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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The Evidence of Confidence is PEACE

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The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

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

Our Lord Jesus Christ Calms the Storm

In Mark 4:35-41 NLT says, “35 As evening came, Jesus said to His disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36 So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37 But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. 38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” 39 When Jesus woke up, He rebuked the wind and said to the water, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then He asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey Him!””

In these passages or Scriptures, they describe that when evening came, our Lord Jesus Christ suggested that He and the disciples cross to the other side of the lake – that is, to the east side of the Sea of Galilee. The boat probably belonged to one of the fishermen in the group, most likely to Peter. For Peter to set sail in the evening was not unusual because he was used to fishing at night (see John 21:3). Fishing was best then; storms usually came in the afternoon.

Thus, when our Lord Jesus Christ finished speaking, the disciples pulled up the anchor and set sail. Our Lord Jesus’ ministry was never without purpose. He was crossing the sea in order to enter a new area of ministry. Along the way, the disciples would be taught an unforgettable lesson about His power.

A few people in the crowd probably expected our Lord Jesus Christ to come ashore to offer more healing or teaching. But our Lord Jesus Christ, human as He was, needed rest. So, He left the crowds behind when the boat set sail.

The detail that other boats followed is recorded only in Mark and signifies an eyewitness account – perhaps from Peter who sailed the boat and had to watch out for these other boats as they made their way out into the lake. (Josephus, an ancient historian, wrote that there were usually more than three hundred fishing boats on the Sea of Galilee at one time.) The other boats accompanying our Lord Jesus Christ may have been filled with persistent followers. The tiny detail gives us a picture of God’s grace – many people on these other boats were also saved when our Lord Jesus Christ stilled the storm.

The Sea of Galilee is an unusual body of water. It is relatively small (thirteen miles long, seven miles wide); but it is 150 feet deep, and the shoreline is 680 feet below sea level. Because it is below sea level and surrounded by mountains, it is susceptible to sudden storms. Winds sweeping across the land come up and over the mountains, creating downdrafts over the lake. Combined with a thunderstorm that appears suddenly over the surrounding mountains, the water stirs into violent twenty-foot waves. The disciples had not foolishly set out in a storm. In fact, they usually didn’t encounter storms at night and did not see this one coming. Even though several of these men were expert fishermen and knew how to handle a boat, they had been caught without warning by this fierce storm. Their peril was real as they battled huge waves that nearly swamped their vessel.

While this was happening, our Lord Jesus Christ was sleeping at the back of the boat. How our Lord Jesus could sleep during this storm indicates His complete exhaustion and reveals His human nature. That the noise, the violent rocking of the boat, and the cold spray of the water didn’t awaken Him gives us a glimpse of the physical drain on our Lord Jesus Christ throughout His earthly ministry.

The disciples had embarked on this journey at our Lord Jesus’ request after a long day. They were probably tired too, but they had set sail anyway. Then, of all things, a storm blew in – one that was threatening to sink the boat and drown them. And our Lord Jesus Christ was sleeping through it! They woke Him and asked, “Teacher, don’t you even care that we are going to drown?” Their words were more of a criticism than a call for help. How easy it is for us to complain and criticize God for not coming to our aid, rather than making our request and then trusting Him to answer.

Although the disciples had witnessed many miracles, they panicked in this storm. Added to that, they revealed that they completely misunderstood their teacher. They had seen our Lord Jesus Christ perform great miracles of compassion, but they dared to ask if He cared about them at all. Their question was rude; their misunderstanding was deep.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, abruptly awakened from a deep sleep, arose and without speaking to the disciples spoke instead to the elements. Standing in the stern of the rocking ship, our Lord Jesus Christ rebuked the wind and said to the water, “Quiet down!” The disciples were shocked at the power of their teacher to speak and control the ocean waves. But they should not have been surprised. The storm was out of control, their fears were out of control, but our Lord Jesus Christ was never out of control. He has power over all the forces of nature, and He listens to the appeals of those who love Him.

