When we take time to pip into the written word, the following underlining purposes      can be seen:-

1. warnings on the coming judgement (v10,16). The scripture not only reveal to us what happened thousands of years ago but also warns us of what is going to happen as revealed by God to his prophets and apostles.  Specific warnings referred to by Peter include the timing of the Lord’s return - He will come unannounced with respect to specific time but the same scriptures enjoins us to read the times (Matt 24 v 1-35 specifically v32-35) and what would happen to assets and resources we so much run after (v10).  This should affect our priorities in life (v11).
2. The Scripture advises on our Priorities. In the light of the intending judgement and end times destruction of material things accumulated,  it advises that we should live holy and godly lives (v11);live a life of hope anchored in eternity (v13), a life of purity, a life that is spotless (v14), a blameless life (v14) and a life at peace with Him (v14)
3. It explains the reason for the apparent delay in the Lord’s return - to give more time for the salvation of souls because He is not willing that any should perish (v9).
4. It encourages a most positive personal goal, there is - to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (v18).  That, as I look at the mirror of His word daily I would see a reflection of how closer I am evolving into the image and likeness of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The scriptures not only reveals the model but the ‘how - to’ of getting fitted into the model of Christ.
5. It enjoins us  to be on our guard (v17) - to be very alert not to be carried away by subtle teachings that take away from my relationship and my dependence on God.  Instead that, in an increasing manner, I must depend more and more on His grace and also increase in His knowledge.

May I indeed grow in the grace and knowledge of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ today and always through the illuminating power of your word as I read it and the ministration of the Holy Spirit that indwells me.  AMEN.

God’s written word, the scripture, has been written with definite purposes in mind, these include:

1. To serve as reminders (v1). The mind of man is so limited that any information not  regularly used is prone to be forgotten.  No other source exists today that reminds man of the expanse of God’s involvement in our world - the world he created and owns for His pleasure (Eph 1v4-5) as much as the written word!
2. Stimulation of wholesome thinking (v1). The word of God has power to focus our minds on things that are pure, excellent, good, godly etc (Phil 4v8), things that make for wholesome thinking.  If I want to renew my thought patterns there is no other alternative way than to soak it in the word of God.  No wonder the injunction to let the word of God dwell in me richly (Col. 3v16).
3. It gives eternal perspectives (v3-10). It gives us a world view and a timeless view of God’s purpose for His creation.  Essentially it is like the operations manual for the created world written by the manufacturer! While the unregenerated man, because of his limited mind, may scoff at the words and promises written therein, we gain an eternal perspective of what God’s intent and purpose for His world is (v8-9).
4. It reveals God (v8-10). God desires to be known by us and the scriptures tell us all we need to know about God - his purpose for creation, His timing, his patience, His love, His plans for the end of time (v10), what He did thousands of years before now and more!
5. It educates and completes us (2 Tim 3v16-17). The scripture contains all that is required to live Godly living here on earth and all that is required to equip us for service to God and man.

Man, do you wish to know God, to be wise, then know the word, study it, read it, memorise it, hear it and meditate on it, above all let it transform you into the image of the Son of God in line with his purpose as expressed in Rom. 8v29.
Lord, help me to know you through your word by the power of the Holy Spirit in me.  AMEN.

It is no fairy tale that every christian, those who “have  escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”(v20) can fall in love with, get entangled in and be overtaken by “thewages of wickedness ”(v15).

All of us - baby christians, the leaders and all those in between - face the temptation to head the other direction from the revealed will of our Lord and Master and such disobedience vary in motivation and intensity. Peter devoted the whole chapter to those leaders - false prophets - who “have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness”(v15) essentially acting as the dog that returns to its vomit or the washed swine that goes back to wallow in the mud.  Think of the following examples:

• Balaam, a prophet of righteousness, was motivated by greed - a love of riches and honor.
• Demas, a believer and member of Paul’s travelling missionary team just fell in love with the world and absconded to Thessalonica (2 Tim 4v10)
• Jonah, a prophet of the Almighty,  headed the other direction because he was sure God will forgive if the Ninevites repented (Jonah 4v1-2).

When for whatever reason we become too hard of hearing to recognise the still, small voice, when we become too pre-occupy with our ambition to respond to His promptings, there is  no limit to the extent that the Almighty, our loving Father,  will go to in order to attract our attention. He will use the unusual situation like a donkey speaking, He will command His messengers, the storm and the fish of the sea to get our attentions.

The last thing that is sure, that we can never wish away is the consequences of insisting on going our own way. God’s judgement will be visited on those who insist on their own way.  Peter affirmed that “They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done” (v13) and that “blackest darkness is reserved for them” (v17). That if God did not spare the angels who rebelled but sent them to hell, and if God destroyed the ancient world when He “saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time” (Gen.6v5) then there is no doubt that the devine judge will visit punishment on the disobedient. The Lord Jesus Himself pronounced the verdict during His earthly ministry. He said “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”(John 3v18) and that “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God”(Lk 9v62).

Think of the prospect of exclusion from the eternal kingdom and you will shudder. God definitely knows how “to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgement, while continuing their punishment. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority” (v9-10).

We must thank God continually that he also “knows how to rescue godly men from trials” (v9). May He deliver us from any deliberate turning away to our own ways and may He preserve our obedience  through Jesus Christ our lord. Amen.

What a comforting, reassuring thought from the fact that “the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials!” (v9). In every facet of life and daily living, it appears that we are surrounded by minefields of all sorts. These include:

1. The enemy within the fellowship. Peter here addresses the minefield within  the church, men of God , bent on exploiting the flock with made up stories they call visions all designed to enslave the very people who are looking for the freedom that only truth can give.
2. There are the children of darkness -  the enemies of light, who lay traps at every corner to entrap the godly by what they say and do as exemplified by the experience of Daniel and his colleagues. The scripture said “the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God” (Dan.6v4-5).
3. Then there is the enemy from within - that wage war against the soul as John warned “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world–the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does–comes not from the Father but from the world”(1 John 2v15-16). Paul graphically described the battle that rage in the inner man in Romans 7 and came to the conclusion of His wretchedness and helplessness. He exclaimed “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death”(Rom.7v24).
4. Of course, everywhere we turn, we can not ignore the chief enemy himself,Satan, that roaring lion, as Peter warned “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings” (1 Pet.5v8-9). Job was a clear example of a man whose only crime was his love for and commitment to God and as Paul concluded “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (1 Tim3v12).

While in many of these situations, we have a role to play in our deliverance such as resisting, standing firm in the faith, putting on the whole armour of God and in some instances fleeing like Joseph, it is confidence building to know that “the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials!” (v9). It is not ours to anticipate the strategy or method that He will use. We will never be able to set the timing except He asks us to but we can rest assured of two facts:

• that “The Lord knows those who are his” (2 Tim.2v19). Paul affirms that this is God’s solid foundation that stands firm
• that “the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials!” (v9)

All God calls us to do to appropriate the riches that are locked into these affirmations regarding His ability to rescue is to

1. know His promises and appropriate them, fully assured that He is a God that keeps His word as Peter observed “[He] …has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires”(2 Pet.1v4)
2. pray, pray, pray. Reach out to receive the rescue rather that struggle with the unseen enemy. All godly men of old did and we must not be so much obsessed with our power that we fail to hide under the shadow of His wings. It is foolishness to stand exposed when there is shelter of the All mighty.

Father, I thank you for the sweet assurance that you are able to rescue your own. I am excited to be your child. Thank you for this relationship that is mine through Jesus Christ, your son,  my Lord. Amen

I am not a pastor, i haven’t studied theology. but i’ll bet that Scripture can speak to a graphic design major at The College of New Jersey in as just a vibrant and alive way as anyone with credentials.

1Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: 2Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

How is this different than obtaining faith or getting stuck with it? receiving implies that its a gift, right? we pray for more of it, we don’t claim it as our own. Faith is a precious gift. God gives and gives and gives to us! Faith is precious. Jesus says that even a mustard seed of faith is valuable and can move mountains. in 2 Peter it says that we don’t earn or create our faith, but it is given to us, we receive it by the righteousness of God.

Something to ask: WHAT HAS GOD GIVEN ME FAITH IN? HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH TO ME? DO I WANT MORE OF IT?

HIS DIVINE POWER: there’s coersive power, power given to someone through giving ultimatums. There’s referencial power, people give you power because they like you and look up to you. there’s expert power, given because you’re an expert. Legit power- simply because you hold a position/title. But here, its divine power. GOD POWER > there’s nothing like it and none more powerful.

If you are a prisoner of war in a concentration camp, and you have lost hope, and hopeless, have thrown your morality away, and you learn that a prisoner exchange is being planned, and you see the guard coming down the row pointing to individual prisoners and calling them to follow him to freedom and family; it is not a mere piece of knowledge when he points to you and calls you. It is power! The power of hope surges through your body because you know you have been called. So when Peter says that divine power for hope and godliness flows through the knowledge of our call to glory, we can feel what he means. If we could but see the glory and excellence of God and know that our Creator has approached us and said, “You there, come; I’m going to show you my glory and give you an eternal life to enjoy it,” it would mean power! The power of hope and the power of godliness. You know this from experience: when you see the glory and excellence of God most clearly and know he has set his affections on you, then is when you have power to live as you ought. The knowledge that leads to life and godliness is said to be the knowledge of God’s precious and very great promises. And so we learn that the only knowledge of God that carries saving power is promising knowledge. The knowledge of the glory and excellence of God (in verse 3) gives power for godliness only if it communicates to us the happy promise that we are called and included. If after a week of rain a gloomy child wakes up on Saturday morning and sees the glorious sunshine calling him to play outdoors, new power flows into his spirit; but only if he really can go outside. If he were sick and couldn’t play, the beauty of the day and the fun of his friends outside might make him miserable. The knowledge of the glory of God must be promising if it is to carry power. We must know it and believe that we are included—that the promises are ours, that the call is to us.   (JOHN PIPER)

GLORY: the excellence fo God. expresses the excellence of his being- his attributes, essence. GOODNESS: depicts excellence expressed in deeds, virtue in action.

God uses both to bring about our salvation.

4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

through his divine power we have been given very great and precious promises-promises that allow me to participate in the nature of God, and escape the world. what does that? HOLY SPIRIT>>PROMISE, DEPOSIT.

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.-Ephesians 1:13-14

“If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be^[a] in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.- John 14:15-18

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.-John 14:26

divine nature

Having the Holy Spirit allows us to participate in the nature of Heaven- the supernatural, the Kingdom of God. Spiritual Gifts. Kingdom Work. Evangelism. Prayer.

The Holy Spirit helps us escape the corruption of the world by taking way our desires for things that don’t please God.

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28 You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God. 29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you.–Ezekiel 36:26-29

Very practically, I think this means we must day-by-day go to the Word of God and search for great promises. Fix one or two in your mind and hold them there before you all day. And use them to overcome temptation to sin and to incite you to daring acts of righteousness and love. Notice in the last part of verse 4 that corruption comes “by passion” or “lust” or “desire.” This means that the battle against corruption is fought on the field of our desires or passions. Sin makes its attack by holding out promises to us for our happiness. And sin will always win the battle unless we have the luscious carrot of God’s promises dangling clearly in front of our noses. Unless we enter our day armed with one or two precious and very great promises, we will be utterly vulnerable to temptation. But if we hold before our eyes the astonishing things God has promised us now and in the life to come, his divine power will be present and we will escape corruption and be conformed to the image of his Son. (JOHN PIPER)

goodness- what IS goodness?

8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

other translations:

For these things being to you and abounding, do make you neither inert or unfruitful in regard to the acknowledging of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If you do these things more and more, you will be good Christans and you will know more and more about our Lord Jesus Christ.

What does it mean that having knowledge of God is important? Why does knowledge bear fruit?

2 Peter 3:1-18 (NASB)
¹ This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,
² that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.
³ Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts,
⁴ and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”
⁵ For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water,
⁶ through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.
⁷ But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
⁸ But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.
⁹ The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
¹¹ Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
¹² looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!
¹³ But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
¹⁴ Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,
¹⁵ and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,
¹⁶ as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
¹⁷ You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness,
¹⁸ but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
 

1 Peter 2:17.

Honor the king.  Really?  Give him honor?  What does that really mean?

Merriam Webster’s Online dictionary defines honor as, a good name or public esteem.  Under synonyms it gives the comment that honor may apply to the recognition of one’s right to great respect or to any expression of such recognition.

The Greek word used in 1 Peter 2:17 for honor, is timao, given in the imperative mood, meaning it is a command.  This Greek word really is best translated… honor.  To revere, respect, prize, fix value upon.  But Peter certainly could not have been asking us to fix value upon and revere a king who doesn’t hold our position on marriage or the sanctity of life or taxes or economics or war or welfare or… (list your most favorite political issues here). 

Well, to give us some perspective, Nero was the king that Peter was referring to in this passage.  How do I know this?  Nero began his reign in October of 54 (when the former emperor Claudius was poisoned and Nero succeeded him as king), and ceased reigning in June of 68 (when Nero committed suicide).  It is quite sure that Peter wrote his second epistle during this time.  Peter refers in his letter to Paul’s letters as Scripture (2 Peter 3:15-16).  This makes it extremely unlikely that 2 Peter was written much before 60 (when the letters of Paul were regularly being collected, copied and moved around).  In addition to this, according to all the ancient witnesses, Peter died by the hands of Nero somewhere between 65 and 67 A.D.   It is hard to find a well thought out argument that argues for a dating of 2 Peter earlier than that of Nero’s reign, and most conservative scholars date it in the 60’s, during Nero’s later reign. 

Nero is the one that killed both Peter, the writer of the above verse, and Paul.  The ancient historians Tacitus, Suetonius and Cassius Dio all tell us the stories of the way that Nero would torture Christians, and brought the most severe Christian persecution the world ever knew up until that time.  Nero was notorious for his sexual exploits, and ended up killing his own mother while in power.  There is much more that can be said about the evils of Nero’s reign, but what I have already said will suffice to make my point. 

Honor this king?  Give him reverence and worth?  Give him public esteem, and make his name good in the way we respect him?  Unthinkable.  Yet the inspired text of Scripture demands it.

Trying to wrap our minds around this puts things in perspective in our current day.  Yes.  It is an understatement to say that it is a grievous thing that the leaders of our nation will not stop the killing of millions of unborn children.  In fact, it is chilling.  We do not support this, but rather we cry out against it, and… we honor the king.  We do not slam him.  We do not shame him as we talk about him with our friends, neighbors and co-workers.  We do not bring personal attack against his character.  We thank God for him, and we honor him. 

Though I know many of us are not excited about an Obama Presidency (I count myself among them, namely because of his stance on abortion), nor are we required to be, we are commanded to honor him, to grant him respect and reverence.  The more strongly you disagree with him or his policy, the more you have an opportunity to take a step of radical discipleship to Jesus Christ, the one who bought you with His own blood.  The more disappointed by the results of this election you are, the more pleasing to God it will be that you honor Obama, the one God has placed into office by His sovereign hand and infinite wisdom.

Fear God, honor the king.

more on politics to come…

In the Book of Isaiah (65:17 and 66:22) and the Book of Revelation (21:1) we are introduced to this idea of a ‘new heaven and new earth’. The two portions of Scripture that seem to make an attempt at describing the transition from old to new are Romans 8:19-25 and 2 Peter 3:7-13. I find these two accounts seem to be describing similar, yet different, events (I have the text of both passages below for you to read).

