Luke 8:11-15
11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
What does the above text say to us about who is and who is not saved? Does the above text say anything about the potential loss of salvation? I do not think so.
When preaching through John’s gospel, I worked through John 2 23-25. In that passage, Jesus indicates that there is a kind of belief in him that is not saving faith. I would argue that this is the kind of false faith in view at the mention of the rocky and thorny ground. However, I would also argue that this is not the emphasis of the parable.
No, the emphasis of this parable is one of enduring faith. The one who has genuine, saving faith, the kind of faith we want to have, is the one who grows. The one who has genuine faith is not destroyed by greed or worldliness. The one who has genuine faith, the kind of faith that saves, will stand even through hardship. True faith endures. True faith perseveres.
One of the difficult things here is that we cannot judge whether a person’s faith is genuine by the initial signs they give. Just because somebody makes a profession of faith and is teary-eyed at a church meeting should not convince you that they are true believers. Now, I’m not telling you to be skeptical, to wait to welcome someone into the family of God, or to sit in judgment over somebody. What I am saying is that the only way to really know if someone’s claim to conversion is real is to see if it stands the test of time.
What should we take from this passage? Far from arguing over the thorny or rocky ground, we should realize that a true believer in Christ will stand. He or she may falter from time to time—this is a near certainty, but the true believer stands. The true believer does not sell out his or her faith for worldly gain or because the world does not accept the Christian worldview. The true believer does not point back to an event years ago as the only evidence of his or her salvation. No, a true believer will stand and grow. Sure, it will be hard. Sure, the believer will fail and have to repent of sin. Sure, there may be seasons in which the believer does not look much like a believer. But, overall, when all is said and done, the believer will return to turning from sin and following and standing for Christ.
Forgiven Much (Luke 7:47)
Luke 7:47
“Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
It is important that we realize how great is our sin. Oh, I know, many of us don’t want to think about ourselves as bad people. We do not want to dwell on our sinfulness. We love our new identity in Christ, and we should.
But, if we see what Jesus said in Luke 7:47, we will recognize that there is an issue of contrast here that makes our joy fuller. In context, this verse is part of a conversation between Jesus and a Pharisee about a sinful woman being forgiven. Jesus lets the man know that the one forgiven more loves more.
When a jeweler displays a jewel, he will be wise enough to place it against a background that will make it stand out. White pearls are going to sit on dark velvet. In order for us to understand how great is our forgiveness, we need to place it against the dark backdrop of our sin. We earned the wrath of God. We earned hell for sinning against God. We had no hope. We were not good people who just needed a boost to make it to heaven.
Perhaps it would be good for you to take a moment today and remember not only who you are in Christ but also who you were before Christ. If you came to Christ early, before you did anything you now consider to be truly that bad, consider how far short you still fall when compared to God’s infinite perfection. Remember that you should have been judged were it not for the grace of God, grace you did nothing to earn. Let that dark background make the brilliant glory of your forgiveness stand out. Let the infinite debt that Jesus paid on your behalf make you love him more.
Made in God’s Image (Genesis 9:5-6)
Genesis 9:5-6
5 And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.
6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man,
by man shall his blood be shed,
for God made man in his own image.
Notice that, as God indicates the reckoning that will come for those who shed the blood of mankind, God gives a very clear and very simple reason. Why is murder so wrong? Why is murder punishable by death? God tells us that this is because mankind is created in his image. To murder a man is to attack the very image, the very representation of the person, authority, and glory of God.
This verse has big implications for worldview as much as for criminal law. In one sense, this verse helps to show us how morality is established. Morality is not a truth or set of standards that exist outside of the person of God. God does not conform to morality as if morality is a separate thing. No, what makes right to be right is the fact that it is like God. Murder is so sinful because it is an attack on God even more than it is an attack on another individual. Murder is wrong because God says so. Murder is wrong because God values his image greatly and will not tolerate it being defamed by sinful men. But make no mistake, murder is wrong primarily because God declares it to be wrong.
