The Fear that can Bind Us

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover.  And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people (Luke 22:1-2).

The fear of people results in a life captivated and enslaved by the opinions and actions of others. It results in a kind of blinding, immobilizing insecurity. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were responsible for seeking and teaching the spiritual truths that are revealed in God’s Word, but here, as one of the most meaningful and prophetic Old Testament feasts approached they were blind to its impending fulfillment in Christ because they feared the people. There are still many false religious leaders in our midst today. False people-fearing preachers and teachers vie for our adulation and affections because they want to fill their pews and build their churches and ministries. There is precious, liberating truth here for serious disciples in every generation about discerning and avoiding the fear that can bind us.

False leaders dread the people more than God. People-fearing, insecure chief priests and scribes gained their personal worth from the affirmation of the people they were called to serve. Pastors and teachers can be particularly vulnerable to this weakness if we lose our personal fellowship and intimacy with Jesus Christ. Evidence of a healthy, growing walk with Jesus is a leader that imitates Christ’s servant leadership… “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26-28). Evidence of the fear of man is a gospel that is more concerned about winning acceptance than about prompting repentance in sinful hearts. 

False leaders dismiss the plan of God. The Feast of Unleavened Bread was a seven-day reminder to remove all leaven from the home in anticipation of a hasty exodus from Egypt. In the Old Testament, the Spirit identifies leaven with sin by banning it from altar-burnt offerings… “No grain offering that you bring to the LORD shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey as a food offering to the LORD” (Leviticus 2:11).  In the New Testament, the Spirit reaffirms the connection between leaven and sin… “Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:8). The Feast of Unleavened Bread reminds us of the impossibility of removing all tiny crumbs of leavened products from our home and all traces of sin from our heart on our own. Fear of man can make us blind to this first step toward salvation, admitting the truth about our helpless, sinful condition and seeking the grace and mercy of God. Evidence of the fear of man is a gospel that does not include confession and repentance.

False leaders distort the purpose of God. By compelling Luke to note that the Feast of Unleavened Bread… is called the Passover, the Spirit emphasized the purpose of the feast was to raise awareness of the need for a sacrificial lamb to protect the home against the terrible deathly consequence of sin… “Go and select lambs for yourselves according to your clans, and kill the Passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin… the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you” (Exodus 12:21-23).  The Spirit inspired John to reveal Christ as the Lamb of God that delivers us from sin’s deadly consequence… “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). The blind religious leaders believed they could put him to death, but that act belonged to God’s plan of redemption, as later revealed through the apostle Paul’s inspired letter… “Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). Fearing people more than God can still make us blind to the important truth that faith in Christ is sufficient to cleanse us from all sin. Evidence of the fear of man is a gospel that adds any self-righteous works to the all-sufficient grace of Jesus Christ.

As we grow up into Christ, we learn to recognize and avoid leaders enslaved by…

The Fear that Can Bind Us.

The Discipline that Keeps Us Holy

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet. And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him (Luke 21:34-38).

Jesus continued preparing His disciples for life in the last days. We’ve learned that the last days began with His ascension and will end with His return… “And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven’” (Acts 1:10-11). Our lord gave much revelation about the conditions and signs of the last days, promising that with increasing intensity the unbelieving world would become more perplexed while we, His disciples should become more prepared for His return. He also gave us a set of spiritual exercises to keep us set apart for kingdom building work through to the end of these last days and today we are challenged to engage wholeheartedly in the discipline that keeps us holy.

Maturing disciples must strengthen ourselves. A true disciple is always growing. Like healthy physical growth, healthy spiritual growth and vitality requires a proper diet. The right nourishment for growing disciples is the truth found in God’s Word… “Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3). Jesus acknowledged this truth (see Luke 4:4), and the Holy Spirit affirmed it through the letter to the Hebrews… “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food” (Hebrews 5:12). To stay strong in the faith, make sure you’re feeding your hungry spirit the faith building truth of God’s Word every day!

