Discipleship, Understanding, Obedience, Pulpit … › downloads › Printable625… · Web viewUltimately, this is instruction from God’s Word and based upon God’s Word (2 Tim.

Table of Contents:I’ve Been Forgiven? Wow; I’d Forgotten

When a Pastor and His Church Don’t Agree

The Real Answer to Sin

Exegetically Speaking

Living out the Living Word

Points to Ponder

The Story behind the Song

Church Builders

Counselor’s Corner

Book Reviews

News Update

Sermon Helps

Puzzles and ‘Toons

___________________________________I’ve Been Forgiven? Wow; I’d ForgottenBy Joe Mckeever

If you had nearly died from a strange illness and the doctors had given up hope, then suddenly you recovered and were able to get on with your life, could you ever, ever forget that?

If you had suffered on death row at Angola Prison, and the prison chaplain was preparing a final prayer and the chef had laid out your last meal, when suddenly the governor pardoned you and you walked outside a free man, could you ever forget it?

Apparently some people can forget the most momentous events in their lives. Consider this line: “For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten that he was forgiven from his past sins” (2 Pet.1:9). It appears that some

calling themselves Christians no longer remember that they have been forgiven of their sins. How strange is that? And how does it happen?

I think we know. The Apostle Peter saw professing Christians around him living as though they had no past, as though they had dropped full-grown into the Christian life out of heaven. It was a bizarre thought to him, as it is to us. Peter identifies qualities which make for fruitfulness and usefulness in a believer’s life: “Applying all diligence, add to your faith moral excellence, and to your moral excellence knowledge, and to your knowledge, self-control...perseverance...godliness...brotherly kindness...love” (2 Pet. 1:5-7).

Believers exhibiting such godly traits have great influence for the Lord in this world. However, some who call themselves believers show no evidence of moral excellence (virtue), have no knowledge, little

or no self-control, a complete lack of perseverance, and so forth (vs. 8). That is, they are living in sin, ignorant of God’s word, indulging every passion, not staying with anything they start, showing no signs of Christ-likeness or simple kindness or a love for other believers. And yet they call themselves Christians. How could this be?

Barren, unproductive, lifeless believers—could there be such a thing?—are either blind or short-sighted, and have clearly forgotten they were ever forgiven for their sins in the first place. Truly amazing.

Growing up on the farm, I plowed our family’s mule Toby throughout the summers of my 15th, 16th, and 17th years. This was an experience you never forget, often relish, but would not want to repeat for love or money. Anyone who has guided a plow behind a mule will know the abrupt feeling when the plow point suddenly snags an underground root. The mule is yanked

backward, the plowboy is thrown over the crossbar, and the breath is knocked out of him. You never ever forget that feeling.

That’s somewhat the way it is for me with Scripture. I’m cruising along, enjoying the Word, and suddenly a verse, a sentence, a phrase or even a word snags my attention and takes my breath away. I am captivated by that. That’s how I know the Holy Spirit is sending me a message. For the rest of the day or many days, my mind dwells on little else but that text.

“Having forgotten that [they were] forgiven from [their] many past sins.” How could anyone forget such a critical, life-changing event in their lives?

I. How We Forget ForgivenessAgain, I think we know. There are two

primary ways by which professing Christians tend to forget that Christ forgave—wiped out, erased, washed thoroughly, and

completely dealt with forever—their lengthy list of sins.

1) Some refuse to let themselves believe those old sins are truly forgiven. These are good church people. They read the Bible and go to church. But as for the sins in their past, even though they have done the repenting and confessing and praying, they cannot turn loose of the guilt. They are fearfully sure those old sins are still on God’s ledgers as outstanding debts against them.

These people are the guilt-ridden among us. They are self-absorbed. They grovel in their sad past, tormented by memories of what they did, and worried about what will happen to them at judgment. Somehow or other, they have convinced themselves that God’s forgiveness is temporary, conditioned on how they feel, given in installments, or inadequate for their

great needs. “Sure, He can forgive others, but I’m different.”

Tell them this is unbelief, and they would be offended. And yet it is nothing but unbelief which refuses to take at face value the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus shed at Calvary.

In the hospital, a church member poured out the story of her affair with a co-worker. She was tormented by guilt over the sad business which was long over. The stress and worry had made her ill. I was her young pastor, still trying to figure out how to shepherd the Lord’s sheep.

I said, “And have you confessed this to the Lord?” She had. “And has He forgiven you?”

“Yes, I think He has, pastor. But I just can’t forgive myself.”

I said, “You have higher standards than God?”

“Pastor! What a thing to say! Of course not.”

“That’s what you are saying. ‘Oh sure, God can forgive. But I have higher standards. I don’t forgive so easily.’”

She was quiet a moment. “I never thought of it like that.” We prayed and thanked God for the complete way in which He has dealt with our sins: burying them in the deepest ocean (Mic. 7:19), separating them from us as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:14), nailing them to the cross (Col. 2:14), and then, forgetting what He has forgiven (Heb. 10:17). Accepting the Lord’s forgiveness as total allows us to turn loose of our flawed past. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).

One year later, a note from this lady said, “Today is the anniversary of our conversation in the hospital. This has been the most wonderful year of my life, just

relishing the wonderful gift from my precious Lord.”

Imagine an adult pouring out grief to you because of some past sin. You probe a little and are amazed to discover your friend is tormented because in kindergarten she hit another child. You want to shake her and say, “You were a kid! Kids do that. Get over it. I’m sure the person you hit is fine and doesn’t remember it. God forgave it, if He ever noticed it in the first place. Now, put it out of your mind and go forward!”

Accept His forgiveness, friend, and enjoy the freedom. But don’t ever quit thanking Him (read on; more about this below). And don’t forget what He has done for you.

2. Others act as though they have not sinned once in the time since they were forgiven, and sin no longer has any relevance to them. These are the Pharisees among us. They are self-

righteous. Given a choice between living with the self-absorbed who cannot believe God has truly erased their sins and the self-righteous who cannot remember they ever sinned in the first place, choose the former.

The church member (or family member or co-worker) without a sense of past—with no memory of having failed and gotten back up, no knowledge of having sinned and been forgiven—will be a pain to everyone.

The self-righteous Pharisee among us has blotted out the past, has deleted his failures from his memory-bank. Thoughts of what they did previously and the humbling experience of repenting and receiving forgiveness are so painful they don’t think about it anymore. They made that choice.

The Pharisee has no mercy toward the sinner, exhibits no compassion toward the needy, and feels no sympathy toward the addict who is going to try once more—

for the umpteenth time—to get back on his feet and to do right.

Pity the church which has such a pastor, the Sunday school class with such a teacher, the family with such a parent. They are—as the Apostle Peter said—unproductive and unfruitful for the Lord, and a burden to all around them.

The upshot of all this is that Christians need to believe and preach a) that forgiveness from the Savior is readily available, that it is full and free and final and available; and b) that remembering that we were forgiven does something positive and helpful in our relationship to God and others.

II. How We Can RememberLet’s dwell on these two truths a

moment: The Lord loves to forgive and loves it when we remember that He has forgiven us.

1. Jesus loves to forgive. Do not miss this. One of Satan’s favorite lies goes: “The Lord just might forgive you, but He doesn’t want to. He is disgusted with you over what you did. You will need to feel guilty for a long, long time before you earn His forgiveness.” And then you read the Bible and see what a liar he is.

You see Jesus forgiving the paralyzed fellow (who has been brought to Him for healing) without the man even asking (Mark 2:5). You see Jesus on the cross asking God to forgive His executioners, even though they’re still in the act of killing Him (Luke 23:34). You see in Exodus 34:6-7 that God’s very nature is to “forgive iniquity, transgression and sin.” He is “compassionate and gracious” and says so Himself. Forgiveness is not against God’s nature; it is His very nature.

The chapter in which God gives us the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:1-17) also

contains provisions for an altar (20:24-26). The implications of this are enormous. The righteous God knew from the first the kind of people He was dealing with. He knew we could not live up to His righteous standard. So He built in a way back into His presence after we had sinned. How wonderful is that?

