Hebrews 6:18-20 so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we
who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope
set before us. 19This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a
hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, 20where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us,
having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Quick Review
Yesterday we looked at the cities of refuge spoken of in Numbers 35, Deueronomy 19 and Joshua 20. Cities of refuge were appointed by God for Israel as she was getting ready to enter into the promised land. Being over 2 million people in size, it was an inevtiability that someone would accidently kill another, as for example in Deuteronomy 19 when mention is made of two friends chopping wood in a forest, and the axe head flying off the handle of the one and mortally wounding his friend. The Bible calls those who accdiently killed another person a "manslayer". The manslayer would need to run to the nearest vity of refuge to escape the relative of the victim who had the legal right to avenge their blood, called by the Bible "an avenger".
Connecting Old and New Testaments through Jesus Christ
Whenever we see a theological or doctrinal truth spoken of in the Old Testament, and find the same idea spoken of in the New Testament and connect both together through Jesus Christ, we can gain riches for Christian understanding. In today's blog I want to note seven parallels between the teaching on the cities of refuge and the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ - the Divine Refuge
Seven parallels between cities of refuge and Jesus Christ, the Divine Refuge
1. The City of Refuge was the place to flee.
In Numbers 35:6 we see that if a manslayer had accidently or unintentionally killed another person, the only proper course of action was for them to flee to the nearest city of refuge. Hestitation was not an option, the best time to flee was at the moment. For those whop don't know Christ as Savior, when hearing that they are under the wrath of God, the best time to trust in Jesus is now. In Hebrews 6:18-20, as we saw at the beginning of today's blog, Jesus Christ is the One to whom the sinner must flee to escape the wrath of God. For the saint of God who has trusted in Christ, Jesus is the place of refuge to abide in times of trouble.
2. The Avenger could legally slay the manslayer
The law of retribution was in place in ancient Israel. The shedding of another's blood, even if done accidentally, was still viewed as making the land and the people unclean. (compare Genesis 9:6) God made provision for the manslayer to escape what was otherwise the law of justice. For everyone one of us born into this world, we had not merely committed unintentional acts of sin, but very intentional acts of sin, resulting in us falling short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) The Law of God is the sinner's avenger, demanding the death of sinner in light of God's Justice.
3. The City of Refuge was the only place of refuge
According to Numbers 35:11, the appointed cities were the only locations wherein the manslayer could seek protection from the Avenger. Jesus Himsellf reveals in John 14:6 - "I am the way, the truth and the life and no one can come to the Father but through me."
4. The cities of refuge were close by and easily accessible
Numbers 35:13 tells us that there were to be six cities of refuge - three on each side of the Jordon River where the Jews would eventually cross into the Promised Land. Romans 5:1-2 reveals how easily accessible Christ the Divine refuge is: "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom also we have obtained our
introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of
the glory of God."
5. The the cities of refuge were for the Jews and Gentiles
Everyone had opportunity to flee to these cities. Romans 1:16-17 explains the provision of Divine refuge through the Gospel: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to
everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is
revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE
RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”
6. The cities of refuge were an assylum for the manslayer until the death of the high priest
According to Numbers 35:25-26, once the elders of each of these cities had determined that the manslayers had indeed committed their acts unintentionally, assylum was granted until the reigning High Priest of Israel had died. Once the High Priest had died, the manslayer could return back to his hometown, no longer termed by the law of retribution a manslayer. Romans 8:1-2 states: "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
has set you free from the law of sin and of death." Jesus Christ the High Priest had given His life, thus all who by grace through faith trust in Him are set free from the condemnation of the Law. Moreover, since He has risen from the dead, unlike the Old Covenant, He as the New Covenant High Priest lives forever to defend every child of God. (1 John 2:1-2, Hebrews 7:24-25)
7. Outside the city of refuge, there is no chance of escape
What would happen if the manslayer wandered outside the city of refuge? According to the testimony of scripture, he would die if he fell into the hands of the avenger. Remember, outside of Jesus Christ, the Divine Refuge, there is no hope, no remedy of escape. You could not pay off the avenger in Ancient Israel, and you cannot pay of the condemnation of the Law against you. You have to trust by faith in Jesus Christ the Divine refuge. He paid for your sins with His life and He desires to represent you before His Father as a result of His resurrection. 1 Thessalonians 1:10 reminds us: "For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you,
and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He
raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to
come."
May the Lord bless you today dear reader as you consider Jesus Christ, the Divine Refuge for the sinner to flee and the Divine refuge for the saint to abide.
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Sunday, December 16, 2012
Friday, December 14, 2012
Saturday 12/15 Cities of Refuge and Christ the Divine Refuge
Numbers 35:6 “The cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be the six cities
of refuge, which you shall give for the manslayer to flee to; and in addition to
them you shall give forty-two cities."
