The Slowly Acquired Virtue Is PATIENCE

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The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – PATIENCE #5

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against these things.” [Galatians 5:22-23 NLT]

We need to understand that love is the first characteristic of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is well placed at the head of the list, for it permeates all the rest of the attributes. Somehow, if we live a life of love, the other virtues will attend us all the days of our lives. Love is the key that unlocks the entire fruit basket of Galatians 5:22-23, as well as permeating 1 Corinthians 13.

Desire For Restoration

In Nehemiah 9:29-31 NLT says, “29 “You warned them to return to your Law, but they became proud and obstinate and disobeyed your commands. They did not follow your regulations, by which people will find life if only they obey. They stubbornly turned their backs on you and refused to listen. 30 In your love, you were patient with them for many years. You sent your Spirit, who warned them through the prophets. But still, they wouldn’t listen! So once again you allowed the peoples of the land to conquer them. 31 But in your great mercy, you did not destroy them completely or abandon them forever. What a gracious and merciful God you are!”

After the Festival of Shelters, the people gathered to hear the Word of the Lord, confess their sins, and commit themselves to keeping the stipulations of the covenant. The prayer of Nehemiah 9:4-37 could well be used to trace Israel’s religious history. It covers the covenants with Abraham and Moses, national rebellion, God’s compassion, the period of the Judges, the Exile and the captivity, and the present state of the returned nation. Wearing “sackcloth” (Nehemiah 9:1) was a common expression of grief and sadness. God used the Holy Spirit to communicate His revelation to the prophets (Nehemiah 9:30; cf. 2 Pet. 1:21).

Nehemiah recorded the names of the civic and religious leaders who signed the covenant renewal document (Nehemiah 10). Mosaic legislation required the payment of one-fifth of an ounce of silver (Exodus 30:11-16), but Nehemiah apparently reduced it in light of economic conditions (Nehemiah 10:32). The obligations agreed upon (Nehemiah 10:29-39) may be summarized in their final words: “We promise together not to neglect the Temple of our God” (Nehemiah 10:39).

The spirit of this Nehemiah passage is echoed in 2 Peter 3:8-9: “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

To our frenzied, earth bound view, God may appear slow in keeping His second-coming promises. Yet it is not so, said Peter. God is not slow; He just works from a different timetable than we do. He is deliberate in extending the day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again so that as many people as possible may be saved.

Patience is not a flaw in God; it is the glory of God. If God can extend His all-important, worldwide agenda by pacing Himself so as to save all, perhaps the practice of patience would do us all good. Amen!

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The Unhurried Virtue Is PATIENCE

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The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – PATIENCE #4

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against these things.” [Galatians 5:22-23 NLT]

We need to understand that love is the first characteristic of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is well placed at the head of the list, for it permeates all the rest of the attributes. Somehow, if we live a life of love, the other virtues will attend us all the days of our lives. Love is the key that unlocks the entire fruit basket of Galatians 5:22-23, as well as permeating 1 Corinthians 13.

Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor

In Matthew 18:21 – 35 NLT says, “21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” 22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven! 23 “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. 24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. 25 He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold – along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned – to pay the debt. 26 “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ 27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt. 28 “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. 29 “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. 30 But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full. 31 “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. 32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.
35 “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”

Peter asked our Lord Jesus Christ a question commonly discussed in rabbinic debates. The common answer was that it was considered sufficient to forgive three times. Peter may have chosen the number seven not only to indicate generosity, but also because the number seven is commonly used in the Bible to communicate completeness.

Our Lord Jesus Christ’s answer did not mean His followers ought to keep count up to seventy times seven; rather, this statement means not to keep track of numbers at all. There ought to be no limit to a believer’s willingness to forgive another believer (within the confines of the steps set out above in helping to restore straying believers, Matthew 18:15-20). All believers ought to willingly forgive, for all believers have already been forgiven far beyond their comprehension, as the following parable shows.

This parable is recorded only in Matthew and illustrates the need for unlimited forgiveness in the body of Christ. A king decided that he wanted to go over the books with his accountant. This first man found himself in debt for a huge sum of money.

The man couldn’t pay the king the millions that he owed, so the king ordered that he, his family, and his possessions be sold to pay the debt. The sale of family as well as possessions to pay debts was common in ancient times.

The man humbly fell down before the king and begged for patience. The merciful king was filled with pity, released him and forgave his debt. This highly unlikely turn of events would have surprised our Lord Jesus Christ’s listeners. What an incredible load must have been taken from his shoulders! Unfortunately, the story doesn’t end here.

The king had forgiven a debt of millions of dollars and had let his servant go free. But when that servant left, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. The thousands he was owed was a significant amount, but compared to the millions, it was extremely small. The fellow servant also begged for patience but was refused, arrested, and jailed until the debt could be paid.

Compared to what the first servant had been forgiven, his refusal to forgive another was appalling. Apparently other servants (other court officials) thought his behavior was appalling as well, so they went to the king and told him what had happened.

For some reason, the first servant just didn’t understand. After being forgiven millions of dollars, he threw into prison a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand. But before he continued too far on his merry way, he found himself summoned back to the king. The king, who had been so merciful, angrily reproved the servant for accepting forgiveness and then being unwilling to extend forgiveness to another. The servant should have had mercy on his fellow servant.

The king was so angry that he sent the man to prison. Because this man would not forgive another, the king decided not to forgive his debt either. Instead, the man would be imprisoned until he had paid every penny. This man effectively received a life sentence.

The king in the parable represents the heavenly Father and pictures his role as judge. In the context of interchurch discipline, the parable could underscore the corporate responsibility of the church to deal righteously with erring members. This includes harsh judgment on those who hurt the fellowship by refusing to forgive one another. But because God has forgiven all our sins, we should not withhold forgiveness from others. Realizing how completely our Lord Jesus Christ has forgiven us should produce a free and generous attitude of forgiveness toward others. When we don’t forgive others, we are saying that we appreciate God’s love and forgiveness but that we’re unwilling to give it to anyone else.

