"But the First Shall Be Last, and the Last Shall Be First"

In Mark's Gospel, chapter 10, verses 17-31, the Holy Spirit records through Mark the account of the rich young ruler who sought to justify his reserved right to eternal life. 

When that sad encounter ended and the young man walked away grieving, Jesus says: "“How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were shocked that Jesus could say that! Why? Because for generations, the religious leaders and the Pharisees had taught that following the rules of the Law and the Pharisaic interpretation of the Law (known as Oral Tradition or Mishnah, which is now a part of a more broader set of interpretations called the Talmud) gives a person the right to consider themselves "good", deserving of riches/wealth, position through which gave them seated authority over others who were "less". They were taught that those people who remained poor, or who could not conceive or bring to full term a child from their womb, who were born blind or deformed, or who met with some kind of calamity - well, to them it was proof that these persons or someone in their family line had to be sinners, scorners of the Mosaic Law and the teachings of the Pharisees. (compare John 9)

Jesus repeats His statement, and adds:  "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”  Jesus uses hyperbole to make the point that it will be very hard for a rich person, so schooled in and adherent to the Pharisees' "prosperity gospel", to enter into God's kingdom - which would have been the expectation of those whose wealth and comfort should have confirmed their residency there. It would be like trying to fit a camel through a sewing needle! So in just one sentence, which he repeated, Jesus overturned the prosperity teachings of the Pharisees, and the expectations of the proud. 

Well, good grief Lord, who can be saved? - was the essence of the stupefied response from the disciples.

Jesus answers them, but not how they expected: “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the good news [Gospel] who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life."  They were expecting Jesus to offer them some good-deed-doing options, but instead, Jesus continued with them as He did with the young ruler - you must be willing to be living sacrifices for me. That you will inherit a spiritual family through Me, and all of your needs would be met by Me, and your richest reward will be eternal life with Me. 

Then to add to that eye-opener, Jesus says at the very end of this account in verse 31, "But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” Who are the "first"? Who are the "last"? What does all of that mean?

Jesus' statement ties to the running theme here, which is, how do we perceive ourselves in the perspective of deserving God's grace and favor? (Until doing some Bible research - comparing scripture by scripture as God commands, and following a discussion of this during our regular Bible study, the Spirit has begun to bring us some understanding of this difficult statement. Some of us had been taught that this referred to the order of salvation, as if we are given some ticket to show us where we are to stand in line relative to salvation. That there would be those who would be at the head of the line and others wayyyyy in the back of the line. Thus, it was a blessing from the Holy Spirit to be corrected on this matter.)

The Pharisees' prosperity gospel teachings were - to put it in the contemporary vernacular - a "set up" as regards attaining eternal life and entering the kingdom of God. It may have given a sure "slam dunk" in the minds of those who had the accoutrements to show for their adequate to fervent adherence to the Law and those interpretations of the Law (for example, the Pharisees brought forward interpretations that would cast certain people in a very good light, deserving of honor and praise, and cast others in the role of unrepentant sinners, persons without the favor of God. Like the dozens of interpretations on how to carry out the Sabbath (for an indepth look at the interpretations, view this page on Wikipedia). By such "oral traditions" and other add-ons, the Pharisees were able to set themselves apart (and those who would closely follow their teachings) pridefully, and even exalt themselves as models of a good Jew.  

In their own determination, they set the standards that should be followed to attain to righteousness. Their "faithful" obedience to the Law and traditions rated them A-one in their own sight and estimation. Their self-righteousness gave the impression that they were of great importance, and should be followed - if you, too, wanted to be recognized as righteous. Have you ever had to experience such an attitude either in or outside of the Church? Many of us have. How did we deal with their put-downs and better-than-thou attitude? That they followed the rules that they made gave them the self-embossed rubber stamp of approval before God, their self-assurance that they were, indeed, in right standing before God. Positionally in the scheme of things, they considered themselves "first" in importance and portrayal of righteousness. Proud of their pride.

