Envisioning Christian Spiritual-life Formation

Introduction:

      In recent years I've given increased thought to what entails "Christian spiritual-life formation". When I say "spiritual-life formation", I simply mean those spiritual practices which enable Christians to grow in their faith as they cooperate with God in daily-living. As one journeys back through the millennia of Church history and the Old Testament, we can find precedents for this idea. For instance, God had prescribed seven "festivals" for the Jewish people to initiate a spiritual-life cycle that would correspond to the agricultural cycle of "sowing and reaping" (see Leviticus 23). In the New Testament, we find Jesus taking one of those festivals, "The Passover", and transfiguring it into what we know today as "The Lord's Supper" for frequent observance by His church. 

      Individual Biblical-spirituality was situated within the larger framework of God's covenant-dealings with His people. The increasing secularization of society and development of non-theistic forms of spirituality demands a fresh understanding, preaching about and practice of Biblical spiritual-life formation.  

Envisioning Christian spiritual-life formation by way of a "Christian spiritual-life toolbox"

     As a pastor, I intend to begin a new series of messages that will center around an idea I call: "A Christian spiritual-life toolbox". The goal of the lesson series (Sunday night, twenty minute messages), is to provide a resource which small groups could use in future studies and to equip people in-person or online with tools for Christian spiritual-life formation. The series itself will likely contain roughly twenty messages, twenty minutes in length, followed by a time of discussion/Q&A and ending with prayer and reflection. Each time a message is presented, the rhythm of each service will begin with adoration, proclamation, exploration (the discussion time) and application (closing with prayer for renewal to exercise oneself spiritually in that particular area). There are four key areas of Christian spirituality for Christian spiritual-life formation:

1. Church-life.

2. Relational-life (i.e. small-group life).

3. Word-life (i.e. time in the scriptures).

4. Prayer-life. 

     Each of the above four areas represent four aspects of spiritual-life and development that intersect with the work of the Spirit in making the Christian more like Jesus Christ in thought, word and action (otherwise known as "sanctification"). What follows below are likely lessons and messages in the series (it is quite likely we will do the whole study in four "installments", with possible addition or deletion of messages). As I give further thought to what we will likely cover in this series, it also reflects the details of how I envision Christian spiritual-life formation.

1. Church-life.

*The benefits of congregational singing to the Christian life.

*The benefits of preaching to the Christian life.

*How evangelism with others can benefit the Christian life.

*The benefits of celebrating Lord's Supper and Baptism to the Christian life.

*The benefits of practicing giving to the local church to the Christian life.

2. Relational life.

*Christian mentoring as a must for Christian growth.

*Discipleship is at the heart of Christian growth.

*Why Sunday School is needed in the weekly spiritual diet.

*Building a strong marriage and home.

*Biblical friendship and praying for one another.

3. Word-life. 

*Knowing how the Bible is put-together.

*Basic Bible-study skills as a way of building faith.

*How to construct a soul-winner's Bible.

*What does it mean to "hear God through the scriptures"?

*The steps from meditation to application of God's Word.

*How you can know the Bible is the Word of God.

4. The prayer-life.

*How confession of sin enhances spiritual-life formation.

*The art and practice of stillness before God.

*What to do while you are waiting on God.

*How to pray the scripture.

*The power of prayer and fasting.

*The effectiveness of a thankful life.

*Steps to the Spirit-filled life.

*If revival is going to start, it must begin with me.

*The steps toward developing a daily devotional life.

*The value of praying with others to the Christian life.

      My hope and prayer is that this study would stir my heart and others toward a deeper and wider walk with Jesus Christ. As I preach the series, I intend to do future blog-posts on some of the messages, as well as provide video links for anyone interested. 

He Went Forth, That You May Have Life - Meditations on John 18-20

John 18:1-6 "When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the ravine of the Kidron, where there was a garden, in which He entered with His disciples. 2 Now Judas also, who was betraying Him, knew the place, for Jesus had often met there with His disciples. 3 Judas then, having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He *said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. 6 So when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground."

Introduction:

Roughly 1/3 of John's Gospel is dedicated to the final week of Jesus' life. Why? The final week's events were the reason He came. Meditating upon those closing moments leading up to the cross and what follows thereafter yield life-changing benefits. Hebrews 12:3 for example states: "For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." The 1707 hymn of Isaac Watts - "When I survey the wondrous cross" - conveys the rich fruits of meditation upon Jesus' life, death and resurrection by the following lyrics:

1. "When I survey the wondrous cross
   On which the Prince of glory died,
   My richest gain I count but loss,
   And pour contempt on all my pride.
2. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
   Save in the death of Christ my God!
   All the vain things that charm me most,
   I sacrifice them to His blood.
3. See from His head, His hands, His feet,
   Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
   Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
   Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
4. Were the whole realm of nature mine,
   That were a present far too small;
   Love so amazing, so divine,
   Demands my soul, my life, my all."

