Christopher L. Scott

Christopher L. Scott

5. Temple Priests in Today’s Church (Mal 2:5-7)

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Levi was one of the twelve sons of Jacob and his name became one of the tribes of Israel. When God gave Israel the Law God appointed Aaron as the priest and He said that the tribe that Aaron came from would be the tribe that always served as priests. That tribe was the tribe of Levi. In Malachi 2:5-7 God describes the good things the priests had done in the past when they were faithfully following God.

            “My covenant with him [Aaron] was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him as an object of reverence; so he revered Me and stood in awe of My name. True instruction was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many back from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi 2:5–7, NASB)

              Here God gives us a proper picture of who the priests were and what they were supposed to be doing.

            Let’s pay attention to a few of the expectations of the priests. First, the priests were called to holy living. They were supposed to walk with God. God describes Aaron when He says, “he walked with me in peace and uprightness” (v. 6b). They taught the truth and they walked the truth personally. “To walk” is an idiom. As Bible commentator Allen Ross describes, “To walk with God is to go where he is going, to stay close to him, and to commune with him along the way.”[1] To walk with God means to live one’s life in accordance with the will of God.

            Second, the priests behavior affected others as seen in verse six, “and he turned many back from iniquity.” The word for “turned” here is the Hebrew שׁוב which is often used for “repent” as in turning back to the Lord. It appears in Hebrew in what is called the “imperfect stem” of a “Hiphil” which is causative. In other words, the priests are the ones who are supposed to cause others to turn back from iniquity.[2] Their walk with God causes others to turn away from their sin, repent, and turn toward God. They were supposed to confront people with the truth and bring them back into a relationship with God.

            In addition to those expectations, the priests were also supposed to perform specific tasks. They were supposed to worship God. “he [Aaron] revered Me and stood in awe of My name” (v. 5b). The word for “revered” here can mean “respect.” God chose the tribe of Levi to be priests but there was no specific reason God chose them. It was His decision. Life as priests was given to them as a gift and they needed to respect God for that.

            They also were supposed to disciple others. “True instruction was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found on his lips” (v. 6a). This is what the priests were teaching. Notice the adjective, “true,” that describes “instruction.” These priests were teaching truth—God’s Word—and their teaching was faithful to God’s revelation. That teaching would guide people through life as the word “instruction” describes a point in the right direction. These priests took their calling seriously. They studied the Law and found ways to regularly teach the Word to the people.

            This type of conduct should have positioned the priests as honorable members of their community. “For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth” (v. 7a). This was the expected standard for the priests. They did this by studying, memorizing, and teaching God’s Word. Priests were to be righteous men that were models for others. People should see the way they lived and think, I have something to learn from them.

            Priests were also supposed to evangelize others.“for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts” (v. 7b). The priests were God’s mouthpiece. They were supposed to be speaking for God by speaking God’s Word to the people. They were supposed to declare God’s truth so people who didn’t know about God could begin a relationship with Him.

            That’s the proper picture of the priests in Malachi. But how does this job description for priests apply to us living right now?

            I hope you can see that you and I are priests, so to speak, alive today. The apostle Peter writes to Christian believers telling them, “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for god’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:9–10, NASB). As priests we are supposed to pursue holy living by walking with God, worshipping God, discipling others, and evangelizing others just like the priests were supposed to do in Malachi’s day.

[1] Allen Ross, Malachi Then and Now (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016), 88.

[2] Ibid., 80.

4. The Way We Are Right with God (Mal 1:6-11)

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We all love a good courtroom scene. Movies like The Rainmaker or Runaway Jury, and books like To Kill a Mockingbird, are popular because we enjoy the drama of a good courtroom scene where there’s the defendant, a jury, a judge, the prosecuting attorney, and of course the audience that sits in the back.

            Let’s pretend you and I are in the audience of a court case as we read a passage from the book of Malachi. Israel has left their Godly ways. They aren’t following God like they should have. God’s going to try their case in front of us.

            The accusation is stated in Malachi 1:6 when God points out the problem, “‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?’ says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’”.

            Next God presents the evidence in Malachi 1:7-13 about how the priests and the people are not honoring God the way they should.

            When God points out His evidence against Israel He lists the actions they were doing that were violating His name and holiness (Malachi 3:7-8). They were “presenting defiled food upon [God’s] altar” (v. 7a), they were presenting “the blind for sacrifice” (v. 8a), and were giving “the lame and the sick” (v. 8b)

            God also lists the attitudes the Israelites held about what they were doing and how those attitudes violated God’s name and holiness (Malachi 3:12-13). They profaned God’s name when they said, “the table of the Lord is defiled, and it’s food is to be despised” (v. 12b). They showed their laziness for the sacrifices saying, “My, how tiresome it is!” (v. 13a). And we learn about their apathy for the sacrifices when God says, “You disdainfully sniff at it” (v. 13b). When we read this we need to ask ourselves if God might have any evidence against us.

            We need to ask ourselves if there are actions we’re doing that violate God’s name and His holiness. Are we spending more time scrolling on Facebook than we do reading God’s Word? Do we talk badly about other people, gossip about them, and put them down? Are we watching things that are harmful to us and to others such as r-rated movies, porn, or inappropriate reality shows that encourage sinful behavior rather than a sanctified life?

            We also need to ask ourselves if we have any attitudes that violate God’s name and holiness. Are we apathetic about attending a church service? Would we rather stay home on a Sunday than be with God’s people singing in worship to Him and spending time with other believers? Are we lethargic about reading God’s Word? When we see a person from church call us do we feel annoyed that they are calling to bug us and ask for prayer?

            While God lists the shortcomings of the Israelites, He also provides a way for Israel to be right with Him. God might be prosecutor, judge, and jury, but He is also loving and merciful. Here He gives them a way to get out of the trouble they are in. He provides a way for them to be “declared innocent” even though they are guilty.

            God wants dedication from his people, not perfection. “But now will you not entreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us? With such an offering on your part, will He receive any of you kindly?” (Malachi 1:9). Now in the middle of God’s evidence presentation, He gives them a chance to be set free from their charges. As the judge, prosecutor, and jury, He takes the defendant into the back court chambers into his private office. He sits Israel down and says, Look, if you just try to do what is right, all is okay. I know you haven’t been perfect in the past, and you aren’t going to be perfect in the future. But if you just start making that effort, everything will be okay. The sacrifice presupposes that they weren’t going to be perfect. That’s okay. God doesn’t expect them to be perfect, otherwise the sacrifice wouldn’t be needed. But that sacrifice does need to be perfect because a perfect sacrifice is evidence of our dedication to Him. God knows we aren’t going to be perfect, but He wants people that are dedicated to Him.

            God wants no offering at all if it’s not with the right motives. “’Oh that there were one among you who would shut the gates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘nor will I accept an offering from you’” (Malachi 1:10). This verse reminds us that God does not need our offerings. He is complete and sufficient without us. And He does not need us to worship Him. But He wants us to worship Him as a sign that we are committed to Him. Those offerings were a sign that the people were indebted to God for life and every blessing. Giving Him offerings was a way for them to acknowledge His goodness and faithfulness. 

            God wants dedication from a people even if it is not Israel. God says, “For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations” (Malachi 1:11). Notice the “for” here at the beginning of the verse. What follows describes what God is going to do because of Israel’s repeated disobedience and disregard for God. This verse predicts a future time when Gentiles will see the light of God and become worshippers of God (this occurs in the book of Acts). Because at this time—in the Old Testament—God’s focus is on the nation of Israel as His nation He’s chosen to display His glory. But after hundreds of years of the nation of Israel rebelling against Him, He will eventually turn to the nations for proper worship.

3. Giving God the Best (Mal 1:6)

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There was a problem in Israel. The people were not giving God the honor He deserved. This was evident in the poor quality of sacrifices that the people were bringing to the temple in Malachi’s time (400 B.C.). Because of this, God speaks through the prophet Malachi, “‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?’ says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’” (Malachi 1:6)

            The problem starts with the priests. God addresses them here, “O priests who despise My name.” The message here is addressed to the priests directly, but because of their failures the nation of Israel was also guilty. And Israel invites God to present the case here when they respond, “How have we despised Your name?” So God says, You asked, let me tell you.

            The regular sacrifices the people brought God were supposed to praise Him for what He had done for them as well as cleanse their sins before Him. The sacrifices had different purposes. Some were for forgiveness and acceptance while others were for dedication and celebration. We don’t know exactly which sacrifices Malachi is describing here (Sabbath offering, New Moon, Passover, Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur). But the occasion or specific example was not important. What was important was doing the sacrifices in the right way.

            The offering had to pass two important tests that only the people bringing them and God would know. It had to be the first of the flock and it had to be the best of the flock. To bring God a poor-quality offering revealed that you thought of God in a poor manner. In other words, “the quality of the gift indicates the value the giver places on the one receiving the gift.”[1] The sacrifices had to be perfect, also because those sacrifices pointed to the perfect Lamb of God who would in the future die for the sins of the world (1 John 1:9; Hebrews 10:1-14). If those sacrifices weren’t perfect how could they predict the perfect sacrifice: Jesus Christ the Son of God!

            It’s important to note that no one was ever saved in Israel because they brought sacrifices to God. The sacrifices were a way to maintain their relationship with God. Nowhere in the Old Testament does it say that someone followed the Law and he or she was saved. The Law and sacrifices were a means of sanctification, not salvation. Salvation came through faith in God (see Gen 15:6). Sanctification came through animals and offerings.

            While we who live under the new covenant and not under the Old Testament Law no longer bring sacrifices to the temple to atone for our sins, we are still expected to bring the best of what we have to God. We must give God our best. We should dedicate a portion of our time where we are the most awake, alert, and attentive to Him to read His word and to pray to Him. We need to make it a priority to give financially to church as one of the first things we do when we are paid. We need to make it a priority in our week to gather with God’s people—the church—in fellowship each week. We do these things because God deserves our best.

[1] Allen Ross, Malachi Then and Now (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016), 51.

2. Godly Praise (Mal 1:5)

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Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament with some enduring messages for us. While Israel was sad that they were not the prominent nation that they used to be, God tells the Israelites that He will punish the foreign nations in the future because of what they have done to Israel (See Malachi 1:3-4).

            Then God tells them, “Your eyes will see this and you will say, ‘The LORD be magnified beyond the border of Israel!’” (Malachi 1:5). Israel and their descendants will praise God when they see His goodness and love for them. Hopefully the people will no longer doubt God’s love for them.      

            We too should praise God in the future because of His love for us. Even though we might find ourselves in situations in which we don’t want to be, we need to remember God’s love for us and praise Him. Sometimes we don’t feel God’s love, but we still need to praise Him. Why? Because other people are watching.

            One Bible teacher I read recently wrote, “We need to remind ourselves that the trials we experience as individuals or congregations are also opportunities to glorify God before a watching world. That’s how Paul viewed his imprisonment and possible death in Rome (Phil 1:12-26), and that’s the way we must look at the testing God sends our way. Every difficulty is an opportunity to demonstrate to others what the Lord can do for those who put their trust in Him.”[1]

            The Israelites knew about the love of God, but they didn’t feel it at that time. So Malachi starts off this prophecy with God’s love for them. Even though the Israelites had done a lot of things wrong, Malachi starts his book reminding Israel of God’s love.

            And we too, at times might struggle to feel God’s love for us. Sure, we know He loves us because He chose us before we were born (Ephesians 1:4-5), He sent his Son to die for us (Galatians 2:20), He makes us sons and daughters of Him (Galatians 4:5), and His Holy Spirit lives inside of us (1 Corinthians 6:19).

            We need to remind ourselves of God’s love for us. We do this by knowing God’s Word, praying to Him, talking with Him, and keeping a list of ways we see Him working in our lives.

            We need to remind others of God’s love for them too. We do this by listening to them when they are going through tough times, bringing them groceries or medicine when they are ill, and calling them to check in on them on a regular basis.

            We know about God’s love, but we don’t always feel it. As we go about our week let’s remind ourselves of God’s love for us and remind others of God’s love for them too.

[1] Warren Wiersbe, Be Amazed (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 1996), 177.

1. The Love We Know (Mal 1:2)

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“God loves you.” Have you ever heard someone say that to you? It’s a theme reiterated throughout Scripture. God declares His love for the people of Israel in Malachi 1:2, “’I have loved you,’ says the LORD. But you say, ‘How have You loved us?’ ‘Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?’ declares the LORD. ‘Yet I have loved Jacob;’” Here we see God declaring His love for His people as these people were hearing the prophecies or reading them. Pay careful attention to how God tells them that he loves them. “‘I have loved you,’ says the LORD.” God is talking specifically to Israel, not to all people around the world. But Israel doubts that love. “But you say, ‘How have You loved us?’”

            The book of Malachi is framed around a series of questions that the people ask. They ask 23 questions and “How have You loved us?” is the first question they ask God.

            They ask this because their history consisted of destruction, deportation, and humiliation. They question God’s goodness. The days of king David and king Solomon where Israel was prominent and influential in the region were gone. Now Israel was one nation of many on the long list of countries that Babylon and Persia had conquered, subdued, and reigned over.

            Israel asks if God still loves them because of what God has allowed to happen. They’ve been conquered and carried away to another nation. While David and Solomon were good kings,   Rehoboam—Solomon’s son—led the nation away from the Lord and His ways. God sent them prophets to warn them, but they didn’t return back to God. So in 586 BC God sent Babylon came and conquered them and took them into exile.

            But there was a glimmer of hope. King Cyrus of Persia in 539 BC overtook the Babylonians and allowed the nation of Israel to return to the land.[1] The people were passionate and excited to get to be back into the land. The people hollered: “God’s not done with us yet” and “He will still be faithful to us.” But when Malachi writes in 400 BC that passion had since past. No longer were they following the temple rules, being loyal to God with their offerings, or marrying Jewish women in order to keep their names and lives pure. They had wandered from God. The glory and honor they thought they would experience from being back in the land never occurred.

            As God speaks in Malachi 1:2, God reminds them of His love through their heritage and history. “’Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?’ declares the LORD.” This was a rhetorical question designed to reaffirm that Esau was Jacob’s brother, which was the foundation for the next statement. “Yet I have loved Jacob;” (Jacob represents the nation of Israel.)God is saying that He loves Israel because He chose Jacob.

            Jacob and Esau were the two twin sons of Isaac and Rebecca. Jacob was the kind-tendered hearted younger son. He was called “a peaceful man, living in tents” (Genesis 25:27). While Esau was the wild-outside hunter gatherer older son. He was called “a skillful hunter, a man of the field” (Genesis 25:27).

            Someone might read this and say, Of course God chose Jacob. Jacob was mostly good and obedient while Esau was wild and worldly. But Genesis 25:22-23 says that the two boys were struggling against each other in Rebecca’s womb. God told Rebekah that two nations were in her womb and that one would be stronger than the other. God then told Rebekah that the older child would serve the younger child. God chose Jacob over Esau before they were even born. In these verses we see God chose Jacob not because of what he had done (because he wasn’t born yet).

            The apostle Paul quotes this verse from Malachi 1:2 and further explains it in his letter to the Romans, “And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, ‘THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER.’ Just as it is written, ‘JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED’” (Romans 9:10–13).

            God chose Jacob and made a covenant with Israel so that they would be a holy nation. He chose them, loved them, and made a covenant with them. God’s love for Israel is seen in the fact that He chose them without reason.   

            Back to Malachi now. If we are honest we too, like the Israelites, question God’s goodness. When we have a marriage that falls apart, when a beloved family member passes away unexpectedly, when we lose our job, or when our health fades away. We all ask, God, if you love me, why did you allow this to happen to me?

            Let’s not miss this: Malachi 1:2 tells us that God loves us. We know God loves us because He chose us before we were born. Paul writes to the believers in Ephesus saying, “[God] chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the kind intention of His will” (Ephesians 1:4-5). We are reminded of God’s love for us when we remember that we, like Jacob, were chosen before we were born.

            We know God loves us because He sent His son to die for us. Galatians 2:20b, “I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

            We know God loves us because He makes us sons and daughters of Him. The Bible says that when we place our faith in Christ we become part of God’s household. And in that way, we become sons and daughters of God as in Galatians 4:5, “God sent him [Jesus] to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children” (NLT).

            We know God loves us because He lives inside of us. 1 Corinthians 6:19, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?”

            God’s love is passionate and constant. But most importantly, we need to know God loves us even if we don’t feel it. The message Malachi was delivering to Israel then and the message to us now is this: God loves us even when we don’t feel it.

[1] King Cyrus issues the decree in 538 BC decree and in 536 BC the people arrive and to attempt to rebuild their temple and city walls in Jerusalem.

11. Love for the Liberated Life (Gal 6:15-17)

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Alexander Supertramp was the name he gave himself. His real name was Chris McCandless. He grew up in a high achieving family: his father worked for NASA and his mother worked for Hughes Aircraft. That high achieving family caused pressure on him to go to college, get good grades, and find a respectable upper-class job like his parents.

            But after graduating from Emory University in Georgia, Alexander Supertramp surprised everyone. He sold all his belongings, donated all the money in his savings account to a charity, hitchhiked across America, canoed down the Colorado River, then he hitchhiked to Fairbanks, Alaska. He was done with the pressure from the world: from his parents, from his professors to get good grades, and from his friends that all were getting good jobs out of college. He wanted freedom. And he found it, so he thought.

            Many of us can relate to that external pressure from the world that Alexander Supertramp felt. It comes from our parents that want to be proud of us so they push us to get an education and get a good job. It comes from school when every teacher insists that success in life requires that you do well in their specific class. It comes from our jobs where no matter how good our work is, there is always someone pointing out how we could have done better.

            As we come to the last words of Paul in Galatians he summarizes for us the freedom we experience because of our faith in Christ. “For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus” (Galatians 6:15-17, NASB).

            When we are liberated by Christ we are a new creation. Galatians 6:15 is the apex of the final chapter of Galatians. We are a new creation by God’s transformative grace. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The new creation has taken the place of the world.

            An encouraging part of church ministry is seeing people’s lives changed. A woman named Mona used to attend a Sunday School class that I taught for new believers. Throughout that class I was able to learn about how God liberated Mona from twenty years of drug addiction and dysfunctional relationships. Was it because of something she did? Not really. She would tell you that God was the source. God miraculously removed her addiction and provided her a way out of the abusive relationships she had. Now she has a full-time job, takes care of her mom, and lives a peaceful life. Stories like that are encouraging because you see how God changes people into a new creation.         

            When we are liberated by Christ we experience peace.We experience peace because we are free from the world’s pressures on us. No one is telling us what we have to do in order to gain others favor. We don’t have to put pressure on others to perform at work because of the pressure put on us. We don’t have to climb the ladder of success only to realize it’s leaning on the wrong wall. We have peace because we know where we are going and we know God’s Spirit walks with us along the way. The path might be difficult and painful, but we know the path ends with us spending eternity with God in heaven forever. And that gives us peace.

            But when we are liberated by Christ we will experience regular persecution. The word Paul uses for “brand-marks” (v. 17) is the Greek word, στίγμα, which comes from a verb that means “to prick, to sting, or to stick.”[1] In the first century slaves and some military soldiers had the name stamp of their owners placed on their bodies. Paul uses this Greek word to describe physical scars that Paul had on his body (cf. 2 Cor 6:4-6; 11:23ff). Paul saw his scars as proof that he was a true believer. This provides a reminder to believers today that we too experience persecution for our faith. The brand marks for us because of our faith might be coworkers that mock us and call us weak because of our faith, not getting a promotion because we refuse to cut corners on our job, or a family that ridicules us because of our faith.

            Alexander Supertramp was looking for freedom from the pressures of the world. He thought he found it. In Alaska he was living the life of freedom in the wilderness by himself (at least so he thought). But in that life he ate some bad seeds that prevented his digestive system from absorbing nutrients. And eventually he died from starvation. He was looking for that freedom, but never truly found it.[2]

            For us as believers, we experience freedom from the world, but that freedom doesn’t come because we sell everything, abandon our family, and go live in Alaska (even though that might be appealing at times). It comes from our liberator, Jesus Christ, who died on a cross for us and freed us from our sins that enslaved us. Now, we are liberated by the liberator and we enjoy peace.

[1] Robertson, A.T. Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933).

[2] Jon Krakauer, Into The Wild (New York, NY: Anchor Books, 1997).

10. We That Are Spiritual (Gal 6:1-2, 10)

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We shouldn’t have to tell other people that we are Christians. They should know it by what they see in us. Now of course, we want to share our faith. Because if we only do good deeds and never tell others about our faith in Christ, we are simply a nice person. But before we ever tell others about our faith in Christ, they should already know that something is different. They should see something different in us compared to the rest of the world.

            Sadly, there are a lot of Christians that are known by their name, not their deeds. And that’s one of the reasons the church has struggled for years. We have done a poor job of discipling our church members, and because of that we don’t look much different than the world. We call ourselves “Christians” but the world doesn’t see much of a difference between how we act and the rest of the world’s behavior.

            In Paul’s letter to the believers in the region of Galatia he tells them three ways that they should look different than the world in which they live.

WE HELP THOSE THAT HAVE FALLEN INTO SIN

            We read in Galatians 6:1-2, “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ” (NASB).

            The word for “trespass” here literally means “falling aside” or “slip” or “lapse.”[1] It describes someone that unexpectedly enters into sin. If we are active in a church we will always see people start to slip away from the community of faith and into a lifestyle of sin. As a result, those “who are spiritual” are supposed to restore those people from sin. As spiritual people we approach sinners “in a spirit of gentleness.” We don’t come ready to argue or prove our point. Instead, we approach them with kindness and humility.

            When we approach those that have fallen into sin we are supposed to “restore” the person back into a relationship with God. This word is used in Greek literature to describe the setting of broken bones or mending of fish nets.[2] We are supposed to help those people correct their behavior.

            The process of helping others that have fallen into sin is an obligation of Christians (v. 2). The word, “one another” is placed first in the Greek text for emphasis and the word “bear” is placed in the Greek present tense which means we regularly do this. It should be a habit in our Christian lives. The burden that Paul tells us we need to bear is probably related to the process of restoring the sinner of verse one. And when we bear the burdens of others it means we carry their loads. We often have to enter into their struggles to help them. Even if we don’t personally experience those struggles, we still feel the emotions that come with them or deal with the consequences of those burdens.

            If we jump down to verse ten, we see that Paul reminds his readers to help others and he provides two priorities for us.

WE HELP ALL PEOPLE AS OUR SECOND PRIORITY

            “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Galatians 6:10a).

            Paul tells us “do good to all people.” This is a common command for the believer from Scripture. Warren Wiersbe writes about this verse, “It is not only by words that we witness to the lost, but also by our works. In fact, our works pave the way for our verbal witness; they win us the right to be heard.”[3] A few years of life under COVID restrictions has removed us from the habits of caring for others that we used to do such as giving hugs to people in tough times, taking people out for lunch to check on them, visiting people in the hospital, or even simple things like having people over to our homes for dinner. We need to get back into those habits as a way that we do good to all people.

WE HELP THE CHURCH AS OUR FIRST PRIORITY

            We are supposed to help all people, but “especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10b).That’s us. This is the first priority. There should be a balance: we take care of each other within the church while also caring for and loving others outside our church family.

            If you attend church and don’t see someone at church, call them. As a pastor I try to call a couple people each week when I don’t see them at church. I hope you would consider doing the same thing. If you don’t see someone at church or your support group, pick up the phone and call them or write them a note and send it in the mail.

            I hope that we don’t have to tell people that we are Christians. Instead, if we do the three things Paul lists in Galatians 6:1-2 and Galatians 6:10 people should be able to identify us by our actions.

[1] AT Robertson, Word Pictures of the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933).

[2] Ibid.

[3] Warren Wiersbe, Be Free (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2009), 149.

9. Freedom Through Service (Gal 5:13-15)

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Years ago Dawson Trotman, the founder of The Navigators discipleship ministry, hiked with a group of Taiwanese pastors back into some mountain villages to minister the Word of God to the groups of Christians there. The trails were wet so Dawson and the Taiwanese pastors returned home with there shoes cold, wet, and covered in mud. Much later someone asked one of those Taiwanese pastors what they remembered about the American Dawson Trotman. The Taiwanese pastor replied, “He cleaned by shoes.”

            When Dawson and that pastor returned that afternoon, all the men removed their muddy shoes at the doorway. The pastor went into the kitchen to prepare some tea and returned to the doorway to find Dawson Trotman sitting on the floor with a small stick, a piece of cloth, and some water cleaning the muddy shoes of the Taiwanese pastor.

            That spirit of servanthood was a constant mark of Dawson Trotman. He died as he lived: giving his life to rescue someone else from drowning.[1]

As believers we too are called to a life of service. Often we claim the freedom we have in Christ and neglect the love and service to others part. In Paul’s letter to the believers in the region of Galatia, he challenges the Galatian believers to a life of service and love because of the freedom they have in Christ.

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. (Galatians 5:13-15)

            According to Paul, our freedom leads to service in love. Notice he identifies who has freedom.“For you were called to freedom, brethren” (v. 13a). This freedom is where we all belong (see Galatians 1:6; 5:8). It is in the passive voice here which means we receive it, but God does it. God called us to salvation. And because of that we are supposed to live in freedom. Our address is 810 Freedom in Christ Ln.

            Notice also that Paul warns them about that freedom and defines the boundary of that freedom, “do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh” (13b). That liberty given through our faith in Christ should not turn into a license to sin and do whatever we want.

            Notice also he tells us what to do with our freedom. The focus for us is “through love serve one another” (v. 13b). When we are free and live a life of love and service, it keeps us from legalism and license. This is because when we love others and serve them through that love, we are freed from the focus on ourselves.

            I wonder what our Christian churches would look like if we, instead of proclaiming our freedom, practiced our love?

[1] Jerry Bridges, True Community (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2012), p. 137.

8. God Keeps His Promises (Gal 4:24-31)

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All of us, at one time or another, have been on the receiving end of a broken promise. From mom and dad not buying pizza for dinner like they said they would, or canceling a family vacation because of unforeseen circumstance, or a spouse that breaks his marriage promise by wanting a divorce, all of us have experienced broken promises.

            Abraham thought he was receiving a broken promise from God. When Abraham was 76 years-old God told him to leave his country and go to a new land and that while there God would make him into a great nation by giving him children (Genesis 12:1-3). But after a decade of new life in a new land Abraham and Sarah had no children. Abraham was 86 and Sarah was 76 and they thought they were too old to have children. But Sarah looked at her servant, Hagar, and got an idea. “I can give my servant girl to Abraham, and maybe through her my family can have an heir.” So that’s what Sarah suggested and Abraham agreed.

            Abraham spent an evening with Hagar and she became pregnant and gave Abraham a son. But about 14 years later God shows up. He appears to Abraham and tells Abraham He’s still going to give Abraham a son. When Sarah hears this she laughs. But, before you know it, at the age of 90, Sarah is pregnant and gives birth to a son and name’s him Isaac, which means “laughter.” God kept His word to Abraham and Sarah. He gave them a son of their own.

            That’s the backdrop for Galatians 4:22-31. In Galatians 4:22-23 Paul provides a brief summary of Abraham and Sarah and how they had their sons. 

“For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise” (Gal 4:22-23)

            Then Paul gives us an interpretation of the passage.

“This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother. For it is written, ‘REJOICE, BARREN WOMAN WHO DOES NOT BEAR; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR MORE NUMEROUS ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE THAN OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND.’ And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also. But what does the Scripture say?      ‘CAST OUT THE BONDWOMAN AND HER SON, FOR THE SON OF THE BONDWOMAN SHALL NOT BE AN HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN.’

