Romans 8:26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus
The Trinity is The Relational God
What is prayer? Prayer in its simplest definition is me talking to God and God talking to me. It is where the child of God, based upon faith in the word of God, through the blood of Calvary's cross, approaches the throne of God to gain an audience with the Son of God by means of the Spirit of God. Understand that when we speak of God's Triune nature, we are talking about how God relates within Himself. He is at the most fundamental level the God of Relationship - since by nature He relates in and of Himself.
How the Trinity makes prayer possible
In the two passages above, we are given insight into how the God of the Bible relates to the Christian in their prayer life. If God were not Trinity, prayer would be impossible, since by its nature prayer is based upon relationship. In using the two passages above, we can briefly outline how it is that the Trinity alone can make the Christian's prayer-life a reality:
1. The Father in Heaven is the Recipient of prayer. What did Jesus pray in Matthew 6 and Luke 11 concerning the Lord's prayer? "Our Father, who are in Heaven". God the Father becomes the Christian's Heavenly Father at salvation. The Holy Spirit, "God in us", enables the Christian to refer to God the Father as "Abba" or "Daddy". (Romans 8:15).
2. The Spirit here on earth relays our prayers. Did you ever watch a relay race? One runner passes the baton off to another runner, who in turn takes the baton across the finish line. What happens when we pray? The Holy Spirit, God "in us", actually burdens us with the prayer. In order for God to receive prayer, He must initiate it in us. Prayer does not change God, rather it is designed to change us. God is constantly communicating within Himself as Father, Son and Spirit. It is the Spirit - our advocate here on earth - who take the prayers of the saints into the heavenly throne room.
Contrary to what many Christans may think, our prayers don't just bounce off of the ceiling. According to Revelation 5:8, each prayer of every child of God is recorded in Heaven (described as bowls full of incense), ever before the presence of the Father and the Son. Incense wafts its way through the heavenlies, ever in the nostrils of the Triune God. Luke 18:7 reminds us of how God ever hears the prayers of those whom He has set His affection upon, who cry out to Him day an night. What happens next once God the Holy Spirit has brought our requests before the throne?
3. The Son represents the praying Christian to the Father. Jesus, ever at the righthand of the Father, takes the request brought by the Spirit, and enters into conference with the Father. In reality all Three persons, as One God, are ever communicating, agreeing and working forth in what the Bible calls "the counsel of God". (please compare Ephesians 1:11) God Himself meets with Himself over your prayer. God the Son brings up the fact He purchased the saint of God with his blood in his humanity. He also brings up that the child of God has been called by the Father, convicted by the Spirit and gifted with faith to believe upon Him for their everlasting enjoyment.
The Father in turn responds, and the Advocate in Heaven, Jesus Christ nods to the Holy Spirit, who brings the request back to the child of God.
Why only the Triune God can make prayer possible
Now all of this occurs instantaneously. Imagine if God were not Triune? He really could not be at all places at all times. He could not relate. He would be isolated from everything here, since His Triunity makes it possible for Him to be at more than one place and to truly relate. He does this for billions of Christians every day. This ongoing activity, whereby we have an advocate here on earth - the Holy Spirit, and an Advocate in Heaven - Jesus the Son, appealing to the Almighty Father, is the sum activity of Holy God relating to His people. As Christians, we have opportunity to be part of this wonderful ongoing dialogue of the Triune God. Praise God for His goodness.
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Thursday, September 8, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Why the Trinity is the Comforting God
John 14:1 Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.
John 14:16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever
As Jesus has his final meal with His disciples the night before His crucifixion, He begins to unfold to them the inner nature of God and His own relationship to that nature. As Jesus does this, He uses the Triune nature of God to comfort His friends. In today’s blog I want us to consider two points: How does Jesus unfold the Trinity and How does Jesus use the Trinity to comfort His disciples.
How does Jesus unfold the Trinity?
Though we do not find the word “trinity” in the Bible, yet there are various other truths about God and Christ that demands one to believe in the Trinity. Jesus unfolds the Triune nature of God in the following way:
a. God is One God. John 14:1 “Believe in God”.
b. Jesus declares Himself equal to God. John 14:1 “believe also in me”; John 14:9 “He who has seen me has seen the Father”
c. Jesus asserts the Holy Spirit to have the same qualities as He and God the Father. John 14:16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper” (that word “another” refers to being the same kind of being)
d. Jesus asserts the Holy Spirit to be a person. John 14:16 “that He may be with you forever”
This four-fold argument is used by Jesus to lead us to the understanding of the God of the Bible. Jesus purpose’ for doing this is to enable his disciples, and us, to find comfort in the fullness of who God is. Let’s now see how the Trinity brings comfort.
