November_29

SHARING BREAD

¹ “I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. ² The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep.

John 10:1-2 (NIV)

Following closely on the heels of the preceding chapter and still speaking to His hostile hearers, in our verses for today, our Lord emphatically continues His conversation with the Pharisees regarding their spiritual blindness by which they were leading others into the pit. Jesus states the following in both Luke and Matthew regarding these leaders of the sheep of Israel:

³⁹ He also told them this parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? ⁴⁰ A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.   Luke 6:39-40 (NIV)

 

¹³ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. ¹⁵ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.    Matt 23:13-15 (NIV)

Jesus came down the hardest on the false teachers and hypocrites in His day and rightly so.  His words demonstrated that false religion was utterly abhorrent to God and deserving of severest condemnation.   Beginning this parable with what would have been a common experience of His hearers; Jesus develops an analogy by describing a morning shepherding scene.  A shepherd would enter through the gate of a walled enclosure which held several flocks in one large sheep pen.  The enclosure would have been guarded at night by a watchman who would stand guard to prevent thieves and robbers from breaking and entering.  Anyone striving to enter by climbing over the walled area would have no good purpose in mind – their actions would have been for loss and destruction of the sheep only.  By contrast the shepherd always entered by the gate – every true shepherd of God’s people makes use of the gate.  Such a man is duly commissioned by the owner of the flock and is recognized by the sheep – they have no need to enter like a thief or a robber.  Later in this same chapter Jesus proclaims He is the gate:

 ⁷ Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.   John 10:7 (NIV)

 

We should be red flagged by this as well; every teacher is false if they come to us by any other Way and Name but Jesus’.  He is the Way, He is the Truth and He is the Life.  Many of our modern day ministers know nothing whatsoever about Christ, except perhaps in Name only.

“Unconverted ministers are the dry-rot of the Church.  When ‘the blind lead the blind,’ both must fall into the ditch.  If we would know the value of a man’s ministry, we must never fail to ask, Where is the Lamb?  Where is the Door?  Does he bring forward Christ, and give Him his

rightful place?…..No one can hope for eternal life who knows not Christ, who is the life, and by that door enters the fold.”   J. C. Ryle    

Like these Pharisees, many unconverted leaders of our present day churches have not entered by the door themselves making them unable to show it to others through their lives.  While we are certainly called to speak the gospel of Christ we are called to live it as well.  It is vastly more than head knowledge – it is a changed life that woos others to our Lord – He being the only One that can truly transform a life. 

⁵ But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: ⁶ Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.   1 John 2:5-6 (NIV)

 

As Christians, we should never let our guard down in what we choose to believe and what we are motivated to conform our lives to – always taking what we hear back to the Truth of God’s Word.  Who is it we listen to?  Who is our teacher?  We are to be like the Bereans, who were commended for constantly checking Paul’s words to make sure he was on target.  We find in Acts:

¹¹ Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.   Acts 17:11 (NIV)

“God does not honor men and women and their deeds or their books or their organizations.  The Father in heaven delights to honor His Son.  It is only the Life of the Lord Jesus – His activity, clothed with you and displayed through you – that ultimately will find the approval of God.”        Major Ian Thomas

“Be examples in all countries, places, islands, nations, wherever you come, that your life may preach among all sorts of people.”   George Fox

What I glean from this:

• Jesus came down the hardest on false teachers and hypocrites who rather than holding out the life of Christ were leading the sheep into the pit.
• Jesus is the Way and the Truth and the Life.
• I am to not only speak the gospel but live it. 

Read Full Post »

November_26

SHARING BREAD

⁴⁰ Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”

⁴¹ Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

John 9:40-41 (NIV)

Always attended by His enemies and surrounded by naysayers, our Lord Jesus’ words and actions were under constant scrutiny of those desirous of doing Him harm.  Jesus constantly fleshed out for us a perseverance of effort towards well doing even amongst fierce opposition.  In our verses for today we discover the Pharisees caviling over Jesus’ allusion to their blindness.  They were Israel’s teachers for heaven’s sake, self-sufficient and confident – how dare He speak to them as such.  They valued themselves for their insight, wisdom, knowledge and foresight.  Self-satisfied, these sneering leaders sarcastically snap back at Jesus a curt question as if to imply His audacity to even suggest their blindness.  Sin remains a constant deceiver of those who abide in falsehood – keeping them blind to their own blindness. 