The disciples had seen our Lord Jesus do incredible miracles, but they hadn’t taken their knowledge of His power and carried it to its logical conclusion. Our Lord Jesus Christ responded, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still not have faith in me?” They wanted Him to do something; He wanted them to trust Him! Despite all that the disciples had seen and heard thus far, and despite their belief in our Lord Jesus Christ as the Messiah, they still had not grasped that our Lord Jesus Christ was Himself God, given God’s power and authority over all of creation.

But the disciples still didn’t understand, as betrayed by their question, “Who is this man?” They should have known because this miracle clearly displayed the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ’s divine identity. Being with the human, compassionate our Lord Jesus Christ was fine; being with the powerful and supernatural Son of God was terrifying.

When we become Born-Again Christians, we enter a cosmic struggle because Satan hates people to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ. Satan’s limited power is launched against believers individually and the fellowship church in general, hoping to sink us to the depths of the sea. But we have the ultimate power on our side, and the final victory is assured. Lord Jesus Christ should be our Savior, to whom we turn with all our needs and fears, knowing that He does care and will help.

Can it be that most of our lives are lived beyond the recognition of the power of God evidenced through the death and resurrection of His Son? Doesn’t God have everything in our lives under control? Should not our own security in troubled times come in remembering this? We have God’s living Son, our Lord Jesus Christ on board in our lives. We may have confidence, therefore, that in our own stormy situations He will calm the turbulence and give us the confidence of His presence. Amen!

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Prince of PEACE is JESUS CHRIST

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The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

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

Melchizedek Blesses Abram

In Genesis 14:17-20 NLT says, “17 After Abram returned from his victory over Kedorlaomer and all his allies, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought Abram some bread and wine. 19 Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth. 20  And blessed be God Most High, who has defeated your enemies for you.”

Genesis 14 tells of an early invasion of Palestine by a coalition of four Mesopotamian kings who invaded the plain of the Jordan, subjugating the five cities there, including Sodom (Genesis 14:1-3). Lot, Abraham’s nephew, was among those taken captive. But God is sovereign over the nations, and Lot was saved because of his relationship to Abraham (cf. Genesis 12:3). In future generations when the nation of Israel was attacked and her people taken captive by Assyria and Babylon, nations also from Mesopotamia, she would find that her preservation as a nation was assured in much the same way – because of her relationship to Abraham.

When Abraham returned from defeating the four kings, he was met by Melchizedek, the king of “Salem” (Genesis 14:18). “Salem” is believed to be an early name for Jerusalem. Melchizedek was not just a king; he was also a priest of the Most High God (cf. Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 5:5-10; 7:1-10).

In Hebrews 5:5-10 NLT says, “5 That is why Christ did not honor Himself by assuming He could become High Priest. No, He was chosen by God, who said to Him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” 6 And in another passage God said to Him, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” 7 While Jesus was here on earth, He offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue Him from death. And God heard His prayers because of His deep reverence for God. 8 Even though Jesus was God’s Son, He learned obedience from the things He suffered. 9 In this way, God qualified Him as a perfect High Priest, and He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him. 10 And God designated Him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.”

As the Old Testament high priests did not take upon themselves the honor but were honored by God’s selection, our Lord Jesus Christ did not exalt Himself to become High Priest. Our Lord Jesus Christ also was chosen by God, as demonstrated by the quotation from Psalm 2:7, “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” Our Lord Jesus Christ became the High Priest and perfectly fulfilled the requirements.

Although our Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the above requirements for becoming the perfect High Priest, He did not have one significant requirement: He was not born into the tribe of Levi and had not descended from Aaron. Our Lord Jesus Christ was of the tribe of Judah (see Genesis 49:10; Matthew 2:6; Revelation 5:5). Only Levites could be priests, and only descendants of Aaron could be high priests in the Jewish system. The book of Hebrews, however, tells how our Lord Jesus Christ’s priesthood was greater than the Aaronic priesthood by quoting Psalm 110:4: “You are a priest forever in the line of Melchizedek.” These words, coming from the inspired psalmist David predicted that the Messiah would come from a line of priests not traced back to Aaron. This theme is discussed extensively in Hebrews Chapter 7. The priests in the line of Aaron were not priests forever. Our Lord Jesus Christ, however, is a priest forever. In addition, Aaron’s descendants were priests but not kings. Israel’s kings could not serve the functions of the priests (those who tried faced dire consequences, such as Saul in 1 Samuel 13:8-14 and Uzziah in 1 Chronicles 26:16-21).

