Humility and Suffering (I Peter 3:8-12)

(This message was preached Sunday, Dec. 15^th 1996 at Leavitt Street Bible Church, Chicago)

Theme: Even when we live as humble people for the Lord’s sake, we will encounter suffering. In a Nutshell - Humility does not prevent suffering.

Humility does not prevent Suffering.

Vs. 8-9  To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit;  not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead;

        Lists of good and bad behavior like this are common in the Bible.

Gal. 5:19-23 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,  idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,  envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Eph. 5:9-12 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.

Eph. 5:18-20 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;  always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;  and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

Phil. 2:1-5 If therefore there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.

Phil. 4:8-9 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you.

Col. 3:12-17 And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Col. 4:5-6 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person.

1 Thes. 4:10-11 for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you; so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.

1 Thes. 5:12-22 But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all men. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances.  But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.

1 Tim 4:12 Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.

Heb. 10:23-25 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.

Jam. 1:21 Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.

1Tim 1:5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

Our behavior is instructed.

Why do we need instruction?  Isn't it by grace we have been saved through faith?

When I was growing up I remember art class being one class I always looked forward to, even when I was an older kid.  One thing every one of us kids would make was something with clay.  Funny thing, we all made what we each desired.   Some made bowls, some necklaces, some made knickknacks and some made ashtrays.  I made a coffee cup for my Mom.  Isaiah 64:8 reads, "But now, O Lord, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; and all of us are the work of Your hand."  Paul says in Romans "On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, 'Why did you make me like this,' will it?  Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use, and another for common use?" (Rom 9:20)

Why do we need instruction?  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph. 2:8-10)

Where do we accept instruction today?  From School, parents,     work, church, God's Word?  Are we willing to actually live by HIS instructive word? 

        It means accepting a certain kind of behavior.

We are to accept a certain kind of behavior for ourselves, as Christians.  But we should not expect non-Christians to follow us in this example.

        It means rejecting another kind of behavior.

At this point I need to speak to the point -- We are not to judge non-Christians.  God has already condemned them for their sin as he did you and I.  We ought to pray for them, care for them, love them, so that they are no longer our enemies.  The behavior we are to reject is to be within ourselves. Do you see this in your life?

        It means humbling ourselves before the one instructing you  and obeying the command or accepting the correction whatever the case may be. 

Your parents say go to bed at 10:00 pm

Your teacher says read through chapter 13.

Your boss tells you to finish this job by Friday.

Your God says Be Holy for I Am Holy. (I Peter 1:16)

Humility is accepting instruction.

Humility does not prevent Suffering.

Few of us really understand what this means.  Take as an example the movies.  Your Mom tells you she does not want or allow you to go to the movie "Brave Heart".  You might say to yourself, "O.K., she doesn't want me to be watching such a violent movie." But what if she told you not to go to the movie "Alice in Wonderland"!  It sounds ridiculous!

Would you HUMBLY accept such instruction...or would you complain, grumble, or even completely disobey her?

Humility is accepting instruction.

Zephaniah 2:3 says "Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD's anger.”

Jesus tells a parable in Matthew about two brothers, who were asked to work in their fathers’ vineyard.

Matt 21:28 – 32 "But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go work today in the vineyard.' "And he answered and said, 'I will, sir'; and he did not go. "And he came to the second and said the same thing. But he answered and said, 'I will not'; yet he afterward regretted it and went. "Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The latter." Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you that the tax-gatherers and harlots will get into the kingdom of God before you. "For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax-gatherers and harlots did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him. 

Take heart -- The son who said he will not work was the one accepted into the kingdom.

Mark 9 22-24 "And it has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!" And Jesus said to him, "'If You can!' All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the boy's father cried out and began saying, "I do believe; help my unbelief."

Humility Brings Honor.

Humility does not prevent Suffering.

How is this so?

How is this so when Proverbs 16:7 says "When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him."?

Look at the example of Job:

Job  1:5  And it came about, when the days of feasting had completed their cycle, that Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, "Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.

1:8 And the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil."

2:3 And the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to ruin him without cause." 

42:10-12 And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold. Then all his brothers, and all his sisters, and all who had known him before, came to him, and they ate bread with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought on him. And each one gave him one piece of money, and each a ring of gold. And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning, and he had 14,000 sheep, and 6,000 camels, and 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.

In Job's situation Satan was at work actively, but that is not always the case.  There may be situations that Satan simply cannot be blamed for.  What about them?

John 13:14-18 "If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. "Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master; neither is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. "I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, 'He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.'

John 15:19-21, "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. "But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.