Also consider what this does for us as we consider the people of the world. If God declares that an attack on another person is an attack on his image, then we must grant that every person in the world has value. We are not valuable because of what we accomplish or how we live. We are not valuable because of how far along we are in our physical development or how great a quality of life we have. We are valuable because we have been granted value by God. That value is upon all people. It cannot be taken away. It cannot be added to. A living human being is a person made in the image of God, no matter who that human being is.
Two Views of Worthy (Luke 7:9)
Luke 7:9
When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”
The story of Jesus’ healing the Centurion’s servant is in a section of Luke designed to show us Jesus’ greatness, and so it does. We see the amazing power of Jesus as he heals a man’s servant without ever being in the room with the sick man. It was Jesus doing something that nobody assumed could be done.
But what caught my attention in the story today was the use of the word “worthy.” As the Jews asked Jesus to come and heal the centurion’s servant, they told him that the man was worthy of such a miracle because of his love for and kindness to Israel (verses 4-5). But then, as Jesus approached the centurion’s home, the Roman said to Jesus that he personally was not worthy of Jesus’ presence in his home but that he trusted in Jesus’ power and authority to heal his servant without ever visiting.
What caught me today are the two different views of worthiness. The Jews thought the man was worthy of Jesus because he had been a nice benefactor. The centurion said that he was not worthy of Jesus’ coming under his roof. Who was right? According to Jesus’ words in verse 9, it appears the centurion had a better estimation of himself than did the Jews.
We often assume that, when Jesus commended the faith of the centurion, he was only talking about the man’s faith that Jesus could perform the miracle. What if more was at stake there. Perhaps Jesus commended not only the man’s belief in Jesus’ power but also his understanding of Jesus’ holiness. Maybe, just maybe, the man understood that he was a sinner in need of mercy. Maybe the man knew that he could do nothing to earn the favor of someone like Jesus. Maybe the man understood that all he could do is ask for help. If so, the man’s faith looks more like saving faith than anything Jesus saw among the Jews around him, which makes verse 9 ring out in our ears.
The truth is, none of us are worthy of Jesus. If you think that you can earn anything from Jesus by your good behavior nice living, you are simply wrong. Like the centurion says, we are not worthy to have Jesus in our houses. All we can do is trust that Jesus has the authority and power to save. All we can do is ask for his kindness and mercy. And, wonderfully, gratefully, marvelously, Jesus promises to have mercy on all who will admit their need, turn from their sin and self-sufficiency, believe in him, and ask him for mercy.
Some Thoughts about the Flood (Genesis 6:11-13)
Genesis 6:11-13
11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
When we think about the flood during the days of Noah, it is hard to see this story for as horrifying as it really is. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not in the least sitting in judgment over God and his actions. He was absolutely right to do what he did—he is God, after all. What I mean by using the word horrifying is that the story should cause fear, horror, terror.
Can you imagine if you were Noah? What would you feel? How would you tremble? The god who made the universe speaks to you and tells you that he is about to destroy the entire world because of the sinful corruption of mankind. You know that you are not perfect yourself.
Again, not to belabor the point, I fear we do not think clearly about this. God said he was going to destroy the whole world. People were going to die. Animals were going to die. It was going to be a cataclysm the level of which Hollywood has never come close to depicting. Think of the worst disasters you have ever heard of. The flood trumps them all. Every tornado, every earthquake, every tsunami, every volcanic eruption, every hurricane, every nuclear blast, every destructive thing we have ever dreamed of falls far short of the horror of the flood.
What we must also realize is that the account of the flood is the clearest and most natural outworking of the intersection of God’s holiness and man’s sinfulness. God looked at the earth, saw how far man had fallen, and determined to do what was right. God chose to destroy the world because of the corruption of sinful man
This teaches us an invaluable lesson. God’s holiness is far greater, far more amazing, and far more deadly than we realize. God is infinitely above us. Our corruption is offensive to his holiness. His judgment of us is the logical outcome.