 John's Gospel is like a set of mighty mountains with the valley of the cross in between the peaks. Jesus is introduced to the reader on the mountain of eternity and time. Christ's incarnation leads directly to what would be his life and public ministry. These mighty mountains of John's Gospel are snow-capped with seven "signs" - resulting in the first twelve chapters deemed appropriately: "the book of signs". 

It is at chapter 13 of John's Gospel that the pace of the book dramatically changes gears. New Testament scholars have deemed John chapters 13-21 as "The Book of Glory", due to the "glories" of Christ's cross, resurrection and post-mortem appearances. Glory is ever accompanied by the shadow of the cross. Lest the cross occupy our standing definition of God's glory, we have not yet grasped the point of His glory: the revelation of True deity in the true humanity of Jesus.

The descent from the the slopes of chapters 1-12 begins with Jesus' announcement of His betrayal. Certainly, Jesus' promise of the Holy Spirit provides much needed light as the valley of the cross comes into view. 

Growth occurs not on the mountain, but in the valley. The Great Shepherd's ultimate mission was not to meet sinners on the peaks of reason or the slopes of the miraculous (as wonderful as those things are), but instead to be met in the valley of the cross. The reader is reminded of Jesus' identity as the Mediator by the high priestly prayer of John 17. 

It is at John 18 that one finds Jesus crossing a thresh-hold of sorts - both literally and spiritually. Crossing the brook Kidron meant crossing a body of water that was mingled with the blood of the sacrifices draining from the back of the Temple complex. The Thursday night into Friday time-frame was set aside for the final preparations of the Passover sacrifices. 

Josephus, the ancient Jewish historian of the first century, records how thousands lambs were sacrificed at the height of Passover. In upwards of 250-thousand pilgrims would crowd their way into and through the Temple. The blood of all those lambs would run into the Brook Kidron (this area is in the lower right-hand corner of the map below).

 As Jesus crossed over the brook Kidron, He was entering across the thresh-hold of His "passion" or "suffering". Jesus came as "the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world" (see John 1:29).  

What follows is a simple outline of Jesus' arrest, crucifixion, burial and resurrection as recorded in John's Gospel. 

An outline of Jesus' arrest, death, burial and resurrection in John 18-20

The aim of today's post is to direct the reader's attention to meditate on what Jesus did in going forth to provide eternal life to all that would respond to the Gospel call in saving faith.

1. He went forth to condemnation. John 18:1-19:15

2. He went forth to the cross.       John 19:16-37

3. He was carried forth to the tomb. John 19:38-42

4. He went forth, having conquered death. John 20:1-31

I find the key phrase "went forth" driving forward the actions of Jesus. In John 18:1 we find Jesus being described as: "He went forth with His disciples over the ravine of the Kidron". Or again, John 18:4, "knowing all the things that were upon Him, went forth...". The same Greek verb behind this phrase "went forth" (exerchomai) is found in John 19:5, "Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of thorns...". 

Explanation and applications of the events we find in John 18-20

Why did Jesus keep pressing forth to the cross? The key verses to John's Gospel give the answer in John 20:30-31, 

"Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name."

John ever reminds us that the events of Jesus' cross and resurrection required both exposition and application. The meaning of what Jesus did is found in the preaching of the Book of Acts and the first portions of all the New Testament letters. The applications that follow in the wake of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection are gleaned from the actions of the church in Acts and the latter portions of the New Testament letters. 

To prove the above paragraph and to lend further aid in our meditation upon Jesus' accomplishments, consider that first point on Jesus' arrest. Jesus underwent arrest, trial and sentencing. Why? Peter's second sermon in the Book of Acts, Acts 3:13-15, describes the point of Jesus' arrest and sentencing:

"The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. 14 But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses."

Jesus was disowned, rejected. The rejection of Jesus meant He was freed to go forth as the sin-bearer. Galatians 3:10-13 describes how Jesus' actions resulted in His bearing the curse for sin. Just as sin and curse came into our world by the actions of the first Adam, the second Adam, Christ, would take upon Himself the curse to pay the cost of salvation (see Isaiah 53:1-10; Galatians 3:10-13; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21; Hebrews 13:12-13). 

Final thoughts for today:

Incredible spiritual benefits would result from the six-hour ordeal of the cross and the moments entailed in the resurrection. Is it no wonder that the New Testament urges constant meditation upon Jesus' cross and resurrection (see 1 Corinthians 2:2; 1 Corinthians 15). 

The importance of Christian meditation in one's daily devotional life

note: above image derives from a photo off of pinterest.com. The point of the picture is to highlight the goal of having daily devotions and meditating on God's Word: spiritual maturity. 

Joshua 1:8 "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success."

Psalm 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer."

Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."

Introducing an important concept in reinforcing one's daily quiet time with God: Christian meditation

Whenever you read a passage of scripture or hear a sermon, do you remember any of it five to ten minutes later. If you find, like I do, the inability to recall what was read or heard, it is a sign of the need of a very important Christian spiritual discipline called by the scriptures and Christians of old: "meditation". 