Diligent disciples must stay awake. A true disciple has increasing discernment. One primary characteristic of the last days will be a proliferation of false teachers… “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). In today’s text Jesus reveals a connection between strong spiritual discernment and prayer. He affirmed this relationship in a warning to His disciples… “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). To grow strong in the spirit, spend quality time with Jesus Christ in prayer every day.

Faithful disciples must stand up for Christ. A true disciple will provoke opposition. We are living according to a never-changing truth in an ever-changing world and as we are abiding and immersed in the truth of God’s word our increasingly holy lives will convict and stir up the rebellion and wickedness that enslaves the hearts of unbelievers… “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19). The Spirit affirms this truth through Paul’s letter to Timothy… “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). Jesus knows how lonely we sometimes feel as family, friends, and others find it easier to abandon us than to hang out with us to get to know the Christ who has captured our hearts and lives within us. That’s why He promises us that we will never be alone if we live for Him… “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). He also revealed that when we stand up for Him in this unrighteous world we will be blessed just as the prophets who stood up for God in every generation… “Blessed are you when others 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 so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12). Don’t miss the prophetic blessings of standing up for Jesus today!

As we grow up into Christ, we become more available and prepared disciples as we follow…

The Discipline that Keeps Us Holy.

The Signs of the Kingdom that is Near

And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Luke 21:29-33).

Jesus preached and promised that things are gonna change. He proclaimed the arrival of a new order and He prophesied about the approach of the kingdom of God… “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). His message had a twofold meaning. First, the kingdom of God comes near whenever the presence and power of God shows up through the faithful ministry of His true disciples… “Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you’” (Luke 10:9). Second, Jesus promised that the eternal kingdom of God would come one day with His return… “I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29). The Spirit affirms the supremacy and eternity of Christ’s kingdom… “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever’” (Revelation 11:15). Whether it’s in the ministry and witnessing of this day or of the very last days, Jesus wants us to be fully aware of the signs of the kingdom that is near.

When the kingdom of God approaches, there will be a discernable season. Jesus had just finished teaching that there will be terrible signs in the natural world that will perplex the unbeliever and encourage the believer (see v. 25-28, The Signs that Encourage Us). Let’s face it, life in this temporal and trying world is full of such signs every day. Bad things happen to both good and bad people… “He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). The difference is that true believers live with an anticipation of Christ showing up, drawing near, and revealing His grace in the midst of our trials. We see every trial as a Christ-glorifying opportunity… “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7). And we are thankful for every trial because we know it will last only for a season, and our season to imitate Christ in glorifying God here on earth is a short one… “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do” (John 17:4).

When the kingdom of God approaches, there will be a desperate generation. Every generation has had and will have its own share of distress, perplexity, fear, and foreboding (see v. 25-26). Such circumstances and trials confront every individual here on earth with the brevity and fragility of life… “Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1), the consequences of separation from God caused by sin… “Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear” (Isaiah 59:2), and the need for a Savior to restore us to God… “In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19). What makes all the difference in eternity is the decision that can only be made here in this temporal world to trust in Christ… “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

When the kingdom of God approaches, there will be a definite confirmation. True disciples have peace when the world is perplexed because Jesus confirmed that in Him we shall overcome the world’s tribulation… “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

As we grow up into Christ, it is through our everyday witness and ministry that the world will see…

The Signs of the Kingdom that is Near.

The Signs that Encourage Us

“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:25-28).

One of my favorite signature quotes is keep lookin’ up! I try to end most emails and letters with this admonition for two reasons. First, as an encouragement to pray about the topic of our communication, expecting a great and wonderful reply and revelation from heaven… “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known” (Jeremiah 33:3). Second, as an encouragement to see through and beyond the immediate circumstance and toward the eternal consequences and purposes behind it… “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). In today’s text, Jesus offers a glimpse of the signs that will precede His return. He includes a description of two different reactions to these signs. In truth, our reaction to the many signs of the Spirit of Christ’s daily intervention in our world and in our lives, identifies us as children of the world or children of God. You see, the very same signs of Christ’s coming that perplex the world are the signs that encourage us.