And that thought teaches us another valuable lesson. God is so incredibly merciful. We are just as corrupt today as the people of old were. We deserve God’s wrath just as much. And yet, God has chosen to have mercy on us. He has chosen to let us live. He has chosen to let us experience joy and goodness. He has chosen to bring salvation through the person and work of Jesus. This should cause us to love and worship God.
God could have left us hopeless. God could have swept us away in his wrath. But God showed love. AS he provided the ark to rescue Noah and his family, God has provided the sacrifice of Jesus to rescue all who will trust in him. And this is not all. God did not just rescue us from death. In Jesus, God loves us, adopts us into his family, and grants us eternal joy. God is truly great. His mercy is truly amazing. His kindness is truly overwhelming.
Common Grace in Cain’s Kids (Genesis 4:20-22)
Genesis 4:20-22
20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22 Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron.
Here we find ourselves in the middle of a list of the descendants of Cain. What a strange thing it is that God would include this genealogy. And here we see that 3 of Cain’s children are these three men who basically founded vital fields of human development.
One thing that we can take from this strange passage is that God is very merciful. God could have killed Cain. He could have prevented Cain from reproducing. But God chose to allow even the sinner, Cain, a family. He chose to bless Cain’s descendants with creativity and ingenuity. God chose to bring beauty into his world through the creativity of people, even people who did not follow him.
Sometimes we call this principle common grace. Common grace is the grace of God made evident in the lives of people, perhaps even people who do not follow him. God blesses all sorts of people with gifts of music, art, science, and so much more. God’s kindness is evident in the fact that he allows all sorts of people from all sorts of faiths the opportunity to bring good things into his world.
So, as you read through the Bible and see these odd little records of people having kids, even people who are not the people of God, remember that it is evidence of God’s kindness and mercy. God has chosen to allow life to thrive on earth and to allow people who do not know him to have families and to experience much beauty. Thank God for being so kind.
Quick Thought on Worship (Genesis 4:3-5)
Genesis 4:3-5
3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.
Why was Cain angry? He was supposed to be bringing an offering to God. He was supposed to be worshipping God. If God is God and not merely another guy like Cain, does God not have the right to declare what worship he will and will not accept? It is one thing to be disappointed that you did not do rightly, but Cain was enraged.
Do you see how wrong Cain’s heart was? How do we learn from this?
God is God. God has the right to declare what is acceptable to him in worship. We do not come to God in our own way and demand he accept what we give. We are not in the position of power. We do not have the right to declare what God must want or not want. We are the ones who need to submit to God’s revealed word as we seek to honor him.
A Massive Claim (Luke 6:5)
Luke 6:5
And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
Have you ever heard someone attempt to argue that Jesus never claimed deity? This passage in Luke 6 is a good example of a way in which Jesus showed us that he is God without saying those exact words.
In a confrontation with the Pharisees, Jesus found himself accused about his Sabbath-keeping. The religious leaders argued that Jesus could not be a good person since he was allowing his disciples to pick and eat grain on the Sabbath. This, of course, was nonsense. Jesus’s disciples were not actually working, not farming. They simply were grabbing a snack in a field. The religious leaders did not recognize that they had perverted God’s law into their own set of rules.
But here is what caught my attention today. In his response to the religious leaders, Jesus claimed to be “Lord of the Sabbath.” A little deductive reasoning shows this to be a giant claim. Who instituted the Sabbath? Of course, it was God who did so (cf. Exodus 20:8-11). In instituting the Ten Commandments, God included the Sabbath regulation. What are the Ten Commandments? They are terms of the covenant between God as the Ruler (Suzerain) and Israel as his servants (vassals). The Ten Commandments came in a very familiar form as terms of a type of ancient treaty.
Now, here comes the simple conclusion. Who can claim to be Lord over the Ten commandments? Can one of the people claim to be lord, or can only the rightful Ruler claim to be Lord? Of course, only the rightful King, only the one who instituted the rules, only he can claim to be “Lord of the Sabbath.” If Jesus claims to be “Lord of the Sabbath,” he is claiming the position of Ruler, of King, of God who instituted the Ten Commandments.
