Category: Reflections Articles
Articles printed in the weekly bulletin of the West Side church of Christ
Born Again
Jesus, in John 3, had a conversation with a ruler of the Jews named Nicodemus. While it is obvious by Nicodemus’ words he was impressed with Jesus, it must be noted that he was ignorant of who Jesus truly was, and was a bit cautious in his approach.
Nicodemus referred to the Lord as a “rabbi” (teacher), and acknowledged that the miracles Jesus performed marked Him as a man from God. However, the fact that John revealed the ruler’s approach to be “by night” indicates that Nicodemus may have desired not to be seen talking with such a controversial man.
Jesus and the Temple
In John 2:12-25 we have recorded two statements of Jesus that involved the temple in Jerusalem. The two sentences are very different, but both teach important lessons to us, His disciples.
“DO NOT MAKE MY FATHER’S HOUSE A HOUSE OF MERCHANDISE!” (VS. 16).
It is believed that secular pursuits were commonly seen in the court of the Gentiles, the outermost part of the temple complex. The part of that court located south of the temple proper was a very large area. There, Jesus found some selling livestock, and others changing money.
Both of these seemed to be logical. When Jews traveled to Jerusalem there would be a need to change their currency to that used locally at Jerusalem, and many would have need of livestock to offer as sacrifices during their worship to God. It is reasonable to assume that these business men appealed to such practicality as “authority” for their practices; and the merchandising seems to have become so ubiquitous as to have been generally accepted by the Jews.
“My Hour Has Not Yet Come”
In John 2:1-11, the apostle records Jesus’ miracle at the wedding feast in Cana. There are many important things to note regarding this event, where our Lord first “manifested His glory” (cf. vs. 11), but we are here most interested in the words spoken on this occasion. Specifically, we wish to examine Jesus’ words to His mother, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come” (vs. 4).
The remainder of Jesus’ spoken words in the text consist of His instructions to the servants, which led to the miracle itself (cf. vs. 7,8). The words are straightforward, and need no further explanation, so we will focus our comments on His words in verse four.
The First Disciples of Jesus
The gospel of John records several short conversations Jesus had as He began to attract disciples at the beginning His ministry. These conversations are contained in verse 35-51 of John 1.
Andrew
One of John the Baptist’s disciples was Andrew. Two things led him to begin following Jesus. First, John proclaimed Jesus as “the Lamb of God.” Then, as Andrew heard Jesus speak, he became convinced that he had found “the Messiah.”
We do not have the words Jesus used that convinced Andrew that He was the anointed One. However, we do have words of Jesus available to us, that clearly show the truthfulness of Andrew’s conclusion.
The Temptation of Jesus
The three synoptic gospels (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; and Luke 4:1-13) record the temptation of Jesus following His baptism in the Jordan River. Mark records only that He was in the wilderness for forty days, and there tempted by Satan. Matthew and Luke record three specific temptations, and agree exactly in both the nature of the temptations and Jesus’ response to them. We will use Matthew’s account here.
The temptation of our Lord was a necessary part of his experience on earth. The Hebrews writer said that “in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God” (2:17). As such, in that He “has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (2:18).
Jesus and John at the Jordan River
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.
Jesus’ First Recorded Words
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.”
Showing Personal Favoritism
Playing favorites is never a good idea. It causes problems such as resentment and jealousy. It can cause an individual to exalt another in an unhealthy way, and lead to a choosing of a man over truth.
Isaac and Rebekah learned the foolishness of personal favoritism in consequence of their playing the favorite with their sons. “And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob” (Genesis 25:28). Because of the deception of Rebekah and Jacob, she was forced to send her favorite son away to save his life.
1 Corinthians 15:29, An Explanation
“Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?”
1 Corinthians 15:29
The verse above is admittedly a difficult passage to understand. It is a passage that has been wrested from context to defend a practice without Bible authority. For example, the Mormon church engages in the practice of baptism by proxy. One of the duties of those Mormons who desire to go to a Mormon temple, is when there to be immersed on behalf of someone who has died. In fact, the Mormon’s intense interest in geneological records is to identify those who have died in past generations, that they may be baptized in water by proxy.
Sovereignty and Man’s Free Will
In Knowledge of the Holy, A.W. Tozer attempts to reconcile the seemingly contradictory beliefs of God’s sovereignty and man’s free will:
“An ocean liner leaves New York bound for Liverpool. Its destination has been determined by proper authorities. Nothing can change it. This is at least a faint picture of sovereignty.
