Romans 15:4 "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 [a]Immediately coming up out of the water, he (John) saw the heavens torn open, and the [b]Spirit like a dove descending on Him (Jesus); 11 and a [c]voice came out of heaven saying: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased and delighted!”
12 Immediately the [Holy] Spirit forced Him out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted [to do evil] by Satan; and He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered continually to Him.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
The first chapter of Mark has it all. God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, Angels and even Satan are all compacted here in the very same place at seemingly the same time, during the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist and Jesus’ temptation by Satan.
The presence of John the Baptist arriving on the scene was the sign, the signal, and the moment that told the man Jesus to leave Nazareth, begin his ministry.
So, the Narrator Mark, speaking to his audience of readers, begins to present to them a step by step recitation of first introducing Jesus, then relating to readers a strong recommendation how they are to respond to God and this Good News.
First – Recognize that these Word’s of God are the Truth of God – spoken by God and are therefore trustworthy and true. God is active and attentive to their need.
Second – Recognize that God Himself, through His Son Jesus Christ, through His messengers -God’s Prophets Isaiah and Malachi through John the Baptizer has a prophetic message of promise and fulfillment for them – God needs them!
Third – God through His Son Jesus Christ, through His Messenger Mark, is now in need of their fullest possible attention – begin to shape the Kingdom of God.
The called of God, those children of God, in the first century moment respond – “We hear God – we believe on His Son Jesus Christ, what must we do now?”
A great expression of affirmation of faith followed by and even greater question.
Mark’s response is to follow in the example set by John the Baptist and Jesus:
Mark 1:9Amplified Bible
The Baptism of Jesus
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
First: Come willingly from wherever you are and recognize the authority of God.
Second: Make a decision to service unto the Kingdom of God and your neighbor.
Third: Recognize the absolute sovereignty of Jesus Christ over your entire life.
Fourth: Fully, Maximally, Utterly, Surrender the entirety of your life unto God.
Fifth: Present your whole body as a living sacrifice unto Christ and get baptized.
God needed His Son, the man, Rabbi Jesus to be “seen of man by man,” baptized as the necessary first step or visual sign of the beginning of his earthly ministry.
As one commentator said: It was a moment of decision; it was a moment of identification; it was a moment of God’s approval; was a moment of equipping.
Mark 1:10-11Amplified Bible
10 [a]Immediately coming up out of the water, he (John) saw the heavens torn open, and the [b]Spirit like a dove descending on Him (Jesus); 11 and a [c]voice came out of heaven saying: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased and delighted!”
When he Jesus, came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
A voice, and a message for the people came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son, whom I am delighted in, in whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
This is one of the only places in the Bible where all three persons of the Trinity are in the same place at the same time communicating to those who are there!
The most significant moment of all – the first Moment of “God’s First Contact!”
This makes it one of the more important events in Jesus’ life and the people’s.
By visualizing the moment – the people are visualizing connecting their lives with God in the same way – to hear the exact same words Jesus heard from God.
“You are my beloved children, whom I am delighted in, in whom I love and with whom, by this act, your choice of obedience – to this baptism – I am well pleased!”
The people visualize, gain their most important “first impressions” of the man: why they should sacrificially, willingly, joyfully, utterly graft their lives into his.
The man, just like every other man present in the moment – the man, Jesus is immersed into the every day events of humanity, subjected to all the very worst.
Sixth: Repent and Prepare the entirety of yourself for maximum service by God.
Mark 1:12-13Amplified Bible
12 Immediately the [Holy] Spirit forced Him out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted [to do evil] by Satan; and He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered continually to Him.
The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. “…and he was in the wilderness forty days, being mercilessly tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and all during that absolute worst misery: “the angels attended him.”
Here we see that Jesus was tempted and triumphed, something humanity could not do because mere man couldn’t overcome the worst of the worst absent God.
The people visualize that despite the worst of the worst – Jesus endured it and did not surrender one ounce of his faith in God – did not yield to Satan 1/8 inch.
The people can visualize for themselves that the worst of the worst is a definite possibility when they are seen as being for Jesus Christ and not for the Emperor.
But we can visualize ourselves enduring that worst of the worst because we can visualize Jesus doing it.
When the worst of the worst arrives, we can identify with it and instead of our submitting to the inevitability of being overcome by it – we identify with Jesus.
We visualize Jesus being continually administered to by the Angels.
We visualize ourselves – during our own worst of the worst – being continually administered to by the Angels also.
We identify with the moment of continuous comfort because it’s God’s promise.
It is God’s faithful promise of His continuous presence and continuous comfort.
Because: “The Word of God for His Beloved Children” is the absolute TRUTH!
We identify with God.
We identify with Jesus.
We identify Jesus with God
We identify Jesus’ victory over the very worst Satan can throw at us.
We identify with Jesus’ victory over the very worst Satan can throw at us.
Through that identification we can endure all things through Christ who is our strength through every single “worst of the worst” circumstance Satan inflicts.
Our faith remains sure and our faith remains strong, steadfast and immovable.
We are united in Christ, so that his victory might be our victory; so that when we are tempted, we can look to him and the living example Jesus first set for us.
Why was it important for Mark to provide these details?
Mark wanted to stress to his readers that Jesus is the only road to salvation.
The Maker of Heaven and earth declared His only begotten Son, Jesus to be his anointed one, His chosen one. He is real; He is credible; He is alive in us today!
Through these four rather short verses from the Gospel of Mark’s narrative ….
First: we can immediately identify with the absolute truth of that reality!
Second: we can immediately identify with the absolute truth of His credibility!
Third: we can immediately testify to the absolute truth of His being 100% alive!
Fourthly: we can immediately identify with the love of God and Jesus’ efforts towards preparing us for our ministry, mission: finish the Great Commission!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Lord God, Father to my Savior Jesus Christ, my Way-maker, my promise keeper. I know you have a destiny for me to achieve in this life. I want to follow the plan that you have laid out. Help me to understand and follow your call. Show me your will for my life and what I need to do right now to get started. Enable me to know who I am in Christ alone, and the special gifts and abilities you have given me. Give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation as I seek to know you more intimately. Amen.
4 [a]John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins [that is, requiring a change of one’s old way of thinking, turning away from sin and seeking God and His righteousness]. 5 And all the country of Judea and all the people of Jerusalem were continually going out to him; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair and had a [wide] leather [b]band around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he was preaching, saying, “After me comes He who is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I, and I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the straps of His sandals [even as His slave]. 8 As for me, I baptized you [who came to me] with water [only]; but He will baptize you [who truly repent] [c]with the Holy Spirit.”
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
Where did the Gospel actually begin?
Where did God’s Good News originate?
Narrators Matthew and Luke began their accounts of Jesus’ life with the stories surrounding his Genealogy an his birth.
Narrator John began his narrative before the creation of the world where the Son of God was not only present, but he also did the creating.
Mark, with his focus on Good News, chose to begin in a different place.
If folks are going to be open to the Good News of God, then someone is going to have to be a servant and prepare the way for Jesus to come and for his word to be heard. In many respects, the Good News always begins in this way.
The real question is whether we are willing to be used as servants like John the Baptist — who is introduced in verse four — and immediately, if not sooner, to begin to prepare the way for Savior Jesus’ Good News to be heard by our friends.
The next question for the reader of Mark’s narrative then becomes …. where do you immediately begin, when you do not know where to immediately begin?
A very valid question to ask when an immediate response to change is required.
At work, your supervisor suddenly hands you an outline for major project with major financial implications for your company which has never been attempted before – and the supervisors instructions are: I need this ASAP, as in 7 days!
With that kind of pressure and responsibility on your shoulders, ever sat and stared at a blank piece of paper or computer screen, wondering where to begin?
Any sort of task or project always has a beginning, and sometimes starting can prove a challenge especially when there is no previous effort to be inspired by.
You can further complicate this situation by being the first person to do it.
That is what Mark faced.
His written story of Jesus will be the first ever!
Perhaps his narrative will serve as a model, inspiration for any future writers.
Mark 1:1-3Amplified Bible
The Preaching of John the Baptist
1 The beginning of the [facts regarding the] good news of [a]Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 As it is written and forever remains in the [writings of the] prophet Isaiah 40:1-4 and Malachi 3:1-3:
“Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, Who will prepare Your way— 3 A voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, [b]Make His paths straight!’”
So far, Mark has hit us with a big (seemingly logical) opening sentence,
“The Beginning of the [facts regarding the] Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”
Then used an Old Testament quote from the writings of God’s Prophet, Isaiah.
The Old Testament quote, while making sense to Bible scholars, may or may not be the one to immediately grab your or your supervisors undivided attention.
I noodled over Mark’s choice of those first verses because I believe there is no superfluous material anywhere in the Biblical Canon.
All the words are there because God’s intention is that every word speak to his children – every word of every verse, however obscure it (they )may be – is the source of an important life lesson for someone, somewhere and at some point.
2 Timothy 3:16-17Amplified Bible
16 All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; 17 so that the [a]man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.
In the process I reached a “Holy Spirit inspired” conclusion.
The divinely inspired conclusion: Mark wants to make sure we understand that Jesus coming to planet earth is huge AND has always been a part of God’s plan.
Later Narrators, such as Matthew and Luke, will accomplish this drawing on Jesus’ birth and lineage. Mark made the same point with much fewer words.
Now Mark, in his typical “get to the point” style starts with Jesus’ ministry—and Jesus’ ministry begins with his baptism by a fella named John the Baptist.
As I read and continually re-read verses 4-8, and know John the Baptist’s story, I’m again getting that one feeling that it is easy for me to rush past these verses.
Let’s not
– because God put it there for His own very specific reasons. (Isaiah 55:10-13)
John the Baptist’s current modus operandi is that of an Old Testament prophet.
He wants to make sure the people of his day understand what is happening.
We would also be well advised to give our immediate, if not sooner, attention to first engage God in prayer, then come to the divinely inspired understanding;
Amid a world where things are wrong:
God is definitely coming (immediately, if not sooner) to put things right.
People, even (or especially) religious people, need to therefore get themselves fully turned around to the ONLY “right way around”. They need to repent.
John the Baptist notes differences between himself and Jesus.
First, that he is not worthy to untie the strap of Jesus’ sandal.
Second, that his baptism is with water while Jesus’ will be with the Holy Spirit.
He is immediately saying, “Don’t look at me (a mere man), look at Jesus!”
Look at Jesus Christ – “THE SON OF GOD!”
I began this reflection with,
“Wondering where to begin when you do not know where to begin?”
I noted Mark immediately began with the FACTS and TRUTH of Jesus’ ministry.
Yet, you might say that he started his Gospel about Jesus, with us in mind.
With you and with me!
Truth is: and a whole lot of other people the future writers of Hebrews noted:
Hebrews 12:1-2Amplified Bible
Jesus, the Example
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of [a]witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, 2 [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, [b]disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].
YES! And with very single generation of believers who have gone before us and every single generation of believers who will come after us – (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Narrator Mark wants to make sure that we more than merely understand the immediacy of his message of connecting and relating to what is happening in our world, and God’s plan for it all—but that this message penetrates and changes us.