Romans 8:19-25 depicts creation as under a curse/bondage, seeking to be freed from this cosmic slavery, in the midst of a process that is compared to child birth, and awaiting a moment that somehow equated with the resurrection of our bodies. 2 Peter 3:7-13 on the other hand follows in line with a more apocalyptic, and some have suggested Stoic, imagery that depicts the earth as awaiting judgment by fire with the elements melting under intense heat. Is there anyways to reconcile these two depictions? If so, how? Or should we let each stand alone as but an attempt at describing an event that cannot really be described? Thus far I read Romans 8:18-25 as depicting the resurrection of the cosmos. 2 Peter 3:7-13 gives us a picture of the cosmos under judgment.

Romans 8:19-25 (ESV)

19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

2 Peter 3:7-13 (ESV)

2 Peter 3:14-18

Just as there are seasons of immense growth, there are times when we feel as though we are standing still spiritually. Seasons like these can be restful, especially when we make up our minds to allow God to do His perfect work in our lives. Even when you feel as though nothing major is happening, God is at work.

We need times of spiritual rest in order to be refreshed by God’s Spirit. Take advantage of the quiet seasons of life by committing yourself to prayer, keeping up with your spiritual journal, and studying God’s Word.

The secret to the deeper life is not found in activity but more often in restfulness, where we concentrate on the goodness and richness of the Lord and where we are taught by Him how to live each day according to His will.

It is only in times of quietness that you are able to hear God’s most intimate words. Have you learned to listen for His voice? Can you rest right where you are even as the world continues its fitful turning around you?

Seasons of quietness teach us how to find healing solitude in times of great activity. This is why Jesus told the disciples to abide in Him. When we abide, we rest, and when we rest, we experience great peace.

Have you learned to listen to His voice? What does that even mean?

If you have been following along you have realized that I missed week 8. So I take this post to combine them into one.

If all the previous weeks gave you reason to feel terrified by the holiness and God and the depth of your sin, then these two weeks give us reason to sing and rejoice because of the glorious grace and beautiful mercy of God. What undeserved love he has lavished upon us.

Just listen to the words of Colossians 2:13-14:

13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Not only were we condemned in our sin, but we were dead in our sin and unable to do anything about it. We had no way of “fixing” our situation. But because of his love and his good pleasure he made us alive. But not with just some magic wand did he do this. God’s wrath required so much more to be satisfied. Christ suffered so much to make us alive. And did we deserve it or earn it in anyway? No! He would have been justified to allow us to suffer the same end as the angels when they rebelled.

So walk, live, sing in a manner worthy of the Lord, for sin no longer has dominion over us because we are no longer under the Law but under grace. Praise our great God!

Update: A friend of mine also posted an article on grace today I want you to read. The illustrations he uses are so true of so many today and their opinion of how one gets to heaven. Great post Adam!

This series aims to offer reliable and enlightening exposition of the New Testament for the modern reader. Basing their remarks on their own fresh translations, authors introduce the historical, literary and theological backgrounds of the New Testament books, before providing a verse-by-verse exposition. Key terms and phrases from the translation are highlighted in the commentary discussion, which does not require knowledge of Greek, as Greek terms are generally explained. There are some excellent commentaries in this series.

Volumes:

• A Commentary on the Gospel according to St Matthew, Floyd V. Filson, 1960 (2nd ed., 1971)
• A Commentary on the Gospel according to St Mark, Sherman E. Johnson, 1960 (2nd ed., 1972)
• A Commentary on the Gospel according to St Mark, Morna D. Hooker, 1981
• A Commentary on the Gospel according to St Luke, A. R. C. Leaney, 1958 (2nd ed., 1966)
• A Commentary on the Gospel according to St John, J. N. Sanders, 1968
• The Gospel according to Saint John, Andrew T. Lincoln, 2005
• A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, C. S. C. Williams, 1957 (2nd ed., 1964)
• A commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, C. K. Barrett, 1957 (2nd ed., 1991)
• A Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians, C. K. Barrett, 1968 (2nd ed., 1971)
• A Commentary on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, C. K. Barrett, 1973
• A Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians, James D. G. Dunn, 1993
• A Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians, John Muddiman, 2001
• A Commentary on the Epistle to the Philippians, F. W. Beare, 1959, (2nd ed., 1969; 3rd ed., 1973)
• A Commentary on the Epistle to the Philippians, Markus Bockmuehl, 1997
• A Commentary on the First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, Ernest Best, 1972
• A Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles: I Timothy, II Timothy, Titus, J. N. D. Kelly, 1963
• A Commentary on the Epistle of James, Sophie Laws, 1980
• A Commentary on the Epistles of Peter and of Jude, J. N. D. Kelly, 1969
• A Commentary on the Johannine Epistles, J. L. Houlden, 1973 (2nd ed., 1994)
• A Commentary on the Revelation of St John the Divine, G. B. Caird, 1966 (2nd ed., 1984)
• The Revelation of Saint John, Ian Boxall, 2006

These commentaries were originally published by A. & C. Black in the UK and Harper and Row in the USA (hence the names of the series). The current publishers are Continuum in the UK and Hendrickson in the USA. Some of the older volumes are now out of print.

Visit the following link for information about other commentary series.

Referring to a sermon he heard, a friend shared he was “confused”, that he “couldn’t pin this guy down” but he felt this pastor was “berserk” running the church like a business.

I was alerted that God doesn’t leave us confused about the purpose and poison of these false teachers - He gave us 2 Peter to clearly instruct and warn us!

The epistle reveals how false teachers operate. To gratify their own greed and sensuality, false teachers sneak truths and half-truths with destructive consequences for the listeners and themselves (2:1-3). They bait people with false and illegitimate freedom to follow sinful desires (2:18-19).

“We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and  patience inherit what has been promised.  When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”  And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.”  Hebrews 6:11-15

Abraham received what was promised by God.  How well do you wait for things in your life?  How well do you wait in line?  How well do you wait on the telephone when they say, “Hold on, please?”  How well do you wait in a traffic jam?  How well are you waiting for your marriage to be restored?  How well are you waiting for your children to be restored?  How well are you waiting for your health to be restored?    

 ”The LORD is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”  2 Peter 3:9

losing hope in the Lord.  Wait patiently for His timing.

We finished 2 Peter in Sunday School today. Praise God! It was rewarding teaching through a book. If by God’s grace I can teach through the entire bible once in my life, I will die happy.

2 Peter 3:15 is the verse I found so full of hope and promises. The Lord will surely return, and He will come suddenly! But He is delaying judgment so that we Christians have time to grow in godliness and confirm our election. So count the patience of our Lord as salvation!

I want to redeem the time as He wants us to (Eph 5:15-17; Col 4:4-6).

• Read 2 Peter 1:3-4 here.  Also read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 here.
• If you missed Sunday’s sermon (31 August) you can listen to it here.

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In the sermon I suggested that it’s more appropriate to think of God as a “Divine Doing” rather than as a “Divine Being”.  Does this make any sense to you?  How is the distinction helpful, if at all?

Just as God saved Israel FROM Egypt, FOR the Promised Land, I believe that God concerns himself more with what he’s saving us FOR, that with what he’s saving us FROM.  On a big picture level, God is more interested in saving us for eternity with Him, than in saving us from Hell.  On a more personal level we’ve also been saved for a purpose in this life.  The story doesn’t end just with being rescued from something, the question is what comes next.  Do you feel that you know what God’s saved you FOR?

