The Right Cup

In this lesson, we’re going to talk about cups. If you’re working on a recipe, there is a certain kind of cup you use for measuring out ingredients. You’ll use some cups for hot chocolate, for holding water, or for serving communion. However, only one of those let you measure its contents precisely. One is authoritative. It follows a set of standards, and the others are not. Likewise, we have many sources we can go to for our Christian practices and beliefs, but only one of those sources is authoritative and the standard by which we should measure ourselves.

Jesus was often questioned by religious leaders about the authority by which He taught. In Matthew 21:23, Jesus enters an exchange with those religious leaders about authority, and He drives them to a conclusion they refuse to admit. In this, He discusses two sources of authority – man and God. II John 9 is but one passage that warns us going beyond the authority of God’s word. Matthew 28:18-19 then records Jesus proclaiming that all authority has been vested to Him.

Romans 1:16-17 calls the gospel God’s power, the revelation of God’s righteousness. If we are going to live righteously in His eyes, the standard by which we measure ourselves will be by Him. James 1:22-25 admonishes us to be doers of that word. We must do more than acknowledge the authority of God’s word. We have to live by it. II Peter 1:3 tells us that we have been granted all we need for spiritual living in this life in the divine power of His word. It does not fall short, does not contradict itself, nor does it need modification. Jude 3 calls this a message “once delivered,” that is it is unchanging and unmoving.

Man's standards are not God’s. Matthew 23:4 speaks to the rules and traditions bound upon the people by the scribes and Pharisees, but Jesus says these are not from God. They go beyond God’s word. However, we are assured by Jesus and by the apostles that the message delivered by those apostles is by His authority through the power of the Holy Spirit. II Timothy 3:16 reminds us that all scripture is brought by the breath of God, and John 14:25-26 records Jesus promising His apostles that the Holy Spirit would be that inspiration.

James 1:25 calls God’s word the perfect law of liberty. It is the authority we should follow if we profess faith in God. It is the standard by which we should measure ourselves if we say Christ lives in us. People change. Traditions change. Laws change. Values and morals change. Society changes. But God’s word does not change. Acts 4:12 reminds us Christ is the authority by which we can by saved. It is not our place to change His word, to ignore His word, or to add to His word. It is ours to humbly follow.

lesson by Herb Smelser

The Messenger and the Messiah

There are many similarities between Jesus and his direct predecessor, the man commonly known as John the Baptist. In Matthew 11:11, Jesus says of John, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist.” Think of what it means for Jesus to say this. Think of Moses, of Joshua, of Isaiah, of Jeremiah – Jesus says John rises above all of these. Outside the similarities between him and Christ, this statement alone makes John a worthy individual to study.

Similarities Between the Messiah and His Messenger
Luke 1 records John’s miraculous birth. We read of his father Zechariah serving in the temple and being addressed by an angel who foretells his son’s birth and the name by which his son would be known. We also read of Zechariah’s doubt. Already, there are similarities between Jesus and John in the circumstances surrounding their births. Similarly, both are contained in prophecy. Malachi 3:1 speaks of both the coming of the Lord and the messenger to prepare His way. Malachi 4:5 then speaks of the coming of Elijah prior to the Day of the Lord. Gabriel tells Zechariah John fulfills these prophecies.

Like Jesus, John was not only prophesied about, but both are also prophets themselves. Luke 1:76 records Zechariah calling his unborn son a prophet of the Most High. Both are public teachers who have followings and disciples, and both baptize. In John 3:22-23, both are recorded baptizing and teaching concurrently, and both teach to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" – Jesus in Matthew 4:17 and John in Matthew 3:2. Finally, both teach prayer according to Luke 11:1. Perhaps all of this gives us more insight into Jesus’ statement in Matthew 11:11.

The Messenger, the Preparer
This John prepares the way – not the groom but the friend of the groom. In John 1:19-23, John says of himself that he is not the Messiah but the one preparing the way. He is the voice in the wilderness, making straight the way of the Lord. John reminds his disciples of this in John 3:25-30, saying Jesus must increase while he decreases. John knows his place in God’s plan.

In Matthew 11:7, Jesus initiates a conversation about John, asking His followers what they thought they were seeing out there in the wilderness, calling John more than a prophet. Jesus then quotes Malachi 3:1, speaking of the one who would prepare the way for the Lord. Here was a man bearing a difficult message in a hostile environment to a resistant audience, and this is the man to whom Jesus bestows such great honor.

The Kingdom and the Messenger
In all of this, Jesus appends something to His praise of John: “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he,” and Jesus uses harsh imagery to then describe the effort it will take to enter into that kingdom. This kingdom comes in Acts 2, and Paul says of those converted to Christ, in Colossians 1:13, that they are brought out of darkness to be the kingdom of the beloved Son.

Jesus speaks of John in highly elevated terms, but we have an opportunity he never had. We may be sons of God. The kingdom is no longer at hand; it has come. Our baptism is more than repentance; it is a transformation, a redemption, and a complete remission of sins. We have a better message in Christ, not preparing the way for one greater but who spoke the very words of God. We have a better covenant containing better promises. We have access to things John could only anticipate. This is not something to approach casually or lightly. It is a precious opportunity. Today, we can be greater than John by becoming a part of that kingdom for which Jesus died.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Jesus, Our Sabbath

In Hebrews 4:9, the writer states, “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,” and he makes this claim amidst a book targeting those who would slip back into Judaism after being converting to Christianity. If, as the Hebrew writer writes, the entire system of sacrifices and feasts has been done away with, what kind of Sabbath rest would he be describing?

The Importance of the Sabbath

Of all the aspects of the old law, the Sabbath is the most messianic, and it is the only of the Ten Commandments left unrepeated in the New Testament. This command was more than a day of physical rest; it was a system of fellowship and complete faith in God. Exodus 20:8 establishes the principle of the Sabbath day and invokes the Creation in the description, a time when man had perfect union and fellowship with God before sin entered the world. Deuteronomy 5:14-15 expands on this command by additionally commemorating the Exodus from Egypt through keeping the Sabbath.

The Sabbath system was more than the seventh day, though. It included every seventh year as well as every forty-ninth and fiftieth year, where debts were forgiven, slaves were freed, property was restored to the original owners. Redemption, forgiveness, and restoration were all present – including an unfathomable amount of faith required to forsake tending fields, generating income, and preparing provisions for an entire year. Not only were the affluent among the people to sacrifice providing for themselves, but they were to let go much the of wealth they had accumulated between Years of Jubilee. This required absolute and complete trust in God.

Rejecting the Sabbath

In passages like Leviticus 26:34-35 and II Chronicles 36:17-21, Sabbath imagery is tied closely to the benefits of following God’s word as well as in the consequences of forsaking God. This was more than a simple day off. To reiterate, it is the most messianic of the Old Testament commandments. In Jeremiah 17:24 and Nehemiah 13:17-18, among other verses, Israel’s problems are boiled down to dishonoring the Sabbath.

Think of the number of times God’s people failed to show faith in His power to save, in His power to give them rest. Remember the lack of faith prior to the Exodus. Think of their despair before the Red Sea. Think of the many times the people would wish to return to Egypt. Remember their reluctance to enter the Promised Land, again looking back on their slavery in Egypt as preferable to trusting in God’s deliverance; even after Joshua leads them to victory in Canaan, the people fail to drive out the idolators inhabiting the land, failing to possess the land as God would have them. Finally, in Jeremiah 7:24-26, God sums their attitudes up by saying they insisted on going backward instead of forward.

The Old Testament is a story of unrealized rest. The Hebrew writer, in chapter 4 of his book, quotes Psalm 95 in saying that those generations failed to enter God’s rest. He cites that Joshua could not give them rest because of those failures, and he says to us that we must not miss the rest that our spiritual forefathers failed to grasp.