High priests had to be human (and thus able to sympathize with those they represented), and they had to be called by God. Our Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled both of these requirements (Hebrews 4:15; 5:5-6). Our Lord Jesus Christ’s humanity allowed Him to sympathize with us. To show this, the writer reminded the readers of how, while our Lord Jesus Christ was here on earth, He agonized as He prepared to face death (Luke 22:41-44). Although our Lord Jesus Christ cried out to God, asking to be delivered, He was prepared to suffer humiliation, separation from His Father, and death in order to do God’s will. He offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears. He knew He had been sent to die, but in His humanity, He faced great fear and sorrow over what He knew would happen. In His humanity, He did not want to die, but He submitted Himself to the Father’s will and God heard His prayers. Our Lord Jesus Christ suffered extreme agony and death in submission to God. But His prayer was answered in that He was saved from the power of death. He overcame death through His resurrection.

In the kingdoms of any ancient regime, no prince suffers; the crown prince especially is pampered and prepared for kingship. But our Lord Jesus Christ, even though He was God’s Son . . . learned obedience from the things He suffered. The bewildering lesson of this verse is that God Himself, born of human parentage, actually learned something in the suffering He underwent. Was the all-knowing God in need of learning? Our Lord Jesus Christ learned about the human condition. That knowledge brought more empathy than intelligence, more personal identification than measurable data.

Like our Lord Jesus Christ, we as Born-Again Christian believers often learn obedience through our suffering (see Hebrews 12:2-11). This example from our Lord Jesus Christ encouraged the readers to remain firm and not drift away from the faith in times of suffering. Just as our Lord Jesus Christ was perfected through His suffering, so Christians will be, too.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the author of our salvation was qualified as a perfect High Priest through suffering. The word “perfect” does not refer to our Lord Jesus Christ’s sinless state; our Lord Jesus Christ was already perfect before He faced suffering. His perfection was put to the test and came out with flying colors. Because humans experience suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ became fully human and experienced these parts of humanity as well. By sharing our experience of suffering, our Lord Jesus Christ shared our human experience completely. Because our Lord Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose again, He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him. These last words warned those who would turn away from our Lord Jesus Christ and turn back to an inferior system. Salvation comes only to those who obey as our Lord Jesus Christ obeyed – with complete submission to God and His will, even in the face of suffering.

Going back to the theme in Hebrews 5:6, our Lord Jesus Christ was designated . . . to be a High Priest in the line of Melchizedek. All priests in Aaron’s family line needed mediation for their own sins. All human priests died and were succeeded by others. But our Lord Jesus Christ was fundamentally different. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not need mediation for personal moral flaws. Our Lord Jesus Christ died, but rose again to die no more. No one succeeded our Lord Jesus Christ; He is a priest forever. He is both human and divine, made perfect through suffering, able to understand our weaknesses. That’s quite unlike the Aaronic priesthood, so the writer compares our Lord Jesus Christ’s priesthood with “the line of Melchizedek.”

Our Lord Jesus Christ the high priest – the constantly interceding priest – is our hope. He continues interceding when we think we’ve grown too busy to pray. Always at His post, our Lord Jesus Christ prays for us. Life becomes manageable – not always, because we have been faithful, but because our Lord Jesus Christ is our high priest – our always interceding priest – our priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Have we any turmoil in our lives? Let us let them go. Are we afraid that our personality is so flawed that God might never really accept us? Rejoice! We have a continually interceding priest, our Lord Jesus Christ the Righteous. He won peace for us on a bloody hill. And even as He died, He secured our right to immediate access to the Father. Best of all, His sacrifice was so sufficient that we never need fear that any of our sins can prevent our entrance into heaven, nor can our moral weaknesses bar us from His eternal peace. Amen!