 I Peter 3:9b – 12, "for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.  Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.  He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.  For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

Humility does not prevent Suffering.

Our Lord suffered throughout His life and especially in His death on the cross for our sins. He lived a perfect life of humility, accepting the instruction of God & parents.   He even told us we will suffer.

Seeking Signs?

“And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.  For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.  The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.  The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.” (Luke 11:29-32)

The charge is that in seeking a sign, one neglects the evidence before him, all the while looking for more miraculous evidence.  Yet didn't Christ actually give such signs?

Yes!

He did indeed give miraculous signs –  Recall the very things John the Baptist asked of Christ, as to whether He was the One:

Ø  The blind see

Ø  The lame walk

Ø  The deaf hear

Ø  Lepers are cleansed

Ø  The dead are raised

Ø  The poor have the Gospel preached to them

In Luke 7 we read of this account.  Note that before Jesus verbally answered John's disciples, he gave them this very evidence (Luke 7:21) before their eyes.  John's disciples believed and told John of the good news. Isaiah 35:5-7 & 61:1-3 are just two of the many Messianic passages which attest to the evidence they were to seek.

Yet here in our account we have a people who has heard and seen the very same things, but still seeks another sign?!

Incredible!

They are like the rich man's brothers who, though having the evidence before them, still remain in unbelief (Luke 16:19-31).

When Christ speaks of this generation as an evil generation, what defines 'evil'? In seeking an answer, it seems plain that it is unbelief.  The sin of unbelief is the sin at the heart of all sins.  For Christ did give many signs.  He even gave the very signs expected of the Messiah!  He would yet give them another sign, that last great sign is his death and resurrection.  

Yet many did not believe, even upon the fact of his rising and being seen of more than 500 at a time (1 Cor. 15:6).  He continued with them for 40 days (Acts 1:3) before ascending on high to take his seat at the right hand of the Father.

But unbelief is a blindness which sees no evidence as compelling.  It writes off all potential.  It steals away all hope.  Better to be like the man who cries out, "Lord, I believe - Help my unbelief!"

May we seek not a sign, but believe what is already before us!  Amen.

Who are you anyway?!

I again heard the comment from a respected friend, “I just don’t like labels”.  So I’d like to say a word about the use of terms, definitions, and labels.  The context of their comment to me was in respect of the historical prevalence of Calvinists in early American Baptist churches.  I do understand the reluctance to take the term Calvinist, as it refers to a man.   Interesting to note, however, that Calvinism as it is now taught was formulated after John Calvin had passed on to glory.  I prefer the title Reformed - but you can call me a Calvinist!

In dealing with history, labels are absolutely required.  To say otherwise is to deny the facts.  I do understand the sentiment, however.  Too many ascribe to the title much more than really is.  People are a mixed -bag.  Stereo-typing isn't right - I think we all admit that. 

But the fact of the practice doesn't mean we give up all semblance of definitions.  We are more than a word.  Certainly, I am more than a fundamentalist, for example.  But such a term better describes me, than if I were to say I am a Biblicist.  What defines a 'Biblicist' anyway? (Kind of reminds me of the liberal battle cry, “The Bible is my creed” – which really says nothing!)  

And while I may not hold to all the tenets of fundamentalism, or to all of them equally, at least you have a starting place to know something of the man, Dave Cox. 
I think many don't like titles because they are afraid of being stereo-typed.  I wouldn't worry about that.  Those who stereo-type, are too narrow minded to begin with.  Take a look at my stand in reference to fundamentalism, here.

http://mysoapbox2.blogspot.com/2015/10/why-i-am-fundamental-in-my-beliefs.html

The Christ that Cleanses

(This message was preached Wed eve, March 2, 2016 at Heritage Baptist Church: http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?sermonID=32162033450)

THESIS: The cleansing power of Christ is available to any who would but come – no matter how vile they are.

Good Evening!  Please turn to Mark Chapter 1. We’ll be looking at verses 40-42.  Please follow along as I read. 

⁴⁰ “And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. ⁴¹ And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. ⁴² And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.” (Mark 1:40-42)

Let me begin by saying that there is one central theme to be found here.  Christ receives sinners!  Now this is such a simple and straight forward comment – it might fly right by you.  Christ receives sinners.  Notice that it is Christ who is receiving the sinner, not the other way around.  So let’s start some discovery, by asking a few questions.  I think you will come to the same conclusion, that Christ receives sinners! 

One question I might ask relates to Mark’s Roman audience.  How might the fact that Mark is considering Romans, outright pagans from the Jewish point of view, as his primary audience play into the fact of his inclusion of this account in his gospel?