So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.” (Galatians 4:24-31)

            Isaac was born supernaturally because of God’s promise. Sarah was 90 years old when she had a child. And this was important for the Galatians because they were supernaturally born too. They were Gentiles. They had no claim to be children of Abraham in the natural sense. But in the spiritual sense, they were able to receive that promise because of their faith in Christ.

            At one time we were lost and fallen away. Ephesians 2:1, “you were dead in your trespasses and sins.” Ephesians 2:5, “we were dead in our transgressions.” We didn’t know God, but through His promise and our faith we were brought into a relationship with Him.

            Each believer also experiences a supernatural birth as Paul wrote in Galatians 4:29, “born according to the Spirit.” John 3:3, “Jesus answered and said to [Nicodemus], ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” And in John 3:5, “’Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

            When we experience this new birth we are the recipients of the promise of salvation (Galatians 3:9, 22, 29). As Paul tells us here in Galatians we have become “children of the promise” (4:28) and “children . . . of the free woman”(4:31). God kept his promises to Abraham and Sarah. And through Jesus Christ, God keeps His promise to us that we can become part of His spiritual family.

7. Refusing to Drift (Gal 4:16-20)

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In 1636 17,000 puritans migrated to New England. While there were some pastors, many people realized a college was needed to train the next generation of pastors. A college was started in 1636 and several years later a pastor donated half of his estate and 400 of his books to help the college as it was beginning. The college was then named after that pastor and continued training ministers. Its early motto was Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae, Latin which meant “Truth for Christ and the Church.” In those early years half of the graduates became ministers. Ten of the first twelve presidents of the university were ministers. The college trained pastors, was ran by pastors, and placed pastors into local churches to preach the gospel.

            But in 1701 one of those pastor presidents ended his service, and it marked the start of a long struggle between orthodox Christianity and liberalism. Throughout the 1700s ideas from the enlightenment, the power of reason, free will, and other liberal theologies began to clash with the traditional Calvinistic groups.

            One of their presidents, in 1869, “eliminated the favored position of Christianity from the curriculum while opening it to student self-direction. . . he was motivated not by a desire to secularize education, but by transcendentalist Unitarian convictions. . . these convictions were focused on the dignity and worth of human nature, the right and ability of each person to perceive truth and the indwelling of God in each person” (Wikipedia).

            That college which I’ve described for you is Harvard University. A college once created to train pastors for ministry now no longer resembles that desire. In fact, it still has a so-called “Divinity” school, but the people that go there to study are not Christians.

            There are similar stories of Yale and other colleges that started with an intention to train people for ministry, but over time they drifted away from the truth of God’s Word.

            Most of us are just a decision or two away from departing from the truth of the Gospel. And Paul tells us about some people that drifted away from the truth in his letter to the people living in the region of Galatia. The Galatians once were Paul’s friends, but now they are foes, “So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Gal 4:16, NASB). People had come into the Galatian church teaching false doctrine and shielding the Galatians from Paul. Paul describes them this way, “They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them. But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable manner, and not only when I am present with you” (Gal 4:17-18).

            But Paul has a plan to get the Galatian believers back on the right track. The Galatians have gone backwards and need to be discipled again, “My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you” (Gal 4:19). Paul wishes to be present with them again so he could work with them, “but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you” (Gal 4:20).

            We as believers need to make sure we don’t drift from the truth like the Galatian believers did. To keep from drifting from the truth we need to distinguish false teachers from truth tellers. And we need to disciple the people that we evangelize.

            That story I shared with you about Harvard breaks my heart. There motto was “Truth for Christ and the Church.” But they drifted away from that truth. The Galatians, too, drifted away from the truth. I pray that we don’t drift away from the truth either. 

6. God Keeps His Promises (Gal 3:23-25; cf. Gen 3:15; 12:1-3)

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We all depend on promises in our lives. Our job promises to give us a paycheck in return for faithful labor, our car mechanic promises to put clean oil back in the car after he drains the dirty oil, and our grocery store promises to sell us food that is healthy and accurate based on the labeling.

            God made promises to us in the book of Genesis a least 6,500 years ago:

“And I [God] will put enmity

Between you [serpent] and the woman [Eve],

And between your seed and her seed;

He shall bruise you on the head,

And you shall bruise him on the heel” (Gen 3:15, NASB)

            This was God’s first time revealing (in a subtle way) how He would send a savior to deliver the people and offer them salvation. Theologians call this verse the protoevangelium (first gospel).[1]Here God announces a battle that will occur between Eve’s descendants and Satan’s descendants. God promises that one of Eve’s descendants will bruise Satan on the head which will be the death blow announcing victory.

            God further clarified that promise to Eve’s descendant, Abraham, when God told Abraham,

           “Go forth from your country,

      And from your relatives

      And from your father’s house,

      To the land which I will show you;

      And I will make you a great nation,

      And I will bless you,

      And make your name great;

      And so you shall be a blessing;

      And I will bless those who bless you,

      And the one who curses you I will curse.

      And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Gen 12:1-3, emphasis added)

            God further clarified His message to Eve when He promised Abraham that through Abraham’s descendants all the nations of the earth would be blessed.

            Then six hundred years later God gave the Law to the nation of Israel through Moses. The Law was God’s way to show Israel their sins and in the process show them their need for a savior (Jesus Christ). Jesus would be Abraham’s descendant and Jesus would bless everyone who places faith in Him.

            With that background and those promises given to Israel, Paul told the believers in the region of Galatia,

“But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor” (Gal 3:23-25, NASB).

            Paul is showing the Galatians how God kept His promise given to Eve, then clarified it to Abraham, and elaborated on it through Moses and the Law. God kept His promises to the nation of Israel in spite of their unfaithfulness to Him.

            I know you have had people make promises to you but not keep them. Promises of, “I vow to love you till death do us part” might have turned into “I don’t love you anymore, I’m not happy, I want a divorce.” A promise of, “I’ll never drink alcohol again” turned into “Just one drink here and there won’t hurt.” A husband states, “I promise I won’t watch porn anymore” eventually becomes “I need it because. . .” A young potential spouse says, “I want kids when I am married” but eventually reveals “Kids bother me and I don’t want any.” The promise, “I’ll never touch drugs again” turns into “I don’t know where those family heirlooms went. . .”

            God gave a promise to Eve, extended it to Abraham, elaborated on it to Moses through the Law, and it was still valid in A.D. 49 when Paul wrote his letter to the believers in the region of Galatia. And that promise continues to us today. While humans are not the best example of how to keep promises, God is.

[1] Warren Wiersbe, Be Basic (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 1998), 76.

5. Faithful Faith (Gal 3:6, 9)

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Cooking is getting more complicated. When I was a kid my sister and I would help my mom cook. I only remember us using a skillet pan, boiling pot, and a rolling pin. But over the years what is in the kitchen to cook has become more complicated. People on TV and people in cookbooks are telling us we need more.  

            This has resulted in rice cookers, crock pots, instant pots, George Foreman grills, charcoal/gas/pellet BBQs and smokers, air friers, blenders, food processors, juicers, cast iron skills, non-stick pans, pans that have no chemicals in them, stove-top kettles, electric kettles, bread makers, microwave ovens, new wave ovens, French friers and air friers.

            Companies and personalities are always adding to our kitchen and are further complicatingwhat we have and how we store it.

            The Galatians faced a similar issue. But it didn’t deal with their kitchen, it dealt with their faith. Was their faith in Christ enough for salvation? Did they need something else in addition to belief in Christ Jesus as their savior? Paul reminds them of that truth writing, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness” (Galatians 3:6). Paul needed to remind the believers in Galatia they were saved based on their faith and not anything else because of a group of people that were following him and confusing people about his teachings.

            After Paul left the region of Galatia and traveled to other places a group of people arrived in Galatia I call “Legalizers” (also called “Judaizers” in many study Bibles and commentaries). These Legalizers were teaching that salvation by faith in Christ was not enough. Instead, the Legalizers taught that people also had to follow parts of the Old Testament Law such as getting circumcised (Galatians 5:2-6; 6:12-13), following the Jewish festivals and feasts such as Passover, Pentecost, Purim (Galatians 4:8-11), and that the Holy Spirit was given to them through the works of the Law (Galatians 3:1-3). These Legalizers were adding to the gospel and complicating it.

            But Paul reminds the believers living in Galatia that “those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer” (Galatians 3:9). We are saved because of our faith in Christ for salvation. Nothing else. It’s a simple concept, but easy to complicate. While Paul had to remind the Galatian believers that they were saved by faith and faith alone, we too need reminders. It’s easy to get caught up in what Bible translation a church should use, what type of music is best for us to sing, or what day is appropriate for worship services. But those things don’t matter when it comes to our salvation.

            What matters is that we are saved by faith alone in Christ alone.

4. Treating Everyone the Same (Gal 2:11-13)

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Church was scheduled to start at 11am, but the homeless man arrived at 10:30am and took a seat in the back of the church. He was wearing a baseball hat, hoodie sweatshirt, and torn jeans. His shoes were severely worn and his clothes were dirty. He also had a very long unkept beard. It was clear he was homeless.

            People from church began arriving and noticed the homeless man but ignored him. When 11am arrived the pastor was not at church! Pastor Stout was missing. People started asking, “Have you seen him?” His wife, Joyce, was there. So the church members asked her. “Have you seen Pastor Stout?” She responded, “He’s here somewhere.”

            At 11:05am the homeless man stood up, walked to the front of the church, took off his baseball hat and removed his fake beard, and guess who it was? Pastor Stout![1]

            That story (which is true and was told to me by a woman that was at church that day) causes us to ask ourselves: do we treat everyone the same way regardless of their looks, race, economic status, or family?

            Paul had to confront Peter because Peter was acting differently in front of different groups of people. He was treating people differently because of their race.

            Paul writes about this confrontation in Galatians 2:11, “But when Cephas [Peter] came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.” In Galatians 2:12 Paul describes the problem, “For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he [Peter] used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he [Peter] began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision [the Jews].”

            Peter had arrived in Antioch and was enjoying food and fellowship with the Gentile Christians, but when James’ Jewish Christian friends arrive in Antioch, Peter “began to withdraw” himself from the Gentiles and meets with the Jews, James’ friends. The text says Peter held himself “aloof” or “separate” (NIV). It was like he was better than the Gentiles now. But why would he do this?

            It says that Peter was “fearing the party of the circumcision.” Peter was afraid of what the Jewish men would think of him for eating with the sinner Gentiles. 

            Paul describes why this was a problem in Galatians 2:13, “The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.” This was a problem for two reasons. Peter was acting different depending on what group of people he was around. Hypocrisy is “the practice of claiming to have higher standards or more laudable beliefs than is the case” (Concise Oxford English Dictionary). Faith in Christ makes us equal in God’s eyes, therefore there is no place for hypocrisy in God’s kingdom.

            The real tragedy is that Peter is not the only one who errors here. His actions cause others to error as well. Paul reveals to us that, “The rest of the Jews joined him” (v. 13) in his hypocrisy. So much “that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy” (v. 13). Barnabas was a Jew but became a Christian and actively worked with Paul to bring the gospel message to the Gentiles, but Barnabas has followed Peter and abandoned fellowship with the Gentiles.

            I wish we knew how Peter responded. We don’t know what he did. But most commentaries on this passage state that he likely admitted he was wrong and brought the two groups together (based on the book of Acts and what he wrote in 1 & 2 Peter later).

            As believers in Christ we must treat each other as equals because we all share the same faith in the same savior: Jesus Christ.

[1] Glen Stout still serves as Senior Pastor at New Life Church in Exeter, CA.  

3. Eager to Help the Poor (Gal 2:1-2, 7-10)

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It’s easy to get busy and forget about the poor. There are many “good” activities we do within the ministry of a church: discipling people in small groups, visiting church members in the hospital, organizing kids ministry, or caring for the church building to make it look good. Those are all good things. Those are all important things.           

            While the apostle Paul had been helping the poor, he also was in a battle for the gospel. A group of people were following Paul and deceiving his new converts saying that salvation by faith was not good enough. They were teaching that people also needed to follow the Law too! This gospel battle led Paul to Jerusalem to verify his gospel message was correct. Paul describes his trip in his letter to the believers in the region of Galatia:

            “Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. It was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain. . . Seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. They only asked us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do” (Galatians 2:1-2, 7-10, NASB)

            In the middle of Paul’s battle for the truth of the gospel we see the importance of serving others. Believing the right things wasn’t enough. He was also told to care for the poor. Paul says he was “eager” (v. 10) to do that. And we know he practiced what he preached. In Acts 24:17 Paul brings money from the Gentiles to the poor Jewish believers in Jerusalem. Similar acts of charity are facilitated by Paul in Romans 15:25-28 and 2 Corinthians 8:13-14; 9:12-13.

            All of us (that call ourselves Christians) are called to help the poor. What if we all had one person or family that we helped significantly? It could be an elderly person that needs help fixing the sprinklers in their lawn. Or a single adult that lives alone and is sick and needs someone to pick up medicine. Or a young family that might need someone to watch their kid so they could have a date night. We all must focus on the poor. Just as God’s love and grace has been extended to us, we too should extend God’s love and grace to others. And we can do that by ministering to one person or family.

2. Showing the Source of Your Story (Gal 1:13-24)

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The apostle Paul traveled thousands of miles sharing the gospel, but his life and purpose was not always for Christ. Most of his early life was spent working against Christ. Paul shares about that change in the first chapter of his letter to the believers in the region of Galatia:

For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.

Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. (Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ; but only, they kept hearing, “He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy.” And they were glorifying God because of me. (Galatians 1:13-24, NASB)

            God grabbed Paul, changed his life 180 degrees, and used his life to reach the Gentiles. Like Paul, I’m sure you have your own story of life before Christ. There probably was a point in time you were living the life you wanted “but when God” (v. 15) got ahold of you He changed you and turned your life in a different direction.

            Take a moment and think about your story. When did God get ahold of you? When did He change your life? God is the source of your story, just like Paul. Here are four tips to show the source in your story: 

            1. Accept your story. Don’t hide it and don’t be ashamed of it. It is part of who you are and it is part of God’s plan for your life. Be willing to share it with others. 

            2. Look for the “but God” moment. When and where did God insert Himself into your life? (Just like Paul had when God showed up in his life.) You might have to think about it, but I am confident you have one.

            3. Explain and show how God changed you. Or at least explain how God is changing you. For me, it was anger. I often struggled to control my anger, but when I got saved that changed drastically.

            4. Share it with love. Don’t argue, lecture, preach, or condemn. Simply tell your story with love for the other person. It is hard for people to argue with you about a story. If you share facts and details, they can debate you. So share your story with them and let God work in their hearts. 

            All of us have a “but God” moment when God inserted Himself into our lives. Let’s go out this week and show the source in our story.

1. The Source of Paul’s Story (Gal 1:11-12)

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The source of things is important. I love baked potatoes and recently wanted to learn how to make the best baked potato I could. So I searched on the Food Network app and found Alton Brown’s advice for making awesome baked potatoes. But before he gave his recipe he discussed the importance of getting the best baked potato from the correct source. For him, he said that Idaho potatoes were the best.

            I tell you that story about “source” because where things come from affect how we use them and how others perceive them. When people ask us as Christians, “What do you believe?” or “Why do you act that way?” or “Why do you believe that?” we must recognize the source we rely on as Christians. That source is described in Galatians 1:11-12 where Paul tells us clearly that Jesus Christ was the source of the message Paul was preaching.

            Paul writes, “For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man” (Galatians 1:11, NASB).Paul’s first description of the source of the gospel is that it didn’t come from humans. But Paul’s opponents (often described as the “Judaizers”) were arguing that Paul was not a true apostle and that he was given his gospel from a person on earth. They tried to say that since his message was from man, he was not a true apostle and did not have a true message. 

            Paul often refuted their claims saying, “For I neither received it [the gospel message] from man”(Galatians 1:12a).It was not from a person, specifically he didn’t get it from some other Rabbi like Gamaliel that he had studied under. Furthermore he writes, “nor was I taught it” (Galatians 1:12b). He didn’t get it from any philosophy or religious school of thought. But what was the source of his gospel message?

            The gospel message was revealed to Paul by Jesus Christ, “but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:12c). Paul’s message and his ministry were from God.

            What we believe and how we act as followers of Jesus is based on the teachings contained in the Bible. The Bible’s made up of 66 books which were written and compiled between 1406 BC and AD 95. They haven’t changed. It’s been the same source. And that source is what we use to guide our faith today.

The Manners in Ministry that Matter

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There are plenty of resources that teach church leaders how to “do” church. I’m sure you are aware of—and have probably benefited from—conferences, coaches, books, and consultants that taught you about how to do church better. While those are helpful resources, I believe it’s healthy to regularly read Scripture to see what it teaches us about how to lead and manage a church.

            Last year I preached verse-by-verse through 1 Thessalonians and was surprised at how much of the book was relevant to the local church. In this article I want to examine 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8. When reading these verses in their context we will see what our role is as leaders of a church, we’ll learn about the manner in which we proclaim the Gospel, we’ll see what we should expect when we proclaim that gospel, we’ll be taught what motives we should have, and we’ll learn what is required of us as we share the gospel.

COMING

In 1 Thessalonians 2:1-2 Paul references the visit that he, Silas, and Timothy made to the Thessalonians. “For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain, but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition” (1 Thessalonians 2:1-2).[1] At this point we must remember that when we read New Testament letters we are reading one side of the conversation. Paul appears to defend himself against an accusation that he lacked sincerity and concern for the Thessalonians. Perhaps someone accused him of preaching only for his own personal enrichment. With that framework in place let’s look at two aspects of Paul’s preaching.

Preaching Is Not Pointless

 The word “For” (v. 1) refers back to thought 1 Thessalonians 1:9 where Paul references the positive reception the Thessalonians gave to Paul, Silas, and Timothy in Thessalonica. The word “You” (v. 1) there is in the emphatic position[2] addressing the believers in the city of Thessalonica. This was Paul’s way of appealing to what they already know.

            If a person or group had said Paul had impure motives, then the Thessalonians would know the accusation was false. Perhaps someone had accused Paul of preaching for personal gain, so he’s calling on the Thessalonians to remember his visit to them from their personal experience saying “you yourselves know, brethren” (v. 1).

            Paul’s phrase “our coming to you was not in vain” (v. 1) could be translated “that it has not become empty.” That word for “vain” there is the Greek word kenos which means “empty, empty-handed, without content, without result, hollow.” And the phrase, “not in vain” is what’s called a “litotes” which is a figure of speech. A litotes is “understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of the contrary.”[3] It’s states something negatively to say a positive such as, “That MacDonald’s hamburger wasn’t bad” is saying, “it was pretty good.” Paul is saying that his time with the Thessalonians was fruitful.

Preaching In Persecution

Paul reminds the Thessalonians that “we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi” (v. 2) The “we” likely includes Silvanus and Timothy with Paul. In Philippi Paul and Silas were falsely accused (Acts 16:20-21), mistreated (Acts 16:20-21), beaten (Acts 16:22-23), incarcerated (Acts 16:24), and illegally punished in spite of their Roman citizenship (Acts 16:37). In Thessalonica Paul and Silas suffered physical intimidation (Acts 17:5-6) and were falsely accused of civil treason (Acts 17:7).

            Yet through those experiences God was their strength for preaching. The phrase,“we had the boldness in our God” (v. 2) describes “the divine source of their courage and strength.”[4] Paul refers to the same strength when writing, “And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (2 Cor 12:9). The phrase in 1 Thessalonians 2:2 “we had the boldness” is a participle from the verb parresiazomai which comes from two words meaning literally “all speech.” That verb denotes someone’s state of mind when words flow freely and is the attitude of feeling comfortable and at home with no sense of strain and no stress.[5] In other words, the suffering didn’t slow him down, cause him to stumble, or stutter.

            Through these experiences God was their strength in opposition. Paul writes, “amid much opposition” (v. 2). That word for opposition means conflict, contest, fight, or struggle. It was a word used in athletic events where there was a contest or race. It’s the Greek word agoni and we get our word “agony” from it. This was not a light oppression or inconvenience, it was a real battle.[6]

            What we learn from Paul’s example is ministry to others requires we be bold in our proclamation and suffer in our lives. This is not “boldness” by standing on a street corner yelling at people or offending people purposefully. But “boldness” as confronting people about their sin nature. It takes courage to tell people they are sinful, in need of God, and fall short of the glory of God. A correct presentation of the gospel starts with, “You’re a sinner in need of a Savior.” But this is hard because we live in a culture where everyone gets a trophy for participation and where we tell each other, “I’m OK and you’re OK.” This “boldness” is preaching the gospel knowing opposition, suffering, and affliction will come when we proclaim the Gospel and live out the Christian faith.

            When I was a pastor in the Evangelical Free Church of America I served on a team that evaluated potential church planters. We had a specific set of questions in ten categories we asked men who wanted to plant a church through our denomination. Those questions were all “behavior interview” questions. Meaning, they were questions designed to find out what past behaviors someone had that reflected the future things he would need to do as a church planting pastor. The idea was this: the best way to predict future behavior is with past behavior. Since we were looking for pastors with a specific set of behaviors they would need to successfully plant a church, we knew the best way to find that person was to look for someone that had already shown those behaviors.

            If we apply that principle to the example we see in the Scriptures of Paul, Stephen, James, and Peter who experienced opposition and persecution because of their faith, should we expect the same?

            There comes a point in time when we need to be bold in our faith and share the Gospel with others. As Mark Hitchcock and John Walvoord write, “Secret believers do not lead others to Christ. The way to lead people to Christ is to be bold, to proclaim the Gospel unashamedly.”[7] One of my professors used to say, “If you do lots of good works but never share the Gospel with others, then you are nothing more than a nice person.” That was his way of reminding us students that you have to—at some point in time—tell others about your faith. And Paul teaches us we must be bold in that proclamation while preparing to suffer in our lives.

CONTENT

In 1 Thessalonians 2:3-4 Paul reveals what his message was to the Thessalonians when he came to them.

Paul’s Attack on the Attacks

Paul writes, “For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit” (1 Thess 2:3). In this verse Paul might be refuting three of the claims against him. The first was “error,” the second was “impurity,” and the third was “deceit.”In verse three we learn Paul’s message was true, his methods were straightforward, and he did not try to mislead or deceive.

Paul’s Motivation and Desire

Paul continues, “but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts” (1 Thess 2:4). 

            In verse four we seePaul’s approval by God. Paul states that he, Silas, and Timothy “have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.” The word “approved” is dedokimasmetha and is in the perfect tense saying not only an approval in the past but one that continues. It’s like saying, “we stand approved.”[8] Daniel Wallace labels this as an “intensive perfect” that “emphasizes the results or present state produced by a past action.[9] At this point in time Paul was a veteran of the Christian faith, a veteran in local church ministry (Acts 11:25-26), was well traveled through his first missionary trip (Acts 13-14), endured an explosive church-wide debate when he went to Jerusalem (Acts 15), and now he’s on his second missionary journey (Acts 15:36-18:22).

            In verse four we also see Paul’s ambitions for God, “not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.”Notice the “hearts” there. In the twenty-first century we think of heart as the place of emotions or affections. But in first century emotions and affections were thought of as in the intestines. For example, they thought of the “bowels of compassion” which doesn’t sound very romantic. In the first century the heart “stood for the whole of the inner life, comprising thought and will as well as emotions.”[10] The idea Paul conveys here is that God searches out the whole of our inner life. In other words, “nothing is hidden from him.”[11] Paul might have served men, but his goal was to please God.

            What exactly was going on in Thessalonica? Perhaps some false teachers had tried to discredit Paul and his ministry? Perhaps that is why he emphasizes his appointment, authority, and approval in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12?

            What we learn from Paul’s example is ministry to others requires we have the right motives. It’s important people know when we as Christians do nice things that it’s not because we’re trying to earn our way into heaven, or to score points with God, or to check off a list of good deeds we’re supposed to do as Christians. It’s important people know we do it because we care for them and because we are showing God’s love for them through us. Pastor Steven J. Cole has said, “When people feel the love of Christ through us, they will more likely listen to the gospel that we present”[12] A great example of this was when a couple from our church was moving to a different state. Two people from our church showed up and helped them pack up their things and load them in a trailer. There was no benefit to our church by doing that, yet we did it because we loved that family and wanted to help them when they needed help.

            Having the right motives means we seek to please God, not man. Having the right motives means we seek God’s glory, not our own. Having the right motives means we seek God’s approval, not others. Yet this is difficult for many of us because we want to please people, and we want people to like us.

            In the early 1990s John Sununu was the chief of staff for George Bush. Sununu was known to be direct and sometimes curt with reporters. In one press conference Sununu was asked if his job was hard. He responded, “no” and then moved on to the next reporter asking a question. The original reporter thought Sununu had misunderstood his question so he asked again if Sununu thought his job was hard. Sununu replied, “My job is easy. I only have one constituent.”[13] Sununu had one constituent he needed to please (the president) and we as Christians have one constituent we need to please: God in heaven. Paul told the believers in Corinth, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). When we as church pastors and leaders do ministry, it’s important that we have the right motives.

CONDUCT

Thus far Paul had addressed his manner and method of ministry when with the Thessalonians, next he shares his motives in ministry.

Preaching with Practical Words

Paul first denies that they did certain things, “For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness— “ (1 Thess 2:5). When he references “flattering speech” he means insincere speech people say in order to impress others as a way to get what they want from them. Flattery is when you say something to gain an advantage for yourself. I like how John Walvoord and Mark Hitchcock summarize flattery. “It has been well said that gossip is saying something behind someone’s back that you would never say to his face, while flattery is saying something to someone’s face that you would never say behind his back.”[14] Paul’s lack of flattering speech matches what he’s said previously that he’s been “bold” and in “much opposition” (1 Thess 2:2).

            Paul also makes it clear his preaching was not “with pretext for greed” (v. 5). Personal profit was never his aim. That word “pretext” is the Greek word prophasis which describes a “cloak” as something that conceals real motive. It’s like saying, “I do this, but it’s not for the reason I say I do it.” That word “greed” is the Greek word pleonexia that means “to have” or “more” or “covetousness.” Paul is denying that he does evangelism as a “cover” for covetousness or money or fame.

            Paul continues, “nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority” (1 Thess 2:6). The Bible Knowledge Commentary explains the significance of this verse this way, “The missionaries were not seeking the praise of any man, but the praise of God. Travelling philosophers and orators were common in the Roman Empire. They itinerated from place to place, entertaining and seeking a personal following for fame and fortune. Paul and his companions had nothing in common with such men! Rather than seeking something for themselves. They delighted in giving to others freely.”[15] Contrary to common itinerant preachers in the Roman empire, the apostles were tasked with preaching the gospel and performing miracles (Mark 3:14) which rarely led to fame and fortune. In fact, all the apostles except John would be martyred for their faith.

Preaching in Tenderness and Compassion

Next Paul shares the motivations in his preaching by using a metaphor of a nursing mother to describe Paul’s love and care for the Thessalonians, “But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children” (1 Thess 2:7). Paul is saying that just as a mother has to eat good food and get rest for the nourishment of her child, so he was basing his message on the Word of God which he then passed along to them. Paul was there caring for them and giving to them. Just as a mother cares for her child and gives to her child through her milk and touch, he too was there giving, not taking.