The Sabbath of Christ

In Jesus’ ministry, He demonstrates that He not only provides rest to us, but He is that rest for which we not grasp. In Luke 4:16-21, Jesus reads from Isaiah, and the passage from which He reads contains clear overtones of forgiveness of debt, redemption, and release from slavery and captivity – elements of the Jubilee Year. Jesus is saying that He provides that Jubilee.

In Matthew 6, Jesus speaks about not being enslaved to providing for ourselves. Again, this is Sabbath terminology. He calls on us to seek the spiritual first and to trust God when it comes to the physical. Instead of consuming time and energy worrying about our provisions, our faith and trust should be in God so we may dedicate our lives and our energy to Him.

Matthew 11:28-29 reads: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” It is an invitation to rest, even quoting Jeremiah in rest for our souls. Think of the miracles performed on the Sabbath – healing, restoring, cleansing. In Luke 13:10-17, Jesus heals on the Sabbath, and He asks if it is not right for the healed woman to be loosed from the bonds of her illness – released and set free on the day of spiritual release.

Jesus came to offer us redemption, forgiveness, and release. He frees us from the bonds of sin. He provides us perfect fellowship with God. We cannot reject this. Instead, we should be continually diligent to take hold of and maintain our relationship with Christ that gives us a rest beyond anything this world can provide. This is the Sabbath that remains, for, in Christ, every day is the Sabbath, and the New Testament is a perpetual age of Jubilee.

lesson by Tim Smelser

The Miracle at Cana

A study of Jesus’ miracles is challenging in itself, and we know that these miracles were designed to inspire faith and to teach about the very nature of Jesus. The wedding feast at Cana, however, can present a challenge. It occurs on the fourth day of Jesus’ ministry, and, in many ways, it seems very mundane and unnecessarily secretive or private. Yet this is the first way Jesus chose to reveal His miraculous powers. Nothing in Jesus’ ministry was accidental or haphazard, so there must be lessons about Him and ourselves in this seemingly simple act.

We begin at a wedding feast. Think about times in our lives we hold dear and cherish in our memories; how many of these center around friends, family, and a shared meal? In Matthew 22:1 and Luke 14:15, Jesus compares God’s kingdom with great feasts, and, in Matthew 9:10-11, we see Jesus sharing meals with tax collectors and sinners. Time and again in Jesus’ ministry, meals play a part of the message of His ministry, so it should be no surprise that Jesus would begin His miracles at such an occasion.

The Importance of the Feast
This was more than any wedding feast, though. This first miracle occurred during a Jewish wedding feast, a celebration that could last up to seven days, the first time the new couple has an opportunity to extend hospitality to family and friends. This feast was a sacred duty, and failure of provisions would bring shame and disgrace. When they run out of wine at the feast in Cana, it is not a small problem.

This wine was seen as a symbol of blessings, peace, prosperity, and the Lord’s blessings. In Deuteronomy 7, God promises blessings upon the flocks and the vineyards of His people with their faithfulness, and this imagery is repeated in Deuteronomy 11:13-14, Deuteronomy 33:28, as well as numerous other passages. New wine was an indicator of God’s presence, and the absence thereof would indicate the removal of God’s blessings as illustrated in Deuteronomy 28:30 and Joel 1:10.

The Significance of the Miracle
In this context, we come back to John 2 and a wedding feast in which Jesus’ disciples were involved. The wine runs out; Jesus makes His first statement regarding “my hour;” Mary commands the servants to follow Jesus’ every command; the water is changed; and the miraculous wine is better than any served thus far in the feast. What was the point of all of this? Here, Jesus shows Himself to be the Messianic bridegroom. He steps in and intercedes to supply that symbol of God’s presence and blessings.

In Acts 3:19-20, Peter calls on his listeners to receive seasons of refreshing from the Lord, again making reference to the rest and refreshment offered in our meals. A physical element is used to teach a spiritual lesson. He supplies for every spiritual need, and Jesus’ first miracle illustrates that power of provision. He is the bridegroom whose refreshments never run low, and John 3:25-30, while John the Baptist is discussing purification (the same purification for which the water pots in John 2 had been purposed), John refers to Jesus as the Bridegroom.

Finally, consider Jesus’ reading of Isaiah 61 when He returns to teach in Nazareth. By verse 10, the Messiah of that chapter refers to Himself as the bridegroom who provides garments of salvation. What does the miracle at Cana tell us? It tells us that Christ came to bring God’s peace and protection. It tells us Jesus came to bring seasons of refreshing to His people.

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, Hallelujah!

For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure – for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

And the angel said to me, Write this: “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

- Revelation 19:6-9

Pharisees and Good Intentions

Should we bring every area of our life into subjection under the law of God? Should we have a deep and profound respect for the law of God? Should we emphasize humility, deplore pride, and abhor hypocrisy? Should we emphasize love as the fulfillment of the law? If you agree with these principles, then you are in agreement with the foundation of the Pharisees. Upon these four concepts is built the entire philosophy of the sect of the Pharisees. This group was not one that was shallow or insincere in their devotion to God, and I think we sometimes callously dismiss them based solely on the picture of them we see in the gospels.

The question we have to ask ourselves – instead of why were the Pharisees so obstinate – is this: where did the Pharisees go wrong? Where did they come from, and how did they come to be so in conflict with the Lord? How did this group who stood so firmly against self-righteousness and hypocrisy become the epitome of those traits as we see them in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John?

The Intention of the Pharisees
“Pharisee” means “separated one,” and, not coincidentally, we apply a similar concept to ourselves in the church. We see ourselves as separate and apart from the world, resisting worldly influences and preserving the traditions of Christ and His apostles. Likewise, the Pharisees began as a sect that resisted the Hellenization of Judaism. They sought to preserve the ways of Moses. They wanted to remain separate and apart from compromise with the Greco-Roman world. They were trying to preserve the old paths in the face of secular modernism.

Again, these were the ones who saw love as the wholeness of the law, very much as Jesus summed it up in Matthew 22:34-40. These were the ones who emphasized humility above all else in personal conduct. These were those who deeply respected the oracles of God and who sought to bring their lives under complete subjection to that law. Unfortunately, while attempting to preserve and protect the old paths, they built up an oral traditions that came to serve as a hedge of sorts around God’s law. This oral tradition was eventually codified as the Mishnah, and it became viewed as authoritative as any of the writings of Moses. Atop these traditions came the Talmud, the commentaries upon the Mishnah that also became a standard by which the people measured themselves.

For example, carrying a tool of your trade on Friday evening was wrong, for fear of working on the Sabbath. There would be rules surrounding when you could rescue an animal or put out a fire. These examples and more became the hedge built around God’s commandment to avoid working on the Sabbath. They forgot that their traditions were human interpretations, and they would condemn any who broke that oral tradition, blurring the line between scripture and interpretation. “My interpretation is law; yours is opinion.” The implications for us are evident.

Hypocrisy and Self Righteousness
In Matthew 23, Jesus speaks to the multitudes and His disciples regarding the Pharisees, those responsible for handling and passing on the law. Jesus even exhorts His listeners to abide by the teachings of the Pharisees. It is their example He warns against, expecting more of others than themselves, having words and actions that do not agree, seeking praise from men for their position. Jesus explains, in verses 13-26, that their hypocrisy was rooted in holding onto traditions surrounding the law more than the law itself – some of which circumvented those very laws they were intended to protect.