In Jesus' Sermon on the Mount recorded by the Holy Spirit through Matthew in chapter 5, Jesus speaks of those principles that undergirded the Mosaic Law as originally given by Yahweh God. We are familiar with the Beatitudes topically, but do we understand what Jesus was actually teaching relative to what the Law was conveying?1/  Following the teaching of the Beatitudes, Jesus goes into the deeper meaning of certain of the commandments, indicating that God's favor was not found in shallow obedience to rules, but in relationship with Him on a personal level, in being "holy as He is holy" in mind, heart and soul. Not the "holiness" proffered by the Pharisees that amounted to self-righteousness. In that context, Jesus says, as found in verses 19-20: "Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."  The light is getting a little brighter now regarding the "first" and "last", maybe?

"Whoever teaches others to break the Law of God..." Jesus would also speak later and boldly of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, and of how they had misled the people. In Matthew, chapter 23 we read of Jesus' condemnation of the scribes (those who taught the teachings of the Pharisees) and the Pharisees - who set their teachings equal to or above the Law of God. Jesus' words are damning. His judgments were also foretold by the prophet Isaiah in words God-breathed found at Isaiah 11:1-5 --

"A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see or decide by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge for the poor and decide with equity for the oppressed of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill [condemnation judgment] the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist and faithfulness the belt around his loins."

The "wicked" were those who had transgressed the Law of God and were those whom God had judged and condemned; Jesus, fully God and fully man, announces the judgment of God on those scribes and Pharisees -- as a group -- and who have - in God's sight - committed atrocities that were unforgivable (most comprehensively recorded in Matthew 23). (As scripture shows us, not all the Pharisees were condemned to eternal judgment - there were individuals who dared to not fully identify with the body of Pharisees as a whole, such as Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, and later through a miraculous conversion, Saul of Tarsus, and some Pharisees per Acts 15:5) The Pharisees demanded strict obedience (see John 7:47-49 for example), to the extent that they would ban individuals from the Temple for not obeying them. Per Jesus' words in Matthew 23, the scribes' and Pharisees' hypocrisy and errant teachings made persons who followed those teachings "twice as much a child of hell" - eternal death rather than eternal life.

Within the Matthew 23rd chapter, Jesus clarifies His statement in verse 31 of Mark 10 regarding the "first" and "last". Verse 12: "All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted." Thus, as Jesus points out, the Pharisees themselves (and all who practice their ways even unto these modern times) have positioned themselves as above others, exalting themselves through pride, and were then and now by Jesus condemned. He condemns those who have throughout the centuries exalted themselves as demi-gods, positioning themselves to be the spokesperson of God or even equal to God. They place themselves (or even their denominations) first according to their self-righteousness to the detriment of all who would embrace through coersion or free will their false teachings and behaviors.  

We who have lived in the latter half of the 20th century and forward have witnessed the growing trend of such leadership in the Church - regardless of denomination. Those who will teach false doctrine with assurance to their hearers that it comes from God's mouth. Those who would call "right" their teachings which condone those things God says are "wrong". They exalt themselves even in false humility and demand obedience. They put themselves and their teachings "first" before or even in place of sacred doctrine. They put heavy demands on their people or congregations financially - chiefly for self-aggrandizement; e.g., who of their ilk will be "blessed" with the most luxurious vehicles and homes, or "build" a gleaming edifice that is supposed to bring glory to God, but who instead brag about what they have accomplished. God Himself demotes them in His eyes, while the world applauds them, and He counts those sins against the unrepentant; in His view, they are not only "last" but also condemned. 

Therefore, it is God who exalts the lowly and humble, who makes the "last" the "first", and it is God who humbles the proud and haughty, who makes the "first" the "last". 

As we consider the foregoing, we must ask ourselves as the disciples asked and ruminated on: how do we perceive ourselves in the perspective of deserving God's grace and favor? Can the grace of God be deserved? Are we in right standing with Him, or simply righteous and good in our assessment of ourselves? Ask the One who sees the heart to help with the answers. 

 

1/  For those who may be interested: I have written up in a separate blog post series in the form of a regular Bible study some lessons that were shared with the youth a while back on the Beatitudes. The study goes a bit further past what was shared with the youth, as it helps to highlight the principles undergirding the Mosaic Law that Jesus exposited on in His Sermon on the Mount.

