Spiritual Maturity in Jesus Christ - Colossians 1:1-12

Colossians 1:3-4 We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints;

The importance of spiritual maturity
Adrian Rogers in his book: "What every Christian ought to know", writes these words on pages 245-246 - "We need love that comes with Christian growth and maturity. There need be no division between truth and love. Some have made that division. Truth without love may be a form of brutality. Love without truth may be empty sentimentality. May God deliver us from the immature pronouncements of those who have loveless truth and the immature emotionalism of those who have truthless love. With truth and no love one may swell up. With love and no truth one may blow up. But truth and love cause the Christian to grow up."

Dr. Rogers' quote is an excellent summary of everything we not only try to accomplish daily in this blog, but strike right at the heart of today's post. The question is: what is spiritual maturity in Jesus Christ? All spiritual maturity is shaped by the two chief concerns underlined in Colossians 1:3-4 above: faith in Jesus Christ and loving his people.  In Colossians 1:1-12 we see Paul demonstrating the crucial link between a Christian's spiritual maturity and fulfillment in Jesus Christ. 

What are the outcomes of those who press daily to be spiritually mature? 

What are the outcomes of those who press daily to be spiritually mature? Hebrews 5:13-14 gives us the answer: "For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil." Now why was the writer of Hebrews making this statement? Because he was dealing with some readers who, having came from a Jewish background, were being tempted to either go back from whence they came or to somehow mix their new found faith in Christ with something else. They were, in the words of the writer in Hebrews 5:12, "dull of hearing". The original language pictures this phrase as referring to someone who is "slow or slothful" in their application. The immature Christian will be the type who hesitates in obedience and is incapable of being able to digest much spiritual truth.

In Colossians Paul has to deal with a group that threatened to undo the Colossian's faith in Christ. Thankfully the Colossians were doing well in their spiritual maturity, however Paul in effect is urging them to strive all the more to find their fulfillment in Jesus Christ.   


Connecting Christian spiritual maturity to fulfillment in Jesus Christ
So how does one's spiritual maturity connect to finding fulfillment in Jesus Christ?  Colossians 1:1-12 spells this connection out for us:

1. Spiritual maturity can only grow in the presence of fulfillment in Christ's Word. Colossians 1:1-7

Notice how many times Paul refers to the Colossians growing spiritual maturity in conjunction to their hearing the word of God:

-they heard of the hope laid up in heaven for them "in the word of truth, the gospel" (Colossians 1:5)

-their Christian maturity was bearing fruit in Christ's fullness that they heard of and understood from the scriptures. (Colossians 1:6)

-they learned the cornerstones of their maturity of treasuring Christ and loving his people from Epaphrus, who faithfully ministered the Word to them. (Colossians 1:7)

Only when I am exposed to the fullness of God's written word will I grow in my appreciation of the fullness of Christ.  As I treasure Jesus Christ, the natural outcome should be a greater love for His people - thus the two elements of Christian spiritual maturity.

2. Spiritual maturity goes forward in the power of prayer that is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:3, 9
As these Colossians were growing in grace from finding their fulfillment in Jesus Christ, Paul prayed that they would do all the more.  Prayer indicates that I need God's grace to walk out what He calls me to do by His grace.  The desire to treasure Jesus Christ and love His people cannot be done without a growing prayer life.  If the Word of God is the engine of spiritual maturity, and fullness of Christ is the fuel, then the Christian's prayer life is the transmission.  The transmission in a car is what delivers power from the motor to the wheels.  If I don't have a prayer life - I don't have power.  Evangelist Leonard Ravenhill notes the following about prayer: "The light bulb for us Christians is prayer and God has the power. But it is faith that makes the connection." Fulfillment in Jesus Christ cannot be increased apart from prayer. 

3. Spiritual maturity grows fruitfully because of seeking to be even more fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:9-12
Colossians 1:9 reads -  "For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding." The knowledge of God's will is attained through growing familiarity with the scriptures and obedience to Christ. (Deuteronomy 29:29; John 14:15,21,23).  What does spiritual maturity that is bearing fruit in Christ's fullness look like?  Paul's prayer for the Colossians reveals the fruit we should desire in our seeking further fulfillment in Jesus Christ:

-Desiring to know and do the will of God Colossians 1:9

-Desiring to walk in a way that pleases God Colossians 1:10a

-Desiring my life to demonstrate to others a desire to know God Colossians 1:10b

-Desiring to live in His strength, not my own Colossians 1:11a

-Desiring to have a continuous enjoyment of Jesus Christ Colossians 1:11b

-Desiring to be thankful to God in all things Colossians 1:12

Closing thoughts Spiritual maturity is fulfilled in Jesus Christ.  By treasuring and loving Him, I'll end up treasuring and loving His people.  Spiritual maturity that is fulfilled in Jesus Christ leads me to be more effective in my Christian life. 