Again, our Lord Jesus Christ suffered extreme agony and death in submission to God. But His prayer was answered in that He was saved from the power of death. He overcame death through His resurrection. Happy “RESURRECTION DAY!” He has risen and alive!

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PEACE Is A Truce With God To End Our Alienation From Him

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The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – PEACE #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 Benefits of A Gracious God

In Romans 16:20 NLT says, “20  The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.“

This language echoes Genesis 3:15, wherein God declares that the serpent’s head would be crushed by the seed of the woman. These false teachers, servants of Satan, would try to sow discord in the fellowship churches, but God is the God of peace. The false teachers will be destroyed when our Lord Jesus Christ establishes His peace upon His return (see Revelation 20:1-6).

In reference to Verses 8-21, they describe that each curse was twofold. The serpent was directly cursed; it received a physical curse and the promise that it would ultimately be crushed by the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15). God promised that He would execute His rule through the seed of the woman and our Lord Jesus Christ came as a fulfillment of that promise. The victory of our Lord Jesus Christ was a direct crushing of Satan in fulfillment of this curse, for Satan was behind the serpent in Eden (Romans 16:20; Revelation 12:9; 20:2).

The woman received the consequences of her actions, though they were not called a curse. The conflict between the man and the woman, foretold in the words “desire” and “master” in Genesis 3:16, is seen in the same Hebrew words used in Genesis 4:7. The strain that would occur between man and woman was in regard to the man’s ruling and supremacy over the woman. The world of man-woman relationships specifically and all relationships generally had fallen prey to the upside-down chaos that resulted from Adam’s sin. The consequences for women also included suffering great pain in childbirth. Thus, the only means of fulfilling God’s promise to crush the serpent’s head with the heel of someone born of a woman was through the child-bearing sufferings of a woman.

Adam also was not directly cursed, but the earth was cursed on his account, as Paul later noted in Romans 8:20-22. The curse on the earth has caused toil and frustration for humanity. Work is not a result of the curse; toil and frustration are. Another result of Adam’s sin was physical death (Genesis 3:19). Paul also noted that the root of death was in Adam’s sin (Romans 5:14-15).

Adam exercised faith and hope when he named the woman Eve (Genesis 3:20), for he looked to the life that the woman would bring forth. Adam and Eve could now only hope in the promise that someone born to Eve would undo the curses that they had caused through disobedience. The issue of Adam and Eve’s shame at their nakedness confirmed the split between man and woman. They were no longer the original and pure “one flesh” that God had created them to be. God confirmed their instincts of shame by making clothing and covering them (Genesis 3:21; cf. 3:7).

In Revelation 20:1-6 NLT is about > The Thousand Years > says, “1 Then I saw an Angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. 2 He seized the dragon – that old serpent, who is the devil, Satan – and bound him in chains for a thousand years. 3 The Angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterward he must be released for a little while. 4 Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about our Lord Jesus Christ and for proclaiming the Word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their forehead or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with our Lord Jesus Christ for a thousand years. 5 This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.) 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ and will reign with Him a thousand years.”

The end of Chapter 19 describes the Beast, the false prophet, and all their followers thrown into the lake of fire. This vision at the beginning of Chapter 20 describes our Lord Jesus Christ’s dealings with Satan. An Angel came from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. In Revelation 9:1-12, an Angel had arrived with the key to the bottomless pit and had released the locusts as part of the fifth trumpet judgment. This may be the same Angel.

In Verses 2-3 describe that there are several names are used here for the same being – the dragon, the old serpent, the devil, and Satan (see also Revelation 12:9 for another list of these names). The Angel seized Satan, bound him, and threw him into the bottomless pit, locking the door. Satan was put away and could not get out until God would decide to let him out. God’s sovereignty is emphasized again.

