ResponsiveReiding

It’s Vacation Time!

responsivereiding — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:48:50 +0000

I’m off to get in touch with my inner Pig.

Hope to be back on line Thursday - July 10th.

See ya!

Margin notes: Things I scribbled in the white spaces on June 20, 2K8.

responsivereiding — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:57:50 +0000

1 - “that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.” (Luke 1:4, ESV)

RAF: We are not called to a “blind faith” as is assumed by some. We believe in a God who is as obvious as the physical universe He created to reveal Himself. And one who inserted Himself into the affairs of men. One who walked among us, and whose history is as documentable as our own, since it is bound up with our own. It is THIS Jesus we are asked to believe in. That we might have certainty.

2 - “And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.” (Luke 1:18-19, ESV)

RAF: Gabriel’s “I am Gabriel” trumps Zechariah’s “I am an old man.” “I stand in the presence of the Lord” trumps, “my wife is advanced in years.” Some realities truly do transcend others. That Christ is on the throne, and works for us an eternal weight of glory through our suffering, really does trump all the evils of life.

3 - “After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”” (Luke 1:24-25, ESV)

RAF: The sacredness and profundity of some things makes an awed silence more appropriate than loud reveling. See: 2 Cor. 12. We have no record of Paul ever relating these experiences for 14 years.

4 - “And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”” (Luke 1:34, ESV)

RAF: The uniqueness of Mary shows itself here. Zechariah wanted proof “how shall I KNOW this?” Mary wants information, simply “how WILL this be?” Gabriel’s very different responses show how differently these each responded.

5 - “And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called.” (Luke 1:62, ESV)

RAF: The need to make signs indicates he was most likely without hearing at this point as well. He had 9 months in silence to contemplate all that was taking place.

6 - “and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”” (Luke 2:24, ESV)

RAF: See: Leviticus 12:8. This was the sacrifice of the poor.

7 - “And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”” (Luke 2:33-35, ESV)

RAF: Most people are not aware of the presence, depth or severity of their enmity with God, until they are confronted with the Exclusivity, Supremacy, Divinity and Lordship of Christ Jesus.

8 - “And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:38, ESV)

RAF: “Redemption” here carries a complex reality. God had made it clear in the Law that the Jews would be governed by others as a result of rebelling against Him. Here they were, occupied by Rome. Some were only looking for the Roman yoke to be broken. Others knew the sin behind it needed to be dealt with as well. Often, we want God to work in our circumstances, never imagining that we might have sin that is directly tied to the bondage we feel elsewhere.

9 - “And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2:51, ESV)

RAF: How humble our God is. Given the circumstances, the realities of His incarnation, the Lord of glory, the One who created the womb that had given Him birth; The One who at this very moment was sustaining the lives of His own earthly parents; The infinitely holy and perfect God - found it reasonable to remain submissive to His merely human inferiors. And for us, wives find it unimaginable to be submitted to their husbands. Children find it unbearable to be submitted to their parents. Men find it unreasonable to be submitted to ecclesiastical or even civil authorities. We chafe at submission of any kind. Father, give us the Spirit of Christ. Who though God in human flesh, didn’t grasp after His divinity, but humbled Himself. May we find such ease on all your arrangements in life. May we sweetly submit to You, who love us beyond our wildest imaginations.

10 - “And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”” (Luke 3:10-14, ESV)

RAF: One would have thought John would tell the Tax Collectors, they must leave that profession. Or at least the Soldiers. But not so. Christianity is to lead us to live Christ wherever life finds us. It is not the circumstances themselves, but how we live in them. Do we discharge our responsibilities with honor before the Lord? Many recoil at having to work secular jobs, imagining that this is somehow inferior service. But is is in fact letting light shine in the darkness. Shine, bloom, live Christ - where you are.