Jesus was ever bringing to the attention of Israel’s teachers their actual lack of belief and knowledge of the Law particularly regarding prophesies He was presently fulfilling.  Certainly of all people these leaders should have been aware through their study of the Law what the prophet’s wrote in regard to the coming work of the Spirit yet they remained ignorant of the realm of which Jesus spoke.  They had been learning all their lives yet knew very little.  “You must be born again” was new news to their ears and news most of whom remained unwilling to embrace.  We find Jesus asking Nicodemus – a member of the Jewish ruling council – the following:

¹⁰ “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?   John 3:10 (NIV)

 Ezekiel prophesizes the following regarding the work Jesus came to inaugurate – the giving of a   new heart and a new Spirit – bringing dead dry bones to life as only God can do:

²⁵ I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 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.  Ezek 36:25-27 (NIV)

 

The very thing in which these leaders gloried in – their wisdom and knowledge – Christ here in our verses for today, condemns.  None are as blind as those who refuse to see.  Jesus stated that it would have been better for them to have been blind and ignorant of the Law as then they would have incurred less blame.  As it was, claiming to know Truth, they were guilty of the sin of willful unbelief.  There was more hope for a tax collector and prostitute than for those who fancied clarity of vision yet remained in the darkness.  Their self-satisfied state was ruining them.  This is a good question for us to ponder – Is our self-satisfied state ruining us as well?  I am reminded of Jesus’ Words to the Church in Laodicea in Revelation:

¹⁷ You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. ¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.   Rev 3:17-19 (NIV)

 

“Let us note what a heavy condemnation this text contains for those professing Christians who are constantly comforting themselves by saying, “We know,” “We are not ignorant,” “We see the truth,” while yet they lazily sit still in irreligion, and make no attempt to obey.  Such persons, however little they think it, are far more guilty before God than the poor heathen who never hear truth at all.  The more light a man has, the more sin, if he does not believe.”  J. C. Ryle

 

The religious leaders were supposed to be managing the Jewish nation for God until He ushered in the new kingdom.  They failed in that task as they were not looking expectantly towards it – catching them unaware.  Those possessing a great knowledge of God’s revelation will be required to answer for their lack of response to that revelation.   Jesus gives us the following Truth in the Gospel of Luke:

⁴⁷ “That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. ⁴⁸ But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.    Luke 12:47-48 (NIV)

What I glean from this:

• Jesus was constantly surrounded by those who opposed Him modeling for me a wonderful example of perseverance of effort amongst conflict.
• I am never so blind if I am unwilling to see Truth.
• Much is expected from those to whom much is given.  

Read Full Post »

November_24

SHARING BREAD

³⁹ Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

John 9:39 (NIV)

No doubt the teaching for which Christ came into the world was very great.  His doctrine would be and ever remain a division among men – effectively revealing their hearts.  This was prophesized over Him by Simeon when Jesus was but eight days old.  We find in Luke:

³³ The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵ so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.  And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”   Luke 2:33-35 (NIV)

 

Jesus came as a Revealer and His Gospel remains a Revealer of the thoughts and the attitudes of the heart of man – laying open man’s true character.  Those who humbly accept His light are made able to see while those who harden their hearts to the Truth of His Word remain in the darkness.  Of Scripture, Scripture states the following Truth:

¹² For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.   Heb 4:12-13 (NIV)

 

¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.    2 Tim 3:16-17 (NIV)

 

We are all spiritually blind prior to our belief in Jesus as Savior yet some remain unaware of their darkness.  Jesus’ intention in coming was to give sight to the spiritually blind enabling many precious souls to come out of the darkness and enter into His marvelous light.  Those who were prideful of their own wisdom, knowledge and abilities thought His preaching foolishness.  Sadly, this remains the case among every subsequent generation and will until Jesus returns.  Paul writes of this in 1 Corinthians:

¹⁸ For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”  ²⁰ Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹ For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. ²² Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, ²⁴ but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.   1 Cor 1:18-25 (NIV)