Verse 23 speaks to paying attention to the tiniest of details in the law while neglecting the intent and the attitudes behind those laws. Yes, those details are important, but they wanted to be so doctrinally pure they created problems for themselves. Not only would they expel sinners from their presence, but they would also not associate with those who disagreed with their traditions and private interpretations. They became their own standards of righteousness. In fact, Pharisaic tradition specifically named publicans as individuals to avoid in fellowship. Is it then so curious that we see publican after publican shown in a good light in the gospels? It is a contrast of how the Pharisees viewed others versus how God views them.

Jesus and the Pharisees
In their attempts to be righteous, the Pharisees had grown to be unloving, unmerciful, and contentious. Matthew 9:10 records the Pharisees wondering at Jesus taking the time to associate with those they would consider worthless, and Jesus rebukes them, reminding them of God’s desire for mercy and forgiveness. Also, Matthew 12:1-8 has Pharisees criticizing Jesus’ apostles for plucking grain to eat on the Sabbath, yet Jesus answers with their unwillingness to criticize one like David for breaking the Sabbath while being quick to condemn others. Again, Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6, bringing to mind the state of Israel and Judah in the days leading up to captivity. That prophet called the people’s love a fleeting thing, and Jesus was giving the same warning to the Pharisees. Rather than dismissing the word, though, the Pharisees had come to a point where they put themselves in the place of God.

Indeed, we must preserve the old paths. We must set ourselves apart form the world. We must respect God’s word above all else. We cannot, however, become unmerciful, unloving, and contentious in doing these. We must not set our traditions and our interpretations on equal footing with the word of God. If we had existed 2,000 years ago, we would have found ourselves closely aligned with the Pharisees’ ideals and goals. Let us be careful to avoid becoming what they became while clinging to God’s law.

lesson by Tim Smelser

"Be Not Afraid"

In Matthew 28, we read:

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.”

While the resurrection is in the thoughts of many this day, stop to pay attention to the words that the angels said to the women: “Do not be afraid.” What would these women have had to fear? This is the resurrection, the core of the gospel message as Paul writes about in I Corinthians 15:1-8. In Acts 23:6, Paul again notes the resurrection being central to his teachings, and I Peter 1:3 reminds us that our hope is derived from Jesus’ resurrection. This is the event by which the death and burial are fulfilled. This is the source of our hope. Why, then, would those women be afraid?

From Fear to Joy
In Matthew 26, we can see that they had much to fear. In verse 56, the apostles flee after Judas comes and betrays Jesus, bringing with him armed men to forcibly take the Messiah if necessary. When Jesus was to be buried, only two came forward. In Mark 16:8 and John 20:19, we see again the fear in which Jesus’ followers lived.

While the faithful lived in fear, though, Jesus’ appearance after the resurrection brought them joy. In John 20, when Jesus appears to Mary in verses 11-18, she runs to the disciples to tell the other disciples. In Luke 24:13, Jesus appears to two disciples walking to Emmaus, and He asks them to relate recent events to Him, events they are surprised He does not seem to know. In verses 25-31, Jesus studies with them and eats with them, opening their eyes to Him, and we see them, in verses 33-35, responding in joy and longing to spread the news. Jesus goes on to appear to His apostles in the same chapter, and they disbelieve for joy. Thomas joyfully repents of his doubt upon seeing the risen Lord.

Face to Face with Jesus
Luke 5 records an experience Peter has with Jesus early in His ministry. Peter and others have been fishing all night, without success, and Jesus simply encourages him and his companions to try one more time. Doing so, they catch an unmanageable number of fish, and Peter, in verse 8, falls and worships Jesus, confessing His sins in fear. At this time, Peter wants to be far from Jesus because He is overcome with fear and guilt.

John 21, after the crucifixion and resurrection, something similar happens when Peter decides to again go fishing. Once more, Peter’s efforts are in vain, catching nothing all night. Come morning, a man instructs them to cast on the other side of the boat where they catch an unmanageable number of fish. Peter recognizes this man as the Lord – a man he had recently cursed and sinned against – but this time responds in joy. Instead of wishing Jesus away from him, Peter jumps into the water and swims toward Jesus to be with Him as soon as possible. Fear has melted into joy and confidence, and this confidence becomes central to Peter’s ministry throughout Acts, gives him strength against persecution, and becomes a key theme to his letters.

Conclusion
This is the impact the resurrection should have in our lives. When confronted with our sin and our weaknesses, we can approach our God confidently and joyfully. Confidence overcomes guilt. Joy overcomes sorrow. Forgiveness defeats sin, and death is swallowed up in victory. Because He arose, we have hope, and that hope should drive us to draw closer to our risen Savior, allowing Him to raise us up in newness of life.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Looking Upon the Cross

What do we see when we look at the cross? Do we see the sadness of the cross? Do we see the joy beyond the sadness? Do we see a definition of true sacrifice? Do we see the graphic nature of the violence of sin? It seems we never run out of material when speaking about Christ’s sacrifice or about the memorial of that event. Understanding the cross is more than seeing only the death, burial, and resurrection; for we see many things in that event. So too did the people witnessing that great event.

Those At the Cross
Matthew 27:36 records, in context of the guards dividing Jesus garments, that they “sat down and watched him.” What did those soldiers see? Did they see enjoyable violence that fed the thirst for cruelty embedded into them by a Roman military upbringing? These were trained torturers and killers; these were conditioned in the power trip that comes with inflicted violence. What did the crucifixion mean to them?

What of the rulers who time and again plotted against Jesus and had been anticipating an opportunity to rid themselves of this rabble-rouser? Did they see victory over an enemy? Did they see a culmination of plans and conspiracies? Did they see the elimination of an annoyance and a threat to their comfortable statuses? Did they take joy in His suffering and death?

How did Jesus’ fellow convicts see His death? One of those, a thief, saw a miscarriage of justice in Luke 23:39. This one recognized the justice in his own punishment but saw the injustice in that of Jesus. That single thief then makes a plea for Jesus to remember him to the father. This one saw his own worthy condemnation while recognizing Jesus’ blamelessness.

What did the apostles see? Did they see hopes and dreams dashed to pieces? Did they see the end of their movement? In Luke 24:17, two ask a resurrected Jesus if He is ignorant of the events surrounding Jesus of Nazereth, saying, “We hoped he would be the one…” They had pinned their hopes upon Him, but now He was gone, and they saw little hope.

What Do We See?
What do people see today? Do we see the entertainment value of the violence of the occasion? Do we see the crucifixion as an excuse for racial hatred? Do we see no more than an interesting historical note – one of the better documentations of Roman crucifixion? Do we simply see a man willing to die for his ideologies? We must be careful when looking at the cross, for we should be seeing much, much more than this.

When we look at the cross, we should see our sin and our need. In Acts 2:22-23, Peter lays the death of Christ at the feet of his audience while proclaiming God’s exultation of the same Jesus. Verse 37 records that the crowd was cut to their hearts. Likewise, we should see ourselves and our culpability in Jesus’ death. We should see our own helplessness. We should see our own sin putting Him on that tree. We too should be cut to our hearts when we look upon the cross.

We should also see and be grateful for the sufficiency of the New Testament over the Old. Hebrews 10:1 begins a detailed overview of the inadequacy of the ancient sacrificial system, how those sacrifices could never truly clean us of sin; but Jesus’ death can and does. Through the cross, God provides us a better and more complete way for us to reach salvation.

We should see separation from God in Jesus’ cry, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” Isaiah 59:1-2 reminds us all that Jehovah’s hand is not so short that He is unable to save, but that our own sins block us from Him. My sin and my iniquity separates me from God, but Christ became cut off for my sake. God is just, holy, and upright, and sin cannot exist in His presence. The cross removes that barrier and allows us to draw to Him so we may be with Him.