Elias more often offended Christie. Elias says, “I’m sorry, Christie, will you forgive me?” “Certainly, Elias. It was nothing; forget it,” says Christie. Then Elias does the same offensive thing again. “I’m sorry, Christie, will you forgive me?” “Certainly, Elias, but try not to do it again.” Then Elias does the same offensive thing again. “I’m sorry, Christie, will you forgive me?” “Uh … let me think about it, and I’ll get back to you.”

Meanwhile, Christie, who wishes Elias would get hold his moral inconsistencies, also sins. It’s the same sin she regularly commits against God, and she goes before the Lord and says, “Oh, God, I know I’ve begged your forgiveness a thousand times for this same sin, but will you forgive me once more?” And Christie is surprised to hear God’s answer: “I don’t know, Christie. Did you ever get back to Elias?”

How often should we forgive our loved ones and/or neighbors? One more time than they ask. Patience is an unhurried virtue. Patience waits and forgives and waits and forgives. So, let’s forget and forgive others. Amen!

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Living By God’s Timetable Is PATIENCE

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The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – PATIENCE #3

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against these things.” [Galatians 5:22-23 NLT]

We need to understand that love is the first characteristic of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is well placed at the head of the list, for it permeates all the rest of the attributes. Somehow, if we live a life of love, the other virtues will attend us all the days of our lives. Love is the key that unlocks the entire fruit basket of Galatians 5:22-23, as well as permeating 1 Corinthians 13.

Job’s Response to Eliphaz

In Job 7:6 NLT says, “My days fly faster than a weaver’s shuttle. They end without hope.”

The rapid motion of a weaver’s beam is used to portray the quick passing of life from birth to death (Psalm 78:39; 90:5). While the nights are endured as long, the days fly by without hope and significance – a continuous blur as they shuttle by.

In his response to Eliphaz (Job 6–7), Job argued that any sin he might have committed was far outweighed by the calamity he had suffered. He said there was no need for complaint when all was going well (Job 6:5) and that food and salt go together (Job 6:6) just as trouble and wailing do.

In this passage, Job laments that his days are “swifter than a weaver’s shuttle.” They are not only brief, they’re pointless. Routine is at once our killer and our savior. To get up and do the same thing every day gives us a way to live and a reason to get up every morning. But Job’s reaction is one often made by people whose routines do not furnish them with meaning. Job had to cry out in his despair that not all the requirements of his life were providing him with much hope.

Still, the crisis itself may speak to that which is noblest. Since we cannot outrun a weaver’s shuttle, maybe we ought to focus on those values that the passing of time cannot steal. What values are timeless? What makes values valuable? Only one thing – values assigned by God never fade. The sense of the hurriedness of life belongs to us all – those who use their time well and those who don’t. But those who give their days and years to God do triumph over time. Those who focus on cultivating the values of God find that life is meaningful even in the rush of life.

Job, like all of us, must still get up, even on those hopeless days, and determine to pace our living. We must determine that the larger goals are to cultivate a heart for God, no matter what the day may bring. The habit of patience is reflective. It thinks about God and His purposes in our lives. Patience – the pacing of our affairs – says to the hurried, frantic clocks that surround us: “We can speed our day toward the grave, but we alone determine the quality of meaning those days will hold.” Amen!

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PATIENCE Brings The Blessings Of God

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The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – PATIENCE #2

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against these things.” [Galatians 5:22-23 NLT]

We need to understand that love is the first characteristic of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is well placed at the head of the list, for it permeates all the rest of the attributes. Somehow, if we live a life of love, the other virtues will attend us all the days of our lives. Love is the key that unlocks the entire fruit basket of Galatians 5:22-23, as well as permeating 1 Corinthians 13.

No Reception of God’s Promises

In Hebrews 11:32-40 NLT says, “32 How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. 33 By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. 35 Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. 36 Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. 37 Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. 38 They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. 39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. 40 For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.”

These last examples cement the critical truth of faith: they believed in the unseen realities of promise as defined by God’s word. These believers suffered in pain, but they held fast to His word (cf. Hebrews 1:1). One reason that these Old Testament saints did not realize the fulfillment of all God had promised was that the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ had not yet taken place. The readers of this letter had something far better – the blessings of the new covenant (Hebrews 8:6-13). But believers still live with the unseen promise of Christ’s return as a challenge to their worldly and faithless tendencies.

The roll call of heroes continues. The Old Testament records the lives of many people who experienced great victories; a few are selected for mention here. None of these people were perfect; in fact, many of their sins are recorded in the Old Testament. But these were among those who believed in God:

Gideon, one of Israel’s judges, was known for conquering the Midianite army with only three hundred men who were armed with trumpets and jars (Judges 6:11–8:35).

Barak served with Deborah (another judge of Israel) in conquering the army of General Sisera from Hazor (Judges 4:4-23).

Samson, another judge, was a mighty warrior against God’s enemies, the Philistines (Judges 13–16).

Jephthah, still another judge, delivered Israel from the Ammonites (Judges 11:1-33).

David, the beloved king of Israel and a great warrior, brought peace to Israel, defeating all of his enemies.

Samuel, the last judge of Israel, was a very wise leader. He also was a prophet. Samuel, along with all the prophets, served God selflessly as they conveyed God’s words to an often-rebellious people.

These people demonstrated that faith will accomplish much:
They overthrew kingdoms. Throughout their years in the Promised Land, the Israelites had great leaders who brought victory against their enemies. People such as Joshua, all of the judges, and King David were great warriors.
They ruled with justice. Many of the judges, as well as leaders such as Nehemiah, administered justice to the people.
They received what God had promised. Some people actually did see the fulfillment of some of God’s promises, such as possession of the Promised Land.

They shut the mouths of lions. Daniel was saved from the mouths of lions (Daniel 6). This statement could also refer to Samson (Judges 14:6) or to David (1 Samuel 17:34-35). They quenched the flames. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were kept from harm in the furious flames of a fiery furnace (Daniel 3). They escaped death by the edge of the sword. Elijah (1 Kings 19:2-8) and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 36:19, 26) had this experience. Their weakness was turned to strength. Hezekiah was one who regained strength after sickness (2 Kings 20). They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. This refers to Joshua, many of Israel’s judges, King Saul, and King David.