We will in the coming days of Jesus’ ministry see some people as onlookers.
Mark suggests they will be immediately impressed by Jesus, but they will also immediately recoil at his new teachings, stay an arm-lengths distance away.
The question for us:
Will we be mere onlookers, standing aside, pondering curious points of the text, googling different versions, and even allowing ourselves to be distracted by curious characters, such as John the Baptist – as critically important as he is?
(It is so easy to do when we engage the whole length and breadth of Scripture.)
Or will we let God’s Word penetrate our hearts?
“Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.”
The Choice is always are to make ….
The immediate question is – when we aren’t sure if it is the right place to begin;
Search first for the TRUTH of God – is it YOURS or is it a divinely inspired one?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Creator God in this your exact time and in this your exact season dangling, suspended between all of our hopes and your fulfillment, let we never come any moment, to forget what you have done. May we be immediately overwhelmed by your great mercy, which flows in tsunami after tsunami from your Truth alone. May we be decisively honest about the darkness of sin within us, and immediately perceptive of the light of Salvation around us. May we begin, to prepare to make straight the path for the Lord, that together we may immediately see God’s glory revealed.
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
1 The beginning of the [facts regarding the] good news of [a]Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 As it is written and forever remains in the [writings of the] prophet Isaiah:
“Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, Who will prepare Your way— 3 A voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, [b]Make His paths straight!’”
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
“Are we there yet?”
Parents will often hear these words repeated several times from their children as their family travels on a long trip—or even a short one to the grocery store.
On school field trips, bus drivers will hear these words chanted by the teachers trying to keep the children interested and busy and engaged in the days events.
Sometimes, even us more mature adults will mimic these children as we go on planned shopping excursions with a group from one of our community centers.
Adults generally just want to have fun they have that awareness that they will eventually get to their destination by the time promised by the bus company.
Young, younger children, however, have an underdeveloped sense of time and distance that prevents them from understanding how long a journey will take.
Both God’s young, younger, youngest, maturing and mature adult children often have an underdeveloped sense of the obvious and not so obvious gap that definitely exists between their lives and God’s kingdom vision too.
Whatever stage of human development we are at, we would like to think and we would love to believe that we are each decent people who just need a few minor adjustments – a tweak here and a little tweak there, to become ‘right with God.’
We might just find ourselves rationalizing, “If I lose a little weight, try a little harder to be nice to my neighbors, and “if I budget better, give a little money to this and those charitable causes, then I’ll finally, really have my life together.”
In reality, there is much more that keeps us from recognizing God’s ideals.
Clean House is a home makeover and interior design television show, originally broadcast from 2003 until 2011 which aired 10 seasons of programs on the Style Network.
Clean House is a reality television show about three trained specialists who go into homes that are a mess.
In each episode, there is clutter everywhere.
In some homes there is so much junk that visitors must remain standing because the furniture is covered, indeed, buried, under all kinds of stuff.
The Clean House specialists face the challenge of convincing the residents to get rid of their junk.
And the strange thing often is—even though it makes their lives miserable, they yet remain reluctant and adamant don’t want to get rid of the clutter!
You and I can be the same way in our relationship with God and our neighbors.
We say we desperately want to clean things up, and we can see what’s got to go.
But so often we cling to things that make life miserable for us and for others.
The distance between speaking our “promises,” actually bringing them to the stage where we’re visibly pursuing and ideally engaging in them is significant.
Since sin entered the equation way back when on the Garden of Eden, resulted in our being unceremoniously thrown out, cast away from all of God’s ideals,
God created such an immeasurable, undefinable gap between His ideals and His beloved children yet still desired relationship- to keep His beloved children from straying too far and irretrievably away God, directly into a lifelong journey down Satan’s path, created within us an innate sense of emptiness and longing.
One day, God knew, His beloved children would want to return to His Ideals – on a 24 hour a day, seven day a week, every single last moment – permanent basis.
But God also knew His beloved children would need His help if they desire life under the most ideal circumstances anyone could ever dream, hope to imagine.
So, with an indescribable charity, God sent His Son into the world to save them.
John 3:16-17Amplified Bible
16 “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] [a]only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him.
Except there was one inescapable truth God knew needed to be addressed first:
John 1:9-10Amplified Bible
9 There it was—the true Light [the genuine, perfect, steadfast Light] which, coming into the world, enlightens everyone. 10 He (Christ) was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.
The gap between God, His charity and His ideals, His beloved children and their charity and ideals, was so great as to be fully, completely and utterly unrecognizable.
The distance between God’s ideals and humanity’s ideals was so great that Jesus could not merely come into the world without an advance preparation.
The arrival of such a one to “prepare the way of the Lord” was prophesized:
Malachi 3:1-3Amplified Bible
The Purifier
3 “Behold, I am going to send My [a]messenger, and he will prepare and clear the way before Me. And the Lord [the Messiah], whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; the [b]Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderer’s soap [which removes impurities and uncleanness]. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi [the priests], and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord [grain] offerings in righteousness.
As promised from Malachi 3:1-3, God sent someone to get us ready for him.
John the Baptizer, the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, came to help people recognize that the sin condition of this world needed a major turnaround.
He called God’s people to repent, to experience a new way of life (not just a few minor adjustments) that would be signified in baptism.
John the Baptizer was sent ahead of Jesus, helped people to realize the problem with their idea of life before they could be prepared to see the solution in Christ.
In the opening verses of Mark, we meet John the Baptist.
John the Baptizer was God’s appointed messenger, a specialist whose task was to get people to “clean house,” to get prepared for the coming of Jesus Christ.
John’s message was simple: “Repent!”
To repent means to recognize the moment for change, turn back to God and confess our sins, clear the junk out of our lives, do what God’s Word teaches.
There are at least Five Basic Points From Mark (Mark 1:1-3) for us to learn from.
Wait a minute. How can anyone get 5 points from 3 verses?
This is the beauty of Mark’s simplicity.
It is jammed packed.
Because it is so succinct, we miss much of Mark’s message of “preparation.”
Before I sketch out the 5 points, let’s first consider the narrative text.
It is largely an Old Testament quote – Malachi 3:1-3.
Mark does not use many of these, so when he does, we should really prepare ourselves to stand up, wake up, an gear ourselves up to give maximum notice.
“As it is written” is a phrase that prepares us for the quotation.
It is not immediately about Jesus, but about John the Baptist.
The point?
Something new and exciting and life and earth and heaven shockingly different has moved from the distant horizons of time to the forefront of human activity:
This gospel is new, truth is coming, and it has been part of God’s plan all along.
For four hundred years it has been prophesized through Malachi’s prophesies.
We never know God’s timing.
Sometimes it seems as if he moves quickly.
Other times, God requires us to be patient.
God requires our most immediate attention because God’s Truth has finally arrived and the facts and God’s messenger – John – are all presented here.
Now onto those 5 (five) critical to learn points.
Capturing the word gospelallows Mark to make a point. The Good News is a historical event. The Good News of Jesus Christ is no longer an abstract idea. It is definitely not fiction, not anyone’s made-up story. It undeniably happened.
It happened by being born in flesh and blood. Jesus, the Christ. The Good News inextricably connects the perfect ideals of God to flawed ideals of humanity—to us. Briefly, life isn’t always the worst possible news – Jesus Christ is Good News.
Its brevity is free of any window dressing. In its raw- in your face, matter-of-fact opening statement, Mark immediately communicates the Good News is basic and uncomplicated and from beginning to end, from start to finish – from Alpha to Omega – the absolute God spoken maximum truth.
While basic, this Good News is not an out-of-the-blue sort of thing. No, the Good News is inexorably connected to God’s Plan from the start of all ages.
Mark’s hard-hitting introduction is not meant to teach or inform. We are left wondering what he means by presenting this unadorned, eternal, basic plan of God, which took place on earth- connecting God to humankind, to us. The true answer: The Good News is meant to prepare us for God’s call and challenge us.
The Gospel calls to us to turn and follow.
The Gospel challenges us to prepare for something enormous and miraculous.
The Gospel challenges us to prepare ourselves and our neighbors to live for God.
Mark led by the Spirit of God is brilliant.
His use of the word’s gospel, Christ, and Son of God delivers points #1 – #3.
Point #4 is delivered by the use of the Old Testament quote.
Taken together, with its brevity, it is a call and a challenge.
The question is: Are we now prepared to actually prepare ourselves for God, to be prepared by God for service to our Neighbors – preparing them for His life?
God patiently awaits our response ….
And presents to us the Gospel of Mark for us to actually begin our preparation to prepare to give to Him our well prepared response to His covenanted summons.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
God of surprises you call us from the narrowness of our traditions to new ways of being church, from the captivities of our culture to creative witness for justice, from the smallness of our horizons to the bigness of your vision. Clear the way in us, your people,
that we might call others to freedom and renewed faith.
Jesus, wounded healer, you call us from preoccupation with our own histories and hurts to daily tasks of peacemaking, from privilege to pilgrimage, from insularity to inclusive community. Clear the way in us, your people,
that we might call others to wholeness and integrity.
Holy, transforming Spirit, you call us from fear to faithfulness, from clutter to clarity, from a desire to control to deeper trust, from the refusal to love to a readiness to risk. Clear the way in us, your people,
that we might prepare all our neighbors to know and live the simplicity, the beauty and indescribable and undeniable power and danger of the gospel.
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
1 The beginning of the [facts regarding the] good news of [a]Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
Sometimes, the truth is directly in front of our noses – things just need to end – despite all of one’s very best intentions, and “maxed out” maximum efforts, they have reached a point where things can go no further – but they need to.
A job which has no promotional future – that “dead end” job.
A job which is unfulfilling – we have been in it for a long time, dissatisfied, no amount of joy no matter how hard the effort being made to turn things around.
Not meeting our personal educational or family financial goals ….
A wrong career path ….
We have reached an age in life where developmentally, we cannot help but feel the need to try something new, something exciting, invigorating, challenging.
A relationship with some place, something, someone which is not mutually fulfilling or just plain became abusive to either one or both parties involved.
Perhaps we have come to that place in life where we realize that relationship is us unsuccessfully trying to get along with ourselves in a world of uncertainty.
Wrong choices made at the wrong times …. which has caused someone we care about very deeply – to feel betrayed, unloved, immeasurable needless distress.
Poor decisions now being lived out through lasting undesirable consequences.
We are just feeling empty, spiritually unfulfilled in too many ways to count.
Nowhere to turn ….
No place to run ….
No one to turn to ….
No one to trust ….
No more drugs and no more alcohol …. all the bottles are broken and empty.
This vessel we occupy called our body – our flesh and bones – broken, empty.
Life Sentence in a “maximum security prison of our own design and strength.”
Sick and tired of being sick and tired ….
Where do the descriptions end?
Where does the new life, the fresh start in life begin?
When does the new life, the fresh start begin ….