Unfortunately, when people hear the word "meditate", they conjure up images of a person sitting cross legged with hands out-stretched, finger-tips touching and the hum of the word "um". As is always the case, the enemy of our souls counterfeits the genuine articles God revealed for the betterment of the Christian.  Today we want to consider this very important concept for bridging the time one spends in their quiet-time with God to that of their daily routine: Christian meditation on God's Word.


Defining Christian Mediation
In the original language of this Psalm, the word "meditation" has to do with a "deeper pondering" over the meaning and significance of the words of scripture. We see in the above opening verses the core meaning of this concept of "meditation". Joshua 1:8 conceives of meditation on God's Word as ensuring that one won't forget what they just read or heard. In Psalm 19 we find that meditation is that "deeper pondering" that aims to make the believer's life a pleasurable one before God. The Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:8 envisions such mediation as internalizing the virtues gleaned from God's Word and stirred-up by the Holy Spirit's kindling of the heart's affections. Ancient Christian writers often spoke of a fourfold process one went through when interacting with the Bible:

a. Reading the text

b. Meditating on the text

c. Disciplining yourself to live out the text

d. Knowing that you got the meaning of the text by praising and worshiping God.

It is the second step that bridges one's "reading" of the Bible to the realm of life application (the third step) and a lifestyle devoted to worship of God (the fourth step). 

A suggested way of meditating on God's Word
The following steps are a suggested method for practically meditating on God's Word:

1. Read the text

2. Read it again (out-loud or silently)

3. Read it a third time, marking down your initial thoughts or verbalizing to yourself what you read

4. Walk away and think on what you read

5. Come back to the text again and repeat steps 1 through 4

So Why meditate on God's Word?
Every blog I write, sermon I preach, lesson I teach, quiet time I do or sharing of God's word that I communicate requires meditation on God's Word.  When you and I meditate on scripture, we are aiming to get it from before our eyes or in our ears to reside in our hearts and out in our actions.  Meditation is what you do "in between" your times in the scriptures. You can meditate while waiting in line at the grocery store, on break at work or at lunch room at school.  As a husband, father and pastor living in the 21st century, I experience the demands that life places upon me. What mediation does is break down the artificial wall between "Christian spirituality" and "the rest of life". Without this discipline, the ability to keep ones mind clear of clutter and ones obedience clear of procrastination will be great limited. Meditating on God's Word in indeed important, but what benefits can we note about this practice?

The benefits of Christian Mediation
Notice the benefits that comes as a result of mediating on God's Word here in Psalm 19:14:

1. Right Attitudes - The Psalmist desires to please God.  Only scripture can stir up the Christian to want to live more for the Lord. (1 Peter 2:1-2)

2. Right Thoughts - How many of you want a better thought-life?  Cleanse your mind with the scriptures.
Meditating on the scripture cleanses our heart and mind.  Jesus even talks about this particular quality of the word of God. (John 17:17; Ephesians 5:26).

3. Right Words -  He wants the right words to flow from his mouth.  God's word makes your "have to's" into "want to's".  As Jesus teaches, out of the overflow of the hearts comes forth the words of the mouth. (Matthew 15:18)

4. Right Motivation - The Psalmist ends this Psalm by praising God, His "Rock" and His "Redeemer".  We know from the names of God in the Bible that the term "Rock" refers ultimately to Jesus Christ.  Though the Psalmist lived 1,000 years before Jesus Christ came to this earth, He writing under Divine inspiration was referring to Him.  

Closing thoughts
When you and I meditate on the scriptures, we will be motivated to live for Jesus Christ and have a stronger daily walk with the Lord.

Why have daily devotions? Because Jesus did

Mark 1:35 "In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there."

Luke 6:12  "It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God."

Introduction:
What does it mean to have a private time with God? sometimes this concept will be called by other names: "daily devotions"; "quiet-time" and other such designations. Is spending personal time with God on a daily basis important for one's spiritual growth in the Christian life? As Jesus models for us in the above opening verses, having a daily time alone with God is crucial. Whether one takes times in prayer and the Word in the early morning or late at night - the point is getting with Him before getting to it. Since we are at the beginning of a new year, I thought I would share this key principle of Jesus' example in spending time with the Heavenly Father to encourage us all to make time with God a regular part of our life. 

Why have daily-time with God? Because Jesus did it
As we already discovered in the above opening verses of today's post, Jesus modeled a crucial component of true progress in the Christian life - personal time with God. In Mark 1:35, we find Jesus making His personal time with the Heavenly Father the very first thing that He did. In Luke 6:12, we find the Lord Jesus taking the late-night hours to spend time with God in prayer. In both instances, we find Jesus exercising the practice of alone-time with God to draw closer to the Heavenly Father, make important decisions and set the tone for His life and ministry. 