Some even received their loved ones back again from death. The widow from Zarephath received her son back from the dead because of Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-24), and so did the Shunammite woman, through Elisha (2 Kings 4:8-37).

We, too, can experience victory through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. We may have experiences similar to those of the Old Testament saints; more likely, however, our victories will be directly related to the role God wants us to play. Our lives may not include the kinds of dramatic events recorded here, but it surely includes moments where faith is tested. Give and/or words of our testimonies to those moments, publicly and honestly, and thereby encourage the faith of others.

While the above examples mention great victory – there is a victory that may not seem so. Other believers were tortured, preferring to die rather than turn from God. These faithful people experienced the blessings and endured persecution because they placed their hope in the resurrection. These people lived by faith because they knew that gaining the world and achieving this world’s success was not their objective. They waited for a better life that would begin after death. This promise of a better life encouraged them during persecution and other difficulties.

These descriptions could apply to many people who lived by faith – including some who were part of the community of the original readers of this epistle. Many Christians were persecuted and punished for their faith. They were:
Mocked – like Elisha (2 Kings 2:23-25), Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2:19; 4:1), and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 18:12).

Cut open with whips – like Jeremiah (Jeremiah 37:15).

Chained in dungeons – like Joseph (Genesis 40:15), Samson (Judges 16:21), Micaiah (1 Kings 22:26-27), Hanani (1 Chronicles 16:10), and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 37:16; 38:6).

Killed by stoning – like Zechariah (1 Chronicles 24:20-21); according to Jerome, Jeremiah was stoned at the hands of Jewish Egyptians because he denounced their idolatry.

Killed by being sawed in half – like Isaiah, presumably. Although we do not know for sure, tradition (from the apocryphal book, The Ascension of Isaiah, chapters 1–5) says that the prophet Isaiah was sawed in half at the command of King Manasseh because Isaiah had predicted the destruction of the temple. Isaiah had at first escaped and hid in the trunk of a tree while in the hill country. Manassah supposedly had the tree sawed in half with Isaiah in it.

Killed with the sword – although some prophets did escape death by the sword, others did not (see 1 Kings 19:10).
Many of God’s followers who lived before our Lord Jesus Christ and many who have lived after our Lord Jesus Christ have been persecuted. Their clothing was the skins of sheep and goats. Many faced being hungry, oppressed, and mistreated. Some had to wander and hide in the wilderness. Despite their difficult lot, the writer of Hebrews claims that they were too good for this world. These people were great men and women of faith.

All of the above people mentioned by name and those alluded to received God’s approval because of their faith. These people looked forward to a better day and salvation, but none of them received all that God had promised. Of course, they saw some of God’s promises fulfilled, but not the promises that referred to the new covenant and the promised eternal Kingdom. These people did not live to see the Kingdom arrive, but their future citizenship was secure there. Thus, they were able to endure suffering.

Hebrews 11 has been called faith’s “hall of fame.” No doubt the author surprised his readers by this conclusion: these mighty Jewish heroes did not receive God’s full reward because they died before our Lord Jesus Christ came. In God’s plan, they and the Christian believers (who were also enduring much testing) would be rewarded together.

The far better things that God has in mind refers to the new covenant. The forefathers did not receive this; rather, it is experienced by those who live after the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, for He is the one who introduced the new covenant and the new promises (see Hebrews 1:2).

There is a solidarity among believers (see Hebrews 12:23). Old and New Testament believers will receive the prize together. Not only are we one in the body of Christ with all those alive, but we are also one with all those who ever lived. One day all believers will share in the promised blessing with our Lord Jesus Christ. We will then be complete and perfect in Him.

Hebrews Chapter 12 contains clues regarding the situation of the believers to whom this letter was written. They have been encouraged not to drift away (Hebrews 2:1), but in this chapter we perceive a community weary of persecution, struggling to stay strong in an increasingly hostile environment, but weakening perhaps to the point of giving up and turning away from their faith.

What is the plan that God has prepared for us? What is the “something better”? Who can say for sure? His purpose will not be entirely consummated until our Lord Jesus Christ splits the skies and history is finished. And then we will know the end of all truth. God never lies; all that He has promised will come to be after we have waited long enough. Patience will at last expose us to glory immeasurable, for patience is the key to the final blessing of God. Amen!

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PATIENCE Is The Art Of Waiting On God

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The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – PATIENCE #1

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against these things.” [Galatians 5:22-23 NLT]

We need to understand that love is the first characteristic of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is well placed at the head of the list, for it permeates all the rest of the attributes. Somehow, if we live a life of love, the other virtues will attend us all the days of our lives. Love is the key that unlocks the entire fruit basket of Galatians 5:22-23, as well as permeating 1 Corinthians 13.

The Day of Our Lord Jesus Christ is Coming Sooner!

In 2 Peter 3:1-16 NLT says, “1 This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory. 2 I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles. 3 Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. 4 They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” 5 They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of His command, and He brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. 6 Then He used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. 7 And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed. 8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. 11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, 12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, He will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth He has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness. 14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in His sight.
15 And remember, the Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him – 16 speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.”

Peter’s purpose was to remind the believers that their lives ought to be characterized by wholesome thinking (meaning sincerity or purity of understanding). Plato had used this phrase to refer to pure reason uncontaminated by the senses. The thinking and intentions of God’s people must be able to stand up under scrutiny and not be led astray by immoral desires (Philippians 4:8-9).

The way to maintain “wholesome thinking” (2 Peter 3:1) is to remember and understand Scripture. The holy prophets had written about the coming of the Messiah, and what he would command through his apostles. Most likely this refers to the law as upheld by our Lord Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount and propagated by the apostles (see 2 Peter 2:21).