The signs plague heaven and earth. They are manifested throughout the natural world with such prevalence and profusion that no one can miss them. But what’s different about these signs are their origin. They are natural manifestations of a great conflagration among the “powers of the heavens” … “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). When your world is shaken up, look up and pray up, because Jesus is coming into your life to defeat the enemies that are gathering against you and your victory is very near!

The signs produce fear and foreboding in the hearts of the wicked. The signs of the Lord’s approach are severe because they are meant to shake the hearts and minds of unbelievers. The Lord’s protection and peace that covers us during the shakeup of the world around us are very perplexing to the unbeliever and can create opportunities for us testify about the hope we have in Christ… “Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:13-15). When your world is shaken up, look around to see where Jesus is coming to touch and transform the hearts of the lost through your testimony!

The signs prompt elation and exaltation in the hearts of the righteous. The signs of the Lord’s approach signal the replacement of the natural world that is enslaved by sin’s terrible consequences with a new heavens and earth… “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:11-13). When your world is shaken up, look above and beyond your natural circumstances to Jesus who is coming to transform and prepare you for eternal righteousness and glory!

As we grow up into Christ, our anticipation of His coming is increased by…

The Signs that Encourage Us.

The Desolation that Compels Us

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:20-24).

Jesus directed His discourse to the first big event of the last days, the desolation of Jerusalem. To correctly discern the precious truth our Teacher shares here, we must remember that the last days are those days between the ascension of Christ and His return. He wants His disciples in every age to be living every day as if it is the last day here on earth before His return. He also wants us to remember that the days after His visit and ministry on earth would be very different from the days that went before. The last days would begin with the siege and destruction Of Jerusalem, the city at the heart of God’s great plan of reconciliation with mankind… “At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the LORD, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the LORD in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart” (Jeremiah 3:17). Jerusalem is also the city close to the heart of Jesus… “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Luke 1,3:34). Let’s remember that Christ is becoming enthroned in our hearts and in these last days, He wants us to be responsive to the desolation that compels us.

The desolation of Jerusalem would scatter Christ’s disciples. Jesus wanted His disciples to leave the comfort and familiarity of Jerusalem to carry the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth… “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The first days after the birth of the church were filled with blessing as the church grew by the thousands, but the first phase of God’s plan for the church to reach the world would not last for long. Persecution, then the siege and destruction of Jerusalem propelled the disciples with the message of the gospel out into the Gentile world… “Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). God sometimes shakes and brings desolation to our world in order to compel us to carry His gospel to others.

The desolation of Jerusalem would not last forever. Jesus promised that… “Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled”. What did He mean by “the times of the Gentiles”? The Spirit inspired Paul to give an answer… “A partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25). Jerusalem’s desolation will end when the gospel has reached the whole world… “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). The Gentile domination of Israel until the return of Christ should compel true disciples in every age to share His gospel and make disciples of all nations… “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).

The desolation of Jerusalem would fulfill God’s vengeance. God is jealous over Jerusalem… “So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion” (Zechariah 1:14). The Spirit inspired Paul to reflect the Lord’s jealousy for the heart of the true disciple, because He gave His life in exchange for our heart… “For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2). His divine jealousy moves God to bring about the desolation of the fruit of our adulterous behavior and compels us rise above the world’s temptations and to grow in holiness.

As we grow up into Christ, we are moved to make disciples of the nations in word and deed by…

The Desolation that Compels Us.

The Way of Endurance

Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives” (Luke 21:10-19).

Jesus continued His description of the tumult and conflict that would occupy the world between His ascension and His return. Indeed, the world has been consumed by political and religious conflict, increasing natural disasters, and heartbreaking human suffering since Jesus returned to His Father. Whether these increasingly terrible conditions are stirred up by our relentless adversary Satan, or by our ever-pursuing Father to gain the attention of selfish and distracted humanity (note: great signs from heaven), Jesus wants His disciples in every age until He returns, to know the way of endurance.