The Book of Colossians: Jesus is enough

Colossians 1:26- 28 that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, 27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.

Introduction:

Today's post aims to do an overview of Paul's letter to the Colossians. The proposed theme of this wonderful book of the Bible is: "Jesus is enough". As Paul wrote this letter under house arrest in Rome, there were many occasions presented to Paul to cause him to complain and be bitter. Yet Paul did not find his source of ultimate comfort and confidence in circumstances, or other people. Rather he found his fulfillment of faith and life in Jesus Christ. In the episode at the end of the book of Acts where Paul is under house arrest, we find this statement in Acts 28:30-31 "And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him,31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered."  That general overall thrust of Paul's preaching, while in the midst of trying circumstances, brought him to find his fulfillment and confidence in Jesus Christ.

The church at Colosse was situated East of the Seven churches of Asia Minor to whom John wrote the book of Revelation. A great link that summarizes Colossae's place in antiquity is found at: http://holylandphotos.org/

Just type in the key word "Colosse" on the website and you will find all sorts of articles about the ancient city. 

What prompted Paul to write Colossians?

One of the reasons why the Holy Spirit prompted Paul to write this letter was to deal with a heresy that had arisen in that local church body. Among it's beliefs was a diminished view of Christ, an elevated view of angels, an emphasized view on keeping the law and a mystical view of seeking mystical knowledge in addition to Christ.

Besides having to deal with heresy, Paul was also urging this small congregation to find their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The city of Colosse in the ancient world was known for its cold refreshing water. Thus we can think of looking to Jesus Christ as a full glass of cold refreshing water that never runs dry in the midst of hot, parched and trying life.

Certainly Paul's own situations under house arrest in Rome drove him to see that nothing else and no one else could satisfy except Jesus Christ. Commentator Charles Quarles writes the following about Paul and his situation at the Roman prison: "As Paul wrote to the Colossians from a Roman prison, he was absolutely captivated by the glory and majesty of Jesus Christ. He exalted Christ like never before. He exclaimed that Jesus is none other than God almighty in human form. He is the one who made every created thing and all that exists does so for His pleasure."1

When you try to find fulfillment in anything else but Christ, you will remain unfulfilled spiritually and emotionally
As Paul wrote the short letter of Colossians to the church of Colosse, he was under house arrest in Rome. (Acts 28:11-31) His letter was written to a church that was dealing with situations, threats and people who were trying to distract the church from their contentment and fulfillment in Jesus Christ. 

The people of this small church were living in an atmosphere where they were told that Christ is both inadequate and insufficient to meet their spiritual needs.  By tacking on ritualistic practice and pagan philosophies, only then - according to these teachers - could one attain some sense of fulfillment. (compare Colossians 2:21-23)

Point of Application: the Christian finds all they need and desire in Christ. 
Throughout this short letter such words as "fill", "fulfill" and "complete" appear, indicating Paul's main point: Jesus is enough.  Even where such words do not appear, the idea of the richness of Christ or His Word points to the chief point of Colossians: the Christian finds all they need and desire in Christ. 

Tracing the theme of "fulfillment in Jesus Christ" or "Jesus is enough" through Colossians
Below we will quickly jog through this short letter and show you how Paul communicates the idea of: "Jesus is enough".

1. Spiritual Maturity is fulfilled in Christ. 
Colossians 1:9 "For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding"

2. Service to God is fulfilled in Christ. 
Colossians 1:24-25 "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions. 25 Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God." 

Colossians 1:28 "We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ." 

Colossians 4:17 "Say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.” 

3. Spiritual identity is fulfilled in Christ. 
Colossians 2:9-10 "in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority". 

Colossians 3:1-4 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. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

Colossians 3:10-11 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.  

Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God".

4. Certainty of God's will derives from fulfillment in Christ. 

Colossians 1:1 "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother."

Colossians 1:27 "to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

Colossians 4:12 "Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God." 

Final thoughts
As you read through Colossians, note particularly Colossians 1:13-20, since it gives you a description of Christ Himself in all His fulness.  Remember the point of application for today: the Christian finds all they need and desire in Christ. When you realize just how sufficient He is, you can understand why Paul's little letter of Colossians is so powerful in communicating true fulfillment.