2 Corinthians 5:20 tells us that God has made us his ambassadors.  Specifically, we’re his ambassadors of reconciliation.  What responsibilities do you personally have as God’s ambassador of reconciliation?  Does the word “reconciliation” mean anything special to you?

Scripture & Songs

I’m trying to think of songs that convey the idea of being saved from the dumpster - not a common theme, at least in those words.  I think I’ll also throw in a few about being God’s representative, ambassador, or body here on earth.  If you have some suggestions please add them to the ‘comments’ below.

• Love Lifted Me (SOC, SFP, GSII)
• In Loving-Kindness Jesus Came
• Master the Tempest is Raging (SOC, SFP, GSII)
• Wonderful Grace of Jesus (SFP - the verses particularly match this theme)
• Consecration Medley (SFP - these songs all express a desire to imitate God)
• - Make Me New
• - Change My Heart, O God
• - Heart of a Servant
• - Servant Song
• Hands and Feet (released by Audio Adrenaline in 1999 on their album Underdog)
• If We are the Body (released by Casting Crowns in 2003 on their album Casting Crowns)
• You’re the Only Jesus (sung by David Will of the Imperials on the 1983 album Side By Side)
• Years I Spent in Vanity and Pride
• O the Bitter Pain and Sorrow (GSII, SFP, PFtL)
• My Sins, My Sins, My Savior (GSII, PFtL)

Final Crisis - Revelations #1

Final Crisis - Revelations #1

Dc Comics

Written by Greg Rucka

Pencils by Philip Tan

What is the deal with people using the word Revelations in titles? Are they trying to be high brow? Are they trying to invoke Biblical themes of judgement and destruction? Are they trying to show they know what they’re talking about? Because it’s not working, people! It’s Revelation. Not Revelations. There was one vision given to John written down in the New Testament. Not plural. You use Revelations and I’m going to write you off as a try hard. Sorry, that’s just the way it is.

Anyway, let’s talk about the Spectre.

The Spectre is a comic book character created in 1940. Police officer, Jim Corrigan, is murdered. His ghost is bonded with The Spirit of God’s Vengeance and becomes The Spectre. He goes around finding people who are guilty and condemning them with an ironic punishment. For instance, a man who kills his parents with rat poison would be eaten alive from the inside by rats, etc. These days The Spectre is hosted by deceased police officer, Crispen Allen.

In Final Crisis, the superhero J’onn J’onzz: The Martian Manhunter, was brutallymurdered by a group of super villains. Final Crisis - Revelations follows up the consequences of this murder. Doctor Light and Effigy, who were accomplices to the murder, are the first to be literally snuffed out by The Spectre. But when The Spectre goes after the one who committed the deed, the mysterious Libra, he finds himself impotent to stop him. The Spectre then encounters Renee Montoya, aka The Question, who has recently become the leader of a faction of the Religion of Crime.

The DC Universe is a fantastic place. Aliens, magicians and technological geniuses work together for good or ill. Wonder Woman receives her powers from the Greek Gods. Blue Devil became a demon after a Faustian pact with an evil being. Deadman continues to exist because of Rama Kushna, the face of the universe. Captain Marvel takes on his super heroic form when calling out SHAZAM (an acronym for six figures of myth), a word given to him by an ancient wizard. Raven is the daughter of a demon from another dimension. So how does God fit into all of this?

The answer is not well. The Christian God is the one and only God, the almighty. It is not possible to integrate God into such a world as the DCU without weakening his power or making him irrelevant. God either can’t act or won’t act. He is either powerless before those other powers or he’s indifferent and distant. This is not the God of the Bible. This is the problem that is faced by anyone who tries to write for The Spectre. Woflman and Perez held off The Spectre until the last minute in Crisis on Infinite Earths because The Spectre was too powerful. Even then they had him hold back.

In Final Crisis - Revelations, not only is The Spectre powerless to stop Libra, Libra is able to overpower him. This lessens the omnipotence of God. He is not all powerful. The nature of God is compromised.

When Crispin cries out to God because of this injustice, we are presented with a God who is distant. He doesn’t explain himself. His actions appear arbitrary. God moves in mysterious ways, but these ways do not appear to be just. This is not the God who revealed himself through his Word and sent his son Jesus to deal with the problem of sin.

The Lord does say “Vengeance is Mine” (Deuteronomy 32:35). He is a God of justice and he will punish those who reject him. The problem with The Spectre however is that it ignores the cross. Everyone is deserving of punishment. It’s not jsut murderers who are guilty. If The Spectre was doing his job properly, everyone would be subject to his ironic punishments. But because of his love and mercy, God sent Jesus to die on the cross and pay that punishment for us. All who accept the gift of Jesus are now free from the consequences of sin. However, God is a patient God. He is holding off judgement, holding off his vengeance, so that people will turn to him (2 Peter 3:9). The Spectre isn’t necessary, as the day will come when everyone will come under judgement and face the prospect of God’s vengeance.

The need for a human host for The Spectre is a boon for writers, but a loss for the doctrine of God. Crispen Allen presents a human element to The Spectre. We can relate to his doubts about the job before him. Our difficulty to understand is his difficulty. A Spectre without a human host is like trying to relate to a cyclone - a force of nature which we cannot relate to or understand. The downside is that God cannot act without man. A human is needed to bring control and justice to God’s Vengeance. This is such a human centric view that ignores God’s virtues. God is just. God is loving. God know what is best for his creationl. God doesn’t need us in order to be more human, we need God in order to be more like him.

I’m interested to see where Rucka takes this series. It’s about time someone dealt with Doctor Light. And I’m really keen to see where Rucka takes the storyline with the Religion of Crime.

My church has been working through some basic doctrine together on Wednesday nights, beginning with the doctrine of the Word of God. We started off with something of a “Biblical theology of God’s Word,” seeing from Scripture how central God’s spoken Word has been from Creation all the way to the New Creation. Tonight, we arrived at the centrality of the Word in the church, as presented in the NT epistles. I was struck, as I have been many times, when we read together the the apostle Peter’s words in his second letter. He begins by recounting his experience on the Mount of Transfiguration. How magnificent it would have been to stand on that mountain with James, and John, witnessing the glory cloud at Jesus’ transfiguration! What a sense of awe it would have evoked, viewing the very glory of God, and listening to the audible sound His authoritative voice. No one could leave such an encounter without knowing that God had been present. And yet Peter, as he writes years later to a group of churches led to believe by false teachers that Christ was not really returning, says something remarkable about Scripture. With the memory of the Transfiguration still fresh, he asserts that they possessed something even more reliable than the audible voice of God.

And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as a to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.( 2 Peter 1:19-21) 

According to Peter, if the church in the first or 21st century wants to tremble in awe along with Moses and James and John, if it wants to be caught up into a life-changing encounter with the divine, this comes about when we humbly gather around the written word of God. This means that the same manifestation of His will and word, so tangible at the Transfiguration, is being revealed to His people every time a father sits down with his children and explains to them the love of Jesus in a family devotional. This means that the glory of God is made manifest over the creaking pews of a rural Baptist church, filled with farmers and railroad workers and teachers, who sit submissively under the preached word of God. They are hearing the voice of God revealing Himself and directing their paths. As Peter put it, they are looking with to a lantern light in a sin-darkened world until the morning star arises in their hearts.

I don’t think Peter was implying a casual look; I think he intended the kind of desperate clinging to a flickering light in a pitch-black cave filled with unseen, life-threatening dangers. This is the call of God’s people: to look to this lantern light together, and to follow its path, until the Morning Star arises and the Light of the World casts out every shadow once and for all. We need this kind of desperation for God’s Word as we preach and sit under Biblical preaching, not content with entertaining stories and jokes, but well-aware of our need for the light. We need it throughout the week, not idly thumbing through a devotional book, but desperately running to the Spirit-inspired prophets and apostles, to hear the voice of Jesus Christ. May we cling to the light this week, to the glory of our King, until he comes again.

