Month: January 2008

Immediately following Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River, recorded in Matthew 3, Mark 1 and Luke 3, Luke states, “Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age…” (vs. 23).

The baptism of Jesus signified the end of His time in anonymity. He left Nazareth (the city of His youth) behind (cf. Mark 1:9), and traveled by foot 60-70 miles to be “baptized by John in the Jordan.” With this act of obedience, Jesus began His public ministry and His inevitable trek toward the cross at Calvary.

Of the three baptism accounts recorded in the gospels, only Matthew records the conversation between John and Jesus. When Jesus presented Himself to John to be baptized by him, the text says that “John tried to prevent Him, saying ‘I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?’” (vs. 14). Before noting Jesus’ response, it is important to note a few things about John’s reaction to Jesus’ presence at the Jordan.

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God has always required his disciples to go above and beyond in dealing righteously in all their relationships with others. This is true with family, their brethren, the lost, and even their enemies.

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Sin is destructive. And the sinner who sins is destructive. We must recognize that when we sin, we do damage to our own lives, the lives of others, and our eternal standing before God.

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2 John 4-6

Curiously, some today believe truth and love to be antithetical. If you insist on conformity to truth, you are considered unloving. It is believed that in order to be loving, one must be tolerant of doctrinal error and sin.

A careful reading of our text should dispel this erroneous supposition. John first indicated his pleasure that the “elect lady” had some children who were “walking in truth”, and defined truth as the commandments received from God.

Next, John encouraged her and her children to remember and heed the preeminent commandment, to love one another. (Notice that love and truth are here coupled).

In fact, John defines love (for God) – “that we walk according to His commandment.” Love is not defined as tolerance in scripture… rather obedience — to God and His Word. And if we love our brethren, we will seek to conform them to truth.

The historian Luke, in his gospel, records the only words spoken by Jesus as a child that we are privy to in God’s inspired word. The conversation, between Jesus and his parents, is found in the latter part of the second chapter of the book.

Luke records the devotion of Joseph and Mary, indicating that they went to Jerusalem every year to observe the Passover. When Jesus was twelve years old he was included in the traveling party. When the feast was finished, and Mary and Joseph together with other family members began the trip home, we are told that Jesus, “lingered behind in Jerusalem.”

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“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

The second coming of Christ is a fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith. We do what we do and are what we are because of the hope that is ours. The resurrection of our Lord is evidence that His promise to come again will certainly be fulfilled. Peter answered the scoffers of his day by saying, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night…” (2 Peter 3:9-10). You may note that as a consequence of that coming, Peter states that we should conduct ourselves in holiness and godliness in hastening that day (cf. vss. 11-12).

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Those who deny that a man must be baptized to be saved disregard the plain teaching of a multitude of scripture.

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The Christian’s reward is not temporal. God’s accounts are not settled here on earth. The reward of the child of God is great because it is spiritual, future, heavenly and eternal.

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Chess master Bobby Fischer, one of the greatest chess players in history, has died, a spokesman for the World Chess Federation confirmed to CNN Friday. He was 64.

No cause of death was given.

Fischer became the first American world chess champion when he defeated Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union in a legendary encounter during the Cold War in 1972.

Former Russian chess champion Garry Kasparov said Fischer would be remembered as “the pioneer, some would say the founder, of professional chess” and called his death “very sad news.”

According to media reports in Iceland, Fischer died at a hospital in the capital, Reykjavik. He moved to Iceland after being granted citizenship in 2005.

Fischer became almost as famous for his personality quirks and his renegade behavior as for his brilliance at chess.

He learned to play as a child in Brooklyn, New York, and quickly became a prodigy. He was only 15 when he reached the level of grand master in August, 1958.

— CNN

Analysis:

Bobby Fischer is one in a long list of examples that establish the truthfulness of the wise man’s words in Ecclesiastes 2:17, “Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.”

The life that Fischer lived was sufficiently significant that his death was reported world wide. His success in playing the game of chess was prodigious and noteworthy, but he was a failure as a man.

Continue reading “In The News: Chess Eccentric Bobby Fischer Dies” →

James 1:13-16

Quite often people blame God for things He has not done. This is certainly so in the realm of temptation. As our text indicates, when we are tempted, it is not God’s fault.

God is perfect. Perfect in His righteousness and perfect in His love for man. As such, it is impossible for Him to contribute to the sin of man.

When a man sins he alone is at fault. Though there may be causal factors, (e.g. the enticements placed before him by Satan and his minions), the fault is his.

As the text states, a man sins when he is “drawn away by his own desires.”

When we sin, we can not say that we are not responsible. It is not God’s fault, and the devil did not “make us do it.” It is not the fault of our mother or our father (cf. Ezekiel 18:20).

It is our own fault, and the consequences are dire: “when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (vs. 15).

1 Peter 1:13-16

Whenever the word “therefore” is used to begin a passage of scripture, it is necessary to refer to previous verses to obtain a context.

In verses 3-12 of 1 Peter 1, the apostle wrote eloquently concerning the salvation and eternal reward we receive through the “sufferings of Christ.”

“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind…” Peter’s exhortations to dligence and holy living in verses 13-16 are in response to the hope we have in Christ (cf. Titus 2:11-12).

It is also because of the holiness of God Himself. When God requires holiness of His people, it is not an arbitrary thing.

God is perfect in His holiness. James states that, “God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone” (1:13).

As God is holy, and cannot countenance evil, it is required of his people that they be holy in all of their conduct as well. You can’t court the world and serve God!

The Christian should have joy in his life. Not the type of happiness that is dependent upon outward circumstances, but the true joy that comes from a right relationship with the Lord.

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People often enjoying asking the question, “What If?” There are such questions we might ask regarding the spiritual life of God’s children. “What if God gave like you give?” What if God forgave like you forgive?” “What if every Christian studied like you study?” “What if every Christian grumbled and complained like you do?” “What if all Christians prayed like you pray?” This lesson considers those questions.

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Congregations are to be made up of brethren who love one another. As such, those who foment strife and sow discord must be dealt with, and if necessary, marked and avoided.

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Paul wrote the Ephesians to put on the “whole armor of God.” This lesson mentions the pieces of the armor, but emphasizes the importance and purpose of arming ourselves against Satan.

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