Posted by: jakinnan | April 9, 2013

Who is Jesus Christ?

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Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” – Matthew 16:13-16 

This is the most important question you can answer: Who is Jesus Christ? The way we answer that question alters everything.

I am so down with fake. I hate false stuff pretending to be real. About this time at Easter every year all the main magazines, Time, Newsweek, etc. roll out their Jesus covers. Clearly, the only thing they really believe about Jesus is that His name on the front sells magazines. Let me tell you about some Easter cover stories. One year a banner asked, “Who Really Killed Jesus?” Really!?! You don’t know? And the answer is—“I did.” Jesus Christ died for mysin! That’s why He was on that cross!”

Another Newsweek cover declared, “How Jesus became the Christ.” I don’t want to be overly critical, but whoever wrote the headline doesn’t get it. Jesus didn’t become the Christ; the Christ became Jesus. The statement couldn’t be more backwards. He isthe eternal Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity.

A more recent cover featured a hipster Jesus, and the headline announced, “Forget the Church; Follow Jesus.” Forget the church? You and I don’t follow Jesus alone. Christianity isn’t a solo sport! This is a team thing. We follow Christ in community. But of course in our world, everything is so independent and individualistic. People are trying to make Christ into a private, only me, hide-it-under-a-bushel pursuit. All this to say, when answering the question, Who is Jesus Christ, don’t depend on magazine covers!

So, how do we answer the question: Who is Jesus Christ? Right after Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Jesus told him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 16:17). The Father revealed His Son to Peter and God will identify His Son for us. That’s why we have His Word. Revealing Jesus is also the work of God’s Spirit (John 16:7-14). And it has to get personal. Who is Jesus Christ? He’s my Lord and Savior. I know Him. And I’m getting to know Him better every day.

-James MacDonald

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Posted by: jakinnan | April 9, 2013

An Unavoidable Subject

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And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him. – Hebrews 9:27-28

Jesus talked a lot about hell. In fact, He talked more about hell than any other preacher in the Bible. Therefore, we don’t want to steer clear of the subject. We want a biblical understanding of what the Bible says.

The apostle Paul concluded his message on Mars Hill with these words: “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:30–31).

Jesus talked about judgment. Paul talked about judgment. The apostles talked about judgment. The Bible talks about judgment. And we need to talk about it, too, and have a proper understanding of what it is all about.

Some would say that it isn’t loving to talk about these things. But I could not disagree more. I think it’s the most loving thing we could do.

Let’s say there was a house on fire with someone trapped inside. And let’s say for some reason, he didn’t know his house was on fire. Would it be a loving thing for me to run and kick down the door, grab him, and run out of the burning house with him? Of course it would.

On the other hand, would it be a loving thing for me to walk by and say, “Oh, that house is on fire! Very interesting. Let’s go”? That wouldn’t be loving at all.

If we really believe there is an afterlife—and more specifically—a final judgment, if we really believe we will be held accountable for things that we say and do, then it will affect the way that we live.

-Greg Laurie

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Posted by: jakinnan | April 9, 2013

Does it Represent Your Sin?

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He had spent the night in agony, and in the early morning He was hurried from the hall of Caiaphas to Pilate, from Pilate to Herod, and from Herod back again to Pilate. Consequently his strength was almost gone, but He was granted neither food nor rest. They were eager for His blood and therefore led Him out to die, burdened with the cross. At this sad procession the women wept, and my soul weeps in turn.

What do we learn here as we see our blessed Lord led forth? Do we not perceive the truth, which was foreshadowed in the scapegoat? Remember how the high priest brought the scapegoat and put both his hands upon its head, confessing the sins of the people, so that those sins might be transferred from the people and laid upon the goat. Then the goat was led away into the wilderness, and it carried away the sins of the people, so that if they looked for them they could not be found.

Now we see Jesus brought before the priests and rulers, who pronounce Him guilty. God Himself imputes our sins to Him: “the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all”; “He made him to be sin.” And as the substitute for our guilt, bearing our sin upon His shoulders, represented by the cross, we see the great Scapegoat led away by the appointed officers of justice.

Beloved, can you feel assured that He carried your sin? As you look at the cross upon His shoulders, does it represent your sin? There is one way by which you can tell whether He carried your sin or not. Have you laid your hand upon His head, confessed your sin, and trusted in Him? Then your sin no longer lies on you; it has all been transferred by blessed imputation to Christ, and He bears it on His shoulder as a load heavier than the cross.

Do not allow this picture to disappear until you have rejoiced in your own deliverance and bowed in adoring wonder before the Redeemer upon whom your iniquities were laid.

-Alistair Begg

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Posted by: jakinnan | April 9, 2013

Ready?

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A curious warning is given to us in Peter’s first epistle. There he tells us to be ready to give the reason for the hope that lies within us to everyone who asks (3:15). Now, what’s strange about that passage is this: no one ever asks. When was the last time someone stopped you to inquire about the reason for the hope that lies within you? You’re at the market, say, in the frozen food section. A friend you haven’t seen for some time comes up to you, grasps you by both shoulders and pleads, “Please, you’ve got to tell me. Be honest now. How can you live with such hope? Where does it come from? I must know the reason.” In talking with hundreds of Christians, I’ve met only one or two who have experienced something like this.

Yet God tells us to be ready, so what’s wrong? To be blunt, nothing about our lives is worth asking about. There’s nothing intriguing about our hopes, nothing to make anyone curious. Not that we don’t have hopes; we do. We hope we’ll have enough after taxes this year to take a summer vacation. We hope our kids don’t wreck the car. We hope our favorite team goes to the World Series. We hope our health doesn’t give out, and so on. Nothing wrong with any of those hopes; nothing unusual, either. Everyone has hopes like that, so why bother asking us? It’s life as usual. Sanctified resignation has become the new abiding place of contemporary Christians. No wonder nobody asks. Do you want the life of any Christian you know?

