Is It I?
Today’s Passage – Mark 14 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 111 – 115; Proverbs 23)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 Timothy 1:17
Read the “1023 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I? … And they all forsook him, and fled.” (Mark 14:18-19, 50)
Judas betrayed the Lord (Mark 14:43 – 44); Peter denied the Lord (Mark 14:71 – 72); three of the disciples could not stay awake with Jesus in his time of need in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:37); and all the disciples forsook Him and fled (Mark 14:50). No wonder the disciples each asked Jesus: “Is it I?” They all knew that they were capable of forsaking the Lord. The possible exception is the Apostle John who according to his own account asked: “who is it?”
When the disciples asked, “Is it I?”, I believe they were being completely transparent and open about the limitations of their own humanity as well as the weakness of their faith. None of the events that were taking place that night were going as they had thought. They all envisioned a King who be enthroned in Jerusalem, putting down the corrupt religious leaders and crushing the Roman oppressors in the process. But that’s not what was happening. Jesus seemed to be losing. He was talking about being delivered to crucifixion. This was not what they had signed up for. So, when Jesus announces that He was about to be betrayed, it was easy for each of them to admit the possibility that it might be him.
How about you? When life doesn’t go exactly as you had hoped that it should go, do you have some doubts about your faith? Have you ever thought (or even said), “if God were real, why is this happening to me?” I know I have. Even though I have experienced cataclysmic changes in my life since being born-again; even though I have seen God’s blessing on myself and others time and time again; and even though He has miraculously protected me and provided for me so many times in the past; every once in a while, I still have my moments where my faith is weak.
One thing I suppose that we can all learn from the experience of Judas is that even though we may have our moments of weakness, we should not make any major decisions during them. Judas acted upon his lack of faith, and turned the Lord over to the religious leaders and Roman authorities. He was complicit with a plan that he knew was conceived in envy and deceit. He know that the Lord Jesus was innocent; yet, he conspired with evil men for money.
When you have your moments of doubt the best thing that you can do is to wait before speaking or acting. Get alone with the Lord in your prayer closet with an open Bible and allow the Lord to help you with your questions and give you the assurance that you need. Maybe you should find somebody that you know has strong faith and ask for their help. It is normal to have doubts. We are all in good company. The men closest to the Lord struggled at times also, but don’t throw in the towel on God (if that’s even possible for a true believer). Just wait and pray; strengthen your faith through the Word of God; get around a brother or sister that has walked with God a little longer and further than you have and soon your doubts will be gone.
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 4 comments.
I Don’t Want to Render to Caesar
Today’s Passage – Mark 12 – 13 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 106 – 110; Proverbs 22
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 34:6
“And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? … And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.” – (Mark 12:14, 17)
You will probably not enjoy reading this post as much as I did not enjoy writing it. In our reading today from Mark 12:13 – 17, we see the Pharisees attempting to corner Jesus by getting him to say something that will get him in trouble. They specifically asked him about paying taxes. They thought that they had Him in a secure trap. If Jesus said that the people should not pay taxes, then they could get Him in hot water with the Roman government (Caesar); but if he said that the people should pay taxes, then the Jewish people would be furious with Him, because they hated the Roman government and were expecting their Messiah to overthrow it. Jesus’s answer was marvelous. He simply said that the people owed a debt to the government and that they should pay that debt. He also was careful to add that they were also to pay what was expected of them to God.
Nobody likes paying taxes; I certainly do not. However, taxes are a necessary evil. We all enjoy the protection that we receive from our police and military. We all make use of our infrastructure: we drive on our roads, cross our bridges, etc. All of these services make our lives better. On the other side of the coin, we can all see where our government is spending too much money on things that we wish they would discontinue; not to mention the waste, inefficiency, and even corruption that are often associated with government. Our government is voted in by the people it represents and the people need to be part of the process. I also believe that believers should be involved in our government process. We should vote and speak our minds regarding the issues that are important to us. We should participate in community events. Our church has done some road clean-ups in our community in the past. We do blood drives and the town uses our building for polling. It’s our town. We live in this town and we should do our part to make it a better place.
It is interesting to me, however, that Jesus didn’t concern himself much with trying to correct the abuses of government. He was far more concerned with teaching doctrine and speaking out against the corruption in the religious community. The Apostle Paul likewise did not seek to correct or rally to correct the wrong policies of the Roman empire. For instance, in Paul’s day slavery was tolerated. Paul did not protest the government or the slave owners, trying to abolish slavery. He simply instructed the Christian slave owners to treat their believing servants like brothers, and in the case of Philemon and Onesimus, he was persuasive in the granting of liberty to a runaway slave. He also instructed the servants regarding how to love and serve their masters. I am sure that Paul did not condone slavery, however. My point is that he was more concerned about instructing, exhorting, and admonishing Christians, than he was about straightening out the world or its governments.