Another question – Why does Mark record that Jesus was, “moved with compassion”? It’s more significant than you might think!  Only Mark makes this emotive reference – though the account is also found in Matthew & Luke.

What is the nature of leprosy and why do we care?  This is supremely important since it is central to understanding the account rightly.  If we get this wrong, the whole intent of the account will be lost on us, and we’ll think of it as nothing more than another account of Christ healing someone.

Let’s consider this leper – He approached Christ, so near that Jesus could reach out and touch the man.  This is an amazing and bold step.  You know how leprosy was looked upon.  The leper was the ‘untouchable’ of the ancient world.  He was so feared and repulsive that they had to form their own communities apart from the rest of the world. 

Let’s do a short review of the Bible’s historical accounts of lepers and see if we can learn anything.  There is of course Moses’ leprous hand as a sign to Pharaoh (Ex. 4:6).  Miriam in her rebellion against Moses and the Lord (Num. 12:10).  Leprosy is part of the curse by David of Joab who murdered Abner (2 Sam. 3:29).  The account of Naaman’s leprosy is fairly well known, but sometimes we overlook the subscript to the story – Gehazi’s acquiring of it!  The account is found in 2 Kings 5:1-27. Gehazi it seems was displeased that Elisha cleansed Naaman and would take of him nothing – even when Naaman pressed him.  But Gehazi pursued this man and received 2 talents of silver and some clothing – and his leprosy!

One lesser known account to me, was that of King Uzziah.  He was one of the kings which it is said, “And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah did.” (2 Chr. 26:4-5)  We’re even told of him that God made him prosper.  But that was his undoing, it seems.  For in verse 16 of the same chapter we are told how he “his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense.”  For this sin he was made a leper for the rest of his days.

Leprosy clearly was not a good thing at all.  But what is it, after all?  If you read in Leviticus 13-14 we read of the law of leprosy.  Chapter 13 deals primarily with its identification, and if identified, the lepers status as unclean.  In fact the word unclean appears 21 times in that chapter! Verse 45 tells us he had to identify himself as unclean crying it aloud.  Chapter 13 identifies at least 5 kinds or possibly degrees of leprosy. 

If we look to the word leper in the Greek we see that it means scaly or scaly-ness – which might have something to do with its appearance on someone.  Leviticus 14 deals with identifying the leper as having been cleansed, and if so, what the offering should be.  The law of cleansing is interesting, once you get past the minutia of it.  There are actually several distinct offerings the leper had to make.  There was an offering for the cleansing (v. 1-9), a sin offering, a trespass offering (v 12), a burnt offering, and a grain offering.  Does that surprise you?  How is it that someone infected with a plague of leprosy is treated, like a sinner for his infection?  That sounds a bit harsh doesn’t it? 

Yet if we look more closely, you will see that the leper is not afflicted by chance.  Consider the account of Miriam – she was made a leper.  Turn to Numbers 12:10.

And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.  11 And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.  12 Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother’s womb.

We see two things here – leprosy was accounted rightly as a consequence of sin. And she was compared to one dead.  This is significant.

As I was studying leprosy I ran across this idea which is summed up in the following quotation from the Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, “To the rabbis the cure of a leper was as difficult as raising a person from the dead.”[1] Leprosy, in the Scriptures, appears to be only healed in miraculous ways.  Otherwise it is a curse to be endured for life. 

In today’s account, we have a man with this death sentence upon him, apparently so caught up with his confidence that Christ could heal him, he disregards the law completely, and coming near enough for Christ to reach out and touch the man.  Now it’s apparent the man was not disrespectful of our Lord, for he came kneeling and begging to him.  Yet he did disregard the requirements of the law, in at least 2 points.  The approach was too close and we have no record of his crying out, “Unclean, unclean.” (Lev. 13:45)

Consider the request, “If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”  The request itself was not one filled with doubt.  This man had every expectation that Christ could cleanse him of his plague.  The request was based upon Christ’s willingness to heal him.  And remember the question I asked about Christ’s compassion?  It’s this compassion, I believe, which was a driving force for this leper to come.  Christ receives sinners! 

John Gill writes, “And thus it is with poor sensible sinners under first awakenings; they can believe in the ability of Christ to justify them by his righteousness, cleanse them by his blood; and save them by his grace to the uttermost: but they stick at, and hesitate about his willingness, by reason of their own vileness and unworthiness.^[2]”  But let me remind you Christ receives sinners because he loves them!  Such love is demonstrated in Christ’s willingness to take the cup of suffering on our behalf – because he knew we could not bear it!