• Read 2 Peter 1:3-4 here. Also read Ephesians 1:3-10 here.
• If you missed Sunday’s sermon (24 August) you can listen to it here.

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Since the questions last week didn’t prompt a lot of discussion, let me begin with a more lighthearted approach this week. Now that the Olympics are over, What spiritual truths can we learn from Olympic events? Eg. Paul wrote, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” (1 Cor 9:24) Can you make up some examples of your own?

This week’s sermon asked, “Do you believe that you are who God has said you are?” Ephesians 1:3-8 lists several things that God says about us: God has “blessed us, chosen us, adopted us, redeemed us, forgiven us, and lavished us with grace.” 2 Peter 1:4 says that “we may participate in the divine nature”. Do you have a favorite thing that God has said about who you are? Other examples include that we are sheep or ambassadors.

Scripture and Songs

As always, if you have suggestions for songs related to this week’s discussion topic, please add a comment.

• I Am a Sheep (SFP - First written & performed by Dennis Jernigan in 1988.)
• Something Beautiful (SFP - written by the Gaithers in 1971)
• I Want to be Where You Are
• What a Wonderful Change in My Life
• I Am His and He Is Mine (SFP)
• I Am Mine No More
• Let the Beauty of Jesus Be Seen In Me (SOC)
• His Grace Reaches Me (SFP)
• Marvellous Grace of Our Loving Lord
• Living for Jesus (SFO)
• Immortal Invisible, God Only Wise (Since we read 1 Tim 1:17 in the sermon I had to include this one)
• May I Call You Father (SFP)
• What a Friend we Have in Jesus

‘The Original Jesus, or How the New Testament bears witness to him’

A Christological Survey & Summary of the New Testament, taught by John Stott at The London Lectures in Contemporary Christianity, 2000

Regardless of whatever people may think of him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in Western culture for almost 20 centuries. 3 particular ways we can notice his dominance:

(i) He is the centre of human history.  One third of world claims to be Christian, split history into BC/AD

(ii) He is the focus of Scripture.  Jerome: “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ, because the Scriptures are full of Christ.”

(iii) He is the heart of mission.  Why do Christians cross continents and cultures as missionaries?  To commend a person, Jesus Christ.

In this lecture, Stott considers the New Testament evidence for the Original Jesus, in general, except for the book of Revelation which he considers in a later lecture.  He summarises each New Testament book and in particular considers their teaching on Jesus Christ.  He proposes that the lecture series is appropriately called ‘The Incomparable Christ’, for there is nobody – past, present, or future - like Jesus. 

A. THE GOSPELS

How great to have 4 gospels!  Jesus Christ is too great to only have one. Important to hold that as well as being historically thorough in their recordings, the gospel writers were evangelists, presenting Jesus so readers would believe, and theologians, developing their own distinctive theology of Jesus.  As a result we have a portrait with 4 faces, a diamond with 4 facets.

1. Matthew: Jesus the fulfillment of the Old Testament

Strongly Jewish in origin and culture; portrays Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament.  A bridge between Old Testament and New Testament, between the age of preparation and the age of fulfillment.  The gospel writers saw and heard what their predecessors longed to. 

Matthew presents Jesus as:

(i) Fulfillment of prophecy: “now this took place to fulfill” 11 times in Gospel.  Everything that happened had been predicted; everything that was predicted had been fulfilled.  Note also Matthew’s recapitulation of the story of Israel.  Moses refugee in Egypt under Pharaoh; Jesus refugee in Galilee under Herod.  The Israelites passed through Red Sea to be tested in the wilderness for 40 years; Jesus passed through waters of baptism to be tested in wilderness for 40 days. 

(ii) Fulfillment of the law: Jesus the new Moses.  In the Old Testament we have the 5 books of Moses; in Matthew we have 5 collections of teachings of Jesus.  A Christian Pentateuch.  At the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says he came not to abolish but fulfill the law, and expects his followers to be more righteous than Pharisees.  How could they possibly do that?  Christian righteousness is greater than Pharisaical righteousness because it is deeper - it is a righteousness of the heart.  In this way, Jesus fulfilled the law – he looked past a superficial understanding to see its radical demand of commitment of the heart.

(iii) Fulfillment of Israel.  The whole Israelite nation had become apostate; Jesus came to begin a new Israel - so he chose 12 disciples to replace the 12 tribes and become the nucleus of this new Israel.  The new Israel would be inter-racial, international and the salt and light of the world.

2. Mark: Jesus the Suffering Servant of the Lord

Jesus portrayed as the Suffering Servant of the Lord, who dies for his people’s sins.  The cross is central.  Watershed event is in chapter 8: who do you think I am?  3 crucial truths emerged:

(i) Who Jesus was.  Not another prophet, but the fulfillment of all prophecy, the Christ.  Then Jesus warned them not to tell anyone.  This strange command to silence was because the public had false understandings of the Messiah.  Galilee was a hotbed of nationalistic expectations; Jesus was afraid he’d be cast in this revolutionary role - not what he came to do.

(ii) What Jesus came to do.  Jesus then laid his emphasis on the cross - 3 more predictions of his death follow.  In them he combines two Old Testament terms: the Son of Man, the highest conceivable expression of exaltation in Jewish writings; and the Suffering Servant, the highest expression of humility.  This unheard-of, new act of Jesus united these two apparently contradictory tasks in his own self-consciousness. 

(ii) What Jesus asks of us.  After speaking of his coming death, he challenges the crowd to deny self, take up cross and follow him.  Moving from his cross to ours, Jesus portrays Christian discipleship as self-denial and even death - much more radical than just an amalgamation of beliefs, good works, and religious practices.  No imagery can do it more justice than death to old life and resurrection to new life of holiness and love.  Presents the paradox that it is only when prepared to die to self that we begin to live. 

There is no authentic Christian faith or life unless the cross is at its centre - that is Mark’s main emphasis.

3. Luke and Acts: Jesus the Saviour of the World

There is a close connection to who the evangelists were, and how they presented Jesus.  Seen especially in Luke - the only gentile contributor to the New Testament, a doctor and scholar, with wide horizons and broad sympathies.  It is appropriate that he then presents Jesus as Saviour of world, encapsulated in the song of Simeon: “my eyes have seen your salvation”.  Luke’s key themes:

(i) Good news of salvation.  Salvation is a key word in both Luke’s works.  Includes two components: negatively, the removal of guilt, bringing forgiveness; positively, the gift of the Holy Spirit who brings new life. 

(ii) Good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.  Clear in story of Simeon.  Saw a baby, but said his eyes had seen God’s salvation. 

(ii) Good news of salvation through Jesus Christ for the whole world.  Deliberately at beginning of both volumes is a statement of universality. Acts as a signpost to the stories that follow.  In Luke, an emphasis on Jesus ministry to outcasts; in Acts, an emphasis on missionary endeavour to ends of earth.  God’s love in Christ reaches out to touch untouchables. 

4. John: Jesus the incarnate Word of God

Christ the eternal Word of God became a human being and dwelt among us.  Thus the amazing paradoxes: the creator assumed the human frailty of his creatures; the holy one exposed to temptation; the immortal died. 

John’s purpose in writing in 20:31 - that you may believe that he is the Christ, and by believing you may have life in his name.  Note 3 stages: (i) John selected and recorded certain signs; (ii) in order that his readers might believe in Jesus; (iii) so that they might receive life.  Testimony leads to faith leads to life.

So, John assembled seven witnesses – the miraculous signs. These act as active parables – spiritual significance most important.  They dramatise the 7 respective claims.  All these are signs of power – in first half of the book.  In second half, John assembles signs of humility and weakness – from washing disciples’ feet, to dying on a cross.