So why did Jesus do this? After all, Jesus is God in the flesh. He had already enjoyed perpetual fellowship with the Father from all eternity. Here is why. In passages such as 1 John 2:6 and 1 Peter 2:21-22; we are encouraged to follow in Jesus' steps. He modeled in His humanity the very life and principles he wanted His disciples to have. Of course, such principles were never to be isolated from dependence upon and the Holy Spirit. As a matter of fact, the Holy Spirit brings to bear in the Christian the living power of Jesus Christ. 

Closing thoughts
Thus, when we rely upon Jesus by the Holy Spirit, beginning the practice of daily devotions goes from being a duty to delight. The chief reason for getting into the habit of having daily-quiet times with God is because Jesus did.  

Understanding the fruit of the Spirit - "love"

Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Introduction
The great listing of the "fruit of the Spirit" in Galatians 5:22-23 comprises the practical outworking of the Spirit-filled life. In the wider context of Galatians 5:16-25, we find Paul urging the Galatians to "walk by the Spirit" and "to be led by the Spirit". We find him contrasting the "flesh" and "spirit" as he does in Romans 8:1-11. Many of the themes that we find in Paul's later letters are first developed here in Galatians. The Spirit-filled life is both about experiencing God in fuller measure by empowerment and about the life-practical moral virtues that accompany such a life. It must be immediately underscored that Paul does not refer to "fruits of the Spirit", rather, the singular "fruit". As a collection of fruit, it appears Paul intends all nine fruit of the Spirit to be taken together. 

Ways in which we can categorize the fruit of the Spirit
The famous expositor of the scriptures J. Vernon McGee once explained how he organizes these nine virtues or "fruit of the Spirit". The first three he labels "inward fruit" (love, joy, peace). The second set of three fruit he labels "outward fruit" - which is - virtues by which we relate to others (i.e patience, kindness, goodness). Then in the final set of three, McGee uses the title "Godward fruit" or "upward fruit", which refers to the fruit we use in our walk with God (hence, faithfulness, self-control, perseverance). I find McGee's treatment very helpful, since he places each heading in a diagram of a triangle. The first two sets comprise the bottom points of the triangle; whereas the top-most point representing the so-called "God-ward" fruit.

Such a categorization like J. Vernon McGee's aids in knowing how to perhaps apply the nine-fruit. Truly with Paul's listing of three sets of three, such a pattern is a typical Jewish way of presenting a poetic text - with the three sets of three signaling completeness, soundness and balance. One could say that in each set of three, the first fruit in each set functions as a "head fruit", which, if listed out, would appear as follows:

love          patience        faithfulness
joy            kindness         gentleness
peace        goodness        self-control

Other commentators have noted this "triad" or "triple-triad" pattern. The great commentator Alexander MacLaren notes: 

"It is perhaps not too artificial to point out that we have here three triads of which the first describes the life of the Spirit in its deepest secret; the second, the same life in its manifestations to men; and the third, that life in relation to the difficulties of the world, and of ourselves."     

Focusing briefly on the head of fruit - "love"
When we consider that these fruit are the fruit of the Spirit, we must grasp the fact that we cannot produce them on our own. The flesh cannot replicate these fruit. When we think of "love", love refers to the manifold ways in which God expresses His love - especially as we find it in the Bible. Whatever God loves, and how He loves, translates into the Christian expressing such love towards the same types of objects, people and things. In the Bible we find at least five different categories or expressions of God's love (these thoughts are partially influenced by D.A Carson's work - "The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God"):

1. God's internal love, chiefly highlighted for example in how the Person of the Father loves the Person of the Son.

2. God's benevolent love toward His creation. As Jesus notes in Matthew 5:45, He makes it "rain on the just and unjust". In Genesis 1 we find God declaring "it is good" on seven occasions.

3. God's general love which He expresses towards sinners. Such love is chiefly seen in John 3:16. The term "world" refers to the class of humanity. We know in Mark 10:21 that Jesus loved the rich young ruler, even though the young man, as far as we know, never trusted in Christ.

4. God's redemptive love towards His people whom He sets His affection, calls and then who respond in saving faith. God's people are those whom He has pledged to preserve until the return of Christ. Passages such as Acts 20:28 and 1 Timothy 4:10 distinguish the love of God in general for all men with that of His redemptive love towards His people.

5. God's love for righteousness. God loves what is right because He is Holy. He rules by righteousness and lovingkindness (Psalm 89:14; Jeremiah 9:23-24). God esteems what is just and fair, since He is by nature just and fair. Oftentimes Christians will speak of the "things of God", including "prayer" and "the Bible". Such things and means of grace constitute the righteous things that God loves.  God's wrath is His goodness expressed against what is unjust. Some have suggested that God's wrath is God's love expressed negatively and repulsively against sin. 

Life practical expression of the fruit of "love"
Now these five expressions of love are all expressed by God. They are as it were tributaries fed by His love and fed back into His love. The Person of the Holy Spirit - being God - brings the Christian into contact with such expressions. What this means then for the Christian is the following with respect to the fruit of "love": 

1. As with the first expression of love, the Holy Spirit will enable me in the fruit of love to love the Son with the love of God.