The Holy Spirit unified the prophets and apostles in an unchanging message of hope and truth. The prophets had written of the Messiah, who would come to bring judgment and restore the Kingdom; those words had come to pass. The apostles had spoken and written that our Lord Jesus Christ the Messiah would return to bring judgment. Thus, believers should live expectantly, knowing that those words will also come to pass.

We, along with the first-century believers, ought to be prepared for anything because we have been warned what to watch for and how to live. Peter wrote that in the last days there will be scoffers. The “last days” began with our Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrection and will continue until His return, when He will set up His Kingdom and judge all humanity.

Our Lord Jesus Christ and the apostles warned that during that interim, including the time period we live in, scoffers will laugh at the truth (see 1 Timothy 4:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:1-9). Once again, Peter was referring to false teachers who deny our Lord Jesus Christ and thereby deny His second coming (2 Peter 3:4). These false teachers will laugh at the truth of God’s word and instead do every evil thing they desire. Peter called the believers to remember the Scriptures and to live to please God; but the false teachers will scoff at the Scriptures and will live to please themselves and their sinful desires. Ironically, the very presence of these men who scoffed at prophecy was itself fulfillment of prophecy.

The false teachers’ scoffing focused on our Lord Jesus Christ’s second coming. Our Lord Jesus Christ had promised that He would come back (Mark 13:24-27), but many years had passed and nothing had happened. The scoffers based their argument on the fact that everything has remained exactly the same since the world was first created.

Many first-century Christians believed that our Lord Jesus Christ would come in their lifetime. When Christians began to die without experiencing the Lord’s return, some began to doubt. These were prime targets for the false teachers, who pointed out that perhaps it was all a lie and Jesus Christ was never going to return. The false teachers argued that ever since creation, the world has continued in a natural order, a system of cause-and-effect. They did not believe that God would intervene or allow anything out of the ordinary (such as miracles) to occur. Therefore, they scoffed at teachings about a Second Coming and the end of the world. I like the old song, “End of The World by Skeeter Davis in memory of my mother – Herminia M. Aguilar (her maiden name). I remember she plays the piano of that song.

What these scoffers were forgetting in their argument (that the world had remained unchanged since creation) was that God made the heavens. The Creation disproves their “all things continue” argument because the creation of the earth was an imposed change on the formless void (Genesis 1:1-2). The very reason the world was continuing on in a stable, predictable pattern was because God, in His grace, had created it that way. However, this stability should not be taken for granted. The false teachers deliberately forgot that God also had destroyed the evil world with a mighty flood.

As God destroyed the earth before, He has also commanded that the heavens and the earth will be consumed by fire on the day of judgment. In Noah’s day the earth was judged by water; at the Second Coming it will be judged by fire (see Isaiah 66:15-16; Malachi 4:1; Revelation 19:20; 20:10-15). Judgment has already been decided. Ungodly people will perish; it is only a matter of God’s timing. Scholars have debated whether Peter was referring to a literal fiery destruction of the entire universe with new heavens and earth to follow, or to “fire of judgment.” Second Peter is the only New Testament book that says the world will actually be destroyed by fire (2 Peter 3:10-11). The passages cited above refer primarily to the fire of God’s judgment. If taken that way, the fire purifies the earth, burns up the Lord’s enemies and the futile works of humanity, and makes the earth new for our Lord Jesus Christ’s eternal reign. Peter’s point was that destruction would come, and the godless (those who have not believed) will not escape.

Peter had made his point that our Lord Jesus Christ would certainly return and bring judgment, but the question still remained, “Why was the Lord delaying so long?” Peter offered two reasons in 2 Peter 3:8-9.

First of all, the Lord does not count time as people do. He is above and outside of the sphere of time. God sees all of eternity past and eternity future. Indeed, to Him a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day (Psalm 90:4). God may have seemed slow to these believers as they faced persecution every day and longed to be delivered. But God is not slow; He simply doesn’t operate according to our timetable.

The second reason for the Lord being slow about His promise to return was His patience. He does not want anyone to perish, so He is giving more time for everyone to repent. He wants as many people as will to come to have faith in Him. God is not “slow” at all; rather, according to His timetable, He is being exceedingly patient, giving people time to turn to Him. Love is the reason that He delays the destruction of the world.

Some have attempted to make this verse mean that ultimately everyone will be saved. But nowhere does Scripture teach universal salvation. This verse means that God, in His great compassion, does not desire that anyone should “perish” (referring to eternal destruction and/or eternal death). He wants every person to turn to Him and trust Him. God is loving, but He also executes perfect justice. His perfect love causes Him to be merciful to those who recognize their sin and turn back to Him, but He cannot ignore those who willfully sin. Wicked people die both physically and spiritually. God takes no joy in their deaths; He would prefer that they turn to Hm and have eternal life. However, the promise of judgment and destruction show that God knows that many will not choose to follow Him.

The day of the Lord is the day of our Lord Jesus Christ’s return and of God’s judgment on the earth. Peter repeated a warning used by our Lord Jesus Christ, that this day will come as unexpectedly as a thief (see also Matthew 24:42-44). Our Lord Jesus Christ’s second coming will be swift, sudden, unexpected, and terrible for those who do not believe in Him. The day of the Lord will be a time of judgment and destruction. Again, quoting words that he had heard our Lord Jesus Christ say, Peter described the coming end (see Matthew 24:29; Luke 21:25). Peter described three aspects of the conflagration:
The heavens will pass away with a terrible noise describes the end of the earth’s atmosphere and the sky above.
Everything in them will disappear in fire could mean that the celestial bodies will also be destroyed (the sun, moon, stars, and planets).

The earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment is an extremely difficult phrase, which has given rise to numerous textual variants in various manuscripts. Some of the readings speak of the earth disappearing, others of it being burned up, and others of it being “exposed” so that all the works that people counted on in this earth in place of God will be revealed for their futility, and then they will all be annihilated. (See also Hebrews 1:10-12.)

When will these events occur? Some have placed them between the events of Revelation 20 (the thousand-year reign of Christ, Satan’s doom, the final judgment) and Revelation 21 (new heaven and new earth, the descent of the new Jerusalem).