How the Trinity brings comfort
a. The Trinity is the comfort of the Christian’s future
In order for the Christian to find comfort in Jesus Christ, they must believe in the Trinity, since Christ’s Deity leads naturally to an affirmation of that doctrine. Jesus says in John 14:2 “In my Father’s House are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.” In Hebrews 11:10 describes Old Testament Abraham as “looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God”.
b. The Trinity is the comfort of the Christian’s present
In equating Himself with God the Father, Jesus also identifies the personality and equality of the Holy Spirit. The indwelling of God Himself inside the Christian is the most supreme comfort we can have in this present world. Jesus uses two verses to assert the reality of the Triune God indwelling all Christians through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
John 14:17 states – “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.” The Holy Spirit is not an “it” or an impersonal force, rather the Holy Spirit is “He”, a Person, a Divine person, God Himself, coming to take up residence.
In John 14:23 Jesus says – “If anyone loves Me, he will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our abode with him.” To never be alone, to have the One God, who is Three Persons, with you at all times, means you are never alone.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Glory of the New Testament - Second Coming & Eternity
As we close out this particular blog series: "The Glory of the New Testament", I pray you have found it helpful in your walk with the Lord. We have explored the entire New Testament by means of themes. Those themes, which walk us through all 27 New testament books, are: Incarnation, Humiliation, Gospel, Exaltation, Pentecost, Missions, Christian Life and New Covenant. As we round the corner and head down the homestretch, we will look at the final two themes in this blog series: Second Coming and Eternity.
THEME NINE: SECOND COMING
If one thing united the first eight themes of this study, it is that they all our connected somehow to what Christ accomplished in His first coming. However, we also understand that the Christian is directed to base their hope and life upon Christ's second coming. If there was one verse I could name that brings home the significance of Christ's soon return, it would be 1 John 3:2-3 - " Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."
Now as a Christian, I know on the one hand who I am and whose I am - I am by Grace through Faith a new creation in Christ. Whose I am is Christ's - His possession, His vessel to do with what He will. Yet in another way it has not yet been revealed what the Christian will become. Now John does not leave us in the future, for the reality of Christ's return affects the Christian in the here and now. His Return provides the grounds for our sanctification - our progressive growth in Jesus Christ. The Cross of Christ is the Grounds for victory, and the Second coming guarantees it.
THEME TEN: ETERNITY
I want to end this blog series in Revelation 22:16-21. The Great Preacher and writer Warren Weirsby has well stated that Redemptive history is determined by four gradens: Eden, Gethesemane (where Jesus sweat drops of blood), Calvary (Jesus was buried in the garden tomb) and the garden described here in Revelation. John describes here an inviation by the Holy Spirit, through the church, echoing the urging of Christ to come unto Him. Eternity beckons, it reaches into time. The mighty dam of time's end is about to bust loose. The Christian, reading the scriptures, knows what is on the other side. You cannot escape the inevitability. Christ issues the call to come and heed what He has been communicating throughout the entire Bible. Be ready, by faith, for His return.
THEME NINE: SECOND COMING
If one thing united the first eight themes of this study, it is that they all our connected somehow to what Christ accomplished in His first coming. However, we also understand that the Christian is directed to base their hope and life upon Christ's second coming. If there was one verse I could name that brings home the significance of Christ's soon return, it would be 1 John 3:2-3 - " Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."
Now as a Christian, I know on the one hand who I am and whose I am - I am by Grace through Faith a new creation in Christ. Whose I am is Christ's - His possession, His vessel to do with what He will. Yet in another way it has not yet been revealed what the Christian will become. Now John does not leave us in the future, for the reality of Christ's return affects the Christian in the here and now. His Return provides the grounds for our sanctification - our progressive growth in Jesus Christ. The Cross of Christ is the Grounds for victory, and the Second coming guarantees it.
THEME TEN: ETERNITY
I want to end this blog series in Revelation 22:16-21. The Great Preacher and writer Warren Weirsby has well stated that Redemptive history is determined by four gradens: Eden, Gethesemane (where Jesus sweat drops of blood), Calvary (Jesus was buried in the garden tomb) and the garden described here in Revelation. John describes here an inviation by the Holy Spirit, through the church, echoing the urging of Christ to come unto Him. Eternity beckons, it reaches into time. The mighty dam of time's end is about to bust loose. The Christian, reading the scriptures, knows what is on the other side. You cannot escape the inevitability. Christ issues the call to come and heed what He has been communicating throughout the entire Bible. Be ready, by faith, for His return.