            The parental metaphor of verse seven continues in verse eight about provision. “Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us” (1 Thess 2:8). As a caring loving mother gives all of her life to a child, so did the apostles. They gave of their time, energy, and focus. Their focus was on imparting the gospel to them. A good mother is not just concerned with feeding her child, but making sure the child has a place to sleep and is protected from harm while traveling on the road. And that’s Paul’s care here.

            What we learn from Paul’s example is ministry to others requires we give our lives. To do ministry to other people takes time, energy, and effort. To teach a Sunday school class takes an hour or two to prepare the lesson, it takes focused energy to teach it, and it requires attention to redirect the kids as they go through it. To disciple someone means we regularly have coffee with them, enjoy lunches, do Bible study, and do life together. To raise kids that love God and are committed to Him requires we daily pray with them, read Scripture to them, and look for teachable moments.

            Recently my son and I rode our bikes to a feed-supply store near our home. While they sell animal food and agricultural supplies, we go there because there is a freezer that has ice cream! After we had ridden our bikes there, purchased our ice cream, and were sitting in the parking lot eating I thought I would ask my son about a girl he often talks about. I asked him if she was a Christian. He responded, “Oh I know she’s a Christian.” Then when I asked him how he knew she was a Christian he replied, “Because of her funniness, Dad. She always laughs at what I say.” While that might be an interesting way to gauge whether or not someone is a Christian, I need to tell you my son is only six. That’s a cute story but the point is this: to talk to my son about spiritual things I had to invest my time and my money with him so that I could disciple him. And doing ministry to others requires we give our lives.

CONCLUSION

Ray Stedman was pastor of Peninsula Bible Church in Palo Alto, California for forty years (1950-1990). As his church grew he was invited to participate in gatherings with other large church pastors. In one of those meetings one pastor much younger than Ray noted, “Jesus was so human nobody would believe He was God, but we pastors are so godlike nobody thinks we’re human!”[16] That statement showed remarkable maturity from that young pastor. And it’s true not only for pastors, but regular Christians as well.

            Every believer has a ministry. Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus, “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11–12). When writing a letter to the Thessalonians Paul was equipping them for ministry. And when we read that letter Paul is equipping us for ministry too.

            Your ministry in church might be as a pastor, counselor, children’s ministry director, small groups leader, administrator, or worship leader. Whatever your ministry remember that your manners in ministry matter.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] See Thomas L. Constable, “1 Thessalonians” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 693; Leon Morris, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1991) 67; Charles Ryrie, 1 and 2 Thessalonians (Chicago, IL: Moody, 1959), 31.

[3] Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th ed.(Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003), 727.

[4] F.F. Bruce, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, World Biblical Commentary, vol. 45 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015), 25.

[5] Morris, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, NICNT, 69.

[6] Ibid., 70.

[7] John Walvoord and Mark Hitchcock, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, The John Walvoord Prophecy Commentaries (Chicago, IL: Moody, 2012), 32.

[8] Morris, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, NICNT, 72.

[9] Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 574.

[10] Morris, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, NICNT, 72-73.

[11] Ibid., 73.

[12] Steven J Cole, “Effective Discipleship (1 Thessalonians 2:1-8)”, https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-5-effective-discipleship-1-thessalonians-21-8. Accessed Sept 26, 2024.

[13] Knute Larson. I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, vol. 9 of Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 22-23.

[14] Walvoord and Hitchcock, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 35.

[15] Thomas L. Constable “1 Thessalonians” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 694.

[16] Ray Stedman, Waiting for the Second Coming (Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers, 1990), 24-25.

An Outline of Jude

by

I. GREETING BELIEVERS (vv. 1-4)

A. Greeting (vv. 1-2)

B. Purpose (v. 3)

1. Faith.

2. Contend.

C. Warning (v. 4)

1. Creeping.  

2. Grace as Motivation for Sin.

3. Jesus Not as Master and Lord.

II. EXPOSING FALSE TEACHERS (vv. 5-16)

A. Past Examples of Apostates (vv. 5-7)

1. Egypt (v. 5).

2. Angels (v. 6).

3. Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 7).

B. Present Actions of Apostates (vv. 8-16)

1. They Reject Authority (vv. 8-10)

Dreams (v. 8).

Michael (v. 9).

Revile (v. 10).

2. They Walk in Error (v. 11).

Cain

Balaam

Korah

3. They Lead Falsely (vv. 12-13).

4. They Please Themselves (vv. 14-16)

III. ENCOURAGING TRUE BELIEVERS (vv. 17-23)

A. Prediction That the False Teachers Would Come (vv. 17-19)

1. Transition.

2. Apostles.

3. False Teachers’ Work.

4. Their Time.

B. Practices Once the False Teachers Arrive (vv. 20-23)[1]

1. Practices Among Ourselves (vv. 20-21).

Building (20a).

Praying (20b).

Waiting (v. 21b).

2. Practices Toward Others (vv. 22-23)

Mercy on the Doubting (v. 22).

Save the Lost (v. 23a).

Show Mercy with Fear (v. 23b).

IV. GOODBYE BENEDICTION (vv. 24-25)

[1] vv. 20-21 spiritual disciplines; vv. 22-23 pastoral needs

An Outline of Obadiah

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I. DIVINE ORACLE (v. 1)

A. The Nature

B. The Source

C. The Man

D. The Timing

II. DESTRUCTION OF EDOM (vv. 2-14)

A. The Manner of God’s Condemnation (vv. 2-9).

1. Edom’s Pride Thwarted (vv. 2-4)

2. Edom’s Wealth Plundered (vv. 5-7)

Deeds.

Name.

Enemies.

3. Edom’s People Slaughtered (vv. 8-10)

The Day (v. 8).

The Deeds (v. 9).

The Disaster (v. 10).

B. The Motivation for God’s Condemnation (vv. 10-14)

1. Edom’s Sinful Attitudes (vv. 10-11).

2. Edom’s Sinful Actions (vv. 12-14)

3. Edom’s Sad Downfall

III. DELIVERANCE OF ISRAEL (vv. 15-20)

A. The Day of the Lord (vv. 15-16)

1. Climax (v. 15a).

2. Theology (v. 15b-16).

B. The Deliverances of the Lord’s People (vv. 17-18)

1. Zion.

2. Jacob.

3. Joseph.

C. The Defeat of the Lord’s Enemies (vv. 19-20)

IV. DIVINE DECLARATION (v. 21)

An Outline of Philemon

by

I. GREETING (vv. 1-3)

A. The People (vv.1-2b)

1. Timothy (v. 1).

2. Philemon (v. 1).

3. Apphia (v. 2a). Possibly Phlm’s wife.

4. Archippus (v. 2b). Possibly Phlm’s son.

B. The Church (v. 2c)

C. The Common Way to Start Letters in Roman Empire

1. Writer announces himself (v. 1a)

2. Writer states identity of recipient (vv. 1b-2)

3. Writer offers a greeting (v. 3)

II. APPLAUSE (vv. 4-7)

A. In Prayer (v. 4)

B. In Actions (v. 5)

2. Where Philemon Directs It.

C. In Effects (v. 6-7)

III. APPEAL (vv. 8-17)

A. The Earthly Problem (vv. 8-14, 17)

1. Paul’s Reason (v. 8).

2. Paul’s Request (vv. 9-10a, 17)

Appeal.

Age.

Acceptance.

3. Paul’s Son (v. 10b-11)

The Person Onesimus (v. 10b).

The Problem Onesimus.

The Change of Onesimus (v. 11).

4. Paul’s Consideration (vv. 12-14).

B. The Heavenly Provision (vv. 15-16)

1. God’s Plan (v. 15)

2. Onesimus’s Position (v. 16)

Emancipation from Slavery to Freedom.

Restoration back to Good Relationship.

IV. ACCOUNT (vv. 18-21)

A. The Offer (v. 18)

1. Problem.

2. Solution.

B. The Authenticity (v. 19)

C. The Hope (vv. 20-21)

V. GOODBYE (vv. 22-25)

An Outline of 3 John

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I.    GAUIS[1] IS COMMENDED (vv. 1-8)

A. Greeting (v. 1)

1. The Elder (v. 1a).

2. Gauis (v. 1b).

B. Godly Life (vv. 2-4)

1. Beloved (v. 2).

2. Brethren (v. 3).

3. Walking in the Truth (vv. 3b-4).

C. Generosity (vv. 5-8)

1. Toward Parishioners and Travelers (v. 5).

2. Testimony – As Described by the Church (v. 6a).

3. Tension – As There is a Need (v. 7).

4. Task – What They Ought to Continue Doing (vv. 6b, 8).

II. DIOTREPHES IS CONDEMNED (vv. 9-10)

A. Ambition (v. 9b).

B. Activities (vv. 9a, 9c, 10)

1. He Disregarded John’s Instruction.

2. He Dished Out Dirt about John.

3. He Denied Hospitality to Traveling Missionaries.

4. He Disciplined Others That Did Want to Show Hospitality to Traveling Missionaries.

III. DEMETRIUS IS COMPLIMENTED (vv. 11-12)

A. The Caution (v. 11b).

B. The Command (v. 11a)

C. The Case (READ v. 12)

IV. JOHN IS COMING (vv. 13-15)

[1] This Gaius was not ass. w/Gaius of Corinth (1 Cor 1:14; Rom 16:23) or Gaius of Macedonia (Acts 19:29) or Gaius of Derbe (Acts 20:4). (Moo and Carson, An Introduction to the NT, 677)

An Outline of 2 John

by

I. COMMENCEMENT (vv. 1-3)

A. Author (v. 1a)

B. Address (v. 1b)

C. Greeting (vv. 2-3)

II. COMMENDATION (vv. 4-6)

A. Truth (v. 4)

B. Love (vv. 5-6).

III. CAUTION (vv. 7-11)

A. Stating the Danger (v. 7, 9)

1. Who They Are (v. 7a).

2. What They Teach (v. 7b).

3. How They Are Labeled (v. 7c).

4. Where They Have Gone Astray (v. 9).

B. Succumbing to the Danger (v. 8).  

C. Stopping the Danger (vv. 10-11).

IV. CONCLUSION (vv. 12-13)

A. Genuine Fellowship (v. 12)

B. Genuine Friendship (v. 13)

An Outline of Revelation

by

I.          THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST (1)

A.        A Brief Introduction to John’s Letter (1:1-3)

B.        John’s Greeting to the Seven Churches (1:4-8)

C.        John’s Vision of the Son of Man  (1:9-20)

1.         John was on the island of Patmos when he heard a loud voice (vv. 9-11).

2.         John realized that the voice was the Son of Man (vv. 12-16).

3.         The Son of Man told John to write down the things he had seen, what was happening, and what would happen in the future (vv. 17-20)

II.        THE LETTERS OF JESUS CHRIST (2-3)

A.        The Letter to the Church at Ephesus (2:1-7)

B.        The Letter to the Angel of the Church in Smyrna (2:8-11)

C.        The Letter to the Angle of the Church in Peragmum (2:12-17)

D.        The Letter to the Angel of the Church at Thyatira (2:18-29)

E.        The Letter to the Angel of the Church in Sardis (3:1-6)

F.         The Letter to the Angel of the Church of Philadelphia (3:7-13)

G.        The Letter to the Angel of the Church of Laodicea (3:14-22)

III.       THE JUDGEMENT, RETURN, AND REIGN OF JESUS CHRIST (4:1-19:10)

A.        John Taken to Heaven (4)

B.        The One Worthy to Open the Scroll (5)

C.        The Lamb Breaks the Six Seals (6)

D.        God’s People Preserved (7)

E.        The Lamb Breaks the Seventh Seal (8:1-5)

F.         The Six Trumpets (8:6-9:21)

G.        The Angel and the Small Scroll (10)

H.        The Two Witnesses (11:1-14)

I.          The Seventh Angel Blows His Trumpet (11:15-19)

J.         The Woman and the Dragon (12)

K.        The Beast of the Sea and the Beast of the Earth (13)

L.        The Lamb with 144,000, the Three Angels, and the Harvest of the Earth (14)

M.       The Song of Moses (15:1-4)

N.        The Seven Bowels of the Seven Plagues (15:5-16:21)

O.        The City of Babylon (17-18)

P.         The Songs of Victory in Heaven (19:1-10)

IV.       THE RETURN AND REIGN OF CHRIST (19:11-20:15)

A.        The Return of Christ (19:11-21)

B.        The Reign of Christ (20:1-10)

C.        The Final Judgement (20:11-15)

V.        THE NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH (21-22)

A.        The New Jerusalem (21:1-22:6)

B.        A Summary and Reminder that Jesus Is Coming (22:7-21)

An Outline of Habakkuk

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 HABAKKUK’S PROBLEMS (1)

 Introduction (v. 1)

 Habakkuk’s 1st Question (vv. 2-4) – God’s inactivity: “How long will evil continue & when will you stop it?“

 God’s 1st Answer (vv. 5-11) –“I’m going to stop it, I know what’s going on, and you’ll be surprised how.”

 Habakkuk’s 2nd Question (1:12-2:1) –God’s inconsistency: “Why use greater sinners against less sinners”

HABAKKUK’S PATIENCE (2)

 God’s 2nd Answer (vv. 2-20) [19v]-“I have a plan for the future, a message for the faithful, and punishment planned for the Babylonians.”

HABAKKUK’S PRAISE (3)

 The Message of God (vv. 1-2) [2v]

 The Majesty of God (vv. 3-15) [14v]

 The Meaning of God (vv. 16-19) [4v]

An Outline of Philippians

by

I.          PAUL’S GREETING, LIFE PURPOSE, AND GOAL FOR BELIEVERS (1:1-30)

                        A.         Paul’s Introduction (1:1-11)

1.         Greetings from Paul (1:1-4)

                                    2.         Paul’s thanksgiving and prayer (1:5-11)

                        B.        Paul’s Joy about Christ Being Preached (1:12-18)

                                    1.         Paul’s imprisonment had been fruitful to spread the Good News (1:12-14).

                                    2.         Some people were preaching without pure motives (1:15-17).

                                    3.         But, Paul didn’t care about motives (1:18).

                        C.        Paul’s Life for Christ (1:19-26)

1.         Paul would never be ashamed because he lived for Christ (1:19-21).

2.         Paul was torn between living and dying, but he wanted to live for the sake of the Philippians (1:22-24).

3.         Paul remained to help the Philippians and take joy in what Christ was doing through him (1:25-26).

                        D.        Live as Citizens of Heaven (1:27-30)

1.         Paul told them to live as citizens of heaven as one body and don’t be intimidated by enemies (1:27-28).

2.         The Philippians had been given a struggle to share which we are in the midst of (1:29-30).

II.        THE CHRISTIAN LIFE THEY SHOULD HAVE (2:1-30)

                        A.        Focus on Others (2:1-4)

                                    1.         What was the result of Christ’s work (2:1-2)?

                                    2.         Be humble and look out for others (2:3-4)

                        B.        Have the Same Attitude as Christ (2:5-11)

                                    1.         Christ’s Humility – Have the same attitude that Christ had (2:5-8).

2.         Christ’s Exaltation – God elevated Jesus back up high for others to worship him (2:9-11).

                        C.        Shine Brightly for Christ (2:12-18)

                                    1.         Work hard for God is working in you (2:12-13).

2.         Don’t complain, live cleanly, shine bright, and hold on to the word of life (2:14-16).

                                    3.         Paul rejoiced because of his life poured out for others (2:17-18).

                        D.        Applause for Timothy (2:19-24)

1.         If God allowed, Paul hoped to send Timothy because no one was like Timothy (2:19-20).

                                    2.         While others cared only for themselves, Timothy served others (2:21-22).

                                    3.         Paul hoped to send Timothy and maybe even visit Philippi too (2:23-24).

                        E.        Applause for Epaphroditus (2:25-30)

1.         Paul sent Epaphroditus back to the Philippians as Epaphroditus longed for them and had been ill (2:25-27).

                                    2.         Paul would send him back because Epaphroditus risked his life (2:28-30).

III.       PAUL’S PAST AND THE FUTURE GOAL FOR CHRISTIANS (3:1-21)

                        A.        Paul’s Heritage and Confidence in Jesus (3:1-6)

1.         The Philippians should Rejoice in the Lord focusing on what Christ had done for us (3:1-3).

                                    2.         Paul had strong self-confidence (3:4).

3.         Paul’s heritage was a Pharisee, Benjaminite, zealous persecutor, and person obedient to the law (3:5-6).

B.        Righteousness through Christ (3:7-11)

1.         Yet, it all was worthless because of what Christ had done because righteousness was based on faith (3:7-9).

2.         Paul wanted to experience the resurrection from the dead by sharing in Christ’s sufferings and death (3:10-11).

                        C.        Perfection Not Yet Reached (3:12-16)

                                    1.         Perfection was not yet received, but Paul continued on (3:2-14).

2.         If disagreement occurs, we must hold to the progress we have already made (3:15-16).

                        D.        Living as Citizens of Heaven (3:17-21)      

                                    1.         Follow Paul’s example (3:17).

                                    2.         There are people who are headed for destruction (3:18-19).

                                    3.         There are people who are headed for heaven (3:20-21)

IV.       PUTTING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE TOGETHER (4:1-23)

                        A.        Harmony and Joy Among Believers (4:1-5)

                                    1.         Stay true to the LORD (4:1).

                                    2.         Euodia and Syntyche need to settle their disagreements (4:2-3).

                                    3.         Always be full of joy and let others see it (4:4-5).

                        B.        Direct Instructions for the Christian Life (4:6-9)

                                    4.         Don’t worry but instead pray and have peace (4:6-7).

                                    5.         Focus their thoughts on excellent things that are worthy of praise (4:8-9).

                        C.        Paul’s Gratefulness for What Little He Had (4:10-17)

                                    1.         Paul was grateful that they were concerned about him (4:10).

                                    2.         Paul had learned to be content with what little he had (4:11-12).

3.         Paul could live without anything because of Christ’s strength, yet he was still grateful to the Philippians for their support (4:13-14).

4.         Paul wanted the Philippians to receive a reward for their kindness to him (4:15-17).

                        C.        Sweet Smelling Sacrifices and the Security of the Saints (4:18-23)

                                    1.         Paul had all that he needed (4:18-19).

                                    2.         All glory was to the Father (4:20).

                                    3.         A Final Greeting (4:21-23)

An Outline of Galatians

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I.             FOLLOWING GOD’S LAW (ch. 1-3)

                A.            Paul’s Past in Religion (1)

                                1.             Substance of the Gospel (vv. 1-10)

                                                a)            Greetings (1-5)

                                                b)            Good News (6-9)

                                                c)             Goal (10)

                                2.             Source of the Gospel (vv. 11-24)

                                                a)            From Jesus (11-12)

                                                b)            From Judaism (13-14)

                                                c)             From Jehovah God (15-17)

                                                d)            From Jerusalem (18-20)

                                                d)            From Judah (21-24)

                B.            Paul’s Preparation for Ministry (chapter 2)

                                1.             Meeting with Church Leaders (verses 1-10)

                                                a)            Agreement from Leaders (1-3)

                                                b)            Disagreement from False Brothers (4-5)

                                                c)             Encouragement from Leaders (6-10)

                                2.             Meeting with the Church Leader (verses 11-21)

                                                a)            Peter’s Conforming (11-13)

                                                b)            Peter’s Confrontation (14-16)

                                                c)             Peter’s Correction (17-21)

                C.            Paul’s Preaching on Faith and Abraham (chapter 3)[1]

                                1.             Abraham’s Faith: Saved Because of Faith (3:1-9)

                                2.             Abraham’s Seed: Saved Because of One Man/Father (3:10-18)

                                3.             Abraham’s Descendants: Saved Because of One Son (3:19-29)

II.            FOLLOWING GOD’S SON AND HOLY SPIRIT (ch. 4-6)

                A.            Christ’s Children (4)

                                1.             At One Time (4:1-11)

                                                a)            Slaves to this World (1-3)

                                                b)            Slaves Freed by the Son (4-7)

                                                c)             Slaves to Other gods (8-11)

                                2.             At Paul’s Time with Them (4:12-20)

                                                a)            Free from the Law (12-13)

                                                b)            Free to Do What is Right (14-16)

                                                c)             Free from False Teachers (17-20)

                                3.             At Abraham’s Time (4:21-31)

                                                a)            Abraham’s Two Sons (21-23)

                                                b)            Abraham’s Two Women (24-27)

                                                c)             Abraham’s Two Descendants (28-31)

                B.            Christ’s Fruit (5)

                                1.             Old vs. New (5:1-6)

                                                a)            Through Christ (1)

                                                b)            Through Circumcision (2-4)

                                                c)             Through the Spirit (5-6)

                                2.             Past vs. Present (5:7-15)

                                                a)            Their Struggle (7-10)

                                                b)            Paul’s Striving (11-12)

                                                c)             Out Goal/Target (13-15)

                                3.             Flesh vs. Spirit (5:16-26)

                                                a)            The Goal (16-18)

                                                b)            The Deeds of the Flesh (19-21)

                                                c)             The Duty of the Spirit (22-24)

                                                d)            The Way We Live (25-26)

                C.            Christ’s Harvest/Community (6)

                                1.             Giving Help to Fallen Brothers (6:1-5)

                                                a)            Be Gentle (1)

                                                b)            Be Realistic (2-3)

                                                c)             Be Focused (4-5)

                                2.             Giving Help to Believers (6:6-10)

                                                a)            Giving to Teachers of the Word (6)

                                                b)            Sowing Good (7-9)

                                                c)             Giving to Those in the Household (10)

                                3.             Giving Help to the Gospel (6:11-18)

                                                a)            Personal Appeal (11)

                                                b)            Position of the Gospel (12-16)

                                                c)             Passion for Christ (17-18)

[1] 1. The Law and Faith in Christ (3:1-14): a) Belief Brings the Holy Spirit (1-5), b) Belief Gives Righteousness (6-9), c) Belief Removes the Curse (10-14). 2. The Law and God’s Promise to Abraham (3:15-29): a) What Promise Was Given to Abraham (15-18), b)  Why the Law Was Given (19-23), c)          Who God’s People Are (24-29).

An Outline of the Gospel of John

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I.          DESCRIBING JESUS (1-4)

A.        His Arrival (1)

1.         The Testimony of Jesus (vv. 1-18)

2.         The Testimony of John (vv. 19-34)

3.         The Testimony of the Disciples (vv. 35-51)

B.        His Travels (2)

1.         To Turn Water into Wine (vv. 1-12)

            SIGN #1 – Turning Water Into Wine (vv. 1-12)

2.         To Whip the Waiters (vv. 13-25)

C.        His Talks (3)

1.         A Discussion with Nicodemus (vv. 1-21)

            DISCOURSE #1 – A Talk with Nicodemus About the Son as Savior (vv. 1-21)

2.         A Discussion with the Disciples (vv. 22-46)

D.        His Stops (4)

1.         To Talk with the Woman at the Well (vv. 1-42)

            DISCOURSE #2 – A Talk with the Woman at the Well about the Water of Life (vv. 1-26)

2.         To Heal the Royal Official’s Son (vv. 43-54)

            SIGN #2 – Healing the Royal Official’s Son (vv. 43-54)

II.        QUESTIONING JESUS (5-12)

A.        His Claims (5)

1.         As Equal with God the Father (vv. 1-18)

            SIGN #3 – Healing a Lame Man Near the Pool

2.         As Dependent on God the Father (vv. 19-31)[1]

            DISCOURSE #3 – A Talk with the Jews about Equality with God the Father (vv. 19-30)

3.         As Sent from God the Father (vv. 32-47)

B.        His Signs (6)[2]

1.         Feeding the People (vv. 1-14)

            SIGN #4 – Feeding 5,000 People (vv. 1-14)

2.         Traveling in a Boat (vv. 15-21)

            SIGN #5 – Calming the Waters (vv. 15-21)

3.         Looking for Jesus (vv. 22-25)

            DISCOURSE #4 – A Talk with the Crowd about Jesus as the Bread of Life (vv. 22-59)

            I AM #1 – The Bread of Life (6:35)

4.         Talking with Jesus (vv. 26-40)

5.         Disagreeing with Jesus (vv. 41-71)

C.        His Travels (7)

1.         Encountering More Trouble (vv. 1-24)

2.         Encountering More Questions (vv. 25-53)[3]

D.        His Teachings/Example (8)

1.         The One that Forgives Sins (vv. 1-11)

            I AM #2 – The Light of the World (8:12)

2.         The One Light that Shines (vv. 12-30)

            DISCOURSE #5 – A Talk with the Crowd about Jesus as the Light of the World (vv. 12-58)

3.         The One that Is God and Came from God (vv. 31-59)

E.         His Miracles (9)

1.         Healing a Blind Man  (vv. 1-24)

2.         Defending the Healing of a Blind Man (vv. 25-41)

            SIGN #6: The Healing of the Blind Man (9:1-41)

F.         His Commitments (10)

1.         As the Good Shepherd (vv. 1-21)

            DISCOURSE #6 – A Talk with the Crowd about Jesus as the Good Shepherd (vv. 1-18)

            I AM #3: The Door (v. 7, 9)

            I AM #4: The Good Shepherd (vv. 11, 14)

2.         As the God-Sent Man (vv. 22-41)

G.        His Work (11)[4]

1.         Raising Lazarus from Death (vv. 1-44)

            SIGN #7: The Healing of Lazarus from the Dead (11:1-44)

            I AM #5: The Resurrection and the Life (11:25)

2.         Revising the Plan for Jesus’s Death (vv. 45-57)

H.        His Honor (12)

1.         Private Preparations (vv. 1-11)

2.         Public Praise (vv. 12-19)

3.         Problems in Parts (vv. 20-50)

III.       CONFIRMING JESUS (13-17)

A.        In Service (13)[5]

1.         Washing Others Feet (vv. 1-20)

2.         Wondering Who Will Betray (vv. 21-38)

            DISCOURSE #7 – A Talk with the Disciples about Jesus’s Body and Blood (13:31-14:31)

B.        In Community (14)

1.         The Works of the Father (vv. 1-14)

            I AM #6: The Way, the Truth, and the Life (v. 6)

2.         The Ways of the Holy Spirit (vv. 15-31)

C.        In Commitments (15)[6]

1.         Abiding in the Vine for Fruit (vv. 1-11)

            I AM #7: The True Vine (v. 1)

2.         Abiding in the Vine for Love (vv. 12-17)

3.         Abiding in the Vine against Discrimination (vv. 18-27)

D.        In Predictions (16)

E.         In Truth (17)

IV.       KILLING JESUS (18-19)

A.        The Arrest of Jesus (18)[7]

1.         Approaching Jesus (vv. 1-11)

2.         Taking Jesus (vv. 12-18)

3.         Questioning Jesus (vv. 19-27)

4.         Accusing Jesus (vv. 28-40)

B.        The Death of Jesus (19)

1.         Up for Trial (vv. 1-16)

2.         On the Cross (vv. 17-31)

3.         In the Grave (vv. 32-42)

V.        RAISING JESUS (20-21)

A.        The Resurrection of Jesus (20)[8]

1.         Looking for Jesus (1-10)

2.         Finding Jesus (vv. 11-18)

3.         Believing in Jesus (vv. 19-31)

B.        The Commission of Jesus (21)

1.         To Seven Disciples (vv. 1-14)

2.         To Peter and John (vv. 15-25)

Here’s another outline I’ve developed

PRESENTATION (ch. 1-4)

CONFRONTATION (ch. 5-12)

PREPARATION (ch. 13-17)

CRUXIFICTION (ch. 18-19)

RESURRECTION (ch. 20-21)

Or

POINTING TO THE CHRIST (ch. 1-4)

PROBLEMS FOR THE CHRIST (ch. 5-12)

PREPARATION FOR THE CHRIST (ch. 13-17)

PLACEMENT ON THE CROSS (ch. 18-19)

PREPARATION FOR HEAVEN (ch. 20-21)

[1] I. THE JUDGE (vv. 19-20, 30-31), II. THE COURTROOM (vv. 21-23), III. THE PLEA DEAL (vv. 24), IV. THE VERDICT (vv. 25-29)

[2] Might be better to divide it as vv.1-21, vv. 22-40, vv. 41-31 or vv. 1-15, vv. 16-40, vv. 41-71

[3] Preach and teach this as one sermon (7:53-8:11)

[4] Maybe outline as 11:45-12:8, 12:9-19, 12:20-50

[5] There are many ways to outline these chapters. Swindoll outlines it as vv. 1-17, vv. 18-30, vv. 31-38. Wiersbe outlines 13:1-35, 13:36-4:31. Others follow this pattern: 13:1-20, 13:21-35, 13:36-14:31. Or this way: 13:1-20, 13:21-35, 13:36-14:4, 14:5-7, 8-21, 14:22-31.