“On board the liner are scores of passengers. These are not in chains, neither are their activities determined for them by decree. They are completely free to move about as they will. They eat, sleep, play, lounge about on the deck, read, talk, altogether as they please; but all the while the great liner is carrying them steadily onward toward a predetermined port.
“Both freedom and sovereignty are present here, and they do not contradict. So it is, I believe, with man’s freedom and the sovereignty of God. The mighty liner of God’s sovereign design keeps its steady course over the sea of history.”
Douglas G. Gerrard
The illustration above is relatively accurate, though limited as illustrations always are. It is true that God’s sovereignty has predetermined the victory of righteousness over evil.
It is equally true that God has granted each man free will in his life. However, there is one thing that is not noted in the story. It is possible, first, for a man to choose not to board the ship, and then for a man to jump off the ship, of his own free will, thus not reaching the destination! (cf. Mark 16:16; 2 Peter 2:21-22).
The Measure of a Strong Church
I recently came across an interesting sermon outline by Mark Copeland with the above title. There were five major points in the sermon that I thought were very good, and wanted to share with you in article form.
In Revelation, chapters 2 and 3, the Lord wrote letters to seven different churches, some of which could be categorized as weak, and some as strong. One church in particular serves to make an important point. The church at Sardis, (cf. Revelation 3:1), was admonished by our Lord, “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” A congregation can have a nice building, have many members, can have a lot of “program”, and can run smoothly and still be dead.
The better way of gauging the relative strength of a church is by determining whether the congregation has the characteristics of the church as revealed in the New Testament. There are terms such as “body”, “family”, “temple”, “kingdom”, “bride”, that establish principles which are the foundation of strength among God’s people.
“Plus Ultra”
In Valladolid, Spain, where Christopher Columbus died in 1506, stands a monument commemorating the great discoverer. Perhaps the most interesting feature of the memorial is a statue of a lion destroying one of the Latin words that had been part of Spain’s motto for centuries. Before Columbus made his voyages, the Spaniards thought they had reached the outer limits of earth. Thus their motto was “Ne Plus Ultra,” which means “No More Beyond.” The word being torn away by the lion is “Ne” or “no,” making it read “Plus Ultra.” Columbus had proven that there was indeed “more beyond.”
Source Unknown.
Columbus did not know the half of it. So many today make the same denial with regard to life after death. They live their lives, “under the sun” (cf. Ecclesiastes 1:3), without any reference to God or eternity. But, there is life after death! As the Hebrew writer wrote, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation” (Hebrews 9:27-28). For those saved, there is truly “Plus Ultra”… More Beyond!
A Conversation Regarding Homosexuality
(Note: Following is an email exchange I had last week. This man’s emails are reproduced exactly (with misspellings). Study with this man continues, as he has emailed again with a few quibbles and revealed himself more clearly as one who advocates homosexuality). His main contention is that “Love” is a good thing, and can not be abused. He ignored most of the arguments I made in the following email to him).
Saw your email on a Christian site that talked against homosexuality, so just wondered if you knew where there was anything against same sex romantic love as I can’t find anything on this in my bible.
Name Withheld
—–*—–*—–*—–*—–*—–
________,
I am glad to correspond with you regarding your question. In order to do so, I need some clarification.
The Word of Christ
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:16-17)
Here in the Colossian epistle, Paul gives several exhortations which are rather closely tied together. Simply, they are:
- Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly with all wisdom.
- Teach each other by singing spiritual songs with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
- Do all things by the authority of Jesus Christ.
Underlying each of these is an emphasis on the importance of doctrine in the life of those who name the name of Christ. Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).
What is the Church?
Ask that question, and you will get many answers. But, what does the Bible teach concerning this institution which had its part from eternity in the mind of God? The word translated “church” in our English Bibles comes from the Greek word ekklesia. The simplest definition derives from its etymology: ek (out of), klesis (a calling), hence a calling out, or in the noun form “the called out.” The term in the greek has no religious significance at all. In the New Testament the word is used to refer to any group of people called out for a specific purpose. For example, it is used of a democratically called body (cf. Acts 19:39), and of an unruly mob (cf. Acts 19:32, 41).
The term gains religious significance in that our Lord used it to refer to his redeemed; those He called out of the world, into His body. Jesus said, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). The expression denotes a relationship sustained with Jesus. The called out, or the church, consists of those who are saved, (cf. Acts 2:47); those who are “in Christ”, (cf. Galatians 3:27).