Getting back to taxes. I believe that believers should cheerfully and honestly render to Caesar (the government) the things (taxes) that are owed to Caesar. Don’t cheat on your taxes. Don’t try to hide any income “under the table”. Remember, God will take care of all of your needs, including your tax debt. He owns it all anyway. In another similar story regarding taxes, Jesus instructed Peter to go fishing and in the first fish’s mouth he would find the tax money (see Matthew 17:24 – 27). If we keep fishing for men, Jesus will continue to provide us with all of the coins that we need to pay our debt to Caesar and meet all of our other needs as well.
Posted in Thoughts from Mark by Phil Erickson with 2 comments.
Servant Leadership
Today’s Passage – Mark 10 – 11 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 101 – 105; Proverbs 21)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Ephesians 4:32
Read the “1021 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” – (Mark 10:43-45)
When I was in Bible college, I went to work for a supermarket chain in the East Texas area. This company had a unique, but refreshing leadership style that I was unaccustomed to at the time. My store manager, and all of the assistants were people that worked hard alongside the employees of the store. They didn’t just bark out orders to the clerks, they were willing to get their hands dirty themselves. It was not at all unusual to see the store manager with a mop in his hand, cleaning up a spill; or out in the parking lot gathering up the buggies (shopping carts). Their philosophy was that in order to be a leader in the company, you first had to demonstrate that you could be a great servant.
I find that in the ministry the same principle should also be true. The pastor, deacons, and other leaders in the church should not be beneath any task that needs to be done within the church. If the bathrooms need to be cleaned, or the lawns need to be mowed, the leadership should be more than willing to pitch in at times to do it. Now, I understand that it may not be the most efficient use of time and talents to have the leaders doing these things that could be done by others, but the leadership should be willing to do whatever needs to be done in order for the cause of Christ to move forward. There are no “big shots” in the ministry. The Lord we serve is the only superstar. The rest of us are merely servants.
Posted in Thoughts from Mark by Phil Erickson with 5 comments.
Do We Really See As Clearly As We Think We Do?
Today’s Passage – Mark 8 – 9 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 96 – 100; Proverbs 20)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – *Matthew 6:33*
Read the “1020 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from this passage – “Hear Ye Him”
“And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? … And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.” (Mark 8:17-18, 23-25)
In today’s reading from Mark 8, we first read about the “Feeding of the Four Thousand,” which takes place on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. This is a similar, but different, event from the more famous story of the “Feeding of the Five Thousand.” After feeding the four thousand, Jesus and his disciples leave for Dalmanutha, which is also on the western side of the Sea of Galilee, where he has an encounter with the Pharisees who demand for Jesus to give them some sort of sign to prove that He was the Messiah, which Jesus refuses to do. After leaving the Pharisees and when He and His disciples are back in the boat, Jesus warns the disciples about “the Leven of the Pharisees.” The word, “leaven,” in the Scriptures is often used symbolically as representation of sin. Jesus was really warning them about the sin of the Pharisees, but because He used the word, “leaven,” which is the ingredient used to make bread rise, his disciples thought somehow that Jesus was rebuking them for not bringing any bread with them. They misunderstood what Jesus was saying. They did not “see” or perceive what He was trying to tell them.
Fast forward now to the next story in Mark 8 regarding a man that really could not see; he was blind (vs. 22 – 26). When Jesus healed him, he at first could not see clearly; he stated that he saw “men as trees, walking.” However, when Jesus touched his eyes the second time, he could see clearly. I often wondered why it was that his sight was not wholly restored at the first touch. Did Jesus not use enough power the first time? No, I think through this healing story, Jesus is giving us an illustration regarding spiritual sight or understanding.
Here are some thoughts:
- When a person trusts Christ, he is given the ability to understand spiritual truth. Lost people cannot comprehend the teaching of the Spirit of God. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).
- However, even saved people do not understand everything that God wants to show them, at least not at first. This blind man did not see clearly at first, and the disciples did not at first understand what Jesus was trying to show them. They needed the help of Jesus to see clearly as well.
- To some degree, our spiritual understanding is progressive and increases with growth, experience, and obedience to God’s will. As the song says, “we will understand it better by and by.”