Monday, September 5, 2011
How to Enjoy "Labor Day" everyday
Hebrews 4:10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.
Where did the U.S Holiday Labor day begin?
According to reliable sources, the holiday we know as "Labor Day" occured on September 5, 1882. The reason why this day was commemorated was to note the economic and beneficial contributions of all workers in all areas of life. On this day, people enjoy the fruits of those labors - picnics, BBQ's and relaxation.
What is the Christian's labor day, and when?
However the Bible details for us how everyday for the Christian is a labor day. How? In the passage above, the fundamental thought of the Christian walk is presented - Rest. When by God's grace I enter in relationship with Christ through faith, I cease relying upon my own efforts to achieve favor with God - and choose to fully rely upon the labor that Christ did on my behalf through His cross and resurrection.
What the Bible means by "rest"
Now the writer here takes us back to the open chapters of Genesis, where God "rested" from His creative work. When the Bible says God rested, that does not mean God was tired. That phrase "rested" means God took His seat upon His throne, and that the reign of God was established over all He made. Everything was at peace, in harmony. If anything, God went from creating to that of conserving, preserving His creation.
Thus for the Christian, when the choice is made everyday to enjoy the rest of God, that means that there is delight over the reign of God in your life. A Christian who aims to rest in Christ everyday will be marked by harmony in their heart because of the assurance of God preserving their salvation. (please compare Philippians 1:6) To rest in what Christ has labored for does not mean I do nothing, rather it means enjoying, delighting and drawing nourishment from Christ by means of scripture and prayer.
As you enjoy labor day, remember this...
You can always tell when labor day is occuring in your neighborhood: the smell of cooked food, the parades, families gathering together and the simple pleasure of enjoyment of the fruits of hard work. As a Christian, your life and mine ought to be characterized by the sweet aroma of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14), the clear demonstration of His glory (2 Corinthians 2:15-16) and a peaceful heart that has found its rest in His labor (Philippians 3:8-9).
Where did the U.S Holiday Labor day begin?
According to reliable sources, the holiday we know as "Labor Day" occured on September 5, 1882. The reason why this day was commemorated was to note the economic and beneficial contributions of all workers in all areas of life. On this day, people enjoy the fruits of those labors - picnics, BBQ's and relaxation.
What is the Christian's labor day, and when?
However the Bible details for us how everyday for the Christian is a labor day. How? In the passage above, the fundamental thought of the Christian walk is presented - Rest. When by God's grace I enter in relationship with Christ through faith, I cease relying upon my own efforts to achieve favor with God - and choose to fully rely upon the labor that Christ did on my behalf through His cross and resurrection.
What the Bible means by "rest"
Now the writer here takes us back to the open chapters of Genesis, where God "rested" from His creative work. When the Bible says God rested, that does not mean God was tired. That phrase "rested" means God took His seat upon His throne, and that the reign of God was established over all He made. Everything was at peace, in harmony. If anything, God went from creating to that of conserving, preserving His creation.
Thus for the Christian, when the choice is made everyday to enjoy the rest of God, that means that there is delight over the reign of God in your life. A Christian who aims to rest in Christ everyday will be marked by harmony in their heart because of the assurance of God preserving their salvation. (please compare Philippians 1:6) To rest in what Christ has labored for does not mean I do nothing, rather it means enjoying, delighting and drawing nourishment from Christ by means of scripture and prayer.
As you enjoy labor day, remember this...
You can always tell when labor day is occuring in your neighborhood: the smell of cooked food, the parades, families gathering together and the simple pleasure of enjoyment of the fruits of hard work. As a Christian, your life and mine ought to be characterized by the sweet aroma of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14), the clear demonstration of His glory (2 Corinthians 2:15-16) and a peaceful heart that has found its rest in His labor (Philippians 3:8-9).
Glory of the New Testament - Christian Life and New Covenant
What is the aim of missions? Missions aims not at just making converts, but making disciples. A disciple was not only someone who believed what His Master - The Rabbi - Taught, but also aimed to be like the Rabbi. The Disciple aims to be like the Rabbi - His Lord - in order to model the life of the Master before others, who then too will want to speak, act and know like the Rabbi. This is where we come to our next theme: The Christian life.
THEME SEVEN: THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
One of my favorite texts in the New Testament is 2 Peter 1:4-11. The Christian life is about escaping the corruption of this world, partaking of the life of God and then living the faith life. We live by growing onward and upward in Christ. The Christian life is summarized excellently by Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Paul in this text gives the purpose for trials, the inward working of the Holy Spirit, the goal of His work and the command not to lose heart.