Endnotes:

1. Charles Quarles in the Life Way January Bible Study 2014: Colossians - Christ is all you need. Life Way Publishers. 2014. Page 20

3 Graces the Lord Gives to His Church - Acts 12

Acts 12:1-5 "Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them. 2 And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword. 3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. Now it was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 When he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out before the people. 5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God."


Introduction:
Today's post will feature the empowering graces that God gave to the early church in Acts 12 to get her through an intense time of persecution and hardship. Such graces, as we will discover, are still available to the church today. Much had been going on in the world at large and in the specific regions of Judea and Samaria where the early Christians worshipped and lived. 


For starters, God through a prophet named Agabus predicted that a worldwide famine would occur in those days, which the Bible said did occur. (see Acts 11:28). Secondly, the Herod in power over the realm of Judea during the time of Acts 12 was Herod Agrippa I, a self-serving, self-exalting ruler who aimed to curry favor with anyone who could advance his political schemes. Thirdly, the church had experienced many persecutions during the nearly ten year span of time that passed between its beginnings in Pentecost in Acts 2 up until Acts 12.  Much water had passed under the proverbial bridge and now a new flood was quickly on its way. 


Through famines, persecutions and hardships, the now ten year old Christian movement and the disciples who occupied it were running as high as an estimated 20,000 strong.  God was getting ready to take the church from being a regionally effective church (in Jerusalem/Judea/Samaria) to a world-wide phenomenon.  Peter's ministry was going to be fading out, and the up and coming Saul of Tarsus was going to be launching out on his 1st missionary journey in Acts 13. 


Jesus' words in Acts 1:8 were literally coming true: be my witnesses in Jerusalem (Acts 1-8), Judea and Samaria (Acts 9-12) and the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 13-28).


For the early church to handle the increasing pressure and to make the transitions necessary to be used by God, the Lord gave to her three graces mentioned here in Acts 12. Grace of course is God doing what you and I could otherwise never do for ourselves. The three graces that we are going to briefly cover in today's post are found throughout Acts, however they are all included again the backdrop mentioned above.  Here are the graces of which we speak:
1. Prayer 12:1-5, 12-19


2. Angelic Assistance 12:6-11, 20-23


3. Scripture 12:24-25


The grace of prayer. Acts 12:6-11, 20-23
Acts 12:5 says all that is happening here in the chapter - "So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God." Now as we noted earlier, persecutions, famines and hardships were hitting the church.  The famine was already mentioned, but the persecution has not yet been discussed.  In the first two verses we read of Herod executing the Apostle James with a sword.


Meet the 3 James of the New Testament
To remind the reader of which James is being referred to in the passage, this is James the brother of the Apostle John.  In the New Testament we run across at least three men who are named James.  There is James the son of Alphaeus, also called "James the Less", the brother of Matthew, mentioned in Mark 15:40. Then there is another James, the brother of our Lord Jesus in the flesh, seen in Acts 1 gathered with the 120 and then later presiding over the Jerusalem council in Acts 15, as well as the author of the Epistle of James.  The third "James" is who is mentioned here, called by some "James the Greater" to distinguish him from the other apostle James, James the Less.  James the Greater in Acts 12 is the brother of the Apostle John who was predicted by Jesus in Matthew 20:23 that he would suffer some sort of suffering or martyrdom.


See the church praying, and the grace given by God to pray
Herod's radar screen of persecution lit up when he saw James and Peter.  So he decided to execute James and had designs on doing the same to Peter.  Peter, the leader of the church was cast into prison.  One would think such an action would cause the church to close up shop. Hardly!


Instead the church held an all-night prayer meeting, seeking God in prayer. As they were praying, God dispatched an angel to set Peter free in Acts 12:6-11. By the time we get to Acts 12:12-19, Peter is seen knocking at there door and getting to tell them what all happened to him!


Prayer is an amazing grace given by God to His people that sadly we don't use. Prayer has often been described as the slender nerve that moves the mighty muscles of omnipotence. Prayer is like a rail that God has ordained to parallel His Sovereignty to bring about His locomotive of Heavenly purposes here on the earth. So we see the grace of prayer given to the church, but notice the second grace....