As for why Mark includes this, if we consider the audience Mark has in mind, the Roman gentile world, isn’t that just the thing they might be compelled to grasp? Christ is compassionate and heals even lepers!  Matters of the law, not so much. 

How Christ cleanses the man is remarkable – in that he touches the man, BEFORE the cleansing, and speaks the word, and the man is cleansed.  This touch conveys more than compassion.  It is the means which the cleansing was communicated to the man.  Like the burning coal off the altar which touched the mouth of Isaiah, and his unclean lips were cleansed, Christ cleanses a man by his touch.  In Frederick Farrar’s Life of Christ we read the following, “The hand of Jesus was not polluted by touching the leper's body, but the leper's whole body was cleansed by the touch of that holy hand. It was even thus that He touched our sinful human nature, and yet remained without spot of sin.”[3]

Here is a perfect place to comment – the nature of leprosy is that it is representative for sin.  It is a kind of physiological breaking out of sin upon the very flesh of the person afflicted.  No one thus afflicted can hide their sin once stricken.  But this man, not hiding his leprosy, approaches Christ!

How could he?!  Didn’t he know – this great rabbi doesn’t have time for a filthy vile wretch as one so afflicted?!  But Christ does have time for him.  He does have compassion for him.  The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world does have regard for the sinner!

Don’t we sometimes forget this?  Don’t we, in our shame of sin, in trying to hide it, not approach the king?  He’s the very one who can make us whole!  This leper was not afraid to approach Christ – even though he was an untouchable leper!  Did you know that some of the rabbi’s said that if you were down wind of the leper, you had to stay at least 150 feet away?[4]

As many of you know I blog.  My most recent blog entry is on a passage in Luke 11, immediately after Christ gives the Lord’s Prayer.  Please turn there, Luke 11:5-13.  Follow along as I read, “And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;  6 for a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?  7 and he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.  8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.  9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.  10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.  11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?  12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”

There is a certain responsibility laid upon the petitioner to ask, even to ask out of season, when the need arises, and in expectation. This expectation is not a fatalistic hope – but the reasonable expectation of a good and loving Father. Yet this leper approached Christ – near enough to be touched, and he only knew of this healer.  Beloved – we actually know the Lord! 

Often the idea of one’s prayers to the Lord convincing Him to open the store houses of blessing seems foreign to us because we think so highly of God's ordered and planned world. Who are we to break in and disturb Him!? And what need is enough to justify the interruption?  Isn’t it the case that our sin so often separates us from the Savior simply because in our shame of it, the Devil takes his foothold, and convinces us that we cannot now approach him!  The very thought of it, is repulsive – but it is an evil thought!  For our Lord receives sinners! 

The picture we are presented with in Luke is not predetermined. Here we see a friend unwilling to help his friend because of the time of day, yet persuaded to help because of persistence. Often it is presented therefore that we ought to persist in prayer.  Persistence is good – but it is not persistence which persuades our loving Lord. But it is faith. A faith rooted in a relationship. Look at verse 13 again, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” 

This leper came to Christ before his cleansing.  Yet even outside of the relationship – Christ has compassion!  This is an absolutely stunning revelation.  In the same way which the Devil tells believers their sin is too great to now approach the Savior, he does likewise with those unbelievers who think, maybe – if I can just come to Him…   Christ receives sinners!  Come now – drink of the water of life freely – it’s available you know!

Beloved, we who know Him, and the kind generous Father that He is – ought we not call upon Him in faith, persistently, as needs arise?

Shouldn't we trust him to answer?

Will he give a stone, or a serpent, or a scorpion?

---

[1] Referencing I.H. Marshall’s Commentary on Luke. Page 208.

 

^[2] Gill, John. An Exposition of the New Testament. Vol. 1. London: Mathews and Leigh, 1809. Print. The Baptist Commentary Series.

[3] Farrar, Frederick. Life of Christ, V. 1 p. 275. E. P. Dutton & Company. New York. 1891

[4] MacArthur, John. A lesson from a Leper (http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/42-63/a-lesson-from-a-leper)

Faith in Prayer

"And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves;  for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;  and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’?  I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?  Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:5-13)



This familiar portion is set in a new light when we consider that it contextually follows after the Lord's Prayer. What made me wonder was when I considered it in light of the Father – and of a Calvinistic / Arminian rubric. There is of a certainty responsibility laid upon the petitioner to ask, even to ask out of season when the need arises, and in expectation. This expectation is not a fatalistic hope – but the reasonable response of a good and loving father.

