murder. After killing Amnon, Absalom had to flee for his life. He lived for three years with his maternal grandfather who was the king of Geshur. The Bible says that King David mourned for his son every single day.

After three years, David allowed Absalom to return to Jerusalem, but Absalom seemed determined to be a thorn in his father’s side. As time went on Absalom gained more and more favor with the people of Israel, and Absalom began to plant seeds of rebellion in the minds of the people. Finally, Absalom mounted a rebellion which forced David and his faithful followers from the palace and out into the wilderness.

During this time, the Lord worked on David’s behalf and confounded the counsel that was given to Absalom. The forces of Absalom were defeated and Absalom, himself, was killed. When David heard that Absalom was dead, his heart was broken. He went up into a separate chamber, saying over and over again:

2 Samuel 18:33 (NKJ)
33 . . . "O my son Absalom-- my son, my son Absalom-- if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!"

In spite of all these trials and tribulations, David was like a tree planted by the river. God sustained him through it all.

Jeremiah was one who had more than his fair share of difficulties. He lived in Jerusalem during a time when Jerusalem was under siege by Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian army. The Jewish leaders tried to encourage the citizens of Jerusalem, saying, do not be afraid. We are the chosen people of God, and God will deliver us from the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

However, God had other plans for Jerusalem. He sent Jeremiah to tell the people that Nebuchadnezzar was the servant of God. That God had seen the many sins of Jerusalem and had sent Nebuchadnezzar to punish Jerusalem. Therefore, he said that they should surrender and save themselves and their children from the pain and misery that would surely come upon them if they continued to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar.

Needless to say, the Jewish leaders hated Jeremiah. They put him in a dungeon where he stayed for a long time. The Bible indicates that Jeremiah very nearly died in that dungeon, but the Lord sustained him. The King brought Jeremiah out of that dungeon and asked him if he had any word from the Lord. Jeremiah said, yes, you will be turned over to the king of Babylon. The king then gave orders that Jeremiah could live in the courtyard of the guards and that he was to be given bread every day as long as there was any bread in the city. Jeremiah was like a tree planted by the river. His roots had spread out along the river, and he was able to endure even through the times of drought.

Later, some of the leaders of Jews overheard Jeremiah telling people that the city was going to be taken by the Babylonians and that anyone who stayed in the city would die by the sword or famine or plague. Once again they arrested Jeremiah and this time they put him in an empty cistern. They lowered him down into the muck and mud of the cistern and left him there to die.

When the king heard what had happened, he ordered his servants to bring Jeremiah up out of that cistern. God had a job for Jeremiah to do, and there was nothing the devil could do to destroy Jeremiah or prevent the work which God had given him to do. He was like a tree planted by the waters.

Certainly, the entire nation of Israel can be seen as a tree planted by the river. When God called Abraham, Abraham responded in faith, and God promised him that some day his descendants would become a great nation and that through his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed.

Since the time of that promise, the devil has tried again and again to destroy the nation of Israel, but they have been like a tree planted by the river. In the days of Joseph, there was such a severe famine in the land of Canaan that all of the descendants of Abraham would have perished, but God had already made provisions for them by sending Joseph down into Egypt to build storehouses of food. Joseph had his brothers move to Egypt where he saw to it that they and their children had plenty to eat.

Some 400 years later, God sent Moses to bring the nation of Israel up out of Egypt. He decided not to send them through the land of the Philistines because He knew that their faith was too weak to sustain them on the battlefield. So God took the Jews up to the Red Sea where He was determined to show His mighty power not only to the Jews but also to the Egyptians who were pursuing the Jews from behind, hoping to bring them back to Egypt.

When the Jews got to the Red Sea, they looked up and saw the Egyptians not far behind. They were desperately frightened. They did not yet know that they were like a tree planted by the river which has no reason to be anxious even in the year of drought. Moses said, do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance of the Lord.

Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the waters parted. The nation of Israel walked across the bottom of the sea on dry land with the Egyptians following behind. When the last of the Jews crossed to the other side, Moses raised his hand over the sea again, and the waters came crashing down on the Egyptians. Not one Egyptian survived.

The devil has tried many times through the years to destroy the nation of Israel, but they have stood as a tree planted by the river. Their leaf has not withered, and they have prospered in all that they have done.

The other day Les Feldick said, if anyone every asked you why you believe the Bible, you can answer them with two words, the Jew. They stand as living proof that the Bible is the word of God. There is no explanation for their survival over the past 4000 years except that God has sustained them like a tree planted by the river.