Finally, we should see the majesty of the cross. Romans 3:23-24 reminds us that all have fallen short of God’s law, but Christ has been raised up as our propitiation – as our Mercy Seat – being both just and the justifier of those who have faith Him. In this is contained the extent of His love and His graciousness. Remember Romans 5; while we were unworthy, while we were set at enmity with Him, while we were yet sinners, Christ died on our behalf.

Conclusion
When we put all of these things together, we see not only the agony of the cross, but we truly come to an understanding of the agony of true conversion. Romans 6 speaks of conversion in terms of death. We have talked about the torture and violence of crucifixion, and Paul says we approach Him in the likeness of that death, our former selves crucified and our new selves dead to sin. These parallels are no accident. True conversion, a true changing of the heart, is difficult; it is heart-wrenching; it is life-altering.

To die to sin, to change who we are, to crucify self – these are challenges that will cause pain and agony before we reach the joy that comes afterward. When we look at the cross, we should see so much more than the surface details. We should see the seriousness of sin and the weight of our separation from God, and we should see the effort it takes for us to come to God. We should see ourselves, not only responsible for the cross, but hanging on that cross – dead to the world and alive to Christ.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Identifying with Christ

Not all who teach God’s word in theological classrooms and seminaries really believe the words that they are teaching. In fact, such teachers have influenced some to lose their faith and turn away from the paths of Christ. How, then, can one teach the Bible and the tenets thereof without actually believing all contained therein? Unfortunately, such a faith is sometimes seen as extremist, but Jesus did not come to teach a middle-of-the-road, half-committed, cherry-picked doctrine. His approach was complete and absolute, so where do we stand in comparison to His teachings?

Jesus, On His Identity
Jesus did not come merely professing to be a philosopher or a good man. He did not settle for merely being a respected Rabbi. He did not call Himself a disciple or a spiritual son of God. No, in Luke 4, when reading from the book of Isaiah to the assembled congregation, Jesus claims to be the Messiah spoken of by that prophet. This passage is about one who would bring great change to God’s people, one who would have miraculous powers, and Jesus tells them that those words are fulfilled in Him. These claims would anger the crowd and turn them against Him, but Jesus never backs down from His claim that He was the Messiah who would reach out to both Jew and Gentile.

John 8:58 records Jesus calling Himself, “I AM.” This is a direct reference to the way Jehovah addressed Himself to Moses in the burning bush. Moreover, Jesus claims, “I am the bread of life. “I am the light of the world.” “I am the good shepherd.” “I am the resurrection and the life.” “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” “I and My Father are one.” Where some theologians would call Jesus a teacher of moral platitudes or social reform, Jesus calls Himself God in the flesh. He claims to be more than a good man. He claims to be the source of salvation and eternal life. Matthew 16:24 −25 records Jesus telling His followers to completely deny self to follow Him.

If Jesus was just a man, then He was egotistical to an extreme, and He was a complete fraud. Otherwise, He was the Son of God and savior of the world. There is no real middle ground between those two. Therefore, if we say we believe in Him, then we completely dedicate ourselves to Him and His teachings.

The Inspiration of Scripture
Again, there are many who teach the Bible as a collection of good ideas with parts that are no longer applicable and other parts that can be dismissed entirely. John 12:46-48 has Jesus equating His words with God’s words; rejecting one rejects the other. Then, in John 14:16, Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will bring all of His words to remembrance, so they can accurately teach others, and we see this promise begin to be fulfilled in Acts 2. The apostles’ teachings were Jesus’ teachings, and II John 9 says the only way to abide in the Father is to abide in the doctrine of Christ. This would include the words in the gospels as well as the words spoken and written by His apostles. II Peter 1:3 simply concludes that God’s divine power has granted all knowledge pertaining life and godliness.

The Faith We Proclaim
When it comes to the name we wear – that of Christians, or those who belong to Christ – how can we proclaim that identity without wholly believing in Christ and refusing to live His will. That name is our identity at all times in all places, worn in good conscience and in complete faith. Matthew 12:30 records Jesus saying we are either entirely for or against Him, and He warns us against trying to serve two masters in Matthew 6:24.

We do not have to listen to the world or to disenchanted teachers to lose our faith; we can do that by looking at God’s word and doing nothing. We cannot simply play at being Christians. We cannot be content with simply being good people. We cannot be content with simple morality. If we would be complete, we should deny self, change to what Christ would have us be, leave behind all that separates us from God, and follow Christ.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Eat of My Flesh

In John 6, we see a turning point in Jesus’ ministry where He begins focusing on eternal life. The chapter begins with Jesus feeding a great multitude from meager provisions of fish and bread, and, in verse 14, many see Him as the prophet coming in the footsteps of Moses. This conclusion comes out in verses 30-31 where they remind Jesus that Moses brought bread from Heaven to feed God’s people, but Jesus corrects them and reminds them that the bread they reference came from God.

In verse 33, Jesus turns their attention away from physical bread and onto Himself. In this, He begins to call Himself the living bread or the bread of life, and he, numerous times, calls on them to believe on Him and receive eternal life. He invites them to eat and drink of Him, but what is He talking about here? Is this talking about transubstantiation? Is this a reference to the Lord’s Supper? The Jews of the time were likewise confused by His words in this passage, and many turned away.

The language involved in these verses lend themselves to our ideas of the Lord’s Supper, but these words have no more to do with that memorial than does the song “Break Thou the Bread of Life.”

Break Thou the bread of life, dear Lord, to me,

As Thou didst break the loaves beside the sea;

Beyond the sacred page I seek Thee, Lord;

My spirit pants for Thee, O living Word!

In verse 63, Jesus focuses on spiritual sustenance, and He states that His words are spirit and life. To be a part of Him, to come to Him, to truly believe in Him, we must obey Him. Then, when many turn away from Jesus in verse 66, Jesus asks His apostles if they too will abandon Him, but Peter shows that he understands when he replies, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” If Jesus is to be a part of us, His words must be a part of us.

Jesus’ words are that of which we should be partaking. It is not enough to simply observe a physical memorial. We have to be hungry and thirsty enough for eternal life that we will ingest His words. These are what can give us eternal life. While we seek bread from Heaven, while we desire to partake of Jesus, we must take part of His teachings and let them fill our lives.

lesson by Tim Smelser

My Redeemer Lives

We sometimes sing a song called I Know That My Redeemer Lives, and it may come as some surprise that the words from that song are inspired by an Old Testament passage. In Job 19:25, Job states:

For I know that my Redeemer lives,

and at the last he will stand upon the earth.

The term redeemer comes up some twenty-five times in the Bible, and, with just a couple notable exceptions, the term almost always refers to the Messiah. In this context, Job has lost everything, but he expresses confidence that His Lord will be a mediator, and advocate, a messenger, and a redeemer. Two thousand years before the birth of Christ, Job shows understanding that God will not leave His creation without access to Him.

Job’s Redeemer

In Job 9:33, Job longs for an arbiter, or a mediator, between him and God, so that one might argue his case. In I Timothy 2:5, Paul explains that we do have a Mediator between God and man who is both man and God – Jesus Christ. Then, in Job 16:18-19, Job expresses confidence in a witness in Heaven. He understands he has an Advocate before the father, one who will serve to represent those who cannot represent themselves. Job knows he has divine representation before the Father, and I John 2:1 reminds us that we also have an Advocate in Jesus Christ.

Returning to Job 19:23-25, Job expresses a desire to have his words recorded that others may know as he does that his Redeemer lives. Despite his deteriorating health and morale, he seems to be growing spiritually, expressing confidence in a Redeemer and a Savior who would appear before God with him. I Peter 1:18 reminds us we were delivered and redeemed by Christ’s sacrifice. Christ is our final Redeemer who delivers us from the chains of this life.