We endure because our persecution is a witnessing opportunity. The proclamation of the gospel and growth of the church will always provoke resistance and conflict… “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division” (Luke 12:51). Jesus promised that our dedication to living as His disciples and sharing His gospel will instigate opposition… “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you… If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you… But all these things they will do to you on account of my name” (John 15:18-21). The Spirit also affirms this inescapable truth… “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). As we grow in the faith, our reaction to persecution should increasingly mirror that of our Lord, who offered the gospel of forgiveness to those who persecuted Him… “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Jesus wants us to turn persecution into promise by bearing witness to His saving grace when we are provoked because of Him.

We endure because our Helper strengthens us. The same Holy Spirit that empowered Jesus to see into the hearts of angry Pharisees and religious leaders… “Immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, ‘Why do you question these things in your hearts?’” (Mark 2:8) will show us what’s in the hearts of our persecutors if we listen… “These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10). Jesus promised the Spirit will show us how to respond to persecutors because the Spirit knows exactly what’s provoking their hearts and His anointed words can melt the hardest heart.

We endure because our endurance is leading us to real life. Jesus’ words sound contradictory… “some of you they will put to death” yet… “not a hair of your head will perish”. The resolution of this seeming contradiction is found in His closing words… “By your endurance you will gain your lives”. The Spirit inspired Paul to teach that this earthly life is temporary and our perishable body will be exchanged for an imperishable one… “For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:53). In Christ, all who endure this trying and temporal life will transition to eternal life… “For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:52), but we do not die… “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26). Jesus wants us to look past today’s trials and stay focused on the promise of real life.

As we grow up into Christ, in an increasingly hostile and turbulent world, by His grace we learn…

The Way of Endurance.

The Signs of the Beginning of the End

And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once” (Luke 21:5-9).

Jesus had just contrasted the sacrificial giving of the poor widow with the noisy, prideful giving of the wealthy. Some in the crowd got his message, but others were so preoccupied with the natural wealth and splendor of Herod’s Temple that they missed the precious truth Jesus had just spoken… “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63). Natural ears cannot hear spiritual truth, and minds that are consumed with only natural thoughts cannot understand spiritual truth… “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). What a shame. These carnally captive people heard the words of Jesus but missed His message that revealed important truth about the days to come. Here Jesus revealed that the countdown to His return would begin almost immediately after His ascension with the destruction of this splendid temple. The days of our anticipation and preparation for His return would be filled with false Christs and increasing conflict. We are reminded today that true disciples in every age are to avoid the distractions of the flesh and the natural world and listen carefully to the Holy Spirit in order to discern the signs of the beginning of the end.

The end began with the removal of the temple. Jesus had revealed that Herod’s temple was to be replaced with a new, intimate, personal place of worship… “The hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father… But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him” (John 4:21-23). Jesus has established His new temple in the hearts of His true disciples… “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). As we anticipate His return we are to worship and glorify God with every breath!

The end began with the revelation of false Christ’s. This prophecy was fulfilled very early in the history of the Church, with the doctrine of the papacy that teaches that the pope is the vicar of Christ. The vicar is the representative of a higher-ranking official, with all of the same authority and power that that official has. The Spirit confirms through the pen of the apostle John that from the earliest days of the pope to the return Jesus, there will be false Christ’s… “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour” (1 John 2:18). The same Spirit moved John to reveal how we may discern and resist false Christs… “This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22). As we advance toward Christ’s return, our intimate fellowship with Him and immersion in His Word help us to know the true Christ and to discern and resist increasing numbers of false Christs.

The end began with the rise of war. Jesus taught that His incarnation would disrupt the natural order of fallen creation and that confronting sinful hearts with gospel truth would increase conflict among fallen people… “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). As we approach Christ’s return, increasing conflict and war compels true disciples to share His gospel because it offers true and lasting peace to a broken and tumultuous world.

As we grow up into Christ, and we long for His return we are increasingly aware of…

The Signs of the Beginning of the End.

The Generosity that Exposes Our Heart

 Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” (Luke 21:1-4).