11 - “As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”” (Luke 3:15-17, ESV)

RAF: The picture, (w/v-9) is that judgment is at hand. God’s wrath is about to be poured out. What prevents it? One last, final atonement. Christ WILL come again to carry out that wrath. The next time He appears it will be “not to deal with sin” (Heb. 9:2 but to save us from the wrath He brings on sin. But He has forestalled it while the Gospel goes out. Had He not come, had judgment not been addressed, God could have been accused of injustice. (Rom. 3:25) Christ is sent in part to clear the Father of such a charge - when in His mercy, He has been so amazingly patient. See: Acts 17.30

12 - “ And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”” (Luke 4:42-43, ESV)

RAF: What a priority here is placed upon the Gospel. To those who came with sicknesses, infirmities, or loved ones afflicted or demon possessed, it must have been hard to comprehend why He would make the preaching of this message in other places more important than their immediate or “felt” needs. But one may enter Heaven without a foot, blind, deaf or leprous. One cannot enter Heaven without hearing, believing and obeying the Gospel. He knows, and intends to meet our deepest need above all. Not merely the need we would find most pressing. How good He is to deny us our ways at times, in order to fulfill His own.

13 - “And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”” (Luke 5:5, ESV)

RAF: Here is the clearest and most succinct exposition of faith. It reasons in the face of everything else “but at your word.” It does not groundlessly hope. It does not pluck its expectation from the air. It is not the product of imagination, or a contrived desire. We cannot have faith regarding that which God has not said. No. It roots itself firmly in one place: What God HAS said.

14 - “And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him.” (Luke 5:13, ESV)

RAF: There is nothing beyond God’s power. The question to be resolved is only - is He willing? And I believe He is far more willing, more often than any of us dare to believe. Oh that we would trust Him. That we would go to Him with all things. That we would prove Him to see how willing He really is! But that we would do so, first, fully convinced that He is able.

15 - “When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.”” (Luke 5:22-24, ESV)

RAF: They could do neither. He could do both.

16 - “ And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20, ESV)

RAF: The point isn’t that there is some inherent blessing in BEING poor, but that poverty is no bar to inheriting and entering the Kingdom of God. It is not a club for social elites. It belongs to all who believe - irrespective of such considerations.

17 - “ “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.” (Luke 6:27-31, ESV)

RAF: Heavenly Father, that we might truly learn to live so unrestrained, ungoverned by these earthly concerns. That we give away our goods not because the others are worthy to receive them, but because they are not of any real worth to us! That Christ might be our all, in truth, and not just in word. I want to live this freely.

Margin notes: Things I scribbled in the white spaces on June 19, 2K8.

responsivereiding — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:06:02 +0000

1 - “ And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.” (Mark 10:13-16, ESV)

RAF: Children have their part in the Kingdom as well. They are not to be treated as though they have no spiritual life or cannot enter in. We are to bring them up in the things of the Lord. To teach them to see the world through Biblical eyes. To know god made them, in His image, for Himself. That He is their creator and God. That there are spiritual realities. That they were born in sin alienated from the life of God and that they need reconciled to Him. Hoe good He is. How He has provided for them and cared for them. We do not wait until they are older, we begin right away to steep them in the truth of Christ.

2 - “And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”” (Mark 10:39-40, ESV)

RAF: On one hand, James and John showed great faith in still anticipating Christ to rule the Kingdom, after He had just told them He was going to die. On the other, they needed to understand the nature of what it mean to reign as He would. To receive the glory that was His, would require hearts and minds as submissive to the will of the Father as His. Were they ready to simply say - “it is up up the Father who sits at your right and your left, and it is not up to us, nor a thing to grasped at”? This is what it means to be Him. Complete and utter trust in the Father. The absolute giving over of His will to Him. This is where He calls us to go. This is to walk by faith.

3 - “And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”” (Mark 10:51, ESV)

RAF: What a question - “what do you want me to do for you?” How would you answer it? Would you squander that moment? Would your request be frivolous? Foolish? How is it we go to prayer even now? What is the nature of our requests as he bids us to come and lay them before Him? If you had one thing today to ask, to plead for - one thing that would be life changing, what would it be? Oh Father, let us recover our sight. The glorious truth about you. The horror of our sin. The sureness of your promises. The depth of your word. The fullness of the cross. Or as Paul prayed, the height, depth, length and breadth of your love - that we may be filled with all your fullness. Let us, let me, recover my sight.