[6] I like these headings: The World’s Hatred (15:18-16:4), The Spirit’s Work (16:5-15), The Future Changes (16:16-33)

[7] Or divide it as vv.1-18 and vv. 19-40

[8] Or divide it as vv. 1-18 and vv. 19-31

God, Do You Have This? (Habakkuk 1:12-2:1)

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The book of Habakkuk is a “theodicy” which is an “attempt to defend God’s omnipotence and goodness in the face of the problem of evil in the world.”[iii] The book of Habakkuk tells the story of a man asking God about the evil he sees occurring in his country and in the neighboring nations. It also reveals the struggles that Habakkuk has with what he sees and what he believes God should be doing.

            Many of us probably have the same questions that Habakkuk was asking. Questions such as, God do you know what’s going on? God when will you intervene? God why don’t you do something? God if you are good why do you allow evil, pain, and suffering?

            In this book we don’t get all of those answers at once. Just as each of the four gospels in the New Testament give us a portrait of Jesus from different sides and with a different emphasis, the book of Habakkuk answers our questions in a series of steps building upon each other. Each step gets us closer to understanding who God is and why He chooses to do what He does in the way He does.

            The first chapter of Habakkuk’s book focuses on Habakkuk’s problems. Habakkuk 1:1 serves as an introduction, and then we read about Habakkuk’s first question in Habakkuk 1:2-4 which we could summarize this way: How long will evil continue and when will you stop it? In these three verses he questions the inconsistency of God’s actions and God’s character.[iv]

            Next in Habakkuk 1:5-11 we read God’s first answer to Habakkuk which could be summarized in this way: I’m going to stop it, I know what’s going on, and you’ll be surprised how. God tells Habakkuk that He will use ungodly people (Babylon) and ungodly forces to purify His people who are acting ungodly.

            But God’s first answer raised a new problem for Habakkuk and that’s what we’ll examine together. Habakkuk’s second question of God in 1:12-2:1 questions the inconsistency of God’s character by asking why God would use the more serious sinners (Babylonians) punishing the less serious sinners (Judah).[v] Habakkuk is perplexed that the eternal holy God would send a nation more wicked than Judah to punish Judah, but Habakkuk waits for an answer. Let’s look at these three sections and an application for each together.

DECLARATION ABOUT GOD (1:12-13)

In Hebrew there are specific types of questions that expect a positive reply[vi] and Habakkuk’s question is one of those, “Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. You, O LORD, have appointed them to judge; and You, O Rock, have established them to correct. Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You can not look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor on those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they?” (Habakkuk 1:12–13).[vii] While these appear as questions, they are actually declarations in the form of questions.[viii] These are rhetorical questions that expect the answer, “Yes of course.”[ix] With this perspective lets note a few key words from Habakkuk 1:12-13.

            The name of God deserves our attention. “LORD” is used two times in Habakkuk 1:12. It’s in all capital letters in our English translation which tells us it’s a translation of YHWH[x] or transliterated as Yahweh. Some believe it comes from the verb, “to be” in Hebrew.[xi] Yahweh was the covenant name of God (Exod 3:14). The use of this name for God by Habakkuk indicated God’s covenant faithfulness and would evoke confidence in the original hearers.

            The titles for God deserve our attention. Habakkuk calls God “Holy One” (v. 12b). This title describes how God transcends the affairs of people and nations. He will not allow sin to go unpunished. Habakkuk also calls God “Rock” (v. 12e).This title views God as a place where someone can go and be safe from danger. It pictures God as a place of safety and protection for His people. It evokes feelings of permanence and stability.

            The attributes of God deserve our attention. Habakkuk describes God as “everlasting” (v. 12a).This was a reminder of the Lord’s saving history in Israel. Next Habakkuk describes God’s “eyes” (13a). This is an “anthropomorphism” which is the attribution of human features to God. Here it describes God’s omnipotence in how He sees everything going on in the world. God sees evil, but he does not condone evil or tolerate evil.

            The activities of God deserve our attention. We read that God has “established them to correct” (v. 12e). God is going to use the Babylonians to punish, but they will not overstep God’s sovereign will. (This was the message of God to Habakkuk in 1:5-11.)

            Lastly, the attitude of Habakkuk deserves our attention. Habakkuk almost seems relieved to know God is active, but God had not responded the way Habakkuk wanted. This is important to note: Habakkuk does not question that God punish Judah, but Habakkuk does question how God will use an evil nation to punish Judah. Habakkuk 1:11-12 reminds us of an important reality in the Christian life which is this.

We have confidence in the eternal God.

            For Habakkuk things are not looking good, but Habakkuk still believes God is good. Thingshave been bad for 300 years in Israel and Judah, and they are not getting better. Yet Habakkuk still has confidence in the eternal God as seen in Habakkuk’s addresses to God as “Lord” “Holy One” “Rock” and “Everlasting.” Pastor John MacArthur writes, “Although the prophet could not fully comprehend the sovereign workings of his righteous God, he expressed his complete faith and trust.”[xii] While the devastation of divine judgement was terrible, Habakkuk drew hope and consolation from God’s holiness and faithfulness.

            Reading about God’s potential judgment requires a reflection on God’s promises to Israel. Scripture written before the book of Habakkuk said God would remain faithful to the Patriarchs based on the covenant with Abraham (Gen 17:2-8; 26:3-5; 28:13-15). Scripture also revealed that God would remain faithful to Israel as they were the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exod 3:3-15; Deut 7:6; 14:1-2; 26:16-18). Furthermore, God would remain faithful to the house of David in how God told David that David would always have a descendant on the throne (2 Sam 7:12-29).[xiii]

            While there were promises given to Israel then, God also gives promises to believers living today. Promises that we will always be tied to God because of His love (Rom 8:38-39). Promises that we are adopted as sons and daughters (Gal 3:26-27). These promises give us confidence in the eternal God.

            Where I live in Washington we sometimes experience snow and icy conditions in parking lots. One important element of walking on ice is to look for parts of a parking lot or sidewalk that do not have ice. When walking you look for the solid parts and step there. You avoid the slippery spots and walk on the solid parts. In a similar way, we rest and focus on the elements of God we know for sure. We don’t know everything about God, but we stick with what we do know. Pastor J. Vernon McGee once said, “My friend, do not be disturbed if you are not thinking as God thinks. You are not God. Unfortunately many folk try to take His place.”[xiv] What a blessing it is to have the benefit of confidence looking back at these things. But Habakkuk does not have that benefit. So let’s continue as he shares his concerns with God.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BABYLONIANS (1:14-17)

Helplessness of Humanity (vv. 14-15)

Habakkuk tells us about the helplessness of humanity by using the analogy of fishing, “Why have You made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things without a ruler over them?” (Habakkuk 1:1). This is an analogy because fish have no leader and they’re easy to catch. These fish represent human society to the Babylonians. In other words, Judah is as helpless as fish and they are going to be easy to catch without a leader.

            Habakkuk tells us about the catch of the sea for the Babylonians, “The Chaldeans bring all of them up with a hook, drag them away with their net, and gather them together in their fishing net. Therefore they rejoice and are glad” (Habakkuk 1:15).  This is what the Babylonians do. The “Chaldeans” were a tribe within the Assyrian Empire that rose up and overtook the Assyrian Empire. Nabopolassar rose up into power in 625 BC and Nebuchadnezzar inherited the powerful kingdom in 605 BC. The Chaldeans were the original tribe name of the nation known as the Babylonians.

            The Babylonians had a tradition of driving a hook through the lower lip of their captives, stringing them together, and then walking them together in a single-file line as their captives.[xv] Brutality was seen when they captured king Zedekiah, killed his sons in front of him, then they gouged out his eyes (2 Kings 25:7).

Haughtiness of Babylonians (vv. 16-17)

The haughtiness of the Babylonians is seen in how they believe in themselves, “Therefore they offer a sacrifice to their net and burn incense to their fishing net; because through these things their catch is large, and their food is plentiful” (Habakkuk 1:16).  The Babylonians attributed their success to their own military might, worshipped what brought them success, loved their livelihood, enjoyed their luxury, and they lived by the plunder of the people that they conquered. Those helpless fish they gathered up indiscriminately and caught in their net were their life.

            The haughtiness of the Babylonians is also seen in how they battle anyone they want, “Will they therefore empty their net And continually slay nations without sparing?” (Habakkuk 1:17). They fill the net, empty it, then fill it again. As we read about the arrogance and self reliance of the Babylonians it reminds us as Christians about an important principle we follow.

We have confidence that we achieve nothing without god

The pride of the Babylonians we read here matches what we read earlier in this chapter, “Then they will sweep through like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, they whose strength is their god” (Habakkuk 1:11). The Babylonians believed everything they achieved was because of their might. Their strength was their god. They believed that what they achieved was because of their effort. As a result there was no acknowledgement of a god in heaven that was allowing them to do what they were doing. And that’s why God will eventually bring them down.

            That same attitude can creep into our lives as believers if we’re not careful. If we’re not careful we might start to depend on our connections, creativity, experience, education, family, or innovativeness. We as Christians must remind ourselves that God is provider and sustainer of everything that we achieve and have. Everything we have is God’s blessing to us.

            All of our success is God’s provision for us. A parent might hear from a teacher that her kids are doing excellent in school. Give God the credit! Someone working in food service might receive grateful compliments from the people she is serving food. Praise God for the honor of doing the work! A mechanic on a car might receive good reviews online for his work. Let the glory go to God!

            I started working at the church I now serve in July of 2021 during COVID when a lot of people were not attending church in person. Within two years of me pastoring that church attendance had doubled in size. For me I had no other choice than to attribute the growth to God’s timing of when He had me start and with the fact that people were now attending church again in person.

            It’s important to praise God when things go well because it’s our human nature to attribute our success to our work instead of to God. The Swiss reformer John Calvin once wrote it was “necessary that God should empty us by his special grace, that we may not be filled with this satanic pride, which is innate, and which cannot by any means be shaken off by us, until the Lord regenerates us by his Spirit.”[xvi] Thus we remind ourselves that we have confidence we achieve nothing without God.

            In this section of Habakkuk’s response to God we are seeing Habakkuk’s experience. We have read about Habakkuk’s declaration that taught us we have confidence in the eternal God. We have read about Habakkak’s description that taught us we achieve nothing without God. Last, we see Habakkuk waiting for a reply.

DETERMINATION TO WAIT (2:1)

Cities in the seventh century often were built with stone towers on top of the city walls so a watchman could easily see approaching visitors. That’s the imagery that Habakkuk employs here[xvii] when he says, “I will stand on my guard post and station myself on the rampart; and I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me, and how I may reply when I am reproved” (Habakkuk 2:1). While the verse designations in our Bible were not originally placed there by the writers, I’d like to point out three characteristics of Habakkuk 2:1.

            The first is that he’s standing (v. 1a). It’s easy when experiencing struggles to get discouraged and sink down into confusion and hopelessness. Instead Habakkuk stands up, has his head high, his eyes are open, and he’s looking out. The second is he’s watching (v. 1b). Habakkuk compares himself to a watchman that keeps his eyes open for approaching messengers or danger. The third is he’s waiting (v. 1c). Habakkuk braces himself for a rebuke, “when I am reproved.” Habakkuk waits patiently for divine revelation.

            Old Testament scholar O. Palmer Robertson writes that Habakkuk “will not attempt to reconcile in his own mind the apparent contradiction between the election of Israel by God as the object of his special love and the devastation of Israel at the hands of the rapacious Chaldeans as ordered by the Lord himself. He will not resort to the sources of human wisdom. Instead, he will watch for an answer that can come from the Lord.”[xviii]

            Habakkuk expects to get a reply. Sometimes only God can answer. The last lesson we learn from this passage is this.

We have confidence that God will reply.

When God replies He might correct us or comfort us, but we should have confidence that He will reply to us. And we need a place to go to wait for His reply just as Habakkuk did.

            As this relates to us, we need a place to get above the mess we are in and get away from the distractions we face. It might be some quiet time in the morning with coffee and a Bible and a journal. It might be late at night after everyone is sleeping when you can quietly pray. Maybe you sneak away in the middle of the day and go sit in your car on your lunchbreak while at work.

            When we encounter tough times we usually respond in two ways. Sometimes we leave God. When we leave God we withdraw from Sunday worship, stop attending a weekly Bible study, quit giving, or discontinue serving. Sometimes we lean into God. When we lean into God we rigorously study His Word more, seek counsel from Godly friends or family, and spend more time in fellowship with church people.

            I want to encourage you to lean into God. He knows what you’re going through, He knows what you’re feeling, and He knows what to do. You can be confident that He will reply. These types of situations require a certain level of human responsibility. If God speaks, we must be ready to listen. And when we lean into God it shows Him that we are ready to listen and that we are ready for His correction or His comfort.

            Reading Habakkuk’s reply in these verses gives us confidence in the eternal God, confidence that we achieve nothing without God, and confidence God will reply.

CONCLUSION

I hope that reading through the book of Habakkuk causes us to admire the man Habakkuk. We find Habakkuk here waiting for God’s reply. He wants to honor God, to see God’s people change their lifestyle, and he wants to make Judah a place holy and honorable before God. Yet he has to wait for God’s reply.

            This is tough because we don’t like to wait. We’re taught waiting is bad. We’ve been trained that waiting is an enemy. We have ATMs that give us instant cash, same day deliveries from Amazon, meals made in minutes, as well as have movies, books, and music that appear instantly on our TVs, tablets, and phones when we want them. Author Jen Wilkin states, “But being able to wait is distinctly Christian. In fact, it’s a mark of Christian maturity.”[xix] We as Christians can wait and be confident.

            Sometimes the answers come immediately, but most of the time God reveals those answers much later—sometimes, months or years pass—then we finally get an answer from God for why He’s done what He did in our lives, for why He caused us to endure what we went through, and for why He allowed people to do or say certain things. While we wait we can have confidence in the eternal God, we can have confidence that we achieve nothing without God, and we can have confidence that God will reply.

[i] Originally prepared and delivered at Lakeview Missionary Church on April 30, 2023, third in a series “Reverent Wrestlings” from Habakkuk.

[ii] Christopher L. Scott serves as senior pastor at Lakeview Missionary Church in Moses Lake, WA.

[iii] Page Brooks and D. A. Neal, “Theodicy,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

[iv] Christopher L. Scott, “Wondering and Waiting: Habakkuk 1:1-4” in Word & Deed, vol XXVI Number 2 May 2024, 93-101.

[v] Habakkuk has good reason to be puzzled. In 722 BC the Assyrian army arrived in Israel in the north and wiped out Israel. As a result the nation had been removed from the ancient near eastern landscape. Habakkuk naturally wondered if that might be the same fate of Judah? These questions Habakkuk asks likely are in 607 BC.

[vi] Habakkuk 1:12 begins with the interrogative particle, halo.

[vii] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[viii] J. Ronald Blue explains, “In Hebrew, the form of the question-O LORD, are You not from everlasting?-requires an affirmative reply. It is as much a declaration as an interrogation” (J. Ronald Blue, “Habakkuk,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 [Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985], 1511).

[ix] The NET Bible (Biblical Studies Press, 2005).

[x] According to one lexicon it occurs 6,823 times in the Old Testament (Brown, Francis, Samuel Rolles Driver, and Charles Augustus Briggs. Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1977).

[xi] Other forms based on the Hebrew are “God” from Elohim and “Lord” from Adonai.

[xii] MacArthur Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1996), 1289.

[xiii] Richard Patterson, Habakkuk, Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, vol. 10 (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 2008), 412.

[xiv] J Vernon McGee, Nahum and Habakkuk, Thru the Bible Commentary Series, vol. 30 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1991), 80.

[xv] Numerous commentaries cite this. O. Palmer Robertson, The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1990), 163 and Thomas Constable, Notes on Habakkuk, 2023 edition, p. 23. Accessed May 27, 2024, https://planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/pdf/habakkuk.pdf. Both Constable and Robertson cite the W. Rudolph, Micha-Nahum-Habakuk-Zephanja (sic), KAT 13/3, second edition (Gütersloh: Gerd Mohn, 1975), 211. Also see the “Stele of victory from Susa” which depicts enemies caught in a net from 2371-2316 BC (Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2019], 1551).

[xvi] John Calvin and John Owen. Commentaries on the Twelve Minor Prophets (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 52.

[xvii] Other prophets used a similar image of a watchtower to explain their attitude of expectation (Isa 21:8; Jer 6:17; Ezek 3:17; 33:2, 33)

[xviii] Robertson, Habakkuk, 165.

[xix] Jen Wilkin, “Waiting on the Word,” Christianity Today, April 2022, p. 30.

God’s Got This (Habakkuk 1:5-11)

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We’ve all heard news that was too good to be true. Statements on the radio or YouTube tell us: “You’ll never have to pay an energy bill again after you put solar panels on your house,” or “Drinking a glass of water before bed will cause you to lose 30lbs in a month,” and my personal favorite, “This kind of chocolate is healthy and good for you.”

            While those statements are too good to be true, the people living in Judah in 606 BC were about to receive news that was too bad to be true. When they heard it they might have said, Could you repeat that? or I heard what you said, but it was so odd, I must have misunderstood you.

            Habakkuk 1:1-4 recorded Habakkuk’s complaints and cry out to God. Habakkuk pleaded with God to do something about the evil, wickedness, and violence that Habakkuk saw occurring in the nation of Judah. In Habakkuk 1:5-11 we read God’s response to Habakkuk.

GOD’S INTENTION OF DISCIPLINE    

            Habakkuk 1:5 serves as an introduction to this oracle of judgement. “Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days— You would not believe if you were told.”[i] God breaks the silence Habakkuk endured as Habakkuk shared, “How long O Lord, will I call for help, and You will not hear?” (v. 2). That question is answered now. God has been doing something. When the text says “Look” and “Observe” and “Be Astonished!” and “Wonder!” those are all plural imperatives[ii] in the Hebrew text that emphasize two things. First, there is an urgency of what is commanded that they look and take note. Second, as plurals these words are addressed to the nation of Judah, not only to the prophet Habakkuk.

            Habakkuk is learning God has not been idle while Habakkuk asked his question. Habakkuk is learning God’s silence does not equal indifference, that God is already working on specific plans, and that God’s answers are not what Habakkuk wanted. Habakkuk had thought God would turn the people from wickedness to righteousness. He thought God would turn the people to the temple and away from pagan gods. He thought God would turn the king to God and way from idolatry.

God is sovereign in how He deals with all people.

            God surprises them in what He does and what God does reminds them about God’s sovereignty. The late Warren Wiersbe explained, “God gave Habakkuk a revelation, not an explanation, for what we always need in times of doubt is a new view of God. The Lord doesn’t owe us any explanations, but He does graciously reveal Himself and His work to those who seek Him.”[iii] This new view is that God is sovereign.

            Theologian John Fienberg defines sovereignty this way, “God’s power of absolute self-determination … God’s choices are determined only by his own nature and purposes…. God’s sovereign will is also free, for nobody forces him to do anything, and whatever he does is in accord with his own purposes and wishes.”[iv]

            We know God is sovereign from different areas. We know God is sovereign from Scripture. Psalm 103:19 tells us, “The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all.” And 1 Chronicles 29:11 reveals, “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.” We also know God is sovereign from His names in Scripture, “God Most High” (Genesis 14:18–20), “God Almighty” (Genesis 17:1), “Master & Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 4). And we know God is sovereign from world history, “you O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength and the glory; and wherever the sons of men dwell, or the beasts of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has given them into your hand and has caused you to rule over them all” (Daniel 2:37–38).

            Scripture makes it clear that God is sovereign in how He deals with all people. Bible teacher Kenneth Barker comments on Habakkuk 1:5,

The Lord’s answer indicates his sovereignty. He is not bound by the listener’s whims or by their standards of “fairness.” He responds according to his sovereign will. He is the Lord of history who works in history to accomplish his purpose. Habakkuk’s questions reflect the questions of many people. Especially when we deal with personal affronts, difficulties, and disappointment, we desire to know where God is and what he is doing. Habakkuk reminds us that God is at work even if it appears He is not. He is the Lord of the universe who works to accomplish his purposes in his world and in our lives.[v]

            So Habakkuk learns God is sovereign in what God does, next Habakkuk learns God is sovereign in who God chooses.

GOD’S INSTRUMENT OF DISCIPLINE[vi]

            Habakkuk 1:5 is an introduction to the oracle of judgement and Habakkuk 1:6-11 is the explanation.

The Destruction by the Babylonians

            “For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans” (Habakkuk 1:6a). The Hebrew word, kasdim, is translated as “Chaldeans”[vii] in the NASB but this group of people is better known by another name: Babylonians (see NIV and NLT). The Babylonians were a tribe within the Assyrian Empire that rose up and overtook the Assyrian Empire. Nabopolassar rose up into power in 625 BC and Nebuchadnezzar inherited the powerful kingdom in 605 BC.[viii]

            This was surprising for two reasons. One, that a small group within the nation of Assyria could rise up and overtake Assyria. Two, that God would allow a foreign wicked evil nation to punish the nation of Judah.

            In the book of Habakkuk we see God using ungodly people and ungodly forces to punish and purify His people in Judah who were acting ungodly.

The Description of the Babylonians

            Their size is described, “That fierce and impetuous people who march throughout the earth to seize dwelling places which are not theirs” (Habakkuk 1:6).The word “That” begins a list of twenty different features of the Babylonians.

            Their status is described, “They are dreaded and feared; their justice and authority originate with themselves” (Habakkuk 1:7). They do whatever they wanted. There was no judge but themselves, and no law but themselves.

            Their speed is described, “Their horses are swifter than leopards and keener than wolves in the evening. Their horsemen come galloping, their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swooping down to devour” (Habakkuk 1:8). We want to take Scripture in a simple straightforward literal way except in some cases when that seems impossible. For example, “horses are swifter than leopards” is hyperbole (an exaggeration that’s used to say more than is literally meant.)[ix] Babylon was 600 miles east of Judah. The essence here is that distance will not make a difference.

            Their success is described, “All of them come for violence. Their horde of faces moves forward. They collect captives like sand” (Habakkuk 1:9). Whatever they look at they take for themselves.

            Their scoffing is described, “They mock at kings and rulers are a laughing matter to them. They laugh at every fortress and heap up rubble to capture it” (Habakkuk 1:10). An example of the Babylonians’ brutality was seen when they captured king Zedekiah, killed his sons in front of him, then they gouged out his eyes (2 Kings 25:7). The phrase, “heap up rubble to capture it” refers to piling up dirt to a wall so they could capture it. Nothing could stop the Babylonians. The lesson is this: everyone should fear the nation that has no fear.

God is just in how He deals with Israel in a specific way.

            God had a unique relationship with Israel. He made a promise with Abraham marking out one family and one nation (see Genesis 11:10-Exodus 18:27).[x] God also gave the Mosaic Law which was 613 laws for a life of obedience following God (see Exodus 19:1-Acts 1:26).[xi] The people were responsible to keep the law (James 2:10) but they failed (Romans 10:1-3).             

            The goal of the promise with Abraham and the Law with Israel was to make Israel a kingdom of priests as described in Exodus 19:6 when God said to Israel, “and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”[xii] Before Moses died he gave two promises to Israel. The first promise was for blessings on the nation of Israel if they followed God’s laws faithfully (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). The second promise was of curses that would come upon Israel if they disobeyed God and His word (Deuteronomy 28:15-68).[xiii]

            I say all of this because we—as Americans—shouldn’t insert ourselves into these prophecies in Habakkuk because God hasn’t made a promise with America like He did Israel.

            Israel’s prophets warned them that God would allow Gentiles to overrun Judah because of their disobedience to God (Deuteronomy 28:49-50; 1 Kings 11:14, 23; Jeremiah 4; 5:14-17; 6:22-30; Amos 6:14), but the people did not believe this would happen (Jeremiah 5:12; 6:14; 7:1-34; 8:11; Lamentations 4:12; Amos 6). Therefore God allowed Gentile nations to conquer them. God was doing to Israel what He told Israel He would do if they refused to return to Him. God was dealing with them because God had warned them.

            While we’ve seen God reveal to Habakkuk who this nation is (Babylon) and what they are like (powerful and wicked). Next God reveals what Babylon will do.

GOD’S IMPLEMENTATION OF DISCIPLINE

            While Habakkuk 1:5 was the introduction and Habakkuk 1:6-10 was the explanation, now we see Habakkuk 1:11 is the climax: “Then they [Babylonians] will sweep through like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, they whose strength is their god.”

            We see that the Babylonians will reign and nothing will stop them. (Only God is going to be able to stop them). As one Bible teacher has said, “God may seem to be strangely silent and inactive in threatening circumstances. He sometimes gives unexpected answers to our prayers. And He sometimes uses unlikely instruments to correct His people.”[xiv] That unlikely instrument is the nation of Babylon.

            But we also see that the Babylonians source of their reign will be temporary. The phrase, “whose strength is their god” indicates that their strength will be their demise. Their might will cause their downfall.

God is gracious in how he deals with us in a different way.

            Let’s look at Acts 13:39-41 to see how God interacts with us differently now than He did with Israel then:

And through Him [Jesus] everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses. Therefore take heed, so that the thing spoken of in the Prophets may not come upon you: “Behold, you scoffers, and marvel, and perish; for I am accomplishing a work in your days, a work which you will never believe, though someone should describe it to you.”

            Let me explain the significance of these three verses. There are different ways to outline the book of Acts. There’s a geography outline focusing on what occurs in Jerusalem (chapters 1-7), Judea (chapter 8), and Samaria (chapters 9-28). There’s also a ministry outline profiling the ministry of Peter (chapters 1-12) and Paul (chapters 13-28). The outline I want to emphasize is the Gospel outline in which the Gospel is directed toward the Jews (chapters 1-10) and then to the Gentiles (chapters 11-28). God makes it clear in the book of Acts that God is no longer using one nation—Israel—to display glory. No longer is Israel the mediator. Now all people have access to God through one man: Jesus Christ.

            There are some important meanings for us to understand. We are part of that offer to the Gentiles. When Christ died on the Cross He fulfilled the Law (Acts 13:39). The end of that Law is why we don’t sacrifice a lamb at the end of our church services, why we worship on Sunday(the day of the resurrection) not Saturday(the day of the Sabbath), and why we don’t practice the feasts of the Old Testament. We are living in the time of grace. We interact with God because of the grace offered to us. We are not interacting with God based on the Law that was given to Israel. We don’t have the same obligations as Israel under the Law because we are Gentiles living in the age of grace.