As we look at the scriptures, we see that one of the reasons God protected Israel all through the years was for the sake of Abraham’s Seed, who is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Israel, as a tree planted by the river bore fruit in its season.

One of the reasons God will continue to protect the nation of Israel is that some day all Israel will be saved, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through the nation of Israel as Jesus Christ rules the earth in righteousness and peace.

The book of Hebrews calls the Lord Jesus the Captain of our salvation. He stands as the leader of those who have been planted by the river. The Lord Jesus never sought after the things of this world, yet He prospered in all that He did. He is the only person who has ever been commended by the Father. On two different occasions the Father spoke from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”

The Lord Jesus came to offer His life as a sacrifice for sin. Even so, like a tree by the river, His leaf does not withers. He said:

John 10:17-18 (NKJ)
17 " . . . My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
18 "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."

Philippians 2:8-10
8 . . . (The Lord Jesus) humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9 (Even so) God has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,

The Lord Jesus is the captain of our salvation, and all those who follow his example and walk not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful; all those who delight in the law of the LORD, they shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, bringing forth fruit in due season, having leaves that never wither, and they shall prosper in all that they do.

David’s body returned to the dust of the ground. Jeremiah’s prophecies came to an end. Only a few of the apostles escaped a martyr’s death. But like the work of the Lord Jesus, their work will live on forever. They are still today fruitful trees, so to speak, as millions of people read and study the things that they said and did.

1 Peter 1:24-25 (NKJ)
24 . . . "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away,
25 But the word of the Lord endures forever." . . .

Are you listening this morning with the feeling that your life has no meaning or purpose. Come to Jesus. He has work for you to do. He does not promise that your task will be easy, but He promises that He will sustain you in your work, and you will be like a tree planted by the river.

Thank you for listening to Bible Study Time this morning. It’s been a pleasure being with you, and I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at this same time.

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

Church links:

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Ephesians 6 Part 3 (2-12-06)

Ephesians 6 Part 3
Bible Study Time 2-12-06

We have seen in the book of Ephesians that all believers are to be involved in ministry. Each member of the Body of Christ has a job to do, and if any one of us fails to do his job, the whole Body suffers. We saw that God has given evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of the ministry.

But when it comes to ministry there is nothing more important to God than motivation. God is ultimately concerned not only with what we do but with why we do it. This is the true test of any ministry.

The Apostle Paul revealed the motivation of his heart when he wrote to the Corinthians, saying:

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NKJ)
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 (NKJ)
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

This is the motivation behind any true ministry within the Body of Christ. The love of Christ compels us to serve Christ and share the gift of life with those who are lost and dying. Paul followed up on this thought in Philippians, Chapter 2, saying:

Philippians 2:3-8 (NKJ)
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

What a great example we see in Christ of the purest of all motivations. His only thought was to be obedient to the Father. In the last few verses of the book of Ephesians, we see the purity of Paul’s motives as he admonishes the Ephesian believers to pray. He says:

Ephesians 6:18
18 pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--

Praying for the saints is part of our personal spiritual armor so it protects us and benefits the saints as well. Paul must have been so pleased to reveal this particular piece of armor because he had such a genuine heart of love and concern for all of the saints.

Our ministry within the Body of Christ is not about numbers; it’s about people. Many people had come to know the Lord since Paul and Barnabas started out on that first missionary journey nearly twenty years earlier, and Paul had a particular burden in his heart for all of these people. Paul showed his deep concern by praying for them. He told the Roman believers:

Romans 1:9 (NKJ)
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,

He told the Colossian believers:
Colossians 1:9 (NKJ)
9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

He told the believers in Ephesus:
Ephesians 1:15-17 (NKJ)
15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.

We could go on an on, but the point is clear. Paul understood that His ministry was about people. It was about touching the hearts and lives of everyday people. He had talked to a lady named Lydia in Philippi and led her to the Lord down by the riverside. He had talked with a jailer in Philippi and led him to the Lord while the man was on guard duty.