 

“Pride alienates man from heaven; humility leads to heaven.”  Bridget of Sweden

The Gospel was and remains divisive.  When preached, men promptly show themselves as desirous of the darkness or of the Light.  Jesus came as a Light for the whole world being the True Light that gives light to every man.  Unfortunately, Scripture tells us that men love the darkness rather than His light because the darkness enables them to hide their evil from man, failing to realize that nothing is hidden from God.  Earlier in his gospel John tells us:

 

⁶ There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. ⁹ The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.   John 1:6-9 (NIV)

 

¹⁹ This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. ²¹ But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”   John 3:19-21 (NIV)

 

“Confidence in the natural world is self-reliance; in the spiritual world it is God-reliance.”  Oswald Chambers

What I glean from this:

• Jesus’ teaching was and continues to be divisive.
• God’s Word judges the thoughts and the attitudes of my heart.
• My evil deeds keep me in the darkness.

Read Full Post »

November_22

SHARING BREAD

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

³⁶ “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

³⁷ Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”

³⁸ Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

John 9:35-38 (NIV)

I love the persistence of our Lord Jesus.  This now healed blind man had been faithful to speak up for our Lord and his words had not gone unnoticed by our Savior.  We see in our verses for today, Jesus lovingly taking the time and initiative to seek out His healed patient in order to bestow upon him comfort as well as strengthen and encourage him in the faith.  Others may throw us out, but never Jesus.

“Frail children of dust, And feeble as frail, In Thee do we trust, Nor find Thee to fail.  Thy mercies how tender!  How firm to the end!  Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend!   Robert Grant

 Our protagonist had been both brave and bold to testify in defense of our Lord even being acutely aware of the unjust rejection that was certain to ensue.  Sure to His Word, Jesus stood by His faithful witness as He does for all who will acknowledge Him and His Truth and ways.  Scripture tells us:

⁸ “I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. ⁹ But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.   Luke 12:8-9 (NIV)

 

¹⁵ If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. ¹⁶ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.   1 John 4:15-16 (NIV)

Jesus presents His healed patient with the question:   “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”  Our now sighted blind man responds in a manner which professes his readiness to embrace the Messiah:  “Who is he, sir?”  “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

 

“When a man begins to inquire about Christ, and ask who He is, it is always a hopeful symptom of his state of soul.”   J. C. Ryle

 

 I am reminded of Paul’s words in Romans:

 ¹⁴ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? ¹⁵ And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10:14-15 (NIV)

Carrying God’s gracious offer of salvation – the very Good News – involves human beings whom God has brought to Himself and who subsequently become His heralds. They obediently, willingly and joyfully desire to share God’s message of salvation knowing our Lord Jesus will save everyone who calls on His Name.  Bringing the Good News, their feet are indeed beautiful!  In our verses today we see the Good News Himself bringing the Good News.  Interestingly, in no other cases but this and the Samaritan woman at the well did our Lord so unreservedly declare His Divinity – announcing clearly that He was indeed the Messiah.  A blind man and a social outcast with six husbands, Scripture relates, both receiving special favor from our Savior. 

“The poor and despised and friendless among mankind are often those whom He favours with special revelations of His kindness and mercy.”   J. C. Ryle

Sadly, Scripture teaches us that all too often the wise and learned and the wealthy and powerful remain so secure and satisfied in their own abilities, possessions and standings that they simply have “no room in the inn” for their Savior and remain blinded.  Jesus tells us in Revelation:

¹⁷ You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.   Rev 3:17-18 (NIV)

 

Appropriately, our healed man verbally confirms his belief and worships our Lord.  The word translated “worship” is from the Greek word “Proskyneo” meaning “to kiss, adore; to show respect, to fall or prostrate oneself before; the ancient Oriental mode of salutation to one who was considered vastly superior was to fall upon the knees and touch the forehead to the ground, often throwing kisses at the same time towards the superior.”  Hebrew Greek Key Word Study Bible – New Testament Lexical Aids

“How few of those whom our Lord miraculously healed, worshipped Him as this man did.”  Chrysostom

 

What I glean from this:

•  Jesus is persistent in seeking me out both to bring me comfort and to strengthen my faith.
• I must be faithful in sharing the Good News of Jesus.
• My appropriate response to what Jesus has done for me is worship.  