2. As with the second expression of love, the Holy Spirit will enable me to have a greater love and appreciation for His creation.

3. Thirdly, the fruit of love, when partaken in faith, gives me a burden for the lost - just as God does in His general love toward them through the general, legitimate offer of the gospel.

4. Fourthly, we can love our fellow believer in a profound, Godward way. To love the Son, the creation, unbelievers and believers in each of the expressions of which God loves is unique. Only the Spirit can make such love possible.

5. Finally, to love the things of God - i.e righteousness, means I will adore the scriptures as my daily food (Job 23:12); love to talk to the heavenly Father and other such disciplines which esteem God in His holiness.  

Healthy Christians exercise Instant obedience

Luke 6:27 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you."

Luke 6:37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned."

Luke 6:47 "Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like"

Introduction

Today's post is all about identifying the marks of a healthy Christian. Jesus' teaching in Luke 6 is a parallel account of His first ever public sermon in Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount. In that inaugural sermon Jesus lays out what will be the necessary foundations for the Apostle's New Testament teaching. We could in effect say that what we gather from the Sermon on the Mount constitutes the foundations for the Christian life. Every child of God should desire a healthy Christian walk. Thus in the opening above three verses (Luke 6:27,37,and 47), we see depicted those three marks, which are listed below:

1. Healthy Christians love their enemies. Luke 6:27

2. Healthy Christians exercise right judgment.  Luke 6:37

3. Healthy Christians exercise instant obedience. Luke 6:47

For the past couple of days we have looked at the first and second marks of a healthy Christian: Loving one's enemies (Luke 6:27-36) and Exercising Right Judgment (Luke 6:37-45). Today we will consider the final mark of a healthy Christian as expounded by Jesus in Luke 6:46-49: Instant obedience.

Healthy Christians exercise instant obedience. Luke 6:47-49
We have a saying around our home: "slow obedience is no obedience". In the scripture, the only obedience is that which is instant obedience. Whenever you study the life of Abraham, you mostly see a man who instantly obeyed God nearly every time. Whenever he was called to leave his homeland in Genesis 12 - he did so without hestitation. Likewise we as Christians ought to instantly obey our Lord whenever He addresses us from His word. 

Jesus poses the question in Luke 6:46- "Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?" What Jesus then does is express the valuable lesson He is going to teach, and also the meaning of the little parables that will accompany his lesson on instant obedience. In Luke 6:47 we read - "Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like". 

I'm almost certain someone reading this blogpost today recalls the famous Sunday School song: "The wiseman built his house upon the rock". That song is based upon Jesus' short little parable here in Luke 6:48-49 and its parallel Matthew 7:24-27. The contrast is plain: the man who instantly obeys the Lord is reinforced by the known will of God. The wonder of this parable is two fold. For one thing, instant obedience to the Master does not render one immune to trouble. However the second lesson is expressed in the promise of the parable that such a man will not be shaken. The Greek word translated "shaken" can be used to refer to that which is easily toppled or of a mind that is easily agitated. 

Healthy Christians are able to withstand the storms of life because they know Whom they have believed in and know that He is able to keep that which has been committed unto Him against that day. (2 Timothy 1:12). Unhealthy Christianity and in reality, unbelief, operates like a foolish man building his house upon the sand. Having lived in Florida for some time, I have witnessed what happens when a beach is eroded by the ocean. Whenever a hurricane makes landfall, many many feet of walkable shoreline slides into the ocean due to the relentless waves. I am sure you have seen it on the news where million dollar homes are reduced to worthless heaps of wood. Why? Improper foundations. The Christian's health depends upon the promptness of their obedience.

Closing thoughts:
These past several days have been dedicated to unfolding Jesus' teaching on the marks of a healthy Christian. We noted three of them from Luke 6:26-49, namely healthy Christians:

1. Love their enemies
2. Exercise sound judgment
3. Instantly obey their Lord

Considering the importance of Christian mediation

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.



What Christian meditation is not
In the 1960's a movement, rooted in Eastern thought, swept through our country and became popularized in what was called "TM" or "Transcendental Mediation".  Movements such as "TM" spawned the wide-sweeping popularity of other practices rooted in eastern religion and mysticism such as Yoga and the like.  Unfortunately, when people hear the word "meditate", they conjure up images of a person sitting cross legged with hands out-stretched, finger-tips touching and the hum of the word "um".  As popular as this conception is, the Christian mediation spoken of here in Psalm 19 is of a completely different sort all together. 





What Christian Mediation is
In the original language of this Psalm, the word "meditation" has to do with a "deeper pondering" over the meaning and significance of the words of scripture.  Ancient Christian writers often spoke of a fourfold process one went through when interacting with the Bible:



a. Reading the text
b. Meditating on the text
c. Disciplining yourself to live out the text
d. Knowing that you got the meaning of the text by praising and worshipping God.