4 - “ On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.” (Mark 11:12-14, ESV)

RAF: Jesus is ever coming, looking for fruit in those who show their leaves as though they were His. It is a dangerous thing to proclaim that we are His and put out the signs that indicate fruit is available, and then not to have it. It invites His curse. We cannot take the Lord’s name upon ourselves emptily - “in vain”.

5 - “ And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”” (Mark 12:41-44, ESV)

RAF: God is not looking for people with great capacity to serve, but with great willingness. We so often confuse the two and imagine if we cannot do a lot - that it is not acceptable. He only asks we be willing to do what it is on our hands to do.

6 - “And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”” (Mark 13:37, ESV)

RAF: These two words are the summary message of Jesus’ teaching on eschatology. They ought to be ours as well.

7 - “ And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her.” (Mark 14:3-5, ESV)

RAF: No gift given to God can ever be regarded as “wasted”. How can honoring Him ever be something too expensive or extravagant? Who or what is ever more important?

We ought to do all we can to beautify His death.

Margin notes: Things I scribbled in the white spaces on June 18, 2K8.

responsivereiding — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:00:40 +0000

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

RAF: The Gospel must begin with an announcement. All must prepare themselves, because the Lord is to visit us. How then shall we be ready? How then, shall we live. We ever preach, and ever live in the light of His second coming now, even as they did in the light of His incarnation.

2 - “John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.” (Mark 1:4-6, ESV)

RAF: Baptism is always linked with the confession of sin - the acknowledgment of personal defilement, met only in being united to Jesus Christ. And our being united to Him is in the reality of His death in our place, His burial in our place, and His resurrection for us.

3 - “ The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.” (Mark 1:12-13, ESV)

RAF: The 2nd Adam faced temptation, and overcame it. For us.

4 - “ Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”” (Mark 1:14-15, ESV)

RAF: The new King declares: a. Enter my Kingdom now. b. Amnesty is declared. c. I will forgive the crimes of all who rejected my right to rule over them before I came, if they will come to me now. d. I will yet judge all who will refuse me free offer.

5 - “ Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.” (Mark 1:16-20, ESV)

RAF: As with all of us, Christ Jesus found these men: a. Where they were. b. Doing what they were doing. c. Because they were who they were.

He find us: a. In the world. b. Sinning. c. Because we are sinners.

Then He promises to make us the real, or substance, of which we are but shadows at the present. We are but indistinct in our reflection of His image. He promises to recover that in us fully.

6 - “And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”” (Mark 2:17, ESV)

RAF: Would you have Jesus near, and know Him? Never lose your sense of how much you need Him. Man was created to live in constant, deliberate dependence upon our God. Not to live independently from Him. He is not a crutch - He is our very life.

7 - “No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”” (Mark 2:21-22, ESV)

RAF: Jesus did not come to patch up Judaism. Nor to simply pour Himself into a fallen mankind. He came to bring an entirely new fabric, a new covenant. He came, to make men new, and then indwell these new creatures, re-created to be His dwelling place.

8 - “So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”” (Mark 2:28, ESV)

RAF: The Sabbath is uniquely set in the Ten Commandments. It is not like the others, in that it is specially enacted as a sign between God and Israel. Whereas murder and adultery are condemned in all societies, and the nations judged for them, no other nation (throughout the Old Testament) is ever charged with breaking it. In its uniqueness, Christ can establish His supreme authority as in no other. Without violating any of God’s own moral nature, He can nevertheless state categorically His own authority over the very Law of God in being Lord of the sabbath. He can rule it as He sees fit. Administrate it as He sees fit. He is God. And nowhere is His deity as well attested to than it is in His stretching out His hand and claiming that He can rule the Law given at Sinai.

9 - “And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”” (Mark 3:21, ESV)

RAF: How utterly alone He must have felt. Not even His family. And it is not just that they did not believe Him, they thought Him mad. Insane. No one in all of human history had ever been so completely misunderstood. How much then He knows the pain of it when we are. What a Savior He is. How He can enter into every pain and agony we face. How especially He knows the sorrow of such loneliness.