-John Eldredge, Desire

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Posted by: jakinnan | April 9, 2013

04/09/2013 Scripture

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Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.  But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me.  However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.  For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.  And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day.  For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

-John 6:35-40 NLT

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Posted by: jakinnan | April 8, 2013

Slow to Speak

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Jesus had never been slow of speech when He could bless the sons of men, but He would not say a single word for Himself. “No man ever spoke like this man,” and no man was ever silent like Him. Was this singular silence the index of His perfect self-sacrifice? Did it show that He would not utter a word to prevent His crucifixion, which He had dedicated as an offering for us? Had He so entirely surrendered Himself that He would not interfere on His own behalf, even in the smallest details, but be crowned and killed an unstruggling, uncomplaining victim?

Was this silence a type of the defenselessness of sin? Nothing can be said to excuse human guilt; and, therefore, He who bore its whole weight stood speechless before His judge.

Patient silence is the best reply to a world of cruel opposition. Calm endurance answers some questions infinitely more conclusively than the loftiest eloquence. The best apologists for Christianity in the early days were its martyrs. The anvil breaks a host of hammers by quietly bearing their blows. Did not the silent Lamb of God furnish us with a grand example of wisdom? Where every word was occasion for new blasphemy, it was the line of duty to provide no fuel for the flame of sin. The ambiguous and the false, the unworthy and mean will soon enough confound themselves, and therefore the true can afford to be quiet and find silence to be its wisdom.

Evidently our Lord, by His silence, furnished a remarkable fulfillment of prophecy. A long defense of Himself would have been contrary to Isaiah’s prediction: “Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.” By His silence He declared Himself to be the true Lamb of God. As such we worship Him this morning. Be with us, Jesus, and in the silence of our heart let us hear the voice of Your love.

-Alistair Begg

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Posted by: jakinnan | April 8, 2013

The Depth of His Love

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Have you ever had to literally turn a lover over to a mortal enemy to allow her to find out for herself what his intentions toward her really were? Have you ever had to lie in bed knowing she was believing his lies and was having sex with him every night? Have you ever sat helplessly by in a parking lot, while your enemy and his friends took turns raping your lover even as you sat nearby, unable to win her heart enough so she would trust you to rescue her? Have you ever called this one you had loved for so long, even the day after her rape, and asked her if she was ready to come back to you only to have her say her heart was still captured by your enemy? Have you ever watched your lover’s beauty slowly diminish and fade in a haze of alcohol, drugs, occult practices, and infant sacrifice until she is no longer recognizable in body or soul? Have you ever loved one so much that you even send your only son to talk with her about your love for her, knowing that he will be killed by her? (And in spite of knowing all of this, he was willing to do it because he loved her, too, and believed you were meant for each other.)

All this and more God has endured because of his refusal to stop loving us. Indeed, the very depth and faithfulness of his love for us, along with his desire for our freely given love in return, are what give Satan the ammunition to wound God so deeply as he carries out his unceasing campaign to make us into God’s enemy.

-John Eldredge, The Sacred Romance

 

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Posted by: jakinnan | April 8, 2013

04/08/2013 Scripture

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For I am the Lord your God. You must consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. So do not defile yourselves with any of these small animals that scurry along the ground. 45 For I, the Lord, am the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt, that I might be your God. Therefore, you must be holy because I am holy.

-Leviticus 11:44-45 NLT

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Posted by: jakinnan | April 8, 2013

04/07/2013 Scripture

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As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God.  Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.  Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool.

-Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 NLT

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Posted by: jakinnan | April 6, 2013

God-Centered Teamwork

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“He who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow-workers.” – 1 Corinthians 3:8-9

Humble teamwork in ministry gives God all the glory and promotes humility.

Paul’s agricultural illustration of planting and watering makes it clear that the ministry works best in a team concept and that all credit for results must go to God. Paul (the one planting) and Apollos (the one watering) had done their God-appointed work faithfully and well, but they had to wait on the Lord for whatever was accomplished.

Paul mentions just two kinds of ministry in today’s passage: planting the seed of the gospel by evangelism and watering it by further teaching. However, the apostle’s point applies to every kind of ministry you might engage in. You might be tempted to think that your ministry is glamorous or significant and that everything revolves around your efforts. Or you could be envious of another believer who has a more public ministry than you. But all God’s work is important, and Paul is reminding us that whatever work He has called us to is the most important ministry we can have.

First Corinthians 3 also reminds us that all believers who minister are one in the Body of Christ. If you recognize and accept this fact, it is a sure guarantee that humility will be present as you serve God. Humility simply leaves no place for fleshly competitiveness or selfish jealousy toward other Christians. God will be certain to recognize your individual, faithful work—“according to [your] own labor”—in His day of rewards. But Jesus also taught His disciples and us the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matt. 20:1-16) to keep our perspectives balanced regarding the corporate nature of ministry in God’s kingdom. None of us should look with pride at our own service and see ourselves as deserving more reward than someone who worked less time or in a less prominent position. It is not our ministry, any more than it was Paul’s or Apollos’s. It is God’s, and all the glory goes to Him, not us.

Suggestions for Prayer:
Pray that God would give you a greater sense of humble gratitude for whatever type of ministry opportunity you have.

For Further Study:
Compare Matthew 19:27-30 with 20:1-16. Why could the disciples have been tempted to feel superior? What does the landowner’s behavior in the parable suggest about the character of God?

– John MacArthur

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