- We will never completely understand all spiritual truth, even when we get to Heaven. Omniscience is an attribute of God. However, in Heaven we will understand a great deal more.
- We must remember that we are all still blind to some things, especially some of our own problems. There are many things that we do not understand. Yet, our lack of comprehension is even something we have a tough time seeing. We think we see clearly. I am sure the man that was healed of his blindness at first thought he was seeing pretty good, but it was until after Jesus really cleared up his lack of focus on the second touch that he understood that previously his sight, though better, was still somehow limited.
- There are others who can see things that we cannot see yet because they have been granted clearer sight by God than us. Thus, we need to rely on other people who are a little further down the road spiritually to help us understand things.
- We need to pray and ask God to open up our understanding.
“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” (Psalm 119:18)
You and I must realize that we may not be seeing things as clearly as we think we are. We think sometimes that we know it all, but there may be something in our lives that is a little out of focus. We need to be humble enough to admit that we do not have all the answers, and we need God’s help to understand better.
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 2 comments.
Are You For Real?
Today’s Passage – Mark 6 – 7 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 91 – 95; Proverbs 19
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 19
Read former posts from this pasage – “Don’t Lose the Personal Touch” & “Politicians”
“For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.” – (Mark 6:20)
In our text today, we read about the execution of John the Baptist by Herod. I will not rehash the story, as most of you are probably familiar with it, and if by chance you are not, you can read it for yourself in Mark 6:14 – 29. John was arrested by Herod because he had been preaching against Herod’s immoral relationship with his (Herod’s) brother’s wife. People who sin willfully do not like to be pointed out or reminded about their sin. Most people do not have the option of silencing their critics but when you are the mistress of the King you can pretty much do whatever you want. Thus, Herodias eventually got what she wanted – John’s head on a platter.
Herod did not want to arrest or kill John the Baptist. He was actually afraid of him because he knew that John was real. He knew that John, unlike the rest of the religious crowd of the day, was genuine in his faith and holiness. Men will fear a genuine believer who walks with God and practices what he believes. Unfortunately, they will fear the crowd more. Herod feared Herodias and the people who were watching, more than he feared God or John the Baptist. Pilate also feared the people more than he feared the Lord Jesus. However, the fear that Herod had for John continued even after John was gone. He actually thought that Jesus was some kind of a reincarnation of John coming back to get him.
The thought I have this morning is that Herod feared John because he knew that John was the real deal. He was genuine. He wasn’t just playing some religious game or using religion to advance his own personal agenda. The question I have for you (and me) this morning is, are you real? Is your faith making a difference in the lives of the people around you? Are there some Herodias’s in your life that just can’t stand you because of what you stand for? Are you poking some holes in the darkness around you, or are you just going through the religious motions, playing the church game? Just a thought.
Posted in Thoughts from Mark by Phil Erickson with 2 comments.
The Saturday Morning Post – Be Not Afraid, Only Believe
Today’s Passage – Mark 4 – 5 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 86 – 90; Proverbs 18)
Read the “1018 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea. And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.” (Mark 5:21-24)
“While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.” (Mark 5:35-42)
Good morning. A ruler of the synagogue, Jairus by name, came to ask the Lord to help his daughter who was near death. And as they went to the house. certain people came from Jairus’s house, and told him, “Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?”
I know how I felt when our daughter Melissa died. And Jairus was about to learn more about the God he served in the synagogue.
1) Notice that when Jairus was in need, he went straight to the Lord. Jesus said…
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
2) Notice that Jesus and Jairus walked together, and that Jesus was with Jairus when he received the news of his daughter’s death…
“As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.” (Mark 5:36)
Jesus was there to give Jairus words of comfort, hope, and faith: Be not afraid, only believe. And Jairus continued on walking with Jesus in faith: believing.
3) Notice that when you walk in the truth, people will criticize.
“And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn…” (Mark 5:38-40)
People criticize because they don’t understand. They don’t know what the only True, Living God can do. They need to know…
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
They need to hear…
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
They need to be born again…
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” (John3:3-7)
And…
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2Corinthians 5:17)
Then they will understand. And that brings us to the last thing Jairus learned from being with Jesus…
Jesus took…
“…the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.” (Mark 5:40-42)
4) Notice that where Jesus is, there is Life!
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John10:10)
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.” (John 10:27-30)
So, when problems arise, go to Jesus. He will never leave you nor forsake you. People will criticize you for your stand on the Lord. But in the end, He gives you life. Be not afraid, only believe.
Peace!