How do you meditate on God's Word?
When you "meditate on scripture", you may do the following:

1. Read the text
2. Read it again (out-loud or silently)
3. Read it a third time, marking down your initial thoughts
4. Walk away and think on what you read
5. Come back to the text again and repeat steps 1 through 4



Why meditate on God's Word?
Every blog I write, sermon I preach, lesson I teach, quiet time I do or sharing of God's word that I communicate requires meditation on God's Word.  When you and I meditate on scripture, we are aiming to get it from our before our eyes or in our ears to reside in our hearts and out in our actions.  Meditation is what you do "in between" your times in the scriptures.  You can mediate while waiting in line at the grocery store, on break at work or at lunch room at school.  What mediation does is break down the artificial wall between "Christian spirituality" and "the rest of life".



The benefits of Christian Mediation
Notice the benefits that comes as a result of mediating on God's Word here in Psalm 19:14:



1. Right Attitudes - The Psalmist desires to please God.  Only scripture can stir up the Christian to want to live more for the Lord. (1 Peter 2:1-2)



2. Right Thoughts - How many of you want a better thought-life?  Cleanse your mind with the scriptures.  Meditating on the scripture cleanses your heart and mind.  Jesus even talks about this particular quality of the word of God. (John 17:17; Ephesians 5:26).



3. Right Words -  He wants the right words to flow from his mouth.  God's word makes your "have to's" into "want to's".  As Jesus teaches, out of the overflow of the hearts comes forth the words of the mouth. (Matthew 15:18)



4. Right Motivation - The Psalmist ends this Psalm by praising God, His "Rock" and His "Redeemer".  We know from the names of God in the Bible that the term "Rock" refers ultimately to Jesus Christ.  Though the Psalmist lived 1,000 years before Jesus Christ came to this earth, He writing under Divine inspiration was referring to Him.  When you and I meditate on the scriptures, we will be motivated to live for Jesus Christ.   

Good Friday Meditation #3 - A Slow Look at the Cross

Mark 14:12 "And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”  (ESV)

For the past two days we have been preparing for Good Friday by noting how the Gospel of Mark and Isaiah work together to present to us the sufferings of Jesus Christ - the Servant of the Lord.  We noted in yesterday's blog how Mark uses the word "immediately" in over 40 places to hasten the pace of his book.  When Jesus came to this world, He had a mission to accomplish and much ministry to do.  With the idea of "activity", Mark also omits his commonly used word "immediately" from the two sections that demand a slower pace: namely Jesus' last public sermon (The Olivet Discourse) and His preparations for the day and night before His crucifixion. 1

The need to s.l.o.w down and take a long hard look at what Jesus accomplished in His first coming and what He will accomplish in His second coming
It is in the first half of Mark 14 (and more particularly Mark 14:12-28) that we find Jesus celebrating His final meal with His disciples.  It is on this particular occassion that Jesus transforms the Passover celebration commemorating the Old Testament Exodus into focusing on what would be His once for all provision for salvation.  Scripture encourages the believer to use the event of the Lord's Supper to s.l.o.w. down and take a slow and long look at the cross. (1 Corinthians 11:23-34; Hebrews 12:1-3)  Consider the following thoughts from Mark 14:22-28 by way of the acrostic s.l.o.w....

Spend time with Jesus.  Mark 14:12-17
Three times in this section do we find reference to the disciples needing to "prepare" for the meal they would have with the Master. (Mark 14:12,15,16)  The emphasis here is the need to spend time with Jesus.  In fact we read in Mark 14:17 - "When it was evening He came with the twelve."  So if we are going to take a slow look at the cross, we must aim to spend time with Jesus.  But notice the second purpose for the Lord's supper here in Mark....

Look at the Scriptures.  Mark 14:18-21
Jesus communicates to His disciples that He is going to be betrayed, and that "the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of Him." (Mark 14:21)  The thing I love about the Lord's supper is how it slows us down enough to hear God's Word and read God's Word about Jesus.2  And so in seeing the celebration the Lord's supper here in Mark, we learn to slowly look at the cross by spending time with Jesus and looking closer at the scriptures.  Now notice a third truth...

Ongoing Nourshment from Jesus.  Mark 14:22-25
Why is it that Jesus chose to use the Passover meal to communicate what He was going to accomplish on the cross?  Simply put - Christ is the source of nourishment in the Christian's spiritual walk. (John 6:53-58)  The symbols of bread and fruit of the vine are signs that point us to the presence of Jesus among His people as they come together. (Hebrews 2:11-14)  The Baptist Faith & Message 2000 reminds us that the Lord's Supper is "a symbolic act of obedience." 3 The food and drink of the Lord's table are physical means of nourishment, staples for physical existence.  They point and signify the fact that the Master is ever with His church, to the end of the age, feeding and nourishing the saints of God through the word. (Matthew 28:18; John 21)   

Slowing down to spend time with Jesus, looking at His word and enjoying ongoing nourishment from Him is what we need reminded of, however there is one last truth we learn from this text...