So then how is the Christian life made possible? This is where we come to the next theme...
THEME EIGHT: NEW COVENANT
The New testament's backbone is the gospel, its skeletal structure - missions, and its heart - The new Covenant. The New Covenant is spoken of in the Old Testament by Jeremiah and Ezekiel as they predict what will be the future work of restoring the nation of Israel at Christ's return. As much as those passages point to that yet future reality, the New Testament also speaks of the New Covenant's blessings having their inauguration in the church.
New Testament texts such as 1 Corinthians 11, 2 Corinthians 5:15-21 and Hebrews 9 reaffirm the New Covenant reality operating in the church. Think of the following phrases as defining New Covenant - or New Testament Christianity: Onward and Upward; Inward and outward; Going and telling. The first phrase refers to our progression in spiritual growth, the second speaks of the Spirit's work inside working to affect our outside and the third details our role in missions.
This New Covenant reality is made possible by the ministry of Jesus Christ and is brought to life by the Holy Spirit. Truly it is this theme which prepares us for the last two themes in our study of the Glorious New Testament - Second coming and Eternity, which we will look at in tomorrow's blog. May the Lord richly bless you dear reader.
THEME SEVEN: THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
One of my favorite texts in the New Testament is 2 Peter 1:4-11. The Christian life is about escaping the corruption of this world, partaking of the life of God and then living the faith life. We live by growing onward and upward in Christ. The Christian life is summarized excellently by Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Paul in this text gives the purpose for trials, the inward working of the Holy Spirit, the goal of His work and the command not to lose heart.
So then how is the Christian life made possible? This is where we come to the next theme...
THEME EIGHT: NEW COVENANT
The New testament's backbone is the gospel, its skeletal structure - missions, and its heart - The new Covenant. The New Covenant is spoken of in the Old Testament by Jeremiah and Ezekiel as they predict what will be the future work of restoring the nation of Israel at Christ's return. As much as those passages point to that yet future reality, the New Testament also speaks of the New Covenant's blessings having their inauguration in the church.
New Testament texts such as 1 Corinthians 11, 2 Corinthians 5:15-21 and Hebrews 9 reaffirm the New Covenant reality operating in the church. Think of the following phrases as defining New Covenant - or New Testament Christianity: Onward and Upward; Inward and outward; Going and telling. The first phrase refers to our progression in spiritual growth, the second speaks of the Spirit's work inside working to affect our outside and the third details our role in missions.
This New Covenant reality is made possible by the ministry of Jesus Christ and is brought to life by the Holy Spirit. Truly it is this theme which prepares us for the last two themes in our study of the Glorious New Testament - Second coming and Eternity, which we will look at in tomorrow's blog. May the Lord richly bless you dear reader.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Glory of the New Testament - Missions
Over the past few days we have been exploring the glory of the New Testament. Let me remind the reader of the main themes we have discovered so far: Incarnation, humiliation, Gospel, exaltation and Pentecost. As the first five themes centered around the results flowing from the Person and work of God the Son, today's theme - Missions, is made possible by the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit.
THEME SIX: MISSIONS
The Strategy of Missions
The book of Acts provides information on several fronts when it comes to describing this theme of missions. First, it details the missionary expansion of the early church as it spread of Jerusalem, into Judea and Samaria and then unto the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8). In fact Acts itself can be divided along this missionary strategy - giving us a Divinely ordained plotline:
Acts 1-8 Jerusalem
Acts 9-12 Judea/Samria
Acts 13-28 Uttermost Parts of the Earth
When we flip that plotline on its side, we see the principle missionaries used by the Holy Spirit:
Acts 1-8 Peter
Acts 9-12 Peter, Paul and Others
Acts 13-28 Paul
The Person and work of the Spirit in Missions
The Book of Acts also reveals the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit Himself. It shows how He convicted and called people to repentance and faith, as well as filled and lead the early church to walk out the Christian faith in life and witness.
The Missionary Background for the remainder of the New Testament
Acts also provides the historical and missionary background for the remaining New Testament epistles or letters written by the Apostles. From Acts we discover for instance that Paul had four missionary journeys and imprisonments that was used by the Holy Spirit to prompt Him in the writing of His letters.
Missions is found in every New Testament book
Undeniably the theme of missions is found in all 27 New Testament book: Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16; Lk 24; John 20; Acts 1:8; Romans 10; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Corinthians 5; Galatians 1; Ephesians 3; Philippians 2:15; Colossians 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 4-5; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Timothy 3:15-16; 2 Timothy 3; Titus 2:11-15; Philemon; Hebrews 13; James 2; 1 Peter 3:15; 2 Peter 1; Jude 1-3 and Revelation 4-5.