Peter explained that this earth will not last forever. As God intervened in the past to judge the earth by water, so one day, He will intervene again. But in that day, the judgment will be by fire, and everything will be destroyed. Those who presume to take God’s delay of this judgment to mean that they can do as they please will find themselves surprised upon His return. And when the destruction occurs, there will be no second chances and no escape for those who have chosen to disobey the Creator. However, in the following verses, Peter turned his attention to the believers, writing to them about how they should live in light of the coming judgment.

Peter’s description of the coming destruction of the earth ought to cause Born-Again Christians to carefully examine their lives so that they are holy and godly. Such lives would be in direct contrast to the unholy living and godlessness found in the world. Such lives, lived through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, will continue on after the coming destruction. Because of that knowledge, the Christians need not fear that day; they could instead actually look forward to it.

Peter wrote that the believers can also actually hurry it along by continuing to live holy (dedicated to God and separated from evil) and godly (characterized by personal piety and worship) lives, praying (Matthew 6:10), and telling people about the Gospel (Matthew 24:14). Born-Again Christians are not called to sit and wait for the inevitable end; instead, our mission during our time on earth is to live for God and to tell the world the Gospel message. Our Lord Jesus Christ had explained that, before His return, “the Good News must first be preached to every nation” (Mark 13:10).

As noted above, at the end God will set the heavens on fire and the elements will melt away in the flames (2 Peter 3:10). These will happen as a direct result of the coming of the day of God. The earth’s destruction will not be the result of any natural winding-down of the universe, but the result of God’s sovereign will, occurring according to His plan.

Born-Again Christian believers look forward to the end of the earth only because it means the fulfillment of another of God’s promises – His creation of the new heavens and new earth. God’s purpose for people is not destruction but re-creation; not annihilation, but renewal. God will purify the heavens and earth with fire; then He will create them anew. All Born-Again Christian believers can joyously look forward to the restoration of God’s good world (Romans 8:21). In a beautiful description of the new heavens and earth, Born-Again Christian believers are assured that it will be a world where everyone is right with God because God Himself will live among His people (including us, we as Born-Again Christians) (see Revelation 21:1-4, 22-27). Amen! We/re looking forward for that glorious day! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!

As we as Born-Again Christian believers waited, perhaps impatiently, for the Lord’s return, Peter reminded them that the Lord is waiting so that people have time to be saved. God’s patience means salvation for many more who will have the chance to respond to the Gospel message.

When reading the various letters of the New Testament, it is interesting to study the interrelationships among the writers. Peter was one of our Lord Jesus Christ’s twelve disciples. He later became the undisputed leader of the church in Jerusalem. Paul came along later, after he was converted on the Damascus road by a vision of Jesus Christ (Acts 9). Paul was also considered an apostle. Peter and Paul had great respect for each other as they worked in the ministries to which God had called them.

By the time of Peter’s writing, Paul’s letters already had a widespread reputation. Peter backed up his words with the believers’ apparent knowledge that Paul had also written to them about this very topic. Peter recognized the value of Paul’s letters in the growth of the church, for he described Paul as writing them with the wisdom God gave him. The teachings of the apostles were never distorted by the person or area of ministry. Whether the letter came from Paul or Peter, the message could be depended on to be the same, for it had come from God Himself.

Notice that Peter wrote of Paul’s letters as if they were on a level with other parts of Scripture. Already the early church was considering Paul’s letters to be inspired by God. Both Peter and Paul were aware that they were speaking God’s word along with the Old Testament prophets (see 1 Thessalonians 2:13). In the early days of the church, the letters from the apostles were read to the believers and often passed along to other churches. Sometimes the letters were copied and then passed on. The believers regarded these writings to be as authoritative as the Old Testament Scriptures.

Some readers may have been put off by some of Paul’s comments that were hard to understand. But the cure is not to listen to those who would twist the truth, but instead to continue to increase in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The better we know our Lord Jesus Christ, the less attractive false teaching will be. The false teachers twisted all of Scripture to mean whatever they wanted. However, this would result in disaster. So, let’s be strong and courageous in our spiritual and physical health. Amen!

In the stretch between our small, short lives and the never-ending life of the Great God, we fidget and grow impatient. The answer is for us to move in closer to God and dwell in His everlasting light; only there will we find contentment with no impatience. Amen!

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PEACE Is The Reign Of The HOLY SPIRIT

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The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – PEACE #5

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against these things.” [Galatians 5:22-23 NLT]

We need to understand that love is the first characteristic of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is well placed at the head of the list, for it permeates all the rest of the attributes. Somehow, if we live a life of love, the other virtues will attend us all the days of our lives. Love is the key that unlocks the entire fruit basket of Galatians 5:22-23, as well as permeating 1 Corinthians 13.

The Faith of the Thessalonian Believers

In 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10 NLT says, “2 We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. 3 As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be His own people. 5 For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you. 6 So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. 7 As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece – throughout both Macedonia and Achaia. 8 And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don’t need to tell them about it, 9 for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God. 10 And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven – Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.”

Paul began this letter by introducing three men well known to the Thessalonian church. Paul was the head of this missionary team and key writer of this letter. Silas was a prophet (Acts 15:32) who was held in high esteem by the Jerusalem church. Silas accompanied Paul on his second missionary journey (Acts 15:36–17:15) and helped him establish the church in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-9). The young Christian named Timothy joined Paul and Silas during Paul’s second missionary journey. The account in the book of Acts describes the preaching of Paul and Silas in Thessalonica (Acts 17:4). Envious and angry Jewish leaders watched many from their synagogue follow our Lord Jesus Christ. When a riot broke out, Paul and Silas had to leave under cover of darkness.

Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica. The Greek word for church is ekklesia, meaning “assembly.” These people were part of the assembly in Thessalonica that belonged to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This set them apart from all the other “assemblies” that may have been meeting in Thessalonica.