Read Full Post »

November_19

SHARING BREAD

³⁴ To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

John 9:34 (NIV)

If but one drop of deadly poison is placed in a glass of water it permeates and contaminates the entire glass.  Such is the nature of sin – it permeates and contaminates each soul from conception.  Scripture tells us:

¹² Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned–  Romans 5:12 (NIV)

 

 Sin and death literally swept through the world’s door by way of Adam’s sin, penetrating the entire human race as a vaporous stench will permeate a room.  Plunged into sin with Adam, the human race from conception on comes equipped with the sinful nature.

²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.   Romans 3:23-24 (NIV)

 

King David acknowledged his moral impotence by stating he was conceived and born a sinner and that at no time was he completely without sin and not in desperate need of cleansing – just as we all are without Jesus.  He writes regarding this in Psalm 51:

 

⁵ Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.   Psalms 51:5 (NIV) 

 

A few verses later in the same Psalm, King David states his need for cleansing before a Holy and Righteous God – again just as each person born from Adam on has the same exact need:  

⁷ Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.   Psalms 51:7 (NIV)

Hyssop was used in religious ceremonies to sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the altar as a representation of the removal of sin by the shedding of blood – a foreshadowing of Christ’s work of redemption on the cross.  We no longer have the need to be sprinkled as Christ blood was shed once and for all.  Those who believe in Jesus are cleansed by His blood, healed by His stripes.  Those who do not believe are not cleansed and remain unholy before a Righteous and Holy God whose wages for sin is death:

¹² He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. ¹³ The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. ¹⁴ How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!   Heb 9:12-14 (NIV)

 

²⁰ When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. ²¹ What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! ²² But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.   Romans 6:20-23 (NIV)

 

Our religious zealots could not bear to take advice from one in whom they considered to be so beneath them.  In their inability to reply to his argument they resort to personal abuse and violent language.  Alluding to the fact that he was born blind and casting a slur that it was due to his sin, all the while these Pharisees were themselves remaining blind to their own wallowing in the mud.  Jesus had made it clear to his disciples earlier in this same chapter that this man’s blindness was not due to his sin rather that the work of God might be displayed in his life:

 

¹ As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” ³ “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.    John 9:1-3 (NIV)

 

“Inability to reply to argument is often the true cause of ill-temper in personalities.  Truth can afford to be patient; error cannot.”   J. C. Ryle

 

Proud men scorn to be taught especially by those they consider inferior to their high standing or rank.  Indeed, they were appalled that one they considered so miserable and wicked would think he could teach them – how very wrong they were!  We should take note of this as well.  Our God is very creative and often uses many means to communicate Truth with us – sometimes through very unordinary ways.  In her book A Sacred Echo, Margaret Feinberg writes:  

“God often uses the repetitive events and themes in daily life to get my attention and draw me closer to Himself. Now instead of just listening for God’s whisper, I am trying to recognize the sacred echoes- those moments when God speaks the same message to my heart again and again. I call them sacred echoes because I’ve noticed that throughout my relationships, daily life, and study, the same scripturally sound idea or phrase or word will keep reappearing until I can no longer avoid its presence. Is this mere coincidence or is it something more? When it comes to hearing from God, I firmly believe the Bible is our source and authority. God’s Word is like a megaphone to His people. Throughout Scripture God speaks through kings and queens, princes and prophets, poets and pilgrims. He speaks through weather patterns, barnyard animals and even the stars in the sky. God is not only creative, but He is persistent in getting our attention and communicating with us.”   Margaret Feinberg

What I glean from this:

·       I was sinful at birth – sinful from conception.

·       Jesus blood cleanses me from my sin.

·       While my Authority and the Sieve of all I hear is always God’s Word, He can speak to me through various unordinary ways – I must always have ears to hear.

