Psalm 7:11-13 (ESV)
11 God is a righteous judge,
and a God who feels indignation every day.
12 If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword;
he has bent and readied his bow;
13 he has prepared for him his deadly weapons,
making his arrows fiery shafts.
We do not often enjoy focusing on the wrath of God, but in order for us to have a grasp of who God is, his wrath and justice must be a part of our understanding. Psalm 7 has a very simple, very clear picture of God’s justice. There is a simple conditional test. If a man does not repent, God will do justice. The obvious other side of the coin is that, if a man repents, God will have mercy. This assumption is clarified and confirmed in all of Scripture.
Perhaps you do not like the concept of Gods’ judgment or justice. Perhaps it bothers you to think of God being a judge. However, to know God and to love God must mean that we know and love the real God, the God of the Bible, and not merely a miniature god of our own imagining. When people say that they like to think of God always forgiving even the unrepentant, they tell us more about their own desires than about the true God of the universe.
God’s word is clear about the character of our Lord. Yes, he is merciful. For all who turn from their sins and run to him by grace through faith in Jesus, there is mercy. For all who refuse to come to God in repentance, there is righteous and perfect judgment.
Lord, I cannot say that I am always eager to remember that you are a God of justice. I am a sinner. Your justice frightens me. Yet, your justice is perfect, because all your ways are perfect. I do not honor you if I minimize the truth of your character. You are right. May my heart learn to love all that you are, both merciful and justly wrathful.
Who Gets the Glory? (Acts 3:12-13a)
Acts 3:12-13a (ESV)
And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus…”
When Peter healed the man who was begging at the temple’s gate called “Beautiful,” the people who saw what happened marveled. They looked at Peter with astonishment. Perhaps they even wondered what kind of powerful prophet was in their midst. But Peter was quick to dispel their notions, giving all credit and glory to God for a work that only God could do.
What about us when we see success, growth, and life change in our churches? Do we, as quickly as Peter, give all glory and honor to our God? I often hear pastors and strategists say something like, “Of course we know that this is a God thing.” I also often hear such men then follow up that disclaimer with a point-by-point explanation of the things that they did to make church growth or evangelistic success happen. I am sure that many of these men are sincere. I am also aware that these men are often put in the awkward place of being asked to explain their systems and thus cannot simply shrug and say that God did it all and leave it at that.
What I wonder is, how often are we really sure that we believe that God is the one who builds the church and grows his kingdom? How often do we say that we know it is God when really we think we have a lot to do with God’s work? Let us be careful to give God 100% of the glory for anything good that happens in our lives and ministries. Like Peter, let us be sure that any success that we have redounds to the personal glory of Christ.
Bible Reading in 2012
Very little is more important to the health of a Christian’s walk than regularly interacting with the word of God. If we plan to interact with Gods’ word regularly, however, we must be ready to discipline ourselves. Few of us will simply sit down with the Scriptures with no plan and somehow come up with a fruitful, consistent, and contextual way of reading.
I have found that, for me, reading through the Bible in a year is a very helpful practice. I’ve tried a number of plans, each of which has its own strengths and weaknesses. Last year, I used a chronological reading plan. I found it wonderful for Old Testament reading, but disjointed in the New Testament. I also found that, as the first 2/3 of the year went by I longed for more gospel reading.
For this year, I have returned to an old favorite reading plan, the Discipleship Journal reading plan. This plan offers four readings per day, two each from the Old and New Testaments. The plan has only 25 readings each month, which allows for catch-up days, which are very helpful for those of us who tend to get behind and who find being behind frustrating. The major weaknesses that I see in this plan are that the daily gospel readings are almost too short and that, as in any 1 year plan, the Old Testament readings can feel a little long.
If you would like to try out the DJ Bible reading plan, check it out here. If you would like to try another plan, Justin Taylor has collected for us a nice set of links with several plans to choose from.
Truth We Did Not Need (Genesis 3:4-7)
Genesis 3:4-7 (ESV)
4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
When reading through this passage, I found myself thinking about movies and novels that I have enjoyed, and a strange theme emerged. It is not at all uncommon to read a book or watch a movie and to find the plot revolving around issues of knowledge or truth. Often an author will make the crux of a story an individual’s right to the truth. Characters will fight against some sort of evil dictator in order to gain their freedom or to know the truth, regardless of what that truth is.
Interestingly, as we look at Genesis 3, the plot of a thousand movies unfolds, but it does not go the way that Hollywood often portrays it. While the woman rebels against the one in authority, seemingly for the sake of knowledge or truth, things do not end happily ever after. Instead, the woman and her husband lose more than they could have ever imagined by demanding their perceived right to knowledge, truth, and freedom.