This describes a different situation than that in Revelation 12:7-13. Chapter 12 describes Satan’s fall from heaven and his freedom to roam the earth (Revelation 12:17). Chapter 20 describes Satan being removed from the earth for a time in order that he could not deceive the nations anymore. God did not bind the dragon as punishment – that would occur later (Revelation 20:10) – but to stop him from deceiving the nations. But who are “the nations”? It appears that, at the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:14-16; 19:19), only the beast, the false prophets, the kings of the nations, and their armies were destroyed. The battle at Armageddon did not kill the entire population of the earth.

Therefore, some unbelievers would still be alive (the believers would be with our Lord Jesus Christ, for they had been part of His army, Revelation 19:14). Satan will be bound for a thousand years. Whether symbolic or literal, this time period of Satan’s imprisonment matches the time period of our Lord Jesus Christ’s reign (Revelation 20:4-6).

Those who propose that this Millennium time period is not limited to a thousand years (the amillennialists) and believe that it is the time between the first and second comings of our Lord Jesus Christ interpret this binding as referring to Satan being kept from working in the lives of believers and from stopping the Gospel’s advance. Others explain, however, that the word “nations” is always used in Revelation to describe unbelievers. It seems clear, therefore, that Satan will be bound and locked away from deceiving the unbelievers (still alive after Armageddon), while our Lord Jesus Christ rules during this period. The words describing how Satan is locked and sealed away indicate that his activity on earth will be completely stopped for this period of time. During this time, the unbelievers will experience true justice and God’s perfect rule over the earth.

Why is there a millennium? Why doesn’t God go straight from Armageddon to eternity? Why this interim and then another final battle – Gog and Magog?

We don’t know, but it appears that unbelievers on earth are given the opportunity to experience what the rule of God is like. However, as shown in the following verses, even though unbelievers will experience the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ, they will continue to rebel against God even without Satan’s deceptive influence. And the moment that Satan is let out of the prison, these people will flock after Satan and go to war against our Lord Jesus Christ. This will prove their absolute depravity, their true allegiance, and the necessity of the final punishment in the lake of fire.

In Verses 4-6 describe Satan has been bound and thrown into the bottomless pit so that for a thousand years he will not be able to deceive the nations. Here Revelation describes who will take part in that thousand-year reign of our Lord Jesus Christ, free from the influence of evil.

First, John saw thrones. The people sitting on the thrones had been given the authority to judge. Who are those sitting on the thrones? The Scripture does not identify them specifically. Many interpreters believe that these are those who had been martyred for their faith, but the problem with this theory is that the martyrs are not mentioned until the last part of the verse. Some suggest that this is only the twenty-four elders (Revelation 4:4) or that this forms an Angelic court of some kind.

In Matthew 19:28, the apostles are promised that they will judge from twelve thrones. First Corinthians 6:2-3 says that the saints will judge the world. What we can determine is that this is a court in heaven composed of those whom God wants to assist in judgment (see also Daniel 7:26).

Next, he saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about our Lord Jesus Christ, for proclaiming the Word of God. Then a problem arises with the translation. Between the sentence describing the martyrs and the sentence that says they had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark, the Greek includes the words “and who,” which can be taken as a further description of the martyrs, or as a description of an entirely different group. If the latter is the case, John saw the martyrs, whom he had described in Revelation 6:9-11, as well as others who were martyred during the Great Tribulation. Then he saw a separate group who had not worshiped the beast.

If “those who had not worshiped the beast” is merely a further description of the martyrs, then it appears that only the martyrs came to life again, and they reigned with our Lord Jesus Christ for a thousand years – a reward for their ultimate faithfulness to our Lord Jesus Christ by giving up their lives. This first resurrection could be a resurrection only of the martyrs. If so, then the rest of the believers along with the unbelievers are described as the rest of the dead who do not come back to life until the thousand years are over. At this point, God will separate the unbelievers from the believers, sending the former to the lake of fire and granting the latter eternal life.