Worship in celebration of Jesus.  Mark 14:25-28
Mark 14:26 states - "And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." When we celebrate the Lord's Supper, as prescribed for us here in Mark, we should not end on a low note.4  In the Passover Meal that night, Jesus and His disciples would had closed singing what the Jews came to call the "Great Hallel", the section of Psalms 113-118 and 136.  Read those Psalms, and you understand that the tone is not of sadness and defeat, but of victory and expectation.  The word "Hallel" in the Hebrew means "praise" and is in our word "Hallelujah" which means "praise the Lord." 

Conclusion
I hope these last few blogs have enabled you to get more focused on what Jesus accomplished on Good Friday.  Remember, take time to take a s.l.o.w look at the cross. 

Spend time with Jesus
Look at the scriptures
Ongoing nourishment from Jesus
Worship in celebration of Jesus

End Notes______________
1. The Olivet Discourse in Mark 13 is the final sermon Jesus delivered on the slopes of the Mount of Olives which lies East of the city of Jerusalem. The subject of that message was the events and times leading up to Jesus' second coming. Without a doubt God's people need to slow down and base their prayers and hopes in this life on the soon return of the Great God and Savior Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13; 1 John 3:1-3)

2. We slow down enough to not merely read the word, but to reflect on it. (Joshua 1:8) My question is: "what scripture is Jesus referring to here that speaks about His betrayal?" Comparing passages such as Psalm 55 and 109 yields to the reader a set of pictures and predictions about the betrayal of our Lord at the hands of Judas. 

3. Jesus was in the midst of His disciples. Contrary to what some may teach, the bread and fruit of the vine do not turn into the body and blood of Jesus, nor do they contain His spiritual presence. Rather Jesus is in His people as mediated by the Person and work of the Holy Spirit. (John 16:14; 1 Corinthians 2:10-13) As these disciples came together to eat this first meal, Jesus was with them in a personal way. 

4. To merely treat the Lord's Supper like a solemn memorial service only is to stop short of its ultimate aim. Yes, time was needed for these disciples to digest what their Master was to undergo in a few short hours. Undoubtedly, we need time to take a slow look at the cross. However, Good Friday points beyond itself to Resurrection Sunday. 

Good Friday Meditation #2 - Acting and Abiding in Jesus

Mark 1:1-3 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,“Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, 3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’”

Yesterday we did a Good Friday meditation on how Isaiah predicts the Suffering Servant, and how Mark's Gospel identified the Suffering Servant to be Jesus Christ.  In today's blog I want us to further consider Mark's message in preparation for Good Friday. 

The message and outline of Mark's Gospel
The key verse to Mark's Gospel is found in Mark 10:45 - "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  As we noted yesterday, Mark purposefully relied upon Isaiah's prophecies in his overall portral of Jesus' life, death, burial and resurrection.  In the opening of today's blog you may had noticed that Mark attributes John the Baptist's ministry to predictions made by Isaiah - thus further demonstrating how much Mark saw the person of Jesus Christ as being the very fulfillment and explanation of Old Testament expectation.  Below is a brief outline of the book:

           Mark's Gospel: Jesus the Divine Son of God came to 
                   serve and give His life a ransom for many
Preparation for Jesus' public ministry.  Mark 1:1-13
           John the Baptist's preaching about Jesus.  Mark 1:1-8
           Jesus Baptism and temptation.                   Mark 1:9-13

Public Ministry of Jesus.                       Mark 1:14-10:52
           Jesus' preaching and miracles - Cycle # 1 Mark 1:14-3:12
           Jesus' preaching and miracles - Cycle #2  Mark 3:13-4:41
           Jesus' preaching and miracles - Cycle #3  Mark 5:1-43
           Jesus' preaching and miracles - Cycle #4   Mark 6:1-56
           Jesus' preaching and miracles - Cycle #5  Mark 7:1-8:26
           Jesus' preaching and miracles - Cycle #6  Mark 8:27-9:13
           Jesus' preaching and miracles - Cycle #7  Mark 9:14-10:52

Preparation for Jesus' presentation as King.         Mark 11:1-10
Presentation and Rejection of Jesus as King.       Mark 11:11-13:37

Preparation for Jesus' crucifixion and death.         Mark 14:1-42
          Anointing of Jesus for burial                        Mark 14:1-11
          Jesus final meal with the disciples.              Mark 14:12-42
Jesus' crucifixion, death and burial.                   Mark 14:43-15:47       

Preparation by women to travel to Jesus' tomb   Mark 16:1-3
Women find empty tomb, Jesus is alive!             Mark 16:4-20

A curious feature of Mark that may clue us in on a two-fold truth on what it means to follow Jesus - Activity and Abiding
As you study Mark's Gospel, the one word that is repeated on over 40 occasions is the term "immediately".1  In every chapter except chapters 13 and the first half of chapter 14, you will find this word.  The word "immediately" was inserted to keep the reader's attention and to move the account of Jesus' life at a fast and rapid pace.  Yet when we come to those particular sections that deal with Jesus' last sermon and His preparations for His death and Gethsemane, the word "immediately" is absent.  Why? I want to suggest that in the midst of all the activity of Jesus' mission, there needed to be an opportunity to also "slow down", "take a breather" and "abide".  