“He Himself knows our frame. He is mindful that we are but dust” (Ps. 103:14). When you sin, the only one surprised is you. God is under no illusions about you and me. He knew from the first how flawed we were. Yet, “God is love,” and “gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

You are so blessed, believer. Why aren’t you thanking Him every day, in fact, every moment of every day? “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

2. Remembering that He forgave us—and what He forgave—instills four essential qualities in believers.

A. Humility. Never again will you live in self-sufficiency. You have been given a good look at yourself and see what a bum you are. You are a sinner and have not ceased to be one since coming to Christ either. When Jesus says, “Without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5), everything inside you cries out, “So true.” You read the story of the two men praying in the Temple (Luke 18:9-14) and need no prompting from anyone to find yourself in that picture.

B. Gratitude. You have lost forever your sense of entitlement. You do not want “what I deserve.” You have been shown great mercy, you have not received the judgment you had coming, and you are overwhelmed with gratitude. Your prayer is often so simple as “Thank you, Jesus,” but

one you find yourself praying again and again. It says what you are feeling so well.

C. Love. You have lost forever that independent streak that characterized your pre-forgiven life. When Christ forgave you your sins, and when you began to realize what He had done and all it means, you found your heart filled with an overwhelming love for Christ and an affection for His people. You soon realized that one of the best ways of loving Him is by loving His people.

D. Obedience. You have lost for all time the resistance to the commands of God and the leadership of His Spirit. You know full well what that kind of headstrong-ness leads to and you want no part of it. You love the Word and you enjoy finding out how to serve the Lord. You read where Jesus said “if you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15 and similar

places in that chapter and the next), and you know what it means.

III. How It All Plays OutThe woman who slipped into the

house where the Lord Jesus dined had hoped not to disturb anyone. As the men reclined toward the center table, she sat behind them, at the Lord’s feet and simply worshiped. Just being in His presence was enough.

As the tears dropped onto His feet, she gradually became aware of that and loosened her hair for a towel. Then, overcome by her volcanic emotions, she begins kissing the Lord’s feet. Soon—in for a dime, in for a dollar—she brings out of her pocket a small vial of perfume, breaks it open and anoints His feet (Luke 7:36-50).

The fragrance quickly saturated every nook and cranny of the house. It got into the clothing of everyone present. Her presence

could no longer be ignored. The host, a Pharisee, was indignant that Jesus would receive worship from a woman with such a sordid past.

The Lord, knowing the man’s thoughts, said, “Simon, I have a question for you. If you forgive two debtors—one who owes you 10 dollars and the other one owing you 10,000 dollars—which one will love you more?”

Simon said, “I suppose the one you forgive more.”

“Correct,” Jesus said. And then He made application. “See this woman? When I came into your house, you did not give me a kiss of greeting, but she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not wash my feet (the way hosts would care for arriving guests), but she has not stopped bathing my feet in her tears. And you did not anoint my head with oil. But she has anointed my feet with this perfume.”

“You’re wondering why, aren’t you, Simon? She loves much because she has been forgiven much. It’s that simple.”

The Lord left unsaid what was apparent to everyone. Simon loved little because he had either been forgiven little, had forgotten that he had been forgiven anything, or perhaps had never been forgiven anything.

Looking at your life—at the humility, the gratitude, the love, and the obedience—how do you rate on the remembering-His-forgiveness factor? I used to have a man in my church who came to Christ at age 43 after a lifetime of proud sinning. He owned several companies and had plenty of money, but his life had been tormented by conflicting lusts and ambitions. Now, Jesus forgave him and washed away all his sin by His precious blood. Ten years later, I became his pastor.

What intrigued me about the man was how he would pray. We would sometimes pray in my office or in his car after an evening of church visitation together. His prayer would begin something like this: “Thank you, Lord Jesus. Oh, thank you, precious Lord Jesus.” (Long pause) “Thank you, Lord. Oh, Lord, I’ll never get over thanking you.”

I tear up just remembering. Lawrence Bryant never forgot that he had been redeemed from all his sins by the precious blood of Jesus. He never got through thanking the wonderful Savior. And his life bore great fruit for the Master from the time of his salvation at age 43 until he went to Heaven some four decades later.

Joe McKeever is a retired Southern Baptist pastor from New Orleans, Louisiana. He

blogs regularly at www.joemckeever.com.

___________________________________When a Pastor and His Church Don’t See Eye to EyeBy Justin Lonas

Originally published on the Disciple blog in April.

What happens when a pastor has an awakening in his own relationship with Christ? When he comes to an understanding of the Word that renews his passion for the Gospel and the work of the ministry? He is bound (and responsible) to share his discovery with his congregation as an evidence of the grace of God in His life and the life of the local body.

What happens when he addresses the congregation, however, may not be nearly so joyous as his initial breakthrough. Often, the substance of spiritual growth involves things (conviction of sin, deeper

understanding of grace, shift of focus from self to Christ) that will necessarily step on the toes of those who are not interested in the things of God and attend church for merely social or personal reasons.

I’ve seen far too many pastors get frustrated when they have a clear sense that the Lord is leading them and their churches into greater obedience to His Word but their congregation is either unmoved or even hostile to the changes in practice that obedience might lead to. In recent months, a few pastors I’m acquainted with have been fired or pressured to backpedal in their teaching under threat of dismissal.

I’m not sure why the congregations of these pastors have rejected their sincere teaching, and I don’t want this to be a quibble over doctrine or semantics. What I do want is to outline a few helpful principles that churches and pastors should apply when this type of situation (a pastor relaying

a doctrinal/obedience awakening to a church that hasn’t experienced the same awakening) arises.

I. To Churches1) Give your pastor the benefit of

the doubt. You called your pastor to faithfully study, exposit, and proclaim God’s Word. If he preaches concepts that you find uncomfortable, don’t automatically assume that he is out to get you, but rather assume that he is merely faithfully relaying to you that which God has taught him through Scripture.

2) Listen closely to what the Spirit may be teaching you. If your toes are stepped on by a faithful exposition of Scripture, perhaps they needed to be squashed. Your impulse to reject the pastor’s teaching and/or attempt to oust him from the pulpit may be your flesh rebelling against changes the Spirit is desperately

trying to work in your heart. If the message hurts, don’t reflexively shoot the messenger, but examine the message and “…test the spirits to see whether they are from God…” (1 John 4:1).

3) Let the pastor know that you don’t understand or are uncomfortable with his message(s). This goes back to the first point—your pastor would be thrilled to know that you as his congregation are engaging with what he is teaching and desiring to understand it better, and he most likely would graciously spend whatever time is necessary to help you understand and bring clarity to the situation. If he rebuffs your honest (and courteous) questions, that might be a sign that he is “off the reservation” in what he has been teaching.

4) If there are certain leaders in your church who are trying to turn the congregation away from a faithful pastor, ask them to repent or resign. Look at the

character qualities required of elders/overseers in Scripture. I’ve highlighted specific qualities that need to be considered in this type of situation: “An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money” (1 Tim. 3:2-3). When a leader or leaders in your church fail to exhibit these characteristics in how they approach a doctrinal or practical conflict with the pastor, red flags should go up.

5) Ask the Lord to bring reconciliation to your church. Since we are fallen human beings, discord, frustration, anger, misunderstanding, and partisanship come easily to us. Repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation are hard, and must be worked through the Spirit in us. If your church is embroiled in doctrinal strife, pray

for healing and pray for God to be glorified through it.

6) Be willing to change if you recognize that you are wrong. If you follow the first five recommendations in this list and you find that your pastor is teaching you truth in “love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Tim. 1:5), then apologize for assailing him and submit to his preaching as he submits himself to the Word of God.

II. To Pastors1) Be loving in how you present

truth. If God is teaching you and you are growing spiritually by leaps and bounds, do not let that become a source of pride to you. Don’t share the things you are learning with your congregation in a way that belittles their spiritual maturity or intellectual capacity. “Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger

men as brothers, the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters in all purity” (1 Tim. 5:1-2). Your congregation will best take the medicine of hard truth when it is delivered in a spirit of loving concern and encouragement.

2) Recognize that the Lord is working on people in His time-frame. Just because the Lord has given you fresh appreciation and insight into His Word does not mean He has worked accordingly with your entire congregation at once. If you assume that your epiphany (which may be founded on decades of study, suffering, and prayer) has to be shared by your whole church immediately, you’re setting yourself up for a crash. Be patient, and trust the Lord to use His Word in them as He has in you.

3) When there is misunderstanding, be a teacher. If your congregation balks at something you’re teaching them, listen sincerely to their

concerns, patiently correct their doctrinal errors with truth, and endeavor to be as clear as possible to remove unnecessary stumbling blocks from their understanding of the Word.