From our state of brokenness – from our state of utter emptiness, with such a severe distrust of everyone and everything reigning and ruling over our souls,
What else is there to try – what else is left for us to literally risk “everything we do not believe we have left to risk – in a “life or death struggle winner take all?”
Perhaps the answer is … the very Creator of our Life, the Author of our life itself!
The question we all dare need to ask ourselves – Do we need a fresh start with God?
If you do, the opening verse of the gospel of Mark has something for you.
It speaks of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to offer new beginnings to all who seek God’s mercy and strength in a time of need.
Mark’s opening words to his narrative remind us of the first verse of the Bible: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
When all which came before was being defined, ruled, by unimaginable chaos.
God spoke into that undefinable, unimaginable, immeasurable chaotic mess.
And afterwards everything which came into existence, which proceeded from the mouth of God, which was created by God, was declared by God “to be good!”
Mark apparently wanted his readers to remember that God is present and at work in the beginning of all good things.
When God created the world, everything was good.
But Adam and Eve sinned against God, and things began to go wrong.
But that was not the end of the story, for God immediately set out to restore what was broken and lost, and his work centered on the coming of Jesus Christ.
What does this mean for us?
Well, we know God loves us and did not turn away from his rebellious creation.
God directly and decisively came into the world, entered (barged) into mans affairs through His Son Jesus, to save us from our sin and its consequences.
Because Jesus came to die in our place, paying the price for our sin, all who with their whole hearts confess and believe in him aren’t under sin’s curse anymore.
They are given a new beginning,
and that is what the gospel (“good news”) is all about.
Have you received a new beginning through Jesus Christ?
Is it time for you or I to consider a new beginning, a fresh start through Jesus?
Here are 3 signs God is calling you to start fresh in a certain area of your life:
1. If Guilt Has Been Hindering us from Moving Forward and Thriving in Life, The truth of Scripture is this: God Wants us to Embrace a Fresh Start with Him
Please read this carefully: I want us to be careful when using the phrase “fresh start” because as Christians we must always remember our “righteousness” in God’s judgement is based on Jesus Christ alone and never upon our own works.
One reason humans crave a fresh start is because we want the chance to do things right on our own – under our own “acceptable terms and conditions.”
We want a clean slate so we can have a chance of keeping our slates clean through our own flawed logic and severely flawed ideas of ‘our’ lack of sin.
But this is not the Christian way.
For as Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians succinctly teaches each one of us;
Philippians 3:8-9Amplified Bible
8 But more than that, I count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege and supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [and of growing more deeply and thoroughly acquainted with Him—a joy unequaled]. For His sake I have lost everything, and I consider it all garbage, so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him [believing and relying on Him], not having any righteousness of my own derived from [my obedience to] the Law and its rituals, but [possessing] that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.
So the necessary first step of embracing your fresh start with God is:
by our fully embracing, surrendering ourselves to the truth, that no matter what has happened in our life, no matter what sins we have committed, we are still righteous before God if you have placed your whole faith in Jesus Christ because your righteousness is now based on Christ and not your own actions.
With that being said, even when we know these biblical truths intellectually, the actual real life lessons of our actual real life experiences can feel very different.
As Christians, even though we are fully righteous in Christ because he has justified us through our faith, we can still be burdened with shame and guilt because of the lingering memories, ongoing consequences, of past mistakes.
God does not want this for us.
So if you have committed a sin that you keep thinking about and is holding you back from living the life you know God wants you to live, it’s time to let that go.
The choices cannot be undone –
Decisions cannot be undecided
Consequences will forever still be the consequences we have to live into …
Now is absolutely the right time, God’s Kairos, to embrace God’s grace:
Psalm 103:11-13Amplified Bible
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear and worship Him [with awe-filled respect and deepest reverence]. 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 Just as a father loves his children, So the Lord loves those who fear and worship Him [with awe-filled respect and deepest reverence].
If you have confessed it with your whole heart (Romans 10:9-13)
and repented, it’s over …. FOREVER ….
2 Corinthians 5:16-19Amplified Bible
16 So from now on we regard no one from a human point of view [according to worldly standards and values]. Though we have known Christ from a human point of view, now we no longer know Him in this way. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life]. 18 But all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ [making us acceptable to Him] and gave us the ministry of reconciliation [so that by our example we might bring others to Him], 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting people’s sins against them [but canceling them]. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation [that is, restoration to favor with God].
God’s grace is ALWAYS and ABSOLUTELY enough,
Romans 5:20-21Amplified Bible
20 But the Law came to increase and expand [the awareness of] the trespass [by defining and unmasking sin]. But where sin increased, [God’s remarkable, gracious gift of] grace [His unmerited favor] has surpassed it and increased all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, so also grace would reign through righteousness which brings eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
God’s grace is greater than our guilt. Lay it down. God has forgiven you if you confessed it (1 John 1:9).
You now need to forgive yourself, live in His Grace and start fresh with the Lord.
2. If Too Many Rules and Obligations Have Sucked the Life Out of You, It’s Time to Start Fresh with the Lord
As Christians, our journeys often start with an immense sense of freedom and joy when we realize we are not saved by obeying the Law but rather through faith in Jesus Christ and by God’s grace alone.
However, what too often happens as we begin to walk the Christian path is that we begin to subtly or not so subtly, overtly, covertly, start picking back up those self same rules and regulations that by His resurrection, Christ set us free from.
While God definitely want us to read our Bibles, pray daily, go to church, take communion, serve others, obey a whole host of other biblical commandments, God doesn’t want us to return to our old self-defeating ways, become legalistic.
Now that we have been saved by God’s freeing grace, we do not have to obey his commands out of fear and with a religious spirit.
Rather, now we can obey God’s commands because we want to, because it is a joy, and because we know it pleases the Lord.
If you have lost that perspective and have begun to dutifully obey the Bible rather than out of the freedom Christ has given you, this is a definitely a sign God wants us to reconsider our “self-defeating ways” start fresh with him.
The path forward is not to now throw away your Bible and act like there are no commands God tells us to follow.
Rather, the key is to embrace the freedom you have in Christ that has nothing to do with your obedience to the law.
When you and I know that you and I are free because of the free gift of Christ, you and I can obey God from a different spirit.
You can obey him out of freedom and not out of obligation.
Galatians 5:1Amplified Bible
Walk by the Spirit
5 It was for this freedom that Christ set us free [completely liberating us]; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery [which you once removed].
Galatians 5:13-14Amplified Bible
13 For you, my brothers, were called to freedom; only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the [a]sinful nature (worldliness, selfishness), but through [b]love serve and seek the best for one another. 14 For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is fulfilled in one precept, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, you shall have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit].”
So if the overly complex, hard and inflexible “bondage” of rules and obligations have made you feel “chained” enslaved, to an old and outdated system of living and loving and stolen your freedom in Christ, it is definitely time to start fresh.
Just make sure you are starting fresh in the name of God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit – not in some new manifestation, same old wardrobe of worldly backwardness.
Embrace God’s grace.
Obey God …
not in order to be saved by him but because you already are saved by him.
3. If the Circumstances in Your Life Are Giving You a Fresh Start in a Certain Area of Your Life, This Is a Sign God Wants You to Embrace This with Him
Recognize sometimes we don’t need a total fresh start in every area of our lives.
Sometimes our walk with God is going great and we just need to keep growing with him.
What we often need is just a fresh start in one specific area of our lives like in the area of raising newly teenage children, our physical health, or our careers.
God is in control of everything, so if the circumstances of your life are panning out in a way where you have the chance to start fresh in an area you know you really need a fresh start – don’t fight it, embrace it.
For example, if you know your children are entering “dating life” and you remember your own efforts way back when was an utter mess for awhile but God had cleared the deck and there is now one relationship (wife) in your life,
see this as a fresh start with sharing a new facet of life with your child and a new life lesson for you both to be cherished and experienced with the Lord.
Or if you lost your job and now you are needing a new one, this can be a fresh beginning of learning, working on something even better than what you lost.
In short,
if you lost something in life, perhaps it is God’s Kairos, God’s time! God allowed that loss to happen to you because he wanted to get excited, to give you the new opportunity to start over, completely a fresh with him in that area of your life –
As much as you may or may not realize, desire or not desire, a deeper, fresher connection – relationship with God, with Savior Jesus through the Word of God:
The beginning verses of The Gospel of Mark immediately gives each one of us uniquely Christ Centered Kairos moments to immediately kickstart our hearts:
Mark 1:1Amplified Bible
The Preaching of John the Baptist
1 The beginning of the [facts regarding the] good news of [a]Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Lord, my teacher, sometimes I find that I am too often confused when I need to make important decisions about my life’s work, my relationships with myself, my family and my friends, my health, or finances. Too many times I have failed and have failed very badly and the consequences are ever before me, plaguing me with their “finger pointing” and soul piercing eyes. Show me the way I should go when I just don’t know which way to turn. Help me remember to come to you, rather than trying to figure everything out on my own. Guide me along the best pathway for my life. Advise me and guide me, Shepherd over me. Help me to listen to your guidance and not resist it. I thank you that your unfailing love surrounds those who trust you. My God, Thank you for these Kairos opportunities to start afresh through thy Son. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
1 The beginning of the [facts regarding the] good news of [a]Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
We humans love to hear and tell stories.
When our children are young they ask mommy and daddy to read them their bed time stories – they want and desire our presence before they go to sleep.
We tell them, we read to them the same stories which had become our favorite stories which our own parents read to us every night when we were that young.
Sometimes we looked to our Grand Parents to tell us the stories of their youth, when they were the ones who were our age – we love to hear how they grew up.
We love to hear of their experiences, we want to partake of their wisdom, how they had “fun” in their day, what music did they listen to, where did they travel.
Sometimes we go to our Grand Parents first instead of our parents because we have stories we believe in our hearts we cannot or could, should not tell them.
Perhaps we are in a place where we do not trust our parents with our stories.
Telling and Sharing our Stories breaks the monotony of the “ho-hums” and the “hum-drums” of our own thoughts, our excruciatingly boring circumstances.
We tell them at work about bosses who think too much of themselves.
We tell stories to friends who give us feedback with laughter or tears or other stories in return. We tell stories around kitchen tables with families and friends.
The man, Rabbi Jesus entered into the lives of those first century Jews just by quietly walking into the moment, so often without any formal announcement.
What we do not read in the Gospels is this man, this Rabbi Jesus, does not raise his hands, clap his hands loudly together or raise his voice – “Yo! Here I am!”
Subtlety is his hallmark way of introducing himself into the life of the moment.
Matthew 5:1-2Amplified Bible
The Sermon on the Mount; The Beatitudes
5 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and when He was seated, His [a]disciples came to Him. 2 Then He began to teach them, saying,…
Jesus “saw the crowds” and without shouting “Hey, everyone, I see you!” he quietly went up the mountain and he quietly sat down, His went to Him absent any verbal summons from their Rabbi’s mouth, then he began to ‘teach’ them.
Luke 4:14-21Amplified Bible
Jesus’ Public Ministry
14 Then Jesus went back to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and the news about Him spread through the entire region. 15 And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised and glorified and honored by all.