Fleshing out some thoughts on "acting" and "abiding" in Jesus as depicted in Mark's Gospel
In our 21st century life, we all know what it means to be active.  In fact, activity is a vital part of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.  In those sections of Mark's Gospel where we see the word "immediately", the activities being encouraged include:

1. Immediate Obedience to Jesus.  Mark 1:3, 10,12,18,20, 21; 2:12
2. Urgency to fulfill the mission of salvation.  Mark 4:5,15,16,17,29 and 14:72.

In many ways, urgency and activity should mark our Christianity.  However what I find to be less obvious are the periods of rest and reflection that are needed in our Christian walk.  As I read and study Mark's fast pace Gospel, I find his lack of the word "immediately" to be intentional.  The last thing we want to do is to rush through the heart and purpose for why Jesus came.  Let the reader note: where we find no mention of the word "immediate" in Mark's Gospel is a clue to our need to "abide":

1. Abide in the truth of Christ's second coming.  Mark 13:1-37
2. Abide in developing a deeper love for Jesus. Mark 14:1-11
3. Abide in the significance of Jesus' once for all sacrifice. Mark 14:12-31
4. Abide in cultivating a willingness to do the Father's will, like Jesus did.  Mark 14:32-42

It is in these particular passages of Mark that we do not find the word "immediately" - and rightly so, since without those times of abiding, we can miss out on what the Lord is communicating to us through His word. 

As we prepare out hearts for Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, may we be sure to not only be active for our Lord, but moreso to take the time to abide in our Lord. 


End Notes___________________
1. Being that Mark's audience was composed of practically minded Roman people, not much time is spent in details surrounding Jewish life and history like Matthew and Luke. Furthermore, since the Roman mind was more prone to short, sweet and to the point types of thinking, Mark's Gospel is the shortest and most quickly moving of the four Gospels. Then finally, early church history tells us that Mark recorded by Divine inspiration the Apostle Peter's preaching about Jesus, resulting in the Gospel of Mark.

Christian Meditation

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

What Christian meditation is not
In the 1960's a movement, rooted in Eastern thought, swept through our country and became popularized in what was called the TM movement or "transcendental mediation".  Movements such as TM spawned the wide sweeping popularity of other practices rooted in Eastern religion and mysticism such as Yoga and the like.  Unfortunately, when people hear the word "meditate", they conjure up images of a person sitting cross legged with hands outstreteched, finger-tips touching and the hum of the word "um". 

As popular as this conception is, the Christian mediation spoken of here in Psalm 19 is of a completely different sort all together. It alone constitutes genuine mediation - the only type that is acceptable and beneficial to the Christian life. 



What Christian Mediation is
In the original language of this Psalm, the word "meditation" has to do with a "deeper pondering" over the meaning and significance of the words of scripture.  Ancient Christian writers often spoke of a fourfold process one went through when interracting with the Bible:

a. Reading the text
b. Meditating on the text
c. Disciplining yourself to live out the text
d. Knowing that you got the meaning of the text by praise and worshipping God



How do you meditate on God's Word?
When you "meditate on scripture", you may do the following:

1. Read the text
2. Read it again (outloud or silently)
3. Read it a third time, marking down your initial thoughts
4. Walk away and think on what you read
5. Come back to the text again and repeat steps 1 through 4

Why meditate on God's Word?
Every blog I write, sermon I preach, lesson I teach, quiet time I do or sharing of God's word that I communicate is rooted in meditation of God's Word.  When you and I meditate on scripture, we are aiming to get it from our before our eyes or in our ears into our hearts.  Meditation is what you do "in between" your times in the scriptures.  You can mediate while waiting in line at the grocery store, on break at work or at lunch room at school.  What mediation does is break down the artificial wall between "Christian spirituality" and "the rest of life".

Notice the benefits that comes as a result of mediating on God's Word here in Psalm 19:14:

1. Right Attitudes - The Psalmist desires to please God.  Only scripture can stir up the Christian to want to live more for the Lord. (1 Peter 2:1-2)

2. Right Thoughts - How many of you want a better thoughtlife?  Cleanse your mind with the scriptures.  Meditating on the scripture cleanses your heart and mind.  Jesus even talks about this particular quality of the word of God. (John 17:17; Ephesians 5:26).

3. Right Words -  He wants the right words to flow from his mouth.  God's word makes your "have to's" into "want to's".  As Jesus teaches, out of the overflow of the hearts comes forth the words of the mouth. (Matthew 15:18)

4. Right Motivation - The Psalmist ends this Psalm by praising God, His "Rock" and His "Redeemer".  We know from the names of God in the Bible that the term "Rock" refers ulitmately to Jesus Christ.  Though the Psalmist lived 1,000 years before Jesus Christ came to this earth, He writing under Divine inspiration was referring to Him.  When you and I meditate on the scriptures, we will be motivated to live for Jesus Christ.