May you and I dear reader be so moved by God's great heart for missions as we focus on the glory of the New Testament.
THEME SIX: MISSIONS
The Strategy of Missions
The book of Acts provides information on several fronts when it comes to describing this theme of missions. First, it details the missionary expansion of the early church as it spread of Jerusalem, into Judea and Samaria and then unto the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8). In fact Acts itself can be divided along this missionary strategy - giving us a Divinely ordained plotline:
Acts 1-8 Jerusalem
Acts 9-12 Judea/Samria
Acts 13-28 Uttermost Parts of the Earth
When we flip that plotline on its side, we see the principle missionaries used by the Holy Spirit:
Acts 1-8 Peter
Acts 9-12 Peter, Paul and Others
Acts 13-28 Paul
The Person and work of the Spirit in Missions
The Book of Acts also reveals the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit Himself. It shows how He convicted and called people to repentance and faith, as well as filled and lead the early church to walk out the Christian faith in life and witness.
The Missionary Background for the remainder of the New Testament
Acts also provides the historical and missionary background for the remaining New Testament epistles or letters written by the Apostles. From Acts we discover for instance that Paul had four missionary journeys and imprisonments that was used by the Holy Spirit to prompt Him in the writing of His letters.
Missions is found in every New Testament book
Undeniably the theme of missions is found in all 27 New Testament book: Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16; Lk 24; John 20; Acts 1:8; Romans 10; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Corinthians 5; Galatians 1; Ephesians 3; Philippians 2:15; Colossians 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 4-5; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Timothy 3:15-16; 2 Timothy 3; Titus 2:11-15; Philemon; Hebrews 13; James 2; 1 Peter 3:15; 2 Peter 1; Jude 1-3 and Revelation 4-5.
May you and I dear reader be so moved by God's great heart for missions as we focus on the glory of the New Testament.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Glory of the New Testament: Exaltation and Pentecost
We continue in our series on "The Glory of the New Testament" by exploring in today's blogs the themes of "Exaltation" and "Pentecost".
THEME FOUR: EXALTATION
With Christ's resurrection from the dead, we see vindication of His life and death and identity. Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:11 "seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow." From Christ's resurrection we see the beginning of these "glories" - that is, His exaltation.
Acts 1:1-10 records Christ's ascension. For a 40 day period Christ made a series of appearances to his disciples. In his final conversation with them, he suddenly defies gravity and disappears into the clouds. Christ's ascension not only decribes his going up into the air, but also His being seated at the right hand of God the Father. Passages such as Ephesians 2:6-10, Ephesians 4:9-15; Philippians 2:8-11 and Colossians 1:16-17 list the activites that the now exalted Christ is performing in Heaven on behalf of His church.
THEME FIVE: PENTECOST
As a result of Christ's exaltation, the Promised Holy Spirit comes. Acts 2 occurs 50 days following Christ's resurrection, with ten days lying between Christ's ascension and the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. During this time the Jewish people celebrated the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. In their calendars, they used Pentecost as a harvest time feast and also as the time to mark the giving of God's Law and the birth of Israel as a nation.
In Exodus 32:28, we see record of what took place when God had revealed His Law. As Moses was upon Mount Sinai, the Israelites began to worship a golden calf. As a result of that event God struck them with a plague - and 3,000 people died that day. Remarkable parallels are found between the giving of the Law and the coming of the Spirit - one of which being that on the day of the Spirit's coming in Acts 2, Three-Thousand people ended up becoming converted to Jesus! Other parallels are worth noting:
1. The Giving of the Law occured 50 days following the Jews first Passover, their delivery out of Egypt, which is a picture of the cross and salvation; Pentecost occured 50 days after Christ's death during the Passover.
2. The Spirit at Sinai began to reveal the law, the Written Word, to Israel; In Acts 2 on Pentecost, The Spirit comes to validate and verify the work and identity of the exalted Jesus, the Living Word to His church
The Pentecost theme explains how the Spirit's coming validated everything Christ is and did in His incarnation, humiliation, Gospel accomplishment and exaltation. The Holy Spirit reveals to us the Post-Pentecost Jesus working in and through His church.
THEME FOUR: EXALTATION
With Christ's resurrection from the dead, we see vindication of His life and death and identity. Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:11 "seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow." From Christ's resurrection we see the beginning of these "glories" - that is, His exaltation.