Special Mid-Summer Bible Conversation on Hard Sayings in the Bible (Reserve Question E - hate you mother and father so that you can become a part of the Christ's kingdom)

 

Reserve question E. In Luke 14:26 Jesus says that unless we hate family and self we can have no part in His kingdom. Whaaat? What does He mean? 

• So, when you hear the word “hate”, what comes to mind? ……….
  In our culture today when we use the word hate, we are speaking usually of a strong negative emotion about or against something or someone, a very strong dislike or disregard, right?
  
  
• For Jesus to actually mean hate -  as in despise, abhor, one's mother or father, would be a blatant contradiction of the Mosaic law to honor mother and father. Was Jesus a lawbreaker or promoting sin? 
  
  
• So, for an understanding we have to examine the original language in which this was written or spoken. As we are seeing, in the Greek and Hebrew languages in which the Bible was written, there are times when a word carries more than one meaning. Is that true in anyone’s mother tongue or possibly a new language someone is learning?
  
  
• The Greek word for hate, miseo. carries different meanings, with the word we commonly use as “hate” being only one of them. But that meaning is not in this context. The Greek word carries these meanings: miséō, mis-eh'-o; from a primary μῖσος mîsos (hatred); to detest (especially to persecute); by extension, to love less, to regard with less affection than. 
  
  
• Therefore, when Jesus says that unless we hate family and self we can have no part in His kingdom, He is effectually saying, unless you love less or love Me more than family and self, then you can have no part in His kingdom.

Special Mid-Summer 3-Night Series on Hard Sayings of the Bible (Answers to Questions 5a and 5b - "and on this rock")

 

1.    a.  Matthew 16:15-19.  Jesus held an interesting conversation with His disciples after going a ‘round’ with the Pharisees and Sadducees. He asks them: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They tossed out a couple of names, then Simon Peter says: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” Then Jesus says to Simon Peter: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father in heaven has. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Many readers of this passage believe that Jesus was anointing Peter to be head of the church, and the Roman Catholics also say that Peter was the first Pope. What message was Jesus giving His disciples at that time, and throughout the millennia?

b. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Simon Peter writes to the elect in Christ the message in 1 Peter 2, beginning at verse 2 through 10 (this was part of a recent lesson preached on at a Sunday worship service). What is being conveyed in this passage about our identity as Christians – which Jesus was implying in His words recorded at Matthew 16:15-19?

 Answers:

 

a.    This is one of those hard passages that, when read at face value in the English language, appears to be saying that Jesus was anointing Peter to be head of the Church!  If that was true, then Jesus would be contradicting the Holy Spirit who said in other places, including verses in Ephesians 5, verses in John’s Gospel, chapter 3, at Colossians 1:15-20, 24, in Revelation, and implied elsewhere that Jesus is the head of the Church. Let’s turn to Colossians 1:15-20,24.  Jesus is the Head of the Church. So what is Jesus saying in Matthew 16, then?

It is helpful again to return to the original language of this passage (Koine Greek). Jesus blesses Peter as He refers to him as Simon Bariona/Simon son of Jonah. He adds, "Because flesh and blood did not reveal this" mystery to you but My Father in heaven did. So Peter, God spoke to you and gave you this revelation – what a blessing!! You are Petros/Peter, and on this petra/rock – this understanding that I, Jesus, Am the Messiah, the Son of Man, long foretold, as in centuries gone by, and it is on this Rock – this Foundation – will My Kingdom be built.  You will be given authority in this Kingdom (represented by the keys), Peter, as will those who will be anointed with you for that purpose, to, through the Holy Spirit,  bind and loosen, to be My Kingdom Ambassador here on earth. So in this promise, Jesus has given Peter a "2-fer," (1) awareness of the blessing just now bestowed upon him, and (2) the further revelation that in His, Christ’s kingdom Petros/Peter will be given certain authorities. For example, look who Christ appoints to reveal the kingdom and who identifies the Holy Spirit anointing at Pentecost! There would be further revelations given to Peter about his role in God’s kingdom; he would share responsibilities with other apostles.

This corresponds to Ephesians 2:20 – let’s read that. Jesus is the foretold chief cornerstone of the Church - the Rock. Does anyone know the purpose of a cornerstone or foundation stone?