Finally, in Job 33:23-24, as Elihu is reminding Job not to be so self righteous, he speaks of a messenger without equal who lifts us from the pit. Isaiah speaks of such a one in Isaiah 61:1-3 who lifts His own out of darkness, cleansing them, and delivering them. Jesus, when speaking in His hometown, applies this passage to Himself. He is the messenger who soars above the thousands.

Conclusion

Throughout Job, a picture begins to form, and that picture finds clarity and resolution in the personage of Christ. Whether or not he understood the full import of his words, job looked beyond the things of this live, looking for reconciliation with His God. He had faith that such a Redeemer lives, and we can have that same hope. Jesus is our Advocate, our Mediator, and our Redeemer. He is what we need most, and He will cleanse us and lift us up when we turn to Him.

lesson by Tim Smelser

The Faithful Thief

We often study Christ’s crucifixion, its import, its cruelty, its significance. It is seldom, however, that we take the time to consider those two others crucified with Him. Matthew 27:38 tells us these were thieves and political criminals, and Luke, in chapter 32:33 records them being put to death with Christ. We only have one recorded conversation between Jesus and these two, but there is much we can learn from the exchange between Jesus and those put to death with Him.

One of these, in Luke 23:39, turns to Jesus, ordering Him to save Himself and them from their fate (Remember the amount of effort it would take to talk while hanging from a cross). The other rebukes the first speaker, though. The second reminds the first that Jesus is innocent while they are guilty. Then He asks Jesus to remember him before the Father. Matthew tells us that both of these criminals are initially involved in mocking Christ, but we see one of them turn his heart.

Lessons from the Faithful Criminal
In these last moments of Luke 23, one thief exemplifies a few characteristics we should also have if we desire Jesus to say to us, “I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

• Penitence. In Matthew 27:44 records both criminals mocking Christ, but, in Luke 23:40, he demonstrates a change of heart when he asks his counterpart, “Do you not fear God?” He goes from arrogant mocking to humbly asking for intercession.
• Standing Up for Jesus. In this environment of mocking and cruelty, this criminal is one voice of compassion for Jesus. Had the two witnessed any of Jesus’ trial? Had they seen the crowds turn on Him? He speaks up on Jesus behalf, even in dire circumstances.
• Understanding Justice. That humble criminal recognizes that he deserves his fate. He understands that justice cannot save him. He needs mercy.
• Turning to Jesus. Finally, instead of demanding salvation from Christ, he simply asks for Jesus to remember His soul.

Having the Faith of the Thief
This nameless criminal is an example of faith – the faith we should have in our own service of Christ. He comes to believe in Jesus in a few short hours, and he has faith in Jesus’ power to forgive and deliver Him. He recognizes Jesus’ sovereignty, and he expresses faith in something beyond this life. There is much in that statement: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Because he had a faith the other prisoner did not have, he gains one more thing his counterpart would not have: hope for salvation. In Matthew 27:50-54, we see individuals who realize Christ’s divinity after the cross, but this lone thief becomes faithful before those great events. He stands in contrast to the other criminal and to those surrounding the cross.

At points in our lives, we become like one of these two thieves. We will either go with the crowd, refuse to humble ourselves, be defiant in self-confidence or arrogance, and refuse to turn to Jesus for help. In contrast, we may see our Savior, grow humble, recognize our guilt, stand up for our Lord, and ultimately turn to Him for salvation. Like these thieves, we have a death sentence upon us. Unlike them, we may not know the timeframe of our own lives, but we face the same choice. Which one will you be more like?

lesson by Tim Smelser

The Seven Churches and Us

The challenge in examining ourselves is to examine ourselves, not as we see ourselves, but as God sees us. We often hold ourselves to one standard while God may hold us to another. This is true both individually as well as a congregation. As a congregation, we have successes; we have failures; we have challenges; and we have times of growth. In these times, we have to remind our selves this: that God knows our work and our hearts, that He cares about our work, and that He has standards against which our congregation is measured.

In Revelation 1:13, Jesus is pictured as being present among seven churches of Asia Minor. He walks in their midst. Throughout the next couple chapters, Jesus speaks to the strengths and challenges faced by these congregations. Often, we wish to be like the church of Philadelphia, but, had Jesus addressed us in this book, what might He have said to us?

Jesus’ Address to His Churches
Repeatedly, Jesus begins by affirming He knows these congregations. He knows their works, their deeds, their challenges, their tribulations. This paints a picture of a Savior, not one who is disinterested and uninvolved. Instead, through this, Jesus reassures them and us that He takes an active interest in our lives. He cares about us. He knows what trials we face.

Jesus also speaks to “him that overcomes,” in the letters, reminding us of the reward that lies ahead. Likewise, Jesus repeats, “he that has an ear, let him hear.” These days, we might say, “I know you can hear me, but are you listening?” He is making it clear that the words He shares are important to their spiritual survival. What, then, can we learn from those words, and how can we apply these letters to our own efforts as a congregation?

The Message to the Seven Churches

• To Ephesus, Jesus commends their efforts in keeping purity among their congregation. He knows they have endured in their work and have resisted evil. However, He chastises them for losing love in their service.
• With Smyrna, he contrasts their physical poverty with their spiritual wealth. He warns them of impending persecution and promises them reward should they endure.
• To Pergamum, Jesus praises them for holding to His word even in a place where Satan has a symbolic throne. He warns them, however, that there are those among them holding to false doctrines.
• With Thyatira, He speaks of their love and their ministry as well as their growth. He holds against them their tolerating a Jezebel among them, leading members of their congregation astray, and he calls for those that have succumbed to her influence to repent.
• To Sardis, Jesus says they have a good reputation, but He knows they are spiritually dead. He acknowledges, however, that even they have some among them whose robes remain white and pure.
• To Philadelphia, Jesus promises protection in times of tribulation to come. He knows they have remained faithful, and He encourages them to endure in the times to come.
• With Laodicea, Jesus criticizes the congregation for being lukewarm, uncommitted, and He warns He will dispense of them if they refuse to repent from their indifference. He admonishes them to see themselves as Christ sees them.

The Message to Us
We are probably most familiar with the letters to Ephesus and to Laodicea, but we can learn from the themes that run through all of these letters. We see Jesus commend, time and again, congregations’ endurance, their intolerance of false doctrine, their love. In contrast, a vein of indifference seems to affect many of these congregations’ efforts. They may have become unloving. They may have tolerated unscriptural teachings in some aspects. They may have been simply going through the motions.

We can relate to letter to Ephesus when Jesus calls on them to return to their first works. When we first obey the gospel, we may be full of energy and enthusiasm, but the cares of this world can wear us down. We can become comfortable with routine and forget the reasons behind those actions. Thyatira stands in contrast to Ephesus, whose later works are greater than their first. One congregation is praised for growing in their efforts while the other was dwindling. Which are we?

To Laodicea, Jesus encourages them to find their strengths. He asks them to find how they can be beneficial. He asks them to either be cold or hot, just as we all need cold refreshment at times and hot at others. We can be soothing or refreshing in different ways – a cold glass of water to some and a warm cocoa to others. Laodicea, however, is neither. They are uncommitted, but Jesus encourages them to simply get to work.

In these chapters, Jesus reminds us that He knows where we are and what we are going through, but the message is the same: “Get to work.” We can fall back on many excuses for lack of ministry, lack of growth, or lack of love, but Jesus calls on us to overcome those excuses. He reminds us to give ear to His word and endure with His promises set firmly before us.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Miracles & Spiritual Needs

Isaiah 61 is a prophecy of hope and redemption. It is a passage of spiritual healing and promise of a Redeemer. Selections from this chapter are read from by Jesus in Luke 4:16, and He tells those listening that these verses are fulfilled in Him. He heals the blind and the lame. He gives comfort to those in grief. He proclaims the year of the Lord. In all of this, His focus remains intent upon the spiritual needs of the people He came in contact with every day.