However, we as Born-Again Christian believers in our fellowship churches think that all believers partake of the “first resurrection” because all believers have been freed from the second death – that is, the lake of fire. The phrase “come back to life” refers to a physical resurrection of our bodies. We as Born-Again Christian believers will have new bodies, as described in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53. Amen!

Those who do not believe in a literal thousand-year reign of our Lord Jesus Christ say that this first resurrection is spiritual (in believers’ hearts at salvation), and that the Millennium is their spiritual reign with our Lord Jesus Christ on earth between His first and second comings. During this time, believers are priests of God because our Lord Jesus Christ reigns in their hearts. In this view, the second resurrection is the bodily resurrection of all people for judgment.

We as Born-Again Christians in our fellowship churches believe that the first resurrection occurs after Satan is set aside. It is a physical resurrection of Born-Again Christian believers who then reign with our Lord Jesus Christ on the earth for a literal 1,000 years. The second resurrection will occur at the end of this Millennium when God will judge unbelievers who have died.

Again, we as Born-Again Christian believers are “blessed,” the fifth of seven beatitudes in Revelation (1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 22:7, 14).

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The Reveling of Angels Is Joy

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The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – JOY #6

“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 Benefits of A Gracious God

In Psalm 103:20-22 NLT says, “20  Praise the Lord, you Angels, you mighty ones who carry out His plans, listening for each of His commands. 21  Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of Angels
who serve Him and do His will! 22  Praise the Lord, everything He has created, everything in all His kingdom. Let all that I am praise the Lord.“

These descriptive Psalms describe the following highlighted and bold words > Bless the LORD – The Psalm ends as it began with a call to bless (Psalm 103:1, 2). EXCEL IN STRENGTH – lit. “warriors of strength” (Anderson). Do His commandments – Their acts of obedience are prompt and without reservation, so that they are ever ready to hear and follow His will (cf. Deuteronomy 26:17; Luke 1:19). Ye His hosts – referring to the hosts of heaven that do His bidding (Psalm 101:6).

If the angelic hosts are quick to do His will, how much more those who (we as Born-Again Christians) have experienced His mighty acts of salvation and mercy. Amen!

This passage instructs Angels to praise God, but aren’t we His messengers of joy as well? Joy is the business of Angels. Joy is humanity’s business, too. The Angels praise God when they see His mighty works and when they bask in the glory of His presence. That is our position as well: We look around our world and see God’s hand in the scenic vistas and quiet streams. We come before God in prayer and feel His presence wash over us. We sing with the Angels our praises to God. Amen!

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Focusing On A Higher Reality Is Joy

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The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – JOY #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 Contest at Mount Carmel – God’s Words Through Elijah

In 1 Kings 18:20-21, 38-39 NLT says, “20 So Ahab summoned all the people of Israel and the prophets to Mount Carmel. 21 Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent.”

The Obadiah of the minor prophets was not the same man as this protector of the godly (1 Kings 18:3). Ahab’s comment that Elijah had caused the famine (1 Kings 18:17) sums up the lessons of the book of Kings. The people had to learn that it was not the prophets who had troubled the land. Rather, it was their own sins that had brought on the judgment of the Exile.

In Verse 20 describes the Mount Carmel – Mount Carmel is a thirty-mile long ridge, running northwest and southeast, jutting into the Mediterranean at its northwest end and dividing the coastal plain into the Plain of Acco and the Plain of Sharon. The main ridge reaches a height of about 1,750 feet and is about twelve miles long (“Carmel,” NBD). There were several good reasons for holding this thrilling contest here – a number of shrines were located in this area which were devoted to the various fertility deities (Gray); and when the rain clouds came to Canaan, they generally came in from the sea. The location of Mount Carmel, its elevation, and its view toward the Mediterranean made it an excellent “look-out” for the rain clouds which would her ald the end of the lengthy drought (cf. 1 Kings 18:42-45).

Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:20), a 1,742-foot-high promontory jutting in a northwest direction into the Mediterranean Sea, was thought by the Canaanites to be a dwelling of the gods. On this mountain, Elijah confronted the Baal cult.