4) Ask the Lord to confirm your ministry and your message. If you are certain of the Lord’s favor in your study and exposition of specific passages of His Word that are troubling your congregation, pray that He will open their eyes to His truth. You are not standing in your own speaking exegetical skills, you are standing before your church in the strength of the Lord proclaiming the truth of His Word. It’s up to Him (not you!) whether they respond.

5) Be willing to change if you recognize that you are wrong. If you proclaim a new insight from God’s Word, and your congregation (or your elders) reject it, don’t dismiss their criticisms out of hand. It could be that your enthusiasm

over a spiritual discovery has led you to conclusions that are not in keeping with the whole of Scripture. If faithful men and women in your body bring correction, further study reveals errors in your thought process, and the Spirit brings conviction, do not hold tightly to your message. Rather repent, thank those who rebuked you, and continue in ministry with newfound humility and appreciation for the gathered Body of Christ.

6) Be willing to take a stand if you know that you are in the right. If, on the other hand, your teaching is rejected by your congregation or its leaders, they may be reacting to the truth of God’s Word by clinging to their own sins or the “tradition of men” (Col. 2:8). If you have examined your message and your heart in proclaiming it, then speak boldly, resting in the assurance that “they have not rejected you, but they have rejected [the Lord]” (1 Sam. 8:7). If you lose your pastoral position or half your

church leaves because of the truth of your message (not because of error or your demeanor in delivering it), then take comfort in Jesus’ words: “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who went before you” (Matt. 5:10-12).

Justin Lonas is editor of Disciple Magazine for AMG International in Chattanooga,

Tennessee.

___________________________________The Real Answer to SinBy Shea Oakley

We can only progress in our sanctification if we trust Christ to bring it about. This may seem like a spiritual “no-brainer”, but it has become somewhat of a revelation in my life of late. After over twenty years of self-limited faith I finally feel like I am coming to the point of viscerally knowing something which I have been “preaching” for years: that Jesus is not only the center of our Salvation but the center of our Sanctification as well.

There is perhaps no greater temptation in the daily walk of faith than to put that faith in ourselves and call it faith in God. We do this without knowing it; perhaps it would be more accurate to say that we do it without wanting to know it. Regardless of whether spiritual self-reliance is

subconscious, conscious, or a little of both, it is anathema to any genuine progress in the Christian life. We cannot overcome the flesh with the flesh. This is the essence of futility and the reason that not a few professing Christians become so frustrated and discouraged that they make a shipwreck of their faith, at least as far as real sanctification is concerned.

The fulcrum of failure in working to attain to Christ-likeness in our own strength is found in our patent inability to overcome sin. We try not to sin; we sin anyway. These two statements might seem like a Pauline truth about the believer’s walk, but they leave out the Pauline solution to repetitive sin: Jesus Christ Himself. The answer to losing our remaining sin nature, our “old man”, is to reckon it crucified with Christ.

Just as the resurrection of Christ made our transformation into “new creatures” possible, His death on the cross

makes possible the realized death of our sin nature. Part of our baptism is identification with Jesus in His death. Our sin nature died with Him. It has been crucified with Him. The answer to our ongoing sin problem is to reckon ourselves dead to sin because it is part of that within us which died before we were raised, with the Son of God, to new and enduring life.

The only responsibility we have as Christians is to accept and internalize the fact that our old transgressing nature has been truly crucified with Christ. It is in coming to stand on this truth that we will finally find the power not to sin. Yes, we must will ourselves to believe it, but the power itself is a function of the presence of the crucified and risen Savior dwelling in our hearts. As we progressively reckon our remaining “old man” as dead through the realization of our crucifixion with Jesus, we will begin to know true victory over sin.

As with so many core truths pertaining to the Christian walk, this one will not be completely owned by us in some kind of “flash-epiphany” that renders us completely unable to sin. Our whole earthly life will likely be spent living more and more in the realized death of our flesh. No one can be as utterly sinless in deed as Jesus was in this life. That said, we can come to know a growing personal holiness that will include a radically reduced tendency towards moral failure. This is part of the “re-birthright” of the Children of God, even in the here and now.

I hope all you who read these words will be encouraged by the same revelation that is beginning to possess my heart. We need not fight a futile war against sin in our own strength and know only defeat after defeat. It is in Christ and Christ alone that our sanctification has been obtained for us. We need only to progressively believe and

surrender to this truth. The Spirit of Christ within us will do the rest.

© Shea Oakley. All Rights Reserved.

Converted from atheism in 1990, Shea Oakley has written over 350 articles for

electronic and print publications since 2002, including Disciple Magazine (and Pulpit

Helps Magazine), The Christian Herald, The Christian Post, Christian Network and

Crosshome.com. In 2003 he graduated from Alliance Theological Seminary with a

Certificate of Theological Studies. Shea and his wife Kathleen make their home in West

Milford, New Jersey.

___________________________________Exegetically Speakingby Spiros Zodhiates

Jesus Is Tried Before the SanhedrinMatthew 26:57-68

From Exegetical Commentary on Matthew, 2006, AMG Publishers.

[57] Having arrested Jesus, the band from the guards of the temple (John 18:3, 12) led Him to Caiaphas the high priest where the scribes and elders were assembled in a meeting of the Sanhedrin. Caiaphas was the son-in-law of Annas, a former high priest. The members of the family were Sadducees who did not believe in the resurrection.

[58] We do not know where the disciples fled to from the garden, but we read that one of them, Peter, “followed

(ēkoloúthei, the imperfect tense of akolouthéō [190], was following) him from (apó [575]) afar off (makróthen [3113], from a distance).”

Though removed from Jesus to protect himself, Peter could see that they led Him to the high priest’s “palace” (aulē [833], an open courtyard around an edifice such as a palace). Apparently, Peter and John were the only ones brave enough to follow and enter the palace area. Peter was sitting with the servants “to see (from eídō [1492] the aorist of horáō [3708], to see and perceive) the end (télos [5056]),” that is, what would become of Jesus. His courage was short-lived, however, for when he was queried, Peter denied that He knew Jesus.

[59] This was not a just court session. A court is supposed to seek truth, but this one, on the defensive from the beginning, needed and therefore “sought false witnesses (from pseudomarturía [5577],

literally, false testimony) against Jesus, to (hópōs [3704], in order to) put him to death.”

[60, 61] Unfortunately for the Jewish leaders, they “found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none (repeated for emphasis).” Near the end of the trial, they found the incriminating testimony they wanted: “At the last (hústeron [5305], eventually, at the very end) came two false witnesses” that agreed with one another.

These rogues quoted Jesus as saying, “I am able (dúnamai [1410]) to destroy (from katalúō [2647], to throw down) the temple (from naós [3485], temple sanctuary) of God and build it up in three days” (a.t.).

Ironically, by misinterpreting the “temple” Jesus had referred to, the Jews originally wrote off such ability as insane, since the temple had taken forty-six years to build (John 2:20). The testimony of these

witnesses was not entirely consistent with each other, perhaps differing on when or where Jesus allegedly made this statement (Mark 14:59).

However, their testimony was similar to something Jesus actually said but not in complete agreement. In John 2:19 Jesus did say, “Destroy (lúsate, the second plural aorist active imperative of lúō [3089], to loose, with the actual significance of, ‘if you destroy,’ or ‘when you destroy,’ but He did not say, ‘I will destroy’) this temple (from naós), and in three days I will raise it up.”

When they misinterpreted the “temple” Jesus referred to, they considered it an insane boast, since the temple was immense and had taken years to build. But Jesus spoke of the “temple of his body” (John 2:21). He used the word naós, which always referred to the temple sanctuary, rather than the more normal word hierón (2411), which usually referred to the whole

temple complex. Naós was used several times in the Epistles to speak of the human body as a temple sanctuary of God (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:21).

Although the leaders took naós as referring to the temple complex and therefore accused Jesus of blasphemy, they actually understood that He used it as a figure of speech to refer to His own body. When they approached Pilate to ask for a guard for Jesus’ tomb, they told him: “Sir, we remember that that deceiver [Jesus] said, while he was yet alive, ‘After three days I will rise again’” (Matt. 27:63). These false accusations were irrationally evil. They not only distorted or ignored facts, but they were rooted in covetousness and political fear.

[62] The high priest (usually the chairman of the Sanhedrin) listened to the proceedings for a while. Then he rose and asked Jesus, “Do You answer nothing? What is it that these are testifying against

You?” (a.t.). Because the high priest recognized how inconclusive the inconsistent testimony of the false witnesses actually was, he tried to goad Jesus into a more damaging statement.

[63] Consistent with His teachings, Jesus did not “cast [His] pearls before swine” (Matt. 7:6). No matter what reply He gave, they would turn it against Him. Once you have determined that your opponent has an evil character, it is senseless to continue to argue. Silence is the best answer in such situations. “But Jesus was silent (esiōpa, the imperfect tense of siōpáō [4623], to keep silence; ‘was keeping silent’).” (a.t.)

Jesus was not disturbed by these proceedings. But the peace in His heart and responses upset the high priest; in fact, it infuriated him. He demanded an answer: “I adjure (exorkízō [1844], to exact an oath; the only time this verb is used in the NT)

thee by (katá [2596], the preposition with the genitive that replaces the accusative noun with oaths representing the one who is to oversee an oath and guarantee its veracity: “before, or in the presence of”) the living God (as if God were in court listening to the testimony), that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.”

The definite article before “Christ” implies one Messiah, so the high priest demanded that Jesus openly admit if He considered Himself to be that One. It is intriguing that any Jew of that period, especially a high priest, would identify the Messiah as “the Son (huiós [5207]) of God.”

This was not common among Pharisees or Sadducees for a good reason. The Hebrew Old Testament did not contain the singular expression, “the Son.” There is no definite article accompanying the singular “son” in the Aramaic phrase “son (from bar [1247, OT]) of God (from ‘elāh [426, OT])” in

the original text of Daniel 3:25 (Dan. 2:4-7:28 in the original Hebrew OT was written in Aramaic). The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the original Hebrew and Aramaic Old Testament, interprets the Aramaic as ággelos (32), “angel of God.” Also, there are no definite articles with the plural “sons” in the Hebrew texts of Genesis 6:2-4; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7. God calls the collective nation of Israel in Exodus 4:22 “my son” and the anointed individual King in Psalm 2:7 “my Son” (identically in Hebrew, beniy, and in Greek, huios…mou) but neither with definite articles. Even Isaiah 9:6 has simply bēn (child) in the Hebrew and paidíon (child) in the Septuagint (Isa. 9:5), neither, again, with preceding articles.

Thus, for a chief priest to qualify the Messiah as “the (presumably unique) Son” reflects a messianic expectation of the times that advances beyond the precise wording of the Old Testament.

[64] Jesus finally spoke, masterfully. First He said, “Thou hast said (eípas, the aorist tense of légō [3004], to intelligently speak).” The aorist indicates that the high priest had already made the assertion (literally, “You said it!”), not that he believed it. Jesus just acknowledged that he spoke the truth.

But Jesus did not stop there: “Nevertheless (plēn [4133], an adverb contracted from pléon or pleíōn [4119], more, besides, meaning He has more to say), I say to you, Hereafter (ap’ árti, from now; from apó [575], from; and árti [737], now) you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven” (a.t.).

The prepositional phrase ap’ árti occurs in two other places in Matthew, and all three are eschatological references. In Matthew 23:39 it occurs at the end of Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem: “For I say unto you,

Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” We also find the expression in Matthew 26:29 where Jesus said He will not drink ap’ árti the fruit of the vine until His kingdom is established.

From here forward, Jesus said, they will see the Son of man exalted and coming in clouds of glory. The phrase “Son of man” occurs eighty times in the Gospels, including thirty times in Matthew. In humiliation, the Son of God vacated His proper position at the right hand of the Father. In His ascension, He reassumed that position. This prediction is actually a fulfillment of Hebrew prophecies with which the high priest would be familiar (e.g., Ps. 2:1-12; 110:1-7; Dan. 7:13-14; Zech. 14:3-4).

Psalm 110:1 (cf. Acts 2:35; Heb. 1:13) teaches that the Father works on behalf of the Son, who remains seated “at [His] right hand,” a position of exaltation.

The Jewish leaders were inexcusable for treating Jesus as they did in light of their thorough familiarity with these oracles entrusted to them (Rom. 3:1-2). Christ predicted that He would personally occupy the throne of David promised to the Messiah (Matt. 19:27, 28; 25:31; see also Luke 1:32).

The verb “you shall see” is from horáō (3708), to see and perceive. The same Son of man incarnated, humiliated, and killed would be exalted to the right hand of the Father, “sitting (kathēmenon, the present participle of káthēmai [2521], to sit) on the right hand of power.” “Sitting” and “coming” are both present participles, arguing not only that sitting and coming are not contradictory but that the coming of Christ is a process of salvation and judgment that would start at the ascension (note: ap’ árti is proleptic, pointing forward—“you shall see”—to the time when Jesus would actually sit at the right hand of the

Father) and carries forward to the end of the age.

“Sitting” infers that the work of redemption, the remission of sins (áphesis [859]), was accomplished (v. 28). What remains is the regeneration (paliggenesía [3824]; see 19:28), justification, sanctification, and bodily redemption of believers (Rom. 8:23; 1 Cor. 15:51-57; 1 Thess. 4:11-18).

God is presented as the God of real “power” (dúnamis [1411]), a dynamic power that always energizes all things (Rom. 11:36; Eph. 1:11)—not potential power—strength (ischús [2479]; see Matt. 12:29). Christ’s ongoing “sitting” is not antithetical to His ongoing “coming.” Though the Father is subduing His enemies, Christ Himself subdues all things (Phil. 3:21) as He promised the disciples when they pray in His name, “Because I go to my Father, I will do it” (John 14:12, 14; a.t.). So He is not “sitting

down on the job,” as the expression goes, but is always interceding for His own (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 4:16; 7:25; 10:19-25; 1 John 2:1) and judging the rest (Matt. 19:28; 25:31; Mark 14:62; 2 Cor. 5:10).

The Lord Jesus is coming in the “clouds (from nephélē [3507], the diminutive of néphos [3509], cloud; therefore, a small cloud) of heaven” (see also Matt. 24:30; Mark 13:26; 14:62; Luke 21:27). These clouds showed up first at Jesus’ transfiguration (Matt. 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:34) and later at His ascension (Acts 1:9). Néphos, a normal-sized cloud, is used metaphorically in Hebrews 12:1 to picture crowds of heavenly spectators watching the saints on earth.

[65] Upon hearing Jesus’ claim to be the messianic Son of God, “The high priest rent (from diarrēsso or diarrēgnumi [1284], to tear, break, rip; from the preposition diá [1223], denoting separation; and

rhēssō/rhēgnumi [4486], to tear, rip) his clothes (outer garments; see below).”

This was strictly forbidden for a high priest (Lev. 21:10). It is amazing that at Jesus’ confirmation of the truth, even the high priest sinned against the very Law he was committed to uphold. The distinctive clothes he wore (Ex. 28, 39) symbolized his religious authority. The noun translated “clothes” (from himátion [2440]) in the King James Version, refers to any garments but particularly the outer ones distinctive of the high priestly office.

Following this action, the high priest accused Jesus: “He has blasphemed” (a.t.). The Greek word used here is eblasphēmēse, the aorist tense of blasphēméō ([987], to speak irreverently concerning God or holy things; derived from bláx [n.f.], sluggish, slow, stupid; and phēmí [5346], to say, speak, affirm). In no context, however, does the root noun bláx conjure up

any pity as if a handicapped person were being addressed. Blasphemy was not a pitiful stupidity but rather a rational, ungodly offense against God and persons and was punishable by death (Lev. 24:15, 16).

The high priest continued, “What further (éti [2089], yet, beyond, additional) need have we of witnesses?” Previously, they had only the false witnesses, but now they had the actual testimony of Jesus, which they considered blasphemy. It was on this basis that the high priest requested the Sanhedrin to condemn Jesus.

[66] So he asked, “What think (dokueí, the present tense of dokéō [1380], to suppose, assume; lit., ‘how does it seem’ to you) ye?” What a rhetorical question! He had rent his garments, pronounced that Christ spoke blasphemy, asked what further need they had for witnesses, and then noted that the audience had heard the blasphemy. Who would dare defy all this? Every angry

word and mannerism showed he was not interested in objectivity, having signaled loud and clear exactly how he wanted them to vote. Who defies a high priest that breaks the Mosaic Law to make his point?

The response, without the deliberation of fair jurisprudence, came from all the other members of the Sanhedrin present. No doubt, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea were deliberately omitted from the list of members receiving an invitation to attend the trial because their honesty or loyalty to Christ was well-known (see Matt. 27:57; Mark 15:43; Luke 23:50-51; John 7:50–52): “He is guilty (énochos [1777] from enéchō [1758], to have an involvement in) of death.”

[67] Perhaps to visibly support their chief’s garment-rending, “They spit in his [Jesus’] face, and buffeted (from kolaphízō [2852], to slap with the palms of the hands) him.” What utter humiliation of the One who

“laid Himself down” (from tapeinóō [5013], to bring low, to humiliate; from tápēs [n.f.], a carpet; a.t.), taking the form of a man and becoming “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:8).

[68] The command, “Prophesy unto us, thou Christ,” was derisive. After covering His face (Mark 14:65), they punched and slapped Him, saying, “Who is he that smote thee?” Jesus knew who struck Him, but He was under no obligation to answer these wicked people. The question showed that even unbelievers expect supernatural knowledge from a prophet. Although the action was complete: “Who hit you?”—and, therefore, the predictive role of the prophet was not being called into question—as, for example, in the question, Who will hit you?—it takes supernatural vision to see beyond a blindfold.

Spiros Zodhiates (1922-2009) served as president of AMG International for over 40

years, was the founding editor of Pulpit Helps Magazine (Disciple’s predecessor), and authored dozens of exegetical books.

___________________________________Living out the Living Wordby Justin Lonas

Pastor to Pastor: Wise Counsel for Ministry1 Timothy 4:7-16

In the first part of 1 Timothy 4, Paul exhorts Timothy to cherish and preserve “the mystery of godliness” (3:16), by seeing to it that both he and the church at Ephesus were “constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following” (4:6). Now he continues, directing his instruction more

specifically to Timothy than to the church as a whole.

His first encouragement flows directly from the previous passage, extending Paul’s concern about the centrality of truth to the ministry of the Church. “But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women” (4:7a). In fact, this is a continuation of the previous thought, presenting the obverse of being “nourished” by the truth. Paul’s warning to avoid “old wives tales,” as the KJV puts it, refers, I think, to the message of the false teachers (the “myths and endless genealogies” of 1:4) and its spread around the church at Ephesus by the gossip of certain women (5:13).

Paul then contrasts this warning with an admonition to spiritual discipline: “On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the

present life and also for the life to come” (4:7b-8).

As full-throated as Paul’s charge to the active pursuit of godliness is here, comparing it to physical training for warfare or sports (gúmnaze, the root of the English “gymnasium”), it can be easy for us to zero in on the hard work of sanctification and forget that the result (“godliness”) is not up to us. Remembering the work of Christ in bringing us to redemption is crucial, lest we burden ourselves with an unattainable task.

As Paul himself put it earlier in the letter, he was “shown mercy” (1:14), “the grace of our Lord was more than abundant” (1:15), he “found mercy, so that…Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience” (1:16). His choice of terms there reflects the passive nature of conversion—it is something God does in us that we respond to; we do not bring it about ourselves. In this passage, however, he

highlights the responsibility we have to, as he says elsewhere, “work out [our] salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). This is the essential tension of the Christian life, growing in faith and obedience as God strengthens us through trials and we follow Him with discipline.

It almost seems that Paul adds clarification to his statement in the following verses to make sure this nuance is not missed: “It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers” (4:9-10). The laboring, striving, and discipline that characterize the faithful Christian’s life always flows from the fixed hope in Christ. We do not labor to achieve our salvation, but we work hard at obedience because we have been brought to life by Christ our hope, who died for the

sins of all men and redeems everyone who places their trust in Him. Reinforcing the centrality of this point to the daily life of every believer, Paul commands Timothy to “Prescribe and teach these things” (4:11).

We know from other letters (notably Galatians) that Paul’s authority and apostleship were often questioned by false teachers attempting to discredit the true Gospel by discrediting its messenger. In those cases Paul robustly refutes his detractors by appealing to his personal testimony and the agreement between his teaching and the Old Testament. It appears that part of the strategy of the false teachers at Ephesus was to disparage Timothy’s authority in a similar way, in this case by claiming he was too young and inexperienced for his position.

Paul reaffirms his faith in Timothy and charges him to act and teach in such a way that none of the false accusations can stick:

“Let no one look down on you because of your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe” (4:12). When it comes to preaching the Gospel, age doesn’t matter. Maturity does, and it is defined by faith in the truth of God’s Word and work and the discipline to lead others in that same understanding.

It seems that Paul intended to come back through Ephesus at some point, and that he wanted to set the record straight on Timothy’s qualification for service. In the meantime, however, he encouraged him to continue on with the faithful work he was already engaged in for the sake of the church: “Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching” (4:13).

As the chapter comes to a close, Paul reminds Timothy of his calling, reassuring him in his work and helping to dispel any

doubts created by the false teachers’ derision. “Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery” (4:14). Timothy was recognized as having a spiritual gift (charísmatos), likely that of preaching, by a group of elders (whether in Ephesus or in his hometown), and they commissioned him to use that gift to build up the church. This commissioning is mirrored today in the ordination of pastors and missionaries before they begin their formal ministry.

Paul once more reinforces his exhortations, with the goal that Timothy will continue to discipline himself for godliness and pursue the ministry he had been given with confidence. “Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching;

persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you” (4:15-16). He emphasizes the public and private pursuit of holiness that characterizes faithful ministry, urging timothy to watch his life and his words for the sake of the Gospel, that both his teaching and his example would lead men and women to trust in Christ.

These are words that everyone who ministers in the Word should take to heart and apply completely, because the fundamentals of ministry haven’t changed at all since Paul first wrote them and they will not change until Christ returns.

Justin Lonas is editor of Disciple Magazine for AMG International in Chattanooga,

Tennessee.

___________________________________Points to Ponderby David L. Olford

Raising the Next Generation: Directions for Dads and All Parents

Text: “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4).

Thought: The Apostle Paul has addressed husbands and wives concerning their mutual responsibilities in Ephesians 5:22-31. He has instructed children to obey and honor their parents in the preceding section (Eph. 6:1-3). These words in Ephesians 6:4 are obviously directed to fathers specifically, although it is safe to assume that they are applicable to all parents, and to all who have the

responsibility for the well-being and growth of children under their care.

What is being addressed in this text is the responsibility for loving attention, purposeful discipline, and instruction in the Lord. This text does not address every issue that parents or children will face, but these words of the Apostle zero in on the essential need for a commitment to Christian child-raising and instruction as a whole. The stakes are high, because the challenge is real.

What we are thinking about is nothing less than our part as parents in the spiritual condition of the next generation. Let me be very clear that there are no magic formulas to guarantee easy and effective parenting and perfect results. This is not a commercial for “5 Easy Steps to Trouble-Free Parenting”. Here is the bottom-line as I read this Scripture in context: if the next generation is going to be raised “in the

Lord,” then we all need to grow up in Christ and fulfill our God-given responsibilities.

Paul begins his directions for Christian Fathers with the negative and then moves to the positive.

I. What Not To Do“Fathers, do not provoke your

children to anger….” This directive is given due to the potential abuse of authority on the part of fathers and, by implication, all parents. Fathers are not to provoke, or stir up anger in a child in such a way that deep-seated resentment and discouragement could capture the child’s heart (the analogous passage in Colossians 3:21 reads, “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged”). It is not the one-time or occasional blast of an angry parent that is the main concern here, but the type of constant and consistent

provoking that would get to the heart of a child and bring about anger, resentment, and discouragement.

Seeing resistance to appropriate obedience does not mean that a parent has done something wrong. That is the sinful nature of the child. Rather, Paul is talking about the needless and sinful provoking of a child. How can this be done? These words of Scripture warn us against any training, teaching, or parenting that is offered without the framework of authentic love and self-control.

When Paul writes earlier in the same letter about Christians growing into maturity, he writes of the need to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15-16). This is true for parents with their children as well; we should not only speak in love but do all things with the love of the Lord. We need the love and self-control that are the fruit of a Spirit-filled life (Eph. 5:18). In short, we need to grow up in

Christ and seek the enabling grace and love through His Spirit to remove any barriers between us and our children so that we can be a blessing to our kids.

II. What To Do “… but bring them up in the discipline

and instruction of the Lord.” This will call for:1) Personal Attention. As opposed

to doing those things that cause anger, discouragement and lack of growth, we are (first of all) called to care for and nurture our children in every way that pleases the Lord. This nurturing and caring for children calls for training or discipline (in the fullest sense of the word) and instruction.

2) Purposeful Education. The real focus here is on that type of training and discipline that will help a child grow up in the knowledge and ways of the Lord.

3) Correction (see Prov. 6:20-23; 13:1; 24; Heb. 12:5-11). We love our

children, but we recognize that they have a sinful nature, and need discipline in order to live as the Lord would have them live. We need to remember that we have a heavenly father who disciplines and instructs us as His children, and ultimately He is our model. (Heb. 12:5b-7, 11)

To refuse to discipline sinful attitudes, actions, or words is to stunt the growth of a child. Not to correct a child in the Lord is to fail in a responsibility given by the Lord. Abuses in discipline can be avoided by parents “growing up” in love, by praying first, by making sure that they both are united in the discipline, and by expressing love no matter what the specific act of discipline is. (Prov. 6:20-23, 13:1, 24). Pray for wisdom. Pray for love. Pray for the strength and fairness to discipline your children to obey, to learn to hate what the Lord hates and to love what the Lord loves. Decide on methods of discipline that are framed with

helpful explanation of the wrong and the right behavior that you are encouraging.

Discipline should not be thought of as just dealing with wrong behavior. Right behavior, good attitudes, appropriate words, and helpful acts need to be encouraged and affirmed. Watch out for just pointing out the wrong without pointing out the right.

4) Instruction. Ultimately, we as fathers and parents are responsible for the education of our children. This should cause us to pray, to plan, and to participate in the growth of our children. How do you instruct your children? Ultimately, this is instruction from God’s Word and based upon God’s Word (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

It starts with learning (2 Tim. 2:1-2, “the things you have heard from me…”). We must be learning as parents in order to teach what we have learned!

It continues with showing by your own example. You cannot overestimate the

importance of a good example. This starts by being with your children or having them with you. What they see is what they will do. That should challenge us if not scare us, as we think about the examples we should be setting for our children.

Next comes teaching; you need to plan to teach your children from the Word of God. Reading the Word of God together, talking about the Word of God and praying together are important habits. Teach them their need of the Lord and the fundamentals of the Gospel that they might truly be born again into God’s family. Teach them to love the Word of God. Teach them to pray. Teach them to trust God and depend on the Holy Spirit. Teach them to love people and talk about Jesus. Teach, teach, teach!

We need to be telling our own stories about how God has worked and is working in our own lives. We need to let our children know about our own faith journey, and why

we have made the commitments and the decisions we have made.

Playing builds relationships and also gives opportunities to learn in different ways.

Monitoring other influences that are impacting your children is critically important as you seek to help them grow up in Christ. Whether it is friends, school, media, or other influences, you have a right to know and protect. Allowing key people in the family or in the church to add to your children’s spiritual growth positively is also very important. You and I don’t know it all or model it all, but others can add to and fill the gaps.

What is the goal in all this? The same as God’s goal for all of us: maturity or Christ-likeness, which brings glory to God.

Thrust: We need to embrace the call and the challenge to raise the next generation “in the Lord.” In order to help our children grow up, we need to do the same.

Specifically, we need to walk in wisdom (Eph. 5:15-17), and depend upon the control of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18). It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that the fruit of the Spirit will dominate our lives and we will be able to walk the walk, and walk the talk, and then talk the walk.

David L. Olford teaches expository preaching at Union University’s Stephen

Olford Center in Memphis, Tennessee.

___________________________________The Story behind the Songby Lindsay Terry

In a Rented House in MobileSong: “Ancient of Days”

“For it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every

tongue shall give praise to God’”(Rom. 14:11).

Jamie Harvill and Gary Sadler consider their song “Ancient of Days” to be a gift from God.

Gary Sadler was born in 1954 in Farmville, Virginia. He was classically trained in piano and grew up in a home where the rules for practice were strictly enforced, sometimes to Gary’s annoyance. But when he was fifteen, his parents gave him a guitar. “That,” he said, “opened up a whole new world for me. I fell in love with music, including the piano again.

Gary was raised in a Christian home but admits he did not fully understand that there was a lifestyle attached to it. “I was twenty-two years old,” he said, “before I really became a Christian.”

Jamie Harvill, born in 1960 in Fullerton, California, and became a Christian when he was fourteen at a New Life Youth

Crusade Bible study. “I saw the reality of God,” he said, “and was introduced to praise and worship that same night.” Jamie is a graduate of the University of Mobile in Mobile, Alabama.

Jamie recalls meeting Gary for the first time in North Carolina while visiting his parents. “I met him at a church just down the street from my dad’s house,” he said. “I had already heard that he was very talented. The next time I returned, I invited him and his family to come to Mobile for a visit so we could try writing some songs together.”

A few months later, Gary’s family made the trip down to the Harvill’s small, rented home in Mobile. Conditions were crowded in the little dwelling, but Gary and Jamie’s co-writing venture began that first night with “Ancient of Days.” The song was born out of an idea given in Daniel 7:22: “Until the Ancient of days came, and

judgment was given to the saints of the most High ....”

Gary recalls the writing process. “We got a start on some lyrics that night but didn’t finish them. I continued playing keyboard and found a Caribbean rhythm that gave me an idea for the song.

“The next morning I showed Jamie my idea, and we both felt that there was merit in it for this song. We finished ‘Ancient of Days’ in about an hour and then made a demonstration tape of it in my home studio.

“The next Sunday, I was scheduled to sing at the church where Jamie was attending. Gerrit Gustafson, the music director of the church, was also employed in the creative department of Integrity Music, headquartered in Mobile. Gerrit wanted to hear what I was planning to sing, so I sang and played the songs for him and he loved them.

“On the way out, Jamie said to me, ‘Since Gerrit loves your songs, why don’t you let him hear “Ancient of Days”? Maybe we could get some feedback from him.’ So I played it for him, and he said, ‘This is just the kind of song we’re looking for at Integrity! We need a song for Ron Kenoly. He’s recording a new album, and this would be great for him. May I take it to the creative meeting?’”

Gary and Jamie found out in just a few days later that Integrity had decided to use “Ancient of Days.” In a short time, Kenoly’s album Lift Him Up had successfully helped to launch this wonderful worship song. Gary gives God the credit not only for the song but also for the perfect timing surrounding the presentation of it to Integrity Music and the changes it made in his life. “I had never in fourteen years of writing sent a tape to a publisher,” he said, “but because of this song, Integrity signed me as a writer the

following year.” Jamie has also enjoyed a good relationship with the company, and he and Gary have gotten together many times to write since that evening in the little rented house in Mobile.

You and I can only be strong in the Lord as we surrender our all to the Ancient of Days, the One to whom every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord.

© 2008 by Lindsay Terry. Used by permission.

Lindsay Terry has been a song historian for more than 40 years, and has written widely

on the background of great hymns and worship songs including the books I Could

Sing of Your Love Forever (2008), from which this piece is excerpted, and The

Sacrifice of Praise (2002).

___________________________________Church Buildersby Bernard R. DeRemer

Robert Moffat: African Missionary Pioneer

Robert Moffat (1795-1883), born in East Lothian, Scotland, showed religious inclinations from, a very early age. His formal education was meager (until 1814, he was employed as a gardener), but after his conversion he became interested in missions.

When he first applied to the London Missionary Society he was refused because he lacked education. After special instruction, he was accepted, and, after a period of service at a farm near Manchester, England, sent to Cape Town, South Africa. There he was thrust “into the center of several cannibalistic tribes.”

Next year he set out for Namaqualand, the home region of the notorious outlaw chief known as Afrikaner. To everyone’s surprise “he won the dreaded outlaw to Christ.” Afrikaner died soon after, but the story of his conversion “has been a vibrant testimony of the work of grace on the mission field.”

In 1819, Moffat’s fiancée, Mary Smith (whom he had met in England) came from London to become his wife and helper. The following year, they left Cape Town and set up mission stations in Griquatown (where their daughter Mary, who grew up to marry David Livingstone, was born), and Kuruman, where they lived for many years among the Bechuana tribes. In all, the Moffats had 10 children, 8 of whom survived to adulthood and distinguished themselves in missionary work and government.