Paul combined expressions from Jewish and Gentile customs. Jews wished each other peace (Greek eirene or Hebrew shalom); Gentiles wished each other grace (charis). When Christians used these words in greeting, the meaning was significant. Our Lord Jesus Christ offers grace to handle life’s difficulties; He offers peace that gives inner calm – no matter what the outward circumstances.

In many ancient letters, an introduction would be followed by a word of encouragement; Paul often followed this pattern. In most of his letters he would thank God for the believers. Paul told the Thessalonians, a young church facing persecution, that he and the other apostles always thanked God for all of them and prayed for them constantly. Paul was not depending on his great skills or his teaching to carry the young believers; instead, he was trusting in God to guide and protect them. Paul spent much time traveling and preaching, but apparently, he spent much time on his knees praying for the believers.

The Thessalonian believers had stood firm when persecuted (1 Thessalonians 1:6; 3:1-4, 7-8). Paul commended these young Christians for their faithful work, loving deeds, and continual anticipation of our Lord Jesus Christ’s return. Their work had been produced by faith. Paul made it clear that believers are saved by faith alone (Ephesians 2:9), but then faith should produce good works in the believers. The Thessalonians’ good deeds had been prompted by love. The believers were willing to give of themselves (even if it meant hardship) in service to others. Only God’s kind of love could prompt such willing labor. Their anticipation of the Lord’s return helped them to be strong in the face of opposition and difficulty because they know that God sees all and one day will make everything right.

Paul, Silas, and Timothy could resolutely say to the believers in Thessalonica that God chose them. That God “chooses” His people forms the basis of the doctrine of election – defined as God’s choice of an individual or group for a specific purpose or destiny. The doctrine of election teaches that believers are saved only because of God’s grace and mercy, not because of their own merit. God does not save anyone because that person deserves to be saved; rather, He graciously and freely gives salvation to whomever He chooses.

Paul knew that these believers had been chosen by God because his presentation of the Good News brought great results. Paul and his companions had brought the message to Thessalonica. There were no believers when they arrived; when they left, a strong church had been planted. This was not a source of pride for the apostles.

However, when Paul brought the message to people, he spoke with words, and God used those words to ignite the Thessalonians to understand and believe that message. God had used Paul’s words by enveloping them in divine power (see also 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Ephesians 6:17). Paul’s words alone could not persuade anyone to believe or open a needy heart to hear the message. But his words – combined with the power of the Holy Spirit to convince, enlighten, and comfort the listeners – could help many to believe what Paul was saying and give their hearts and lives to our Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.

The last half of this 1 Thessalonians Chapter 1 Verse 5 points to Chapter 2 where Paul discusses his ministry with them. The Thessalonians could see that what Paul, Silas, and Timothy were preaching was true because these men lived it. They demonstrated their willingness to face opposition, travel under adverse conditions, and work without being paid while dealing with severe frustrations.

The message of salvation, though welcomed with great joy, brought the Thessalonian believers severe suffering because it led to persecution from both Jews and Gentiles (1 Thessalonians 3:2-4; Acts 17:5). By doing so, they imitated both the apostles (Acts 16:16-40; 2 Corinthians 11:16-33) and the Lord (John 15:18-19, 20, 21). The same Holy Spirit who empowered the Gospel message also opened hearts to receive the message and then gave joy to the hearers. The Holy Spirit works in those presenting the message and those hearing and accepting it. He gives “joy” (see Galatians 5:22).

The Gospel had come to them with power – power from the Holy Spirit. The message had come by the Holy Spirit, and the result was changed lives. The Holy Spirit with His nine gifts is a great blessings to have from heaven. What are the wonders of the Holy Spirit, and what is it that He does in our lives? Please read and meditate on the whole book of Romans Chapter 8.

In 1 Thessalonians 1:7-10 describe that the Thessalonians had followed the example of the apostles and of the Lord Himself (1 Thessalonians 1:6), and they, in turn, had become an example to all the Christians in Greece. Paul praised this church (no other church received this particular type of praise) because not only were they model believers to an unbelieving world, but they were also examples and/or models to other believers. These Thessalonian believers had a worldwide reputation and were an example to all the other churches. The message of these believers’ lives had an effect even beyond Greece – their faith was known everywhere.

So well-known was the Thessalonians’ faith that Paul did not need to talk about it – believers in other places brought it up first! Any believer from any church might be found talking about what was going on in Thessalonica. The other churches knew how some people in Thessalonica had turned away from idols to serve the true and living God. In fact, they were suffering severely for this change of faith and life (1 Thessalonians 1:6). The impact of this may slip past modern ears. The idols, the Greek “gods,” were considered to be extremely powerful. For these Thessalonians, living barely 50 miles from Mount Olympus where the Greek gods were said to live, to “turn from” their many false idols to the one true God had caused significant change in all areas of their lives. No wonder they faced persecution.

In addition to turning and serving, the Thessalonians were waiting. The Christian life doesn’t end at death. All believers await God’s Son from heaven. All believers look forward to the Second Coming when our Lord Jesus Christ will take His followers to be with Him, rescuing them from the terrors of the coming judgment. This refers to the time when God will display His anger toward a sinful world and destroy all evil (see 1 Thessalonians 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10). God’s wrath is a certainty, for He will not let sin continue unabated forever.

We as Born-Again Christian believers, however, can trust in our Savior who would rescue us who rescued Thessalonian believers. Paul emphasized our Lord Jesus Christ’s second coming throughout this book. Because the Thessalonian church was being persecuted, Paul encouraged them to look forward to the deliverance that our Lord Jesus Christ would bring.

Our hope is in the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, the great God and Savior (Titus 2:13). Just as surely as our Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and ascended into heaven, He will return (Acts 1:11).

What is the grand legacy of all this fire and wind? Peace! Reconciliation with God is God’s aim in this stressed-out world. The answer is never to try to unstress things. Don’t go to different religions and evil spiritual rituals that deprave your mind. Not yoga meditating on something or someone else that we don’t know. But meditate on God’s words with the Holy Spirit guidance and comfort that will give us peace. The answer is to confess Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord of our lives, receive the Holy Spirit, and enjoy the peace. Amen!