In Verse 21 describes Elijah came unto all the people – A representation of each of the tribes, apparently, were summoned to witness the spectacle (Robinson). Here is the essence of Elijah’s message: Choose between the God of Israel and Baal. There is but one God, and He cannot be served along with another. Never before up to now in Hebrew history has the theme of monotheism been so clearly enunciated. How long halt ye between two opinions? – The Israelites had long been attempting to combine the worship of God with that of Baal. It was an unworkable union. Elijah proposed to decide for them the controversy between God and Baal by an appeal, by a visible sign from the supernatural world.

Elijah’s mockery attributed basic bodily necessities to Baal (1 Kings 18:27). Elijah was saying that Baal could not respond to his worshipers because he had gone to the toilet. The point of this display is summed up in 1 Kings 18:36, where Elijah acknowledged that the God of Abraham was behind all that he had done. God’s people always had trouble believing that God was speaking through His prophets. The people gave the proper, though temporary, response in 1 Kings 18:39.

In Verses 22-40 describe that since thunder and lightning are known manifestations of Baal (Gray), Elijah proposed that two bullocks be slain and placed on separate altars of wood, the one for Baal, the other for the God of Israel. Whichever deity responded by fire, Elijah proposed, he is the true God. The God of Israel was also known to have manifested Himself in flames and lightning (Exodus 3:2-6; 19:18, 19; 24:17). The priests of Baal led off by calling on their god. In vain did they continue invoking their deity, from morning till noon, when they tried a ritual dance around the altar (Gray). They danced themselves into a state of frenzy and of cutting themselves (1 Kings 18:28). Ritual slashing is thought to have enhanced prophetic ecstasy (Lindblom). Behind these rituals was the aim of arousing Baal, who was believed to die in the summer, only to be revived in the spring when the rains came (“Baal,” ISBE). No response was heard or seen. No fire descended. Elijah exposed their folly and fraud with taunts and sarcasm, and as the day was far advanced, began his own operations. Inviting the people to approach and see the entire proceeding, he first repaired an old altar of the Lord, which had perhaps been pulled down by Jezebel (1 Kings 18:30). Then, having arranged the cut pieces of the young bull, he caused four jars of water to be splashed all over the altar and round in the trench. Three times the water is poured out (1 Kings 18:34), perhaps to show that he was not preparing a trick (Robinson). Then, when Elijah had offered an earnest prayer (1 Kings 18:36, 37), the miraculous fire descended (Leviticus 9:24; Judges 6:21; 13:20; 1 Chronicles 21:26; 2 Chronicles 7:1), and consumed not only the sacrifice, but also the very stones of the altar. The LORD [Yahweh] He is the God – The witnesses were awestruck and were convinced of the supremacy of Yahweh (1 Kings 18:39). Elijah ordered the priests of Baal, who had been shown to be frauds, to be seized and killed. According to Mosaic law, false prophets and those engaged in pagan rituals were to be put to death (Deuteronomy 18:9-20). The execution of the Baal prophets took place at the brook Kishon, apparently because the area around the altar was now deemed a sacred spot by virtue of the theophany (Jones). Kishon today is called Nahr el-Muqatta’, which runs from northern Samaria to the bay of Acre just east of Carmel (“Kishon,” NBD).

Elijah ran to Jezreel (1 Kings 18:46), Ahab’s camp, to report the victory of God and encourage popular opinion against Jezebel. Note the confession in 1 Kings 18:39. God’s control of the rain was a direct attack upon Baal’s supposed power.

The LORD – He is God! The Lord – He is God! Joy is the spontaneous result of seeing God in action, focusing on a higher reality.

it was very clear that when Pentecost (marks the coming and/or outpouring of the Holy Spirit) is poured out, so is joy. The people began to focus on the transforming reality of God. Joy was the result. It always has been and always will be.

            Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the LORD always. I will say it again: REJOICE!

Our joy is uncontainable when we think about the great gifts of God in our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

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