During his time in Kuruman, Moffat spent a great deal of time exploring

neighboring areas and documenting his cultural findings for the Royal Geographical Society. Moffat spent 1839-43 on leave in England furthering the cause of missions in Africa. At this time, Livingstone was inspired by Moffat to go to the dark continent; what a mighty ministry was his.

In 1870 the aged missionaries returned to England. Edinburgh University honored him with a Doctor of Divinity degree.

While on the field he translated the Bible and other books (notably, The Pilgrim’s Progress) into Bechuanese, authored a hymn book, and wrote two books: Labors and Scenes in South Africa and Rivers of Water in a Dry Place.

Moffat declared, “I have seen, at different times, the smoke of a thousand villages...whose people are without Christ, without God, and without hope in the world.” This simple statement must have mightily

challenged many to consider the claims of Christ and the call of missions.

On August 9, 1883, the venerable old missionary died at Leigh in Southeastern England. “…Well done, thou good and faithful servant…” (Matt. 25:21).

Bernard R. DeRemer chronicled the lives of dozens of heroes of the faith in more

than a decade of writing for Pulpit Helps Magazine. He continues to serve in this

capacity as a volunteer contributor to Disciple. He lives in West Liberty, Ohio.

Reference: Who Was Who in Church History, by Elgin S. Moyer; excerpts used by permission of Moody Publishers. Wikipedia, “Robert Moffat”.

___________________________________Counselor’s Cornerby James Rudy Gray

Moving On

In just over two months, my wife and I are expecting to be grandparents for the first time. It is a precious time, and it can’t get here soon enough for us! It seems like just a couple of years ago we were having children. Time moves on. Life moves on. As God’s people, we must be continually moving on spiritually.

In 1950 Hank Snow had the number one song in country music, “I’m Moving On.” Forrest Gump said, “My mama always said you’ve got to put the past behind you before you can move on.” Helen Keller said, “When one door closes, another opens. But often we look so long, so regretfully, upon the

closed door, that we fail to see the one that is opened for us.”

In Philippians 3:13-14 Paul wrote, “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

The Christian life is like a marathon race, and we need markers or goals along the course to show us the right way. Jesus is the goal. We talk about following Jesus, and this is exactly what Paul is saying. The upward call begins when we are saved and is consummated when we meet our Lord in heaven. Between conversion and heaven, we run the race that is set before us. How? Keep moving on. The Greek scholar, A.T. Robertson wrote, “The goal (i.e., Phil. 3:14) continually moves forward as we press on, but never out of sight.”

We are always maturing and never reach full maturity this side of heaven. Martin Luther said, “The Christian life is more one of taking than having. It is more one of becoming pious than being pious.” Every child of God is called to move on. How? We must have the right priority (Matt. 6:33). We must live a consistent walk of faith (Luke 9:62). We must concentrate (Heb. 12:2). In fact, the Christian life is more about focus than effort. Finally, we must live with the right motive (1 Cor. 10:31).

It is so easy to get discouraged, become distracted, or lose motivation. Our energy is simply not enough to run the race. God’s Spirit supplies us with more than enough strength (John 10:10), but we must focus on Him so we can move on.

When pastors, counselors, etc., are called on to counsel people, we often encounter people who simply do not want to move on. They are stuck. They may have

symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other issues. It is difficult to give advice to someone who is hurting and does not want to work through the hurt at the time. Don’t pressure anyone. However, the message of moving on is very powerful and can be highly motivating and encouraging for a person who really hears it.

Recently, I preached a message on “Move On.” I was surprised at the number of people who contacted me after the service or during the week to tell me that was exactly what they needed. Some were depressed and others were discouraged. Most of them simply just wanted to quit. God used His Word to help them and encourage them to move on. It has been refreshing to see the renewed energy and enthusiasm in their walk.

Wherever you are in your life, keep moving on by focusing on Christ our Lord. He is the goal marker (Phil. 3:14) and He will

always be in front of us, leading us through difficulty and guiding us into His purpose and will. As Christians, we are followers of the One who leads us. We move on in life by following Him.

James Rudy Gray is certified as a professional counselor by the National

Board for Certified Counselors, and is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. He serves as the

pastor of Utica Baptist Church in Seneca, S.C.

___________________________________Book Review—6/25/12

Editor’s Note: As we sometimes do, in this issue, due to a recent influx of books (but in the absence of time and energy to read them all in depth) we are offering brief

overviews of several noteworthy recent releases in lieu of our usual full reviews.

Inerrancy and Worldview: Answering Modern Challenges to the Bible, Vern Sheridan Poythress, 2012, Crossway, Wheaton, Ill., ISBN 9781433523878, 272 pages, $17.99, softcover.

Though the Bible presents a personal and relational God, popular modern worldviews portray an impersonal divine force in a purely material world. Readers influenced by this competing worldview hold assumptions about fundamental issues—like the nature of humanity, evil, and the purpose of life—that present profound obstacles to understanding the Bible. In Inerrancy and Worldview, Poythress offers the first worldview-based defense of scriptural inerrancy, showing how worldview

differences create or aggravate most perceived difficulties with the Bible.

No Ordinary Marriage: Together for God’s Glory, Tim Savage, 2012, Crossway, Wheaton, Ill., ISBN 9781433530333, 192 pages, $14.99, softcover.

One of the greatest social tragedies of our day is the underperformance of marriage—not only marriages that end in divorce, but also those which, while remaining “intact,” become painfully strained and emotionally scarred. Surely there must be hope for something better, for something more. With profound insight and vivid illustrations, pastor and marriage counselor Savage helps us to realize the unlimited potential of marriage—to discover how the glory of God can infuse our relationships, increase our joy, and make us bright lights in a troubled world.

Kingdom through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants, Peter J. Gentry and Stephen J. Wellum, 2012, Crossway, Wheaton, Ill., ISBN 9781433514647, 848 pages, $45.00, hardcover.

Many theological discussions come to an impasse when parties align behind either covenant theology or dispensationalism. But Peter Gentry and Stephen Wellum now propose a significant biblical theology of the covenants that avoids the extremes of both classical systems and holds the potential to break the theological impasse. By incorporating the latest available research from the ancient Near East and examining implications of their work for Christology, ecclesiology, eschatology, and hermeneutics, Gentry and Wellum present a

thoughtful and viable alternative to both covenant theology and dispensationalism.

Transformational Discipleship: How People Really Grow, Eric Geiger, Michael Kelley, and Philip Nation, 2012 B&H Publishing, Nashville, Tenn., ISBN 9781433678547, 240 pages, $14.99, softcover.

A Christian’s desire to grow in faith is beautiful and biblical, best illustrated in Jeremiah 17 where Scripture describes “The man who trusts in the LORD” as being “like a tree planted by water…It will not worry in a year of drought or cease producing fruit.” But how do people really grow? Transformational Discipleship describes the process that brings to life that kind of person described in the Bible. There’s no magic formula or mantra to recite here, but rather a

substantive measure of research with churches and individuals who have wholeheartedly answered the call of Jesus to make disciples.

Subversive Kingdom: Living as Agents of Gospel Transformation, Ed Stetzer, 2012, B&H Publishers, Nashville, Tenn., ISBN 9781433673825, 256 pages, $14.99, softcover.

Subversive Kingdom is a personal call for Christians to reorient their thinking and lifestyle to match what Jesus described of His people in Scripture, while teaming up with other believers through their churches to bring light into a dying and darkening culture. Stetzer uses the parables of Christ to unlock the “kingdom secrets” that bring this mysterious concept within understandable reach, while urging Christians to turn this knowledge into

practical, everyday, ongoing missions designed to set people free from lives headed for hopelessness.

Prophetic Preaching: The Preacher’s Toolbox (Book 1), Craig Brian Larson, editor, 2012, Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, Mass., ISBN 9781598567045, 160 pages, $14.99, softcover.

The first book in Hendrickson’s new Preacher’s Toolbox series brings together group of pastors who share their understanding of prophetic preaching as well as their skills. The book is divided into two sections, The Calling of Prophetic Preaching and The Craft of Prophetic Preaching, which deliver clear themes and practical takeaways on the art of preaching prophetically. Speaking with grace and authority, preachers such as Francis Chan, Mark Buchanan, John Ortberg, Mark

Driscoll, Timothy Keller, and Anne Graham Lotz offer Biblical and personal messages on prophetic preaching while addressing commonly held questions.