            There are some implications for us because of that grace. If you forgot to pray this morning or didn’t read your Bible yesterday you don’t have to worry about God sending lightening to strike you and correct you. God is not going to give you all red lights on your way to work on Monday to punish you for forgetting to put your tithe check in the offering plate on Sunday. We don’t worship a fickle god that has petty disagreements with us. We worship a God that gave His Son to die for us and His desire is that we place our faith in His son and obediently follow Him.

CONCLUSION

            Christ coming displayed God’s grace of salvation. Under grace the responsibility of man is to accept the gift of righteousness offered freely through Jesus Christ to all people (Romans 5:15-18). There are two important elements of the time of grace. One is that we get blessed through grace. Another is that grace is offered to all. God no longer is dealing with one people—Israel—now He is interacting with all mankind (as seen from Acts 2:1 through Revelation 19:21).[xv]

            And that’s the news that is too good to be true. That God loved the world so much that He gave His Son—through the nation of Israel—to offer salvation to all the world. That faith in His Son gives eternal life. That’s news that is good and true.

[i] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[ii] An imperative in Hebrew is “urgent or demanding immediate, specific action on the part of the addressee” (Bruce Waltke and M O’Connor, An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax [Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1990], 571).

[iii] Warren Wiersbe, Be Amazed (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2012, 2nd edition), 136-137.

[iv] John Feinberg, No One Like Him (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2006), 294.

[v] Kenneth L. Barker, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, vol. 20. The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 302.

[vi] Outline for this section is slightly adapted from J. Ron Blue, “Habakkuk” in Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, edited by John Walvoord and Roy Zuck (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 1985), 1510.

[vii] In Hebrew, כַּשְׂדִּים

[viii] B. T. Arnold, “Babylon” (pp. 53-60) edited by Mark J. Boda and Gordon J. McConville, Dictionary of the Old Testament: Prophets (Downers Grove, IL; Inter-Varsity Press, 2012), 59.

[ix] Thomas Constable, Notes on Habakkuk, 2023 edition, p. 19, footnote 3, accessed November 23, 2023, https://planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/pdf/habakkuk.pdf.

[x] Charles Ryrie, Dispensationalism (Chicago, IL: Moody, 2007), 61-63.

[xi] Ibid., 63-64.

[xii] “Their role thenceforth would be to mediate or intercede as priests between the holy God and the wayward nations of the world, with the end in view not only of declaring his salvation but also of providing the human channel in and through whom this salvation would be effected.” (Eugene H. Merrill, Kingdom of Priests, 2nd ed. [Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008], 98.

[xiii] There are four times as many curses as there are blessings, either to follow Ancient Near East (ANE) treaties or to foreshadow the future failure of Israel to keep the covenant.

[xiv] Constable, Notes on Habakkuk, p. 21.

[xv] Ryrie, Dispensationalism, 64.

Wondering and Waiting (Habakkuk 1:1-4)

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Most of us have been mesmerized by the pictures we’ve seen of our earth taken from space. Those pictures from space reveal the beautiful oceans, the various continents, the perfectly round shape of the earth, as well as the clouds and weather we can see developing on earth. It looks like the most beautiful place in the galaxy. The earth from those pictures looks peaceful, clean, and calm. Those pictures of our world are nothing but majestic.

            Yet, while the earth looks so beautiful when you are tens of thousands of miles away, those of us that live on earth don’t see the same beauty. When we live on earth we live in the midst of a different world. When we live on earth we see dust blown up by the wind, violence among animals, pollution from creation, injustice by humans, sadness in our communities, and we see suffering.

            In the midst of this we often ask God: Do you know what’s going on? When will you intervene? Why don’t you do something? If you are good why do you allow pain, suffering, and evil?

            The Old Testament book of Habakkuk was written 2600 years ago, yet it deals with a modern problem and common questions we all experience. The book of Habakkuk answers our questions because Habakkuk was asking the same questions then that we ask now. Thankfully, we don’t just read about Habakkuk’s questions, we read about God’s answers.

HABAKKUK’S CALL

“The oracle which Habakkuk the prophet saw.” (Habakkuk 1:1, NASB)[i]

The Prophet

His name, “Habakkuk” (חֲבַקּ֖וּק) only shows up two times in the Bible (Hab 1:1; 3:1). But the book of Habakkuk is quoted several times in the New Testament. Habakkuk 2:4 is quoted by Paul (Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11) as well as by the author of Hebrews (Heb 10:38) and Habakkuk 1:5 is quoted by Paul in a sermon that Luke records in Acts 13:41.

            While nothing in Scripture describes Habakkuk, we can make some conclusions about him from what we read. Habakkuk likely was an officially ordained prophet who was part of the temple liturgical singing. He appears well educated, deeply sensitive, and based on his literary style he was as much of a poet as a prophet.[ii] He also was probably a composer of music or led worship in the table based on the musical notations of Hab 3:19. Habakkuk likely recorded this book in 606-604 BC, under king Jehoiakim (Jer 22:15-17; 2 Kings 23:34-24:5). This means he lived in the final dark days of the southern nation of Judah.

The Oracle

The word, “oracle” (מַשָּׂא) (NLT, “message”, NIV, “prophecy” or literally “burden”) is “a pronouncement or message from God to people.”[iii] In the Old Testament there are three types of oracles:Judgement, blessing, and salvation.[iv] The book of Habakkuk is an oracle of judgement against the evil of the nation of Judah, its kings, its people, and its rulers.

            While most prophets in the Old Testament brought God’s messages to the people, Habakkuk is different. Habakkuk brings the people’s questions to God. And that starts here in verses two and three.

HABAKKUK’S CRY

“How long, O Lord, will I call for help, And You will not hear? I cry out to You, ‘Violence!’ Yet You do not save. Why do You make me see iniquity, And cause me to look on wickedness? Yes, destruction and violence are before me; Strife exists and contention arises.” (Habakkuk 1:2–3)

How Long?

Habakkuk is perplexed by the common wickedness he sees. He wonders why God doesn’t do something about it. Based on these two verses it’s clear he has been asking these questions for a while,[v] but he’s not getting a response. And because he hasn’t received a response he wonders what was going on. Habakkuk is frustrated and exasperated.

            Habakkuk has probably been trying to fix the situation. He probably had given sermons, taught classes, held seminars, conducted counseling, sang songs, wrote “letters to the editor,” and possibly conducted PR campaigns to try to get the people to return back to God from their wicked ways.  

Why?

In verses two and three we see Habakkuk pile up the synonyms as he describes what was going on among the people in Judah: “violence” (vv. 2, 3), “iniquity” (v. 3), “wickedness” (v. 3), “destruction” (v. 3), “strife” (v. 3), “contention” (v. 3). Charles Ryrie describes that “the strife and contention was between the Jewish people themselves, not with their enemies.”[vi] Habakkuk’s issues were with his neighbors in the city of Jerusalem, his fellow priests, and political rulers under whom he served. Because of this God is going to send a foreign nation to punish them.

            We are hearing about the hurting heart of Habakkuk. He has not received an answer from God, he sees wickedness continue in his nation, he feels like God is distant, and he probably feels alone.

 Questions of God should occur in the context of trust of God.

Throughout Scripture there are many biblical examples of people asking God questions but not getting answers. David (Pss 13:1-4; 22:1, 11, 19-20), Asaph (Pss 74:1-2, 10-11), and the Sons of Korah (Pss 88) are just a few of the examples from the Psalms.

            When we read about Habakkuk and see other examples of people asking God questions but not receiving answers it reminds us that our questions should focus on God’s work, not God’s character. We question what God does, not who God is. We can question God’s actions, but we should never question His deity. Additionally, our questions should be directed toward God. We should talk to God, not about God to others. We should complain to God, not about God to others. It’s okay to ask questions such as: “God, are you doing your job?” “God, if feels like you don’t care?” “God, I wonder if you are paying attention?” “God, are you taking a day off?

            I believe we can say these things and still be respectful for who God is even if we question what He does. However, this is a fine-line. A child asking a parent, “Why do you want me to eat all my vegetables?” is very different than the child asking, “Why do I need to do what you say?”

            We can trust God because of His character. We know God is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), and holy (just and perfect). Yet, the more we know Him, the more we trust Him. It is important that we must not believe that God’s silence is a sign of His indifference or inactivity (see Dan 10:12-14 for proof). In the midst of our struggles, sufferings, and problems we need to recognize the long-range plans that God has and that God is putting together even though those long-range plans never make sense at the beginning.

            We must remember that God can see the whole picture but that we cannot. We’ve seen Habakkuk’s cry and his questions he asks from a place of trust and next we see Habakkuk’s heart and concern.

HABAKKUK’S CONCERN

“Therefore the law is ignored And justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out perverted.” (Habakkuk 1:4)

The Law

The “law” here is the Hebrew word, torah, (תּוֹרָה) which was the authoritative teaching of God’s Old Testament that revealed God’s will and was supposed to direct the life of God’s people in righteousness. “When used in the singular without clear definition, as here, torah signifies God’s covenantal code established with Israel, given through Moses and set forth particularly in the book of Deuteronomy (e.g., Dt 1:5; 4:8; 17:18-19; 31:9; 33:4; Jos 8:31-32)”[vii]

            But the law was ineffective.The law, apparently is “ignored.” (NIV translates it as “paralyzed”). In other words, the Law has had no effect on the people. It has literally been “numbed” in the lives of the people in Judah. The people are not respecting the Law or giving authority to it. The Law in the life of the people of Judah was like cold numb hands that try to tie a fishing knot. The Law had been considered pointless.

The Situation

Sin was ruling in the land. The rulers were not administering justice to those that needed it. Corruption and lawlessness were part of the situation they were living under. But how bad was it? Habakkuk lived under King Jehoiakim of Judah. Jehoiakim ruled in Judah 609-605 BC under Egypt’s oversight and 605-601 under Babylon’s oversight. During his rule Jehoiakim killed innocent people who opposed him, refused to pay poor laborers (2 Kings 23:35-37; Jer 22:13-19), he killed Uriah the prophet for prophesying that Jerusalem would fall (Jer 26:20-23), and he burned the prophet Jeremiah’s hand-written prophecy (Jer 36). Furthermore, prophets and priests were known to commit adultery and abuse their authority under his rulership (Jer 23:1-2, 9-11).[viii]

Questions of evil and suffering should acknowledge we live in a fallen world.

One of the modern myths we need to extinguish as Christians is that if we become Christians all our problems will go away. When we become Christians our basic spiritual problem of being separated from God because of sin is fixed, but there’s still the problem that we live in a fallen world. We live in a world that does not follow God’s laws and that is ruled under Satan’s program (John 12:31; 2 Cor 4:3-4). This means life won’t always go as planned for us as Christians. This means we need to acknowledge that the world in which we live in is sinful, and that sinful world pollutes our lives.

            When things don’t go the way we think they should we need to remind ourselves that there is injustice in this world. We need to remind ourselves that the sin of the Old Testament still effects us today. In the book of Genesis Adam and Eve committed the original sin (Gen 3), then Cain kills Abel (Gen 4), then God sends the Flood to wipe out the earth because of sin (Gen 6), then God disseminates the people because they were prideful wanting to build a tower to the heavens (Gen 11), then God wipes out Sodom and Gomorrah because of the sin there (Gen 18). That’s a lot of sin for only half of one book of the Bible! And if that’s not bad enough for you, read the book of Judges, 2 Kings, or Jeremiah.

            Consider Habakkuk who was probably a priest in the temple, he likely taught the Law, possibly led singing (Hab 3:19), and he likely enjoyed a good and safe life in Jerusalem. But as we will learn from Habakkuk 1:5-11, God is going to send the nation of Babylon to punish Judah for their sins. Habakkuk is going to endure the Babylonians coming simply because of the fallen world, not because of what he did or didn’t do. Nothing Habakkuk has done has caused God’s punishment to come on Judah, yet Habakkuk still has to endure it.

            Pain, evil, and suffering are the fault of the world we live in, not God. God gave us the freedom to make choices and a byproduct of that freedom is that sometimes the choices that others make hurt us. Sometimes our choices hurt us, but those are easier to wrestle with because we know who to blame: us. But when other people’s decisions effect us negatively, those are the hard situations to endure.

            When I lived in Texas I knew a guy who raised his daughter to love God and follow God. She graduated college and married a man that wanted to be a pastor. She supported him as he went to seminary and served in his first pastor position. But after he had been a pastor a few years he felt like he should be in the Air Force instead of being a pastor. Again she supported him and his decision to leave Christian ministry to join the Air Force and pursue his dream to be a pilot. Soon she found herself alone with their three kids while her husband was flying around the world in the Air Force with his female copilot. It wasn’t too much longer till the man announced he felt he wasn’t supposed to be married to his wife, instead he believed he was supposed to marry his female copilot. The woman I knew found herself divorced, alone, and caring for her three children while the ex-husband was flying around the world with his new wife.

            May I say something clearly and directly? Nothing that woman did caused her to have to experience the hurt and pain and shame that she has had to endure. She did everything right. She chose a spouse that loved God, she supported him through Seminary to be a pastor, she supported him as a pastor, she supported his dream to be a pilot in the Air Force, yet she ended up middle aged and divorced with three kids by herself.

            When we have questions about suffering like this we need to acknowledge that we live in a fallen world. Sometimes we experience pain and suffering that was not caused by anything that we did. But it’s important we remember that our viewpoint is limited, much like the view of the earth was 100 years ago.

CONCLUSION

For more than a thousand years we knew the earth was round, but we could not prove that the earth was round. We knew it intellectually, but we could not prove it physically. That was until 1931 when Captain Albert Stevens, an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps, took his airplane to 21,000 feet above the earth and took a picture of the Andes Mountains in front of him which are 22,838 feet above the earth. If the earth was flat the Andes Mountains should have been level or slightly above the horizon of his picture which he took 287 miles away. But the Andes mountains were well below the horizon of his picture, thus serving as the first physical evidence that the earth was round.[ix] For years we knew intellectually that the earth was round, but we couldn’t prove it or see it physically.             And that’s sometimes how it works for us when we as Christians are in pain and suffering. We know that God is good. We know God loves us. We know God has a plan. But it’s hard to endure because we can’t see His plan. We can’t see the whole picture that God is painting. But we can trust that in the future after we’ve endured pain and suffering, that God will show us the full picture and we will understand his perspective.

 

[i] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

 

[ii] J. Ron Blue, “Habakkuk” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, edited by John Walvoord and Roy Zuck (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 1985), 1508.

 

[iii] Leland Ryken, Symbols and Reality (Wooster, OH: Weaver Book Company, 2016), 31.

 

[iv] Ryken, Symbols and Reality, 32-43.

 

[v] The phrase, עַד־אָ֧נָה indicates that the wicked conduct has continued for a long time without God stopping it (Carl Friedrich Keil, The Twelve Minor Prophets, vol. 2 [Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B. Eerdmans, 1949], 56).

 

[vi] Ryrie Study Bible (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2012) ,1117.

 

[vii] Carl E. Armerding, “Habakkuk,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Daniel–Malachi (Revised Edition), edited by Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland, vol. 8 (. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008), 611..

 

[viii] Adapted from J.K. Bruckner, “Habakkuk, Book of” in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Prophets, edited by Mark Boda and J. Gordon McConville (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2012), 294-301, specifically p. 296.

 

[ix] “90 Years of Our Changing Views of Earth,” NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/90-years-of-our-changing-views-of-earth Accessed May 30, 2023.

Historical Evidence for the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ

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The Bible makes it clear that Christ died on cross (Matt 27:32-61; Mark 15:33-47; Luke 23:44-56; John 19:28-42) and three days later Jesus came back to life and left the tomb in which he was buried (Matt 28:1-7; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-10; Acts 1:4-8; 9:1-9; 1 Cor 15:6-8).

I love the Bible and trust it as a reliable and credible witness to events that occurred in the first century. Yet, the Bible is not the only witness to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Based on my research there are five different categories of sources that contain at least thirteen different independent references to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

ANCIENT HISTORIANS

The first category comes from ancient historians. Tacitus was a first century Roman historian and politician who wrote about a Christian that suffered under Pontius Pilate (the man who sentenced Christ to death).[1] Josephus was a Roman-Jewish historian and military leader. He lived AD 37-97 and said that Jesus died and appeared “alive” again to his disciples.[2] Thallus was a historian who wrote a three-volume history of events in the Mediterranean region. He wrote about the physical events of Jesus’s death just as they were recorded in Luke 23:44-45. Scholars say Thallus wrote in AD 52 while Luke did not write his Gospel until AD 65.[3]

JEWISH SOURCES

A second category Jewish sources. The Talmud was a textbook for Jewish Rabbis on laws and theology that’s dated from AD 70-200. It directly references the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.[4] The Toledoth Jesu is a fifth century alternative history of Jesus that states that Jesus was in a tomb but was resurrected and not at the tomb when people came to see him days after his death.[5]

GENTILE SOURCES

A third category is Gentile sources. Lucian was a Syrian satirist, speaker, and writer that used sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek style. He lived AD 125-180 and said that Jesus was the founder of Christianity and was “crucified” for it.[6] Mara Bar-Seraphone was a Syrian (late first century) who wrote a letter to his son describing how the Jews “executed” Jesus.[7]

GNOSTIC SOURCES

A fourth category is “gnostic” sources which talk about Jesus directly but are much less credible than books that are in the Bible. The Gospel of Truth (second century) referenced Jesus as a historical person who had a “death for many . . . nailed to a tree.”[8] The Treatise on the Resurrection (late second century) says that Jesus died and came back to life. The Gospel of Thomas (second century) records Jesus’s death. The Gospel of Peter describes how Mary and other women went to the tomb of Jesus but he was not there.

LOST SOURCES

The fifth category is “lost” sources which we do not have copies of, but portions of these writings are quoted in writings that we do have. The Acts of Pontius Pilate says that in Jesus’s crucifixion he was pierced in his hands and feet. Phlegon (born in AD 80) wrote that Jesus was alive, died, and arose to life after his death.[9]

By no means is this an exhaustive list (just a simple one compiled by a church pastor). There are other “evidences” that Jesus lived, died, and came back to life. I encourage you to do your own search and investigate the claims of Scripture for yourself.

[1] Tacitus, Annals, 15.44.

[2] Josephus, Antinquities 18:3.

[3] Extant Writings, 18 in the Ante-Nicene Fathers. Julius Africanus in 221 quotes the words fof Thallus.

[4] Talmud, Sanhedrin 43a in the Babylonian Talmud.

[5] I have not been able to find the citation of this directly.

[6] Lucian, Death of Pelegrine, 11-13.

[7] British Museum, Syrian MS, add. 14, 658; cited in Habermas, 200.

[8] Gospel of Truth, probably written by Valentinus. See 30:27-33; 31:4-6; 20:11-14, 25-34.

[9] cited by Origen, 4:455; cf. Habermas, 210; Anderson, 19. Origen 14, Julius Africanus, 18.

An Outline of 1 Thessalonians

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I. PRAISE (1-3)

A. Existing Church (1)

1. Greetings (vv. 1-2)

2. Gratitude (vv. 3-10)

For Their Labor (vv. 3-5)

For Their Acceptance of the Gospel (vv. 6-7)

For Their Proclamation of the Gospel (v. 8)

For Their Living out the Gospel (vv. 9-10)

B. Excellent Church (2)

1. Word Work (vv. 1-8)

Preaching Is Not Pointless (v. 1)                   

Preaching In Persecution (v. 2)

Preaching In Pure Motives (vv. 3-4)             

Preaching with Practical Words (vv. 5-6)

Preaching in Tenderness and Compassion (vv. 7-8)

2. Deed Work (vv. 9-16)

Independence in Finances/Word/Provision (v. 9)

Instigation in Personal Conduct (vv. 10-12)

Imitation in Corporate Gathering (vv. 13-16)

3. Absent Work (vv. 17-20)

Desire (v. 17)            

Prevention (v. 18)                  

Goal (v. 19)                

Motivation (v. 20)

C. Enduring Church (3)

1. Timothy’s Sending (vv. 1-5)

Who Was Sent (vv. 1-2)                                

Why He Was Sent (v. 3)

What He Was Sent to Say (v. 4)                    

How Paul Wanted It to End (v. 5)

2. Timothy’s Reporting (vv. 6-8)

What He Was Told (v. 6)                  

What It Did (v. 7)                  

How It Affects Them (v. 8)

3. Timothy’s Positive News (vv. 9-13)

Caused Paul to Rejoice (vv. 9-10)                             

Caused Paul to Exhort (vv. 11-13)

II. PUSH (4-5)

A.  Expectant Church (4)

1. Living in Purity (vv. 1-8)

Generally (vv. 1-2)                            

Specifically (vv. 3-7)                         

Generally (v. 8)

2. Living in Love (vv. 9-12)

Keep Getting Along w/Each Other Well (vv. 9-10)              

Keep Loving Outsiders Well Too (vv. 11-12)

3. Living in Hope (vv.13-18)

B.  Exempt Church (5)

1. Ready for the Return of the Lord (vv. 1-11)

The Suddenness of the Rapture (vv. 1-3)                  

The Sons of the Rapture (vv. 4-5)

The Soberness Needed (vv. 6-8)                               

The Salvation of the Rapture (vv. 9-11)

2. Requests Before the Return of the Lord (vv. 12-22)

Support and Encourage Those Workers Among You (vv. 12-13)

Minister Differently to the Different People Among You (vv. 14-15)

Act Correctly Yourselves (vv. 16-22)

3. Requests by the Author (vv. 23-28)

For Preservation (v. 23)         

For Faithfulness (v. 24)         

For Prayer (v. 25)

For Greetings (v. 26)             

For Reading (v. 27)                

For Grace (v. 28)

How Giving Can Touch Others

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Alice Clemmons was a widow with six children in 1950. She worked as a nursery school teacher in the day and as a janitor in the evening while also attending church on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. One week a couple named Paul and Audrey Reed came to her church’s Wednesday night service raising support to become missionaries to China. Even though Alice was extremely poor she pledged one dollar a month to Paul and Audrey as they were trying to raise enough support to be sent out as missionaries.[1] It did not appear to be a large gift, but Alice would later learn about the significant impact her pledge would make.

            Like the Macedonians that Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, Alice gave even though she did not have much money. Second Corinthians 8:1-9 is a great section to study when we want to learn about giving in the New Testament. In this passage Paul writes about the Macedonian example of giving (vv. 1-5), he gives his own exhortation of giving (vv. 6-8), and explains Jesus’ example of giving (v. 9).

            So what do we know about the response of the Corinthians? Did they give? Did they ignore Paul’s warnings? Did they give to someone else instead of the collection for poor Christians in Jerusalem that had begun (1 Cor 16:1-4)?

            Five months after Paul writes 2 Corinthians he wrote to the Christians in Rome. We now call this the book of Romans. Paul wrote that letter while visiting the believers in Corinth in his third and final visit to the city.[2]

Paul writes to the believers in Rome, “For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things” (Romans 15:26–27).[3] The word “Achaia”[4] describes the southern region of Greece in which the city of Corinth was located. Based on Romans 15:26-27 the Corinthian believers heeded Paul’s exhortation. They followed through. They gave because of the grace they received.

            In 1980 Paul and Audrey Reed returned to Alice’s town on furlough. It had been thirty years since they were there raising support to become missionaries to China. Alice was sick, so they visited her in her home. In that visit Paul and Audrey told Alice they had trouble raising money back in 1950. They were discouraged and wondered if it was God’s will that they should be missionaries to China. But what they told Alice was important. Paul and Audrey told Alice that the one dollar a month pledge was what encouraged them to keep raising funds to go to China![5]             If Alice had not pledged that one dollar a month, Paul and Audrey might have decided not to be missionaries to China. This is an important story because it shows the sizable impact we can make even if we don’t have much money. We never know how God is going to reach others through our giving even if we think it is small.

[1] As told by Dr. Thomas Constable, “Acts & Pauline Epistles,” unpublished class notes for BE106 (Dallas Theological Seminary, Online Course Unit 7, video 10).

[2] 2 Cor 12:14; 13:1-2; cf. Acts 20:2-3; Rom 16:23; 1 Cor 1:14.

[3] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[4] Greece was conquered by the Romans in 168 BC, and later in 27 BC the Romans divided Greece up into two provinces called “Macedonia” in the north and “Achaia” in the south.

[5] As told by Dr. Thomas Constable, “Acts & Pauline Epistles,” unpublished class notes for BE106 (Dallas Theological Seminary, Online Course Unit 7, video 10).

Why We Give God Everything

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San Francisco has a restaurant exclusively for man’s best friend. At “Dogue” (meant to rhyme with “vogue”) you can take your dog for a seventy-five dollar multi-course dinner. This gourmet experience includes chicken-skin waffles, filet mignon steak, and quail eggs. On one Saturday Dogue hosted three birthday parties for dogs. One attendee, Gledy Espinoza, came with her miniature dachshund, Mason, and remarked, “We’re foodies. I guess he is too, now.”[1] The owner, Rahmi Massarweh, says everything at Dogue is human-made and some of the food specialties for dogs takes as many as two days to prepare.[2]

            Dogue is an example of the extreme wealth we enjoy as Americans and how we not only pamper ourselves, but our pets too. But how does our extreme wealth as Americans effect our giving[3] to the local church? The apostle Paul’s teaching on giving in 2 Corinthians 8-9 is too often neglected when churches and Christian communities discuss giving. In 2 Corinthians 8 Paul begins his instructions on giving with the example of the Macedonian church giving (vv. 1-5), then gives an exhortation of giving for the Corinthians (vv. 6-8), and concludes with the example of the Messiah’s giving (v. 9). Paul writes. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).[4] Let’s slow down and notice a few elements from this verse.

            First, let’s notice the theology contained in this verse.Paul’s theology starts with Jesus who became sin and He died in our place so that we might have life. Paul wrote earlier in this letter that God “made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus gave up everything to help us.

            Second, let’s notice the words contained in this verse. The word “grace” is used four times in nine verses as Paul teaches about giving (vv. 1, 6, 7, 9). Paul defines the nature of Christ’s grace. When we read, “though He was rich” it describes Christ’s glory in heavenly existence. When we read He “became poor” it describes His lowliness and destitution when He lived on earth. Jesus Christ exchanged His royal status as an eternal resident of heaven for a slave’s status as a temporary resident on earth. What Christ did had a purpose. The phrase, “for your sake” is in the emphatic position in Greek text and could be translated as “all for your sake . . . you, yes you.”[5] When we read that Christ was “rich” it describes His spiritual richness; not economic wealth. Then later when we read, “He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich” it describes the Corinthians richness of salvation secured by Christ both now and in the future.[6]

            Third, let’s notice the method contained in this verse. Paul wants the Corinthians to do the right thing, but he wants them to do it because they were taking initiative. He wants them to give because of love, not obligation. He wants them to give because of their caring, not coercion.

            What we learn about giving from 2 Corinthians 8:9 is that God’s gift of salvation requires we give Him everything. We find no greater example of sacrificial giving than Jesus Christ. The requirement that we give Him everything is something we should do on our own initiative, not because we are coerced or forced to do so. I agree with Pastor Charles Swindoll who says “all giving should come from a context of grace, not guilt; from love, not compulsion.”[7] Just as Paul wanted the Corinthians to give because of their own desire, God wants us to give because it’s what we want to do.