10 - “And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”” (Mark 4:15-20, ESV)

RAF: This is extremely helpful in understanding the life of any congregation. There will be those who come and hear, who nevertheless will never manifest any of the life of Christ. There will be those who start out among us like gang-busters. Jubilant, joyful, full of verve, who will fall away when to going gets rough. In spite of such a promising start. There will be those who are among us who over time however, get so entangled in the affairs of this life, that they too will bear no fruit. But then there are those, who remain. Who hear and receive. Who are not withered by the harsh conditions. Who fight the weeds and thorns and keep looking to produce fruit. And who indeed begin to manifest the the life of Christ to greater and lesser degrees. But is they are, and His life bears fruit in them. Oh what a joy these are.

11 - “With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.” (Mark 4:33-34, ESV)

RAF: Would you know the mysteries of the Kingdom? Go to Him. Ask. He explains Himself when He is sought. He loves to be understood. He uses such means to weed out those who have no real concern for His truth, and those who do. Disciples, will come and seek Him out to know what He means by what He says.

12 - “As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.” (Mark 5:18-20, ESV)

RAF: Though it has been discounted in some circles, here is a great encouragement in evangelism. With only the barest exposure to Christ. With little or no theological training. With no more detailed instruction than this - a man may enter upon a fruitful and Christ sanctioned ministry of evangelism: “Go home to your friends and them how much the Lord has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you.” Isn’t that just so abundantly simple and sweet and ready at hand? The telling of how He has met us in our sin, and of His great mercy is enough. Each of us is a ready made evangelist in this accounting. Don’t wait a minute more. Don’t fear you don’t know enough or haven’t been given techniques or strategies. Just tell them how much He’s done for you. That’s all He asks. It is enough.

13 - “And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ”” (Mark 5:30-31, ESV)

RAF: Father, may it never be, that I can walk with Christ, hear Him, follow Him, press Him, and never truly touch Him. Let me never just handle Him and not be changed. It is the difference between familiarity with facts, and approaching Him by faith. Let my faith be living and real. Let me never read your Word without touching Him. Never hear a sermon without touching Him. Never pray without touching Him. Never worship without touching Him. Never.

14 - “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.” (Mark 6:3, ESV)

RAF: Jesus had at this point, 4 brothers, and at least 2 sisters.

15 - “But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”” (Mark 8:33, ESV)

RAF: “Satan” means - adversary. All it takes to be God’s adversary, is to set our agenda above His. Heavenly Father, keep your plan and purposes ever before me. Let me live my life so as to be fully invested in your agenda, what you are about in this world. Let me leave my self-willed and self-constructed goals behind. Let me be immersed in your will, surrendering my own completely. If nothing gets done the way I want, let it be, as long as your will is done.

Note the connection between 33, and 34-38. This is what it means to take up the Cross. To abandon our agendas, for His.

16 - “ “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’” (Mark 9:42-48, ESV)

RAF: Jesus’ teaching here is within the context of the discussion above - where the Disciples were arguing who among them was the greatest. So the warning against sin here, would seem to be this sin He has directly in mind at this point. The worst thing we can do is to create in anyone else a sense of elitism or superiority in God’s Kingdom. If we strive for recognition or rank, we will infect others around us. We must fight this wretched sin and the tendency toward it at all costs. a. Never work for it (the hand in vs. 43). b. Never walk toward it or in it (the foot in 45). c. Never set your eye upon it (vs 47). It is a damning evil. It is rank, and it rots the soul. Whenever we find our hearts desiring some rank, position or recognition in the Body, we are in a most dangerous place. Father, deliver us.

Margin notes: Things I scribbled in the white spaces on June 17, 2K8.

responsivereiding — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:36:37 +0000

1 - “ And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.” (Matthew 10:1, ESV)

RAF: It is important to see that what they were given was authority, not innate power. We often seek for ability that is bestowed upon us to use as we see fit. Instead, He gives permission to act on His behalf - in His name. How careful then we must be. For what is done under such circumstances must be done so as to say we are acting as He would under the same circumstances. To act as His agents accomplishing His will, and not as free agents to accomplish ours.