Acts 1:1-10 records Christ's ascension. For a 40 day period Christ made a series of appearances to his disciples. In his final conversation with them, he suddenly defies gravity and disappears into the clouds. Christ's ascension not only decribes his going up into the air, but also His being seated at the right hand of God the Father. Passages such as Ephesians 2:6-10, Ephesians 4:9-15; Philippians 2:8-11 and Colossians 1:16-17 list the activites that the now exalted Christ is performing in Heaven on behalf of His church.
THEME FIVE: PENTECOST
As a result of Christ's exaltation, the Promised Holy Spirit comes. Acts 2 occurs 50 days following Christ's resurrection, with ten days lying between Christ's ascension and the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. During this time the Jewish people celebrated the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. In their calendars, they used Pentecost as a harvest time feast and also as the time to mark the giving of God's Law and the birth of Israel as a nation.
In Exodus 32:28, we see record of what took place when God had revealed His Law. As Moses was upon Mount Sinai, the Israelites began to worship a golden calf. As a result of that event God struck them with a plague - and 3,000 people died that day. Remarkable parallels are found between the giving of the Law and the coming of the Spirit - one of which being that on the day of the Spirit's coming in Acts 2, Three-Thousand people ended up becoming converted to Jesus! Other parallels are worth noting:
1. The Giving of the Law occured 50 days following the Jews first Passover, their delivery out of Egypt, which is a picture of the cross and salvation; Pentecost occured 50 days after Christ's death during the Passover.
2. The Spirit at Sinai began to reveal the law, the Written Word, to Israel; In Acts 2 on Pentecost, The Spirit comes to validate and verify the work and identity of the exalted Jesus, the Living Word to His church
The Pentecost theme explains how the Spirit's coming validated everything Christ is and did in His incarnation, humiliation, Gospel accomplishment and exaltation. The Holy Spirit reveals to us the Post-Pentecost Jesus working in and through His church.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Glory of the New Testament - Humiliation and Gospel
Yesterday we began to explore the Glory of the New Testament, noting ten major themes and then focusing upon the first one: Christ's incarnation. Today we want to explore two more themes: Humiliation and The Gospel.
THEME TWO: HUMILIATION
Philippians 2:8 states: "Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." From the moment Christ incarnated Himself as a man, the humiliation had begun. Why was what Christ did humiliation? Because He had chosen to lay aside the benefits that come with being fully God (while still remaining God, mind you) in order to take upon Himself full humanity. Philippians 2:5-11, along with Hebrews 2, details this theme of humiliation. We see humiliation lived out by Christ in the four Gospels. If we were to take the word: "HUMBLE", we could take the six letters of that word and unfold what scripture speaks of in terms of God the Son's Humiliation:
H inders usage of Deity, without ceasing to be God
U ndergoes a virgin birth
M ade lower than the angels
B ecomes obscure by looking like an ordinary man
L ives and ministers amidst increasing opposition
E nds up at the cross
Christ's humiliation stretches from the moment of His virgin birth right up to the time of His entry into the Garden of Gethsemane. The humiliation goes then into the deepest level - His passion - where He would then willingly lay down His life on the cross. He had to live a perfect life in active obedience to the Law of God in order to qualify as the sinner's Savior.
THEME THREE: THE GOSPEL
Event and Experience
What is the Gospel? John 3:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 detail both how one experiences salvation and the event of salvation. It is in the Gospel theme that we see Christ's death, burial and resurrection. The event of redemption must become an experience through God's Grace calling the sinner to become convinced of their failure to please God, and Christ alone being their remedy, so they in turn can trust in Him by faith alone. Ephesians 2:8-9 states - "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."
Bad news then Good News
The Gospel begins with bad news and ends with good news. The Law of God, the Ten Commandments, tells me I'm at war with God and dead in sin. (please compare Epehsians 2:1-4) The Good News of the Gospel is that by grace, through faith, God convinces me, by His grace of my need for Him. He then raises my dead human spirit to life so that I can freely choose Him as my Savior, Lord and Treasure. (Please compare John 1:12-13; James 1:18 and 1 Peter 1:3-4).
It is this message which comprises the backbone of not only the New Testament - but also the entire Bible.