The Law of Retribution - A Law built on Justice
It was not long after the Ark of Noah had landed atop Mount Ararat that God began to repeat to Noah in Genesis 9 some of the commands he had given to Adam back in Genesis 3. The point of God's re-issuing of the commands was to recognize Noah as the new federal head of the human race.1
God issued to Noah an addtional law - whereby a strict prohibition on murder and manslaughter would be set. We find this law, the "Law of Retribution" spelled out in Genesis 9:5-6 “Surely I will require your lifeblood; from every beast I will require it. And from every man, from every man’s brother I will require the life of man. 6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man."
God is a God of Justice and Mercy
Psalm 89:14 states - "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before You." Because God is a God of justice, He alone can perfectly distribute punishment on wrongdoing and mercy on the righteous. He does what He does based upon His internal standard of justice so that He can deal with His people and whomever he chooses in the rightness of lovingkindness and truth. 2
The Avenger and the Manslayer in ancient Israel
As time grew on, God gave His Law at Mount Sinai to the nation of Israel. The one who had killed accidently was called a "manslayer" and the one carrying out the Law of retribution was termed "the avenger". In that Law God had early on provided provision for the manyslayer who had accidently killed his neighbor to flee and find refuge from the avenger at the altar. Later on however, as the time was coming for the nation to enter into the promised land, God gave a permanent provision for refuge to the manslayer in designated cities called "cities of refuge".
Cities of Refuge - Putting on Display God's role as the Refuge for His people
At last Israel was camped just opposite of the Jordon River. With time slipping rapidly from the now 120 year old Moses' life, God was relaying through him the strategy Israel was going to need to successfully occupy and live in the Promised Land. One of those instructions had to do with Cities of Refuge.
As we just learned, the law of Retribution given to Noah had developed over the centuries to where even in Israel, there were cases of people accidently killing one another. According to this law, the relatives of the slayed victim had the right to pursue and avenge the death by killing the manslayer. To gain a tighter rein on this well-known practice, God ordained there to be six cities that would be designated "cities of refuge". The cities of refuge would be located close enough to one another so that if someone did commit involuntary manslaughter, they could flee to the appropriate city of refuge.
How Cities of refuge were to be used
In Numbers 35, Deuteronomy 19 and Joshua 20 we see instructions given for these so-called cities of refuge. In reading all three of these chapters, here is what we learn:
1. If I committed involuntary manslaughter, say I was chopping wood with a friend and my ax head would fly off the handle and mortally wound my friend, my only course of action would be to run, run, run
2. In that culture, the law of retribution took affect, meaning that my friend's nearest of kin, once hearing word of what took place, could legally pursue me and execute me
3. My goal would be to run to the nearest city of refuge. Once there, I could appeal to the elders of that city, who would then grant me assylum away from the avenger
4. If I perchance left the city, the avenger could legally execute me
5. Once the elders determined my innocence, I could stay in the City of Refuge until the death of the High Priest of Israel
6. Once the High Priest died, in the eyes of God and the law, I was free to go back to my home city
The Jews over time came to view the death of the high priest as somehow atoning or "satisfying" the law of retribution, hence in some fashion the high priests death being viewed as taking the place of the manslayer.
How cities of Refuge illustrate Christ the Ultimate Refuge
According to Hebrews 6:18-19 we read - "so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. 19This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, 20where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."
Our problem born into this world was that were not merely guilty of unintentional sins, but also intentional ones. The Law of God was the Avenger, pursuing after us. The Law of God proclaimed my guilt and touted the need for my death at the bar of Divine Justice, since I had committed high Treason against God and His Son. (John 3:17-19) However the Son of God, the Great High Priest died in my place. This meant that I by faith could run to Him, my refuge, my Savior. By His death, the law of God, the rightful avenger, could not lay claim. Furthermore, any accusations from the Evil One would be invalidated. Additionally, since Christ had risen from the dead, unlike the Old Testament manslayer, I would never have to worry about my past being brought up before God, since in Jesus Christ it has been erased. (Romans 5:1; 8:1)
Jesus Christ is the Divine Refuge for the sinner who flees to Him by faith and for the saint who abides in Him through faith. Consider two passages as we close out today's blog. First Romans 5:9-10 "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." And then secondly 1 Thessalonians 1:10 "and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come."
Endnotes
1 As the tenth generation from Adam, Noah was in the line of that title. With the human race destroyed in the flood, life was going to begin again in a sense. God commanded Noah, like Adam, to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth (Genesis 1:26-28 compared to Genesis 9:1,7) He also told Noah, like Adam, to take dominion, since all living plants were his. Clearly since these commands were being given to Noah in a Post-Fall setting, additional instructions about allowances for eating flesh were given to Noah. (Genesis 9:3-4)
2 This explains why He revealed to Noah the law of Retribution, followed by His Covenant of Grace to Noah to never again destroy the world with a flood. Justice establishes the grounds and reasons as to why He can perfectly be Merciful without violating who He is as the Holy God.