The Grace of Angelic Assistance 12:6-11, 20-23
We read of two angelic interventions in Acts 12.  The first deals with an angel aiding Peter out of prison in Acts 12:7 "And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands." That same angel had the ability to loosen chains and get Peter past four powerful Romans guards. After he finds himself outside the prison, we find these words about Peter in Acts 12:11 "When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” 


Passages throughout the scriptures speak of God's holy emissaries (angels) aiding His people in different situations. (Psalm 91; Hebrews 1:14) Even the Lord Jesus in the days of his sojourn here on earth was aided by the angels. (Luke 22:43)




But now just as we saw angels assisting believers like Peter, we also see angels defending the church through the judgment of her enemies. Acts 12:20-21 records what happened to Herod - "On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them. 22 The people kept crying out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died." The first century Jewish Historian Josephus records this event wherein Herod wore a silver garment and was heralded by those who saw him as immortal and like a god. Without prohibiting them from such blasphemy, Herod is suddenly struck with severe stomach pains and, as Josephus records, Herod Agrippa I dies five days later. I only mention this to show the reader that the account written here by Luke really happened. The angelic intervention here against the enemies of God on behalf of the people can be compared to how one angel prevailed against a mighty enemy army on behalf of a Godly King and the people of Jerusalem in 2 Kings 19:35. God uses angels to aid His people, even when they least expect it. (Hebrews 13:2)


So we have seen two graces given by God to his church: prayer and angelic assistance. But notice one final grace here in Acts 12....


The grace of Scripture 12:24-25


Acts 12:24-25 closes out the chapter with this postscript: "But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied. 25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark." Every single advance in the life of Jesus' disciples individually or corporately never happens without the grace of the scriptures.  Of all the graces conveyed in this chapter, scripture alone can convert the soul of a man (Psalm 19:7) and carry for believers in growth and Christ-likeness. (Ephesians 5:22-25) During this intense of season of persecution, the early church came to regard the scriptures in the fashion expressed in Psalm 119:71 "It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes." Acts is punctuated with these statements of the church advancing forward in both boldness and passion for the Word of the Lord. (Acts 6:7; 8:4). What one would think would be the cause for neglect of the scriptures - persecution, hardship - produces opposite results. God's grace of the scriptures feeds the flock of God.


Closing thoughts


The three graces that were observed in today's post were these:
1. Prayer 12:1-5, 12-19


2. Angelic Assistance 12:6-11, 20-23

3. Scripture 12:24-25

May we ever look to the Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom such graces come, and to the Father, from whom such grace come, and to the Spirit, who applies such graces in accordance to the Sovereign pleasure and design of almighty God.

Phillippians 3 - Christian joy's goal

Philippians 3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

Introduction:
Last week we did two posts featuring the book of Philippians and the theme of Christian joy:
http://pastormahlon.blogspot.com/2014/05/philippians-1-christian-joys-confidence.html



http://pastormahlon.blogspot.com/2014/05/philippians-2-christian-joys-thought.html


We are taking time to once again to consider this important theme of "Christian Joy" from the book of joy, Paul's letter to the Philippians.  Today's post will derive from Philippians 3 and will cover the following subject: "Christian Joy's Goal". We can find reference to the theme of joy nearly 20 times in Philippians. In past posts we have also recognized Philippians 3:1 as being the key verse to the Epistle, being that Paul, though in prison, finds His joy in Jesus Christ. 

Today's point of application:
The point of application for today's post will be: The goal of Christian joy is to rejoice in Jesus Christ. How do we do that? by rejoicing in the following three truths about Jesus Christ in Philippians 3 -

a). Rejoicing in what Jesus did 3:1-7
b). Rejoicing in what Jesus will do 3:8-11
c). Rejoicing in what Jesus is doing 3:12-21.


Rejoicing in what Jesus did 3:1-7

When we say to rejoice in what Jesus did, we are referring to the work of salvation the Lord did in bringing us from unbelief to faith and from darkness to light.  A testimony is simply testifying about what one's life was like before Jesus, what took place in bringing that person to saving faith and what Jesus has done since that point. Paul makes a statement defining what is the "true circumcision", which is Jewish way of saying: "this is what classifies a true disciple of Jesus Christ" in Philippians 3:3. First he notes that a true disciple, one who has experienced the "spiritual circumcision of the heart" in salvation (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Romans 2:29) worships in the Spirit of God. Second, a true disciple of Jesus Christ glories in Jesus Christ.  Then thirdly, a true disciple puts no confidence in the flesh.