Often the idea of one’s prayers to the Lord convincing Him to open the store houses of blessing seems foreign to a Calvinist because he thinks so highly of God's ordered and planned world. Who is he to break in and disturb him? And what need is enough to justify the interruption?

But the picture we are presented with is not predetermined. Here we see a friend unwilling to help his friend (in this world is it not often the same?) because of the time of day, yet persuaded to help because of persistence. Often it is presented therefore that we ought to persist in prayer.  Yet we see it is not persistence which persuades our loving Lord. But it is faith. A faith rooted in a relationship. We are told in verses 9 - 10 that God answers prayer.

So if we know Him, and the kind generous Father that He is, ought we not call upon Him in faith, persistently, as needs arise?

Shouldn't we trust him to answer?

Will he give a stone, or a serpent, or a scorpion?

Does God change his eternal plans due to our prayers? One must answer No. Yet this does not mean he is unable to respond to our requests in good time with (sometimes) better gifts than we are asked!

Brethren, we must trust our Lord. He knows our needs. He knows our desires. Just as a father, whose child asks him for a bit of candy - the father may desire to give him something better, like a bowl of ice cream, yet that the child must ask for his bit of candy - and trust whatever the response is, that it will be good.

O Lord, help us to look upon you with the faith of a child, trusting to Your goodness and our relation to You.

Amen.

The Galilean Ministry of Christ

(This message was preached 1/20/16 at Heritage Baptist Church http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?sermonID=121161510154 )
THESIS: To explain the activities of Christ in his service and how said ministry impacts the believer.

This evening we’ll be considering the verses 28 to 39 of the 1^st chapter of Mark.  Please turn there and follow along as I read. Mark 1:28-39, “And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee. And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.

32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. And all the city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many that were sick of diverse diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. And when they had found him, they said unto him, ‘All men seek for thee.’ 38 And he said unto them, ‘Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.’

39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.”

If you recall, as we have been studying Mark, one of the main objections of Mark is to display the suffering servant.  I realize that we didn’t review those points in the previous message, but it seems most appropriate today.  As a matter of fact, let me state the thesis of today’s message.  I don’t do this often – usually it is a guide to me only, but the thesis for this message is not as obtuse as at other times. It is to explain the activities of Christ in his service and how said ministry impacts the believer.  And let us recall the key verse, Mark 10:45 which says, “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” This evening we will see how it is that Christ’s very life was a life filled to the fullness of service.

One feature of the book of Mark which I have not yet reflected upon with you is this idea of a key word.  I’m not sure that one could say there is a keyword in every book of Holy Scripture, but in Mark there is a word which is most pronounced.  Mark is often called the gospel of action and it is largely due to his use of this Greek word, εὐθὺς.  (Yooothoos) which is translated in English as immediately, forthwith, straitway, and anon.  More than 40% of the time we see this word in the New Testament it is in Mark.  It is used in Mark 43 times and in this first chapter it is used 12 times!  And while statistical analysis is not extremely important it does briefly highlight the idea that Mark is a rapidly moving book, and the activities of the ministry of Christ seem to pile on with little respite.  Mark is trying to get us to feel the suddenness of the activities of our Lord.  Yet for all the suddenness, we will see that Christ’s activity is not a thoughtless activity. 

This evening we are presented with 3 accounts of Christ’s ministry while in Galilee.  I want to consider the work of Christ in these accounts and try to draw some conclusions which we can take to heart. 

This is what we call his Galilean ministry.  So what do we know of this place called Galilee?  For years I used to confuse this place with a mythical place from an old children’s song.  I want to give you a picture of this place so concrete that when you hear the word Galilee you think of a dark sad pitiful place.  That is what we will discover when we study.

If I had a map of Israel and asked you to point out Galilee, and you knew, you would point to the northernmost portion of the nation.  Originally occupied by Zebulon and Naphtali.  They had the northern border to deal with.  North of the border we find Syria with the chief cities of Tyre, Sidon, & Damascus of the Arameans.  I want you to think of Galilee as a nation cut off from its cultural center, especially even from the temple.  Cut off by Samaria.

Consider its accent – as we read of in the gospel account of Peter’s denial in Matt. 26:73, “And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.””  I want you to think of Galilee as being part of those northern tribes of Israel which were taken into captivity over 100 years before Judea into Assyria.  Tribes which never officially returned from the captivity.  Even before the captivity, this land had a stigma.  Please turn to I Kings 9:11-13, “(Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire,) that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not. And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day.”