Paul loved these people, and he showed that love by praying for them. He knew the power of prayer. Jesus said:

Matthew 7:9-11 (NKJ)
9 " . . . what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10 "Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

The Lord Jesus said, ask and ye shall receive, but Paul prayed knowing that God was able and willing to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

So Paul was a real prayer warrior, and when he prayed, he emphasized the spiritual needs of the people. In Ephesians 3, Paul prayed this prayer:

Ephesians 3:14-19 (NKJ)
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--
19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Paul didn’t pray much about physical needs, and he certainly did not pray that these people would not be an embarrassment to him, but he was genuinely concerned about their relationship with the Lord. He prayed for the Philippians, saying:

Philippians 1:9-11 (NKJ)
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,
10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,
11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Because Paul knew the power of prayer, he prayed without ceasing, and he encouraged all believers to pray for one another without ceasing. But here in Ephesians 6, Paul goes on to say, when you pray, please remember to pray for me as well:

Ephesians 6:19-20 (NKJ)
19 . . . that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Even though Paul was behind locked doors, he was looking for any open door of opportunity to share the gospel. God singled out the Apostle Paul to be the man who would deliver to mankind the truth of the Church which is the Body of Christ, that anybody anywhere can be saved by simply believing that Jesus Christ died for their sins. By putting their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, they are automatically added to the heavenly Church which is the Body of Christ, and they are immediately given eternal life.

In the Old Testament, God never specifically revealed that people could be saved by faith. He never revealed specifically that faith in God is the means by which a man can lay hold of eternal life or that without such faith man is destined for eternal death in the lake of fire.

The gospel was, therefore, a mystery in the Old Testament. King David was a man after God’s own heart, and he loved the Law of the Lord. He meditated in the Law day and night, and the more he mediated in the Law the more precious it was to him. He said:

Psalms 19:7 (NKJ)
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;

But, David knew that he could never gain eternal life by the Law. It was too perfect for anybody to keep. David said in Psalm 14:

Psalms 14:2-3 (NKJ)
2 The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
3 They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.

David knew that his only hope was in the mercy of the Lord. Psalm 51 says:

Psalms 51:1-4 (NKJ)
1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight-- that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge.

David asked God to blot out his transgressions so that God would be blameless when He judges. Now everybody knows that justice demands punishment for sin. How was God going to blot out David’s transgressions and still be blameless in His judgment?

This was a mystery in the Old Testament. It was the mystery of the gospel. It was not until after the resurrection of Christ that God revealed the truth of this mystery, and He chose the Apostle Paul to reveal it.

In Romans 3, Paul said, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but we can be justified freely by God’s grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God is the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus, and He is still just and blameless in doing so because the shed blood of Christ is a propitiation for sin. His blood satisfies all of God’s righteous requirements.

King David knew about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, and he knew that God would blot out his transgressions and give him eternal life. He said, I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Faith in God has always been the active ingredient of salvation, but it was a mystery in the Old Testament.

Paul revealed this mystery of the gospel during the Acts period as he went preaching the New Covenant Kingdom to the Jew first and also to the Greek. He said, “As it is written, the just shall live by faith.” During the Acts period, many of the aspects of the Jewish Law were still being practiced because the rituals and ceremonies of the Law are appropriate in the context of the kingdom.

However, when Israel rejected Christ and the kingdom at the end of the Acts period, God called Paul to reveal the greatest mystery of all, that mystery concerning the Church which is the Body of Christ. This Church to which believers belong today has no connection to the kingdom which was promised to Israel, and therefore, the rituals of the Law have passed away, and the fruit of the Spirit has come to stay.

Paul knew that the mystery of the gospel and the mystery concerning the Church, the Body of Christ, were both great and precious truths. When witnessing to the lost, he would share the mystery of the gospel, that whosoever believeth in Christ should not perish but have everlasting life.

After people got saved, he would pray without ceasing that the eyes of their understanding would be enlightened so that they would know the hope of their calling in Christ who was raised from the dead to be Head over all things to the Church which is His Body.

The truth concerning the Church which is the Body of Christ was given to Paul as a special stewardship, and Paul took this stewardship very seriously. Paul knew that someday he would face the Lord to give an accounting of his stewardship. Paul wanted the people to pray for him so that he would be found faithful in his stewardship.

Paul said to the Philippians, I press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Paul’s plan was to seize every opportunity to witness to the lost and pray for the spiritual maturity of those who did accepted Christ. But then he did not forget what is probably the most important thing for any true minister of Christ. He continued on in his ardent quest to know Christ and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, so that he might be made conformable unto His death (Philippians 3:10). Paul said, I realize that I have not already attained a perfect knowledge of Christ, but I am pressing on toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

I see our time is gone this morning. Thank you for listening, and I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at this same time.