            When we are prompted to give to God, I think it’s healthy to remember that Americans are extremely rich. We might not take our dog to a seventy-five dollar dinner, but we have other proofs of our wealth. Most of us have a car for each adult in our household, extra bedrooms in our house that no one sleeps in, electronics that we don’t use, animals we call “pets” because they don’t provide us milk to drink or food to eat, and garages full of stuff we don’t use or want. It is from this abundance that we gladly give to God just as Christ gave Himself for us.

[1] Associated Press, “At San Francisco restaurant, pups chow on filet mignon,” Columbia-Basin Herald, October 27, 2022, https://apnews.com/article/san-francisco-restaurants-dogs-a6c1ba368023209a1bb5afd027b76742.

[2] Ibid.

[3] According to Grey Matter Research and Infinity Concepts, 26 percent of American evangelicals do not give any money to church. The same study reveals that 42 percent of American evangelicals who do give to church give only 1 percent or 2 percent of their income (“The Tithing Tenth,” Christianity Today, January-February 2022, p. 22).

[4] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[5] Murray Harris, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2013), 578.

[6] The giving here is not supposed to be so great that they become poor while the Jerusalem believers become rich. Second Corinthians 8:13-15 clarify that this is not a call to give everything away so that they can’t provide for themselves.

[7] Charles R. Swindoll, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary, vol. 7 (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2017), 410.

Several Free but Often Forgotten Marketing Tools for Churches

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Pastors and church staff are busy and overworked. In the midst of worship services, staff meetings, and hospital visits, it can be easy to forget about some of the free marketing tools available to churches. So here is a list of a few free marketing tools that you can use for your church. You might have heard of these before—maybe you have used them in the past—but have forgotten amidst a busy schedule that you endure like I do.

            1. Write for the opinion section of your local newspaper. Most newspaper editors are always looking for fresh material to put on their pages. They usually have a certain amount of words they have to print every print cycle, and contributions from members of their community are great material for them to publish. Search your local newspaper for the opinion section and there usually will be an e-mail address for how you can write a letter to the editor. Follow their word count and write about politics, a topic important to your community, or a relevant news item as it relates to your church or Christian faith. Make sure you keep a kind and positive tone in your writing and most editors are glad to publish it for their readers to enjoy. Normally, editors are required to list your name and affiliation with the community (which is your church).

            2. Post your events and ministries on Facebook. In the past four years we learned to live stream our worship services on Facebook and to podcast our sermons to Facebook. But among those different ministries, it’s easy to forget that we should simply post our events to Facebook. Are you giving away backpacks to kids in your community? Then post it to Facebook. Are you teaching a membership class? Post it to Facebook. Are you collecting coats for the homeless? Post it on Facebook. Post simple updates and reminders. Perhaps a good way to do this is to copy and paste the announcements from your bulletin onto Facebook each week.

            3. Purchase an A-frame sign and put it out front of your church during the week. For a hundred dollars you can purchase a basic a-frame sign, have an insert made for it, and put that in front of your church on the street every day for people to see when they drive by. Are you doing a harvest party for kids? Put that on the a-frame sign. Are you doing a special service for Christmas Eve? Put that on the sign too. While it might cost a hundred dollars for the sign and insert, you can reuse those year after year if you’re careful about what information is placed on the insert.

            4. Keep your website updated. I am surprised how many churches spend hundreds of dollars a year to have a website, yet they failed to keep the information on it updated. If people see that old outdated information on your website they might wonder if your church closed. So make sure you’re keeping the most updated information on your website. A website is still the first place people will likely go to learn about your church before visiting.

            5. Contribute basic devotionals or articles for local magazines in your region. Most cities or counties have regional magazines that are published once or twice a year, and they’re always looking for content for their magazine. Consider writing some encouraging devotionals and send them to the editor for consideration. This would be great exposure for you as a pastor or for your church. Most magazines will include a byline with your name and say which church you represent.

            I know these might not be new ideas for you, but they are some free marketing for your church. I hope you can evaluate these and maybe consider one or two as a free way to promote your church in your city.

How Churches Should Ask for Money

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Do you ever see a church asking people for money and think, I could have done that better. Do you wish you were able to help a church make better, more professional, and perhaps less cheesy appeals for money? I think we see an example of what asking for money should look like in 2 Corinthians 8-9. Paul starts this two-chapter section using the Macedonian[1] churches as an example of giving.[2] In this section of 2 Corinthians Paul says the grace of God enabled the churches of Macedonia to give (2 Cor 8:1-2) and even though they were extremely poor they still gave (2 Cor 8:3-5). In light of the surprising generosity of the Macedonian churches (located in the Roman province in north Greece), Paul then turns to the Corinthians (located in the Roman province of Achaia in the south of Greece) to give them instructions on giving (2 Cor 8:6-8). In these three verses we see Paul’s exhortation of giving which is perhaps inserted because a collection to help others had begun but was not complete.

            Paul writes about the beginning of the giving, “So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well” (2 Corinthians 8:6).[3] The word “so” there tells us the result of 2 Corinthians 8:1-5. Specifically, it was the unexpected and enthusiastic giving of the Macedonian church that led Paul to ask Titus to visit Corinth and ask for their help too! When we read, “that as he had previously made a beginning” it reminds the Corinthians that they had began a collection to help, but they had not finished that collection. At one of the three visits Titus made to them Titus had begun this collection.[4]

            Next Paul writes about the resumption of the giving, “But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also” (2 Corinthians 8:7). The word “But” is transitional. It introduces an exhortation with emphasis like “now then.” Notice five things the Corinthians have abundantly: “faith,” “utterance,” “knowledge,” “earnestness,” “love.” Based on these five things Paul provides the reasoning for giving: the Corinthians had experienced God’s grace (just like the Macedonians) and they should dispense God’s grace in the form of giving (just like the Macedonians). The Corinthians had made a pledge for giving (1 Cor 16:1-2), so Paul held them to that pledge.

            Next Paul writes about the motivation of giving, “I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also” (2 Corinthians 8:8).Paul did not bark orders at them. He didn’t command. He didn’t shame. He offered opportunity not obligation. When I served as a pastor in Exeter, California there was a pastor I heard about that would visit church members who were not at church on Sunday and he would leave an empty tithe envelope on their door so they could mail in their tithe to his church. That’s motivation for giving but in the wrong way: coercion. Here when Paul says, “but as proving through the earnestness of others,” Paul was using the Macedonians giving as a benchmark or measuring rod that the Corinthians can use as a way to show Paul, the believers in Jerusalem, and all believers everywhere how genuine their love is. Giving was not a contest among rivals; but an imitation among equals.

            What we learn from Paul’s instructions to the Corinthians about giving is that generosity is required of all believers everywhere. The Corinthians were giving to people they had never met. When we give to a church we give to people and help people that we’ve never met and will never meet. When we give to a local church we help people such as online listeners, missionaries in other countries, and benevolence help given to people locally that need it. All of us are enabled through the grace of Christ to show that grace by giving to others. And when we do that we are unselfishly helping others that we might never meet just like the Corinthians.

[1] Macedonia was a Roman province north of the city of Corinth that included the churches Paul had been to in Philippi (Acts 16:2-4), Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-9), and Berea (Acts 17:10-15). Greece was conquered by the Romans in 168 BC, and later in 27 BC the Romans divided Greece up into two provinces called “Macedonia” in the north and “Achaia” in the south. The cities of Thessalonica, Philippi, Berea, Apollonia, Amphipolis, and Neapolis were all cities in Macedonia. Paul preached the Gospel and had begun churches in Macedonia during his second missionary journey (Acts 15:36-18:22). Those churches in Macedonia had contributed to Paul’s support on several occasions (Phil 4:10, 15-20).

[2] When Paul was in the city of Thessalonica one Macedonian church gave to him on at least one occasion (Phil 1:5; 4:15-16). Paul stayed in Corinth for eighteen months and while there Silas and Timothy brought Paul a gift from the Macedonians (Acts 18:5; 2 Cor 11:9) that sustained Paul and allowed him not to have to receive gifts from the Corinthians. While in Corinth Paul was collecting money to help the poor Jewish believers in Jerusalem (2 Cor 8:1-4; Rom 15:26).

[3] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[4] Titus had experience collecting and distributing money (Acts 11:29-30; Gal 2:1).

Giving Even When We Think We Don’t Have Much

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It might surprise you to learn that while Americans are some of the richest people in the world, Christian Americans are unlikely to give to their church. According to Grey Matter Research and Infinity Concepts, 26 percent of American evangelicals do not give any money to church.[1] The same study reveals that 42 percent of American evangelicals who do give to church give only 1 percent or 2 percent of their income.[2] While we are among the richest people in the world, we give very little of that money to a local church to support godly ministries.

            In one of Paul’s letters to the Corinthians[3] he praises one group of churches that did not have much money, yet they gave a lot. The Roman province of Macedonia was an area that Paul visited on his second missionary journey. While on that second missionary journey one of the churches provided substantial financial support to Paul (Phil 4:15-20). When Paul was writing instructions to the Corinthian church about giving, he declares the Macedonian churches a great example of giving based on their circumstances (2 Corinthians 8:1-2). Paul essentially says that even though they were extremely poor, they gave to Paul. Next Paul moves on to describe the Macedonians’ contribution (2 Cor 8:3-5).

            Paul writes that the Macedonian church gave more than necessary, “For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability” (2 Corinthians 8:3a). The word “for” is the Greek word hoti which is a causal word that introduces evidence in 2 Corinthians 8:3-5 for the Macedonian churches’ generosity described in 2 Corinthians 8:1-2.

            Paul then says the Macedonian church gave without anyone asking them, “they gave of their own accord” (2 Corinthians 8:3b). The word “accord” is the Greek word authairetos which is used two times in the New Testament (here and 8:14). This word “pertains to being self-chosen.”[4] It describes a voluntary free-will decision to commit to an action. In other words, the Macedonians gave spontaneously without prompting and without pressure from others.

            Paul continues and declares that the Macedonian churches gave and wanted to continue giving, “begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints” (2 Corinthians 8:4).Apparently the Macedonian churches asked to participate because they wanted to give. They saw giving not as an obligation but a privilege in spite of their poorness (2 Cor 8:2). Have you ever heard someone beg for an opportunity to give? That’s what the Macedonian churches did!

            Paul reveals that the Macedonian churches gave more money than expected and they gave more than just financial aid, “and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God” (2 Corinthians 8:5). Perhaps the Macedonians provided financial aid to Paul but also personally helped him with giving gifts or belongings that he might have needed. They were whole-heartedly dedicated to Paul and the spread of the gospel.

            As we read about the Macedonian example of giving we learn that giving is something we do even when we don’t have much. Paul is using an argument style that was common in Jewish life as well as Greco-Roman life that we now call “from the lesser to the greater.”[5] His message to the church in Corinth was that if the poor destitute churches of Macedonia can give so much from so little, how much more should the Corinthians give from their position of wealth! This is an encouragement for us to give to others no matter how much or how little we have.

[1] “The Tithing Tenth,” Christianity Today, January-February 2022, p. 22.

[2] Ibid.

[3] The apostle Paul wrote four letters to the believers in Corinth. We don’t have the first letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians (1 Cor 5:9). The second is 1 Corinthians which was written from Ephesus (1 Cor 16:8). The third was a “sharp letter” Paul wrote and was carried by Titus (2 Cor 7:8-12), but we don’t have it. 2 Corinthians is technically Paul’s fourth letter that was written seven months after 1 Corinthians.

[4] William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, Walter Bauer, and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 150.

[5] In Hebrew it was called qal wahomer. In Latin it was called a minore ad maius.

How Grace Is Sufficient for Giving

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When we hear sermons on giving we often feel the preacher making us feel guilty for not giving to church like we should. As a pastor I must admit that I have probably been guilty of making people feel guilty about their lack of giving to the church. But the Apostle Paul took a different approach when addressing the topic of giving in one of his letters[1] to the Corinthians.

            When Paul begins his two-chapter section on giving in 2 Corinthians he praises a group of people in Macedonia that have been a good example of giving. He praises the Macedonians because they have been giving in spite of their circumstances and poverty.

            Paul says the grace of God was seen in their lives, “Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia” (2 Corinthians 8:1). Macedonia was a Roman province north of the city of Corinth that included the churches Paul had been to in Philippi (Acts 16:2-4), Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-9), and Berea (Acts 17:10-15). Greece was conquered by the Romans in 168 BC, and later in 27 BC the Romans divided Greece up into two provinces called “Macedonia” in the north and “Achaia” in the south. The cities of Thessalonica, Philippi, Berea, Apollonia, Amphipolis, and Neapolis were all cities in Macedonia. Paul preached the Gospel and had begun churches in Macedonia during his second missionary journey (Acts 15:36-18:22). Those churches in Macedonia had contributed to Paul when he was in Thessalonica at least once (Phil 4:10, 15-20).

            After telling the Corinthians that grace was seen in the lives of the Macedonians, Paul then explains how the grace of God was seen in their lives, “that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality” (2 Corinthians 8:2). In the first century people did not follow a god, but focused on accumulating gods. This is called syncretism and it was common in the Roman Empire because as the Romans conquered more people they acquired more gods. As a community the people gave things to appease those gods or to patronize those gods. If they needed a good crop of grain, they offered something to the grain goddess (“Demeter” was her Greek name and “Ceres” was her Roman name).[2] If a family wanted another child, they would give something to the fertility goddess (“Aphrodite” was her Greek name and “Venus” was her Roman name).[3] This was a community experience in the Roman Empire in which people would do things publicly and corporately to appease and patronize the gods.[4] We could call the first century a “Religious Stew” because of all the different gods, festivals, and cults that existed everywhere.

            But Jesus arrived teaching there was one God, one faith, and one way to heaven: Him (John 14:6). As a result, followers of Jesus Christ were forced to make a hard decision: do I become a Christian and follow Jesus only or do I maintain my place as a participating citizen patronizing the gods of the Roman Empire? When a Christian started following Jesus he or she neglected all the other gods. This caused problems because the Christian abandoned the community obligation to appease those gods and to bring favor from those gods. New Testament scholar Darrell Bock notes, “The idea of a privatized decision for Jesus was almost impossible in the first century.”[5] Because of this Christians were seen as having drawn away from society and were often persecuted because they failed to appease and patronize the many gods of their culture.

            It is within this context that Paul writes that the Macedonians are “in a great deal of affliction” (v. 2a). You could translate that phrase in a literal way like this, “in much testing of troubles.”[6] It is within this context of affliction and persecution that Paul writes that the Macedonians are in “deep poverty” (v. 2b). Lots of people lived in poverty in the first century, so to go into “deep” poverty was extreme. And when Paul writes that their giving “overflowed in the wealth of their liberality” (v. 2c) he’s describing the nature of their generosity: opened hearted and opened handed.

            As we read about the Macedonian example of giving we learn that grace is sufficient for giving.       No matter where we are in life our faith in God provides us the ability to give, and that giving is something we do because of the grace He has shown us. God’s love for us is shown in His grace, and we show that same love by giving to others. We show God’s love for others when we give to others liberally even when we have little, just like the Macedonians did.

[1] The apostle Paul wrote four letters to the believers in Corinth. We don’t have the first letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians (1 Cor 5:9). The second is 1 Corinthians which was written from Ephesus (1 Cor 16:8). The third was a “sharp letter” Paul wrote and was carried by Titus (2 Cor 7:8-12), but we don’t have it. 2 Corinthians is technically Paul’s fourth letter that was written seven months after 1 Corinthians.

[2] Everett Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2003), 154.

[3] Ibid.

[4] See Ferguson’s section on “Civic Cults” (pp. 182-199) in Backgrounds of Early Christianity for how pervasive, institutionalized, and dependent the city and community were on appeasing gods.

[5] Darrell Bock, “New Testament Introduction, ” unpublished class notes for NT 113 (Dallas Theological Seminary, Online Course, 2024).

[6] In America we don’t understand what it means to have “affliction” because of our faith. In America I’ve heard some Christians say that the Charlie Brown “Christmas” show being taken off ABC was “persecution.”

How Church People Are Smart with Money

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In her book, The Dumb Things People Do with Money, author Jill Schlesinger lists thirteen things that normal everyday Americans do with their money. Jill lists dumb things such as “You Take On Too Much College Debt” (#4), “You Fail to Protect Your Identity” (#7), “You Don’t Have a Will” (#12), and the most enticing “You Try to ‘Time’ the Market” (#13).[1]

Let’s be honest: managing money is hard. Most of us were not taught by our parents how to manage money. Sometimes schools teach money management but we often are not interested to learn at that time. As adults we often have to figure it out on our own.        

Our culture tells us that when it comes to money you never have enough of it, when you get it spend as much of it as you have, if you want more stuff than you have money then borrow so you can get it (TVs, vacations, phones, fancy vehicles), and if you can’t afford the education go into debt knowing you’ll get an awesome job to pay for it.

But Scripture, from time to time, tells Christians how to manage money. The apostle Paul devoted two entire chapters to the topic of money in one of his letters to the believers in Corinth. While money is hard to manage for ourselves, it’s often just as hard to know if we should give it to others, how we should give, or what that should even look like.

The book of 2 Corinthians was Paul’s fourth letter sent to the believers in the city of Corinth[2] and is Paul’s most personal and intimate letter. Paul started the church in Corinth on his second missionary journey and stayed there for eighteen months preaching and establishing the church (see Acts 18:1-17).

            The city of Corinth was a port city and had a booming economy because it had ocean on both sides of the city.[3] Approximately 300,000-600,000 people lived there. Previously the Corinthians had made a pledge to give and help the poor Christians in Jerusalem (1 Cor 16:1-2). With that context in mind carefully read what Paul wrote to the Corinthians about giving.

“Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well. But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also. I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:1–9).

            From this I think we can summarize that giving to God’s people is done abundantly even when in poverty because of the grace we have received. Let’s note that grace is sufficient for giving (vv. 1-2), giving is something we do even when we don’t have much (vv. 3-5), generosity is required of all believers everywhere (vv. 6-8), and God’s gift of salvation requires we give Him everything (v. 9).  

            While the Corinthian church was far from perfect, they were encouraged to get their giving right. We too are far from perfect as Christians, so let’s pray we can do giving to God’s church right.

[1] Jill Schlesinger, The Dumb Things People Do with Money (New York, NY: Ballantine Books, 2019).

[2] We don’t have the first letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians (1 Cor 5:9). The second is 1 Corinthians which was written from Ephesus (1 Cor 16:8). The third was a “sharp letter” Paul wrote and was carried by Titus (2 Cor 7:8-12), but we don’t have it. 2 Corinthians is technically Paul’s fourth letter that was written seven months after 1 Corinthians.

[3] It had the Adriatic Sea known as the “Gulf of Corinth” to the northwest of the city and the Aegean Sea known as the “Saronic Gulf” to the southeast of the city. Ships wanting to avoid the long difficult journey south across the dangerous tip of Greece placed their boats on logs and dragged their ships three and a half miles across the land in which Corinth was located.

Five Views on Genesis 1

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YOUNG EARTH CREATIONSIM

Young earth creationism believes the earth was created in six literal twenty-four-hour days with the appearance of age. In other words, God created the universe and our world about 6,000-10,000 years ago. (Views vary depending on potential gaps in genealogies in Genesis 5 and Genesis 10-11.) Most young earth creationists believe God created a “mature” earth with the appearance of age. Because the earth was created “good” and “perfect” there was harmony and not “survival of the fittest” before the fall of Genesis 3.

Strengths

  • The Hebrew word yom is literal when used with cardinal and ordinal numbers.
  • The phrases “evening” and “morning” make no sense unless there are literal days being described.
  • Exodus 20:8-11 teaches Israel to work six days and rest on the seventh day following God’s example. This implies literal days.
  • There was no death before the Fall in Genesis 3, therefore time and creation operated very differently.
  • Noah’s Flood radically changed the earth, therefore time and aging of the earth was very different than now.
  • Statements of Jesus, the Apostles, and Isaiah indicated that Adam and Eve were created at the beginning of creation, not billions of years after (Psalm 19:1; 97:6; Job 12:7-10; Mark 10:6; 13:19; Luke 11:50-51; Rom 1:20)
  • Historical theology supports this interpretation with 1,800 years of Christian history and 1,400 years of Jewish history
  • If we believe in God performing miracles and acting supernaturally, then creating everything we see in seven days is certainly within His potential.
  • When the Bible describes the creation of the earth by God it is always as a past action not something that was in progress.
  • Hebrew syntax supports a plain-literal interpretation of six days of creation over twenty-four hour periods. Genesis 1-2 does not follow the pattern if Hebrew poetry or allegory.
  • If Moses wanted to indicate creation took place over millions or billions of years there are other Hebrew words he would have used.
  • God uses words of time to describe time in ways we can understand it (Pss 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8).

Weaknesses

  • Young earth creationism does not match what most agnostic and atheistic scientists believe in physical science, life science, experimental science, or historical science teaches.

Other Names

  • Immediate Creation
  • Recent Creation
  • Gap Theory

Further Reading

  • Ken Ham, “Young Earth Creationism” in Four Views on Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017), 19-31.
  • Henry Morris and John Whitcomb, The Genesis Flood (Presbyterian and Reformed, 1961)
  • Henry Morris, Biblical Creationism (Baker, 1993)
  • AC Custance, Without Form and Void (Doorway Papers, 1970)
  • Henry Morris and John D. Morris, Science, Scripture, and the Young Earth (Institute for Creation Research, 1989)
  • John C. Witcomb, Jr., The Early Earth (rev. ed., Baker, 1986)
  • John C. Witcomb, Jr., The World that Perished (Baker, 1988)
  • Ken Ham, The Answers Book (rev. ed., Master Books, 2000)

Popular Supporters

  • David Jeremiah
  • John MacArthur
  • J. Vernon McGee
  • John Calvin
  • Martin Luther

OLD EARTH CREATIONISM

According to Old Earth Creationism life appeared gradually over billions of years and that God miraculously intervened to create earth’s first life. In this view the six days of Genesis 1 are actually six long eras.  Adam and Eve were created 12,000-135,000 years ago during the last ice age. Old Earth Creationism views all humans as descendants of two historical persons, and distinct from Neanderthals and Homo erectus. A key part of Old Earth Creationism is the utilization of what they call “constructive integration” which sees Scripture and science as compliments to each other and not in conflict. They see nature as providing observable, measurable, and verifiable information about God’s supernatural handiwork as each successive act prepares for the next. When “mass speciation” events appear in science it is because of divine intervention. Specifically, God introduces diverse species appropriate for Earth’s changing conditions. Old Earth Creationism believes God’s message and meaning is conveyed by biblical authors through figurative language. According to this view, the universe began in a transcendent event, it unfolds for the benefit of humanity, and is sustained continuously according to nature’s laws. Thus the laws of physics have stayed the same (by that they mean the Fall and Flood did not change science as we see it). Old Earth Creationism does not believe in a literal worldwide Flood and diminishes the effects of the Fall on the environment that supports life.

Strengths

  • Believes there are twenty major passages and hundreds of additional verses that provide commentary on the natural realm, which they believe is a scientifically testable model.
  • The events that occur on the sixth-day appear to need to take longer than a day (Gen 2:9, 19, 21-22, 23; cf. Gen 29:34-35; 30:20; 46:30; Judg 15:3).
  • Place a strong emphasis on Genesis 1-11; Job 37-39; Psalm 104; Proverbs 8
  • Seventh-day continuation is not a “day” (Heb 4:4-11), therefore it appears to continue and not “end” like others.
  • Time according to God is different than time according to us (Pss 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8).
  • God’s eternality compared ours is unmeasurable (Pss 90:2-6; Prov 8:22-31; Ecc 1:3-11; Micah 6:2).
  • Statements about the earth’s age seem to imply it is very old (Hab 3:6; 2 Peter 3:5).
  • There is an exception to the Hebrew word for day, yom, as “24hr” period of time when it is used with an ordinal number (Hosea 6:2).
  • The Sabbath gets implemented as “years” in the Law (Exod 20:10-11; Lev 25:4).
  • The “evening” and “morning” statements don’t make sense until the sun was created (Gen 1:5, 8, 13; cf. 14-19)

Weaknesses

  • Utilizes poetic passages—allegedly about creation—in Job 38-39, Psalm 104, and Proverbs 8 to reinterpret the historical narrative of Genesis 1-2.
  • If God can create supernaturally and miraculously, then it is possible He can create everything not just in six days but instantaneously.
  • The Bible does not describe creation as a process.
  • The Bible describes the Flood narrative of Genesis 6-8 as worldwide, not local.
  • Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8 describe time according to our perspective and not God’s perspective.
  • Death did not begin until Adam’s sin and humankind’s fall (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12-21)
  • A forced reconciliation and realignment of what science teaches with what is in the Bible. This leads to criticism from both Young Earth Creationists and Theistic Creationists.
  • Requires a new reading and new interpretation of Genesis 1 (that did not exist until the 1800s) based on the claims of science.
  • Requires a reinterpretation of Genesis 1 as scientific beliefs change over time (Darwinism, Neo-Darwinism, genetics, big bang, astronomy, etc.)
  • Sometimes it appears they are saying more than what the text is saying (Job 37-39; Psalm 104, Prov 8). Specifically, the passages they claim describe “mass speciation” events and “mass extinction” events do not appear to be describing those events (Psalm 104:29-30)
  • Most DNA and genetic theory do not believe that humanity descended from one man and one woman (but that “number” is declining).
  • Places too much emphasis on general revelation and diminishes the significance of special revelation.
  • According to science birds (created on day five of Genesis 1) appeared hundreds of millions of years after land animals (created on day six of Genesis 1)
  • According to science seed and fruit bearing plants (created on day three of Genesis 1) appeared hundreds of millions of years after sea creatures (created on day five of Genesis 1).
  • The Hebrew word yom is literal when used with cardinal and ordinal numbers.

Other Names

  • Progressive Creationism

Further Reading

  • Hugh Ross, “Old Earth (Progressive) Creationism” Four Views on Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017), 71-100.
  • Alan Hayward, Creation and Evolution (Bethany House, 1985)
  • Hugh Ross, A Matter of Days (NavPress, 2004)
  • B. Ramm, The Christian View of Science and Scripture (Eerdmans, 1964)
  • Fazale Rana and Hugh Ross, Origins of Life, Biblical and Evolutionary Models Face Off, 2nd ed. (RTB Press, 2014)

Popular Supporters

  • Ray Stedman

EVOLUTIONARY CREATION

Evolutionary creation holds two beliefs: evolution is real and the Bible is true. In the evolutionary process God chose at times to act supernaturally and evolution is the mechanism that God used to achieve His purposes over billions of years. In Evolutionary Creation all species arose through gradual change and are related by a tree of common ancestry. Our human ancestors were a group of several thousand humans that evolved from apes. In this view the first humans lived 150,000-200,000 years ago. The evolutionary process results in natural selection, microevolution, and macroevolution. Evolutionary Creationists state that the Gospel is the central message of Scripture and that Scripture is authoritative not inerrant. This view rejects a literal interpretation of all aspects of creation described in Scripture. Evolutionary Creationism does not see science as a tool for ascribing truth or reliability of Scripture. It states that the Bible does not make scientific predictions, believes geological evidence does not support a worldwide flood, and believes the basic laws of physics did not change with the Flood or Fall (since those were not literal events).