5. The Letters of John

If the purpose in his gospel was to witness to Christ so readers may believe and have life, John’s purpose in his letters, to take readers a stage further – to know that they have life.  It is one thing to receive eternal life, and another to know you have received it.  He provides 3 tests to undermine counterfeit Christians, and confirm genuine Christians – the doctrinal, moral, and social tests.

So that’s the 4 faces of Jesus, each with a different facial expression.  They are not incompatible.  We should not turn the four into one, or the one into four.  Burridge writes: 4 gospels, one Jesus.  This one story in 4 versions is now normative - the test by which to measure all other claims to the original Jesus. 

B. PAUL’S LETTERS

Jesus and Paul: are they related by continuity or by discontinuity? 

Some claim Paul is the second founder, or the real founder, of Christianity.  A.N. Wilson claims Paul is the originator of Christianity and has complicated the simple message of Jesus. True, he only quoted Jesus 4 times; omitted any reference to his baptism etc.  But Paul is steeped in the mind and words of his Lord. 

13 letters attributed to him.  Not easy to do justice to Paul’s witness to Jesus Christ but they are characterised by unity and diversity.  There are 5 major groups presenting different aspects of Jesus.

1. The polemic letter (Galatians): Jesus the liberator

Key text  in Gal 5:1 where Paul portrays salvation as freedom:

(i) From the law.  Not that the law is inherently wrong, but that in particular we have freedom from the curse of the law – judgement on those who disobey it. 

(ii) From the flesh.  That is our fallen, self-centred, self-indulgent nature.  We experience a conflict between flesh and spirit; which one wins depends on our attitude to both.  If we adopt an attitude to the flesh of crucifixion, and live in the Spirit: then the ninefold fruit of the Spirit will emerge in our character and conduct.

2. The early letters (1 & 2 Thess): Jesus the coming judge

Paul and his companions visited Thessalonica during his 2^nd missionary journey, and these letters were written and dispatched within weeks/months of leaving there.  The chief emphasis is on the Parousia, the second coming of Jesus to save and to judge.  Every chapter has a direct or indirect reference to it.  2 examples:

- Some were grieving in bereavement.  What would happen to their friends who had died at the second coming?  Paul answers by setting an eschatological programme for them. 

- Others confused by rumour that the day had already taken place.  Paul refutes by unfolding a Christian philosophy of history. 

3. The major letters (Romans, 1 & 2 Cor): Jesus the Saviour

Salvation is the key theme (see Rom 1:16, 1 Cor 1:21, 2 Cor 6:2).

Romans: after a brief introductino, the universal need for salvation is powerfully set forth, and presented as achievable only through Christ.

1 Cor: about the same length as Romans but very different.  Romans is an ordered exposition of the gospel; 1 Cor is an assortment of up to 20 different issues dealt with pastorally.  At the centre: the cross.  At the end, there is a fine statement of the gospel of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

2 Cor: arguably the most personal of all the letters of Paul.  He begins by defending himself against false apostles claiming to be super-apostles.  He then writes on the central aspects of Christian ministry: ministry of the new covenant, and of reconciliation.  A clear exposition of the doctrine of reconciliation, with Christ as the agent.  Returns at the end to a defence of his own ministry and speaks of his thorn in the flesh, through which he learned to rejoice in his weakness.  Strength through weakness a key theme – it’s true in Jesus, and true in his followers as well.

4. The prison letters (Eph, Col, Phil, Phil): Jesus the supreme Lord

Christ the absolutely supreme Lord.  While in prison Paul had time to meditate and write.  Prison bars could confine his body but not his mind or heart. 

Ephesians and Colossians run parallel in various points, in particular with Paul’s wonderful Christology. Jesus has supremacy – he is the supreme head of both creations – church and universe.  But these letters are not just about this exalted level of participating in Christ in the heavenly realms – but Paul also relates it down to earth, with its effect on church and family – should affect all our relationships.  This is expanded in Philemon.

Philippians similarly combines faith and behaviour.  An old Christian hymn used and given Paul’s apostolic endorsement.  Christ humbled himself to the depths of incarnation and atonement and then experienced the heights of exaltation above all.  This lordship of Jesus Christ worked itself out in Paul’s everyday living.  Why?  Because the Lord is near.  Exalted but near – dominates prison epistles.

5. The pastoral letters (1 & 2 Tim, Titus): Jesus the head of the church

All 3 of these letters have a preoccupation with the church, the body of Christ.  The existence of the church is the purpose of the death of Christ.  Paul defines the church in relation to the truth – the pillar and foundation of the truth – the foundation holding it firm and the pillar thrusting it aloft for all to see.  2 Tim 2:2 sums up these letters.  Note the 4 stages in the handing on of truth – Paul; Timothy & Titus; the true and trusty pastors they are to appoint; and others.  This is what is meant by the true apostolic succession.  10 times in 1 Tim phrases like “teach these things”.   

In our postmodern era, where the concept of truth is questioned and all that is left is purely subjective opinion, what a relief to listen to Paul.  Nothing is more necessary for the life, health and growth of the church than preaching of the truth and faithfulness to apostolic teaching. 

So here is a composite picture, a tapestry of Christ, from Paul, for whom to live was Christ. 

C. 3 MORE JEWISH AUTHORS

James, Hebs, Peter.  Intended in different degrees for a Jewish readership.

1. James: Jesus the moral teacher

One of Jesus’ brothers, an unbeliever during Jesus’ life but came to faith as a result of a resurrection appearance. Known as James the Just – moral and pious; had knees as hard as a camel’s knees because he prayed so much.  What of his witness to Jesus?  Jesus Christ is only named twice in letter, but one is “our glorious Lord” – worth several mentions!  Presents Jesus essentially as a moral teacher. 

Does James disagree with Paul?  Paul claimed Abraham was justified by faith not works; James claimed Abraham was justified by works. 

A natural harmony emerges when we realise the different situations they were writing into.  Paul writing against Judaisers, James writing against intellectualisers – both of whom were mistaken.  Both apostles taught same faith of justification by faith unto good works.  Paul stresses the faith that issues in works; James stresses the works that issue from faith. 

2. Hebrews: Jesus and his supreme covenant

The identity of the author is uncertain, but his purpose is not.  He wrote to a group of Hebrew Christians to persuade them not to lapse back into Judaism and forsake Christ. 

There is a brief but magnificent Christological introduction which then moves into the author’s three themes:

(i) The superiority of priesthood of Christ.  Jesus holds it permanently rather than temporal human priests.

(ii) The superiority of sacrifice of Christ.  Provides immediate and continual access into the Holy of holies, the presence of God himself. 

(iii) The superiority of the covenant of Christ.  The principle theme: this unique priest through his unique sacrifice has enacted a unique covenant, through which he writes the law on our hearts, he meets us personally, and he forgives our sins. No question of other priests, sacrifice, covenant.  Jesus is the best on all three! So don’t lapse!

3. 1 & 2 Peter: Jesus the exemplary sufferer

The stormclouds of systematic persecution were clouding the horizon, and some local outbursts had begun.  How should we then live?

In 1 Peter gives 6 reasons to persevere under suffering:

(i) Suffering strengthens and purifies our faith

(ii) Suffering is part of our Christian calling

(iii) Suffering gives opportunities to witness

(iv) Suffering has a sanctifying influence upon us

(v) Suffering gives opportunities to share in the sufferings of Christ

(vi) Suffering is a necessary path to glory

In 2 Peter, which is closely related to Jude, Peter focuses on the certainty of Christ return, and says the delay is because of God’s mercy.  What kind of people should we be when we are waiting?  Make every effort to be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with him. 

This rapid survey highlights a beautiful variety in the New Testament’s witness to Christ.  Diverse in authors, literary form, topics addressed, theological emphases, and portrayal of Jesus.  But a unity of message. 