Posted in Devotions by Pastor Ted Stahl with 3 comments.
Who Is In The Driver’s Seat?
Today’s Passage – Mark 1 – 3 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 81 – 85; Proverbs 17)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Isaiah 51:11
Read the “1017 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from this morning’s Bible reading passage – “What Does It Mean To Blaspheme the Holy Ghost?,” and “Bold As a Lion.“
“And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.” – (Mark 1:12)
Years ago, I used to see bumper stickers on the back of tractor trailers that would say, “God Is My Co-Pilot.” As a lost man, I remember thinking that it was a clever slogan, but now that I have thought about it, I am sure that God does not want to be a passenger in your life: He wants to drive. We see in our text that Jesus was “driven” by the Holy Spirit of God into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. While Jesus walked this earth He was filled with the Spirit, lead of the Spirit, and He performed all of His miracles in the power of the Holy Spirit.
It should be the same for the followers of Christ today. We should not to be in the driver’s seat of our own lives. We should be living our lives submitted to the will of God and yielded to the Spirit of God. Consider the following verses regarding the Holy Ghost:
“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” – (Ephesians 5:18)
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. … If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” – (Galatians 5:16, 25)
“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” – (Ephesians 4:30)
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” – (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:” – (John 16:7-8)
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” – (John 16:13)
When I first trusted Christ as my Saviour, I recognized the presence of the Holy Spirit of God in my life. Though I did not understand it then (nor do I understand it completely now), I knew that there was something inside of me “driving” me toward the direction of the will of God and the Word of God. I realize now that the Holy Spirit was even working in my life long before I was saved. I used to think that the Holy Ghost was kind of like an unseen force in my life, but I have come to realize that He is not a force, He is a Person and He is God; and God does not take a back seat to anybody. God wants to drive, and we need to be willing to let Him drive us to wherever He wants us to go.
Posted in Thoughts from Mark by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
The Great Commission
Today’s Passage – Matthew 27 – 28 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 76 – 80; Proverbs 16)
Read the “1016 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
The Great Commission Involves Three Primary Duties
- Preaching the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1 – 8)
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations …”
It is through faith in the gospel that people are saved from going to Hell. We are all lost sinners and without Christ we were doomed to an eternity of separation from God in a horrible place the Bible refers to as Hell. But the Gospel (or good news) teaches us that Jesus Christ died on the Cross 2000 years ago and was buried and rose again on the third day, and by doing so satisfied the payment that God demanded for our sin. God says that if we will repent and place our faith (our dependence) on the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did for us on the Cross, we could not only escape the penalty of Hell, but also enjoy the pleasures of Heaven for all eternity.
But in order for people to hear the Gospel, the Gospel must be preached:
“14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:14-15)
- Baptizing the Saved
“… baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”
What is Biblical Baptism?
Baptism is the complete immersion of a believer in water. Baptism is not sprinkling. The Bible is clear in every case that the people being baptized went down into the water and came up out of the water. John the Baptist baptized in Aenon (John 3:23) because there was “much water” there. You do not need a lot of water to sprinkle someone.
Baptism is not for babies, for the Scripture tells us in Acts 8:37 that the requirement for baptism is first a belief in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Baptism is a public profession of your faith in Christ. It publically identifies you with Christ’s message, and it paints a picture of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.
Baptism also pictures the cleansing from sin.
Baptism also is a requirement for membership in the local church. You cannot be a member of the church unless you have been Scripturally baptized.
“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:41)
Jesus commanded baptism.
Jesus identified with His own message through baptism. He was baptized Himself. That is why we sometimes say that we are following the Lord in baptism.
- Training Disciples
“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:”
“Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:1-2)
After a person has a been saved, and after they have been baptized, they should begin what is really a lifelong process of Christian growth, which we commonly call discipleship.
Once we are saved, we become ambassadors for the Lord, and we must be trained to represent the Lord well:
“17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)
We have an organized program of discipleship which we recommend to all new believers. It is a one-on-one program where one of our disciples sits down with a new convert and teaches him (or her) the basic doctrines of the Christian faith. We also recommend this program to all who are new to the church, even if they have been saved for a long time.
We are also discipled through the instruction that we receive in our church services. The best counselling and instruction that you can receive will come through what you learn in the church services and Adult Bible classes. We use a lot of Scripture here in our preaching, and you will learn the Bible, and, more importantly, learn how to better glorify and represent the Lord through faithful attendance to the church services.
You can also go even further in your discipleship by attending a Bible Institute level class, or Bible College.