                                          St. Albans, Washington DC

Now let’s turn to 1 Peter 2:2-10 to further capture the full meaning. Remember, this is Peter, the apostle that the Roman Catholic Church mislabels, wrongly identifies, as the Head of the Church, who is writing under the guidance of the Holy Spirit the explanation of Matthew 16:15-19.


According to what the Holy Spirit says here, how does Peter describe The Rock, Jesus Christ?  (vss. 4, 6-8) Why "living stone"?

Who are the other living stones? What happens to them? (v. 5) How is it built?

     What does it mean to be a royal priesthood? (v. 5,9) 

     How does that understanding affect how you look at your calling to be a disciple of Christ?

Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, Questions 8 & 10

“Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health,” Donald S. Whitney. 2001. NavPress*
Questions 8 & 10:  Do You Still Grieve Over Sin? & Do You Yearn for Heaven and to Be with Jesus? (excerpts and highlights from Chapters 8 & 10, with references to “Respectable Sins – Confronting the Sins We Tolerate,” Jerry Bridges, NavPress. 2007.) 

In this paper I have reflected on both Questions 8 and 10, as they complement each other. 

Do You Still Grieve Over Sin?

God Hates Sin. Put that on a street sign, and I guarantee you that each reader will come up with their own definition of sin. We readily do so because we have a warped view of sin; we often compare our righteousness as favorable over another’s. We find it hard to see ourselves as sinners. We are good people who do good things. We characterize sinners as persons who commit wicked and evil acts against people – especially children. We take offense at being called a sinner; a person, when a Bible teacher quoted to the group Psalm 51:5, “we are all born in sin” -- she defensively responded, “I wasn’t! my mother and father were married!” The apostle Paul, the one hand-picked by Christ to be sent to the Gentiles with the good news and to whom was given much power and grace, who was also given a glimpse of heaven, even he admits to his own sin estate, which makes his Spirit-led writings on sin more compelling.

What does God call sin? Lawbreaking. Any just law, but especially God's law. When Adam and Eve broke the law in the Garden of Eden, going against God’s command not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, acting on pride and desire to be equal to God, sin was imprinted on and inside humankind. We all inherited Adam’s “sin DNA” so that every human born carries that “DNA”. We all are sinners, born to die, since Adam’s sin carried a death penalty. Therefore, everyone born, regardless of their character and conduct, are reckoned by God as sinners even in the womb. 

God grieves over sin. He hates it. He sees the damage and destruction it causes in those who were created in His image. It separates us from Him. Inherited sin causes spiritual darkness and results in spiritual death. Sin mars God’s image in us; the character of God, the mind of Christ – all parts of that image were once in Adam and Eve. Their descendants’ God-image reflects something like a mirror into our souls that has been smeared over with a liquid haze in which a very faint and distorted reflection of God is seen. Sadly, there are some mirrors into souls that have shadowed and dark imperceptible reflections – more akin to the impact of the prince of darkness on such souls. 

We often think of the impact of the sin DNA as affecting our conduct and behaviors. However, the impact of man’s sin on humankind has been devastating to the human body. Over the thousands of years, the human body has broken down from total perfection to a flesh and blood frame in which diseases and conditions of many kinds inhabit - some curable and many uncurable. This is a universal consequence of the inherited sin condition from Adam. Sin’s effects have caused every generation since Adam and Eve to suffer with divers degenerations: e.g., the number of births of children with deformed body parts, missing chromosomes or other gene-related issues, born intersex, blind, deaf, unable to speak, with predispositions to cancers, juvenile diabetes, and the list goes on. These traits of inherited sin continue to increase despite medical and scientific breakthroughs. 

In addition to its impact on humankind physically, mentally, and spiritually, all of creation has suffered from the influence of humankind’s fall due to intentional sin - going against the law of God. When Adam was placed in the Garden, to be joined by Eve, they were given dominion over creation as God’s appointed stewards; they were co-regents of the earthly kingdom; they were the 'earthly management' placed by God to steward His earthly creation - everything with life on the earth, even the earth itself. Both humans and animals – “everything that has the breath of life” – were created to be plant and vegetation eaters. That was God’s original plan for a world of peaceful coexistence between man and beast. But when sin came, this peace was damaged, and within time humans and animals became carnivores.

