The Beginning of the Gospel
"THE BEGINNING OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST" MARK 1:1
The gospel we preach in 2017, the self-same that we heard and believed ourselves, is that which the apostles preached so long ago. Did I say apostles? Yes, but prophets too, and patriarchs. It was promised beforehand, foreshadowed, prefigured, and prophesied. Mark records the beginning of its manifestation, but its end is nowhere in sight.
It goes on and on through the ages, advancing with the measured steps of inflexible reality. Now and again it flashes forth in sweeping revival. Kingdoms rise and fall, regimes flex and fade, waxing and waning while the kingdom of God advances on and on through the centuries, winning the souls of men and adding to its ranks people from every place.
THE ADVANCE OF THE GOSPEL IS INVINCIBLE.
Divine Defiance
"GO, MAKE IT AS SECURE AS YOU CAN." MATTHEW 27:65
Ready thy selves, O foes of Jesus! Make the tomb as secure as you can. Seal his death with all your might! But make it well, for the third day cometh.
Pilate said it, but God meant it, as if to say to death itself, "Strap on your armor and be shattered" (Isaiah 8:9). He offers holy defiance to all who resist the high destiny of Jesus Christ! He is the Son of God, God the Son in human flesh, the death killer who dances on his own grave. "It was impossible for Him to be held in its power" (Acts 2:24).
Resist with all the strength you can muster, but Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and at his name every knee will bow. Friend, repent of your sin and believe the gospel!
RESISTANCE IS FUTILE; JOY IS FOR THOSE WHO BOW NOW.
He’s coming
"THE SON OF MAN IS COMING" MATTHEW 24:44
Everything you are presently concerned about will be swallowed up by this. You will forget everything, or better, everything will appear for what it really is: a very small matter. The big matters—God and people and sin—will loom larger than life and consume your attention as you enter the realms of eternity.
Jesus Christ is coming back as a roaring lion. It is not a matter of if, but simply a matter of when. "Be ready," he says in the same verse. His glorious appearance will be terror itself or joy itself to every human being.
What is his coming back to you now? Are you washed in his blood and clothed in his righteousness, ready for your heavenly call? Or are you wallowing in your sin, filthy and naked before God, awaiting your summons to judgment?
RUN TO CHRIST FOR SAFETY MY FRIEND. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.
Exposed
"'WE ARE AFRAID OF THE CROWD'...THEY FEARED THE CROWDS." MATTHEW 21:26, 46
We grow by the exposure of our weakness. Physical trainers help people strengthen neglected muscles for a complete physique. We tend to lean on our strengths to the detriment of our underdeveloped, already-weak-enough areas.
Jesus exposed the chief priests and Pharisees through a series of questions and parables. Their true concern wasn't for truth, but for themselves. They were unwilling to give an open statement of their beliefs for fear of what the crowds might do to them. Their god was their bellies; their statement of faith was their present comfort. All was sacrificed to this, even their manly integrity.
"All Scripture is...profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). It discerns our every hidden thought, searches out our secrets, and exposes our blind spots. We need its light. We must spend time under God's word that we might grow in our weaknesses. He knows how to strengthen us in grace.
We are whole persons, and weak areas of our character inevitably affect other areas of our selves. We need the good exposure of God's word, and of local church community, that we may be "complete" (2 Timothy 3:17).
Those who trust Christ are already accepted by God, justified and embraced as sons and daughters. You were an open book when he clothed you in his righteousness, nothing will now separate you from his love. We have nothing to fear of rejection, so let us embrace this gracious searching of our souls by the Master Craftsman.
Greatness
"WHOEVER WOULD BE GREAT AMONG YOU MUST BE YOUR SERVANT" MATTHEW 20:26
Greatness. Who doesn't want it? Muhammad Ali said it best: "I am the greatest." There is no shortage of people seeking it. In fact, the Lord himself encourages the seeking of greatness. It is, however, a much different kind of greatness than the world offers.
CS Lewis hit upon a surprising truth when he said, "It would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak." I think this applies to our desires for greatness. Could it be that our sin is not that we seek to be great in this world, but that we are content with not being great in Christ's kingdom?
Who are the greatest saints in church history? Those who spent themselves serving. Be that saint. Ask how you can serve others, then do it. Look for needs in your local church. Disciple younger saints. Pray for people (really). Be sensitive to your neighbors and coworkers and find ways to serve them as well. "Do good to everyone" (Galatians 6:10).
The greatest act of service has already been done: "the Son of Man...[gave] his life as a ransom for many" (verse 28). We serve the eternal interests of others when we point out the way to escape being served with the fierce judgment that is coming their way. Jesus paid the ransom price for all who will trust him. We can be careless of ourselves because his care for us is immense. He served us; now we can serve others.
BE GREAT.
Election Day
Grace and peace saints! It's election day. I don't know how you are feeling—torn, discouraged, indifferent, frustrated, filled with confidence in God's sovereign goodness, or some combination of them. I encourage all of you to follow your consciences today, whether that is a vote or a non-vote, on all levels of the ballot. We are citizens of this world and have obligations to do good to those around us, which includes making informed political decisions as free citizens.
What I want to emphasize is that the most important election already happened in eternity past, God's election of sinners to faith in Jesus Christ for eternal salvation and life. Rest in your position in Christ today, act according to your conscience, and trust God with the affairs of this passing world. Let's keep our hearts humble and hold our heads high, as is fitting for children of the King of the universe. Remember, he's coming back.