Strengths

  • Human “genome” is similar to chimpanzees and also has extra pointless “junk” in our genome as other animals have too.
  • States that the Bible does not intend to use scientific language.
  • Believes science and the natural laws that it discovers are a testimony to God’s care of all matter and mechanisms.
  • Has support from geological evidence. Annual layers of ice from glaciers have been counted back over 100,000 years in Greenland and over 700,000 years in Antarctica. Annual layers of sedimentary rock formed at the bottom of lakes and shallow seas show millions of years of deposits. Radiometric dating is possible for some atoms that are radioactive and decay over time.  For example, a rock formation in Greenland has been dated to 3.6 billion years old. Rocks returned from the moon have been dated to 4.5 billion years old.
  • Has support from astronomical evidence because light takes time to travel. The light we see from Andromeda galaxy (the closest galaxy) takes 2.5 million years to reach us.
  • States that Genesis focuses on who and why of creation; not on how and when.

Weaknesses

  • While the main focus of Genesis is who God is, there is still a strong focus of how and when it happened. Specifically, there are statements about the order of creation and time it took to make that creation.
  • Primary focus is on the Book of Nature and not Book of Scripture.
  • Refuses the possibility of supernatural interference.
  • Evolutionary Creation is contrary to the clear teaching of Genesis 3:20; Acts 17:26; Romans 5:12-19; and 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 that specifically state all humans descended from one man and one woman, and that our sin nature was inherited from Adam.
  • The Bible does not describe creation as in progress.
  • Rejects historical doctrine of Christianity that Adam and Eve were literal historical persons.
  • Utilizes less clear general revelation to reinterpret special revelation.
  • Many scientists—both secular and Christian—question the validity of evolution.
  • Adam and Eve were not sole progenitors, thus three possibilities are suggested by Evolutionary Creation. One, Adam and Eve were “ancient representatives” of humanity that God entered into relationship with 200,000 years ago in Africa. Two, Adam and Eve were “recent representatives” living 6,000 years ago in the Ancient Near East. Three, Adam and Eve are viewed not as historical persons but instead as symbolic stories in the genre of the Ancient Near East.
  • Evolutionary Creation diminishes the doctrine of humans being made in the image of God, original sin, falsely teaches death before the Fall of Genesis 3, allows for natural evil before the fall of Genesis 3, and allows for a “randomness” of creation.
  • Must reinterpret the significance of the Fall of Genesis 3, the Flood of Genesis 6-9, and significance of sin in Romans 5:12-21.
  • Animals (specifically fossils) appear long before humans in geological records. Why would there be billions of years of death (fossils) before the Fall of humans and entry of sin and death into the world in Genesis 3.

Other Names

  • Theistic Evolution

Further Reading

  • Deborah Haarsma, “Evolutionary Creation” in Four Views on Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design (Zondervan, 2017), pp. 124-153.
  • Dennis Alexander, Creation or Evolution: Do We Have to Choose (Monarch, 2008)
  • Francis Collins, The Language of God (Free Press, 2006)
  • Howard Van Till, Portraits of Creation: Biblical and Scientific Perspectives of the World’s Formation (Eerdmans, 1990)
  • Howard Van Till, The Fourth Day, (Eerdmans, 1986)

Popular Supporters

  • Deitrich Bonhoeffer

INTELLIGENT DESIGN

Intelligent design advocates that a scientific understanding of what we see requires an intelligent “being” as creator. In other words, there was a guiding influence over evolutionary force, not a process of random selection. This is a new faith-based alternative to evolution, however there is no specific designation to the intelligence except for a “creator” or “god.” This view is an “age-neutral theory” to the earth and universe. It does not take a position on how to interpret the book of Genesis or the age of the earth. Intelligent Design proponents believe there are tell-tale features in digital code in DNA, miniature circuits and machines in cells, as well as constants of physics which all point to an intelligent cause. In summary, the creative action of a conscious and intelligent being is an adequate cause for the origin of the things we see.

Strengths

  • DNA shows appearance of design because of the specific way that nucleotide bases are arranged in DNA. They are arranged in an exact way that allows them to properly function.
  • Genetic information shows a creator making important changes over time. In other words, there are necessary changes in genetic information that are too complex to be random. An example is “function proteins” being developed that are required for life, yet impossible to have been the result of random development.
  • Chemical evolutionary theory and the origin of information shows a creative influence. A living cell is too complex to just appear and it must have had a designer. RNA molecules are arranged in such a complex and complimentary way that they could not have found themselves in their current form without a designer.
  • Closely follows the discoveries and interpretations of science, but attributes what it sees to a designer, not randomness.
  • There are few evidence-based objections.
  • Arguments are consistent with what Scripture teaches in Romans 1:20, Acts 14:15-17, Psalm 19:2, Job 12:7-10.

Weaknesses

  • Proudly declares the theory is not based on the Bible, but is instead based on scientific discoveries related to intelligent causes. In other words, Intelligent Design is not derived from a religious text, but an inference from science.
  • Intelligent Design proponents might have a variety of interpretations of Genesis 1, or they may have none at all.
  • Must reinterpret the significance of the Fall of Genesis 3, the Flood of Genesis 6-9, and significance of sin in Romans 5:12-21.
  • Is not specific about the date of the earth or creation.
  • Some suggest it is “religion masquerading as science.”
  • Is too vague in its belief about a “creator” or “god”
  • The Bible is completely left out of all arguments.
  • Only focuses on origin of creation and does not address the process of creation.
  • No Intelligent Design leaders have given serious consideration or explanation of what God said about creation in Genesis 1-2, the Flood in Genesis 6-9, or the age of the earth.

Further Reading

  • Stephen Meyer, “Intelligent Design” in Four Views on Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017), 177-208.
  • Michele Behe, Darwin’s Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution (Free Press, 1996)
  • Michele Behe, The Edge of Evolution: The Search for the Limits of Darwinism (Free Press, 2008)
  • Charles Thaxton et al., The Mystery of Life’s Origin: Reassessing Current Theories (The Philosophical Library, 1984)
  • Phillip Johnson, Darwin on Trial (InterVarsity, 1991)
  • Stephen Meyer, Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design (Harper One, 2009)
  • Stephen Meyer, Darwin’s Doubt: The Explosive Origin of Animal Life and the Case for Intelligent Design (Harper One, 2013)

Popular Supporters

ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN CREATION MYTH

While Genesis 1 is likely literal the structure of Genesis 1 is more theological and artistic than literal. In other words, Moses shaped the theology and history as recorded in Genesis 1 based on the genre of literature that was circulating at the time he wrote the Pentateuch. Some scholars say that the Genesis 1 creation account is a literary “polemic” which was meant to refute Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) creation mythologies of Egypt, Babylon, Sumeria, and Canaan. However, debates within this view are about if Moses took ANE creation myths and attributed them to the God of Israel, or was Moses’ creation story in Genesis 1 the original creation story that other ANE cultures intentionally took and changed to their own culture.

Strengths

  • There are similarities in the source of creation. In both ANE creation myths and in Genesis land emerges from the waters. In Israel God made humans in His image and formed the man from the dust of the ground. In Babylon humans were made from the “clay,” but that clay was mixed with “the blood of Kingu or two Lamga gods (craftsman gods).”    
  • There are some similarities in the sequence of creation. Many of the creation events in ANE myths follow the basic structure of the Israelite creation account. The Enuma Elish (Babylonian) begins with a divine spirit existing external to matter, the matter was full of darkness, and light came from the gods. Next was creation of firmament, dry land, luminaries, man, then the gods rest and celebrate. God’s rest on the seventh day of creation relates to Egypt’s Memphite Theology where Ptah rested when creating was done and all gods were settled.
  • There are some similarities in the substance of creation. The Egyptian creation myths describe “primordial waters”, which would eventually be formed into the earth. Darkness is common in the Enuma Elish and Egyptian creation myths. In the Egyptian “Hermopolis” light came from Atum (the sun-god) before formal creation of the sun. The Sumerians said that the heavens were separated from the earth by the air-god Enil. The Babylonian Enuma Elish made heaven from the upper part of the slain Tiamat. The Egyptian myth tells of Shu, the air god, pushing up Nut (sky goddess) from Geg (earth god) which eventually separated the earth from the sky.

Weaknesses

  • The myths often varied depending on which city they were told in and which god belonged there. For example, Egypt had four creation myths.
  • There are differences in the source of creation. Almost all ANE creation myths involve a myriad of gods while Israel had one God. In the Israelite creation account there is no combat, struggle, or force, while there was a constant struggle and combat in the ANE creation myths.
  • There are differences in the substance of creation. Unlike the ANE creation myths, the Israelite creation account did not deify nor worship the created matter. In this way, Genesis 1 rejects the Egyptian method of deifying the sky, ground, and air. For example, the sun was the god Re, the sky was Nut, the ground was Geb, dry air was Shu, moist humidity was Tefnut, the primordial sea was Nun. The ANE myths had humans being made to serve the gods while in the Israelite creation account God entrusted humans to reign and govern his creation.
  • Another difference is the fact that the Israelite creation account describes the beginning of the human race with a single couple, Adam and Eve. There are no ancient texts that describe human origins with a single couple as the beginning of the entire human race.

Other Names

  • Archetypal Creation View (of Adam)
  • Protohistory
  • Historico-Literary Genre
  • Genesis as Mythopoeic
  • Historico-artistic Creation
  • Genesis as Polemic

Further Reading

  • Walton, John Walton, “A Historical Adam: Archetypal Creation View” in Four Views on the Historical Adam (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2013), 89-118.
  • Gordon Wenham, “Genesis 1-11 as Protohistory” in Genesis: History, Fiction, or Neither (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015)73-97.
  • Miller, Johnny and John Soden. In the Beginning . . . We Misunderstood: Interpreting Genesis 1 in Its Original Context (Grand Rapids, Kregel, 2012)
  • Stephanie Dalley, Myths from Mesopotamia: Creation, the Flood, Gilgamesh, and Others (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991)
  • John Walton, Ancient Israelites Literature in It’s Cultural Context (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1989)

Popular Supporters

  • Bruce Waltke
  • Peter Enns
  • Gordon Johnston

Giving God’s Money to God’s Work

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Let’s be honest: managing money is hard. Most of us were not taught by our parents how to manage money. Often we end up adults having to figure it out on our own.    

            When it comes to money our culture tells us you never have enough of it, when you get it to spend as much of it as you have, and if you want more stuff than you have money then borrow so you can get it (TVs, vacations, phones, fancy vehicles).

            But Scripture tells us (as Christians) how to manage money. Jesus mentioned money regularly and the apostle Paul devoted two entire chapters of 2 Corinthians about money.

            2 Corinthians was Paul’s fourth letter sent to the believers in the city of Corinth.[1] It also was Paul’s most personal and intimate letter.   TheCorinthian believers had made a pledge of giving in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 to help the poor Christians in Jerusalem. Paul begins chapters eight and nine of 2 Corinthians with the example of another church’s giving.

THE MACEDONIAN EXAMPLE OF GIVING

            Their circumstances are described first, “Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality” (2 Corinthians 8:1–2).[2]

            Their contribution is described next, “For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God” (2 Corinthians 8:3–5). There are few important giving principles we should note from these verses.

            First, they gave more than necessary (v. 3a). These people were generous.  

            Second, they gave without anyone asking them (v. 3b). That word “accord” is the Greek Word is αὐθαίρετος and is used two times in the New Testament (here and in 8:14). This word “pertains to being self-chosen.”[3] It describes a voluntary free will decision to commit to an action. In other words, the Macedonians gave without prompting, without pressure, and without guilt trips.

            Third, they gave and wanted to continue giving (v. 4). Apparently, they asked to participate and wanted to give. In fact, they saw it as an honor to give. In spite of their poorness they saw giving as a privilege. Have you ever heard someone beg for an opportunity to give? That’s what the Macedonian churches did!

            Fourth, they gave more money than expected and more than just financial aid (vv. 4-5). According to verses four and five they gave both their possessions and their personal help.

            Reading about the Macedonians’ example of giving teaches us that giving is something we do even when we don’t have much. Paul is using an argument style that was common in Jewish and Greco-Roman life that we now call “from the lesser to the greater.”[4] The message was this: if the poor destitute churches of Macedonia can give so much from their so little, how much more should you give from your position of wealth!

            This encourages us to give no matter how much we have. And in light of the surprising generosity of the Macedonian churches, Paul now turns to the Corinthians.

THE APOSTLE’S EXHORTATION OF GIVING

Paul reveals the beginning of the giving, “So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well” (2 Corinthians 8:6). The “so” tells us the results. It was the unexpected and enthusiastic involvement of the Macedonians that led Paul to ask Titus to visit Corinth and ask for their help too!

            Paul reveals the resumption of the giving, “But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also” (2 Corinthians 8:7).

            Notice five things they have abundantly: “faith” “utterance” “knowledge” “earnestness” and “love”. Based on these five things Paul launches into the reason for giving. The Corinthians had experienced God’s grace (just like the Macedonians) and they should dispense God’s grace in the form of giving (just like the Macedonians). The Corinthians had made a pledge for giving (1 Cor 16:1-2), so Paul held them to that pledge.

            Paul reveals the motivation for giving,“I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also” (2 Corinthians 8:8). Paul did not bark orders at them. He didn’t command. He didn’t shame. He offers opportunity not obligation.

            The Macedonians’ giving is a benchmark that the Corinthians can use as a way to show Paul, the believers in Jerusalem, and all believers everywhere how genuine their love is. This was not a contest among rivals; but an imitation among equals.

            Reading about the apostle’s exhortation of giving teaches us that generosity is required of all believers everywhere. The Corinthians were giving to people they had never met. When we give to church we give to people and help people that we have never met and will never meet such as online listeners, missionary ministry, or benevolence help to strangers of the church.

THE MESSIAH’S EXAMPLE OF GIVING

Paul concludes the beginning section this way, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). The word “For” at the beginning of this verse describes why the Corinthians should excel in the grace of giving. Because of what Jesus did we respond and worship. Paul’s theology starts with the one who gave up everything to help someone else. He died in our place so that we might have life (2 Cor 5:21).

            Notice that everything which comes after “grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” defines the nature of Christ’s grace. What is Christ’s grace? “that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” Here “rich” describes His glory in heavenly existence. “poor” describes His lowliness and destitution when He lived on earth. Jesus Christ decided to exchange His royal status as an eternal resident of heaven for a slave’s status as a temporary resident on earth.

            There’s a focus of what He’s doing. It’s “for your sake.” That phrase is in the emphatic position in Greek and could be translated as “all for your sake . . . you, yes you.”[5] The “rich” that He promises here is a spiritual richness; not economic wealth. It describes the Corinthians richness of salvation secured by Christ both now and in the future. The giving here is not supposed to be so great that they become poor while the Jerusalem believers become rich.[6]

            The Macedonians gave when they were extremely poor, the Messiah gave when He was incredibly rich. These Corinthians are somewhere in between and should give sacrificially.

            Paul wants the Corinthians to do the right thing, but he wants them to do it because they were taking initiative to do it. He wants them to give in love, not obligation. He wants them to give because of their caring not coercion. 

            Reading about the Messiah’s example of giving teaches us that God’s gift of salvation requires we give Him everything.And that requirement that we give Him everything is something we should do on our own initiative, not because we are coerced or forced to do so. Just as Paul wanted the Corinthians because of their own desire, God wants us to give because it’s what we want to do. Not coercion. Not competition.

CONCLUSION

So what do we know about the response of the Corinthians? Did they give? Did they ignore Paul’s warnings? Did they give somewhere or to someone else besides Paul?

            Five months after Paul wrote 2 Corinthians he wrote to the Christians in Rome while visiting the believers in Corinth. (Paul said his plan was to travel to Corinth in 2 Corinthians 12:14 and 13:1-2 which is verified in Acts 20:2-3 and Romans 16:23.) In Paul’s third and final visit to Corinth he wrote to the believers in Rome, “For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things” (Romans 15:26–27). The term “Achaia” describes the region in which Corinth was located! This means the Corinthian believers heeded Paul’s exhortation! They gave because of the grace they received.

            I pray and hope that we can exhort our people to give and that they will be faithful to give just as the Corinthians were.

[1] The first letter we don’t have (1 Cor 5:9). The second letter was 1 Corinthians and was written from Ephesus (1 Cor 16:8). The third letter was a “sharp letter” Paul wrote and was carried by Titus (2 Cor 7:8-12). The fourth letter was 2 Corinthians and was written seven months after 1 Corinthians.

[2] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[3] William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, Walter Bauer, and F. Wilbur Gingrich. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 150.

[4] In Hebrew it’s known asqal wahomer and in Latin it’s known as a minore ad maius.

[5] Murray Harris, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2013), 578.

[6] Verses 13-15 clarify that this is not a call to give everything away so that they can’t provide for themselves.

Timing of Events Related to the Book of Ezra

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  • 539 Cyrus of Persia takes Babylon (Dan 5:30-31)
  • 538 Cyrus of Persia issues decree for Jews to return to Judah (Ezra 1:1-4)
  • 537 Jews leave Babylon and arrive in Judah (Ezra 1:5-2:70)
  • 536 Sacrifices made on altar (Ezra 3:1-6)
  • 535 Temple foundation rebuilt (Ezra 3:7-13)
  • 535 Temple rebuilding stops due to enemies of Judah (Ezra 4:1-5)
  • 520 Temple rebuilding begins due to Haggai and Zechariah (Ezra 4:24-5:2)
  • 515 Temple rebuilding complete (Ezra 6:14-15)
  • 485 Letter of accusation written at beginning of Xerxes reign (Ezra 4:6)
  • 485-465 Book of Esther takes place under Xerxes (between Ezra 6 and Ezra 7)
  • 464 Letter of accusation written under Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:7-16)
  • 458 Ezra returns to Judah (Ezra 7-10)
  • 444 Nehemiah returns to Judah (Nehemiah)

An Outline of the Book of Ezra

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I. THE TEMPLE REBUILT UNDER ZERUBBABEL (1-6)

A. The Goal Described (1)

1. The Decree of Cyrus (vv. 1-4)

2. The Decision of the Jews (vv. 5-11)

B. The Goal Pursued (2-3)

1. The Faithful Returners (2:1-70)

2. The Faithful Builders (3:1-13)

They Begin (vv. 1-6) > altar is built

They Continue (vv. 7-13) > temple foundation is built

C. The Goal Paused (4)

1. Opposition Begins (vv. 1-5) [vv. 1-5, 24]

2. Opposition Grows (vv. 6-24) [vv. 6-23]

The Group of Opposers (vv. 6-10)

The Content of the Opposers to the King (vv. 11-16)

The Response of the King to the Opposers (vv. 17-22)

The Result of the King’s Response (vv. 23-24)

D.  The Goal Restarted (5-6)

1. By Fresh People (5:1-5)

2. With Fresh Opposition (5:6-17)

Those Composing the Letter (vv. 6-7a)

The Content of the Letter (vv. 7b-17)

3. Yet with Fresh Encouragement (6:1-22)

The Search by the King (vv. 1-2a)

The Findings of the King (vv. 2b-5)

The Result from the King (vv. 6-12)

The Accomplishment of the People (vv. 13-22)

-Goal Is Complete (vv. 13-15)

-God Is Celebrated (vv. 16-22)

~Dedication of the Temple (vv. 16-18)

~Celebration of Passover (vv. 19-22)

II.  THE COMMUNITY REFORMED UNDER EZRA (7-10)[1]

A.  Ezra’s Testimony (7)

1. The Selection of Ezra (vv. 1-10)[2]

His Family (vv. 1-5)

His Focus (vv. 6-7)

His Fervency (vv. 8-10)

2. The Support for Ezra (vv. 11-26)

Introduction (vv. 11-12)

Permission (vv. 13-20)

Commission (vv. 21-24)

Deputation ( vv. 25-26)

3. The Statement of Ezra (vv. 27-28)

B.  Ezra’s Travels (8)

1. Those Traveling with Ezra (vv. 1-14)

2. Those Helping Ezra (vv. 15-20)

3. Those Reforming with Ezra (vv. 21-30)

4. More Travels and Arrival in Jerusalem (vv. 31-36)

C.  Ezra’s Troubles (9)

1. The Problem with Mixed Marriages (vv. 1-4)

2. The Profession of the Dilemma (vv. 5-15)

D.  Ezra’s Task (10)

1. A Proposal by the People (vv. 1-4)

2. A Plan by Ezra (vv. 5-8)

3. A Production Together (vv. 9-44)

The Setting (v. 9)

The Speech (vv. 10-11)

The Response of the People (vv. 12-14)

The Response of the Leaders (v. 15)

The Actions of the People (vv. 16-17)

The Findings (vv. 18-44)

[1] Commission of Ezra (7), Coming of Ezra (8), Confession of Ezra (9), Cleansing of People (10)

[2] His Pedigree > Back to Aaron (vv. 1-5), His Proficiency > Skill (v. 6a), His Pilgrimage > Timing (vv. 7-9), His Passion > Heart (v. 10)

Gospel First and Politics Second

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While attending Seminary I lived in the Dallas area and worked at a golf course as a caddie. One day when talking with some of the caddies the name of a prominent pastor in Dallas was mentioned in our conversation (which usually revolved around sports and movies, not politics). One of the caddies spoke up and said, “I have zero interest in what that pastor has to say.” It was a presidential election year and political dissension was at a climax. That pastor had publicly announced in his sermons who should be the next president of the United States. And that pastor’s stance was polarizing. His sermons were broadcast via many radio stations and on TV and he was well known as the “voice of Christians” for the Dallas area.

            However, this pastor’s political stance had blocked the gospel from being received by my caddie friend. My caddie friend was an atheist and clarified that he was not going to listen to anything that pastor said. Because the pastor was a bad person? Because the pastor had misused money given to him and his church? Because the pastor had been unfaithful to his wife? No, because of the pastor’s political stance on who should be the next president, my caddie friend didn’t want to hear anything that pastor said.

            The gospel should be the primary message we share with others. Furthermore, the gospel should be what we build our church’s reputation on. The apostle Paul wrote, “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved” (Romans 10:10, NIV).[1] When doing that “anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame. . . everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:11, 13). That is the primary task of church leaders and every Christian. We are supposed to know God and make Him known. Paul raises these questions as he expands his thoughts on the Gospel, “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?” (Romans 10:14). The gospel is supposed to be primary so people can be saved and not go to hell. If another message becomes primary, then unbelievers cannot “call on” God, “believe in him,” or “hear.” If the gospel is not the primary message, then people won’t come to a saving faith in Jesus. This is why our church’s reputation should be based on the gospel.

            The book of Acts gives us a picture of how the gospel was the primary message proclaimed by each of the disciples in every city they went. Here are some examples.

            Philip “traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns” (Acts 8:40). After traveling, Peter and John “returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages” (Acts 8:25). Paul and Barnabas went to Lystra and Derbe and “continued to preach the gospel” (Acts 14:7, 21). At the Jerusalem Council, Peter told the people gathered there that “God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe” (Acts 15:7). Then later, Luke—the author of Acts—wrote that “We got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them” (Acts 16:10).  

            The gospel was the message of these men traveling to new places. It wasn’t about tax reform, who to vote for, or how to maintain the politics in their region or country. (They didn’t even address slavery as many people today thought they should have.) The focus was on presenting the gospel so people could hear about God and believe in Him.

            If things inhibit people from hearing the gospel, then those inhibitors must be removed. The gospel must be primary, and anything that prevents it from having its rightful place must be removed.

            I am afraid my caddie friend might not hear the gospel. The political focus of one pastor pushed him further away from a potentially inquiring faith in Jesus Christ. Hopefully in the future, a strong Christian can befriend him and help him draw close to God. But for now, the gospel is not something he’s interested in hearing, at least from that Dallas pastor. I learned that day—and I hope you have learned too—that our church’s reputation should be based on the gospel and nothing else.

[1] Unless otherwise noted, all translations are from the New International Version, 2011 revision.

A Fresh Start for an Old Friend

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The words “I’m sorry” are always hard to say, but perhaps words harder to say are “I forgive you.” Whether we are five years old or fifty years old, it’s always hard to say “I forgive you” especially when that same person has hurt us, cost us money, or wasted our time.

In this article we’re looking at a forgiveness story. A slave has ran away from his master, he became a Christian, then was sent back to his master, saying “I’m sorry” and hoping the slave owner says “I forgive you.”

The letter we know as “Philemon” was written to a man named Philemon who was a wealthy member of the Colossian church which met in his house (Philemon 2). Paul calls Philemon a “beloved brother” and “fellow worker” (Philemon 1).Philemon was likely a prominent member of the church of Colossae (Philemon 1, 2; cf. Col 4:2) and likely had been saved under Paul’s ministry several years earlier in Ephesus (Philemon 19).

APPLAUSE

Paul begins his letter commending Philemon this way, “because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints” (Philemon 5).

            The effects of Philemon’s faith in Jesus and love for all the saints is explained in the following verses, “and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake. For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.” (Philemon 6–7) The “fellowship” (v. 6) here means much more than just enjoying someone else’s company. It refers to the mutual sharing of all of life because of the mutual bond and faith they have in Christ. The word “effective” (v. 6) here describes Paul’s desire for Philemon’s actions to send a powerful message to others about forgiveness.

You might have noticed that Paul gives Philemon a reputation to live up too. I don’t think he’s buttering him up or trying to manipulate him. But I do believe he’s reminding Philemon of the godly character that Philemon has.

APPEAL

In the middle of this letter Paul makes his request based on two situations.

The Earthly Problem

Paul’s request involves a person named “Onesimus.” Paul writes, “I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment” (Philemon 10). Onesimus was a common name for slaves that meant, “useful.”

            Onesimus was not a believer when he ran away from Philemon, but Onesimus apparently had met Paul while Paul was in house arrest in Rome and Onesimus became a Christian. The trip from Colossae to Rome would have been a 1,000 mile trip by land and water. Many slaves would flee to Rome when they ran away from their masters because the city of Rome had 1,000,000 people living there and was an easy place to get lost among all the people.[1] The problem was that Onesimus had broken the Roman law (running away) and Onesimus had probably also defrauded his master (stealing).

            Paul knew this had to be dealt with so he sent Onesimus back to Philemon. Onesimus was traveling to Colossae with Tychicus, who was returning to Colossae with the letter to the Colossians (Colossians 4:7-9). But, there had been a change in Onesimus, “who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me.” (Philemon 11). Onesimus is described by Paul as a “child”[2] in the faith to Paul (v. 10) and a “brother” (v. 16).

            Paul does a play on words here in Greek that comes through in English as well. Onesimus in Greek means “useful.” In the past Onesimus “was useless.” In other words, Useful was useless. It’s like calling a woman Grace who always holds grudges or a man Earnest that never tells truth. In the past Onesimus had forsaken his name, but Paul says Onesimus “now is useful.”Useful was formerly useless, but now Useful is useful.   Onesimus had been worthless until God got a hold of him and radically transformed him by God’s grace.

            This is what Paul wants Philemon to consider. “I have sent him [Onesimus] back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel; but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will” (Philemon 12–14).Paul wants Onesimus for ministry, but only wants to do it if Philemon allows.

            From Paul we learn that we value relationships more than requests. In this context Paul values his relationship with Philemon more than his request of Philemon. Effectually, “This is a request that I have, but I don’t want my request to effect our friendship.” As Christians we need to value our relationships more than requests.

The Heavenly Provision

Paul writes, “For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord” (Philemon 15–16).

            Here we see God’s plan. The word “Perhaps” indicates Paul believes God has had a part in all of this. Paul knows wrong occurred as Onesimus was a runaway slave, now God is using it for good. As one commentator stated on this passage, “God’s sovereign grace works in all human affairs.”[3] Paul suggests there has been a deeper significance and purpose of Onesimus’s running away.