Hiram, King of Tyre, called these cities cabul which means ‘good for nothing’.  Poor, unimproved, impoverished.  He rejected this gift of Solomon.  Later we read in II Chro. 8:2 that Hiram returned them and King Solomon settled them. 

Probably the most revealing thing we learn about Galilee is in the prophesy of Isaiah.  We read in Isa. 9:1-2, “Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.  The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.”  The description of the land is this gloomy, dark, even troubled place.  It was said that these people walked in darkness.  And this we read in a messianic passage!  This is a passage of Christ and his ministry.  He indeed is the great light!  And in our own passage today we are shown what such a great light looks like!

In the first of the 3 accounts before us we have Christ returning from synagogue on the Sabbath.  If you recall, we are in the city of Capernaum, sometime after He had revealed who he was in Nazareth.  Last month as we considered the account of our Lord, teaching with an authority not seen before, it was in a synagogue service and he had cast out a demon right in the same service!  In today’s passage it is the same day.  Now he retires to Peters & Andrews home in Capernaum.  It’s apparent he has not been in the home before, for we see a situation present itself.  Peters Mother – in – law is sick.  And anon they tell him of her.  Peter & company see a need and tell him immediately.  The fever was of a chronic and significant nature.  Dr. MacArthur says, “That she was too ill to get out of bed, coupled with Luke [the doctor’s] description of the fever as a “high fever” (Luke 4:38) suggests her illness was serious even life threatening[1]”  And what do we see Christ’s response is?  He healed her.  The description of his actions are simple enough, And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up. There is no account of Christ delaying in the matter.  He is presented with her condition and comes and heals her. The fever left her immediately. 

Providentially I was sick this past weekend.  Sore throat came on late Friday afternoon, bloomed to a full blown fever Friday eve throughout most of Saturday.  It was miserable.  However, I would get up to wander the house for moment and then retreat back to my bed or the living room chair for a couple hours.  No energy to do anything.  I even thought, well, I can at least prepare this message – but was not at all able to concentrate on the work at hand. 

Finally the fever broke late Saturday evening. I was able to sleep fairly well that night but still, without a fever, was fairly subdued all Sunday.  I was not able to tackle anything of significance – If I tried, I had to set it aside – no energy. 

Yet here we read of the fever leaving her and she ministers unto them… not the next day, but that same hour!  We know there was no delay for the very next verse starts out by saying, “And at evening”. Displaying a continuous account of time from verse 21 through 34.  The healing wasn’t simply a removal of the illness, but even a restoration of strength.  Yet Christ’s day was not yet over…

So when we see the phrase at even it does give us that idea of the passage of time.  But it also is a point in time reference, and an important one.  Evening was at hand and this signaled the end of one day and the beginning of another.  Yet what day was closing?  Verse 21 tells us it was the Sabbath.  So it makes sense that once the travel restrictions were over, the people came in droves.  The dramatic nature of Christs encounter and casting out of an unclean demonic spirit was riveting and the people had all the rest of the day to consider it.  The answer was obvious – bring our sick to Him!  All who were sick and possessed with devils came.  So many in fact that we read it was all the city!  Now remember how Galilee is known as this poor, dark place?  Can you see how dark when just in this one city there is such a response to Christs message and work?

When I was first reviewing this passage I had an interesting question.  We read in verse 34 that He healed many and cast out many devils.  Many?!  He healed many, not all?  And verse 33 does say that all the city was gathered at the door. 

Folks, this is the kind of bad thinking we can sometimes get into.  Yes, we want to take the Word at its most literal, but this is an accounting of an event – not an accountant’s ledger!  We must not force the words to mean other than they would ordinarily mean in a given context.  John Gill’s note on verse 34 is spot on when he states, “Not that there were some, who had some sorts of diseases, whom he did not heal; but he healed all that came, or were brought to him, which were many, of every sort of disease, which were diverse, with which they were afflicted.”[2]

But let us look at the character of Christs’ ministry.  He was ceaseless in His effort. Many people who were sick with various diseases or possessed with devils were coming.  He healed them.  Every one of them.  And without delay.  Consider even the term ‘possessed with devils’ – such words paint a picture of men in captivity, not free to do as they would on their own.  Christ sets them free of their diseases, of their captivity to demons, and even of the burdens of false doctrines which the Pharisee’s would lay upon them.  Christ freed them of all that!  See how Christ fulfills Isa. 61:1-2 – Turn briefly to Luke 4:17-21, “And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

And he began to say unto them, ‘This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.’”  This passage he read is clearly messianic!  And if you doubt that assertion recall the answer of Christ to John’s disciples who were charged to find out if He is the One or do we look for another.  In Luke 7:21-22 we read, “And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.

Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.” Verse 21 tells us he didn’t verbally answer them but healed the sick cast out demons and gave sight to the blind first.  After doing those things in the sight of John’s disciples he tells them to look for the very things Isaiah foretold in chapter 61!

Consider also the extension of His ministry through His disciples. In Mark 6:7-13 He sent out the 12 in pairs to heal and cast out devils.  We read in Luke 10 He did the same with another 70 disciples in pairs with the same instructions.  And please recall how many places and cities are in Galilee – some 20 as far back as Solomon’s day, and in my research, I came up with possibly 26 cities.  These 35 pairs and the 6 pairs before them had no lack of work.  In fact Christ bemoans that the harvest is great but the workers are few!

How dark must this land have been to have had so much illness and demon possession!  No wonder Isaiah prophesied in 9:2 that the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light!!

Are we blinded to our condition like the Laodiceans who were told in Rev 3:17, “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked”?

In verse 35 we see Christ up early the next day in a solitary place praying.  There are a multitude of sermons and devotional illustrations to be found in this verse alone.  However I want to have you take note of a very small item – it appears that the only time we see Christ separated from his disciples is here when he is in prayer.

Let me remind you of the account of the faithless disciples.  This occurred while He was on the mount of transfiguration.  The other 9 were down working in those white fields.  We read about this is in Mark 9:14-29.  These disciples who in chapter 6 had power to heal and cast out devils seem to have lost that power now.  Just recall Christs answer to their question, “This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.”  So when we see Him up early in prayer – one reason is the great burdens of ministry!  Prayer can carry great burdens!  There is a preparation and a strength to the prayed up disciple which mere followers will never have.  Verse 36 – 39 we see the pursuit of the disciples.  They are persuaded of the needs of Capernaum right before them – but Christ had a greater scope in mind – Galilee of the gentiles!  For therefore came I forth.

We have tonight been presented with the ministry of the Messiah.  Such a ministry was not only for healing and casting out of demons – but to prepare a people.  This dark land was given a great light – In the words of Simeon, “For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.” (Luke 2:30-32)

What kind of ministry do you undertake?  Are you tireless like the Savior?  Are you selfless in your preparation?  Do you take encounters with non-believers intentionally? You should you know.  Galilee is only about 120 Square miles – and while I can’t give you population numbers I can tell you Christ looked and said the field was white unto harvest.  He sent many to heal and they went.  What about your neighborhood?  Do we look at Greenwood, Harvard, Crystal Lake, Woodstock, Elkhorn, Wonder Lake and Lake in the Hills as our harvest field or as our resting place? 

Are we not the beneficiaries of the work of other men and women through the ages, and do we not take it for granted?!  Get up – get moving, look around you!  The fields are still white unto harvest.  And you don’t want to be responsible for leaving the ripe stalks behind do you?  They may be ripe today – tomorrow they may be rotting!  Now is the day of salvation – not tomorrow! 

Let’s change – just for this prayer meeting- a little of the format of our prayer service.  How about along with those specified requests we take, we each one take our own neighborhood to prayer.  Pray for those whom you know – that encounters may be had, that seed may be sowed and watered.  That we may shed abroad the Love of Christ!
Pray also for strength and boldness and love enough to care for them!  Galilee is dark!  We can bring the light of the gospel into a dark dim world with just a little love.  Put aside any fear of an uncomfortable social encounter and love on them!

Pray that we might have that love we so lack!  They will know we are Christians by our love.  If we have not love for them – we really betray the weakness of our love for Him! Pray for hearts of love and compassion, so much that when our precious time is threatened we think 1^st of them and the dark world they live in!

May the Lord break our heart in love for them – that we might sacrifice whatever is holding us back.   Amen.

---

[1] MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Study Bible. Note on Luke 4:38.  Thomas Nelson Publishers.  1997.

[2] Gill, John.  An Exposition of the Old & New Testament. Note on Mark 1:34. Mathews & Leigh. London. 1810.

The Authorized (King James) Version & New Translations

Part of an address given by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones at the National Bible Rally in the Royal Albert Hall, London, on October 24, 1961

I suppose that the most popular of all the proposals at the present moment is to have a new translation of the Bible....

The argument is that people are not reading the Bible any longer because they do not understand its language— particularly the archaic terms—what does your modern man... know about justification, sanctification, and all these biblical terms? And so we are told the one thing that is necessary is to have a translation that Tom, Dick, and Harry will understand, and I began to feel about six months ago that we had almost reached the stage in which the Authorized Version was being dismissed—thrown into the limbo of things forgotten, no longer of any value. Need I apologize for saying a word in favor of the Authorized Version in this gathering? Well, whatever you may think, I am going to do it without any apology.