The Law of Retribution - A Law built on Justice
It was not long after the Ark of Noah had landed atop Mount Ararat that God began to repeat to Noah in Genesis 9 some of the commands he had given to Adam back in Genesis 3. The point of God's re-issuing of the commands was to recognize Noah as the new federal head of the human race.1
God issued to Noah an addtional law - whereby a strict prohibition on murder and manslaughter would be set. We find this law, the "Law of Retribution" spelled out in Genesis 9:5-6 “Surely I will require your lifeblood; from every beast I will require it. And from every man, from every man’s brother I will require the life of man. 6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man."
God is a God of Justice and Mercy
Psalm 89:14 states - "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before You." Because God is a God of justice, He alone can perfectly distribute punishment on wrongdoing and mercy on the righteous. He does what He does based upon His internal standard of justice so that He can deal with His people and whomever he chooses in the rightness of lovingkindness and truth. 2
The Avenger and the Manslayer in ancient Israel
As time grew on, God gave His Law at Mount Sinai to the nation of Israel. The one who had killed accidently was called a "manslayer" and the one carrying out the Law of retribution was termed "the avenger". In that Law God had early on provided provision for the manyslayer who had accidently killed his neighbor to flee and find refuge from the avenger at the altar. Later on however, as the time was coming for the nation to enter into the promised land, God gave a permanent provision for refuge to the manslayer in designated cities called "cities of refuge".
Cities of Refuge - Putting on Display God's role as the Refuge for His people
At last Israel was camped just opposite of the Jordon River. With time slipping rapidly from the now 120 year old Moses' life, God was relaying through him the strategy Israel was going to need to successfully occupy and live in the Promised Land. One of those instructions had to do with Cities of Refuge.
As we just learned, the law of Retribution given to Noah had developed over the centuries to where even in Israel, there were cases of people accidently killing one another. According to this law, the relatives of the slayed victim had the right to pursue and avenge the death by killing the manslayer. To gain a tighter rein on this well-known practice, God ordained there to be six cities that would be designated "cities of refuge". The cities of refuge would be located close enough to one another so that if someone did commit involuntary manslaughter, they could flee to the appropriate city of refuge.
How Cities of refuge were to be used
In Numbers 35, Deuteronomy 19 and Joshua 20 we see instructions given for these so-called cities of refuge. In reading all three of these chapters, here is what we learn:
1. If I committed involuntary manslaughter, say I was chopping wood with a friend and my ax head would fly off the handle and mortally wound my friend, my only course of action would be to run, run, run
2. In that culture, the law of retribution took affect, meaning that my friend's nearest of kin, once hearing word of what took place, could legally pursue me and execute me
3. My goal would be to run to the nearest city of refuge. Once there, I could appeal to the elders of that city, who would then grant me assylum away from the avenger
4. If I perchance left the city, the avenger could legally execute me
5. Once the elders determined my innocence, I could stay in the City of Refuge until the death of the High Priest of Israel
6. Once the High Priest died, in the eyes of God and the law, I was free to go back to my home city
The Jews over time came to view the death of the high priest as somehow atoning or "satisfying" the law of retribution, hence in some fashion the high priests death being viewed as taking the place of the manslayer.
How cities of Refuge illustrate Christ the Ultimate Refuge
According to Hebrews 6:18-19 we read - "so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. 19This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, 20where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."
Our problem born into this world was that were not merely guilty of unintentional sins, but also intentional ones. The Law of God was the Avenger, pursuing after us. The Law of God proclaimed my guilt and touted the need for my death at the bar of Divine Justice, since I had committed high Treason against God and His Son. (John 3:17-19) However the Son of God, the Great High Priest died in my place. This meant that I by faith could run to Him, my refuge, my Savior. By His death, the law of God, the rightful avenger, could not lay claim. Furthermore, any accusations from the Evil One would be invalidated. Additionally, since Christ had risen from the dead, unlike the Old Testament manslayer, I would never have to worry about my past being brought up before God, since in Jesus Christ it has been erased. (Romans 5:1; 8:1)
Jesus Christ is the Divine Refuge for the sinner who flees to Him by faith and for the saint who abides in Him through faith. Consider two passages as we close out today's blog. First Romans 5:9-10 "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." And then secondly 1 Thessalonians 1:10 "and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come."
Endnotes
1 As the tenth generation from Adam, Noah was in the line of that title. With the human race destroyed in the flood, life was going to begin again in a sense. God commanded Noah, like Adam, to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth (Genesis 1:26-28 compared to Genesis 9:1,7) He also told Noah, like Adam, to take dominion, since all living plants were his. Clearly since these commands were being given to Noah in a Post-Fall setting, additional instructions about allowances for eating flesh were given to Noah. (Genesis 9:3-4)
2 This explains why He revealed to Noah the law of Retribution, followed by His Covenant of Grace to Noah to never again destroy the world with a flood. Justice establishes the grounds and reasons as to why He can perfectly be Merciful without violating who He is as the Holy God.