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PEACE Is The Companionship Of Our Lord JESUS CHRIST

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The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – PEACE #5

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against these things.” [Galatians 5:22-23 NLT]

We need to understand that love is the first characteristic of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is well placed at the head of the list, for it permeates all the rest of the attributes. Somehow, if we live a life of love, the other virtues will attend us all the days of our lives. Love is the key that unlocks the entire fruit basket of Galatians 5:22-23, as well as permeating 1 Corinthians 13.

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

In Luke 24:13-17; 30-39 NLT says, “13 That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus Himself suddenly came and began walking with them. 16 But God kept them from recognizing Him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

30 As they sat down to eat, He took the bread and blessed it. Then He broke it and gave it to them. 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him. And at that moment He disappeared! 32 They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as He talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” 33 And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, 34 who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.”

35 Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized Him as He was breaking the bread. 36 And just as they were telling about it, Jesus Himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” He said. 37 But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! 38 “Why are you frightened?” He asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? 39 Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.”

Luke Chapter 24 Verses 13-14 describe that this event occurred on Sunday, the same day as the Resurrection. Two followers of our Lord Jesus Christ were leaving Jerusalem and walking the seven miles to the village of Emmaus. Little is known of these disciples; one was named Cleopas (Luke 24:18), and the other was not one of the eleven disciples, as noted by Luke 24:33. During their walk, they were talking about everything that had happened.

Moving forward to Verses 15-16, they describe the two men were deep in discussion as they walked along. Apparently, a man walking in the same direction drew up beside them (they knew He had been in Jerusalem, Luke 24:18). This man was our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, but they were kept from recognizing Him. In other appearances after the Resurrection, our Lord Jesus Christ was also not recognized at first (John 20:14; 21:4). Here, God prevented these men from seeing Jesus Christ until our Lord Jesus Christ was ready to reveal Himself to them (Luke 24:30-31). God’s divine sovereignty kept them from understanding until the full reality of the bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ could be understood.

Verse 17 describes our Lord Jesus Christ, who had walked up behind these men during their deep discussion, asked what they were so concerned about. At our Lord Jesus Christ’s question, they stopped short in their sadness. Apparently, in their discussion they had been unable to come to any understanding, so they were still sad and upset about what had occurred.

Reading forward, our Lord Jesus Christ had apparently walked up behind these men, so they assumed that He too, was a pilgrim traveling home from Jerusalem. If He had been in Jerusalem, how could He not have known what had happened there?

Our Lord Jesus Christ asked what things had occurred. They answered that much had happened to a man named Jesus. The two followers described Him as a prophet who did wonderful miracles and a mighty teacher. They had heard Jesus teach and had seen Him perform miracles of healing; but, as far as they knew, He had died like all the other prophets before Him.

The telling item in this statement is that these two disciples knew who was responsible for our Lord Jesus Christ’s death. The Romans may have actually done the executing, but the Jews’ (they said our) leading priests and other religious leaders arrested Him and handed Him over. If all of Jerusalem knew what had happened, then the religious leaders’ plan to try to blame the execution on the Romans had failed. Everyone knew the leaders’ role in our Lord Jesus Christ’s death.

The disciples from Emmaus had thought that our Lord Jesus Christ could rescue Israel. Most Jews believed that the Old Testament prophecies pointed to a military and political Messiah who would free the nation from Roman tyranny. Our Lord Jesus Christ had come to redeem, however, and had indeed paid a huge price – His life. No one comprehended this yet. They didn’t realize that the Messiah had come to redeem people from slavery to sin. When our Lord Jesus Christ died, therefore, they lost all hope. Their report that, that all happened three days ago reveals a bit of expectation at our Lord Jesus Christ’s promises regarding the “third day” after His death. As far as they knew, however, nothing had changed.

Another insight found in this statement is that these two men had left Jerusalem, hopeless and downcast, after having heard an amazing report. The women who had been to the tomb and heard the Angels’ words said that our Lord Jesus Christ’s body was missing and that Angels had said, “Jesus is alive”! Then some men (Peter and John, 24:12; John 20:3-4) verified what the women had said. Yet, there was still gloom, as noted by these disciples who had all this information, but had left the city still believing that all their hopes in our Lord Jesus Christ had been dashed.

Why did our Lord Jesus Christ call these disciples foolish? Even though they well knew all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures, they failed to understand that our Lord Jesus Christ’s suffering was His path to glory. The prophets had said that our Lord Jesus Christ would have to suffer before entering His time of glory. Beginning with the writings of Moses and then moving through all the prophets, our Lord Jesus Christ explained to these bewildered disciples what all the Scriptures said about Himself. Our Lord Jesus Christ pointed out all the Scriptures and how what had happened to our Lord Jesus Christ had fulfilled everything that had been prophesied regarding the Messiah.

They approached Emmaus and the journey’s end for the two travelers. Our Lord Jesus Christ would not have stayed with them if He had not been invited. But they were impressed with all that our Lord Jesus Christ had been telling them – probably answering many of the questions the two of them had been discussing before this man had joined them. They wanted to talk further, so they invited our Lord Jesus Christ to stay.

In these passages Luke 24:30-35, they describe at the meal, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread, asked God’s blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. When He did so, their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him. These two disciples had not been at the Last Supper, so this was not what sparked recognition. This was the exact time God wanted them to recognize our Lord Jesus Christ. God had kept them from understanding (Luke 24:16), and now He opened their eyes through the teaching of the word (Luke 24:27) and the breaking of the bread. His mission accomplished with these two disciples, then our Lord Jesus Christ disappeared.

Our Lord Jesus Christ had vanished as quickly as He had come, and the two disciples were left to discuss how their hearts were stirred as our Lord Jesus Christ had talked with them and had opened the Scriptures to them. Our Lord Jesus Christ’s presence had almost imperceptibly, or difficult to perceive by the mind changed their mood from despair to hearts feeling strangely warm. Their hope had been confirmed; their doubts dispelled.