The unwillingness of Christ
"I AM UNWILLING TO SEND THEM AWAY HUNGRY" MATTHEW 15:32
Unwilling. The negative can be as encouraging as the positive. His willingness to do for us is matched only by his unwillingness to let it be undone. Both sides are covered. He is as willing that we are provided for as he is unwilling that we are not. Why? Because he really does care about us.
The crowds had lingered for three days to be with him, and there was nothing left to eat. He healed them, and was not willing that they faint on the way for lack of food. If he has done the greater good, he will hardly leave you without the lesser. If he has healed your soul with the bread of life, he will not let your body faint for lack of its earthly shadow.
In your pursuit of Christ, he will never let you be without what you need to do his will. You have his promises for spiritual well-being and physical care. "I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread." (Psalm 37:25).
You will have what you need every step of the way. "As your days, so shall your strength be." (Deuteronomy 33:25). It's his promise: "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33). Your concern is to set your face toward Zion. A heavenly mind is your business, your earthly needs are his.
Every careless word
"I TELL YOU, ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT PEOPLE WILL GIVE ACCOUNT FOR EVERY CARELESS WORD THEY SPEAK, FOR BY YOUR WORDS YOU WILL BE JUSTIFIED, AND BY YOUR WORDS YOU WILL BE CONDEMNED." MATTHEW 12:36-37
Fruit trees effortlessly produce fruit. It's what they do. In the same way, human beings effortlessly produce words. It's what we do, by nature. This is what's meant by the word careless here.
I think this verse is often misunderstood. In context, it doesn't mean that believers will be made to answer for every single careless, evil word they have ever spoken. In fact, it means quite the opposite. The words of interest for believers will not be careless, evil words, but careless, good words.
The verse means that everyone's unplanned, naturally-spoken (and long-forgotten) words will be examined, and no other evidence will be needed to determine if we are God's children or children of the devil. Children of God speak effortlessly for God; children of the devil speak effortlessly against him.
You who are yet in rebellion against God, your spontaneous words against him will be proof enough of your condemnation on the terrible Day when all your life is laid bare. Who would speak like that but a cosmic rebel? You who are regenerate, your spontaneous words for God will be proof enough of your justification. After all, who would speak like that but a forgiven sinner?
This is not a call to reckless speech. It's a call to examine how you talk when you can talk how you want. How do you speak in the privacy of your own home, in the break room, at lunch, with friends? When you are quite at your ease, what kinds of words find their way out of your mouth? These words are the truest judge of your soul condition; they are the fruit that prove what kind of tree you are, healthy or rotten.
Jesus spoke perfectly out of the majestic overflow of a perfect heart his entire life, and he did that for us. If you find yourself in a lost condition, know that Jesus lived for sinners just like you, and he drank God's judgment on the cross for sinners just like you. Run to him! Throw yourself entirely on his finished work, and you will be safe.
HE WILL MAKE YOU NEW WITHIN, WHICH WILL MAKE THE WORDS YOU SPEAK NEW AS WELL. BRAND NEW.
Church repent
"HOLD FAST WHAT YOU HAVE" REVELATION 3:11
The so-called red letters of Jesus don't end with the gospel accounts. There are red lettered direct words of Christ up through the very last chapter of the New Testament. With the Risen One, it is never merely that he was, but that he is. He's alive.
In Revelation chapters 2 and 3 the resurrected Lord of the universe dictates letters to seven historical local churches. Some, he calls to fierce repentance; to others, he says not a word of correction but only leaves them with strong encouragements to keep up the good work.
Would Jesus stand outside of a faithful local church and call it to repent? Perish the thought. Is Christ divided against himself? He's busy walking in its midst and strengthening its faithful members; how then could he stand outside and oppose himself?
Where two or three have gathered together in the name of calling faithful churches to some sort of ultra repentance, he is not there among them. That is rather a synagogue of Satan. Jesus doesn't call faithful churches to repent. He calls those who call faithful churches to repentance to repent.
Be encouraged, faithful flocks. God is with you and he will continue to bless your efforts for the spread of his kingdom through the preaching of Jesus Christ and him crucified for sinners.
Stay woke
"WHEN HE SAW THE CROWDS, HE HAD COMPASSION ON THEM, BECAUSE THEY WERE HARASSED AND HELPLESS, LIKE SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD." MATTHEW 9:36
"I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death." So goes the Nas lyric. Is it true? Well Nas the rapper certainly sleeps, because he's a creature. But when you sleep, you're oblivious to the world, and therefore more susceptible to danger. So yes, in a sense sleep is a sort of next of kin to death.
Maybe you've never heard this saying before, but you've probably heard the term sheeple. It's a derogatory word used to belittle folks who are easily led astray, the gullible masses as compared to the relatively few, self-declared "woke" ones. In a sense Jesus also saw people as sheeple, but he didn't look down on them. He had compassion on them. He saw their helpless wanderings, felt their lostness, and was moved to help.
What sort of help did he offer? "He began to teach them" (Mark 6:34). They needed knowledge, but not knowledge of earthly injustices or conspiracies. They needed spiritual shepherding in matters of eternal importance. No matter how "woke" you think you are, if your eyes are shut to the majestic living God and the reality of your guilt before him, you are fatally sleeping, and death stalks you.
In the very next verse, Jesus turned to his disciples and said, "The harvest is plentiful." In other words, the wandering people were ready for this kind of shepherding. The Great Commission was given to Paul in these words: "I am sending you to open their eyes" (Acts 26:17-18). The preaching of the gospel is the real "woke" movement and the only one that wakes up dead souls and makes them live forever.