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

Church links:

Friday, February 03, 2006

Ephesians 6 Part 2 (2-5-06)

Ephesians 6 Part 2
Bible Study Time 2-5-06

Last week we looked at the first nine verses of Ephesians 6 and found that God expects all of us to submit to those in authority. Children are to submit to parents. Employees are to respect their employers and work with a willing heart. But at the same time, parents are to raise their children in an atmosphere that is nurturing and instructive, while employers are to respect their employees and make decisions which reflect a genuine compassion for their employees.

To do this takes a great deal of personal, inner strength because it’s instinctive within the old sin nature to rebellion against God and those He has put in authority over us. However, Paul continues in verse 10 with a word of encouragement for us, saying:

Ephesians 6:10 (NKJ)
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

We do not have the strength within ourselves to resist the devil, but we can be victorious if we learn to be strong in the Lord by using the defensive armor which God has provided for us. Paul says in verse 11:

Ephesians 6:11-18 (NKJ)
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--

I remember when I was in the Army Reserve, we would practice wearing the gas mask and the protective suits which were made to protect soldiers from a biological or chemical attack. The suits were heavy, and they were hot, but there was a consolation in knowing that they might just save our lives someday.

Well, the same in true in spiritual warfare. It may be inconvenient at times to study the word of God in order to be grounded in the truth and become the instruments of God’s righteousness, but Paul says that this armor is for our protection. When Satan brings the battle to us, we will be victorious if we are able to skillfully use the armor of God.

Notice that we need the whole armor of God, not just part of it. We can not take the helmet of salvation and leave behind the shield of faith or the sword of the Spirit and expect to be victorious. Our righteousness is the righteousness of faith, and our faith comes by hearing the word of God. The individual pieces of armor are interconnected, and therefore, we need to put on the whole armor of God.

Notice also that we are to put on the armor which is of God. The armor of this world will not provide the protection we need. A college degree, a good job, a big bank account, these things are of no value when it comes to spiritual warfare. When David went out to fight Goliath, he refused the weapons which were provided for him by King Saul.

David knew what he needed. He needed the strength of the Lord to defeat Goliath. With 5 smooth stones and a sling shot, he was able to kill the mighty Goliath. By the same token, we would be wise to put on the whole armor of God and realize that the defenses provided by this world will not protect us from the devil.

The devil is real, and he is our greatest enemy. We are born with an evil sin nature which works against us, but the devil knows how to manipulate the destructive instincts of the sin nature. Satan knows human nature because he is a keen observer, and he has been around for a long time.

Satan is a formidable foe not only because he knows how to manipulate our sin nature but because he deals out misery and death without a second thought. He has no compassion. He has no mercy. The whole concept of mercy is foreign to him. The Lord Jesus spoke to the Pharisees and said:

John 8:44 (NKJ)
44 "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

When the devil tempted Eve in the garden, his goal was to kill her. He wanted Adam and Eve dead, and we should never forget that this is his goal for all people. He was a murderer from the beginning.

When we look around us, we can see just how much power God has given to the devil. When we turn on the evening news, how much killing and murder do we see? There is scarcely a spot on the earth where one can go to escape the satanic scourge of killing and murder. The devil has been given a great deal of power in the world today, and he is working harder than ever because he knows his time is short.

Some say that it is our job to make the world better and better until the Lord returns. I’m thankful that is not the case because, if it were, we would not be doing a very good job. In reality, we can take comfort in the fact that God has not called us to make the world better and better. Today, God simply tells us to have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace and go out into a world that is lost and dying to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

There are a lot of good things we can do in this world, and we should, but we need to have a zeal for God which is according to knowledge. The Bible teaches that the devil will be given more and more authority to bring misery and destruction upon mankind through the forces of nature and through the evil desires of man. In I Timothy 4, Paul says:

1 Timothy 4:1-2 (NKJ)
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,

Then in II Timothy 3, he says:

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NKJ)
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

When we look around us, we see many of these things already prevalent in our society. Do not be discouraged. All is well. God is working all things after the counsel of His own will. All of these things must happen to set the stage for the tribulation period and the rule of the antichrist. After the Church of our present age is taken up into heaven, God will give the devil more power than he has ever had before. He will bring tribulation and suffering upon mankind such as the world has never known before.

Will the devil have any mercy when he sees the suffering of mankind? Will the devil have any compassion for man when man is plagued by disease, natural disasters and pestilence? Not at all. Remember, the devil is a murderer to the core and has been from the beginning. His primary goal is to kill and destroy.