Let us, first of all, be clear about the basic proposition laid down by the Protestant Reformers: that we must have a Bible which is understandable by people. That is common sense; that is obvious. We all agree too that we must never be obscurantist. We must never approach the Bible in a mere antiquarian spirit. Nobody wants to be like that or to defend such attitudes. But there is a very grave danger incipient in much of the argument that is being presented today for these new translations. There is a danger, I say, of our surrendering something that is vital and essential.

Look at it like this. Take this argument that the modern man does not understand such terms as “justification,” “sanctification,” and so on. I want to ask a question: When did the ordinary man ever understand those terms?... Consider the colliers to whom John Wesley and George Whitefield used to preach in the eighteenth century.

Did they understand them? They had not even been to a day school, an elementary school. They could not read, they could not write. Yet these were the terms which they heard, and the Authorized Version was the version used. The common people have never understood these terms. However, I want to add something to this. We must be very careful in using such an argument against the Authorized Version, for the reason that the very nature and character of the truth which the Bible presents to us is such that it is extremely difficult to put into words at all. We are not describing an animal or a machine; we are concerned here with something which is spiritual, something which does not belong to this world at all, and which, as the apostle Paul in writing to the Corinthians reminds us, “the princes of this world” do not know. Human wisdom is of no value here; it is a spiritual truth; it is something that is altogether different. This is truth about God primarily, and because of that it is a mystery. There is a glory attached to it, there is a wonder, and something which is amazing. The Apostle Paul, who probably understood it better than most, looking at its contents, stands back and says, “Great is the mystery of godliness” (1 Tim. 3:16).

Yet we are told, “It must be put in such simple terms and language that anybody taking it up and reading it is going to understand all about it.” My friends, this is nothing but sheer nonsense! What we must do is to educate the masses of the people up to the Bible, not bring the Bible down to their level. One of the greatest troubles in life today is that everything is being brought down to the same level; everything is cheapened. The common man is made the standard of authority; he decides everything, and everything has to be brought down to him. You are getting it on television and in your newspapers; everywhere standards are coming down and down. Are we to do that with the Word of God? I say, No! What has happened in the past has been this: an ignorant, an illiterate people in this country and in foreign countries, coming into salvation, have been educated up to the Book and have begun to understand it, to glory in it, and to praise God for it. I am here to say that we need to do the same at this present time. What we need is, therefore, not to replace the Authorized Version with what, I am tempted at times to call, the ITV edition of the Bible. We need rather to reach and train people up to the standard and the language, the dignity and the glory of the old Authorized Version....

Very well, my friends, let me say a word for the old book, the old Authorized Version. It was translated by fifty-four men, every one of them a great scholar, and published in 1611.

Here is another thing to commend it to you: this Authorized Version came out at a time when the church had not yet divided into Anglican and Nonconformist. I think there is an advantage even in that. They were all still as one, with very few exceptions, when the Authorized Version was produced. The Authorized (King James) Version was produced.

Another important point to remember is this. The Authorized Version was produced some time after that great climactic event which we call the Protestant Reformation. There had been time by then to see some of the terrible horrors of Rome and all she stood for. The early Reformers had too much on their plate, as it were; Luther may have left many gaps; but when this translation was produced, there had been time for men to be able to see Rome for what she really was. These translators were all men who were orthodox in the faith. They believed that the Bible is the infallible Word of God and they submitted to it as the final authority, as against the spurious claims of Rome, as against the appeals to the church fathers and everything else.

Here, I say, were fifty-four men, scholars and saintly, who were utterly submitted to the Book. You have never had that in any other version. Here, and here alone, you have a body of men who were absolutely committed to it, who gave themselves to it, and who did not want to correct or sit in judgment on it—whose only concern and desire was to translate and interpret it for the masses of the people.

In view of all this, my argument is that the answer does not lie in producing new translations; they are coming out almost every year, but are they truly aiding the situation? No, and for this reason: men no longer read the Bible not because they cannot understand its language, but because they do not believe in it. They do not believe in God; they do not want it. Their problem is not one of language and of terminology; it is the state of the heart. Therefore what do we do about it? It seems to me there is only one thing to do, the thing that has always been done in the past: we must preach it and our preaching must be wholly based upon its authority.

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1900–1981) served as minister at Westminster Chapel, London for thirty years. His ministry and books have had a worldwide impact for good on tens of thousands.