S.E.R.V.E God - P5 - Exemplify Jesus Christ
2 Timothy 4:12 Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.
It was almost five years since Paul had written the Book of Ephesians. When he wrote that letter he was under house arrest in Rome. In this second letter to the second generation pastor Timothy, Paul is writing from a Dungeon. The ministry veteran Paul is writing what are most likely his final words. Many of his ministry partners have come and gone. Out of all of them, Tychicus was one of the very few who remained ready to go wherever Paul needed him. For over a decade Tychicus has been the "faithful servant of God and beloved brother" to the Apostle Paul. (Ephesians 6:21) Tychicus has been shown thus far to be a prime example of a servant of God in the following ways:
1. He Seeks God first.
2. He Emphesized Faithfulness.
3. He Reinforced the ministry.
4. He Validated God's people
In this final part of our blog series, we will consider the final letter of our acrostic S.E.R.V.E in defining what it means to serve God, namely: Exemplify Jesus Christ
How did Tychicus exemplify Jesus Christ and how are you and I to do the same?
If seeking God first represents the foundation of the servant of God, with faithfulness, reinforcement of the ministry and validation of God's people as the associated aims, then exemplifying Jesus Christ represents the servant's goal. Tychicus without a doubt exemplified Jesus Christ, which explains why Paul was eager and confident in sending him in his place to the churches he had established. As we briefly consider how Tychicus exemplified Christ, you and I can take note of what it means to be Christ-like in our service to God:
1. Humility - Humility is the greatest Christ-like trait in the realm of our mindset in ministry. Paul writes in Philippians 2:5 "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus." The word translated "attitude" could just as easily be translated "mindset". Whatever our minds are set toward, our hearts will follow. Just as Christ humbled Himself, so are we to be humble in our thoughts, which lead to humble actions. Tychicus, as far as we can tell, never hesitated to go where he was being sent. As long as it progressed another square inch for God's Kingdom, Tychicus was ever the eager servant, regardless of what it cost him.
2. Love - If humility represents the most Christ-like trait of the mind, then love represents the most Christ-like trait of the heart. Love is considered the greatest of the virtues which issue from the heart. (1 Corinthians 13:5) Love was the center motivation for the cross. (John 3:16; Romans 5:8) Love is to be the center motivation for obedience (John 14:21-23) Tychicus was referred to as the "beloved brother". He was much loved due to the fact that he showed much love. As God's servants, our hearts need to be full of God's love in order to accomplish the work He has called us to perform.
3. Diligence - A servant of God should be ready to labor for the Lord. Tychicus was among the most hardest working ministry partners of the Apostle Paul. He was constantly encouraging and comforting God's people. (Ephesians 6:21-22; Colossians 4:7-8) Even in Paul's final days, Tychicus was still at Ephesus, undoubtedly helping out Pastor Timothy, the recipient of Paul's final letter. 1 Corinthians 10:31 gives us one of the clearest exhorations concerning diligence -"Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
Conclusion - What it means to S.E.R.V.E God
As we close out this study, we can look back and understand what it means to S.E.R.V.E God:
1. Seek God first
2. Emphasize Faithfulness
3. Reinforce the Ministry
4. Validate God's people
5. Exemplify Jesus Christ
To be Christ-like means approaching our service with a humble mindset, a loving heart and a diligency to do the work. May you and I be servants of God who bring pleasure to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
It was almost five years since Paul had written the Book of Ephesians. When he wrote that letter he was under house arrest in Rome. In this second letter to the second generation pastor Timothy, Paul is writing from a Dungeon. The ministry veteran Paul is writing what are most likely his final words. Many of his ministry partners have come and gone. Out of all of them, Tychicus was one of the very few who remained ready to go wherever Paul needed him. For over a decade Tychicus has been the "faithful servant of God and beloved brother" to the Apostle Paul. (Ephesians 6:21) Tychicus has been shown thus far to be a prime example of a servant of God in the following ways:
1. He Seeks God first.
2. He Emphesized Faithfulness.
3. He Reinforced the ministry.
4. He Validated God's people
In this final part of our blog series, we will consider the final letter of our acrostic S.E.R.V.E in defining what it means to serve God, namely: Exemplify Jesus Christ
How did Tychicus exemplify Jesus Christ and how are you and I to do the same?
If seeking God first represents the foundation of the servant of God, with faithfulness, reinforcement of the ministry and validation of God's people as the associated aims, then exemplifying Jesus Christ represents the servant's goal. Tychicus without a doubt exemplified Jesus Christ, which explains why Paul was eager and confident in sending him in his place to the churches he had established. As we briefly consider how Tychicus exemplified Christ, you and I can take note of what it means to be Christ-like in our service to God:
1. Humility - Humility is the greatest Christ-like trait in the realm of our mindset in ministry. Paul writes in Philippians 2:5 "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus." The word translated "attitude" could just as easily be translated "mindset". Whatever our minds are set toward, our hearts will follow. Just as Christ humbled Himself, so are we to be humble in our thoughts, which lead to humble actions. Tychicus, as far as we can tell, never hesitated to go where he was being sent. As long as it progressed another square inch for God's Kingdom, Tychicus was ever the eager servant, regardless of what it cost him.