Evening may have been coming on (Luke 24:29), but their news was too exciting to wait until morning. Within the hour the two disciples were on their way back to Jerusalem. When they got there, they found that our Lord Jesus Christ had already appeared to Peter. Paul also mentioned that our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Peter alone (1 Corinthians 15:5). This appearance is not further described in the Gospels. Our Lord Jesus Christ showed individual concern for Peter because Peter felt completely unworthy after denying His Lord. But Peter repented, and our Lord Jesus Christ approached him and forgave him. Soon, God would use Peter in building our Lord Jesus Christ’s church (see the first half of the book of Acts).

The two disciples then told their story of how our Lord Jesus Christ had appeared and talked to them and how they had recognized Him. Why our Lord Jesus Christ chose certain people to whom to appear at first and not others are unknown. Peter apparently needed an extra personal encounter; Mary Magdalene’s love and devotion accorded her the opportunity to see our Lord Jesus Christ first. Whatever the reason for our Lord Jesus Christ to have spent a lengthy time with these two disappointed followers on the road to Emmaus, the story stands as a beautiful treasure of our Lord Jesus Christ’s compassion and love for those who (we also who are Born-Again Christian believers), when discouraged and confused, needed His presence and wisdom to comfort them (including us).

Luke Chapter 24 Verses 36-37 describe that as our Lord Jesus Christ’s followers discussed His recent appearances, suddenly our Lord Jesus Christ Himself was standing there among them. He appeared among them behind locked doors (John 20:19). Our Lord Jesus Christ could do this because His resurrection and glorification had altered His bodily form. In this new body, He was able to transcend all physical barriers.

Our Lord Jesus Christ’s first words to the group of disbelieving and bewildered followers and disciples, all of whom had deserted Him in His time of greatest need, were: “Peace be with you.” This was a standard Hebrew greeting, but here it was filled with greater meaning. Our Lord Jesus Christ brought a greeting of peace, and His presence brought peace.

These people in the locked room were still wrestling with the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ’s body was missing, and then they heard amazing stories of His appearances to several people of their group. Our Lord Jesus Christ appeared among them suddenly, and they were frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost. But our Lord Jesus Christ’s body wasn’t a figment of the imagination; they weren’t seeing a ghost. Our Lord Jesus Christ encouraged them to look and touch. He had flesh and bones and could even eat food (Luke 24:43). On the other hand, His body wasn’t a restored human body like Lazarus’s (John 11) – He was able to appear and disappear. Our Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrected body was glorified and immortal.

This will be our glorious day, too, when the rapture comes as indicated in the book of 1 Corinthians 15:12-24; 35-55 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Let me encourage you all to read these Scriptures, understand them, and know the truth. Amen!

When we discuss this passage, not much is made of the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ opened the Scriptures, yet how fundamental this is to our inner peace. If the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ can bring Scripture into the life of the tormented, God’s Word might also serve as a part of our recipe of peace. Amen!

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PEACE IS ACCEPTING A HIGHER WILL

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The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – PEACE #4

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against these things.” [Galatians 5:22-23 NLT]

We need to understand that love is the first characteristic of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is well placed at the head of the list, for it permeates all the rest of the attributes. Somehow, if we live a life of love, the other virtues will attend us all the days of our lives. Love is the key that unlocks the entire fruit basket of Galatians 5:22-23, as well as permeating 1 Corinthians 13.

Our Lord Jesus Talked to Simon Peter

In John 21:15-19 NLT says, “15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. 16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. 17 A third time He asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep. 18 “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”

In these passages or Scriptures, they describe that our Lord Jesus Christ forces Peter to face his unresolved guilt over his denials of our Lord Jesus Christ. Peter also named Simon son of John was the name our Lord Jesus Christ had said when He first met this man who would become His disciple (John 1:42). But Peter had not yet proven himself to live up to that name-Peter, “the rock.” According to Luke 24:34, our Lord Jesus Christ had probably met with Peter previously. Our Lord Jesus Christ’s first question to Peter, “Do you love me more than these?” could be translated in three ways: (1) “Do you love me more than these men love me?” (2) “Do you love me more than you love these men?” (3) “Do you love me more than these things?” (that is, the fishing boat, nets, and gear). Of the three options, the first seems the most appropriate because Peter had boasted that he would never forsake Jesus, even if all the other disciples did (see Matthew 26:33; Mark 14:29; John 13:37). This was the same as saying that he had more love for our Lord Jesus Christ than the others did.

Peter did just the opposite of what he boasted: He denied Jesus three times. As a consequence, our Lord Jesus Christ asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” to affirm Peter’s love and commitment. Each time Peter told Jesus, “I love you,” our Lord Jesus Christ exhorted Peter to care for His flock: “Feed my lambs” (John 21:15); “Take care of my sheep” (John 21:16); “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17). Lambs and sheep can be taken as words of endearment, an expression of affection. Our Lord Jesus Christ’s love and concern is for all believers-the entire “flock” that would grow as a result of the apostles’ ministry.

Our Lord Jesus Christ used a proverbial statement about old age to depict Peter’s death, which was by crucifixion. From this day onward, Peter knew what death lay before him. Peter never forgot this prophecy from our Lord Jesus Christ; Peter referred to it in his Second Epistle when he spoke about his imminent death (see 2 Peter 1:14). Peter was crucified in Rome under Nero around A.D. 65-67. By His words, “Follow me,” our Lord Jesus Christ was reinstating and restoring Peter as His disciple. What assurance these words must have been for Peter. Despite what glory or trial or death lay ahead, he would always be under the Savior’s care, for he would be following our Lord Jesus Christ.

Three years earlier, along the same lake, our Lord Jesus Christ had said the same words to Peter -” Follow me.” These words mean “Keep on following.” Stripped of pride, impulsiveness, and false expectations of leadership, Peter was ready to follow our Lord Jesus Christ in a new way because of new experiences and a clearer picture of himself. “Follow Me” means consistent discipleship and steadfast pursuit of our Lord Jesus Christ, even if that requires martyrdom. It means continuing our Lord Jesus Christ’s work in the way He wants it done, not in a way we want it done.

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