            The great reformer John Calvin wrote, “If we are angry on account of offences committed by men, our minds ought to be soothed, when we perceive that those things which were done through malice have been turned to a different end by the purpose of God.”[4] I think that’s what Paul’s telling Philemon, Your experience was bad, but maybe God is using it for good.

            From Paul we learn that we value heavenly providence more than luck. Someone asked one of the members of our church if she believed in luck as a Christian woman. What a great question! As Christians we don’t necessarily believe in earthly luck, but we do believe in divine providence.

            With God there are no accidents and I think we can say there is no luck. Imagine the conversation occurring between Paul and Onesimus the first time they met in Rome:

Onesimus: “I’m from Colossae.”

Paul: “Wow, I’ve never been there, but when I was in Ephesus I met a guy from Colossae. Perhaps you know him.”

Onesimus: “Maybe I do. What’s the guy’s name?”

Paul: “His name is Philemon. Do you know him?”

Onesimus: “Yes, I do, in fact.”

Paul: “How do you know him?”

Onesimus: “I used to be his slave.”

Paul: “Wow, you must have earned your freedom or he let you go?”

Onesimus: “No, I am here because I ran away from him and I am here hiding from him.”

Paul: “Well, let me ask if you know someone else I’ve met. He’s not from Colossae. He’s from Judea, and his name is Jesus. . .”

            In one of my favorite books pastor Warren Wiersbe writes, “If you are yielded to Christ, your life is not a series of accidents; it is a series of appointments.”[5] God is in everything we do. When we run, He allows us to run because He knows where He wants us to end up. I believe that’s Paul’s message to Philemon here: Philemon, what are the odds that your runaway slave ends up in the house that I’m in, and that I got to share the Gospel w/him and that I am able to send him back to you. Philemon, God is in this. Because of this we need to allow the unique way that God orchestrates things to influence what He might want us to do.

ACCOUNT

But what about the cost of this? Philemon might be wondering: I have been hurt, shamed, and been stolen from. Paul addresses that next.

Here we read about Paul’s offer. “But if he [Onesimus] has wronged you [Philemon] in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account;” (Philemon 18).When Onesimus left, he likely stole money or goods (or both) in order to travel 1,000 miles to Rome. Philemon had a right to be upset his slave left, especially if Onesimus stole from Philemon.

            Paul proposes a solution, “charge that to my account”(v. 18).He essentially says, “charge that to me” or “I will stand in his place” or “Put what he owes on my account.”

            Paul then signs his pledge, “I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well)” (Philemon 19). It takes more than love to solve a problem and here Paul says he’ll help pay it with money.

            It was common in the first century to have an “amanuensis” who would write a letter while someone dictated it to someone else. Yet here Paul wants to emphasize his promise so he grabs the pen and writes himself.

            Paul then describes his hope “Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say” (Philemon 20–21). Paul wants to have Onesimus welcomed back gracefully, to have Onesimus minister to others in a significant way, and to have Onesimus be forgiven.

            From this we learn from Paul that we value reconciliation more than money. Money almost always complicates situations. Money creates conflict in families, churches, business, schools, and many other areas of life. Yet Paul values reconciliation between these two people more than money. And that’s an important lesson for us to apply as well. We need to value reconciliation with others more than the money that might have caused problems.

So what happened as a result of this letter sent in AD 63? In AD 110 we possibly learn about what happened.

CONCLUSION[6]

In AD 110 Ignatius of Antioch—previous Christian bishop of Antioch and personal associate of the apostle John—was a prisoner being taken to Rome. He was transported by ten Roman soldiers to be fed to the lions because he refused to renounce his faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and God and King. Ignatius and the Roman soldiers stopped in Smyrna for a short period of rest which gave Ignatius an opportunity to have visitors. Three prominent Christian leaders came to visit Ignatius from three different cities. These three men were Polybius who was the bishop of Tralles, Damas who was the bishop of Magnesia, and a guy named Onesimus who was the bishop of Ephesus.  

We don’t know from Scripture what the result was from this letter that Paul sent to Philemon, but a period of time later, just 100 miles away from Philemon’s home in Colossae a man named Onesimus shows up as bishop in the nearby church in Ephesus.  Many scholars believe this Onesimus is the same man Paul wrote about in his letter to Philemon. Apparently Onesimus was forgiven by his slave owner, became a prominent spiritual leader in Ephesus, and with this we conclude that an old friend gave Onesimus a fresh start.

[1] M. Reasoner, “Rome and Roman Christianity” (pp. 850-855) in Dictionary of Paul and His Letters (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 1993),p. 851.

[2] περὶ τοῦ ἐμοῦ τέκνου / “for my child” is a term of endearment which Paul has used elsewhere to refer to Timothy (1 Tim 1:2; 2 Tim 1:2) and to refer to Titus (Tit 1:4). AT Robertson says this is a “tender and affectionate” reference to Onesimus (A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament [Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933]).

[3] Larson, Knute Larson, I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, vol. 9, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000) p. 407.

[4] John Calvin, Commentaries on the Epistles to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010) p. 356.

[5] Warren Wiersbe, The Bumps Are What You Climb On (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2016),48.

[6] This conclusion is adapted from Charles Swindoll, Swindoll’s Living Insights: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. 9 (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2017), pp. 199, 202.

Confronting a Lost Leader

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Conflict is a part of every ministry. It’s common to think certain sizes of churches or specific denominations might have more or less conflict. The reality is not whether or not you have conflict in ministry, what is important is how you navigate the conflict in your ministry.

            Paul, Barnabas, and Titus left their brief meeting with Peter, James, and the other leaders in Jerusalem (Acts 15:30) and returned 300 miles north to Antioch. In Galatians 2:11-21 Peter comes to Antioch, sins publicly in front of others, so Paul reproves Peter.

            In this article I would like to show you the context of what’s occurring (Galatians 2:12-13), highlight parts of the correction Paul gives to Peter (Galatians 2:14b-21), then look at the way that Paul confronts Peter (Galatians 2:11, 14a) and see what we can learn about how to handle conflict in our churches and ministries.

CONTEXT

The problem is described in Galatians 2:12, “For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he [Peter] used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.”[1] Peter had been enjoying meals with Gentile believers, but when James and other prominent Jewish leaders arrived from Jerusalem, Peter withdrew himself from the Gentiles and only ate with the Jews.

            Why was this a problem? We learn about that in Galatians 2:13, “The rest of the Jews joined him [Peter] in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.” Peter was not just sinning by showing favor to race, but Peter was also leading others into sin.

CORRECTION

Now that we have the context, let’s look at the correction that Paul gives to Peter. Paul gives a speech that states all Christians are equal in Christ for two reasons.

            First, we are saved through faith, not through works, “nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified” (Galatians 2:16). Second, we are saved through Christ, not through the Law. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20).

            These three statements show there was no biblical reason to treat someone different because of race (like Peter was doing). Paul makes it clear in his letter to the Galatians that Peter has sinned.

CONFRONTATION

I want to share with you four tips to follow whenyou need to confront others and correct behavior based on how Paul handled the situation described in Galatians 2:11, 14a.

1. Get the Facts

Notice Paul says, “But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel” (Galatians 2:14a). Paul saw with his own eyes what occurred and he knew from first-hand experience.

            When confronting someone we need to get the facts straight and make sure we have the right information. In this case, Paul saw it. (Paul probably also knew about Peter’s tendency to say one thing in passion, but that Peter didn’t always follow through on what he said in practice.)

            In our lives we might not always see something that is done wrong, but we often hear about it. So the first step is to verify. And you verify in an informal and non-threatening way. Don’t approach someone saying, “I heard that. . . .” Instead what you say is, “I wanted to talk to you because someone told me something, and what they said doesn’t sound like you. So I wanted to share with you what I heard and see what you have to say. . .”

2. Know the Truth

To confront someone you have to know what Godly behavior should look like. How should that person have acted? What would the appropriate thing to say have been?

            The proper behavior in this context is described as “the truth of the gospel” (Galatians 2:14) which is the same phrase used in Galatians 2:5 when Paul said he didn’t yield to those False Brethren who snuck into his meeting with Peter about the need for Titus to be circumcised. The doctrine Paul has laid out in Galatians 2:14-21 states that we all are sinners, we have been saved through faith, and we have been saved because of Christ. Thus, there is no reason to act differently around people of different races.

3. Act Quickly

When Paul “saw that they weren’t straightforward about the truth of the gospel” (Galatians 2:14a) it says “I [Paul] said to Cephas [Peter] in the presence of all” (Galatians 2:14b). Paul acted quickly. He didn’t wait. He didn’t procrastinate. There’s no gap between the sin and correction. He knew that the behavior he saw did not match the Bible’s teaching on that situation.

            However, there are two times you don’t want to act quickly. Don’t act when emotional (whether angry or sad). You’ve got to be levelheaded. You must be cool, calm, and collected, because the other person isn’t always going to be. So you have to be centered and at peace. Be Confident and firm, but loving and gracious. Don’t act without prayer. Pray before, during, and after the confrontation. Pray and look up Scripture. Pray and ask God for help.

4. Talk Directly

The most important principle for handling conflict and confrontation is this one: Do it face-to-face. Don’t text, don’t email, don’t call, don’t fax. Again, don’t text about conflict! Remember, don’t text when in conflict! As a pastor I have counseled many people engaged in conflict with family members through harsh exchanges of text messages. I can honestly say that when we replace a face with a screen in conflict, the results are bad.

            Here it says that Paul, “opposed him [Peter] to his face” (Galatians 2:11). This was a direct confrontation. Paul did not talk about Peter behind his back. He didn’t put it on Facebook. He didn’t send him a text. Paul approached Peter and talked to him directly. 

CONCLUSION

Don’t you wish we knew what Peter’s response was? We don’t know what he did. But most commentaries on this passage state that he likely admitted he was wrong and brought the two groups together (based on the book of Acts and what he wrote in 1 & 2 Peter later). I pray and hope that you too can get past conflict just like Peter and Paul, by using Paul’s example as a model for your ministry.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

25 Tips for Facilitating a Small Group

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Start a Bible study . . . they said. It will be easy . . . they said. Anyone can do it . . . they said. Well, facilitating a small group discussion as part of a Bible study is not as easy as one thinks. For four years I served as a small groups pastor at a church and it was always a challenge to help our small group facilitators—new and veterans—to feel equipped to lead a small group discussion. In this article I will give you twenty-five tips that will help you become a better small group facilitator.

PREPARE WELL

Don’t just show up and wing it. Pray, read the passage several times, and write out your answers to the questions. A great small group discussion doesn’t just happen. It takes preparation and hard work. Write out your notes by hand or type them up if that’s easier for you to read. But have them printed out so you don’t have to be using your phone or tablet in the meeting.

READ THE QUESTIONS ALOUD BEFORE THE MEETING

Just because you can read a word and know what it means doesn’t mean you can properly pronounce it verbally during the small group. Be sure to read the questions aloud before the group meets.

TURN YOUR PHONE OFF

Your focus needs to be on your group and guiding their discussion, so turn the phone off so you can concentrate. Furthermore, encourage others to turn theirs off too.

UTILIZE AN ASSISTANT OR COFACILITATOR

Try to find someone willing to be your “backup” to facilitate the group if you can’t be there. This assistant can also help you to facilitate healthy conversations in the group. Sometimes people make statements or ask questions and it can be hard to discern what exactly they are saying or asking. A good assistant will be assertive to step in and say, “I think what you are asking is actually _____” or “I think what she is trying to say is ____.”

ALWAYS HAVE A BIBLE WITHIN REACH

Your small group discussions should always interact with the Bible. Be sure to have a paper Bible (not digital on a phone or iPad) within reach while you facilitate your small group.

KEEP A GOOD STUDY BIBLE NEARBY

When you come to a difficult passage or someone has a question that you can’t answer, pull out a study Bible. The NIV Study Bible and NASB Study Bible are great resources to use (both have the same study notes). I use the Ryrie Study Bible (NASB), but the ESV Study Bible and MacArthur Study Bible are great too.

AFFIRM WHAT PEOPLE SAY

Let people know what they say makes sense and is a good contribution by thanking them for sharing. Statements like, “I like how you phrased that” or “Thank you for sharing” go a long way to encourage people to share their thoughts and answer the questions you ask the group.

TALK LESS THAN 25 PERCENT OF THE TIME

Your job is to facilitate a discussion, not to preach or teach. Make sure that you talk less than 25 percent of the time in your group. Your goal is to get other people to discuss the passage of Scripture or topic.

READ THE NOTES IN THE BACK OF YOUR DISCUSSION GUIDE

Most Bible study guides will have some “leader notes” in the back of the guide to help the facilitator know what to expect during the discussion each week and how to prepare for the discussion. Be sure to read those notes during your preparation time for your small group.

WATCH THE LEADER COACHING VIDEOS

If your group is using a DVD study, often there are some coaching videos on the DVDs (or available online). In your preparation time for your small group be sure to watch those videos because they will help you be ready to facilitate a discussion.

ASK FOR ADVICE FROM YOUR CHURCH OR PASTOR

Your church staff should be equipping you and encouraging you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

PUT THE CHAIRS AND COUCHES IN A CIRCLE

Nothing says “let’s talk” like a bunch of people in a circle looking at each other. A circle fosters a discussion environment. If your group watches a DVD as part of your study, you will want to start out with your group chairs facing the TV. Then after the DVD is finished, have a few people move their chairs so that you can all sit in a circle facing each other.

ENCOURAGE THE GROUP TO WORK THROUGH THE LESSON BEFORE COMING TO MEETING

Your group will have a better discussion if they take time to work through the lesson before coming to their group meeting. Encourage them to read the passage a few times, answer the questions in the study guide, and bring their own questions to the group.

DELEGATE YOUR BUSY WEEKS OR SEASONS

If you know that you are going to be busy for a particular week or season, ask your assistant or someone else in your group if he or she might like to facilitate the discussion for you. This is one of the reasons you must always have an assistant in your group!

SILENCE IS OKAY

In a new group or at the beginning of your meeting there probably will be some silence. Sometimes it just takes a couple of people to start talking and then the rest of the group will start to contribute. If there is silence, that’s okay.

DON’T ANSWER YOUR OWN QUESTIONS

If you read a question and no one answers, then read the question again. If still no one answers, then ask if the question makes sense or is confusing. If needed, slightly alter the question so people understand it, or just skip the question. But as the facilitator, do not answer your own questions unless someone else has already shared any answer. If you as the facilitator ask a question, then jump in and answer it before others talk, it discourages the group for sharing their thoughts. You only want to share your answer to a question after others have already had a chance to share.

BEGIN AND END ON TIME

Success in a small group requires consistent start and end times. Make a plan for your group and keep the discussion going. There might be times that your group needs to deviate from the curriculum to focus on a need someone has. If that’s the case then put the material aside and focus on the person. But be sure that the group ends on time.

REVIEW A COVENANT OR AGREEMENT YEARLY

Most churches have a small group “covenant” or “commitment” or “agreement” form. This agreement guides the group and helps ensure a healthy atmosphere for discussion and spiritual growth. Be sure to review it yearly and give it to the new people that join your group. Doing this will prevent problems and headaches for you in the future.

ENSURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THE PURPOSE OF THE GROUP FROM DAY ONE

Each small group has a slightly different flavor, but the purpose should always be the same: learn God’s Word, connect new people to church, enjoy fellowship with each other, and serve others. So make sure that everyone understands that this is why your group exists.

INVOLVE EVERYONE

Everyone should participate in your discussion. When people attend church on Sunday they passively sit and listen to a sermon. When they attend your small group during the week they need to actively participate in a discussion.

APPLICATION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN COMPLETION

Take your time working through the curriculum for your group. If you need two or three weeks to cover one lesson that’s okay as long as people are staying on topic and are applying the material to their lives.

SOAK YOUR GROUP MEMBERS AND CURRICULUM IN PRAYER

Pray for the members of your group everyday. And pray that the curriculum you will be using will speak to your group, and help them transform their lives so that they look more like Christ.

HOLD THE SNACKS

Nothing is more distracting (and irritating) than someone getting up to grab a snack, dropping some of the floor, munching, and talking with a mouthful during the small group discussion time. If your group has snacks try to limit those snacks to only before the group begins or after the discussion has ended.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER

When it is time for your group to discuss more personal and sensitive issues, divide up your group. You will need to divide if you have ten or more people in your group. Pair up the men with men and women with women, or young folks together, or just pair people based on where they are sitting.

VISIT OTHER GROUPS TO SEE HOW OTHER FACILITATORS FACILITE

Different facilitators have different styles and methods of facilitating their groups. Visit a couple other groups to see what you can learn from others and how you can improve the way you facilitate your group.

REMIND THE GROUP THAT IT IS OKAY TO DISAGREE

Sometimes Christians think they have to agree with everyone in their small group. Part of the growth that people experience in a small group is enjoying fellowship with people that believe and act differently than they do. Learning to love those people and get along with them is a sign of spiritual maturity. From time to time, remind your group that it is okay to disagree.

Essential Tools for Weekly Sermon Preparation

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When I was an associate pastor I preached every four months. The benefit of only preaching every four months was that I had four months of material to use for that sermon. I had four months of principles to share, stories to tell, fresh ideas to bring to our congregation, and four months to study a passage or topic for the message.

            But now that I serve as a senior pastor the experience is different. Instead of four months of preparation I get about four days! (I work on my sermons Monday through Thursday and I try to take Fridays and Saturdays off to spend with my family.) In my experience as a senior pastor that preaches fifty sermons a year I’ve come to rely on some great tools to help me in my weekly sermon preparation, and I believe they can help you too.

A STUDY BIBLE

The best resource you need to have if you preach each week is a good study Bible. The study Bible I’ve used for years is the NASB Ryrie Study Bible. I prefer this study Bible because of the succinct doctrinal summaries, outlines of each book of the Bible, as well as the brief footnotes on each page of Scripture. In my opinion, the ESV Study Bible is the most comprehensive and best resource if you are looking for a study Bible. But I prefer my Ryrie Study Bible because I was privileged to have lunch with Charles Ryrie in 2015 and his notes reflect the theology of the Seminary I attended.

            There are two primary benefits you will find from utilizing a study Bible as you prepare to preach each week. First, it provides a solid foundation to begin your study. In a study Bible you won’t get bogged down with exegesis or textual criticism. Instead, it will orient you to the issues of the text that are important for an everyday layperson, not a scholar or a pastor. Years ago I was trying to describe how we arrive at the dates we often list for Old Testament events such as the fall of Jerusalem (586 BC) or return from exile (536 BC). I couldn’t find a clear answer when I looked through several of my commentaries and Bible dictionaries. But I found the best description of Old Testament dating from the NLT Study Bible. It described “Regnal Year” dating and “Ascension Year” dating in a simple way that no one else had covered.  A second benefit of a study Bible is that whether you find yourself at home, out for coffee, or on an airplane, if you have a study Bible and a pad of paper you can make the most of your time no matter where you find yourself.

A BIBLE DICTIONARY

The second essential tool you need for weekly sermon preparation is a good Bible dictionary. There are lots of these available from different Christian publishers. I use Unger’s Bible Dictionary. A good Bible dictionary will provide you an article on subjects in the Bible that will help you a little dig deeper than a study Bible. For example, this week I was preparing a message on Zacharias from Luke 1. I was curious for extra material about Zacharias in Scripture. I learned that there are 29 different men in the Bible named Zachariah (the Hebrew name) and that my NASB translation refers to him as “Zacharias” following the Greek form of the Hebrew name. This provided me with good expositional material for my sermon.

A THOROUGH EXEGETICAL COMMENTARY

Just as a Study Bible can help you make a lot of progress in your study toward a prepared sermon, an good exegetical commentary can get you almost to the end of your preparation. When I preached through Galatians I used the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Baker, 2013)by Douglas Moo, when I preached through Malachi I used Malachi Then and Now: An Expository Commentary Based on Detailed Exegetical Analysis (Lexham Press, 2016) by Allen Ross, when I preached advent sermons in Luke I used the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Baker, 1994) by Darrel Bock. An exegetical commentary will cover textual criticism notes that are relevant to your passage, incorporate relevant Hebrew or Greek grammar, help you discern your exegetical idea and homiletical idea for the message, and point out any significant doctrines relevant to the passage. Exegetical commentaries can be very technical, so if you have not attended Seminary I do not recommend an exegetical commentary.

A MONTHLY CHRISTIAN PERIODICAL

When you preach to the same people each week they expect you to stay updated on the state of Christianity both locally and internationally. You need to be in touch not just with your people you are speaking to, but with Christians and issues around the world. Because of this, you need to regularly read a Christian periodical. I have my church purchase me a subscription to Christianity Today. It provides relevant news articles related to the Christian church in America and also summarizes some of the significant things occurring in the Christian church around the world. You’d be surprised how many great sermon illustrations or current statistics I utilize in my sermons from simply reading one Christian periodical a month. For you, perhaps your Christian periodical might be your denominational magazine (Light and Life for Free Methodists, Christian Standard for restoration movement churches, Lutheran Witness, Presbyterians Today, etc.)

A SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY

I hope that teaching Christian doctrine is a regular part of your weekly sermons. A book that covers systematic theology will help you dig deep when needed. Whether you are Calvinist or Wesleyan, get a resource that will help you expand on the theological topics that are briefly touched on in a passage, but require a more in depth examination. As Jesus closes the upper room discourse (John 13-17) Jesus prays to God the Father about his disciples, “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:29-21, NASB). These verses describe the perichoresis of the Father and the Son and how that relationship between the Trinity should be a model for the people of the church too. A good systematic theology book will help you succinctly teach that vital (and complex) doctrine to your church.

A THESAURUS

When you preach to the same people each week you must bring fresh words and phrases to them. If you are not careful you will find yourself falling back into your same “go to” words, phrases, or quotes. A thesaurus will expand your vocabulary and help you find just the right word when needed. When I was preaching about how Jesus told his disciples to “go into the world” in John 17, I wanted a more vivid word to describe our “going into the world” and “being sent out.” A quick look at my thesaurus led me to the synonym “infiltrate” which was a great word that was clear and direct.

There are two thesaurus you should consider. I primarily use Merriam-Wester’s Thesaurus, but I keep a copy of Roget’s International Thesaurus at home. Each works differently. With Merriam-Webster you go to it with a word and it gives you different words to consider. With Roget’s you go to it with an idea and it gives you words to consider.

WHAT’S NOT ON MY LIST

As we wrap up our time together in this article you might be saying, “But what about. . . ?” Here are a few things I intentionally left off the list and why.

            Sermon Illustration Books. Preacher, you have lived a life full of experiences and you don’t need a book of illustrations. Furthermore, your people don’t want to hear you tell them the same story they’ve heard from their previous two pastors as well as Chuck Swindoll on the radio. Find your own illustrations. Get fresh material for your people. Don’t rely on others that have been retelling the same stories for a century.

            Logos, Accordance, or Other Bible Software. While these can be helpful, they get expensive quickly. You will pay more for those books to have them digitally than you would if you bought them in print. (If you don’t believe me, then check out Daniel Wallace’s Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics for sale on Amazon compared to Logos.) If you need to parse a Hebrew or Greek word, or want to quickly reference BDAG, then Bible software like Logos might be helpful. Otherwise invest your hard earned money in a print library.

            Someone Else’s Sermon Outline or Manuscript. Preacher, I pray you don’t copy a sermon from Rick Warren, use an outline from Warren Wiersbe, or preach from a manuscript from David Jeremiah. God has placed you in a church with His people and you should dig into God’s Word, allow His Spirit to speak to you, and bring a message that is relevant to your people.

            I preach fifty times a year at our church. While it is difficult and puts a lot of pressure on me, I know God has placed me where He wants me. These are essential tools I keep on my desk at all times to help me feed our church each week. I pray you will find them helpful too.

Basics of Discipleship

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On my first day of high school I was six feet tall. When I went to my physical education class the teacher, Mr. Koepp, approached me and introduced himself as the freshman basketball coach. He asked if I had ever played basketball and told me to try out for the team.

            Mr. Koepp took attendance, explained the course expectations, then let us play basketball until the class was over. I grabbed a basketball and played with the other kids, but I was absolutely terrible. While I was taller than everyone else, I lacked many basic skills required for the game.

            Mr. Koepp never asked me about playing basketball again. He had a picture of what he wanted in a basketball player. A boy that was tall was only one piece of the picture. He also wanted someone who could dribble, shoot, and play defense.

            In the Great Commission, Jesus commands us to make disciples. The New Testament then paints a picture of what a disciple of Jesus Christ looks like. And as pastors we must, like Mr. Koepp, know what he picture looks like. Jesus and His apostles describe four qualities of a true disciple.

THEY EMBRACE GOD’S WORD

The book of Acts reveals the earliest events of the church. The first Christians “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42, ESV). Several years later, while the church in Corinth had many problems, Paul praised them for studying what he gave them. “I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you” (1 Cor. 11:2, ESV).

            Embracing God’s word means applying what a disciple learns to his or her life. Peter gave us an example of applying what he learned. In 2 Peter he acknowledges Paul’s letters (2 Peter 3:15–17) and how we are supposed to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18, ESV). Peter and others had been reading Paul’s letters, interpreting their meanings, and applying them to their lives.

THEY EMBODY GOD’S KINGDOM

In addition to embracing God’s word, disciples embody God’s kingdom on earth. The dictionary defines embody as “to make concrete and perceptible” or to “give a tangible or visible form to an idea or quality.” Christ’s disciples are tangible expressions of Christ on earth.

            Paul tells us that “we are citizens of Heaven” (Philippians 3:20, NLT) and we “must live as citizens of Heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ” (Philippians 1:27, NLT). We are supposed to look different than the rest of the world.

            There are many ways we should look different. We don’t participate in the evil things that unbelievers do (1 Thessalonians 4:3–7). We should be attractive based on our deeds, not our looks (1 Timothy 2:9–15). We don’t allow our bodies to be used for lustful sin (Romans 6:13).

THEY ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER

A best-selling self-help book of the 1980s started with three words: “Life is difficult.” But the Christian life is even more difficult, so it requires us to encourage one another.

            You can’t encourage fellow believers if you are absent from them. We are told to participate in community together in Hebrews 10:24–25, “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another” (ESV). By meeting together we are able to “encourage one another and build one another up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ESV). And that only happens when we see one another in fellowship.

            We also need to be there for people who need someone. Widows (Acts 6:1–7; 1 Timothy 5:3), orphans (James 1:27), and the poor (Galatians 2:10; Romans 12:13) all need us. Christians sometimes resist the fact that we need other people involved in our lives. We want to be independent. But in the life of a disciple, dependence on others is essential.

THEY EVANGELIZE OTHERS

            The New Testament says some people have the “gift” of evangelism and this tempts us to leave it for others gifted in that area. But every disciple is called to evangelize others.

A disciple of Jesus Christ shares the gospel regularly. Peter tells us to always be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15, ESV).

While we might not travel thousands of miles to preach the gospel like Paul or write a letter to many people while exiled on an island like John, we must be ready to share the gospel in every situation.

            This “picture” of a disciple is what I discerned from study the New Testament. I encourage you to pray and study the New Testament to discern what the picture looks like for you and your church.

            With that I said, I have not always been a good disciple. For a period of my life I engaged in deep study of Scripture while not encouraging others who needed it. At another time I was so focused on being a good Christian that I neglected to tell others about Jesus. But the New Testament paints a complete picture of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Like Mr. Koepp, my PE teacher, our Lord wants people playing for His team who are well-rounded. Disciples should pursue all of these qualities: embracing His word, embodying His kingdom, encouraging one another, and evangelizing others. I pray you and me can pastor churches that develop God’s “picture” of a disciple.