There is little else that gives a better glimpse into the heart of a person than a look into their bank account or wallet. Why is money such a delicate and dynamic issue for people? I believe it’s because money is a significant measure of our performance and status. If we work 40 hours and earn $400 then ten of those dollars equals an hour of our life. But if we are born again, we are no longer of this world…  “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:16). We are not subject to the judgments and standards of the world. We are growing up into the much higher and eternal standards of the kingdom of God. In the shadow of the boastful and noisy giving of the rich, Jesus drew attention to a poor widow, and He challenged His followers to take a step closer to true discipleship by observing and imitating from her, the generosity that exposes our heart.

Maturing disciples give out of our prosperity. Evidence that Christ lives in our heart is an increasing apprehension of our true spiritual prosperity. The poor widow’s generosity was not hindered by the earthly living expenses of today. As our faith grows we draw closer to Jesus. The Spirit inspired Paul to reveal to us that true disciples are actually sitting next to Christ in heaven… “(God) raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). Our generosity is a sign to others that we are not of this world. We are not living for today but we live in anticipation of a more glorious future in heaven… “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Luke 12:32-34). As we grow in faith our generosity proclaims that we’re rich and storing up treasure in heaven.

Growing disciples give out of our poverty. Evidence that Christ has transformed our heart is a growing perception of our true natural poverty. The widow was very aware of her financial distress. In giving “all she had to live on” the poor widow revealed that in her heart she was trusting her entire life and well-being to the Lord… “In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:10). Despite the noisy commotion raised by the wealthy, this act of faith caught the attention of the Son of God. The Holy Spirit affirms that giving out of poverty is always a worthy mark of true discipleship… “We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us” (2 Corinthians 8:1-5). As we grow in the faith we recognize that God has entrusted us with little or much to help us grow in generosity, and with Him, little is always much.

Diligent disciples give out of our passion. Evidence that Christ fills our heart is a passion for His people and His work. As our fellowship with Christ deepens, we become more like Him. The love and compassion that compelled Him to come to earth conquers our heart and compels us to give and to serve like He did… “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). As we grow in the faith His passion within us increases our generosity.

As we grow up into Christ, we become a clearer reflection of Christ as we grow in…

The Generosity that Exposes Our Heart.

The Confession that Exposes Our Heart

But he said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is David’s son? For David himself says in the Book of Psalms, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”’ David thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son?” And in the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation” (Luke 20:41-47).

Jesus confronted the scribes with a penetrating question… “How can they say that the Christ is David’s son?” This query echoed a question He asked His disciples at another time… “’Who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’” (Matthew 16:15-16). Peter’s reply was met with Jesus’ promise to build His church on the confession of true disciples that would publicly acknowledge Him as the Christ… “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). In this encounter with the scribes and in His warning to His disciples, Jesus added depth to our understanding of the confession that exposes Our heart.

True disciples confess that Christ is God. As David’s Lord, Jesus was acknowledged as Israel’s savior. The Spirit inspired Isaiah to declare that Israel’s only savior would be God Himself… “I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior” (Isaiah 43:11). The Spirit used the same prophet to declare God’s affirmation of Christ as divine… “The Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). The Spirit moved Matthew to reaffirm the divinity of Christ and to encourage us with the truth that in Christ, God put on our skin and walked in our shoes… “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel which means, God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Maturing disciples confess in word and deed that in Christ, God is with us.

True disciples confess that Christ is man. As David’s son or descendant, Jesus met the requirements for being the Messiah… “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness’” (Jeremiah 23:5-6). In Christ, all of God became all of man. There is no greater example of humility… “Though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:6-7). Diligent disciples imitate the humble, servant spirit of Christ the man.

True disciples confess that Christ is in their heart. The Spirit inspired Paul to teach that Christ lives in the heart of born again children of God… “Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Galatians 4:6). It is faith that invites Christ into the heart… “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Ephesians 3:17). There is outward evidence of this inward faith. Jesus publicly exposed and rebuked the unbelieving hearts of the scribes and added a warning for us. Jesus will publicly expose the true state of our faith before His Father in heaven… “Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33). He taught that the true condition of our faith is also revealed daily in our speech and behavior… “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). What do our attitude and action declare to the onlooking world around us about our faith in the Son of David and God?