Read Full Post »

November_17

SHARING BREAD

³⁰ The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. ³¹ We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. ³² Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. ³³ If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

John 9:30-33 (NIV)

Our unlearned beggar’s argument to his learned audience demonstrated he had a better grasp of divine things than the whole council of the Pharisees.  With boldness and zeal he presented a simple unanswerable assertion which completely silenced his listeners.  An astonishing miracle had been performed and it amazed our now seeing blind man that these religious giants could remain obstinate in their infidelity and strangers to a Man possessing such ability.  They were learned men – leaders of God’s people – men who should have known better.  He certainly expected them to have recognized and have taken notice of One such as Jesus who had restored sight to his sightless eyes. This was truly a miraculous sign beyond the power of nature –   something simply too hard for mere man to accomplish.  I am reminded that throughout the pages of Scripture God both tells us and demonstrates to us that nothing is too hard for Him:

¹⁷ “Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.   Jer 32:17 (NIV)

 

Indeed, God Himself states to Abraham:

¹³ Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ ¹⁴ Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.”   Gen 18:13-14 (NIV)

 

No doubt, God alone can do the impossible which is to create “ex nihilo” – out of nothing.  He restores life from death – spiritual as well as physical – He brings into existence what was not.  There is no god like Jehovah God.  From Genesis to Revelation Scripture is replete with the miraculous working of His Hand – nothing being too hard for Him.

Jesus called the attention of His hearers to His miracles as well stating them to be a confirmation that He was indeed God’s Son:

Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? ³⁷ Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. ³⁸ But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”  John 10:36-38 (NIV)

“The only Christ for whom there is a shred of evidence is a miraculous figure making stupendous claims.”     C. S. Lewis

The miraculous sign spoke for itself. The miracle was so convincing to our now seeing blind man that his argument reeks of sarcasm.  Interestingly, though our blind man could not read a letter of the Book, he remained well acquainted with the Scriptures. These Jews knew enough to know that he was right on target with his premise – those who remain willingly in their trespasses, wallowing in their Delilah’s do not have God’s ear.  Scripture being replete with examples to back up what he said:

¹⁸ If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; ¹⁹ but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.   Psalms 66:18-19 (NIV)

²⁹ The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.  Prov 15:29 (NIV)

 

¹ Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. ² But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.   Isaiah 59:1-2 (NIV)

 

Indeed, one of their number, Nicodemus, stated the exact same thing to Jesus.  We find this encounter earlier in John:  

 ¹ Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. ² He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”   John 3:1-2 (NIV)

Lastly, I am reminded of the futility of our works apart from Christ.  While man is indeed accomplished – all works done apart from Jesus – in the flesh, in our own strength – will never make it through the fire which tests the quality of each man’s work. We often run ahead doing things in our own abilities, basking in our own glory, which God will never take part of.  And we sit around scratching our heads wondering why we either fail or we remain so unsatisfied.  Glory comes to God when we do His works through His power and we remain the most satisfied when God is most glorified in and through our lives.

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.  John 15:5-8 (NIV)

What I glean from this:

• Nothing is too hard for God.
• The miracles Jesus performed confirmed He was God’s Son.
•  Apart from Jesus I can nothing eternal.

Read Full Post »

November_15

SHARING BREAD

²⁸ Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! ²⁹ We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”

John 9:28-29 (NIV)

The easiest thing to pick, is fun at somebody (I bet you thought I was going to say a nose didn’t you?  Sorry, I couldn’t resist!).  Insults and criticism flow readily from the lips of wounded prides.  Here this now seeing once blind beggar offends the pompous pride of the religious elite by asking if they wanted to become Jesus’ disciples as well.  This was simply more than they could bear.  Insults erupted closely followed by name dropping.  They were going to show this now seeing beggar that they were somebody and that they were not the least bit interested in anyone he would follow.  Clinging to the worthless idol of pride, they forfeit the grace that could have been theirs.  We find this Truth in Jonah:

⁸ “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.  Jonah 2:8 (NIV)

 

“The entertaining of any worldly lusts, and indulgence of any known willful sin, is an accursed thing, by which we are deprived of the power of God, and cannot stand before our enemies…. He that does not resist the sinful motions of his heart, will very easily give a loose to his hands and tongue; but he that immediately subdues the inward corruptions, will certainly be preserved from their breaking out in any sinful actions.”  K. H. Von Bogatzky