 Dr. Whitney shares an experience where he once “heard seminary professor John Hannah say, ‘The closer one comes to Christ, in one sense the more miserable he becomes.’ Those who have a Holy Spirit implanted love for holy truth, holy things, and [for] the Holy One, can’t help but feel miserable when they are reminded of that which is unholy within them.” The closer we grow to Christ through the work of the Spirit in us, the more sensitive we become, seeing the “red flags” of potential sin more quickly.

 How should we grieve our sin? A young child – maybe 2 or 3 years old –has learned what to say to their parent to avoid chastisement. “Jimmy, did you hit your sister?” Jimmy weighs the question, then spurts, “She hit me first!” Mother: “Jimmy and Jenny, say I’m sorry.” Jenny, still playing with her doll, says a quick “I’m sorry.” Jimmy mimics her apology “I’m sorry.” And ten minutes later they are back at it! Well, older youth and adults do the same thing. To avoid whatever embarrassment or punishment that could result, we are quick to blame someone else, and/or offer our apologies which are so hollow the words come out like words shaped with outlines only. Like Adam and Eve did when God called them out of hiding. The Genesis account does not record an apology from either. We grieve because we get caught, we grieve at the consequences of being found out. But are we truly sorry? Do we see our error as a sin against God? Dr. Whitney notes that the Bible passage at 2 Corinthians 7:8-11 juxtaposes godly grief or sorrow with worldly grief focused on the punishment. True godly grief or sorrow is more than admitting our transgressions. Considering against whom we have committed the sin, should a child of God feel more than a perfunctory “I’m sorry” that is momentary to get him/herself off the hook? Does our “sorry” lead to sorrow? 

Jesus, in His Sermon on the Mount, delivered a set of beatitudes to the listening crowd. One of them is: “Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.”  We more often than not feel this beatitude at a time of loss, during a funeral service, or when mourning over the death of a loved one. The Lord My Shepherd who comforts Jesus' listeners knew, but Jesus wanted His hearers to understand the deeper meaning of the mourning He spoke about. He wanted them to know that the legal standards of the Mosaic Law were more than just laws; they were a bridge to relationship with God, an opportunity to reflect His character and holiness and grow in intimacy with Him. The people felt righteous because they obeyed the laws, and saw that as a bridge to blessings from God. The righteous teachers took pride in exacting strict adherence to law. Jesus notes in His Sermon, however, that it is a merciful heart that yearns for God – that is what God desires. Jesus, on the mount, would further clarify the foundation of the Law, that even in our so-called righteousness from obeying the law, we are still sinners in our thoughts, desires, in our DNA. We are still lawbreakers. Thus, His message exhorts us to mourn over such sins – feeling deepest sorrow that we have grieved our Heavenly Father. Genesis 6, linked to above, plainly states that our sin grieves God. Knowing that, we ought to feel a sorrow that leads to a change of heart, a repentance – a sorrow that seeks and gives forgiveness. To return to a right standing before God. Do we really mourn our sinful thoughts and actions? 

In his book, “Respectable Sins – Confronting the Sins We Tolerate,” Dr. Jerry Bridges asks that while we mourn or are grieved about the “big sins” – sexual sins and idol worship within the Church, “why do we not also mourn over our selfishness, our critical spirit, our impatience, and our anger? It is easy to let ourselves off the hook by saying that these sins are not as bad as the flagrant ones of society. But God has not given us authority to establish values for different sins. Instead, He says through James, ‘Whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for [is guilty of] all of it.’…When a person commits murder, he breaks God’s law. When a Christian lets corrupting speech (that is, speech which tends to tear down another person) come out of his/her mouth (Ephesians 4:29), he/she breaks God’s law.” All sin is lawlessness.  He further notes that “In our human values of civil laws, we draw a huge distinction between an otherwise ‘law-abiding citizen’ who gets an occasional traffic ticket and a person who lives a ‘lawless’ life in contempt and utter disregard for all laws. But the Bible does not seem to make that distinction. It simply says sin – that is, all sin without distinction – is lawlessness.” “Sin is sin.” Dr. Bridges continues, “even those sins I call ‘the acceptable sins of the saints,’ those sins we tolerate in our lives – are serious in God’s eyes. Our religious pride, our critical attitudes, our unkind speech about others, our impatience and anger, even our anxiety; all of these are serious in the sight of God.” In his book, Dr. Bridges exposits on other so-called ‘respectable’ sins: ungodliness, anxiety and frustration, discontentment, unthankfulness, pride, selfishness, lack of self-control, impatience and irritability, anger, judgmentalism, envy, jealousy, and related sins, sins of the tongue, and worldliness.  