We live among people who believe that personal autonomy, personal knowledge, and free will are the greatest goods to be desired. However, if we see the truth of Genesis 3, we cannot assume that knowledge and freedom and autonomy are always good things. On the contrary, God had given Adam and Eve a perfect place to live. No, he did not give them all knowledge—especially not knowledge of evil. However, the people were not happy to receive perfection from God. Instead, they chose to reach for a truth that was not their right. In doing so, they plunged humanity into death, darkness, and misery.
As the Scriptures open to us this year, let us see that God is the ultimate good. He is better than mere truth, though he is truth. He is better than mere freedom, though he sets us free indeed. Let us not think, not for even one moment, that good will ever come to us for rebelling against him. If God limits our knowledge or our freedom, he does what is good. If we battle against him, we will be the less for it. Let us surrender our lives to the Lord who made us, who owns us, and who knows far better than us what freedom and knowledge we need.
A Christmas Carol – A Review
I cannot remember the first time I heard or saw a retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, but I am certain that I was very young. I am also certain that this classically frightening tale has been a major part of my imagination for many years. Thus, I was excited when ChristianAudio.com offered me the chance to review a reading of this work during this Christmas season as a part of their reviewers program.
Dickens is excellent, simply excellent, at weaving a story that sticks in the minds of his readers. At times the author describes scenes in formally vivid detail. At other times, Dickens breaks with convention and speaks to his readers as if we are sitting in the room together and conversing. Regardless of which technique Dickens uses, he makes it easy to become swept up in the tale.
Readers who are familiar with this story, whether from reading it themselves or from the myriad Hollywood or Broadway productions of the novel, will understand that this work is a fiction, and not intended for Christian teaching. For certain, Dickens points his readers to Christ as the reason for our hope, joy, and love during the Christmas season. However, it is fair to allow the point of unimaginative critics, that Dickens may paint for us a picture of a works-based salvation should we take his work too literally. I would simply say that we do not read this tale for soteriology, but for a classic reminder that there is more to life than money and that the worship of wealth is ultimately soul-destroying.
The version of this audio book that I listened to was read by Simon Vance (oddly the second book of his in a row that I have listened to). The reader does an excellent job of bringing emotion into the different character voices that he presents in this telling. I would highly recommend that those who would like to listen to this classic tale give Vance’s reading a try.
Knowing God – A Mini Review
Knowing God by J. I. Packer is one of those books that is often recommended as a modern classic, and for good reason. In what is often considered Packer’s signature work, he helps believers to understand several important attributes of God. Unlike some other authors, Packer is not writing about God’s attributes to merely fill our heads with theological concepts, but is instead challenging believers to allow their understanding of the person of God to lead them to greater devotion and holiness.
There is much to love about this book, which explains why so many people have recommended it to me for so many years. Packer takes his readers deeply into many characteristics of God that are often neglected. A reader who works through this material will certainly come away with a deeper understanding or at least a deeper appreciation of the God of the bible.
One particular area that I enjoyed was Packer’s handling of the word propitiation. In explaining what God has done for us to satisfy his wrath and atone for our sins, Packer unpacks the theological concept of propitiation in a thorough and accessible way.
I listened to a free audio copy of this work provided for me through the reviewers program at ChristianAudio.com. Simon Vance has just the right reading voice, accent and cadence, to bring to life Packer’s work.
Kingdom Come (Luke 10:8-11)
Luke 10:8-11 – 8 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’
Jesus commanded his disciples to go to nearby towns to preach the gospel and heal the sick. As they went, the people could respond to Jesus in one of two ways, which is always the case. They could choose to believe the message of the disciples and repent, or they could choose to ignore the message of the disciples.
What caught my attention as I read through this is the similarity of the proclamation. If the people turned from their sins and believed, they would hear from the disciples that the Kingdom of God has come. But, if they choose to ignore God’s grace, the message is the same, the Kingdom of God has still come.
Here is what strikes me this morning. It is not the acceptance or rejection of God’s grace that brings the Kingdom of God. God brings the Kingdom. Those who are under God’s grace will have joy and mercy in the Kingdom. Those who, however, reject God’s grace are still going to experience the same coming of the Kingdom. For them, however, it will not be mercy but judgment.
One falsehood that is often portrayed in our culture is that of God needing the faith of people to gain strength. This is not, however, the God of the Bible. God is not benefitted by our acceptance of his grace. God’s Kingdom will come, and has come, with or without our faith or our help. We have been honored by God to be allowed to join him in his eternal plan. But let us make no mistake in thinking that without us his Kingdom will not come.
I’m not saying that there is no reason for us to work for God. Nor am I saying that God does not consider us important. He has stamped us with his image, and that is valuable beyond words. The point is simply that God’s Kingdom has come in Christ and will ultimately come in Christ. If you are under his grace, God’s Kingdom will be joy and eternal life for you. If you do not have God’s grace, his Kingdom will be eternal judgment for you. If you are still alive, you still have time to get under his grace, believe and repent.