 

In speaking to His then commander in chief Joshua, God states this Truth in the following way:

 

 ¹⁰ The LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? ¹¹ Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. ¹² That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.  Josh 7:10-12 (NIV)

These Pharisees were so full of self righteous pride they were indignant at even the thought that they would stoop to follow Someone such as Jesus.  The pride they held so dear devoted them to destruction.  It was an insult to their worldly wisdom – to their standing.  I am reminded how much God detests the haughty eyes of man.  Of the seven things God hates listed in Proverbs, it is number one – “haughty eyes” being a proud look:

¹⁶ There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: ¹⁷ haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, ¹⁸ a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, ¹⁹ a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.   Prov 6:16-19 (NIV)

Isn’t it interesting how cruelly and unjustly unbelievers will oftentimes treat those in disagreement with them?  Yet Scripture tells us the curses they call down are for naught:

² Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. Prov 26:2 (NIV)

Being wise in their own eyes and also being unable to frighten this now healed blind man into denying the evidence of his own senses, they excommunicate him, putting him out in open shame.  This was a grave treatment for our protagonist making him an object of scorn and suspicion among all true Israelites albeit only being a temporal injustice as it could do no harm to his soul. I am reminded of what our Lord Jesus states regarding any unjust treatment we might receive:

²⁸ Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.   Matt 10:28 (NIV)

 

All true motives will be revealed in the judgment.  As believers, God is our defense – we do not have to worry about defending ourselves in matters of our rightness if we take a stand for righteousness sake.  Obedience to God who is ultimately in charge of both the physical and the spiritual is far more crucial. Paul tells us in Romans:

¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹ Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:  “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.   Romans 12:17-21 (NIV)

Interestingly, these Pharisees claimed to be the disciples of Moses as if Moses was contrary to Christ.  In their blindness they could not see and refused to understand that Christ was the very Savior of Whom Moses had written.  Jesus tells us:

⁴⁵ “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. ⁴⁶ If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. ⁴⁷ But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”   John 5:45-47 (NIV)

What I glean from this:

• It is easy for me to pick fun at someone who disagrees with me in an effort to make myself feel better – yet it never makes me feel better.
• I forfeit grace by clinging to worthless idols.
• All true motives of mankind (including my own) will be revealed in the judgment therefore I should focus on what motivates what I do.

Read Full Post »

November_12

SHARING BREAD

²⁶ Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

²⁷ He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?”

John 9:26-27 (NIV)

In our verses for today our ex-blind man begins to get a little testy with his interrogators – his patience has begun to wear thin.  Why did they keep on with the same questions over and over again?  I think he clearly saw through to the duplicity of their unending questions and sought to get them to fess up to their actual motivation.  What was all the commotion about concerning his Healer – why was it they were so insistent of attaching an evil slant and slur on such a miracle worker as Jesus?  I feel certain our healed man knew these Pharisees held more against Jesus than simply His healing on the Sabbath.  They had it out against our Lord and I have to believe our healed patient was not blind to this fact.  These Pharisees simply did not like the way Jesus was shaking up their world – He made them look bad and perhaps even worse than that, feel bad about their actions.  No one wants to feel conviction unless they are willing to change.  That’s why so few people remain faithfully in the Word of God – it is so convicting.  We either change or we quit opening ourselves up to its Truths.   

“Every sermon, every Bible lesson, every word of testimony, and every verse of Scripture is a warning, calling us to repentance and revival.  Our God is a consuming fire, and a day of judgment is coming.  We must not neglect the warning, and today’s church must not forget that our message includes the ministry of warning.”  Robert J. Morgan

We see here how much wiser our beggar was than the proud Jewish rulers.  Interestingly, our blind guy now sees clearly while the Pharisees remained in the dark – they could not see because they would not receive the Truth.  He now had eyes yet the Jewish leaders were blind.  His ears were now opened to the Truth while theirs remained stopped up.  Jesus constantly stated in Scripture:

¹⁵ He who has ears, let him hear.   Matt 11:15 (NIV)

 

It is true that oftentimes the Words of our Lord are received by those of low means and little learning rather than those of high standing and education.  Our Lord Himself states:

²⁵ At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. ²⁶ Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.   Matt 11:25-26 (NIV)

 

“How strong is truth, and how weak is falsehood!  Truth, though she take hold only of ordinary men, maketh them appear glorious; falsehood, even with the strong, makes them appear weak.”   Chrysostom

Paul writes of this to the Corinthians:

²⁶ Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things–and the things that are not–to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him.   1 Cor 1:26-29 (NIV)

If God had chosen His children on the basis of human wisdom, influence and nobility or high standing, many of us would not have made the cut.  Yet Jesus turned the world’s standards upside down (as was His normal way) by choosing the ordinary rather than the outstanding to do His bidding.  God does not look at the outside of the cup when choosing His vessels for use rather He looks at the heart – He deals from within.  I am reminded of God’s Word to Samuel when he was sent to anoint the next King of Israel – King David:

⁷ But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”   1 Sam 16:7 (NIV)

 

⁹ For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.    2 Chron 16:9 (NIV)

 

What I glean from this:

• God’s Word both warns and convicts – I either change or quit opening myself up to its Truths.
• God often chooses the less influential of this world (thank goodness) as His vessels to do His bidding so that He will be most glorified through their actions.  It then becomes a demonstration of God’s achieving power rather than mere mans.
• God looks at the heart of man rather than their outward pomp and splendor.       

Read Full Post »

November_10

SHARING BREAD

²⁴ A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”²⁵ He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

John 9:24-25 (NIV)

Isn’t it interesting how smug and confident unbelief comes across in the attitudes of our interrogators of this once blind man?  Regarding Jesus, they so confidently, albeit wrongly, proclaim – “We know this man is a sinner”!  You can certainly feel by the force of their words they held their opinion in high esteem.  They were learned men with pomp and splendor – they knew best, or so they thought.  Unfortunately, faith and confidence in the wrong thing does not make it the right thing – no matter how much we may hope and wish that it were so!  We must never be so convinced of our own rightness that we miss the way, that we miss the Truth.  Paul tells us:

²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.   1 Cor 1:25 (NIV)

All the while our healed protagonist tenaciously clings to what he knows to be true.  He had had a firsthand experience with the Truth and no one was going to alter his stand, change his mind, or convince him of anything differently- it was fact no matter how much they belittled or ridiculed him. Simply put, he had been healed and no one knew it better than he. He once had lived in blackest darkness never seeing the light of day.  His job description consisted of begging for alms because his sightless eyes had prevented his labor.  He had never had the privilege of seeing a sunrise or a sunset, a bright sunny day or a starry night.  Both a smile and the gazing into the eyes of another had totally eluded him.  So much of the life he had missed was now being fully displayed in vivid color all for the sheer enjoyment of his viewing.  A flower, a butterfly, a bird, and a bee – all the sights he could now clearly see must have been overwhelming to his senses.  It was a fact that no one could convince him any differently of – he had been blind up until that very day – then he encountered Jesus, the restorer of sight.  He knew very little about Him.  Indeed, all he knew he clearly stated.  He did not know if Jesus was a sinner or not – but what he was confident of he was faithful to proclaim boldly:  “I was blind but now I see!”  He does not let himself get sidetracked rather he sticks to the reality of the miracle itself. 

“He was theologically untrained.  He may have been totally unschooled.  He had only recently even heard the name of Jesus.  And yet he stood before the most powerful and learned religious men of his day and witnessed to them.  He couldn’t articulate an elaborate proof of the deity of Christ.  He didn’t have any well-written brochures complete with Scripture verses and diagrams.  He simply told what had happened to him when he met Jesus.”  Touch Point Reference Bible

I am reminded of the words written in Acts regarding Peter and John’s boldness as well:

 ¹³ When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 (NIV)

 

When Christ has worked a true work of grace on a heart by His Spirit the recipient remains forever changed.  True encounters with Jesus will do that. We can remember how it was before our spiritual eyes were opened and we are not anxious to go back to once again wallowing in the mud.  Just as when a blind man is given sight his physical view of everything changes, so too, when our spiritual eyes are opened the view of everything changes – in both cases, neither are desirous of turning back to their original conditions.  When the lame can leap, the lame desires to leap and when the blind can see, the blind desires to see.  Paul tells us:

¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  2 Cor 5:17 (NIV)

 

¹¹ In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. ¹³ Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.   Romans 6:11-14 (NIV)

 

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”   C.S. Lewis

“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now I see. T’was Grace that taught my heart to fear.  And Grace, my fears relieved.  How precious did that Grace appear The hour I first believed.  The Lord has promised good to me. His word my hope secures.  He will my shield and portion be, As long as life endures.  When we’ve been here ten thousand years Bright shining as the sun.  We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’ve first begun.”   John Newton

What I glean from this:

• I can unfortunately be smug and confident in the wrong thing.
• God’s wisdom and strength are infinitely greater than my own.
• I must be faithful to share what God has done in my life – in Christ, I am a new creation.    

Read Full Post »

November_08

SHARING BREAD

¹⁸ The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. ¹⁹ “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”

²⁰ “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. ²¹ But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” ²² His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. ²³ That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

John 9:18-23 (NIV)

In our verses for today we see that passing the proverbial buck has been around for quite some time.  Indeed, it started all the way back in the Garden of Eden with Adam blaming Eve and Eve then turning and blaming the serpent!  Apparently, the save our own skin gene has always been very prevalent in mankind’s DNA!  Jesus had shown their blind son a miraculous kindness by healing his sight yet sadly they could not bring themselves to bestow Him any honor.  Fear of the Jewish leaders had them frozen.  This was not too uncommon.  Three other times in the gospel of John this is mentioned as well:

¹² Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” ¹³ But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews.   John 7:12-13 (NIV)

 

⁴² Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; ⁴³ for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.   John 12:42-43 (NIV)

 

³⁸ Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away.   John 19:38 (NIV)

 

We must be careful not to come down too hard on those unwilling to take a stand for Christ.  If we are honest with ourselves we could more than likely come up with times we would be accused of this exact behavior and poor treatment of our Lord.  The punishment of being put out of the synagogue would have been a severe one indeed for any Jew.  It was the equivalent of being cut off from all communion with other Jews – equal to excommunication.  Therefore, rather than being suspected of favoring the Healer of their son’s eyesight they refer their interrogators back to their son – obviously, blood not being thick enough in this case – let him fend for himself, he was old enough – was seemingly how their thinking went.  Fear of man will often lead us to say or to do or not to say or do things we would never have dreamed of.    At least they were honest enough to admit that he was their son, that he was born blind and that he could now see.  This should serve to be a red flag to us as well – does the fear of man control us and prevent us from doing what is right or rather what is best?  Do we love the praise of men more than the praise of God?

“To inoculate me from the praise of man, God baptized me into the criticism of man, until I died to the control of man.”   Francis Frangipane

 

Jesus had some Words of warning for us regarding this issue:

²² All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.  Matt 10:22 (NIV)

 

²⁸ Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.  Matt 10:28 (NIV)

 

 ³² “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. ³³ But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. Matt 10:32-33 (NIV)

 

Yet all the while Jesus also tells us that we are blessed when we are persecuted for righteousness sake – a promise we can certainly take to the bank:

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.   Matt 5:11-12 (NIV)

 

“Though assaults be many, and my enemies mighty, if God strengthen me, I have enough to comfort me; for the greater my enemy, the more glorious my victory; and the more glorious my victory, the more triumphant my glory.”    K.H. Von Bogatzky

 

“Christian, make your life a clear testimony.  Be you as the brook wherein you may see every stone at the bottom – not as the muddy creek, of which you only see the surface – but clear and transparent, so that your heart’s love to God and man may be visible to all.  You need not say, ‘I am true’:  be true.  Boast not of integrity, but be upright.  So shall your testimony be such that men cannot help seeing it.  Never, for fear of feeble man, restrain your witness.”  Charles H. Spurgeon

 

What I glean from this:

• It is easy for me to pass the buck or remain silent for fear of man.
• Jesus did not care what man thought.    ⁴¹ “I do not accept praise from men,”  John 5:41 (NIV)
• My life should be a clear testimony for my Savior.

Read Full Post »