THEME TWO: HUMILIATION
Philippians 2:8 states: "Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." From the moment Christ incarnated Himself as a man, the humiliation had begun. Why was what Christ did humiliation? Because He had chosen to lay aside the benefits that come with being fully God (while still remaining God, mind you) in order to take upon Himself full humanity. Philippians 2:5-11, along with Hebrews 2, details this theme of humiliation. We see humiliation lived out by Christ in the four Gospels. If we were to take the word: "HUMBLE", we could take the six letters of that word and unfold what scripture speaks of in terms of God the Son's Humiliation:
H inders usage of Deity, without ceasing to be God
U ndergoes a virgin birth
M ade lower than the angels
B ecomes obscure by looking like an ordinary man
L ives and ministers amidst increasing opposition
E nds up at the cross
Christ's humiliation stretches from the moment of His virgin birth right up to the time of His entry into the Garden of Gethsemane. The humiliation goes then into the deepest level - His passion - where He would then willingly lay down His life on the cross. He had to live a perfect life in active obedience to the Law of God in order to qualify as the sinner's Savior.
THEME THREE: THE GOSPEL
Event and Experience
What is the Gospel? John 3:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 detail both how one experiences salvation and the event of salvation. It is in the Gospel theme that we see Christ's death, burial and resurrection. The event of redemption must become an experience through God's Grace calling the sinner to become convinced of their failure to please God, and Christ alone being their remedy, so they in turn can trust in Him by faith alone. Ephesians 2:8-9 states - "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."
Bad news then Good News
The Gospel begins with bad news and ends with good news. The Law of God, the Ten Commandments, tells me I'm at war with God and dead in sin. (please compare Epehsians 2:1-4) The Good News of the Gospel is that by grace, through faith, God convinces me, by His grace of my need for Him. He then raises my dead human spirit to life so that I can freely choose Him as my Savior, Lord and Treasure. (Please compare John 1:12-13; James 1:18 and 1 Peter 1:3-4).
It is this message which comprises the backbone of not only the New Testament - but also the entire Bible.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Glory of the New Testament
Galatians 4:4 4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law.
Think of all the events and places God orchestrated in bringing about the fulness of time in which the Son of God would enter into history. When Christ came, history would forever be split down the middle - things that happened before and after Christ. What the New Testament records for us is the powerful accomplishment of God in Christ for the salvation of His people and the exaltation of His glory. Over the course of the next few blogs I want us to get a grasp on the Glory of the New Testament. To do this we will be exploring ten themes that emerge from studying all 27 books of this incredible portion of the Bible. I will list them all for you today, and then explore the first theme as we aim to see the Glory of the New Testament.
Ten Themes for Understanding the New Testament
1. Incarnation 2. Humiliation 3. Gospel 4. Exaltation
5. Pentecost 6. Missions 7. Christian Life 8. New Covenant
9. Second Coming 10. Eternity
Theme One: INCARNATION
What is meant by the term "incarnation"? This word comes from two Latin words: en meaning "in" and carnos meaning "flesh". So when we speak of Christ's incarnation, we're referring to the events that led to God the Son entering from eternity into history to take upon himself humanity.
As Christ was entering from eternity into time He spoke these words in Hebrews 10:5 "Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, “SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME." With Christ coming into time he entered into history through the virgin birth. When the angel comes to Mary to tell her the news of being the one chosen to bear the Son's human nature, she states in
Luke 1:34-35 - "Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God."
Jesus' virgin birth, incarnation, is a central doctrine of the Christian faith. It fulfills the prophecy about the Messiah being virgin born (Isaiah 7:14) and it insures that Christ would not have the sin nature inherited from Adam, which comes down through a father's bloodline. (please compare 1 Peter 1:18) As both the fulfillment of prophecy and the perfect, sinless Savior, Jesus Christ would begin his humanity in this world with a three-fold aim - to do his Father's will in paying the price for salvation with His life, to bring glory to His Father by His resurrection from the dead and to destroy the works of the devil.
In tomorrow's blog we will continue exploring these themes of the Glory of the New Testament
Think of all the events and places God orchestrated in bringing about the fulness of time in which the Son of God would enter into history. When Christ came, history would forever be split down the middle - things that happened before and after Christ. What the New Testament records for us is the powerful accomplishment of God in Christ for the salvation of His people and the exaltation of His glory. Over the course of the next few blogs I want us to get a grasp on the Glory of the New Testament. To do this we will be exploring ten themes that emerge from studying all 27 books of this incredible portion of the Bible. I will list them all for you today, and then explore the first theme as we aim to see the Glory of the New Testament.
Ten Themes for Understanding the New Testament
1. Incarnation 2. Humiliation 3. Gospel 4. Exaltation
5. Pentecost 6. Missions 7. Christian Life 8. New Covenant
9. Second Coming 10. Eternity
Theme One: INCARNATION
What is meant by the term "incarnation"? This word comes from two Latin words: en meaning "in" and carnos meaning "flesh". So when we speak of Christ's incarnation, we're referring to the events that led to God the Son entering from eternity into history to take upon himself humanity.