2 - “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.” (Matthew 10:8, ESV)

RAF: Sin infects the whole being. Sin, has killed us, separating us from the spiritual life we were created with in Adam. Sin incurably defiles. Sin leaves us slaves to the influence of Satan and this world. The Gospel is God’s declaration of the healing, life restoring, cleansing, liberating work of Jesus at Calvary - and is free to all who believe. Don’t be stingy with it.

3 - “ “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” (Matthew 10:16-23, ESV)

RAF: It is interesting Jesus moves to this in His instructions here. In fact, none of these happened on their present tour, nor did when He sent out the seventy later. These words are looking froward to the time after He is gone. It is in this context then that we understand verse 23. It is a simple announcement that they will not be able to exhaust their mission before He returns. There is never a time when the Church can say: “We’ve gathered in all that are ever to come, we can stop evangelizing now.”

4 - “It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.” (Matthew 10:25, ESV)

RAF: How unseemly it is then for Christians to complain of ill words from the world in our day.

5 - “ “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.” (Matthew 10:26, ESV)

RAF: The world may lie about us, misrepresent us, obscure our message - but vindication day will come. Do not faint.

6 - “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,” (Matthew 10:32, ESV)

RAF: Do you want to know what it is have real value as a human being? To stand before the throne of God on the final day, and have Jesus stand beside you and say to the Father “This one is MINE!”

7 - “Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”” (Matthew 11:2-6, ESV)

RAF: It seems to me this is not about John having doubts. He was the one who declared Jesus as the Lamb of God. Rather, this is John weaning his disciples away from himself, and getting them to go to Jesus. He is wanting to expose them to Him and His ministry. And see then how Jesus asks them to consider what they see. If God has been pleased to allow us to be involved in bringing men to Christ, they often develop an attachment to us where they are somewhat our disciples. This is fine at very early stages. But soon enough the time will come when we must help them walk with Christ without us, and on their own.

8 - ““But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, “ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’” (Matthew 11:16-17, ESV)

RAF: Those who serve Christ will always be out of step with the world. We will rejoice in things they cannot rejoice over, and will mourn over things they can have no sadness over. And vice versa.

9 - “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,” (Matthew 12:36, ESV)

RAF: While this admonition certainly can be taken in the broad sense, it is particularly here aimed at making pronouncements and judgments regarding men and their actions - and being judged as either good or bad. We must be exceedingly careful here, not to justify the wicked, nor to condemn the innocent. Our tendency to rush to judgment carries with it very great consequences.

10 - “ Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” (Matthew 12:38-39, ESV)

RAF: Nothing keeps men bound in their sins more than requiring God to give them “signs” rather than simply believing the truth. We try to force God’s hand. Internally, thinking to blame Him for not giving us enough proof. But what proof does the truth need? It ought to be obvious. How very fallen we are indeed. Forgive us Father for being so hard of heart, and slow to believe the Law and the prophets. Slow to believe your Word. The men of Nineveh saw no sign - but they believed Jonah’s preaching.

11 - ““ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”” (Matthew 15:8-9, ESV)

RAF: No place is Phariseeism more explicitly exposed and denominated. It rests in this one thing: “Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” We are never to make our commandments binding on the consciences of other men - or to treat our opinions as on par with the doctrines of Scripture. And what does it do when we enter into such activity? It renders our worship vain - empty. We move that moment into a place where we say we are serving God, but our hearts are very far from being submitted. Instead, we want the desires of our hearts to rule over others. Father God - this is such a great evil, and we fall into it so carelessly and easily. Please guard us here. Please keep us from needing to exercise any kind of authority over men which emerges from ourselves. Keep us from trying to usurp your throne under any mistaken or self-deceived notion whatever. Keep us back from presumptuous sins.

12 - “And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”” (Matthew 16:22-23, ESV)

RAF: One flash of insight or revelation, does not make one an authority on all truth. We can know great things, and still be very much in the dark.

13 - “And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”” (Matthew 17:3-5, ESV)

RAF: Moses represents the Law. Elijah represents the Prophets. Jesus transcends them all. He explains them. He is the substance of which they were but the types and the shadows. All must be seen, heard and interpreted through Him.