What Paul does next in Philippians 3:4-6 is catalogue what his life was like before Christ.  Now we won't rehearse his list, but the point is well expressed that in the eyes of men he would had been an "A-lister" in regards to morality and spirituality.  Yet in comparison to what Jesus did for Him in salvation (see Acts 9), all of Paul's past accomplishments were worthless.  Consider his remarks in Philippians 3:7 "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ." As we make it our goal to rejoice in Jesus Christ, we remember what He did for us in salvation.  This is what Jesus did. But notice a second way in which we reach the goal of Christian joy - rejoicing in Jesus Christ...

Rejoicing in what Jesus will do 3:8-11
Having recounted what Jesus did, Paul escalates his praise of Jesus by now considering what he expects Jesus will do.  Philippians 3:8 states - "More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ."

Paul then expresses his confidence in Jesus by noting how much he trusts in Him for His immediate future in 3:9-10 as well as the ultimate end of time at resurrection in 3:11. Paul lists three great doctrines that reinforce His joy in what Jesus will do.  First he mentions his justification in 3:9, that is, the righteousness of Jesus Christ credited to Him at saving faith that provides the basis for His future hope. Next he mentions how he shares in the life and person of Jesus in the here and now (fellowship of His sufferings) in 3:10, and how knowing Jesus more and more grants him confidence both now and for the immediate future.  Then Paul mentions the third major doctrine in 3:11 - the resurrection, which represents that ultimate goal of the disciple - to be like His Lord. (compare 1 John 3:1-3).

The goal of Christian joy is to rejoice in Jesus Christ. We do this by considering what He did do for us in salvation and what He will do in the near and far future, but now notice the third way....

Rejoicing in what Jesus is doing 3:12-21.
Paul makes the following statement which captures perfectly the present Christian life in Philippians 3:12-14  "Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

We discover that the goal of finding our joy in Jesus is not based only in the past or something that we have to wait for in the future but characterizes the Christian's joy in the present. Paul then reinforces this idea by urging his readers to have this joy in their attitudes (3:15-16); following the examples of believers who have evidenced this same joy (3:17); and being careful of those who focus more on this world than Jesus (3:18-19).  Paul then wraps up the chapter by reminding his readers that they are citizens of heaven, and that their present life is determined by the second coming of Jesus Christ.

When we rejoice in what Jesus is doing, it governs what we do in the here and now.  We can never divorce our present Christian walk from what He did, nor forget the fact that He is coming again.  True disciples of Jesus Christ find their present joy in Jesus by feeding off of His past accomplished work and His second coming.  We find our current strength in what Jesus is doing right now as our advocate in heaven. (1 Timothy 2:5; 1 John 2:1)  Paul's readers at Philippi would had needed such reminders, being that Phillipi was a major Roman colony.  To be a citizen of the city of Philippi made one a Roman citizen - the premier badge of honor in the ancient world.  Yet Paul's point is that as disciples of Jesus Christ, we don't rejoice in our alliances here, rather the goal of Christian joy is finding joy in Jesus Christ.

Closing thoughts
The point of application in today's post was: The goal of Christian joy is to rejoice in Jesus Christ. We discovered that we can achieve that main goal by rejoicing in the following three truths about Jesus Christ in Philippians 3 -

a). Rejoicing in what Jesus did 3:1-7
b). Rejoicing in what Jesus will do 3:8-11
c). Rejoicing in what Jesus is doing 3:12-21.

3 Mysteries of the Kingdom in Mark's Gospel

Mark 4:1-2 "He began to teach again by the sea. And such a very large crowd gathered to Him that He got into a boat in the sea and sat down; and the whole crowd was by the sea on the land. 2 And He was teaching them many things in parables."

Introduction:

Today's post is going to feature the only parables of Jesus found in Mark's Gospel.  When one surveys the parables of Jesus in the four Gospels, over fifty of them can be found.  Mark's Gospel records the least amount, with one of them being unique to Mark (the parable of the seed in Mark 4:26-29). In Mark 4:1-34 we see these three parables presented all in one setting, with the principle concern of presenting what Jesus calls  "the mysteries of the Kingdom" (Mark 4:11). 

The idea of "mystery" in the Bible

The word "mystery" in the New Testament must not be conceived of as a "mystery" in the modern sense, wherein a person is trying to discover something that can otherwise never be know.  Rather God is making known a truth that He had not previously revealed to former generations of God's people.  The best example of this is the "mystery of the church" that is spoken about in Ephesians 3:9-10. Every single doctrine that is found in the New Testament can be found in the Old Testament except one - the doctrine of the church.  It was a mystery in that God was the only One knowing about it.  Not until Jesus began hinting about it in Matthew 16 and 18, and not until the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 do we see the church born and begun.  