16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me (the Messiah), Because He has anointed Me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent Me to announce release (pardon, forgiveness) to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed (downtrodden, bruised, crushed by tragedy), 19 to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the favor of God abound greatly].”
20 Then He rolled up the scroll [having stopped in the middle of the verse], gave it back to the attendant and sat down [to teach]; and the eyes of all those in the synagogue were [attentively] fixed on Him. 21 He began speaking to them: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing and in your presence.”
Coming out of His hardcore, deeply intimate temptation experience, He walked out of the wilderness, full of the Holy Spirit and straight into earthly ministry.
The “news abut him spread throughout the entire region …”
And he ‘began’ teaching in their synagogues …
He returned to his home in Nazareth, where he had been brought up and raised by His parents, His grandparents … heard their stories told and retold to him.
And “as was His custom …” “he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath …” and without him giving their leadership a chance to introduce him as an “Itinerant Rabbi” … he just quietly stood up … and instantly made his presence known.
Without any verbal or unspoken complaints for “being rude,” they handed Him the Scroll of God’s Prophet Isaiah, and without challenging Jesus’ credentials, they permitted him to take authority and full command of the sacred moment.
The man, Rabbi Jesus, without asking or saying “thank you” exercised that full and complete authority “granted (or surrendered) to him and read God’s Word.
John 1:1-5Amplified Bible
The Deity of Jesus Christ
1 In the beginning [before all time] was the Word ([a]Christ), and the Word was with God, and [b]the Word was God Himself. 2 He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. 3 All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. 4 In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines on in the [c]darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it].
We have these words from the Gospel Narrative from John …
“In the Beginning [before all time] ….”
Telling us in no uncertain terms, Jesus is THE WHOLE STORY …. has always been THE WHOLE STORY and Jesus will forever remain THE WHOLE STORY!
We have the relating of these stories from ‘the beginnings’ of the Gospel’s of Matthew and Mark and Luke and John in the hopes we will “enter into them.”
God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit place these stories in front of us – in the sure and constant hope – our lives will be changed by entry.
God enters our lives by way of the myriads and myriads of these biblical stories.
We become truly human by taking these Words of Jesus’ stories into our lives.
Author Karen Lee-Thorp aptly remarked, “Most of the Bible consists of stories. Why? Partly because God knew people that like and remember stories better than lists of abstract propositions. And even more important, the stories remind us that all of life is His story, and that God is never an abstract doctrine, but a Person.”
The Narrator Mark begins his gospel account with the story of Jesus, not moral principles or ethical concepts. We enter into life with Jesus by way of the first words of this story, we first find our Jesus in the story of God’s salvation for us.
John the Baptist begins the story by telling us about Jesus.
But John the Baptist is only a part of the preface of this great story that begins quietly but immediately proceeds, is about to not so quietly unfold before us!
So we find that the beginning story quickly moves on to tell about Jesus, the promised Messiah, and his saving message: the good news of God’s kingdom.
Every story about Jesus also helps us recognize our own stories of sin, grace, and blessing. The gospel is the main story, and it shapes the stories of us all.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
God of surprises you call us from the narrowness of our traditions to new ways of being church, from the captivities of our culture to creative witness for justice, from the smallness of our horizons to the bigness of your vision.
Jesus, wounded healer, you call us from preoccupation with our own histories and hurts to daily tasks of peacemaking, from privilege to pilgrimage, from insularity to inclusive community.
Holy, transforming Spirit, you call us from fear to faithfulness, from clutter to clarity, from a desire to control to deeper trust, from the refusal to love to a readiness to risk.
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
1 The beginning of the [facts regarding the] good news of [a]Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 As it is written and forever remains in the [writings of the] prophet Isaiah:
“Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, Who will prepare Your way— 3 A voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, [b]Make His paths straight!’”
4 [c]John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins [that is, requiring a change of one’s old way of thinking, turning away from sin and seeking God and His righteousness]. 5 And all the country of Judea and all the people of Jerusalem were continually going out to him; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair and had a [wide] leather [d]band around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he was preaching, saying, “After me comes He who is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I, and I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the straps of His sandals [even as His slave]. 8 As for me, I baptized you [who came to me] with water [only]; but He will baptize you [who truly repent] [e]with the Holy Spirit.”
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
For everything under the sun – there is a time and a season.
For everything under the sun – there is a beginning and there is an ending.
For everyone under the sun – there is a time and a season.
For everyone under the sun – there is a beginning and there is an ending.
And then there is Jesus, the Son of God – the Son of Man who was there in the very beginning, by whom and through whom all things were created, He was continually existing, all things came into existence through Him, and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being – Fathom all of that!
In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men.
He was there in the beginning of all things – Co-Eternally with God the Father.
And of His Kingdom – there shall be NO END. (Luke 1:33)
He has NO ending – He is Eternal – Forever and Ever – Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
Like all of the Gospel writers – they tried to Fathom the eternal Son of God.
Like all of the Gospel writers – they tried to communicate their understanding of the eternal Son of God, to the everyday men and women of their times, to a specific targeted audience – they desired for the everyday person to know Him!
Like all the Gospel writers Mark introduces us to Jesus Christ, the eternally begotten Son of God and prophesied Savior of the world, but we discover Mark’s specific focus is upon the humanity of Jesus, as servant of all – and the divinely appointed name of “Jesus’, which is specifically linked with His humanity, His name specifically means “God is Salvation’.
Luke 1:26-38 Amplified
Jesus’ Birth Foretold
26 Now in the sixth month [of Elizabeth’s pregnancy] the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin [a]betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming to her, the angel said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly perplexed at what he said, and kept carefully considering what kind of greeting this was. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Listen carefully: you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and eminent and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob (Israel) forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin and have no intimacy with any man?” 35 Then the angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [like a cloud]; for that reason the holy (pure, sinless) Child shall be called the Son of God. 36 And listen, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 For with God nothing [is or ever] shall be impossible.” 38 Then Mary said, “[b]Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel left her.
The personal name “Jesus’ was given to Him at the time of His birth, for He will be great and eminent and will be called the Son of the most high and God shall give Him the Throne, God and shall save His people from their sin, He himself shall redeem a lost world by means of His sinless life and substitutionary death.
And although the Lord Jesus was the eternal Son of God, and equal in honor and glory with the Father.. Mark announces the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ from the human perspective – tracing the gospel of Jesus from His lowly birth in a lowly stable unto His glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven.
While Matthew wrote his narration to identify Jesus as the Jewish messiah and King of Israel, Mark’s narrative audience was primarily to the Romans, where their connection, relationship to Jesus is portrayed to them as the Servant of all.
John’s principal desire was to emphasize the deity of the eternal Son of God, while Luke’s narrative aim was to bring out the empathetic ministry of the lowly Son of Man – but from the beginning.. Mark’s emphasis is on Christ’s servant-hood, for we read that: even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:35-45)
The gospel of Jesus Christ continues today and will extend into the eternal ages to come, and Mark simply records the beginning section of this good news.
From the beginning Jesus was the prophesied child of an everyday common woman of her times and her seasons and declared to be the promised Saviour..
Who came at the appointed time to tabernacle in the world with His creation. He came as the suffering servant of God, Whose life, death, burial and resurrection would be good news for all who would trust in His sacrificial death for salvation.
The Gospel Narrator Mark tells us all of Jesus’ historical beginning – when the eternal, uncreated God stripped Himself of the glory He had with the Father and stepped into time, by taking upon Himself mortal flesh and becoming a man.
And throughout His life the man Jesus demonstrated the only way humanity can live in fellowship, relate, connect, with a holy God:- by saying and doing those things He heard from the Father – by abiding in the Father; living in total dependence upon Him – and walking in complete obedience to the Father’s will.
Although Christ was the eternal Son of God… we discover Him to be the humble servant of God, Who walked in spirit and truth, lived in humble submission to the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit and became servant of all – so that by His coming, by His life, His death, His burial and His resurrection, all who believe on Him should not perish but be saved by grace through faith in HIM.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ continues unabated, unhindered, unashamedly, to this day and we who have made our heartfelt full throated confession, came to belief, trusted in Him as Saviour, have been made ministers of this good news.
Let us tell of this glorious truth, locally and abroad, of the glorious truth of the Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ Who came, gave His life as a ransom for many.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
My Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word and the wonderful truth that it contains. Thank You that Jesus set aside His heavenly glory and took upon Himself the humble status of a Servant of all.. so that He could identify with our humanity and pay the price for our sin – a price that we are unable to pay. Thank you for this Gospel of Mark, through which the common man may find a way to relate and to connect and identify with the deity He has always had. I pray that I may follow in His footsteps and live in humble submission to Your Holy Spirit all the days of my life, and only do those things that I hear from Your – this I ask in Jesus name, AMEN.
16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was greatly angered when he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he had discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place day after day with any who happened to be there. 18 And some of the [a] Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to engage in conversation with him. And some said, “What could this idle babbler [with his eclectic, scrap-heap learning] have in mind to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities”—because he was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 They took him and brought him to the [b]Areopagus (Hill of Ares, the Greek god of war), saying, “May we know what this [strange] new teaching is which you are proclaiming? 20 For you are bringing some startling and strange things to our ears; so we want to know what they mean.” 21 (Now all the Athenians and the foreigners visiting there used to spend their [leisure] time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)
Sermon on Mars Hill
22 So Paul, standing in the center of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I observe [with every turn I make throughout the city] that you are very religious and devout in all respects. 23 Now as I was going along and carefully looking at your objects of worship, I came to an altar with this inscription: ‘TO AN [c]UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you already worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who created the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He [d]served by human hands, as though He needed anything, because it is He who gives to all [people] life and breath and all things. 26 And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands and territories. 27 This was so that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grasp for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. 28 For in Him we live and move and exist [that is, in Him we actually have our being], as even some of [e]your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ 29 So then, being God’s children, we should not think that the Divine Nature (deity) is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination or skill of man. 30 Therefore God overlooked and disregarded the former ages of ignorance; but now He commands all people everywhere to repent [that is, to change their old way of thinking, to regret their past sins, and to seek God’s purpose for their lives], 31 because He has set a day when He will judge the inhabited world in righteousness by a Man whom He has appointed and destined for that task, and He has provided credible proof to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”
32 Now when they heard [the term] resurrection from the dead, [f]some mocked and sneered; but others said, “We will hear from you again about this matter.” 33 So Paul left them. 34 But some men joined him and believed; among them were Dionysius, [a judge] of the Council of Areopagus, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
One Sunday as they drove home from church, a little boy turned to his father and said, “Daddy, there’s something weird about the preacher’s message this morning that I don’t understand.”
The father said, “Oh? What is it?”
The little boy replied, “Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. He said God is so big that He could hold the world in His hand. Is that true?”
The father replied, “Yes, that’s true, son.”
“But daddy, he also said that God comes to live inside of us when we believe in Jesus as our Savior.
Is that true, too?”
Again, the father assured the little boy that what the pastor had said was true.
With a puzzled look on his round face the little boy then asked, “If that is true, if God is way, way bigger than us and He lives in us, wouldn’t He show through?”
I love that little story; it’s cute, and it makes me smile. However to effectively communicate the good news it does take more than a smiling silent witness.
Don’t get me wrong there are times that it is appropriate.
But a silent witness, smiling or otherwise, in and of its self will never bring in the harvest called for by God – it will never get a conversion or commitment.
Sometimes it seems difficult to communicate the love of Christ to others. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer weight of Biblical data and too become tongue-tied when trying to correctly share how one can know Savior Christ.
So what does it take to clearly and effectively communicate the good news of the gospel?
To find the answer to this question let’s turn to the manual.
The answer book!
God’s Word for God’s Children!
Come with me again to the Book of Acts of the Apostles, the 17th chapter.
This is the story of the Apostle Paul in Athens.
The Apostle Paul was arguably one of the most effective first century communicators of the good news of the gospel.
Paul was an effective communicator of the good news of the gospel because;
1. He had a powerful passion for the message itself – it drove him forward.
Acts 17:16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.
Please try to understand ‘passion’ – I am not talking about an emotion.
The greatest problem of emotions is that change, wax and wane too easily.
I am talking about the definition that Webster gives that says:
– An intense, driving or overmastering conviction.
Do you see what fuels passion according to this definition? —— Passion is fueled by a deep and unwavering conviction to “I must get something done.”
His passion was fueled by the conviction that every man, women, boy or girl faces heaven or hell – and Jesus Christ was the only path to one’s salvation.
That there is no in between.
No one will receive a sentence of 2 to 20 years.
It is a forever and ever and ever and ever sentence of eternal never ending separation from God – in torment and burning in hell. (Luke 16:19-31)
Why was he distressed?
Because of his deep conviction and understanding these people were doomed to an eternity in hell unless the strong power of idolatry was broken in their lives.
A. Notice what Paul saw – He literally saw the idolatry everywhere he looked.
1. As Paul moved about Athens he was not impressed by the great glitz and the grandeur of the Greeks, he wasn’t taken or overwhelmed by the Acropolis or the Parthenon – buildings considered even today to be true wonders of the world.
2. As Jesus’ own soul zealously saw the Israelites (Matthew 23:37) (Luke 13:34), Paul’s passion for Christ, Paul’s zealousness saw the lost ness of the Athenians!
3. What do we see as we walk or drive through our neighborhoods, walk through the shopping Malls, move about our own workplaces and visit the “sights of our cities?“
B. If we are going to be effective communicators we must look and pray to God our Father whose first passion sent His Son to us – for that same #1 Passion!
2ndly Paul was an effective communicator of the good news of the gospel because:
2. He engages people on common ground.
Acts 17:22-23
22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.
23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
A. He uses the familiar to explain the unfamiliar or unknown.
1. Talks about them being very “religious” – trying not to offend ‘lesser god’s.’
2. Talks about one specific idol they have – all the god’s of the Greek Pantheon
3. Tells them he knows his God is their “Unknown God!” – known to Everyone!
B. Jesus used the same approach (common ground or interest) with the woman at the well in John chapter 4.
John 4:7-11 Amplified
The Samaritan Woman
7 Then a woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink”— 8 For His disciples had gone off into the city to buy food— 9 The Samaritan woman asked Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me, a [a] Samaritan woman, for a drink?” (For Jews have nothing to do with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew [about] God’s gift [of eternal life], and who it is who says, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him [instead], and He would have given you living water (eternal life).” 11 She said to Him, “Sir, [b]You have nothing to draw with [no bucket and rope] and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water?
One of those barriers to effectively communicating the Good News of the Gospel is the belief that there is no common ground between them and the “stranger.”
No Common Ground – therefore No Conversation – therefore no “Known God.”
A quick shrug of the shoulders – no common ground – no conversation ensues and that “Unknown God” remains that “Unknown God,” lost to our “wisdom.”
Lost to our “wisdom” because in ‘our wisdom’ we feel we have nothing to say or somehow believe that our words have no value to the Kingdom (Exodus 4:1-5).
Lost to our “wisdom” because in “our wisdom” we are tired of words because too many of the “right words on deaf ears” already been spoken and ignored.
Lost to our “wisdom” because in “our wisdom” we find it too easy to be mad and get too easily offended – let emotions govern how we see our neighbors.
Lost to our “wisdom” because in “our wisdom” we raise the authority and the power of our words above and beyond the power behind the Word of our God. (Proverbs 1:1-7, 20-33, Proverbs 3:5-8, Proverbs 8:11-20, Proverbs 16:1-9, Proverbs 29:18, Isaiah 1:18-20, Isaiah 2:1-4, Isaiah 55:10-13, Hebrews 4:12)
Lost to our “wisdom” because in “our wisdom” we have somehow become too easily contented with being a “Divided” Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:10-17).
Lost to our “wisdom” because in “our wisdom” we think our words are wasted, useless, because God is going to do what God is going to do anyway. (Jonah 4:2)
So many excuses – too many wrong headed reasons, rationales to keep silent.
Too many opportunities to believe we have nothing to contribute nor want to contribute because we are too mad at everything and prefer to wash our hands of any responsibility or accountability to help our neighbors. (Matthew 27:24)
So many excuses – so many reasons and rationales – offered up to the God we allegedly believe and confess “we know” to let ‘the kingdom be the kingdom.’
For which Jesus gives an answer ….
John 13:34-35 (Amplified)
34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you [a]love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love and unselfish concern for one another.”
John 14:11-14 (Amplified)
11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe [Me] because of the [very] works themselves [which you have witnessed].12 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Savior] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father.13 And I will do whatever you ask in My name [[a]as My representative], this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified and celebrated in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name [as My representative], I will do it.
John 15:9-11 (Amplified)
9 I have loved you just as the Father has loved Me; remain in My love [and do not doubt My love for you]. 10 If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. 11 I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing.
John 15:12-16 (Amplified)
Disciples’ Relation to Each Other
12 “This is My commandment, that you [a]love and unselfishly seek the best for one another, just as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you keep on doing what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you My] friends, because I have revealed to you everything that I have heard from My Father. 16 You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit will remain and be lasting, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name [as My representative] He may give to you.
C. I am thoroughly, passionately convinced that the Holy Spirit gives us these same scriptural invitations, GOD openings and opportunities every single day.
We just aren’t deliberately, intentionally, passionately looking for them and recognizing them with the same deliberation, intent, passion as Paul did.
Reminds me to the story … of a guy who “prayed” this prayer every morning:
“Lord, if you really and truly and passionately want me to Your witness to someone, somewhere today, please give me a sign to show me who it is.”
One day he found himself on a bus when a big, burly man sat next to him.
The bus was nearly empty but this hulking guy sat next to our praying friend.
The timid Christian anxiously waited for his stop so he could exit the bus.
But before he could get either very nervous about the man next to him, or as far away from him as he could as quick as he could exit the bus, the big guy burst into tears and began to weep uncontrollably, then cried out with a loud voice,
“Life is nothing to me anymore, just no purpose anywhere, I need to be saved. I am a lost sinner and I need the Lord. Won’t somebody tell me how to be saved?”
He turned to the Christian and pleaded, “Can you show me how to be saved?”
The believer immediately bowed his head, praying, “Lord, is this Your sign?”
Most of the time it just doesn’t happen like that.
But if we have a passion that is driven by a deep conviction we will be watching, looking for opportunities to “give an answer” in the message of the good news.
You see the point is this –
We don’t need another sign from God because we have a LIVING HOPE in Christ:
1 Peter 3:14-16 (Amplified)
14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness [though it is not certain that you will], you are still blessed [happy, to be admired and favored by God]. Do not be afraid of their intimidating threats, nor be troubled or disturbed [by their opposition]. 15 But in your hearts set Christ apart [as holy—acknowledging Him, giving Him first place in your lives] as Lord. Always be ready to give a [logical] defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope and confident assurance [elicited by faith] that is within you, yet [do it] with gentleness and respect. 16 And see to it that your conscience is entirely clear, so that every time you are slandered or falsely accused, those who attack or disparage your good behavior in Christ will be shamed [by their own words].
You see the point is –
We do not need another “sign” to know IF God and Christ wants us to witness:
He has already commanded us to go, be his witness. Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:25-31 then 32-35 then 36-49, feed one another John 21:15-19.
Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, Ye shall be my witnesses … yea, unto the uttermost part of the earth: Acts 1:1-8KJV.
Apostle Paul was an effective communicator of the good news because he had a deep, powerful passion, because he engaged the people on common ground and
3rdly because:
3. He kept it Simple!
Paul presented 3 simple points:
1- God is the Creator and owner of the universe …. Acts 17:24
2 – God wants everyone to know him … Acts 17:26-27
3 – Men must repent for judgment day is coming. Acts 17:30-31
You can’t get much simpler than that.
The point is that the enemy wants you and I to think and believe with our whole hearts the effective communication of the good news is complex and difficult.
The Adversary wants you and I to think and believe that you, I, need to be an expert in Greek and Hebrew, Biblical Scholarship to communicate the gospel.
The Truth is simple; the gospel is simple
· Every man is a sinner
· God loves every man, wants a relationship with all sinners
· He died to pay the penalty for every man sin …
· By repentance and faith we can be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)
The point is every born again believer can communicate the gospel.
Apostle Paul was an effective communicator of the good news because he had a deep, and powerful passion for all things Jesus Christ, he engaged the people on common ground (issues), and because he kept it simple and finally because …
4. He was realistic in his expectations
A. We must realize not everyone is going to respond nicely when we present Christ, but we must yet continue to respond to him or her in faith and love.
Acts 17:32 (Amplified)
32 Now when they heard [the term] resurrection from the dead, [a]some mocked and sneered; but others said, “We will hear from you again about this matter.”
But we must also realize that the gospel the good news will not return void.
Acts 17:33-34 (Amplified)
33 So Paul left them. 34 But some men joined him and believed; among them were Dionysius, [a judge] of the Council of Areopagus, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
And as discouraging and disheartening as this fact can definitely be ….
Believe that God gives us His Answer and His Assurance on this matter too:
Isaiah 55:10-13 (Amplified)
10 “For as the rain and snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth, Making it bear and sprout, And providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me void (useless, without result), Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. 12 “For you will go out [from exile] with joy And be led forth [by the Lord Himself] with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 13 “Instead of the thorn bush the cypress tree will grow, And instead of the nettle the myrtle tree will grow; And it will be a memorial to the Lord, For an everlasting sign [of His mercy] which will not be cut off.”
How eager are we for such an “Athenian Experience” as Apostle Paul was?
Are our hearts and souls as “greatly distressed and disturbed” as Paul’s?
What do we really think and believe to be the value of our “wisdom” to God?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
God, from the beginning, you were the word. You sent your only son to save us all and he even allowed himself to be tortured and crucified to obey you. Bless me with the gift of passion and understanding and of unshaken faith in you. Let me know the meaning of your words of ministry and mission in the Bible, how to live accordingly. Open the door of my heart, and fill me with your light and understanding. Amen.
16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was greatly angered when he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he had discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place day after day with any who happened to be there. 18 And some of the [a] Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to engage in conversation with him. And some said, “What could this idle babbler [with his eclectic, scrap-heap learning] have in mind to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities”—because he was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 They took him and brought him to the [b]Areopagus (Hill of Ares, the Greek god of war), saying, “May we know what this [strange] new teaching is which you are proclaiming? 20 For you are bringing some startling and strange things to our ears; so we want to know what they mean.”
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
In our Scripture text today we hear about the Apostle Paul in the city of Athens.
This Greek city was an intellectual centre of its day.
Here the philosophers, intellectuals, and students would gather to discuss the latest intellectual fads.
Athens was also a pagan city.
As many as 30,000 statues had been erected as idols to various gods in the city.
Archaeologists and Historians suggest that there were more idols in the city of Athens than in all the rest of Greece combined.
There can be no doubt that the Greeks were religious people.
They had a different god for almost every aspect of life.
They believed their gods were able to bring fortune or evil.
They had even spent the resources and built, dedicated an altar ‘To an Unknown God’ just in case they may have missed giving honor to one of the myriad gods.
It would have been easy for Paul to shy away from even opening his mouth in this pagan city.
We would understand that.
But Dr. Luke records,
“So (Paul) reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met him. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also were conversing with him” (Acts 17:17,18).
In amongst all those pagan statues, the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul, debated with the great teachers of Athens and the Jewish leaders in their synagogues.
This was tough going.
It was even dangerous.
Paul knew that if he was going to speak with, debate, preach, teach anyone, he had to step out of his comfort zone, and put himself at risk to speak the truth.
Let’s face it – it’s easy to hang around with Christians.
We worship the same God, the Father and God the Son and Holy Spirit.
We share the same values, and we speak the same language (that is, we all know what we mean when we talk of Salvation, Redemption and Holy Communion.
It is natural for us to gravitate towards the people who are more like ourselves.
Paul had a lot to do with his fellow Jewish Leaders and Christian friends and the congregations that were scattered around in most of the large towns and cities.
When he was in Athens, we notice that (as was his tradition) Paul first of all had deep discussions with both Jewish leadership & Gentiles who worshipped God.
It’s worth noting how Paul intentionally stepped out of his comfort zone to share the Good News with those who were caught up in pagan ways.
Notice what I said about Apostle Paul’s actions – they were intentional – they were deliberately, innately made, a decision to make the most of the moment.
To hesitate, to stall, to put it off, would mean a lost opportunity.
Think what would have happened if Paul (who made all that effort just to get to Athens) hesitated, said to himself, “I’ll wait for a while and see what happens”.
Maybe you, like me, have let what we know to be a decisive moment go by and afterwards regretted not saying or doing something when we had the chance.
Paul followed a general pattern as he traveled.
Upon entering a city, he would go first to the local Jewish synagogue.
At some point, he would explain from the Scriptures about Jesus, the Messiah.
Some Jews and Godfearing Gentiles would listen carefully, ask their questions, Paul would answer and they come to faith, but others would leave and oppose Paul and angrily stir up crowds against him as he taught in the marketplace.
Apparently they did not want to risk “offending” any of the myriad known and unknown gods and idols and the myriad of “high priests and temple leaders.”
No one was going to be allowed to upset or disrupt their accepted “status-quo.”
To quiet the mobs and stay safe, (perhaps even to stir up debates there) Paul often had to leave, and the pattern would repeat when he went to another town.
In Acts 17, however, we see a change in the pattern, though. Paul went to Athens while Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea a little longer.
In Athens, Paul went to the synagogue and then to the marketplace, and some Greek philosophers brought him to the Areopagus, where ideas were debated.
When addressing the intellectuals of his day in the city of Athens, Apostle Paul discovered that his audience of hearers and listeners had been influenced by two fundamental ideas: Stoicism and Epicureanism.
The Philosophy of Stoicism holds that the events of the world are determined by a merciless, cold, and impersonal fate, while the Philosophy Epicureanism teaches that what is good is determined by what will bring the most pleasure.
Neither one of these philosophies hold up for the children of Almighty God.
One of the most distinctive features of Christianity is the way in which we are able to articulate our view of the world.
In contrast to much of the diverse culture around us, we know that every single second of our lifetime rests in God’s hands (Psalm 31:15)—that we’re neither trapped in the grip of blind forces nor tossed about on an ocean of chance.
Whether people have been drawn in by Marxism, Hinduism, nihilism, or any one of countless other philosophies and religions, they are all faced with myriad questions and hosts of complex nuances, insecurities, regarding their beliefs.
Have they been caught in a struggle for a classless society or in an endless cycle of birth and death?
Perhaps they’re convinced that overall, life has really little to no meaning at all.
No matter someone’s simple, complex or “unanswerable, or imponderable” their questions or hardcore beliefs are, God provides every answer they need.
Instead of their feeling as if they are living life caged by a senseless, uncaring fate or endless uncertainty, as believers we now believe with unfailing hope.
“Since you cannot do good to all, you are to give special attention to all of those who, by the sheer accidents of time, or of place, or circumstances, are brought into and unto a closer connection with you and God.” – Saint Augustine of Hippo.
We need to be especially deliberate and intentional when it comes to talking and debating about our Savior Jesus to unbelievers or those who have fallen away.
Like Jesus at the Samaritan well and Paul in Athens we need to be deliberate about connecting with those who are not part of the Kingdom of God.
Of course, there are risks – being ridiculed, being called a religious freak, having your physical body attacked or imprisoned or feelings hurt, but as is often the case when someone needs rescuing, there are risks and dangers.
If we are not so deliberate, if we are not intentional, then we can easily lose a golden “GOD” opportunity to speak God’s truth when it was needed the most.
We, like the Apostle Paul, those first, first century and early Biblical writers of the subsequent centuries, are now stewards of all the answers God has given us through His word—answers we must share with all the “Athens” of the world.
He has given us a great confidence, and the greatest answer: His name is Jesus.
The question, therefore, is not whether we have a message that can answer the deepest longings, most imponderable answers to impossible questions of every human, the various objections of every other philosophy and religion: we do.
The question is whether we will get all on fire for God and share that message.
Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon Earth. Rev. John Wesley
When Paul was in Athens, he saw what others did not see, he did not enjoy the impressive touristy sites or stand in awe of the city’s intellectual reputation.
Quickened by the Holy Spirit, Paul saw a city lost in idol-worship, and “his spirit was provoked, “stirred up mightily” within him,” for every time an idol is worshiped, his, our, Savior Jesus, is robbed of the glory that He alone deserves.
“So,” without any regard for his own personal reputation, Paul reasoned with and proclaimed the gospel of resurrection hope to the inhabitants of that city. (Acts 17:18)
So, the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul, jumps into the life of the city of Athens,
And with both feet securely cemented upon the Rock, Foundation of his Savior Jesus Christ and with a full throated oratory second to no one, talks about God.
He says:
• God made the world! Since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not need even one temple to live in – let alone hundreds if not thousands of them. • God gives maximum life in abundance and breath to all living creatures. • God created all the people of the world and gave them countries to live in. • God is above all things and doesn’t have any particular needs that can be satisfied by the words of human wisdom, works of human hands and feet. • God is not, never will be far away from any of us, wants people to seek him.
Can you and I see what Paul has done for the rest of us on Mars Hill here?
He hasn’t hit them over the head with a whole lot of ‘Jesus talk’.
He has said very little that the learned teachers of Athens would disagree with.
He has built a relationship with them.
They are becoming curious and they are growing more curious by the moment and by the thoughts which are being freely expressed in that very public forum.
They are listening.
God is working ….
The Holy Spirit is weaving the words and simple truths of Jesus into their souls.
They are agreeing.
Paul knows that you can’t come in cold and expect people to listen to the important message he has to tell them. He first built a rapport with them.
The often overlooked if not completely, deliberately ignored truth: There are lots of people in our lives which we have never taken the time to get to know.
While out walking, we can stop to talk to the new neighbour who is washing his car, or we can stroll on by.
We can linger around after church and talk to people we hardly know, or the stranger who is visiting for the first time, or we can ignore them.
At the local restaurant where we sit down to lunch after church to discuss the days worship and the days Scripture and the impact of the Pastor’s Sermon,
There will be a host or a hostess – there will be a server – someone to take our order – who might just “randomly” find themselves “within easy earshot …!”
“Are you busy today?” What is the Chef’s Special for Today?”
“What do you personally recommend we try today?” “How is it with your day?”
When they casually ask, “is that all, will there be anything else for today?”
Try responding … “Yes! there is one more thing – “How is it with your Soul?”
And “SNAP!”
In that exact instant – without saying God, the Father, the Son, Holy Spirit …
God, the Father and God the Son, God the Holy Spirit “introduced themselves!
Who knows what opportunities might arise in your conversation to share your faith, or how you can help when a crisis arises and they come seeking your help.
Wherever you live, wherever I live, in one way or another we will inevitably find ourselves in a modern-day Athens – whether geographically or by the internet.
What are the myriad of idols that those around you are worshiping?
Is your spirit provoked by that?
You have an answer that satisfies human longing in a way no idol can.
You have an opportunity to bring glory to God.
With whom can you reason today?
Can I share with you of the God who brings meaning and hope to life?
Can I tell you about the answers I have found in coming to know Jesus Christ?”
Paul took this opportunity to draw people’s attention to the “unknown God” that was mentioned on an altar nearby.
Paul was “greatly distressed” at seeing so many idols in Athens, and he wanted to tell risk it all, tell everyone about the true God whom they all needed to know.
When was the last time your heart was distressed and troubled in this way?
We live in a world of idols today too.
The idols of social networks, technology, individualism, materialism, greed, money, political and military power, and so much more are all around us.
There are “tons and tons” of people, inhabiting “tons and tons more” places who are and who have “tons and more tons” of those imponderable questions which no one else can even begin to provide reasonably ponderable answers to.
There is only just one with all of the answers to every imaginable, imponderable question we may have the courage, the intentionality, be able to imagine to ask:
John 14:5-6 (Amplified)
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “[a]I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
We can follow Paul’s pattern of engagement, or we can scroll on through life …
Some may appear to “fall asleep” during the Pastor’s efforts at teaching them.
Others may just come across as “being polite” or “completely disinterested.”
There is always one inescapable truth which the Apostle Paul always knew …
No matter how “unknown” that “unknown god (unknowable GOD) is to the people who do not yet know Him or do not desire to ever get close enough …
God never slumber or sleeps …. Psalm 121
There is no place anyone can ever hide from God …. Psalm 139
God is ALWAYS coming to His Garden, ALWAYS looking for you and there is nothing or no one who can ever hide anything from Him … Genesis3:8-13
For theeyesoftheLord move to and fro throughout the earth so that He may support those whose heart is completely His. 2 Chronicles 16:9a
God is going to do whatever it is God is going to do … Isaiah 55:10-13
And even if we somehow thought we were clever enough or wise enough …
There is not one thing anyone of us can do about any of what God does for us.