14 - “ “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.” (Matthew 18:7-9, ESV)

RAF: No matter how dear, close, useful or valuable your sin may appear to be to you - do violence to it.

15 - “ Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22, ESV)

RAF: Though failure to repent on another’s part, may preclude them from living in the joy and freedom of our forgiveness, we are never permitted to have an unforgiving spirit. Forgiveness must always be in the ready to be poured out.

16 - “Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”” (Matthew 18:32-35, ESV)

RAF: Forgiveness of sin is to be freely proclaimed to all men, on the basis of Christ’s atonement. But should that proclamation bring no change of heart - grace refused, will at last prove to be grace removed. Men may imagine they can have forgiveness and not follow Christ, but it will prove to be a false hope.

17 - “And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”” (Matthew 19:23-24, ESV)

RAF: This has nothing to do with quantity of money or goods. Whatever we find too valuable in our eyes to part with that we might have Christ is what we think makes us “rich”. Whatever, or whoever, we cannot do without if it in any way hinders our following after Him - that is what will keep us out of Heaven. In the words of the commercial “What (or who) is in your wallet?”

18 - “So the last will be first, and the first last.”” (Matthew 20:16, ESV)

RAF: Imagine the great generosity toward us a 21st century American Christians. We’ve labored so little compared to some who have gone before us. Their blood preserved God’s Word and teaching. Their battles, their martyrdoms, their complete and utter devotion to Christ at the cost of their livelihoods, homes, families and lives have made us recipients of 2000 years more labor than we will give. May we pass on all we can to those who come after if Christ should tarry. And may we not begrudge them the smallest bit they inherit without our labors. May we rather celebrate the incomparable generosity of our God.

19 - “But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”” (Matthew 20:25-28, ESV)

RAF: Elders in the Church must not as much ask themselves how they can rule well or lead well, as much as they need to ask: “how can we best serve this people?”

20 - “ And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.” (Matthew 20:29-34, ESV)

RAF: Note first that Jesus was not the initiator. Often, people with needs imagine everyone should simply recognize them and respond as they might desire. Second, He did not presume to announce their need Himself, but asked what it was they desired. The obvious to one (especially the one in need) may not be to another. Those in need are responsible to articulate the need, and not to assume. Many a person leaves a good body of believers behind, hurt over the fact their needs were unperceived by others, and thus unmet. But note too - He responded when approached. So must Church leadership.

21 - “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”” (Matthew 22:37-40, ESV)

RAF: In other words, the Law and the Prophets hang on Christ. For He alone loved the Lord His God with all His heart, soul and mind, and, His neighbor as Himself.

NEW! ESV Study Bible - due out in October

responsivereiding — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:42:47 +0000

I know I’ll be getting one (Sky said she’ll make it my Christmas gift - woo-hoo!). It is probably the best single study tool I’ve seen.

Hello,

We invite you to download the latest sample from the ESV Study Bible, the Introduction to the book of Revelation (8 MB PDF). This pre-release PDF provides you a glimpse of what the ESV Study Bible is designed to deliver—namely, tools and information to help you understand God’s Word more deeply.

The Introduction to the book of Revelation explains the book’s author, date, historical setting, and purpose. The introduction also unpacks the key themes of the book, its literary features, and its place in the history of salvation. In addition to a full-color map showing the location of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation 2 and 3, you’ll also find a number of charts that give an overview of the various approaches to interpreting Revelation and the different millennial positions.

Every book in the ESV Study Bible has an introduction like this one, providing essential information to enrich your study of God’s Word. We have also included the first few pages from chapters 1 and 2 of the book of Revelation so that you can see the font size and layout of the ESV Study Bible.

You can learn more about the ESV Study Bible and get a pre-order discount at www.ESVStudyBible.org. REMINDER: the 33% pre-order discount ends this Sunday, June 15th.

If you are a pastor or Christian leader, we also invite you to email esvsb@crossway.org if you would like free informational brochures to provide to your church or ministry (while supplies last).

Keep watching your inbox for news about the ESV Study Bible, coming this October.

Thank you for your interest!

Sincerely,
The ESV Study Bible Team