2. Love - If humility represents the most Christ-like trait of the mind, then love represents the most Christ-like trait of the heart. Love is considered the greatest of the virtues which issue from the heart. (1 Corinthians 13:5) Love was the center motivation for the cross. (John 3:16; Romans 5:8) Love is to be the center motivation for obedience (John 14:21-23) Tychicus was referred to as the "beloved brother". He was much loved due to the fact that he showed much love. As God's servants, our hearts need to be full of God's love in order to accomplish the work He has called us to perform.
3. Diligence - A servant of God should be ready to labor for the Lord. Tychicus was among the most hardest working ministry partners of the Apostle Paul. He was constantly encouraging and comforting God's people. (Ephesians 6:21-22; Colossians 4:7-8) Even in Paul's final days, Tychicus was still at Ephesus, undoubtedly helping out Pastor Timothy, the recipient of Paul's final letter. 1 Corinthians 10:31 gives us one of the clearest exhorations concerning diligence -"Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
Conclusion - What it means to S.E.R.V.E God
As we close out this study, we can look back and understand what it means to S.E.R.V.E God:
1. Seek God first
2. Emphasize Faithfulness
3. Reinforce the Ministry
4. Validate God's people
5. Exemplify Jesus Christ
To be Christ-like means approaching our service with a humble mindset, a loving heart and a diligency to do the work. May you and I be servants of God who bring pleasure to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
S.E.R.V.E God - P4 - Validate the Saints
Ephesians 6:22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and
that he may comfort your hearts.
For the past few days we have been interested in unfolding what it means to serve God. Tychicus has been our model for this study, since he is commended by the Apostle Paul as a faithful minister or servant in the Lord. The word for servant in Ephesians 6:21 comes from the same Greek word (dee-auk-a-nos) that is translated "deacon" in such passages as 1 Timothy 3:8-13. All Christians are called to be servants of God, with Deacons being the visible examples to the flock as to the nature of such a calling. Tychicus has been show thus far to be a prime example of a servant of God in the following ways:
1. He Seeks God first.
2. He Emphasized Faithfulness.
3. He Reinforced the ministry.
By continuing to use our acrostic S.E.R.V.E, we come to the fourth aim that marks a servant of God, namely in how we are to validate the saints.
How Tychicus was used to validate God's people
To validate someone means to affirm, to comfort to give proof to the cause or action that they are doing. The church at Ephesus was located in a very pagan city. It would had been easy for disillusionment to set in. Furthermore, wondering about the plight of the Apostle Paul in prison could had fueled even further instability in the young congregation. But Paul had a stretegy: send Tychicus to validate or "comfort" these people in their efforts to be faithful to Christ. (Ephesians 6:22) The Greek word for "comfort" literally speaks of someone calling another person to walk along side so as to be a friend.
In Paul's letter written to the Colossians, this same man Tychicus was being assigned the same task for the Colossians church in Colossians 4:7-8 "As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information. 8For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts."
A church composed of God's servants ought to be the most encouraging place
When we are validated in our life and service for Jesus Christ, we desire to live and serve Him all the more. Of all the places in the world, when we come together as the church, the atmosphere ought to be one of encouragement and validation. 1 Peter 2:16 plainly tells us to live as servants of God. Servants of God aim to be a support, a validation and encouragement to the cause of Christ being lived out by other fellow servants of the Lord. Repeatedly the Book of Hebrews urges Christians to come together for the sake of mutual encouragement. (Hebrews 3:12-13 and 10:24-25) 1 Thessalonians 5:11 plainly tells us as Christians: "Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing." May you and I in our service to God remember that we also serve one another for the purpose to encourge, edify and validate the work of the Lord in one another.
For the past few days we have been interested in unfolding what it means to serve God. Tychicus has been our model for this study, since he is commended by the Apostle Paul as a faithful minister or servant in the Lord. The word for servant in Ephesians 6:21 comes from the same Greek word (dee-auk-a-nos) that is translated "deacon" in such passages as 1 Timothy 3:8-13. All Christians are called to be servants of God, with Deacons being the visible examples to the flock as to the nature of such a calling. Tychicus has been show thus far to be a prime example of a servant of God in the following ways:
1. He Seeks God first.
2. He Emphasized Faithfulness.
3. He Reinforced the ministry.
By continuing to use our acrostic S.E.R.V.E, we come to the fourth aim that marks a servant of God, namely in how we are to validate the saints.
How Tychicus was used to validate God's people
To validate someone means to affirm, to comfort to give proof to the cause or action that they are doing. The church at Ephesus was located in a very pagan city. It would had been easy for disillusionment to set in. Furthermore, wondering about the plight of the Apostle Paul in prison could had fueled even further instability in the young congregation. But Paul had a stretegy: send Tychicus to validate or "comfort" these people in their efforts to be faithful to Christ. (Ephesians 6:22) The Greek word for "comfort" literally speaks of someone calling another person to walk along side so as to be a friend.