The church as a "mystery" in the Old Testament was hidden, but now in this New testament era is revealed, made known to all people. The Kingdom of God, the domain of God's activity, reign and influence, as certain traits that are hidden from men but are readily revealed by God through His Word to anyone who has been touched by God's grace through faith.  The "mysteries" of God's kingdom are presented by Jesus here in Mark and more so in Matthew 13 as those traits of God's Kingdom that run counter to human reason but make sense in light of God's revelation in the scriptures and the Person of Jesus Christ. 

Point of application for today's post

When it is all said and done, here will be the main point of today's post: knowing what these mysteries of the Kingdom are can make us more effective Christians in the world today.  

Why is this point of application so crucial? Because Christians living in this world are prone to discouragement, frustration, misunderstanding or reliance upon man-centered thinking when it comes to how God operates in matters of salvation and life.  Jesus' three parables will give us insight into how God's Kingdom operates in the world and through the church.  By understanding these "mysteries", we can be more effective Christians. 

3 Parables and 3 Kingdom Mysteries 

The parables in Mark are three in number and are as follows:

1. Parable of the Sower/Soils. Mark 4:1-25

2. Parable of the Seed. Mark 4:26-29

3. Parable of the Mustard Seed. Mark 4:30-34

As we have noted in times past, when studying the parables of Jesus, it is important to locate the one meaning or main idea.  Details function primarily as window dressing, with the centerpiece truth being the point.  With parables, Jesus will often begin with what is "known, familiar, concrete" and proceed to what is "unknown, unfamiliar and abstract". So with the three parables listed, let us now consider the three mysteries of the kingdom taught by Jesus so that we can be more effective Christians in this world today.

1. Kingdom Mystery #1: Responses to the Kingdom. Mark 4:1-12; 13-25

Have you ever noticed when trying to share God's Word with people the varied responses you will receive? We either will quit when we don't see an immediate response or suddenly be shocked when someone does respond.  Why is it that people respond to God's reign and activity (Kingdom) in certain ways? The parable of the soils answers this question.  The key point of the parable is found in Mark 4:23 "If anyone has ear, let Him hear". Thankfully in this particular parable, Jesus not only gives us the exposition in Mark 4:1-12, but also the explanation in Mark 4:13-25.  Responses to the Kingdom is clearly the chief concern of the parable.  Note the four typical types of responses laid out by Jesus that can give us insight into how and why people respond the way they do to the things of God:

a. Some don't get it. (Mark 4:13-15)

b. Some don't keep it once they heard it. (Mark 4:16-17)

c. Some are distracted from it. (Mark 4:18-19)

d. Only true believers ultimately depend upon it. (Mark 4:20-25)

So the first mystery of the Kingdom is to expect different responses.  Anyone who responds does so because of God's grace working in their lives.  Anyone who rejects does so because of issues in their own hearts and they in turn holding back.  So now lets look at Kingdom Mystery #2:

2. Kingdom Mystery #2: Unexplainable Nature of the Kingdom. Mark 4:26-29

You have probably heard it said that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  Certainly scripture lays out elsewhere that we are stewards of the things of God and have responsibility to plan and take care of what He has given us. (1 Corinthians 4:1-2)  However we must also understand that we ultimately cannot plot out how God is going to work on a chart, graph or poll.  Too often we as Christians get frustrated when our best laid plans, efforts to reach people for Jesus and encouragements to advance God's Kingdom seem to go awry. Jesus' point in this second parable is that the advancement of God's kingdom, though including us, is not dependant upon us.  Any move of God cannot be credited nor assigned to human ingenuity.

In this "parable of the seed" in Mark 4:26-29, we see a farmer going through a growing season of plowing, planting and harvesting.  The farmer rises early and goes to bed late.  He labors, he toils and he knows his fields.  However, the farmer cannot control the outcome of the crop.  Furthermore, Jesus plainly says in verse 27 that despite all of the farmer's knowledge and planning, the farmer does not know how the life in those seeds can work forth full mature crops. 

Other scriptures bear out this notion of the success of the Kingdom of God not being explainable or attributable to human effort. Zechariah 4:6 reminds us: "not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord." Ezekiel 37:1-3 has the prophet Ezekiel looking over a valley full of bones and God asks: "son of man, can these bones live?" And Ezekiel the prophet responds: "Only you know Lord".  Or what about the Apostle Paul in Romans 9:14-15, wherein he states the mystery of God's elective purposes of grace in salvation: "not to him who will, or him who runs, but God's mercy". The Kingdom's work and outcomes, though including human will and effort, yet are not determined by such.  God's mercy, might and Spirit affect outcomes. God is the One who grants life, whether in a field of crops or a field of souls.  