As we grow up into Christ, our maturing faith in the son of David and the Son of God is revealed by…

The Confession that Exposes Our Heart.

The Temporal Nature of Marriage

There came to him some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children. And the second and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. Afterward the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife.” And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.” Then some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” For they no longer dared to ask him any question (Luke 20:27-40).

Marriage is a precious gift of God. It has an eternal purpose and a temporal nature. It is an expression of the social nature of the Trinity in a broken and hurting world and it is the foundation of the family. However, Jesus said in the resurrection there will be no need for the temporal nature of marriage.

Marriage reflects the triune nature of God. God’s first created institution was marriage. God intended the marriage of a man and a woman to be an image of Himself… “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27). The child that is born of the father and the mother in marriage is a reflection of the Holy Spirit that proceeds from the Father and the Son in the Trinity… “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me” (John 15:26). In the resurrection, we will be like the angels, forever in the presence of God… “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven” (Hebrews 12:22-23). In the resurrection, a reflection of God’s triune nature is unnecessary in His true presence.

Marriage remembers the temporal nature of life. God’s first command to man was fill the earth with human life… “And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth’” (Genesis 1:28). The consequence of the fall was death… “Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). Christ has conquered death… “Our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10). For God’s elect, there is no death in eternity… “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more” (Revelation 21:4). In the resurrection, the temporal nature of life is transformed into eternal life, leaving no need for reproduction through temporal marriage.

Marriage reveals the true nature of the Church. Truly born again and maturing disciples live in a mysterious and revealing relationship with Christ… “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:31-32). Maturing disciples are being prepared as a bride is prepared for her groom on their wedding day… “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready” (Revelation 19:7). Marriage is a revelation of the growth in holiness that prepares us for our place with Christ in eternity… “So that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27). In the resurrection, the true nature of the Church will be marriage with Christ.

As we grow up into Christ, we enjoy the blessings but anticipate the transformation of…

The Temporal Nature of Marriage.

The King that Rules All Kingdoms

The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar’s.” He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent” (Luke 20:19-26).

The point of the parable of the wicked tenants had found its mark in the hearts of the wicked religious leaders. Jesus’ intention was for them to repent and take the steps toward becoming more effective spiritual leaders, “but they feared the people” more than the Lord. Fear drove them to craftiness, and with insincere and deceived hearts they attempted to trap God with worldly cunning. How silly, you might say? Do we sense a little conviction in our own hearts? Have we not, from time to time, tried to reason with God over something He wants to do in us to help us to grow up further in Christ?... “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13). Jesus replied to their vain attempt to trap Him with a question that revealed to them and to us the truth about authority. He made it clear that while there are several kinds of kingdoms, He alone is the king that rules all kingdoms.

There are the kingdoms of the world. God institutes and limits the authority of worldly kingdoms… “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Romans 13:1). God creates worldly kingdoms to enable the advancement of His kingdom on the earth… “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4). True disciples respect and submit to the kingdoms of the world as Jesus did.

There is the kingdom of God. God’s kingdom has unlimited and eternal authority… “He was given power, honor, and a kingdom. People from every province, nation, and language were to serve him. His power is an eternal power that will not be taken away. His kingdom will never be destroyed” (Daniel 7:14). We are to live as loyal citizens and subjects of God’s kingdom… “We, however, are citizens of heaven. We look forward to the Lord Jesus Christ coming from heaven as our Savior” (Philippians 3:20). Diligent disciples trust and obey Christ, living in this world and the next as subjects of the kingdom of God.

There is one King over all kingdoms. God establishes His Son Jesus Christ as the authority of all kingdoms… “Our Lord Jesus Christ… he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Timothy 6:14-15). Jesus will conquer all kingdoms and authority for God… “They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful” (Revelation 17:14). Jesus will surrender all kingdoms and authority to His Father… “Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power” (1 Corinthians 15:24). Maturing disciples serve Christ, the King over all kingdoms.

As we grow up into Christ, we enjoy the blessings of His sovereignty as we learn to obey…

The King that Rules All Kingdoms.