In Paul's letter written to the Colossians, this same man Tychicus was being assigned the same task for the Colossians church in Colossians 4:7-8 "As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information. 8For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts."
A church composed of God's servants ought to be the most encouraging place
When we are validated in our life and service for Jesus Christ, we desire to live and serve Him all the more. Of all the places in the world, when we come together as the church, the atmosphere ought to be one of encouragement and validation. 1 Peter 2:16 plainly tells us to live as servants of God. Servants of God aim to be a support, a validation and encouragement to the cause of Christ being lived out by other fellow servants of the Lord. Repeatedly the Book of Hebrews urges Christians to come together for the sake of mutual encouragement. (Hebrews 3:12-13 and 10:24-25) 1 Thessalonians 5:11 plainly tells us as Christians: "Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing." May you and I in our service to God remember that we also serve one another for the purpose to encourge, edify and validate the work of the Lord in one another.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
S.E.R.V.E God - P3 - Reinforce the Ministry
Ephesians 6:21-22a But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the
beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to
you. 22I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so
that you may know about us...."
As we continue in this series on what it means to serve God or be a servant of God, we look once again at Tychicus, the faithful servant of God mentioned by Paul in Ephesians 6:21-22. We have noted so far the following aims of service to God:
1. Seek the Lord First
2. Emphasize Faithfulness
Today we endeaver to note the third aim required for effective service to God, namely reinforcment of the ministry.
Reinforcing God's work derives from three vantage points: upward, inward and outward
Paul has described the type of servant of God that Tychicus is: a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord. Now in verse 22 we see Paul explaining the purpose for which he is sending Tychicus: "so that you may know about us..." The reinforcement of any ministry derives from three vantage points: knowing what it is to do from above, knowing who it is within itself and knowing how much advance is being made beyond the view of those doing the ministry. Let me explain what I mean by these three vantage points.
To know what I am to do as a servant of God from above means gaining my direction from God through His Word. Colossians 3:1-2 states - "Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." If I know who I am and whose I am in my calling, I will be ready to reinforce the work of God.
But notice secondly that a servant of God or ministry is reinforced by how well it knows itself. Paul's exhortation to a young minister Timothy speaks well to this point in 1 Timothy 4:16 "Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you." Knowing who I am in terms of strengths and weaknesses, gifts and talents, what I am and what I am not - will aid in excercising a necessary Christ-like trait - humility. (compare Philippians 2:5-11)
Then in reinforcing the ministry as God's servant we note that you must thirdly know what advances are being made beyond or outside the walls of the ministry. In other words, do you find it encouraging when people come and testify to how much they have grown in their faith as a result of God's work through whatever ministry you are serving? Testimonies supernaturally motivate us to want to serve God all the more. (Compare Colossians 1:4-8, 2:1-2, 4:7-8)
Tychicus' role was to inform the Ephesians congregation of what was going on in Paul's imprisonment. To know that he was not feeling discouraged, but rather joyful over having to suffer for Christ's sake would perhaps motivate them onto greater service for Jesus Christ. A servant of God aims to look upwards, then inward and finally outward. Reinforcing the cause of Jesus demonstrates the heart of a true servant of God. May every Christian, including this blogger, be those servants to aim to serve so as to reinforce the efforts of ministry for Jesus' sake.
As we continue in this series on what it means to serve God or be a servant of God, we look once again at Tychicus, the faithful servant of God mentioned by Paul in Ephesians 6:21-22. We have noted so far the following aims of service to God:
1. Seek the Lord First
2. Emphasize Faithfulness
Today we endeaver to note the third aim required for effective service to God, namely reinforcment of the ministry.
Reinforcing God's work derives from three vantage points: upward, inward and outward
Paul has described the type of servant of God that Tychicus is: a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord. Now in verse 22 we see Paul explaining the purpose for which he is sending Tychicus: "so that you may know about us..." The reinforcement of any ministry derives from three vantage points: knowing what it is to do from above, knowing who it is within itself and knowing how much advance is being made beyond the view of those doing the ministry. Let me explain what I mean by these three vantage points.
To know what I am to do as a servant of God from above means gaining my direction from God through His Word. Colossians 3:1-2 states - "Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." If I know who I am and whose I am in my calling, I will be ready to reinforce the work of God.