So....knowing what these mysteries of the Kingdom are can make us more effective Christians in the world today. let us quickly look at the third parable, and thus third kingdom mystery in Mark 4:30-34.

3. Kingdom Mystery #3: Unexpected Outcome

Jesus third parable deals with what was known back then as "the smallest seed".  I have seen mustard seeds in their pure from, and they are indeed small. The fact that they can grow into a literal tree like plant big enough for birds to roost indicates the disproportionate difference between the seed and end product. When we search the scriptures we see numerous examples of God starting out with virtually nothing, or nothing at all, and turn it into something unexpected and supernaturally victorious.  

Abraham is a fine example of this third Kingdom mystery principle of unexpected outcomes. He was 75 years of age when God called him.  His wife was barren.  That mustard seed so to speak would never had been predicted by anyone to had turned into a full-fledged nation and ultimately that nation providing the human dna for the humanity of the Son in His incarnation. Yet that is exactly what the Bible records. What we may very well deem to be a dead situation, hopeless and despairing, God says: let there be light. Only God can bring about an outcome that far exceeds human expectation - that is how His Kingdom works. (1 Corinthians 2:9)

Conclusion: 

In today's post we centered our thoughts around this point of application: knowing what these mysteries of the Kingdom are can make us more effective Christians in the world today. We considered three parables in Mark that unfolded three Kingdom mystery principles from Jesus:

1. Responses to the Kingdom. Mark 4:1-25

2. Unexplainable nature of the Kingdom. Mark 4:26-29

3. Unexpected outcome of the Kingdom. Mark 4:30-34

Rejoice in the Ascended Jesus! He provides power for Christian living and is preparing to return

Luke 24:50-53 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising God.

Introduction:

We have been now on the glorious truth of Christ's ascension for the past several days.  My prayer has been that these last several posts have brought glory to Him and has caused you to have a more exalted view of Jesus Christ. Today's post, like yesterday's aims to explain why the ascension of Jesus Christ is cause for rejoicing. In the opening passage above, we see the disciples' response to seeing the blessed Lord ascend into heaven: "And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy." 

As we saw in yesterday's post, two reasons to rejoice over the ascended Jesus is because:

1. He Presides Upon His Throne
2. Promised Holy Spirit has come

We noted yesterday a key anchoring point that will also serve today's post as well: Focusing upon the Ascended Jesus increases your joy in Jesus.  Today we will look at two other reasons why we can rejoice in the Ascended Jesus: Power for Christian living and Preparation for His return. 

Jesus ascended to provide power for Christian living
The ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven was not only a historical event, and a cosmic event but also an event that would provide the basis for Christian living for every generation of the converted church. Theologian William Conner notes: The whole New Testament after the Gospels is written from the standpoint of the exalted Christ. The writers do not so much look back to the historic Jesus as they look up to the glorified Christ."1 To clarify further what Conner is talking about, I heard a preacher makes the following statement that aids in summarizing the entire New Testament: "Who Jesus Was is found in the Old Testament and the Gospels; Who Jesus is now is found in Acts and the Epistles; who Jesus will be is found in His return in the Book of Revelation."  

As I come to know "Whose I am", I discover "who I am". Those two fundamental truths, if retained, function as the bedrock of practical everyday Christian life. The following scriptures serve to show how Jesus' ascension is the power source for the Christian life:

1. Ephesians 1:18-20 "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places."

2. Colossians 3:1-3 "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. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

3. Hebrews 4:14-16 "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

4. 1 Peter 3:22-4:2 "who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him. (4:1) Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God."

So another reason to rejoice in the ascended Jesus is due to the fact He provides power for Christian living, and really Christian identity.  By focusing upon the ascended Jesus, our joy in Him increases.  But notice one more reason to rejoice (can we ever rejoice in Him too much? Never!)

Jesus ascended into Heaven to prepare for His return
He who descended down to earth the first time went back up or ascended, according to Ephesians 4:8-12. So then, since Jesus ascended, the question is: what's next? The Bible is uniformly clear that Jesus is coming back once again.  The second coming of Jesus Christ is an unending source of hope and joy for the Christian.  Seeing such hope connected to Jesus' ascension aids us in seeing why He ascended:

1. Acts 1:9-11 "And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11 They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

2. Acts 3:20-21 "and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, 21 whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time."