As we enter our journey of transformation and sanctification through the Holy Spirit, Dr. Bridges reminds us that in collaboration with God’s Spirit, we are to put to death the various expressions of sin in our lives. (Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:5) In chapter six, he offers seven general directions for dealing with sins. Not enough space to fully explain here, but I will list them.

 

First – we should always address our sin in the context of the gospel; our sins are forgiven and we are accepted as righteous by God because of both the sinless life and sin-bearing death of our Lord Jesus Christ – both together are the greatest motivations.

 

Second – we must learn to rely on the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. We can never get beyond our need for the Spirit, and should cultivate an attitude of continual dependence.

 

Third – while depending on the Holy Spirit, we must also recognize our responsibility to diligently pursue all practical steps for dealing with our sins. This is the meaning of Philippians 2:12-13.

 

Fourth – identify specific areas of ‘acceptable’ sins. (covered in the book’s chapters on specific sins) As we read each chapter, humbly ask the Holy Spirit to help us see if there is a pattern of that sin in our life, which will enable us to better put it to death.

 

Fifth – find specific applicable Scriptures to each of our subtle sins, (use concordance) memorizing them, reflecting on them, applying and praying over them as we ask God to use those God-breathed words to help us deal with those sins.

 

Sixth – cultivate the practice of prayer over the sins we tolerate. Prayer is one of our major directions for dealing with sin; through prayer we consciously acknowledge our need of the Holy Spirit for dealing with our sin and stay aware of the presence of them.

 

Seventh – we should involve one or two other believers with us in our struggles against our subtle sins in a mutual relationship as we seek to exhort, encourage, and pray for one another.

 

…The biggest motivator in our spiritual battles against sin is in Chapter 10 of Mr. Whitney’s book: Do You Yearn For Heaven And To Be With Jesus?

Mr. Whitney states that “those who have been on a long pilgrimage increasingly desire to reach their destination, especially one as glorious and excellent as Heaven. Those who have spent decades loving and living for Jesus naturally long to see Him.” That is the message of Romans 8:22-23. Paul makes a similar statement in 2 Corinthians 5:2. “These longings for the coming great change in body and place are simply part of a normal, healthy, growing Christian life.” Does our yearning for heaven in and of itself confirm that we know the very one with whom we wish to be, or is our yearning focused on getting relief from this hard life? 

Mr. Whitney offers that “the question is not merely, ‘Do you yearn for Heaven and to be with Jesus?’ but also, ‘For which Heaven and Jesus do you yearn?’” Do we yearn for a place of holiness? If being holy as God is holy is off-putting for us in our earthly existence, then we will hate heaven. Are we longing for and looking forward to a heart without sin? To have a pure heart to see the Lord? To being clothed in righteousness? That is what growing Christians increasingly long for – not just a “rest” from troubles and difficulties, but a holy heaven, holy relationships in heaven, a Holy Jesus, a holy joy, where we will be able to gaze and gaze upon the Lamb of God, on Jesus our Savior. Is that the thing we want above everything else? Is our groaning for that kind of heaven? 

I confess that at one time my “heaven” was a place of green valleys, of beautiful sunsets, of peace all around me, of a Garden of Eden. The more I grow in Christ, the more I know Him personally, I find my desire for Him is growing more than a desire for a heavenly geography. 