But notice secondly that a servant of God or ministry is reinforced by how well it knows itself. Paul's exhortation to a young minister Timothy speaks well to this point in 1 Timothy 4:16 "Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you." Knowing who I am in terms of strengths and weaknesses, gifts and talents, what I am and what I am not - will aid in excercising a necessary Christ-like trait - humility. (compare Philippians 2:5-11)
Then in reinforcing the ministry as God's servant we note that you must thirdly know what advances are being made beyond or outside the walls of the ministry. In other words, do you find it encouraging when people come and testify to how much they have grown in their faith as a result of God's work through whatever ministry you are serving? Testimonies supernaturally motivate us to want to serve God all the more. (Compare Colossians 1:4-8, 2:1-2, 4:7-8)
Tychicus' role was to inform the Ephesians congregation of what was going on in Paul's imprisonment. To know that he was not feeling discouraged, but rather joyful over having to suffer for Christ's sake would perhaps motivate them onto greater service for Jesus Christ. A servant of God aims to look upwards, then inward and finally outward. Reinforcing the cause of Jesus demonstrates the heart of a true servant of God. May every Christian, including this blogger, be those servants to aim to serve so as to reinforce the efforts of ministry for Jesus' sake.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
S.E.R.V.E. God - P2 - Emphasize Faithfulness
Ephesians 6:21 But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the
beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to
you.
Yesterday I began a new blog series on the subject of serving God. We are using the acrostic S.E.R.V.E to aid us in unfolding Paul's comments about one of his faithful ministry partners Tychicus. We noted yesterday that a servant of God first and foremost "Seeks God first" in all things. Isaiah 55:6 tells us: "Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near." Then of course Jesus states in Matthew 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Seeking the Lord first in all things regulates the motivation and vision of the servant of God. With that review, we now move onto the second aim of a servant of God, as exemplified here in Tychicus: Emphasizing faithfulness.
What is faithfulness?
When Tychicus is described in Ephesians 6:21 as a "faithful minister", its not that faithfulness is merely one of his many characteristics, rather it is the essence of who he is. Faithfulness is when we exhibit faith from one moment to the next. Think of a string of pearls, wherein each pearl is a response of faith, and the string is the obedience connecting one response of faith to the next. We know from scripture that obedience from the heart is the chief fruit of genuine faith. (James 2)
A Faithful servant needs to be operating in the love of God
Tychicus is called a faithful ministry both here and in Colossians 4:7. We could say that a faithful person in the Lord is one who exhibits not only faith and obedience from faith but also love for God and His people. Why? Because in Ephesians 6:21 Tychicus is called "a beloved brother". Before he is called "faithful", Tychicus is first and foremost a "beloved brother". Like the term "faithful", belovedness is not one trait among many but rather defines the essence of the man. If we are to be faithful people, the love of God must flow ever through us like a river through a dry river bed. Jude 20-21 summarizes this idea best: "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. "
Love motivating duty leads to faithfulness
Faithfulness without the love of God is nothing more than an "exercise of going through the motions". Faithfulness is not merely doing more and trying harder. So many Christians and churches have crammed their schedules full of activities, thinking that doing more and trying harder will yield a faithful people. Yet so often, people get burned out. 1 John 5:19-20 connects the love of God to love of others: "We love, because He first loved us. 20If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also."
As you and I aim to serve God, may we seek God first, so that we can then emphasize faithfulness.
Yesterday I began a new blog series on the subject of serving God. We are using the acrostic S.E.R.V.E to aid us in unfolding Paul's comments about one of his faithful ministry partners Tychicus. We noted yesterday that a servant of God first and foremost "Seeks God first" in all things. Isaiah 55:6 tells us: "Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near." Then of course Jesus states in Matthew 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Seeking the Lord first in all things regulates the motivation and vision of the servant of God. With that review, we now move onto the second aim of a servant of God, as exemplified here in Tychicus: Emphasizing faithfulness.
What is faithfulness?
When Tychicus is described in Ephesians 6:21 as a "faithful minister", its not that faithfulness is merely one of his many characteristics, rather it is the essence of who he is. Faithfulness is when we exhibit faith from one moment to the next. Think of a string of pearls, wherein each pearl is a response of faith, and the string is the obedience connecting one response of faith to the next. We know from scripture that obedience from the heart is the chief fruit of genuine faith. (James 2)
A Faithful servant needs to be operating in the love of God
Tychicus is called a faithful ministry both here and in Colossians 4:7. We could say that a faithful person in the Lord is one who exhibits not only faith and obedience from faith but also love for God and His people. Why? Because in Ephesians 6:21 Tychicus is called "a beloved brother". Before he is called "faithful", Tychicus is first and foremost a "beloved brother". Like the term "faithful", belovedness is not one trait among many but rather defines the essence of the man. If we are to be faithful people, the love of God must flow ever through us like a river through a dry river bed. Jude 20-21 summarizes this idea best: "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. "
Love motivating duty leads to faithfulness
Faithfulness without the love of God is nothing more than an "exercise of going through the motions". Faithfulness is not merely doing more and trying harder. So many Christians and churches have crammed their schedules full of activities, thinking that doing more and trying harder will yield a faithful people. Yet so often, people get burned out. 1 John 5:19-20 connects the love of God to love of others: "We love, because He first loved us. 20If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also."
As you and I aim to serve God, may we seek God first, so that we can then emphasize faithfulness.
Monday, December 10, 2012
S.E.R.V.E God - P1 Seek the Lord First
Ephesians 6:21 But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the
beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to
you.