May God give us the courage and the wisdom through the Holy Spirit to seize the moment to speak clearly and appropriately and deliberately, intentionally, about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who is life and gives life and salvation.
Let God guide us as we make better use of those small windows of opportunity.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Lord God my Father, Creator and Author of my life, Giver of all Wisdom, I need You. Lord, I feel held back by my timidity and fear of what others think of me. In times when I should speak up, I remain silent. And because of this, I feel like I let You down. Help me to show sure confidence in You and to be bold in saying what needs to be said. I ask I be granted the courage to not let others talk over me. Please ease my fears that others will dislike me because of my words. Give me the wisdom to speak truthfully and sensitively. You are my #1 source of boldness and strength. Amen.
18 So then as through one trespass [Adam’s sin] there resulted condemnation for all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to [a]all men. 19 For just as through one man’s disobedience [his failure to hear, his carelessness] the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of the one Man the many will be made righteous and acceptable to God and brought into right standing with Him.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
In Romans chapter 5 Paul reveals some good news and some bad news.
The bad news is that everyone is a sinner.
And according to Paul we all have Adam to thank for that.
Adam and his Wife Eve committed the first recorded sin in the bible which was – eating fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Something God told them not to do.
They could eat of any other tree in the garden, including the Tree of Life, but not the Tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Why? Because God knew it would bring about a death.
Adam and Eve had a choice, to choose life or to choose death.
God wanted them to choose life so he told them not to eat of this other tree.
But for whatever reasons or rationale, they both ate of the fruit from the tree God told them not to.
And they died.
They didn’t die physically right away, though death was now definitely going to be part of humanities life cycle.
But they died in the sense that they died to their Creator God that day.
You see their eating of that “forbidden fruit” was an act of disobedience, it was an act of opposition, an act of pride, an act of rebellion, an act of the will to do exactly what they wanted instead of what God had commanded them to do.
The result was that they were cast out of God’s dwelling place the Garden of Eden. Their sin resulted an awareness of evil, in being separated from God.
The Word of God for His Children also tells us that ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit in the garden humanity has been infected with sin.
Ever since then sin has become a part of life and a way of life for some.
Sin that began with Adam and Eve is seen in their two wonderful boys Cain and Abel when Cain kills his brother.
Sin becomes rampant in the world so God has Noah build an Ark before he floods the world.
And then there is the Tower of Babel where the builders are motivated to build a grand tower to make their names great, greater and greatest above God, which is another way of saying feeding their voracious appetite for feasting on pride.
Whether we like it or not, the bible teaches that we have a sinful nature.
That means ever since birth we gravitate to sinning, we lean towards sinning, we are inclined to sin.
That doesn’t mean we are not capable of doing some good, but our tendency is to over zealously live and love ourselves first – far more than God first loved us.
Now if that’s not enough bad news there is more.
The wages of sin according to the bible is death according to Romans 6.23.
Physical death which we are all aware of.
A spiritual death which is a break in communion with God.
And for those who do not deal with the sin in their lives according to scripture there is an eternal death in a state of Christ-less eternity the church refers to as hell. So as you can probably deduce, humanity was, is in a deep heap of trouble.
Are you ready for some good news?
Hear the text again.
“For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man many will be made righteous…But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Paul tells us that what Jesus did through his unconditional obedience to God is far greater than anything Adam did through his unconditional disobedience.
When Adam ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he not only caused sin to enter the universe, but he made us sinners. Through Adam, we inherited a sin nature which causes us to sin all the live long day and night.
Because of this, trying to live a good life or by the Ten Commandments with no God or Savior or a constant reminder of our sin in our life, inevitably will fail.
We were born with a nature contrary to God’s law.
This contrary nature pushes against those standards.
Therefore, we cannot break free from sin’s grasp on our own.
We can never be good enough because our nature sets us up to fail.
Because we were born into sin, we experience everything Adam offers us:
Death (vs. 15, 17),
judgement (vs. 16),
condemnation (vs. 18),
being sinners (vs. 19),
the increase of sin and death (v. 20),
and sin reigning and polluting everything (v. 21).
But Paul’s key point at the end of Romans 5 is that the gift of Jesus has no comparison with the result of one man’s sin because it overshadows and outshines it in every way imaginable!
In point of fact, the Apostle Paul is courageous enough to dare point out that judgement and condemnation followed Adam’s one sin but the gift Jesus offers followed many sins.
If we sin because of our sin nature, try to imagine exactly how many sins we are talking about.
Every person’s disobedience from the time of Adam, until now.
That’s a lot of trespasses.
This is where Jesus’ gifts shine, because He offers them amid all of this brokenness.
If under sin judgement, we are aware of our condemnation, the opposite must also be true.
Through Jesus we should know we are forgiven, righteous and holy, the good news continues, in Christ, we have received this reconciliation (Romans 5:11).
And that means what Christ has done in his obedience to God is greater than anything you have done through your disobedience.
Take a deep breath, take several prayerful and worshipful moments to stop and thank Creator God – He offers the permanent solution to sin and death in Jesus.
God’s grace is so abundant we should celebrate it every single chance we get!
Paul wrote, “Where sin abounds, grace abounds even more.”
Hear this,
The bad news is that we are hopeless “all the live long day” sinners at heart.
The good news is that God still loves us NEVERTHELESS.
The bad news is that we were powerless to do anything about our sin, the good news is that NEVERTHELESS God acted on our behalf.
Bad news is that we are “all the live long day” ungodly sinners, NEVERTHELESS God justifies us through the life, death of Savior Jesus the Christ upon the cross!
The New and Better Adam
As by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.Romans 5:19
Adam, the first man, was made in the image of God.
The Lord gave Adam a role unique in all creation, yet he failed to fulfill it and was sent out of Eden.
God then made a new start with the Israelites; they were called to be His people.
They displayed His character as and when they obeyed His law.
Like Adam, though, the Israelites failed in their role and were sent into exile.
Gloriously, when we come to the New Testament, we discover where Adam and Israel failed, Jesus succeeded. Jesus is what the people of God were meant to be:
the new and better Adam, the true Israel. He is descended from Adam, and He identifies with Adam’s race. He identifies with us completely, yet unlike Adam, Jesus was tempted and did not sin (Hebrews 4:15).
What we have in our Lord and Savior Jesus is the only human being who ever absolutely 100% obeyed God, the only one with whom God is always pleased.
He kept every letter of the law.
Therefore, Jesus is the one person, the only persona to have lived who doesn’t and never did deserve to be violently, lethally banished from God’s presence.
But He was banished.
On the cross, He with maximum obedience, willingly, unconditionally, faced the punishment all sinners deserve—sinners who are bound up in Adam’s sin.
All of humanity finds its heritage in Adam, both by nature and by descent.
We are born in sin and united with Adam in our rebellion against God.
There is no exception.
The only answer to humanity’s predicament?
Is for men and women to be introduced to the only person who kept the law perfectly and who did not deserve to be banished from God, but who then was obedient to the point of death on the cross so sinners may, by grace through faith, receive all that He deserves instead of bearing all that Adam deserved.
Romans 10:1-4 Amplified
The Word of Faith Brings Salvation
10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for Israel is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have a certain enthusiasm for God, but not in accordance with [correct and vital] knowledge [about Him and His purposes]. 3 For not knowing about God’s righteousness [which is based on faith], and seeking to establish their own [righteousness based on works], they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law [it leads to Him and its purpose is fulfilled in Him], for [granting] righteousness to everyone who believes [in Him as Savior].
Romans 1o:5-8 Amplified
5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law [with all its intricate demands] shall live by it. 6 But the righteousness based on faith [which produces a right relationship with Him] says the following: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into Heaven?’ that is, to bring Christ down; 7 or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ that is, to bring Christ up from the dead [as if we had to be saved by our own efforts, doing the impossible].” 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word [the message, the basis] of faith which we preach—
Romans 10:9-13 Amplified
9 because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] will not be disappointed [in his expectations].” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile; for the same Lord is Lord over all [of us], and [He is] abounding in riches (blessings) for all who call on Him [in faith and prayer]. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord [in prayer] will be saved.”
This truth of Salvation through Christ ALONE is the exact heart of everything.
Acts 4:8-12 Amplified
8 Then Peter, filled with [the power of] the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people [members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish High Court], 9 if we are being put on trial today [to interrogate us] for a good deed done to [benefit] a disabled man, as to how this man has been restored to health, 10 let it be known and clearly understood by all of you, and by all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you [demanded be] crucified [by the Romans and], whom God raised from the dead—in this name [that is, by the authority and power of Jesus] this man stands here before you in good health. 11 This Jesus is the stone which was despised and rejected by you, the builders, but which became the [a]chief Cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among people by which we must be saved [for God has provided the world no alternative for salvation].”
For believers, all that was formerly true of us found its root in one act of Adam, while all that is true of us now is the result of the absolute obedience of Christ.
In the name of God the Father, and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
O’ My Creator and Creating God,
Source of Perfect Love which will never let me go ….
This is love. Not that you spoke words of comfort, walked with the unclean and unloved, shared wisdom, bread and wine, brought healing into lives and challenged the status quo.
This is love. That you spoke the word of God, walked a painful road to the Cross, shared living water, bread of life, brought Salvation to the world and, in this love, died for the sake of all.
This is love. It is a lifeless, yet soon obedient seed in Your hand obediently being sown into the very hardest ground, which will very soon obediently open and germinate, which will very soon obediently blossom and flower, and will very soon obediently spreads its sweet perfume.
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen!
2 So you, my son, be strong [constantly strengthened] and empowered in the grace that is [to be found only] in Christ Jesus. 2 The things [the doctrine, the precepts, the admonitions, the sum of my ministry] which you have heard me teach [a]in the presence of many witnesses, entrust [as a treasure] to reliable and faithful men who will also be capable and qualified to teach others. 3 Take with me your share of hardship [passing through the difficulties which you are called to endure], like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier in active service gets entangled in the [ordinary business] affairs of civilian life; [he avoids them] so that he may please the one who enlisted him to serve. 5 And if anyone competes as an athlete [in competitive games], he is not crowned [with the wreath of victory] unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hard-working farmer [who labors to produce crops] ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. 7 Think over the things I am saying [grasp their application], for the Lord will grant you insight and understanding in everything.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
The hardcore truth and reality is we wrestle everyday with ourselves and others with complex, divisive, highly charged emotional issues in the Christian faith.
Somewhere on television or social media or the internet, we are all presented with matters of the faith which challenge our adherence to the precepts of God.
We wrestle with ourselves over whether or not what we are presented with is in the “will of God” according to what we read, how we interpret the Word of God.
“What does the Word of God for the Children of God say about (fill in the blank)
There is no denomination which does not wrestle and struggle with something which is near and dear and much beloved and much cherished and protected.
Denominations raise and denominations fall.