We have the Spirit of the Living God moving in us, motivating us, energizing us, developing joy into a once burdened heart. We are riddled by sin’s woes, and we work with that same Spirit to put off those things displeasing to God. But, let us not forget that this struggle is not forever:

·  “You are from God, little children, and have overcome [the spirit of the evil one]; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4

·  ⁴For whoever has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. ⁵ Who is the one who overcomes the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:4-5

·  The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.’ Revelation 2:7

·  The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’  Revelation 2:11

·  The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows except the one who receives it.’  Revelation 2:17

·  The one who overcomes, and the one who keeps My deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations;   Revelation 2:26

·  The one who overcomes will be clothed the same way, in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.   Revelation 3:5

·  The one who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.   Revelation 3:12

·  The one who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne.   Revelation 3:21

 

For these things we fight the good fight of faith; we do spiritual battle against sin and the evil one everyday. We know that we have the power to be faithful to the end, because Jesus has given us that kind of power that raises us up to life with Him. We are victors who will see the one for whom we yearn, Jesus Christ, in all of His glory and splendor, and we shall be clothed with His righteousness.

 

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. -  Ephesians 3:20-21

When Persecuted on Account of the Name of Jesus, Rejoice and Be Glad For Your Reward is Great in Heaven!

 

Funeral of a persecuted believer.

  Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.". This is directly linked to blessing number 8. The fact that Jesus would repeat the statement concerning persecution His followers would face, pretty much confirms that we who name as Lord, Jesus Christ, will be persecuted and hated because of His name. It is a certainty, a promise, that such a situation will occur. How does Jesus say that are we to respond? “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Have you ever been lied on or taunted because someone thought you were being “goody two shoes”? Have you ever been lied on/taunted because you were honest and kind, and held in high esteem by others? Most of the time such behavior will come from persons who do not know or love Jesus. However, sometimes it may come from persons who may be in your own family, friends, or who may attend church. (also see: 2 Timothy 3:1-7; Galatians 2:4)  Because we belong to Jesus, He has asked His Father to protect us while we live out our faith here on earth. God’s protection can be a “snatching out of the fire”, that is, delivering our bodies out of a persecution activity so that we may flee to physical safety. God’s ultimate protection is that of enabling our faith to persevere the persecution, so that we can endure to the end of our earthly life – however long God determines it to be. He will protect us for eternity. Websites like Christianity Today, and Open Doors track the ongoing persecutions of God’s people around the world; some survive the persecution physically, and others go to their death praising God and glorifying their Savior. The “statistics” are staggering; these are not just data, these are faithful followers of Christ who are encountering some of the utmost physical and emotional assaults that can befall a human. And these followers do not fight back! They do not go to war with those who hate them and persecute them! And followers pray for their persecutors! Only a child of God could behave in such a way under such trauma! An organization called "The Voice of Martyrs," tracks, lends aid to, prays for, reports on, provides accommodations for, etc. those persecuted in the many places of the world. They collect the stories of the persecuted (warning: the reports may be hard to watch or read) to identify with their brothers and sisters who are also being persecuted. They also ask for donations to support the work of support they physically and materially provide to the thousands of Christians who have been driving from their homes and otherwise have suffered.

Read slowly the words of the Holy Spirit recorded in Romans 12 to those who are being persecuted:  “¹²Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. ¹³ Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. ¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. ¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. ¹⁶Live in harmony with one another. … Never be wise in your own sight. “¹⁷Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. ¹⁸ If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. ¹⁹ Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ ²⁰To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head [your acts of righteousness and forgiveness could impact their minds so that they are cleansed of evildoing.]’ ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  

When we do these things, we can “rejoice and be glad” because our God-given faith and endurance glorifies God and Christ, and may save those who persecute us from eternal death. God’s reward surpasses anything else you can have in this life; God says our "reward is great in heaven.”

This reward is multifaceted (look up if you don’t know what this means): It is a reward of intimate relationship with the God and Sovereign over all the universe, the owner, Creator of all things seen and unseen. It is the reward of knowing that God is alongside you in your trial and does not take His focus from you for even a millisecond. It is the reward of being Christ to others who see our faithfulness – particularly those who are persecuting us, and who by God’s will may be drawn unto Christ by your steadfastness. (example: the thief on the cross next to Jesus; also see Matthew 27:44; ). It is the reward of a “gold crown” (it is called gold because it is priceless!) when we stand at the throne of Christ; we will enjoy a special welcome and intimacy unlike anything we’ve ever known. We will be in the presence of the Lamb and all of His faithful people, united as one Body, and who worship Him day and night!

View this video about how Corrie Ten Boom, a Dutch Christian who survived Nazi death camps and who suffered dearly for Christ, reacted when she met one of her persecutors years later. View this as a family or with friends and have a discussion about it.

 

Explore

 

·        Why are Christians persecuted? What do you think makes their situation different (not better!) from other groups of people who get persecuted? As you look at the websites that address the persecutions of our brothers and sisters in Christ, what kind of feeling or emotion comes over you? Do you have friends or relatives who live in those countries where persecution is nonstop? If so, how do you support them?

·        Share your thoughts on the Corrie Ten Boom video – how it made you feel and think about your faith.

·        How easily did her forgiveness come? How does her example look like the scriptures you read above?

·        Can you write a prayer for those who persecute/harass you?  Is it easy to do or are you experiencing a challenge to write a prayer for them? Why or why not?

·        Can you write a letter to a person who is suffering for Christ? Is it easy to do or are you feeling unsure of how to write it? What would you want someone to write to you if you were undergoing persecution?

Bonus: "Praise You in The Storm", Casting Crowns; "Find My Peace," Naomi Raine; "My God Fights For Me," feat. Micah Tyler, Kaden Slay, Charity Gayle; "A Mighty Fortress is Our God."  Virtual Choir #4; "Precious Lord, Take My Hand." sung by the Aeolians of Oakwood University; "Not Afraid." Pentecostals of Alexandria

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[1] 10/26/2022 Nigeria (International Christian Concern) – 70 Christians martyred in a village in central Nigeria; relatives bury their dead.

Blessed Are The Meek, For They Will Inherit The Earth

 

 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Some   interpret the meekness mentioned here as “when we act like doormats; or, to feel insignificant and without value.” That is not what Jesus is referring to here. The Greek root word for meek used here is also the same one Jesus uses to refer to Himself in Matthew 11:29, namely, humility, gentleness and forgiving; He is our greatest example of what meekness looks like, our greatest example of humility, gentleness and forgiveness, and mercy. Do you think of Jesus as a doormat?  This meekness is not weakness; it is a fruit of the Spirit that we are to cultivate – imitating Jesus’ gentleness and forgiveness; growing in humility. It takes Divine strength to be meek and humble in a self-absorbed and ego-driven culture. Why? Because we are made weak by Adam’s sin in us, and because we live in satan’s evil world. God plants in His redeemed children the ability to become gentle through the power of the Holy Spirit in us - surrendering to His work, He teaches us to forgive like Christ – even forgive those who mistreat us. We let our gentleness grow by applying God’s Spirit-wrapped Word in study and meditation, allowing it to shape our prayers and perspectives (Colossians 3:16). It is by allowing the Spirit of God to transform our prideful hearts into hearts that are humble, for the proud will not inherit God’s kingdom, they will not inherit the earth; we are blessed to be God’s children (James 4:6-7; Luke 18:16-17)! That the meek shall inherit the earth carries a couple of meanings: through God’s grace we become His children when we repent of our rejection of Jesus, return and receive His eternal Spirit within us; we are adopted by God. As His children, we are heirs. We inherit what the Father has. He tells us at Psalm 24:1 that “the earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it.” We also can add to that the fact that in becoming God’s children through the Blood of Christ and the Holy Spirit, we become regenerated here on earth into a new life with Christ and enter into God’s kingdom here on earth. He re-sets us towards becoming the rightful stewards of creation as He intended, and thus joint heirs. (Genesis 1:26-28; Titus 3:6-7; Revelation 5:9-10)

Explore

1.     Is it hard or easy for you to be gentle and forgiving? Give a reason for your answer.

2.     In the coming days and weeks, how might you act gentle, kind, and forgiving to family, school or work mates, friends?

3.     Imitating Jesus. Do you know someone who imitates Jesus’ gentleness and kindness that you would like to imitate? Without naming the individual(s), give an example of their gentleness.

4.     How meaningful is it for you, personally, that the meek will inherit the earth?


Double bonus: "I Get on My Knees," Nicole Mullen; "Known", Tauren Wells