Some people refuse to submit to Jesus Christ thinking, hoping within themselves, that maybe hell won’t be that bad. Thinking that surely the devil is not all that bad. Make no mistake about it, the devil has the ability to transform himself into an angel of light, but his primary goal has never changed and that is to kill and destroy. Eve was certainly fooled by his subtlety. The devil said, eat this fruit and you can be like God. I’m just concerned about what’s best for you.

The truth is that the devil wanted to see Adam and Eve both dead, and that’s exactly what he wants for you and me. The only thing that is holding the devil back from destroying all of mankind is the power of God.

The only mercy that human beings will ever find is that which comes from God. God created us. God loves us, and God is holding back the devil from destroying us right now.

Some may say, if God loves us so much why doesn’t he send us some rain. Well, you can rest assured that the devil wants to do worse things than send a few months of drought. The devil would love to completely destroy us, but God won’t let him. In fact, God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

During times of drought and all of the other natural disasters, we see the real fury of the devil. We get a glimpse into his real character, and we know from scripture that his real character will be revealed more and more as the time of the tribulation period draws near.

Therefore, we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against the forces of Satan, against the principalities, and powers and rulers of the darkness. Peter said that the devil goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, and Paul warns us to put on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. God is our only source of protection.

In the book of Job, when the devil sought to destroy Job, God set specific limits on the evil that the devil could do. At first, God would not allow Satan to afflict Job’s body, but later God allowed even that. Job had to trust that God knew what was best for him.

The Apostle Paul suffered from a thorn in the flesh, and Paul knew that this thorn had come from a messenger of Satan. Paul prayed three times for God to remove the thorn, knowing that Satan can do nothing without the permission of God. What did God say? My grace is sufficient for you, Paul. God had very specific reasons for allowing that thorn, and Paul too had to learn to trust the Lord.

We see the evil in our world today, and we know that this evil comes from the devil. We know that God could stop all of the evil that we see around us. But God says, no, not yet. Trust me, and you will see that my plan is good and that I know what is best for you.

How do we as believers continue to find the strength to believe that God really is still in charge? We put on the whole armor of God. We put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, and we protect our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

I find it interesting that as the Apostle Paul speaks of our spiritual warfare here in Ephesians 6, he never says a word about casting out demons. Many people get excited about casting out demons, and I guess it might seem logical to some that if we are wrestling with demons there might be times when we should cast them out. But as you may recall, the Lord warned the disciples that casting out a demon may not be a cure all for those who are afflicted. He said that when a demon is cast out, that demon may not find another place to go, so he may return to the same poor soul with seven other demons who are more wicked than he.

Jesus said that the devil was a murderer from the beginning, and then immediately he said that the devil does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources for he is a liar and the father of it.

The devil is a murderer, and his greatest weapon is the lie. He can kill with the lie. Yes, what we need more than anything in our battle against the devil is the truth. Jesus emphatically stated that the truth will set you free. Here in Ephesians 6, rather than teaching us how to cast out demons, Paul tells us first of all to put on the belt of truth.

Actually, all of the different pieces of armor mentioned in Ephesians 6 relate directly or indirectly to the truth of God’s word. The sword of the Spirit is the word of God which leads us to the helmet of salvation. The shield of faith comes by hearing the word of God, and we prepare our feet with the gospel of peace, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.

The devil hates the truth of God’s word. When the word of God is taught, the devil is stripped of his power. Therefore, the devil has always tried to destroy the word of God. He told Eve that God didn’t mean what He said. He told Judas that Jesus was not the Son of God, and it was the devil who put it into Judas’ heart to betray the Lord Jesus.

Today, the devil is still working to undermine the word of God. Jesus said in the parable of the sower that when the word of truth falls on the hard ground, it is the devil who comes and snatches it away. The devil works tirelessly to keep people from studying and knowing the truth of God’s word because when we are grounded in the truth, we are no longer receptive to his lies.

If you are listening this morning, and you have not made a decision to follow the truth of Jesus Christ, then you have chosen to follow the lie of the devil. Do not be deceived. The devil does not care about you. He does not love you. He wants to destroy you. God is the One who loves you, and He is calling you today. Won’t you respond to him right now? If you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, you will be saved. This is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then, if you put on the whole armor of God, God will give you the victory over the temptations of the devil.

Thank you for listening this morning. I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at this same time.

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

Church links: