Ides of March

From Wikipedia:
The Ides of March (Latin: Idus Martii) is the name of 15 March in the Roman calendar, probably referring to the day of the full moon. The term ides was used for the 15th day of the months of March, May, July, and October, and the 13th day of the other months.^[1] The Ides of March was a festive day dedicated to the god Mars and a military parade was usually held. In modern times, the term Ides of March is best known as the date that Julius Caesar was killed in 44 B.C. Julius Caesar was stabbed (23 times) to death in the Roman Senate led by Marcus Junius Brutus, Gaius Cassius Longinus and 60 other conspirators.On his way to the Theatre of Pompey (where he would be assassinated), Caesar saw a seer who had foretold that harm would come to him not later than the Ides of March. Caesar joked, "Well, the Ides of March have come", to which the seer replied "Ay, they have come, but they are not gone."^[2] This meeting is famously dramatized in William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, when Caesar is warned to "beware the Ides of March".

Julius Caesar.... Alexander the Great... Attila the Hun...    These ancient greats were generals on the battlefield conquering for their people. But at the heart of it, they were conquering worlds for themselves.  The power, prestige, position..... Caesar was assassinated probably on this day in 44 B.C.  - notice the B.C. - as great a general and leader Julius was, we only have the Ides of March.... we don't divide time with his birth... B.C. (before Christ.. A.D. anno domini the Year of our Lord) .... Jesus died a much more painful death than Caesar. He was killed because of pressure that the people would make him king. Caesar was killed because he made HIMSELF king.  What a difference! The One from heaven came to earth and fulfilled the Law of God and gave Himself in our place so that we could be citizens in His kingdom. Caesar wanted to govern on behalf of his people.. but he could and would never offer them his kingdom.  All Hail, King Jesus!

Entrusting Yourself to the Just Judge

 "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.  He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.  For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." 1 Peter 2: 21-25

      Jesus didn't find it necessary to defend Himself against false charges, because He understood He was meant to suffer. He was to carry our sins on His body. His death was more than an example of sacrifice or servanthood.... IT WAS A SUBSTITUTION... He suffered for OUR sake in OUR place... Having now His life instead of our own; suffering and trial are necessary to follow Jesus. My trial and suffering may not look like yours. God has different things planned for different people but suffering is included in the package. Peter goes on to say that "even if we suffer for righteousness' sake, we will be blessed." (1 Peter 3:13-17)
       Jesus did nothing wrong... He didn't deserve to be on trial - WE DO.....  Jesus, rather than complaining or offering a defense of the false charges continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly.... That's real faith.... to not take matters into our own hands when we are wronged. To not seek revenge when we've been hurt. To be quick to seek forgiveness when we've wronged others. And trust.... trust the Righteous Judge to accomplish His plan and desire in our life. Jesus could have not completed the task.... that was Satan's temptation to Him all along.... After all, we aren't worth it... As Peter said, we were "were straying like sheep" (v.25 a) .  But because of what He has done for us, we "have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls." (v.25 b) .

"... All flesh is like grass and all it's glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the Word of the Lord remains forever..."
                                                                                                                 1 Peter 1:24-25 ESV
The Word of God is eternal. Maybe not the bible you read from right now. You can forget it in a hotel room, lose it at the beach, it could be destroyed in a fire... But it can be replaced and the words will be the same. It's character and authority will endure forever. The bible tells us that God breathed into man (Adam) the breath of life (Gen. 2:7), and man became a living soul."  ... God spoke the universe into existence. God spoke His word, and nature obeyed. Moses was told that the Scriptures were vital to the Israelites' survival... and he told this to Joshua in order to pass on the mantle of leadership - In Deuteronomy 32: 47 he says that God's words are "no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live...."  God spoke His words through Moses and the Prophets and then as the New Testament era begins, John describes Christ as the Word Who was made flesh to dwell amoung us. (John 1:14). ...  God fulfills all His promises according to His Word... The bible, God's word to us is eternal... it will never come to an end, because Jesus IS the WORD. Isaiah 55 tells us (v.11) - that God's Word will not return empty and it will accomplish that which God purposes, and it will succeed in the thing for which He sends it.... Hebrews 4:12-13 states; "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two edged sword.... piercing our bodies, thoughts, and intentions of our hearts.
Ultimately, we don't read the bible; the bible reads us! ... We must face who we are when we look into the awesome scriptures. They tell us the truth about ourselves and God. Have you responded to God's word? .... Do it today!

Spring is Coming!