A.M. Hunter: there is a growing recognition of the essential unity of the New Testament and the need for synthesis.  A unity that transcends and dominates all cultural difference.  Later in the 20^th Century, however, there was a swing towards diversity, and finding discrepancies.  This led to the conclusion that there is no such thing as a coherent New Testament theology; only a bunch of mutually incompatible New Testament theologies. 

So how should we respond? 

Indeed, we have not the liberty to find artificial harmony, and cannot simply iron out apparent discrepancies; and we should allow authors to say what they want to say, and not what we want to say.  However, they complement each other, and do not contradict each other.  Even Paul and James don’t preach a different gospel.  But all find unity in devotion to the person of Jesus Christ, the historical Jesus Christ, the one now acknowledged as the transcendent Lord.  The event of Jesus Christ is too great to be caught in one interpretation – that is why the New Testament compiled a variety of authors in different situations to highlight the unity and unilateral implications of the one event.  This is exactly what we should expect to happen if we believe in the dual authorship of Scripture.  So we pay our tribute to the original Jesus – the Jesus of the New Testament witness, who is the incomparable Christ.  

• Read 2 Peter 1:3-4 here.
• If you missed Sunday’s sermon (17 August) you can listen to it here .

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Thanks to everyone who contributed to last week’s conversation. We had a record number of people participate, as well as record number of readers. If you haven’t already, it’s still not too late to share your “precious promises”.

This week’s text tells us that God gives us everything we need for life and godliness, “through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” The sermon concentrated on the promise of “everything we need”, but we could have also addressed how we get “knowledge about Jesus.” How do you get knowledge about Jesus? Is it just a matter of memorising the Gospels?

The verse also says that Jesus called us by his “glory and goodness”. I think it’s wonderful to know that Jesus called me. It wasn’t an accident that I stumbled upon the Gospel, Jesus called me. But what does the description “by his glory and goodness” mean to you? How does it match your experience of being called by Christ?

FINALLY, in the sermon I quoted Karl Barth (but I don’t have a reference, I just copied someone else) as saying, “The promises of God are surrounded by things that contradict them.” Does this statement prompt any thoughts for you?

Scripture & Songs

I’m trying to think of songs that concern the theme of trusting God’s promises to provide all I need for life and godliness. Please add your suggestions by making a comment.

• He is Able (SFP)
• God Will Make a Way (SFP - originally performed by Don Moen in 1990 on the album Eternal God)
• Be Not Dismayed Whate’er Betide
• He Leadeth Me
• O How Kindly Hast Thou Lead Me
• Jesus, Hold My Hand (SOC)
• Faith is the Victory
• He Knows Just What I Need (SOC)
• Does Jesus Care?
• It is No Secret (What God can Do - SFP) (Performers have included Elvis, Johnny Cash, & Jim Reeves)

The principle that should guide our attention to Scripture is that its meaning is objective, not subjective. The meaning of Scripture does not change with every new reader or every new reading. It cannot be twisted to mean whatever we like. It is what it is, unchanging and unending. The first principle, therefore, in giving heed to Scripture is that there is a true meaning and there are false meanings, and we must submit our minds to trace out what is really there rather than presuming that whatever pops into our minds at our first reading is the true meaning.

- John Piper, sermon on 2 Peter 1:20-21

Friends,

This is a rather lengthy text from a sermon I preached in January 2007. It was the introductory sermon I preached in a series of sermons from the book of Daniel. I have also uploaded it to box.net if you would prefer the .doc version. jerry

The Church in Exile, pt 1

The People of God will Go Into Exile

Grounding Text: Jeremiah 25:1-14

1 The word came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. 2 So Jeremiah the prophet said to all the people of Judah and to all those living in Jerusalem: 3 For twenty-three years-from the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah until this very day-the word of the LORD has come to me and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened.

4 And though the LORD has sent all his servants the prophets to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention. 5 They said, “Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices, and you can stay in the land the LORD gave to you and your fathers for ever and ever. 6 Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them; do not provoke me to anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you.” 7 “But you did not listen to me,” declares the LORD, “and you have provoked me with what your hands have made, and you have brought harm to yourselves.”

8 Therefore the LORD Almighty says this: “Because you have not listened to my words, 9 I will summon all the peoples of the north and my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon,” declares the LORD, “and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy them and make them an object of horror and scorn, and an everlasting ruin. 10 I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, the sound of millstones and the light of the lamp. 11 This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

12 “But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians, for their guilt,” declares the LORD, “and will make it desolate forever. 13 I will bring upon that land all the things I have spoken against it, all that are written in this book and prophesied by Jeremiah against all the nations. 14 They themselves will be enslaved by many nations and great kings; I will repay them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.”

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We are beginning a new series of sermons today. It is a series from the book of Daniel, but before we get to Daniel’s book next week or even this week, we need to do some preliminary investigation and background work. Daniel’s book is a book about Israel in captivity, in exile. It is a not a pleasant story to read. It is not a mere children’s story. People being thrown into fires, people being thrown into lions’ dens, wars without end, ghost-hands writing on walls, and people getting sick are not normally the things that make up children’s stories.

Daniel is a difficult story to read, but I don’t mean difficult to understand, or comprehend. What I mean is this: If Daniel is reckoned as a canonical book that is inspired of the Holy Spirit and is thus binding upon the church for it’s theological content and practice of faith, then the message of Daniel is not only relevant and timely but it is also a terrible reminder of just how powerful is the Lord God whose Spirit inspired the book.
 
But, on the other hand, it is a magnificent book of just how powerful and mighty is the Lord God whose Son is attested to in the book. We encounter a majestic Lord in this book. One who is not given to really care too much what man thinks unless man thinks in the wrong way as in the case of Nebudchadnezzer or Belshazzar or any of the other kings we will encounter who think they are unshakeable, unbreakable and invincible. God proves over and over again to these malcontents that this universe is His and that He will not be wished away or disregarded. The Book of Daniel is the story of a God who will not be pushed away from the center to the periphery. It is the story of a God who is control and who, in spite of appearances, protects his people. 

We shall learn about this God over the course of the next several weeks. We will travel all through the 12 chapters that make up Daniel’s book. And, in that course, we will read every word from the book. Some might think that is uneccesary, but Daniel is a book of the canonical Bible and as such it is a part of a larger narrative of God’s purposes and plans for this world. In it we learn far more about the nature and actions of God than we do of man-even though man plays a prominent role in the story. We learn about God’s plans for this world and for the people who inhabit it. We get a peak into why God does what he does and the means he uses to bring about his purposes. Scary as it sounds, God used Babylon to bring judgment on Israel, but he also used Israel to redeem Babylon. It is an amazing story that I believe needs to be read in complete context-not only within itself, but also within the greater biblical narrative.

So to begin our series on Daniel’s Gospel, I would like us to travel to the book of 2 Kings and read a few selections from that book to set the context of Daniel’s book. I will read these selections without commentary or any detail analysis. Furthermore, there will only be the barest minimum of application. Here they are, unfiltered, uncut, in the raw.

The History Behind Daniel’s Book

Grounding Text: 2 Kings 23:36-24:4; 24:8-20; 25:13-17, 21

Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Zebidah daughter of Pedaiah; she was from Rumah. 37 And he did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as his fathers had done.

During Jehoiakim’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded the land, and Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years. But then he changed his mind and rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar. 2 The LORD sent Babylonian, Aramean, Moabite and Ammonite raiders against him. He sent them to destroy Judah, in accordance with the word of the LORD proclaimed by his servants the prophets. 3 Surely these things happened to Judah according to the LORD’s command, in order to remove them from his presence because of the sins of Manasseh and all he had done, 4 including the shedding of innocent blood. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD was not willing to forgive.