In Matthew 9:35-38, as He is teaching and performing miracles, we see Jesus’ compassion on those around Him and the urgency He feels for their souls. While healing their bodies, He recognizes their need for spiritual healing. We know of Jesus weeping over the state of Jerusalem in Luke 13:34, their rejection of Him and their denial of their own spiritual sickness. He cares for the people, not just for their physical troubles, but for their souls and their need to be spiritually healed.

Spiritual Healing in Physical Miracles
John 9 records the apostles wondering over sin leading to blindness, and Jesus redirects their attention to where they should be focused – on doing God’s work, on being a light in this world. When the events surrounding the healing of this blind man draw to a close, Jesus addresses the man’s spiritual needs in verses 35-41. Yes, he heals the man’s blindness, but He is first concerned about the man’s soul.

In Mark 2, some friends bring a paralyzed man to Jesus, so determined to reach Jesus they lower him through the roof of the house Jesus is in. Before healing the man, Jesus proclaims his sin forgiven. Jesus then heals him of his physical ailment to demonstrate His authority over spiritual ailments.

John 5:6 has Jesus approaching another paralyzed man, this one wishing to find healing within waters believed to have healing powers. Jesus asks the man, “Would you be whole?” Jesus then both heals the man of his paralysis and, in verse 14, He tells the man he is now whole, instructing him to sin no more. In making the man whole, Jesus heals both body and soul.

In John 11, Lazarus is ill and dies before Jesus makes it to his home. As Jesus approaches the home, Lazarus’ sister Martha comes out, despairing that Jesus had not arrived soon enough. In the conversation to follow, Jesus calls Himself the source of all resurrection and life. Any who believe on Him will live eternally.

The Gratitude of the One
In Luke 17:11, ten lepers cry out to Jesus for mercy. Jesus tells them to go present themselves to the priests, and, as they journeyed, they find themselves healed. Ten cry for mercy. Ten are healed, but only one returns to give thanks and glory to God. Nine are interested in what God can do for them. One recognizes what he now owes God for deliverance. He recognizes the spiritual implications of the miracle that healed him.

We come to Jesus unclean, blind, crippled, and dead in our sins. Jesus says to each of us, “You are healed. You are cleansed. You are alive.” What do we do then? Do we go on living our lives for ourselves, or do we understand the deeper spiritual devotion we now owe? Jesus shows His glory in us. Now it is ours to demonstrate His works in our lives. Will we be like the nine who go their own ways, or will we be the one who returns to praise and honor His name, gladly willing to serve and obey?

lesson by Tim Smelser

A Knowing Savior

In each of the seven letters to the congregations in the opening chapters of Revelation, Jesus assures those congregations that He knows them, that He knows their problems, their troubles, and their successes. As we study the life of our Savior, we should be with impressed with the level of knowledge He has about those who come after Him. He wants to be close to us and know us like no other can.

Mark 10:17-22 records a young man of great wealth coming to Jesus, and we see that Jesus has compassion for the man, knowing exactly what the man lacks in his life. Luke 19:1-10 records Jesus calling on Zacchaeus, telling him He is going to Zacchaeus’ own house. Jesus knows the man and knows where he lives. Also, John 4 shows Jesus interacting with a Samaritan woman. Again, He demonstrates deep knowledge of her life and shows great care for her. Then, in John 8:1-11, when people bring an adulteress to Him, Jesus knows her guilt and demonstrates the compassion she needs. In John 9:35, Jesus knows a blind man He had healed had been exiled from his people and seeks him out. Finally, in John 11:35, we see Jesus weeping over the death of a loved one.

Time and again, we see Jesus knowing of history, of loss, of guilt. He knows people by name. He knows their homes, their needs, and their hearts. Whenever we see the Lord interacting with people in the Bible, we should see ourselves in those interactions. He knows us the way He knows these varied individuals, and, like these, Jesus knows our greatest needs.

He calls the rich young man to forsake his possessions to follow Him. In Zacchaeus’s house, Jesus says He came to seek and to save. Jesus tells the woman by the well that He is Messiah. He tells the adulteress to repent of her sins, asks the blind man for faith, and He reveals Himself as the source of eternal life to Mary and Martha when raising Lazarus from death. In each case, He knows their greatest need and reveals that He can fulfill those needs.

Jesus knows us, and He knows we need Him in our lives. He loves us, and He died for us. We can know Him the way He knows of if we only humble ourselves, allow Him to fill our lives, and come to Him in faith.

lesson by Tim Smelser

And the Stones Cried

Among the psalms of worship, lament, intercession, history, and others, are a collection of songs that proclaim God’s greatness as seen in nature. Three of these are Psalms 29, 148, and 19. Psalm 29 describes God as a thunderstorm, His voice and nature seen in the thunder, in the waves, in the winds, in the animals taking shelter – all of these proclaim glory to God. Likewise, all nature is called to praise Jehovah in Psalm 148, from creatures of the deep to the stars of the heavens. Finally, the heavens testify God’s name in Psalm 19.

Nature is called upon time and again to give praise to God. Jesus calls on this imagery during the last week of His ministry. As He rides into Jerusalem in Luke 19:36, multitudes welcome Him in praise. They sing from Psalm 118 as Jesus passes by, calling Him their king, bearing testimony of His name. In verse 39, the Pharisees call on Jesus to rebuke His overenthusiastic followers, understanding the undercurrents of their worship. Jesus responds by claiming that, should His followers fall silent, nature itself, even the stones on the ground, would cry out.

When the Stones Cried Out
By the end of this week, Jesus is arrested, tried unfairly, and crucified. Who testifies on Jesus’ behalf now? In Matthew 26:56, the disciples abandon Him. Later in the same chapter, Peter goes so far as to deny association with the Christ. In verses 59-61, no religious leaders testify in Jesus’ name. In fact, they seek false testimony to condemn Him. In John 19, none in the multitudes – many of whom would have been praising Jesus earlier that week – cry out for Jesus’ release. Instead, they call for His death.

Pilate partially tries to speak on Jesus’ behalf. One of the thieves on the cross expresses belief, but who would listen to the testimony of a criminal? Then, in Matthew 27, after Jesus cries, “It is finished,” darkness descends for three hours – in the middle of the day. The veil of the temple tears top to bottom, and the earth shakes, rocks torn and broken. Up to this point, silence has been the only testimony for Jesus. Now, the rocks cry out in testimony of Jesus’ divinity.

The Testimony of Living Stones
In the last supper of John 17, Jesus prays that the Father will glorify Him with His past glory. Hebrews 1:3 calls Jesus the radiance of God’s glory, and John 1 equates Jesus with God. These rocks testify God’s glory among man as in Psalms 29, 148, and 19. They proclaim the culmination of salvation’s wondrous plan. When all others are silent, nature proclaims God’s glory.

Two thousand years later, stones still cry out His glory. In I Peter 2:5, Peter calls those who follow Jesus living stones. Philippians 1:11 calls on us to be filled with righteousness as testimony to God’s glory. Every word and action of our lives should proclaim God’s glory. When all others are silent, we should bear testimony of our God and Savior. As living stones, we proclaim His greatness with one voice, living for Him and because of Him.

lesson by Tim Smelser

A Spiritual Revolution

July 4th is a celebration of the American Revolution. An event that transformed our country, philosophically, and politically. More transformative than that revolution is the spiritual revolution Jesus teaches in his sermon on the mount. During His life, the scribes and Pharisees took the power of God’s salvation and turned it onto a bland set of rules accommodating to their own interests. Jesus sees that stagnation and disrupts their assumptions and beliefs. We need the same today. Now, like then, we need a spiritual revolution.