Over the next several days I would like us to think about what it means to serve the Lord. You may have noticed in the title of this blog that the word "serve" is spelled "S.E.R.V.E". Why? Because my aim in this series of posts is to unfold, by the Spirit's illumination of the scripture, what it means to serve the Lord. My main text will be Ephesians 6:21-22, since therein is found a faithful servant of God by the name of Tychicus - more on him in a moment. For now let us consider the five main ideas we aim to explore in this concept of serving God:
Seek the Lord first. Ephesians 6:21a
Emphasize Faithfulness Ephesians 6:21b
Reinforce thhe ministry Ephesians 6:22a
Validate God's people Ephesians 6:22b
Exemplify Christ 2 Timothy 4:12
Tychicus, a servant of God who "hit the mark" for Jesus Christ
Tychicus' (ti-kick-us) name in the original language means: "to hit the mark, to obtain, to master". No doubt the Apostle Paul thought very highly of Tychicus, calling him a "beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord". This man's track record as a faithful servant of God shines brightly in the New Testament.
1. In Acts 20:4 we read "And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia." This man, along with other companions of the Apostle Paul, traveled with Paul to Asia from Ephesus some seven years prior to the writing of this letter to the Ephesians. Thus we see that Tychicus was with the work of God at Ephesus from its inception.
2. In Titus 3:12 we discover this about Tychicus: "When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there." Tychicus was of such caliber that Paul proposed him to possibly come and take Titus' place, so that Titus could join Paul at Nicopolis.
3. In 2 Timothy 4:12 we read of Tychicus: "Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus." This is all we read of Tychicus in what is likely Paul's final words. For over ten years Tychicus had been with the Apostle Paul every step of the way.
The servant of God must seek the Lord first, like Tychicus did
If you and I are to be a people who serve God effectively, we must seek the Lord first. Making known what was happening to Paul in prison was a matter of updating the Ephesian church on what God's purposes and activities. Paul states in Ephesians 6:21 "But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you."
Why would Paul want his readers to know about his circumstances? In another letter of Paul written at about the same time and from the same prison, we read these words in Colossians 2:1-2 "For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself".
A man was needed who could communicate Paul's circumstances in such a way as to not solicit sympathy, but celebration and prayer for Paul and the work that God was doing. As a servant of God, seeking the Lord first enabled Tychicus to have a God's-eye perspective on what otherwise looked like bad circumstances.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." We also read in Galatians 1:10 "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ."
As we conclude today's post, let us remember that if we are going to serve God faithfully and effectively, we must seek Him first in all things.
Over the next several days I would like us to think about what it means to serve the Lord. You may have noticed in the title of this blog that the word "serve" is spelled "S.E.R.V.E". Why? Because my aim in this series of posts is to unfold, by the Spirit's illumination of the scripture, what it means to serve the Lord. My main text will be Ephesians 6:21-22, since therein is found a faithful servant of God by the name of Tychicus - more on him in a moment. For now let us consider the five main ideas we aim to explore in this concept of serving God:
Seek the Lord first. Ephesians 6:21a
Emphasize Faithfulness Ephesians 6:21b
Reinforce thhe ministry Ephesians 6:22a
Validate God's people Ephesians 6:22b
Exemplify Christ 2 Timothy 4:12
Tychicus, a servant of God who "hit the mark" for Jesus Christ
Tychicus' (ti-kick-us) name in the original language means: "to hit the mark, to obtain, to master". No doubt the Apostle Paul thought very highly of Tychicus, calling him a "beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord". This man's track record as a faithful servant of God shines brightly in the New Testament.
1. In Acts 20:4 we read "And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia." This man, along with other companions of the Apostle Paul, traveled with Paul to Asia from Ephesus some seven years prior to the writing of this letter to the Ephesians. Thus we see that Tychicus was with the work of God at Ephesus from its inception.
2. In Titus 3:12 we discover this about Tychicus: "When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there." Tychicus was of such caliber that Paul proposed him to possibly come and take Titus' place, so that Titus could join Paul at Nicopolis.
3. In 2 Timothy 4:12 we read of Tychicus: "Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus." This is all we read of Tychicus in what is likely Paul's final words. For over ten years Tychicus had been with the Apostle Paul every step of the way.
The servant of God must seek the Lord first, like Tychicus did
If you and I are to be a people who serve God effectively, we must seek the Lord first. Making known what was happening to Paul in prison was a matter of updating the Ephesian church on what God's purposes and activities. Paul states in Ephesians 6:21 "But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you."
Why would Paul want his readers to know about his circumstances? In another letter of Paul written at about the same time and from the same prison, we read these words in Colossians 2:1-2 "For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself".
A man was needed who could communicate Paul's circumstances in such a way as to not solicit sympathy, but celebration and prayer for Paul and the work that God was doing. As a servant of God, seeking the Lord first enabled Tychicus to have a God's-eye perspective on what otherwise looked like bad circumstances.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." We also read in Galatians 1:10 "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ."
As we conclude today's post, let us remember that if we are going to serve God faithfully and effectively, we must seek Him first in all things.
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