*  *  *

8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan; she was from Jerusalem. 9 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father had done.

10 At that time the officers of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon advanced on Jerusalem and laid siege to it, 11 and Nebuchadnezzar himself came up to the city while his officers were besieging it. 12 Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his attendants, his nobles and his officials all surrendered to him.
In the eighth year of the reign of the king of Babylon, he took Jehoiachin prisoner. 13 As the LORD had declared, Nebuchadnezzar removed all the treasures from the temple of the LORD and from the royal palace, and took away all the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made for the temple of the LORD. 14 He carried into exile all Jerusalem: all the officers and fighting men, and all the craftsmen and artisans-a total of ten thousand. Only the poorest people of the land were left.

15 Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin captive to Babylon. He also took from Jerusalem to Babylon the king’s mother, his wives, his officials and the leading men of the land. 16 The king of Babylon also deported to Babylon the entire force of seven thousand fighting men, strong and fit for war, and a thousand craftsmen and artisans. 17 He made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah.

18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah. 19 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as Jehoiakim had done. 20 It was because of the LORD’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust them from his presence. Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

*  *  *

13 The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars, the movable stands and the bronze Sea that were at the temple of the LORD and they carried the bronze to Babylon. 14 They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes and all the bronze articles used in the temple service. 15 The commander of the imperial guard took away the censers and sprinkling bowls-all that were made of pure gold or silver.

16 The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the movable stands, which Solomon had made for the temple of the LORD, was more than could be weighed. 17 Each pillar was twenty-seven feet high. The bronze capital on top of one pillar was four and a half feet high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its network, was similar.

21b So Judah went into captivity, away from her land.

*  *  *

This is the context of Daniel. Daniel was one of the young men taken to Babylon. Key, I believe, is what is said in verse 3 of chapter 4: Surely these things happened according to the Lord’s command. So even this time of exile for Israel was under the provence of the Lord God. This comports with what we read in Daniel chapter 1:

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god.

It is important to see the hand of the Lord involved in the activities that surround and fill this book. This will enlighten and strengthen our faith and understanding of God’s actions in our own world. It is important to understand that, for a little while anyhow, the Lord gave the appearance of his own defeat and demise.

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This is the background. This is why Israel went into captivity. This was the nature of the capturing that the Babylonians exacted upon Israel. It was a brutal time. There was violence and bloodshed. Many people died in the process. Some rebelled and suffered worse. Nebudchadnezzar was not, apparently, known for his compassion on those he sought to conquer and destroy. He forced them, rather brutally, into compliance.

Now there is another side to this story. Kings tells us the history of the nation going into captivity. He tells us of a long succession of failed rulers and violent upheavals and overthrown kings and rulers. There is another side which, for lack of a better idea, I might call God’s point of view. This is the story of the exile and captivity told in the Prophets. We must here turn to Jeremiah. Again, I’ll read some selections without offering much commentary. I want you to hear these words at face value. Simply listen to the prophet’s voice and imagine yourself a captive, a young Hebrew in a foreign land, under a brutal Babylonian guard, imagine hearin the Words of the Lord from the prophet. The Lord continued to make clear through the prophet Jeremiah how life was to be lived under Nebudchadnezzar and why it was to be so. We will begin in chapter 27 where we learn about Judah’s impending disaster.

The Theological Point of the Exile
Grounding Text: Jeremiah 27:1-22; 28:10-16; 29:4-23

1 Early in the reign of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD : 2 This is what the LORD said to me: “Make a yoke out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck. 3 Then send word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4 Give them a message for their masters and say, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Tell this to your masters: 5 With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please. 6 Now I will hand all your countries over to my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him. 7 All nations will serve him and his son and his grandson until the time for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate him.

8 “If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish that nation with the sword, famine and plague, declares the LORD, until I destroy it by his hand. 9 So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your interpreters of dreams, your mediums or your sorcerers who tell you, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon.’ 10 They prophesy lies to you that will only serve to remove you far from your lands; I will banish you and you will perish. 11 But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to live there, declares the LORD.”‘”

12 I gave the same message to Zedekiah king of Judah. I said, “Bow your neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and you will live. 13 Why will you and your people die by the sword, famine and plague with which the LORD has threatened any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Do not listen to the words of the prophets who say to you, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they are prophesying lies to you. 15 ‘I have not sent them,’ declares the LORD. ‘They are prophesying lies in my name. Therefore, I will banish you and you will perish, both you and the prophets who prophesy to you.’”

16 Then I said to the priests and all these people, “This is what the LORD says: Do not listen to the prophets who say, ‘Very soon now the articles from the LORD’s house will be brought back from Babylon.’ They are prophesying lies to you. 17 Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live. Why should this city become a ruin? 18 If they are prophets and have the word of the LORD, let them plead with the LORD Almighty that the furnishings remaining in the house of the LORD and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem not be taken to Babylon. 19 For this is what the LORD Almighty says about the pillars, the Sea, the movable stands and the other furnishings that are left in this city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away when he carried Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem- 21 yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says about the things that are left in the house of the LORD and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem: 22 ‘They will be taken to Babylon and there they will remain until the day I come for them,’ declares the LORD. ‘Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.’”

*  *  *

10 Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it, 11 and he said before all the people, “This is what the LORD says: ‘In the same way will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon off the neck of all the nations within two years.’ ” At this, the prophet Jeremiah went on his way.

12 Shortly after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 13 “Go and tell Hananiah, ‘This is what the LORD says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but in its place you will get a yoke of iron. 14 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will put an iron yoke on the necks of all these nations to make them serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals.’”

15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The LORD has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies. 16 Therefore, this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you are going to die, because you have preached rebellion against the LORD.’” 17 In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died.

*  *  *

4 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” 8 Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. 9 They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the LORD.

10 This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

15 You may say, “The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,” 16 but this is what the LORD says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all the people who remain in this city, your countrymen who did not go with you into exile- 17 yes, this is what the LORD Almighty says: “I will send the sword, famine and plague against them and I will make them like poor figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten. 18 I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth and an object of cursing and horror, of scorn and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them. 19 For they have not listened to my words,” declares the LORD, “words that I sent to them again and again by my servants the prophets. And you exiles have not listened either,” declares the LORD.

20 Therefore, hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon. 21 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies to you in my name: “I will hand them over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will put them to death before your very eyes. 22 Because of them, all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: ‘The LORD treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned in the fire.’ 23 For they have done outrageous things in Israel; they have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and in my name have spoken lies, which I did not tell them to do. I know it and am a witness to it,” declares the LORD.

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It is clear, then, how God wanted his people to live while they were in exile. Exile was not about abandoning Israel or destroying them from earth. It was about disciplining them and chastening them. They had done outrageous things, they were idolators, they were full of bloodshed, and, worse, the land was full of false prophets that the Lord continued to warn them about. He says to them, over and again, that there were true prophets that he sent whom the people of Israel refused to listen to. They rejected, out of hand, the words that the Lord had sent and instead delighted in false prophets and their false predictions.

However, there is also this thought: While you are in the land of Babylon, take advantage of the protection they afford you. Learn. Build houses. Plant crops. Marry. Seek the peace of the Land you live in. Prosper the city for then you too will prosper. But the trouble is, it is easy to listen to those who say they have some message that is contrary. It is hard to listen to the message that says: Settle down where you are because you will be there for a while. If Jeremiah warned the exiled Israelites about false prophets who prophesied smooth things, how much more did Jesus do the same thing? He constantly warned that there would be false prophets among us seeking to deceive the Elect. Peter warned about false prophets who are merely interested in fancy stories that will line their pockets with cash. I think those warnings are apropos for our generation too because there are a lot of storytellers in this world who tell stor