Matthews 5-7 have a distinct path that separates worldly behavior from spiritual behavior, worldly priorities and spiritual priorities, and Matthew 7:24 sums up this challenging sermon with an illustration of two builders – one building upon rock and the other upon sand. These houses represent the purpose of our lives, either built upon a strong foundation or a shifting one.

Building On the True Foundation
By all appearances, both of these builders initially succeed in Matthew 7:24-27. They both want the same thing. They both accomplish the same thing. Both homes are completed. The focus is not the houses so much as the foundations they are built upon.

In Isaiah 28, as God is warning Judah about their wickedness, He looks forward in verse 16 to a foundation stone set in Zion. When Paul in Romans 9 and Peter in I Peter 2 quote these verses, they conclude that the foundation of Isaiah of Christ Jesus. Whoever believes on Him will not be shaken. Ephesians 2:20 calls Jesus the chief cornerstone of our spiritual foundation. Without a strong foundation, nothing can stand.

In Matthew 7, the word Jesus uses for “rock” is the same “rock” upon which his church will be built in Matthew 16:18. It is not a small rock you might toss around. It is a strong stone, but this foundation is not enough alone. Throughout the sermon on the mount, Jesus challenges his audience to faithfully commit themselves to God’s service. Our faith is what seals us to that foundation upon which we build our lives.

The Spiritual Revolution of the Mount
Jesus’ primary audience in this sermon are people who know the law and the prophets. He is warning these against pretend discipleship among those who believe in God but are religiously shallow. Starting in Matthew 5 and going through chapters 6 and 7, Jesus returns time and again to those professing faith without obedience to the God of that faith.

He presents a choice to those around Him. They and we are continually building the houses of our lives, and He challenges us to choose between a foundation of religious pretense or one of truly faithful obedience. One choice leads to ruin and the other to safety. Going through the motions does not automatically place us on the true foundation. We must serve our Savior in faith, obedience, and humility to seal ourselves to Him.

If we are truly committed to Christ, nothing can shake us from His rock. In John 10:27-29, Jesus says none who follow Him can be snatched from Him. Paul, in Romans 8:28-39, asserts that no power of man or nature can separate those who love God from His love for us. His rock is unshakable. The floods can rise. The rains can beat down. The winds can tear, but nothing can shake a foundation built upon the Lord.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Jesus, the Loving Healer

Mark 5:21-24, Jesus is approached by a man named Jairus whose daughter is fatally ill. While Jesus travels to Jairus’ home, in verses 25-34, a woman, possibly a hemophiliac or suffering from a form of plague, touches Him for healing. For twelve years, nothing had helped her. In fact, physician intervention had only made her condition worse, but she expresses faith that Jesus can heal her. When she admits to touching His garments, Jesus blesses her for her faith. From here, Jesus proceeds to Jairus’ home to raise his daughter from death.

Jesus responds to this one seeking Him out in sincerity and faith. He responds to nothing more than a touch. He seeks her out, not to ridicule her or chastise her, but to commend her and bless her for her faith. He responds in gentleness and love. His identification and affirmation is a result of her sincere search for answers in Him. Out of the thousands who possibly come into contact with Jesus that day, she reaches out with faith and intent, and He takes notice of her.

We experience pain and hopelessness in our lives at times. Like this nameless woman, we should seek Christ out in sincerity of faith when we face pain.

• Are we as touched by His love as He is touched by our plight? Romans 5:6 tells us Jesus died for us when we were weak and struggling in sin.
• Do we respond to Him as He responds to us? Matthew 9:36, Matthew 14:14, and Matthew 20:34 all record Jesus’ compassion for those around Him.

His love and His word reveal us for what we truly are – lost and in desperate need of a Savior. Hebrews 4:12 tells us His word lays our hearts open before Him. We have but to reach out for Him in sincere faith and in obedience. We affirm Him so He may affirm us as in Matthew 10:32 and Matthew 25:34. Jesus knows our pain, our sorrow, and our frustrations. He knows our needs. He is our loving and gentle Healer. Will we be like the woman of Matthew 5 who reaches out for His mercy and favor?

lesson by Tim Smelser

Kingdom Righteous

In Matthew 4:23, we see Jesus teaching about the kingdom while healing those with diseases and disabilities. Great multitudes follow him to a mount where he begins to deliver a lesson we commonly call the Sermon on the Mount. Back in Matthew 4:23, the apostle calls this the gospel of the kingdom. One of the topics of this lesson is one of righteousness. What does it mean to live righteously in Jesus’ kingdom?

A Righteous Character

This topic begins in the Beatitudes when Jesus says, in verses 6 and 10:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied…Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Around this statement, he is speaking of the character of the kingdom’s citizens. He goes on to speak of those citizens being lights onto the world, seasoning for the world. We are to enhance the lives of those around us with the quality of our character, and we are to illuminate the path to Jesus for all around us. When we put on Christ, we put on a hunger for righteousness. We put on humility, meekness, mercy. We become salt. We become light. Christianity is not merely about doing something new; it is about being something new.

Righteous As Christ Would Have

What is kingdom righteousness? We are familiar with the term “self-righteous,” a self-made standard of religiosity and righteousness we can use to look down upon others. It is comparative and self-assured. That is not righteous as Christ would have us. To illustrate this, compares the righteousness of his followers to that of the Pharisees in Matthew 5:20. Kingdom righteousness is not self made. It demands denial of self. It demands a reverence for every command of God. It demands our hearts.

Hebrews 5:8 explains Jesus’ obedience in His suffering. Philippians 2:8 describes Jesus as obedient to the point of death. In Matthew 5:19, Jesus reminds us that, if we are to be citizens of the kingdom, we need to be as reverent of God’s will. This reverence begins in our hearts, and our actions and words reflect the contents of that heart. Our righteousness is not an outward appearance. It is an inward commitment.

In Matthew 5:20, Jesus reminds us of the scribes and Pharisees, for whom religion was an outward show. In Matthew 15:8 and Matthew 23:25-28, Jesus draws a contrast between inward and outward appearances. We can make a good show of religious living while being spiritually dead inside. If we are inwardly righteous, however, we will not be able to help but live righteously – not self righteously but righteous in Christ’s way.

Conclusion

Matthew 5:6 blesses those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. We hunger for so many distractions and priorities in this life. Is righteousness one of these priorities? Is it foremost among our desires? We are sensitive to the stomach-hunger of our bodies. We should be so sensitive to our God-starved spirits. He fills a void in our lives that nothing else can satisfy.

In order to enter God’s kingdom, we have to want it. In Matthew 6:33, Jesus calls on us to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness before all else. It begins with our character. It begins with us being kingdom righteous.

lesson by Tim Smelser

The Tao of Christ

We don’t often study world religions and philosophies in our Bible studies and classes, and, often when we do, we study these faiths merely to disprove them. We are dismissive of the belief systems around us. I believe, however, that we can learn a great deal about ourselves when we look at these faiths openly and honestly. In Ecclesiastes 3:11, the Preacher passingly remarks that God “has put eternity into man’s heart.” I take this to mean that God has placed an awareness of the divine nature in man, enabling us to be aware of the divine even before we experience it.

