Quite often we go about our day preoccupied with many things. I think of Luke 10:38-42:
38 Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Jesus has not just come to our home, but he lives inside of us! He has given us eternal life (Jn. 6, 17:1-3). May you not be "...distracted with all your preparations;" but rather chose the only one thing that is necessary: to soak up the word, living a life of worship at the at our Lord and Saviour's feet! This will never be taken away from you.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Ro 12:1–2). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
Wednesday, 29 October 2014
Sunday, 19 October 2014
God is God
The Bible proclaims who God is. Take a quick trip in your mind from Genesis to Revelation (as much as you know). Remember His manifestation of Himself to you in Jesus Christ. He is truly awesome!
All of Scripture reveals God and His Christ. This is God's purpose for us, to conform us to the image of His Son (Rom. 8) and thus glorify Himself. This is His doing! Our Young Adult Bible Study (YABS), which I attend has been studying the book of Romans for the past few months. We just started chapter 9. It is amazing to see our awesome God at work herein! We must never to try in own strength to do what only God can do e.g. save and save to uttermost. We must, by His grace, look ever to Him and worship! We must never be discouraged in our struggles against all kinds of evil here on earth. As the title of this post states, God is God. Let us worship Him here on earth until one day in His presence forever!
Sunday, 12 October 2014
Revealing Christ - Jn. 1:1-5
This past week, I had the blessing of teaching our 7-10 year old's Friday night group. As I was praying about what to speak on, the importance of the centrality of Christ came to mind. We must always remember Him supremely, not only in our teaching, but in all things! I was so blessed being able to study, meditate and teach on the glories of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Thus, since He is so worthy of our worship, I thought I would briefly share my findings from John 1:1-5:
The Deity of Jesus Christ
"1 In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He
was in the beginning with God.
3 All
things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being
that has come into being.
4 In
Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
5 The
Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.[1]"
The book of John is about revealing Christ. John 20:30-31 gives us the purpose statement:
"30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name."
Praise the LORD! Are not His purposes and works so "...splendid and majestic..." (Ps. 111)?
Back to John 1:1-5. Let's look at this text briefly by defining the terms therein:
- "Beginning": what beginning? Cf. Gen. 1:1: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
"30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name."
Praise the LORD! Are not His purposes and works so "...splendid and majestic..." (Ps. 111)?
Back to John 1:1-5. Let's look at this text briefly by defining the terms therein:
- "Beginning": what beginning? Cf. Gen. 1:1: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
- "was": Jesus was already there in the beginning. He is eternal.
- "Word":
a. In the OT the Hebrew word for "word" is "dabar." "communication which comes
from God to men in the form of commandment, prophecy, warning or encouragement... Yahweh’s word is an
extension of the divine personality, invested with divine authority, and is to
be heeded by angels and men.[2]"
b. In the NT the Greek word for "word" here is "Logos", which in short means "meaningful utterance.[2]" Jesus is God's
Word, the Word incarnate (1:14). When the book of John was written, the Greeks believed that "Logos" held the world together; essentially, nature
was God. God counters this in John 1:1-5.
- "was God": Jesus was not only with God but was God. Here we see two separate Persons of the Trinity coexisting
in eternity.
- For John 1:3 cf. to Hebrews 1:1-2:
"1 God, after He spoke long ago to the
fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,
2 in
these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all
things, through whom also He made the world.[1]"
- John 1:4:
o
"life:" the Greek word here is "Zoe." This word is used elsewhere in Scripture to describe the life that God
gives, and that life is eternal. It is a spiritual life. This life is in Jesus from before the
beginning.
o "Light": as you may see from v 4, this "...life was the Light of men." The Light is life manifested.
- John 1:5: "Darkness": what is darkness? It's the absence of light. This is important. Darkness is that which is not Christ's given life. Against the darkness of this world, the Light of
life shines! This leads to the next word...
- "Comprehend": the Greek word here is: "Katalambano." It is, "...the most vivid way to explain that would be 'to pounce on and overpower, pounce on and overtake, overcome.'...the one who is life has come into the world and is the Light of the world, and the darkness cannot overpower it, it cannot overwhelm it. You know that, darkness cannot overcome light. Light always overcomes darkness." (John MacArthur: http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/43-2/jesus-the-divine-word).
What a wonderful passage on Jesus Christ! May you believe in Jesus Christ and He will grant you His life, and nothing can overpower it! John 6:35 says, "Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.[1]
Come to Him!
- "Comprehend": the Greek word here is: "Katalambano." It is, "...the most vivid way to explain that would be 'to pounce on and overpower, pounce on and overtake, overcome.'...the one who is life has come into the world and is the Light of the world, and the darkness cannot overpower it, it cannot overwhelm it. You know that, darkness cannot overcome light. Light always overcomes darkness." (John MacArthur: http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/43-2/jesus-the-divine-word).
What a wonderful passage on Jesus Christ! May you believe in Jesus Christ and He will grant you His life, and nothing can overpower it! John 6:35 says, "Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.[1]
Come to Him!
[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update.
(1995). (Heb 1:1–2). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[2] Taylor, J. B. (1996). Word. In (D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer, & D. J. Wiseman, Eds.)New Bible dictionary. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
[2] Taylor, J. B. (1996). Word. In (D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer, & D. J. Wiseman, Eds.)New Bible dictionary. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Monday, 6 October 2014
Identity in Christ
Ephesians 1:1-14:
"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love
5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight
9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him
10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him
11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,
12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory."
"3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,.." This chapter of Ephesians and beyond describe the blessedness/praiseworthiness of God. This specifically displayed in His Son through His bride, the church. We are in Christ! How awesome is our God! May the prayers in Ephesians be realized in our lives (ch. 1 - 3). By God's grace and glory, may we walk solely by faith in God. He is our life. In Him our identity is found.
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