The point is that after we are saved God wants us to grow in the Lord.
“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18)
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)
Discipleship and Christian growth will better equip you to fulfill the Great Commission yourself.
More Great Commission Verses:
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)
“46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:46-48)
“21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.” (John 20:21-23)
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
“1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 3 comments.
Just Me and God
Today’s Passage – Matthew 26 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 71 – 75; Proverbs 15)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Proverbs 27:15
Read the “1015 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from this morning’s reading passage – “Who Me?”
“38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. 40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:38-41)
This was no doubt the worst night in the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was in the process of being betrayed by one of the twelve. He knew also that Peter was going to deny even knowing Him – not just once, but three times. The rest of the disciples were going to scatter and follow afar off; all of them distancing themselves from their leader in His time of need. In the midst of this agonizing night, Jesus desires that three of His closest friends spend some time in prayer with Him. Though it was very late, the Lord was obviously not going to get any sleep and He asked Peter, James, and John to stay up with Him in prayer. Unfortunately, the men were weary and could not stay awake through the prayer meeting. It appears that Jesus would have to go through this trial alone. It was just Him and His Father.
It is human nature to desire the company and encouragement of other people when we are going through our trials. However, in the end, it will only be God that will be with us throughout the darkest days of our lives. Our friends cannot possibly understand completely the pain that we are experiencing; they have their own concerns and troubles that plague them. Friends and family can be helpful at times but we need to learn to wean ourselves off of dependence upon human help for comfort and encouragement and instead turn to God. People cannot possibly meet the spiritual needs that can only be met by God. If you are going through a trial right now, look to God. Don’t be too hard on your friends. Though God may use them to edify, comfort, and encourage you partially, they are severely limited in their ability to help.
Having said that, let me now speak a word to those of us who may have some friends who are going through a difficult trial. Don’t try to be a replacement for God in their lives. You cannot meet their spiritual need: you can only point them to God and encourage them to feed upon the Word of God. Don’t preach to them and don’t promise them things that you cannot deliver because you are not God. Provide a listening ear and refrain from speaking unless you are sure that the words you will give them are what God would have you to say. Just try to be there for them as much as you can while continuing to point them to the Lord.
Posted in Thoughts from Matthew by Phil Erickson with 3 comments.
Wasting Talents
Today’s Passage – Matthew 24 – 25 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 66 – 70; Proverbs 14)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Proverbs 3:5 & 6
Read the “1014 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from today’s Bible reading passage – “Where Lord?“
“But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.” (Matthew 25:18)
The context of the chapters which we read today really has to do with Israel and the Tribulation Period, but we can certainly make some good, practical applications to ourselves for today. In the parable referenced in Matthew 25:14 – 30, we have the story of the man who left with his stewards some money (talents) for them to invest in some way and make a profit for him while he went away. (Note – a talent was actually a weight of measure, thus a talent of gold would be approximately 75 pounds of gold; etc.) He gave each of the three stewards a different number of talents, and expected each one to bring a return proportionate to the number of talents that they received. In other words, he did not expect as much from the guy that was given less talents as he did from the guy that received more talents; but he expected each man to give him a return on his investment.
The traditional way that we interpret and apply this passage is to use the secondary meaning of the word talent, which is a gift. We say that the Lord has given us each certain gifts. Some have been given more gifts than others. God expects us to be faithful and profitable with the gifts and talents that he has given us. We are not to waste our gifts by not using them, like the guy in our text who buried his talent in the ground. We are also not to misuse our gifts for sinful or selfish reasons. Our gifts are to be used to bring a return to the Saviour, and to glorify Him.
We could also make an application of this parable to the subject of stewardship which is what the passage is really dealing with anyway. However, today we no longer deal in talents, but in dollars. God supplies each one of us with a certain amount of income, and He expects us to be faithful and profitable with the money that he gives us. When we give our tithes to support the local storehouse, and we give our offerings so that worldwide missions can go forth, we are bringing the Lord a return on His investment in us. Conversely, when we hoard our money or misuse it, it is like the man who squandered the talent that the Lord gave him.
The bottom line is that we are to use whatever the Lord gives us for His Kingdom and His glory. We are only here on this earth as His ambassador anyway. Are you using your finances and talents for the Lord’s glory, or are you burying them in the sand? There is still time to get it turned around. You’re not dead yet. Dig that talent back up and invest it for the Lord. Find ways to invest yourself in God’s ministry to this lost world.
Posted in Thoughts from Matthew by Phil Erickson with 5 comments.