The weather has been very nice for the last part of February and the early part of March. I love the spring time, especially because it's golf time again... It's really sad that I'm no better at golf. A very frustrating game, but SO much fun. It brings people together and you can see people (including myself) at their worst (i.e. bad shot!) or their best (celebrating when you or your friends make a good shot) during a golf game. I got to play for the first time in months today. I was HORRIBLE. But again SO much fun! C.J. Mahaney encourages pastors to play golf as often as they can, because it cultivates humility... I believe him! It is a humbling game, and a good reminder of what life is like. Good shots and bad shots.. Good days and bad days. But you play with friends... you are on a journey with each other. Just like life.  - Humility in us... true humility, makes God smile.
"All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: He who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word."
                                                                                                              Isaiah 66:2  (ESV)

Joseph in Egypt

Tomorrow (Feb. 27, 2011) will be the last message in a long journey through the book of beginnings, Genesis. The church has been patiently working its way through this wonderful account for around two years now. We finally arrive at chapter 50. Joseph is the Prime Minister of Egypt. At this time in the ancient world, Egypt was the most powerful, prosperous nation in the world. And our boy, Joseph, is a Hebrew... The irony is amazing. This young Jewish man, sold into slavery 20 years earlier by his brothers, has through the providence of God, become the second in command to the most powerful man in the world. He is more Egyptian now than Hebrew although he never denied his heritage and his God.... Joseph's father, Jacob has died (ch.49) and now his brothers are scared to death that Joseph will go back on his pledge to care for his brothers in spite of their betrayal. They are gripped with fear - and Joseph tells them, "Do not fear. Am I in the place of God?" (50:19).  In other words, Joseph knows that it is God job to get revenge, not man's (Romans 12:19). He not only will leave the vengeance to God but he also sees God sovereign hand in the midst of the travesty that had happened to him. He continues "as for you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good..." (50:20). Joseph, way before the writings of Paul (Romans 8:28), believed that God works all things for good to those who love and are called by God. Joseph's incredible grasp on the doctrine of God's sovereignty helped him survive slavery, wrongful accusations (with Potiphar's wife) and wrongful imprisonment. He was elevated to Pharaoh's highest court and became a rescuer to his family and to all the nations of the world. Joseph presents us a picture of what Christ ultimately and completely would fulfill. Joseph's Christlike treatment of his brothers teaches us about God's forgiveness to the underserving (that's us) and his comfort and care to those He had every right to destroy (again, that's us).
Joseph rightly understood and modeled God's love for us through His Son. His strong belief in God's sovereignty helped him to:
1) Be humble (Neither Joseph nor his brothers deserved God's favor)
2) Remove all bitterness (if anyone deserved to be bitter Joseph did. But through God's kindness to him he is reminded to be kind to others)
3) Be equipped to move on (with all the negative things that happened to Joseph, he could have easily done what most of us do when we are wronged... hang onto our anger and resentment because it gives us a certain power to hold over the offenders head and in essence to place ourselves in the place of God. Moving on is something we don't particularly enjoy as we get satisfaction from holding others sins over their head)
4) Enable him to give generously. ( not only does Joseph forgive them. He also provided for them and comforted them. (this is a wonderful picture of what God did for us in Christ)
The thread  that runs through the book of Genesis and indeed in the storyline of the whole bible is this; God is absolutely working His plan. That plan includes His sinless Son dying for our sin so we could be reconciled to God and Joseph reconciled with his undeserving brothers.    I hope all of you who have been  in on the sermons on Genesis this past 2 plus years have learned and enjoyed this great book as much as I have.... God bless!

 "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits  of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,  and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.  In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,  having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.  And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,  by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him." Colossians 2: 6 - 15 ESV 

In Him.... note the underlined words in this short passage. If I count right, 6 times Paul uses the words "in Him" . He is speaking about our relationship to Jesus. We are to 

"walk " (or live/find our existence) in Him. This requires the Holy Spirit take up residence in us as this is how we are indwelt by Christ (Romans 8:9). The whole theology that Paul is referring to is in the words "in Him". This means we cannot do these things, or live this way "without Him."  These words "in Him" sum up that in Himself Jesus made us right with God. Paul uses the words "with Him" 3 times to emphasize that Jesus included us in His finished work. 

BOTTOM LINE: God has left no stone unturned... He has done everything and done the only things that matter in reconciling His fallen creatures. " Salvation belongs to the Lord" (Jonah 2:9) ... Now the question is do YOU belong to the Lord?... Have you been buried and raised with Christ? Has He taken the debt you owed God and paid it for you and in your place. Are you walking/living in Him? Trust Him today by faith and He will save you. 

The Trinity in Salvation

God is One and God is Three... the Trinity. God in Three Person's - Father, Son, and Spirit. This characteristic of God is a mystery for sure, but He does want it to be totally misunderstood. We have many passages of Scripture where we see the work of God in the triune (three-in-one unity). The Apostle Paul was blown away by this, as we should be. God has revealed Himself and expressed Himself in the Trinity. In Ephesians chapter 1, as Paul is writing from a Roman prison cell to the church at Ephesus and then is to be circulated through the churches, about the Trinity in salvation... 

Ephesians 1:1-14

"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful  in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known  to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ  as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,  so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.  In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee  of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." 

In this passage we see that :

1) God the Father  - ADOPTED (chose) US (vv. 1-6) 

2) God the Son - REDEEMED (purchased.. bought back) US (vv. 7-12) 

3) God the Spirit - SEALED (promised to preserve) US (vv. 13-14) 

And ALL God's children said; "AMEN!!!"