As Christ was entering from eternity into time He spoke these words in Hebrews 10:5 "Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, “SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME." With Christ coming into time he entered into history through the virgin birth. When the angel comes to Mary to tell her the news of being the one chosen to bear the Son's human nature, she states in
Luke 1:34-35 - "Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God."
Jesus' virgin birth, incarnation, is a central doctrine of the Christian faith. It fulfills the prophecy about the Messiah being virgin born (Isaiah 7:14) and it insures that Christ would not have the sin nature inherited from Adam, which comes down through a father's bloodline. (please compare 1 Peter 1:18) As both the fulfillment of prophecy and the perfect, sinless Savior, Jesus Christ would begin his humanity in this world with a three-fold aim - to do his Father's will in paying the price for salvation with His life, to bring glory to His Father by His resurrection from the dead and to destroy the works of the devil.
In tomorrow's blog we will continue exploring these themes of the Glory of the New Testament
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
How God prepared for Jesus' Arrival - P2
In yesterday's Blog we considered how God had been working behind the scenes in the 400 year time period between Malachi and Matthew. In today's blog we continue noting the remarkable events that transpired in preparation for the arrival of Jesus Christ.
1. The World's first Bible Translation to be used by the Apostles
In 275 b.c a Governor in the Greek speaking city of Alexandria Egypt desired to gather 70 Jewish scribes together to begin the translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek. This project was called the "Septuagint" ("sep-too-a-jint" meaning "The seventy") and made this effort the first time the Bible has been translated into another language. By the days of Jesus, the Old Testament in Greek was regularly used. In fact, this translation is the one used in virtually all Old Testament quotations in the New Testament.
2. The Roman Roadway System, perfect for doing missionary work
It was through Rome that the Roman roadway system - stretching some 50,000 miles throughout the Mediterranean world-came into being. According to the Encyclopedia Brittanica, this roadway system took over 200 years to build! That system would make it possible for The Apostles to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Rome had instituted a policy called "Pax Romana", which simply meant they were willing to tolerate the existence of other lines of thought and the exchange of ideas (providing of course you gave homage to the Emperor). These factors set the stage for what would become the missionary activity of the early church.
3. The Jewish Synagogue, ideal for spreading God's word throughout every city
Over time Judaism saw itself being de-centralized. In every town Jewish centers - called "synagogues" (translated roughly to mean "gathering places") sprang up. In order to have a Synagogue, as long as you had 100 Jewish men and a copy of the Old Testament scriptures, you could form a synagogue. This set-up would make it easier in time for Christian missionaries - like the Apostle Paul - to go into a given city and speak at the local Synagogue.
Thank you Lord for the times and seasons you orchestrated to set the stage for the arrival and sending of God the Son, Jesus Christ. As I close today's blog, I remind the reader of Galatians 4:4, which summarizes everything we have been exploring: "But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons."
1. The World's first Bible Translation to be used by the Apostles
In 275 b.c a Governor in the Greek speaking city of Alexandria Egypt desired to gather 70 Jewish scribes together to begin the translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek. This project was called the "Septuagint" ("sep-too-a-jint" meaning "The seventy") and made this effort the first time the Bible has been translated into another language. By the days of Jesus, the Old Testament in Greek was regularly used. In fact, this translation is the one used in virtually all Old Testament quotations in the New Testament.
2. The Roman Roadway System, perfect for doing missionary work
It was through Rome that the Roman roadway system - stretching some 50,000 miles throughout the Mediterranean world-came into being. According to the Encyclopedia Brittanica, this roadway system took over 200 years to build! That system would make it possible for The Apostles to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Rome had instituted a policy called "Pax Romana", which simply meant they were willing to tolerate the existence of other lines of thought and the exchange of ideas (providing of course you gave homage to the Emperor). These factors set the stage for what would become the missionary activity of the early church.
3. The Jewish Synagogue, ideal for spreading God's word throughout every city
Over time Judaism saw itself being de-centralized. In every town Jewish centers - called "synagogues" (translated roughly to mean "gathering places") sprang up. In order to have a Synagogue, as long as you had 100 Jewish men and a copy of the Old Testament scriptures, you could form a synagogue. This set-up would make it easier in time for Christian missionaries - like the Apostle Paul - to go into a given city and speak at the local Synagogue.
Thank you Lord for the times and seasons you orchestrated to set the stage for the arrival and sending of God the Son, Jesus Christ. As I close today's blog, I remind the reader of Galatians 4:4, which summarizes everything we have been exploring: "But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons."
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