3. Philippians 3:20-21 "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself."

Due to Jesus' ascension and soon return, whatever He did, we also will have the opportunity to do.  Thus being that He ascended, we as well will get to experience an ascension called the rapture, as seen in 
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words."

Jesus' ascension, in providing the opportunity to get ready to return back to earth for His people, provides much encouragement to saints of God.  Revelation 1:5-7 notes: "and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— 6 and He has made us to be a kingdom,priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen." And then one more passage, Revelation 2:26-27 "He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations;27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father."

Conclusion:
Truly when you and I focus our attention upon the ascended Jesus, will find our joy in Him increased. Over these past couple of posts we have laid out four main reasons why we can rejoice over the ascension of Jesus Christ:

1. Presides upon His throne
2. Promise of the Holy Spirit
3. Power for Christian Living
4. Prepare for His Return

May you and I focus more and more upon the ascended Jesus, so that we may increase our joy in Him!

Endnotes:
1. Walter Thomas Conner. Christian Doctrine. Broadman & Holman Publishers. Page 65 

Rejoice in the Ascended Jesus! - He Presides upon His Throne and has sent the Holy Spirit

Luke 24:50-53 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising God.

Introduction:

We have been now on the glorious truth of Christ's ascension for the past three days.  My prayer has been that these last several posts have brought glory to Him and has caused you to have a more exalted view of Jesus Christ. Today's post aims to explain why the ascension of Jesus Christ is cause for rejoicing. In the opening passage above, we see the disciples' response to seeing the blessed Lord ascend into heaven: "And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy." 

As we saw in yesterday's post, the Ascension of Jesus Christ has as its background understanding a very Jewish and Biblical understanding concerning its meaning. In other words, Jesus' ascension into heaven was not just some neat trick He did for His disciples before leaving them.  Rather, when compared to passages such as Psalm 47 and 68, Jesus was demonstrating His full and undiminished Deity as the glorified and resurrected God/man. In both of those Old Testament passages, when Yahweh is depicted as "rising up" or "ascending", the Biblical author expresses joy.  Why is there such cause for joy? The anchoring point for today's post, and perhaps the next, will be: Focusing upon the ascended Jesus increases your joy in Jesus.

So why should you and I rejoice in the ascended Jesus? First note...He presides upon His throne!

Jesus' Ascension means He Presides upon His throne

Knowing that Jesus Christ reigns upon His throne ought to cause any Christian to rejoice more in Him.  Knowing that He presides spiritually over the affairs of history and more specifically over the church ought to bring peace to everyone who names Him as Savior, Lord and Treasure. The following scriptures will serve to bear this out:

1. Acts 2:34-36 "For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says:
‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 35 Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”

2. Colossians 1:16-18 "For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything."

3. Hebrews 8:1 "Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens."

4. Hebrews 9:24 "For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us."

5. 1 John 2:1 "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

As I was writing this I decided to read those verses out loud just to see what effect they would have on me.  Frankly, those scriptures caused peace to flood my soul. Why? They speak of the fact of the ascended Christ on His throne.  To know He is in charge, in control and holding all things together causes me to have a much bigger view of Him. He is my King, who reigns over me.  He is my High Priest who represents me. He is my Prophet who speaks to me through the scriptures. He is not only transcendent or more powerful than anything, He is immanent or nearer to me than I can imagine. He retains His humanity to represent me in Heaven and by the Holy Spirit He in His Deity can be everywhere you and I are.  

So again, Focusing upon the ascended Jesus increases your joy in Jesus. He presides on His throne and now notice the second joyful implication of Jesus' ascension....

Jesus ascension means the Promised Holy Spirit has come. 

Once Jesus ascended into heaven in Acts 1, the next big event that would occur ten days later would be Pentecost.  The Holy Spirit's full manifestation on that day birthed forth the church and fulfilled the promises Jesus had made to His disciples.  Jesus never breaks His promises! Notice how often Jesus promised the Holy Spirit once He ascended into Heaven:

1. John 14:16-17 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you."

2. John 15:26-27 “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, 27 and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

3. John 16:8-10 "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me"

4. Acts 2:33 "Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear."

5. 1 Corinthians 12:4, 12-13 (4) "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit." (12) "For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit."

Now when you read those verses out loud, you will discover just how trustworthy our ascended Lord truly is. We have cause to rejoice in the ascended Jesus! He presides upon His throne and He has sent the Holy Spirit Whom He promised. Remember: Focusing upon the ascended Jesus increases your joy in Jesus. 

More tomorrow.......