Inspirational Preaching: The Preacher’s Toolbox (Book 2), Craig Brian Larson, editor, 2012, Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, Mass., ISBN 9781598568592, 176 pages, $14.99, softcover.

In this second book of the Preacher’s Toolbox series, many of today’s Christian leaders offer advice on Inspirational Preaching that will motivate and encourage readers to deliver more effective and inspirational sermons. Teachers like John Piper, Brian Wilkerson, Gordon MacDonald and John Ortberg offer guidance and instruction from both personal and Biblical perspectives.

___________________________________News Update—6/25/12

India: Hindu Extremists Severely Beat Christians with Flashlights

Forty armed Hindu radicals in India barged into the home of a convert from Hinduism to Christianity on June 9 to forcibly re-convert him, International Christian Concern reports.

Christian convert Manesor Rabha had been living in hiding, aware that there was a threat on his life for his conversion. His home was being protected by two fellow believers, Michael Rabha and Prashanto Rabha. The extremists took the two men, along with Manesor’s wife, Mala, to the village club house, where they interrogated them and told them to recant their faith. When they refused, the extremists beat them severely with large flashlights. All three sustained serious injuries, Prashanto left

barely breathing, and were taken to the hospital.

The government is providing security to the victims, who are being kept in isolation in the hospital and are not allowed to see visitors. ICC confirmed that many believers in Manesor’s village have fled persecution to go to safe places. Their houses were broken into, cattle were stolen and belongings were destroyed or looted.

“While we are encouraged that the government is actively working to protect these victims, it is imperative that the perpetrators are brought to justice,” said Corey Bailey, ICC regional manager for Asia. “Unfortunately, more often than not, the radicals operate with impunity.”

Religion Today Summaries

Research Shows Growing Republican, Democratic ‘God Gap’

A new report by the Pew Research Center shows more evidence of a growing religious divide between Republicans and Democrats, the Christian Post reports.

For the last 20 years, election exit polls have shown that those who attend religious services frequently are more likely to vote Republican, while those who attend less frequently, or are nonreligious, have been more likely to vote for Democrats—a split sometimes called the “God gap.”

Republicans and Democrats used to be nearly identical in their belief in the existence of God, but Democrats have seen a steady decline over the past decade. While 92 percent of Republicans in 2012 say they never doubt the existence of God, compared with 91 percent in 1987, the proportion of Democrats saying they never doubt the existence of God has dropped 11 percentage points since 1987 to 77 percent in 2012.

Religion Today Summaries

Police Chaplains Told to Stop Mentioning Jesus

Volunteer chaplains in North Carolina’s Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department will no longer be allowed to invoke the name of Jesus in prayers at public events held on government property, Fox News reports.

Pastor Terry Sartain, who has “prayed in the name of Jesus” for the seven years he has ministered to police officers and their families, was scheduled to give an invocation at a promotion ceremony, but received a phone call from his superior major before the event telling him he could no longer use the name of Jesus. The police department wanted him to deliver a “secular prayer,” he said.

“Even when I wasn’t a Christian—in my past—I didn’t even know what a secular

prayer was.” Sartain said the decision put him in a difficult position—“You don’t want to compromise your faith…[but] at the same time you want to honor those who are in charge over you”—so he asked the police department to withdraw his name from consideration for future public prayers.

“I’m very sad about it,” he said. “Christians for the most part are targeted in these days that we exist in.” According to Major John Diggs, who oversees the chaplain program, the policy is a “matter of respecting that people may have different faiths” and is “not aimed at any one religion or denomination.”

Religion Today Summaries

Rev. Fred Luter Elected First African-American Southern Baptist President

Fred Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, was elected

president of the Southern Baptist Convention June 19, the first African-American to hold the post, Baptist Press reports.

David Crosby, pastor of First Baptist Church in New Orleans, nominated Luter and previously said the election would send “a great, hopeful, powerful message to our city, our culture, our convention and our country.”

Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue since 1986, became the SBC’s first African-American first vice president in 2011, and in 2001 was the first African-American to preach the convention sermon. Some observers felt it was appropriate that Luter’s election took place on the day many celebrate Juneteenth, the anniversary of slavery’s end in the United States.

Religion Today Summaries

Study: Fatherhood Good for Men

While many studies have shown that a father’s involvement improves a child’s well-being, newer research finds that fatherhood affects the men, too, USA TODAY reports.

“We’re finding that [fatherhood] does have mental health, well-being and actual physical health benefits,” says David DeGarmo, a research scientist at the Oregon Social Learning Center.

DeGarmo is lead author of a 2010 study that found when a father was more involved with his kids, “he had better health, drank less and had lower substance use.” Other recent findings have shown that “fatherhood prompts men to be less self-centered, more giving and more outward-focused,” says Richard Settersten, Jr., professor of human development and family sciences at Oregon State University.

“It can prompt them to be more responsible and become more mature,

especially to temper some of their risks.” He says involved fathering promotes “more positive attachments and relationships.”

Religion Today Summaries

___________________________________Sermon Helpsfrom www.sermonhall.com

Sermon OutlinesThe Call of Missions

I. The Call to the Regions Beyond (1 Cor. 10:16)II. The Call to the Regions Above (Mark 16:15)III. The Call from the Regions Below (Luke 16:27-28)IV. The Call from the Regions Within (Jer. 20:9)

Croft M. Pentz

Three Men, Three CrossesLuke 23

I. Sarcasm—Cross of Doubt v. 37: “If thou be the king of the Jews”

A. Doubt—”If” shows lack of faith.B. Degradation—The thieves dying for their sins, Christ dying for our sins!C. Damnation—The doubtful thief didn’t trust Christ.

II. Sincere—Cross of Faith v. 42: “Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom”

A. Respect—Note the thief called Him “Lord.”

B. Repentance—The thief showed his repentance.

C. Reception—Christ accepted the repentant thief.III. Savior—Cross of Pardon v. 43.

A. Promise of heaven (John 14:1-6).

B. People of heaven (2 Cor. 5:17, Matt. 5:8).

C. Peace of heaven (Rev. 21:4, 20:1-3).

Croft M. Pentz

IllustrationIf It’s Doubtful, It’s Dirty

A boy getting dressed for school. He called to his mother who was in the adjoining room. “Mom, is this shirt dirty?”

Without so much as looking she replied, “Yes, it’s dirty. Get a clean one.” When he had dressed he entered his mother’s room and inquired how she knew the shirt was dirty when she had not even looked at it.

“If it had been clean,” she replied, “you would have known it and would not have asked me. Remember son, if it’s doubtful, it’s dirty.”

In this little incident there is a sermon. It applies to all of us who flirt with temptation and seek approval of others for the things we desire to do. In many cases in our Christian living, if it looks doubtful, you better leave it alone.

Anonymous

Behave Yourself“Behave yourself!” These were the

last words my mother would say when she left me somewhere, and she was dead serious: I was to make myself behave properly.

“Exemplary” means serving as a worthy model or example. Nothing will kill your witness as a Christian faster than misconduct. People are watching. Paul wrote: “You are our letter, known and read of all men. You are known to be the letter of Christ” (2 Cor. 3:2-3).

The facets of a diamond gather and reflect light for the purpose of giving brilliance to the stone. A disciple of Christ has six distinct facets for giving brilliance to the Cornerstone and Rock of our salvation: Our thoughts (which lead to actions), our looks, our speech, our attitude, our expressions, and our behavior.

Wayne Nix

Bulletin InsertsGeneral Bulletin InsertsHe who controls not his youth will not enjoy his old age. 

One minute of keeping your mouth shut is worth an hour’s explanation. 

You have never tested God’s resources until you have attempted the impossible. 

Do what good you can today, you may not be here tomorrow. 

Three thoughts on conversation: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? 

Give every man your ear, but few your mouth. 

When God bolts the door don’t try to get through the window. 

These seven Anonymous

Life is a voyage that is homeward bound.Herman Melville

No matter what happens, there’s always someone who knew it would.

You had better check up before you check out.

These two via The Old Union Reminder

Put your finger on a promise that God has made to man that He hasn’t kept, and then we will talk about not believing Him.

D. L. Moody

___________________________________Puzzles and ‘Toons

Church ‘Toons by Joe McKeever

On Following Pages

Answers to last issue’s puzzles:

Father Abraham and Hidden WisdomBy Mark Oshman

Originally published in Pulpit Helps, December 1995

On Following Pages