If we truly believe the entirety of our world is the result of the efforts of one divine being, then the ancient faiths of this world can be seen as reflections of His divine nature. They are expressions of man wishing to experience the eternity in his heart and trying to touch the divine. Therefore, just as the Hebrew writer tells us we can see shadows of Christ in the workings of the Old Testament, I believe we can see God’s nature reflected in the ancient faiths of our world. One of these ancient faiths is the East Asian philosophical tradition of Taoism.

The Tao of Christ

Taoism: Some Background

The central text of Taoism is a collection of writings called the Tao Te Ching, which can be translated loosely as the Way of Virtue. A more literal translation might be The Book of the Virtuous Way. It’s difficult to fully appreciate East Asian culture – particularly that of China – without having some understanding of the Tao Te Ching, for the text influences Chinese religion, art, and philosophy in fundamental ways. It is very much to them as the Christian Bible is to Western European culture.

The text is some 2600 years old, dating back to around 500 BCE. There is some debate surrounding this date for numerous reasons, mostly due to the ambiguity of its author or authors. The book is attributed to a man named Lao Tzu, translated Old Master or Ancient Child, who served as the Imperial Archivist under the Chou Dynasty and was possibly a contemporary to Confucius. Some debate surrounds whether or not Lao Tzu actually existed or if he is a mythological figure who embodies a collection of writers, both male and female.

The Tao and Christ

In many ways, Christ is the Christian Tao Te Ching. He is our Book of the Virtuous Way. The teachings of His and His apostles lay out the case that He is the essence of Tao.

• Tao, the Way. Chapter 21 of the Tao Te Ching says, “The greatest virtue is to follow the Way and only the Way.” In John 14:5-6, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the light…” He claims to be the path to experiencing the divine. He is our Divine Way.
• Te, Virtue. Chapter 60 of the Tao says, “Guide the world with Tao, and evil will not be a problem; not that it will not be around, but it will not find an opening.” Jesus says much the same thing in Matthew 5:43-48: Evil is in this world, but the spiritual person has no room for it in their life. Christ is our example of virtue.
• Ching, the Book. Chapter 1 of the Tao says, “Tao existed before words or names, before heaven and earth, before the ten thousand things. It is the unlimited father and mother of all living things.” John 1:1-5 shares how all things were created through the Word, and John 1:14 then claims that Christ is that word. You might also recall Peter, in John 6:68, saying Jesus contains the words of eternal life. He is our Book of Life.

To the Christian, Christ is our Tao. His are the footsteps we should follow after if our way is to be one of virtue.

Christian Tao

What then is the Tao of Christ? The way, or the path, that we walk should align with the path He has set before us. We should walk in His footsteps in our lives as spiritual individuals. Here are just three parallels between Tao and Christ’s Way.

• Humility. The Tao Te Ching chapter 7 teaches “…the wise person puts himself last, and thereby finds himself first,” and Matthew 20:28 records Jesus saying He came to serve rather than be served. Prior to this, in verse 16, Jesus is recorded as saying the last will be first. Furthermore Tao 40 reads that “Reservation is the action of Tao. Quietness is how it functions,” and we see Jesus facing injustice and mockery silently in Matthew 27:11-31. Jesus’ Way is one of humility and quietness.
• Contentment. Tao 80 teaches, “Let people’s responsibilities be few…Let them be content with their clothes, satisfied with their homes, and take pleasure in their customs.” Jesus’ teachings on contentment are similar in Matthew 6:25-34. Also Tao 9 says, “Amass possessions, establish possessions, display your pride: Soon enough disaster will drive you to your knees.” Does Jesus not warn as much in Luke 12:13-21? Luke 9:58 reveals that Jesus claims no home as His own, but He goes about His work as the embodiment of contentment rather than ambition.
• Peace. Tao 43 reads: “The soft overcomes the hard in the world as a gentle rider controls a galloping horse.” Isn’t this similar to how Jesus says we should answer enmity in Matthew 5:43-48? In chapter 31, the Tao teaches, “A person of Tao values peace and quiet…His enemies are his enemies second, his own brothers and sisters first.” Do we not see this epitomized in Jesus’ life when the mob comes to get him in John 18, and Jesus heals one attacked by Peter. By His life, Jesus shows us He is the Prince of Peace.

Conclusion

Taoism is an ancient tradition of philosophy and spirituality that curiously mirrors teachings found in our own faith. Had we the time, we could more closely examine the Taoist canon and compare it to the writings in Proverbs, in Ecclesiastes, and in the epistles along with the examples we see in the life of Christ. Taoism is sometimes criticized as being “The Art of Doing Nothing,” but I think it is more accurately described as “The Art of Self Control.”

As Christians, our lives are to be epitomized by self-control and restraint. The central key to living in peace and harmony with others, in living contentedly, and in living humbly before man and God is the simple quality of self-control. Sometimes, such restraint may seem foolish as does the word of God in I Corinthians 1:18-25 or in the Tao chapter 41: “When a wise person hears Tao, he practices it diligently…When an inferior person hears Tao, he roars with laughter.” We are not conformed to this world, but rather we are seeking to conform to the divine nature of Christ. That journey begins with a principle the Taoist understands well: self control.

lesson by Robert Smelser

God, the Promise Keeper

In Titus 1:1-2, Paul refers to God as one who never lies or as one who cannot lie, depending on your translation. The point Paul is making is that God keeps His promises. In this passage, he writes of God’s promise of eternal life and the faith we can have in such a promise. We have more than Paul’s word to take on this, though, for we can look through His word and see Him keep His promises time and again. He is a promise keeper.

The Blessing of the Nations

Genesis 12:1-3 records God’s threefold promise to Abram regarding the land, his family becoming a nation, and that all families would be blessed through his lineage. God repeats this promise to Isaac and to Jacob. He even repeats the promise to those returning from captivity hundreds of years hence. These promises are revisited in the New Testament as well.

In Luke 1:46-55, as Mary lifts her voice up in praise to the Lord, she references God’s promises to Abraham so many generations ago. Also, Luke 1:67-79 records Elizabeth’s husband Zechariah speaks, moved by the Holy Spirit, and he speaks of those events as being part of God’s promise to Abraham. Finally, in Acts 3, Peter and John heal a paralyzed man outside the gate of the temple, and, in verses 24-26, they say these days are the ones spoken of by the prophets and the covenant with Abraham.

The Covenants with Israel & David

Many of us are familiar with the promises God makes to the children of Israel at Sinai. He promises to be their God if they would be His people. He promises to raise them up as a dedication to Him. In Luke 1:13-17, the angel speaking to Zechariah says John plays a part in those promises. Returning to the song of Mary, she speaks of God’s mercy on Israel in Luke 1:51-55. Also, Zechariah revisits these promises in verses 68-72 in his prophecy. Then, in Luke 2:25, we meet a man named Simeon who seeks the Messiah. In verses 29-32, this Simeon calls Jesus the salvation for all people and a light to the Gentiles.

In II Samuel 7, God refuses to have a house build by David. Instead, he promises to build David an everlasting house. He promises to David his throne will abide forever in II Samuel 7:16. We know the royal line of David would eventually fail, but Luke 1:32 records God’s angel making direct reference to his promise in the birth of Christ.

Trusting in the Promises

We don’t have angels appearing to us today. We have no more virgin births, but Hebrews 10:15-19 assures us that God’s promises are sure. Hebrews 6:13-20 cites the steadfastness of God’s past promises and oaths prove that God does not lie. John 14:1-3 records Christ promising to come again to take us home. I Peter 1:3-5 speaks of an incorruptible inheritance promised to us by the power of God. As in Hebrews 6:18-19, we can have confidence in these promises, an anchor for our souls, a hope we can hold fast.

There are many things in this life that can dash our hopes, but God’s promises are sure. We can retain our faith in Him because we know He will always be faithful to us.

lesson by Tim Smelser