Churches raise and thrive or Churches wither away and cease being churches, all on how/what a particular group of “faith-filled” faithful Christians believe.
Matters of doctrine ….
Matters of dogma ….
Matters of understanding and administering the Sacraments ….
If it Matters to God then it should Matter to Man All the Time … Yes? … No?
All People Matter All of the Time > just some of the Time? > not at Anytime?
God Matters All of the Time > just some of the Time > not at Anytime at all?
The “sum total” of each of our life experiences leads us to our understanding of “believing or not believing or flat denial” of God the Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
It comes down to our obedience to God and adherence faith being “black and white” either all of one set standard of beliefs or the other – no compromise.
We wrestle with ourselves and our brothers and sisters in our Savior Jesus and the end result is basically and unfortunately what the Apostle Paul described:
1 Corinthians 1:10-13 (Amplified)
10 But I urge you, believers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in full agreement in what you say, and that there be no divisions or factions among you, but that you be perfectly united in your way of thinking and in your judgment [about matters of the faith]. 11 For I have been informed about you, my brothers and sisters, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are quarrels and factions among you. 12 Now I mean this, that each one of you says, “I am [a disciple] of Paul,” or “I am [a disciple] of Apollos,” or “I am [a disciple] of Cephas (Peter),” or “I am [a disciple] of Christ.” 13 Has Christ been divided [into different parts]? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul? [Certainly not!]
We wrestle with ourselves, with our brothers and sisters in Christ to the point where our own pre-occupation and over zealousness for the coming wrestling match overshadows our pre-occupation and zealousness for the Lord our God.
Try and describe that indescribable and unnecessary infliction of suffering on those who are observing us – upon those who are on the very cusp of belief?
Try and describe that indescribable and unnecessary infliction of suffering on the accepted, perceived character, reputation of “the Christian” by the athiest.
By our zealousness for fighting each other and creating division – who is not coming to koinonia, relationship and connection with God, Jesus, the Spirit?
As the Apostle Paul tries to “hammer home” in 1 Corinthians 1:17 (Amplified)
17 For Christ did not send me [as an apostle] to baptize, but [commissioned and empowered me] to preach the good news [of salvation]—not with clever and eloquent speech [as an orator], so that the cross of Christ would not be [a]made ineffective [deprived of its saving power].
“SO THAT THE CROSS OF CHRIST WOULD NOT BE MADE INEFFECTIVE – DEPRIVED OF ITS SAVING POWER! by our harsh divisive squabbling …
Philippians 4:5-7 Amplified
5 Let your gentle spirit [your graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, and patience] be known to all people. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. 7 And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].
Pre-occupation, Zealousness for the fight which leads to insufferable division.
Pre-occupation, Zealousness for the fight which leads us to the Peace of Christ.
Wrestling with God ….
Wrestling with the Cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ….
Having koinonia, connection, a relationship with God changes everything.
Many images and terms are used to describe the change that happens when we enter an intimate, vibrant and indescribably meaningful relationship with God.
“Salvation,” “adoption,” “redemption,” being “born again” and many other terms describe what miracles happen when the fullest measure of God’s grace enters our lives and transforms us, literally re-makes us his beloved children.
Not only are we called new creatures who now relate to God differently, but we begin koinonia, connecting, relating to other people and nature differently too.
What does wrestling with God mean?
Is wrestling with God “allowed,” or is that off-limits?
Should we wrestle with God?
Depending on your understanding of who God is, you might initially think that the answer to this question is “No.”
God is a lofty, powerful being you shouldn’t trifle with.
So, the idea of wrestling with him seems flippant, arrogant, and even disrespectful. It seems too much like playing with or disobeying God.
However, one of the ways God describes himself is
“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6).
Another passage reminds us that
“The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.”” (Isaiah 57:15).
Isaiah 1:18-20
“Let Us Reason”
18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord. “[a]Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be like wool. 19 “If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the best of the land; 20 But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Isaiah 2:1-4
God’s Universal Reign
2 The word [from God] which Isaiah son of Amoz saw [in a vision] concerning [the nation of] Judah and [its capital city] Jerusalem.
2 Now it will come to pass that In the last days The mountain of the house of the Lord Will be [firmly] established as the [a]highest of the mountains, And will be exalted above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. 3 And many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house (temple) of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us His ways And that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go out from Zion And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 And He will judge between the nations, And will mediate [disputes] for many peoples; And they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up the sword against nation, And never again will they learn war.
God will judge between the nations ….
God will mediate disputes for many peoples ….
Then they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks …..
Nation will not lift up the sword against nation,
And never again will they learn war.
Those Word of God for His Children are nearly three thousand years old.
Now, here we are in the Year of Our Lord and Savior – 2022 ….
Now, substitute the word ‘nation(s) with the word ‘denomination(s) …
And what, how, might that vision of the Kingdom of God manifest itself as?
God dwells with those who are humble and repentant, and if we are his children, that means us. In many other places, we are reminded that God is willing to meet us in our weakness, that he knows us through and through.
All this is in the Hebrew [Old] Testament!
The God of the Hebrew [Old] Testament is the same as the God and Father of Jesus in the New Testament. (Hebrews 13:8)
To help us understand God better, and what wrestling with God is all about,
we can take a long and well prayed and considered look at a few examples of people wrestling with God throughout the Bible, such as Abraham, Moses, Daniel, Jacob, Hannah, Paul, the unnamed Canaanite woman, the unnamed Samaritan woman, and Jesus with his Father in the garden of Gethsemane.
This wrestling took several forms.
Sometimes wrestling with God is about going back repeatedly in prayer over something that is confusing us that he has said or that is happening in our lives.
Sometimes, the wrestling looks a bit like negotiating with God, and at other times it looks like reminding God of his promises while asking him to act.
At other times wrestling with God is about struggling to come to terms with obedience, God’s will for our lives and seeking strength to go with God’s plan.
Abraham (Genesis 18:16-33)
When God was about to destroy the city of Sodom because its people were high-handed sexual sinners, Abraham “bargained” – pleaded with the Lord and entered what can best be described as negotiations for the lives of the others.
Abraham approached the Lord and said, “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?… Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
God agreed to spare the city if fifty righteous people were found in it. Abraham then went on to lower that number, each time asking God not to be angry with him. The Lord wasn’t angry with him. “What if there are only forty-five?… what if there are only thirty?… what if there are only twenty?… let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?”
The Lord relented, saying that he would spare the city if only ten righteous people were found in it.
We know, as it turned out, Sodom didn’t have even ten righteous people in it, and so it was destroyed.
The key thing to note is that Abraham was bold with God, even going as far as to remind God of his righteous character, that surely he would do the right thing!
Jacob (Genesis 32:22-32)
Jacob, who was Abraham’s grandson, also wrestled with God.
This one was a little different because Jacob wrestled with God all night and God dislocated Jacob’s hip, which gave him a limp for the rest of his life.
This is one of those strange stories from the Bible that are a tad baffling.
Jacob wrestled with what he thought was a man but turned out to be God, and he received a blessing because he “would not let go until he had his blessing.”
This blessing was a confirmation of the steadfast promises and blessings God had given his grandfather before him. Why would God wrestle with any human being? Why would it even be anything like a wrestling contest lasting all night?
Jacob was a “deceitful” man who all his life had struggled with relating to family and to people – though God’s sure promises for his life were clear, he innately lied, conned, and manipulated situations and people to get his way.
His name Jacob means “deceiver,” and when he wrestled with God that night, he was facing his biggest challenge, and the situation was out of his hands –
he had just fled from his uncle who had for years repeatedly deceived him and was about to face his estranged brother Esau, who could very well take his life.
He was at his wit’s end, and powerless to control the situation.
He wrestled with God and was blessed, his name changed from “deceiver” to “Israel” which means “he struggles with God,” and from this encounter, he was changed – not only because of his limp but in how he related with people.
The Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28) A woman who wasn’t part of Israel dared it all, came to Jesus asking him to help her demon-possessed daughter.
Jesus didn’t answer.
She could have felt great shame, hidden her face, gone away at once, but she dared to be persistent, even when Jesus’ disciples urged him to send her away.
When Jesus does answer her, he tells her that he was sent for the “lost sheep of Israel,” of whom she isn’t part.
Does she give up?
On the contrary, she dares to persist.
He then tells her “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
In saying this, Jesus isn’t calling her a dog, he’s pointing out that his ministry was primarily aimed at Israel.
But the woman dares to be persistent. She doesn’t take “no” for an answer.
She tells Jesus in no uncertain terms that even dogs get the crumbs that fall from their master’s table, meaning that even though she knows Jesus was sent to minister to the people of Israel, she too can still benefit from his ministry.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.”
That woman didn’t take Jesus’ responses at face value.
She courageously, for the benefit of her daughter, fought hard with and against herself, yet she persisted despite the many obstacles, and this is like what Jesus said to his disciples when he told them to be persistent in prayer (Luke 18:1-8).
Paul (2 Corinthians 12:1-10)
Lastly, we look to God’s Apostle to the Gentiles, Apostle Paul, who was given a “thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to persistently torment” him.
We don’t know for sure what the real nature of this thorn was, but we do know he was given this thorn to keep him from becoming overly conceited about the amazing spiritual experiences he had received throughout his many journey’s.
He asked God three times to remove that thorn, but the Lord told him “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
This is one of those situations, just as when Jesus wrestled with the Father if there was any other way to accomplish his task without having to go to the cross (Luke 22:39-46), where the wrestling naturally just happens through our circumstances, but we gain wisdom to accept God’s will and His way as best.
Sometimes, people in the Bible wrestle with God and God grants that for which they are praying.
Other times, we can wrestle with God and be transformed by the experience so that we gain wisdom to accept the answer that God has already given.
The Word of God appears to encourage wrestling with God because God is not far off from us, and we are called to be active participants in our lives of faith.
From Genesis to Revelation, people throughout the Bible wrestled with God over childlessness, their fears, anxieties, with many other life an death issues.
We wrestle with God in an effort to gain clarity about his purposes for our lives, to make requests known to him, and sometimes even as part of the process of confessing, acknowledging, and obediently accepting what God plans for us.
127 Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. 2 It is vain for you to rise early, To retire late, To eat the bread of anxious labors— For He gives [blessings] to His beloved even in his sleep.
3 Behold, children are a heritage and gift from the Lord, The fruit of the womb a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. 5 How blessed [happy and fortunate] is the man whose quiver is filled with them; They will not be ashamed When they speak with their enemies [in gatherings] at the [city] gate.
When and where two or three – they dare to gather, to speak (in the name of the Lord their God) with each man their enemies [in gatherings] at the [city] gate ….
Invited to wrestle God, knowing we can wrestle with God, being able to wrestle with God is part of what it truly means for us to be the children, friends of God.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
My Strong Father, You are the only author and sustainer of my soul. Lord, I thank You for the measure of strength that You give. You embolden me with courage and cause me to stand upright. I am so grateful for Your presence in my life. In all of life, may I turn to You for an increase in these qualities. Keep me from looking within myself or to sources other than You. I thank You in the name of the Son. Amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 