I think an appropriate response to this passage is to praise God for the amazing glory of his Kingdom. It is good to know that pockets of worldly resistance are not preventing God from accomplishing his plan. God is far more glorious than that. He will be glorified. His will is going to be done. His Kingdom cannot be thwarted by the faith of men or the lack thereof. Praise be to such a mighty and awesome God.
Temptation (Luke 54:5-8)
Luke 4:5-8 – 5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written,
“ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God,
and him only shall you serve.’ ”
Ponder the above temptation. The devil offers Jesus every kingdom in the world all at once. All he wants from Jesus is one momentary compromise. Jesus can have all the pleasures, all the treasures, all the honors those kingdoms can afford. All he needs to do is bow to Satan just once.
Of course we know that Jesus would not give into that temptation. Looking at it from our perspective, knowing who Jesus is and what was his mission, we are not surprised that he passed this test. He is perfect. He is God. He came to seek and save the lost. He would have all the kingdoms of the world eventually.
So, to rightly grasp the surprise, put yourself in this picture. What if Satan came to you and offered you every kingdom in the world? What if he offered you every power, every pleasure, and all the prestige the world had to offer. Would you go for it even if it cost you your soul?
Of course we say that we would stand up to the temptation, but do we? Satan often offers us pleasures, little tiny ones, and we bow to him, sinning against God to get them. These are the temptations to improper relationships, sneaky financial dealings, hidden gossip, unrighteous entertainment, gluttony, and so much more. One little pleasure is dangled before us. We know better. But, if we fail to have a God-centered, Scripture-filled, eternal perspective on our lives and our souls and our mission, we fail.
May we learn from our Savior who overcame our temptation. He was perfect where we will never be. We want to walk like Jesus. We want to avoid and battle temptation. We also need to thank Jesus that he took our punishment for our failure and gives us God’s Spirit to defeat our temptation.
Good and Bad Questions (Luke 1)
Luke 1:18-20 – 18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”
Luke 1:34-38 – 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Strange, isn’t it, that Zechariah and Mary both have questions for the angel Gabriel, but the questions have drastically different results when asked. When Zechariah asked Gabriel his question, Gabriel rebukes him and tells him that he will be unable to speak until Gabriel’s words come to pass. When Mary asks her question, Gabriel gives her a simple answer.
A truth here to learn is that there are good questions and bad ones. God will respond with discipline for the bad ones and with grace to the good ones.
When Zechariah heard from Gabriel that his wife was going to have a baby, his question was one of doubt. “How can this be?” Zechariah thought it to be impossible for God to miraculously give him a child in his old age. His question was akin to saying, “No way.” Gabriel answers Zechariah with rebuke for his unbelief.
When Mary asked her question, it was more one of logistics than of doubt. Mary knew how babies were conceived. He also knew that she had not done anything to get a baby herself. So, how was she to have this child? No doubt is here, just curiosity as to what she was to do. Gabriel answers her with the promise of the miracle of Jesus’ conception and virgin birth.
What kinds of questions do you have for God? Are you simply curious as to how you should follow your Lord? Do you ask in wonder, longing to know more of how God will accomplish is glorious plan? Or are you more like Zechariah, asking questions laced with doubt, with unbelief, with “Prove it” written all over them? We dishonor God when we stand before him and demand p-roof. We honor God when we stand before him believing, even when we cannot figure out all the details.
Trembling at Holiness (Luke 5:8)
Luke 5:8
But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
God is Holy. We know this; we sing it. We call the Bible the “Holy Bible.” Yet, when it comes right down to it, our grasp of the holy is not what we see in Scripture.
Take as one example the response of Peter to Jesus. When Peter recognizes that Jesus is different, superior, holy, Peter’s response to Jesus is not to shrug his shoulders and move on. Neither is it to say to his friends, “Look at Jesus. Isn’t he cool?” No, when Peter saw the truth that Jesus is holy, completely different than Peter, a sinful man, Peter was terrified. He begged Jesus to leave him. Why? Peter knew that, compared to his sin, Jesus was infinitely above him, completely beyond him. Peter knew that, to be exposed to such holiness would be deadly to a sinful man, and thus he was terrified.
By God’s grace, we do not have to fear for our souls every time we consider his holiness. In Christ, we may approach God with confidence (Eph 3:12). However, the holiness of God should still cause us to tremble and to be in awe of the fact that a holy God would allow us to know him, to speak his name, to hear his word, to sing his praise.
Let’s face it, we are all sinners. We deserve to be consumed by God’s holy wrath. Every last one of us has done wrong, thought wrong, or failed to do what was perfectly right. God’s infinite holiness should destroy us were it not for the grace that he has granted us in Christ. Today would be a very good day to remember this truth, to tremble at God’s holiness, and to praise him for the marvelous redemption that he has given us in Jesus.
Pastor Travis Peterson 