This argument reminds us of C. S. Lewis’s logical response to Jesus. Since Jesus claims what he claims, we dare not consider him to be merely a good man or good moral teacher. Jesus has not left the door open. He must either be crazy, cruel, or actually the God he claims to be. It is logical to reject him outright as a lunatic or liar, but it is not logical to consider him to be just a good guy. If you do not reject him outright, you must accept the fact that Jesus is Lord, God who made us. He is the One who has the right to rule over our lives. If Jesus is “Lord of the Sabbath,” then he is Lord of all. If Jesus is Lord of all, he is Lord over you and me and all that is. Our only right response is worship and surrender to our Lord Jesus.
Beginning with a Blessing (Psalm 1:1-3)
Psalm 1:1-3
1 Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
As I get started with Bible reading for 2014, it is encouraging to read this passage first. Who is blessed? Who is given prosperity and goodness from God? It is the person who regularly meditates on and delights in God’s word.
Of course I know that this is not about worldly prosperity. It’s not about money or health. But the truth is to receive blessing and goodness from God is to receive joy. God will help the person mentioned here in the psalm to do the things that honor God. Delighting in God’s word will lead to not thinking and acting like those who oppose God.
I don’t respond to this text with a legalistic regulation about how much or how often to read the word of God. However, I do see that the poet calls us to spend our days and nights in contemplation of the sweet truth of God’s word. This makes sense. There is no way to know God apart from his written revelation of himself. You can read it, you can listen to it, you can hear it taught, but the truth is, however you do it, you must make God’s word central in your life if you are going to prosper in your walk with God.
The Magi: A Prediction Fulfilled and a Promise Made (Isaiah 60:6; Matthew 2:11)
Isa 60:6
A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord.
Matthew 2:11 (ESV)
And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
Isaiah 60 is a prophecy that points the people of God toward his ultimate promise of restoration. While the world has been dark, the promise is that the light of God will come and shine upon his people. God promises healing and a reversal of fortune for his children. He promises that his people will be, like a restored city, made strong and beautiful.
I don’t know that, though I have read this passage many times before, I have ever noticed verse 6. As God points his people toward his promise of restoration, he mentions that people from other nations will come to his people bearing gifts. The Bible tells us, “They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord.” How fascinating. As God points toward the fulfillment of his promise of favoring his people with everlasting peace and joy, he indicates that people from foreign lands will bring gold and frankincense.
Of course, many of us are familiar with the passage in Matthew 2 that tells us of the magi bringing gifts to the young Jesus. They bring the promised gold and frankincense. What does this mean? It means that the child born to Mary is very special. The child born to Mary is the fulfillment of God’s promises. Somehow, the little one the magi bow down to worship is the one who will bring about the perfect fulfillment of all of God’s promises.
By the way, also note that the magi bring one more gift, myrrh. Add to the kingly gift of God and the godly (worship) gift of frankincense, the gift of something often used to perfume a body and prepare it for burial. God had these men from afar bring the perfect gifts to point to the person and work of Jesus. Jesus is God. Jesus is King. Jesus is the one who would bring about all of God’s promises of restoration. And, somehow, Jesus would do this, not through initial conquest, but instead, he would accomplish God’s plan by dying as a sacrifice for the sins of all who would put their faith in him.
I write this while sitting at my mom’s house, the remnants of Christmas day still all around. How fitting it is to recognize that the coming of Christ, even the coming of the magi, is a perfect fulfilling of God’s promises as well as a pointer toward the final fulfillment of all of God’s promises. God will always be faithful. God will restore his people. There is a perfect eternity ahead of the people of God because of the person and work of Jesus. And the gifts of the magi, predicted centuries earlier, help us see the certainty of our hope in Jesus.
Pastor Travis Peterson 